Posts Tagged ‘Everest’

“And the envelope please..”: Three Blockbuster Speakers (and Movies) to Watch this Fall

Posted: September 1, 2015 in Speaker Ideas
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In our posting last year, Top Ten Films That Have Influenced The Speaker Circuit, we discussed the symbiotic relationship between the success on Hollywood’s big screen and the speaking demand created for the protagonist of the film. Captain Jim Lovell from Apollo 13, Mike Eruzione for Miracle, and Frank Abagnale from Catch Me if You Can are just a few examples. While their life lessons and stories are timeless and well-known, the release of these films was a critical catalyst to market demand and success on the speaking circuit. When you combine a compelling story with savvy podium skills and a major picture, you create a perfect storm of excitement on the speaking circuit.

September 1st marks the opening of the fall movie season and The Speaker Experts have identified three that will have an impact on the speaking circuit over the next six months and beyond:

A Walk In The Woods
A-Walk-in-the-Woods
AWalkintheWoodsmoviePoster























Robert Redford and Nick Nolte hit the Appalachian trail for laughs in the film adaptation of the best-selling book by Bill Bryson. A consistently sought-after speaker in the humorist/author space, this film will greatly increase Bryson’s name value among a broad swath of interested conference planners and attendees. Also, though Bryson lives in the UK, he will be speaking to groups in the United States in March 2016.



Everest
left for dead
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Josh Brolin portrays Dr. Beck Weathers and Robin Wright plays his wife, Peach, in one of the most anticipated films of the year. Weathers has been a highly sought-after inspirational speaker for years, and this film will surely add to demand. Another prominent figure and proven speaker featured in this movie is world class climber and IMAX filmmaker David Breashears. Portrayed in the film by Micah Huptman, Breashears also serves as a senior lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Leadership.



Concussion
Game Brain
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Will Smith takes on the NFL through his portrayal of Dr. Bennet Omalu in a true David vs. Goliath story. Dr. Omalu is relatively new to the commercial speaking circuit but his compelling story should create high market demand from organizations with both clinical and inspirational interests within the commercial speaking market (Dr. Omalu is represented by the Greater Talent Network).


A word of caution: much like the stock market, past performance is no guarantee of future success when it comes to a speaker bureau predicting a speaker’s increased market demand based on the release of a motion picture. The Speaker Experts feel that the risk is low and the upside is high with the speakers related to these films. However, you should discuss the benefits and risks with your trusted IASB bureau partner to determine if one of these speakers is a potential fit for your next event.

Final Note: Washington Speakers Bureau announced a blog featuring “insights and resources for event professionals” and can be accessed here. WSB has been a leader in the speaker bureau industry for three decades and The Speaker Experts look forward to their industry observations and suggestions.

Gary McManis & Jay Conklin

10 Speakers to Watch in 2015

Posted: July 14, 2015 in Speaker Ideas
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This week the Washington DC area will play host to one of the year’s most important events to the speaking industry: the National Speakers Association Annual Meeting, Influence 2015. NSA is a professional speaker organization that supports the pursuit of the commercial public speaking industry. The organization is relevant to our conversation as many of the speakers highlighted on this site jump-started their careers with the help and guidance of the NSA. Our posting last week covered the 10 most booked corporate and association speakers. While not everyone agreed with our selections, it is tough to argue that the 10 speakers listed are not among the most popular on the speaking circuit. Of course it is easy to look back at a 12 month period and analyze what happened but the real challenge is to look down the road and predict what will happen over the course of the next 12 months. The great hockey player Wayne Gretzky calls this “….skating to where the puck is going to be…”

Listed below are 10 speakers you should have your eye on over the next 12 months. These speakers are already some of the most popular on the circuit – based on market inertia, their work with the NSA and other industry happenings, we feel they are all candidates to make the list of the 10 most booked next year:

corcoran

henderson

knight

payton

stratten

waldo

williams

cook

Our final speaker to look out for over the next 12 months is a symbolic selection that just will not look good on a baseball card: Mt. Everest.

everest-poster


While speakers who use the mountain as a metaphor for success in business and life have always been popular on the professional speaking circuit, we feel the interest in Everest-related speakers will peak with the September 25th release of “Everest”. The film stars Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Robin Wright, and Josh Brolin, and is based on Jon Krakauer’s best selling book Into Thin Air. Look for speakers who share their experience on Everest to be in high demand over the next year.

Closing Thoughts:
No one goes from being a fresh face on the circuit to speaking at 100 meetings during the course of a year – the speakers listed above are already among the most popular and on the circuit. The Speaker Experts feel that based on the previously listed criteria, they are the names to watch out for on next year’s 10 most booked speakers list.

Gary McManis & Jay Conklin

Hall of Fame Speaker Out of Retirement!

Posted: March 3, 2015 in Speaker Ideas
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In our blog post “Ten Questions to Ask Your Speaker Bureau (Part Two)”, we pose the question “Who is your favorite speaker and why?” as an issue to discuss when vetting a speaker bureau or agent. Since publishing this post last year, The Speaker Experts have been asked this question many times. Frankly, we have a number of favorite speakers that make this particular question a very difficult one to answer. However, if we had to select the speaker with the greatest impact, it would be Dr. Beck Weathers. Why? After seeing him speak for the first time in 1998, not many days go by where we don’t think about his message from 17 years prior. His is a gripping story that sticks with you for years to come – one of heroism, bravery, and ultimately, the human struggle against the forces of nature.

On August 7, 2008, Dr. Beck Weathers retired from the speaking circuit after a ten year run as one of the most in-demand inspirational speakers. However, Dr. Weathers has agreed to accept a select number of speeches in 2015-2016 to coincide with the September 18, 2015 release of the major motion picture EVEREST. Josh Brolin portrays Weathers in the film while House of Cards Star Robin Wright plays the role of his wife Peach. The film also stars Keira Knightley, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Sam Worthington.

weathers nreca

Closing Session at NRECA Annual Meeting
Orlando, FL – February 25, 2015

weathers nada

Inspirational Breakfast at NADA Annual Meeting
San Francisco, CA – January 25, 2015

His first presentation back from retirement was a personal request from Virgin CEO Sir Richard Branson asking Dr. Weathers to share his experiences with a select leadership group on Necker Island. Earlier this year, Dr. Weathers addressed over 5,000 auto dealer employees at the National Automobile Dealers Association Inspirational Breakfast. Last week he was the closing speaker at the National Rural Electric Co-Op Association Annual Meeting where he addressed over 7,000 of their members.

Dr. Weathers still runs a thriving pathology practice in Dallas but has agreed to accept a select number of speaking invitations for the remainder of this year and early 2016. If your organization is considering an inspirational speaker during this time frame who will leave a life-changing and lasting impression on every meeting attendee, contact your favorite lecture agent to discuss Dr. Beck Weathers’s availability.

Gary McManis & Jay Conklin