Incarcerated in US Prisons for 33 years for the double murders of Derek and Nancy Haysom in 1985. He fought his way to freedom in 2017. There is no evidence placing him at the crime scene, and Jens continues to fight to overturn this injustice
In November (2023) Netflix released its blockbuster documentary, “Till murder do us part: Soering vs. Haysom”. In its opening week, it was Netflix’s number-one watched show in 13 countries worldwide.
The case continues to attract worldwide attention in large part because of Jens Soering, the German diplomat’s son and scholarship winner, who was convicted of killing the Haysoms at the age of 18. Instead of accepting the court’s verdict, Soering embarked on what he calls his battle for justice and freedom. In prison, he wrote six books and attracted the support of five police officers, including the original lead detective on the case and celebrities like John Grisham and Jason Flom.
The turning point in the case appeared to come in 2016 when DNA tests showed that blood at the crime scene, which had previously been linked to Soering, had a different genetic profile than his. Two renowned genetic scientists determined that Soering was excluded as a source of the blood; probably two unidentified men left it. This finding was confirmed by further DNA examinations in 2022.
Despite this new evidence, the Governor of Virginia released Soering on parole — without the full pardon Soering had hoped for. That decision saved the taxpayers of Virginia $1.4 million in compensation.
Jens Soering, the protagonist, has a story worth listening to
When Jens asked Promotivate to help with his speaking opportunities, we immediately began watching the documentary and reviewing countless other reports on him.
We have had extensive conversations with Jens recently and wanted to help. He would like to travel and share his experience anywhere except in the USA, live in person, but virtual keynote delivery is possible in the US. That’s what Promotivate does, bringing the most in-demand people to the market- voices that should be heard.
What is the Truth? Who Can We Trust to Tell the Truth?
Resilience Behind Bars and in Freedom
What do America’s prisons say about the United States?
Jens Soering – Three LIES in the NETFLIX series? His opinion Nov 2023
Whilst Jens acknowledges Netflix’s ‘Till Murder Do Us Part: Soering vs Haysom’ is an excellent documentary. He disagrees with how the producers concluded the four-part series and omitted key facts.
Sunday Times, December 5th, 2021
“The prosecution case rested on four things: a bloody sock print the prosecution said matched his foot size; a type O blood sample – his blood type, which was found on a door handle; his confession; and Elizabeth’s testimony. But there was no solid forensic evidence to place him at the scene.
It became a media spectacle – the second trial to be broadcast gavel to gavel on American television – but Soering never really believed the case against him would stick. The guilty verdict when it came “was a huge shock,”‘ he says. “That night I tried to kill myself, but I couldn’t go through it.”
Promotivate officially represents Jens Soering. To request Jens for a live or an online discussion, please use the contact button below and tell us about your requirements or event.
In the realm of global speaker agencies, Promotivate stands as a beacon of excellence, representing some of the world’s most influential and inspiring individuals. Promotivate is a leading agency with a roster of 1,500 speakers. More than just an agency, Promotivate is on a passionate mission to spread knowledge and empower audiences through the wisdom of its remarkable speakers. One such remarkable event that recently showcased this dedication to excellence was the 3rd edition of the ‘Three Seas Generation Freedom Future Leaders Conference 2023.’ in Poland to inspire the youth of the Three Seas region to become innovators.
Hosted by the State of Poland Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting Poland’s unique character and achievements on both national and global scales, the conference was a celebration of innovation, technology, culture, and tradition. The foundation’s efforts align with Promotivate’s mission, aiming to provide a platform for inspiring figures to share their knowledge and drive positive change.
The agency’s owner, Jonathan Curran, brought keynote speaker, Steve Wozniak to the major conference in Warsaw. The co-founder of Apple captivated the audience and motivated them to innovate in the technology field. Their participation in the event energized the young attendees and left a lasting impact, who were invited to speak by the gracious hosts from the Polish Government. Promotivate’s Director, Jonathan Curran, had the privilege of accompanying this genius on his journey to inspire the audience.
The Power of Keynote Speakers
A skilled keynote speaker can simultaneously inspire, motivate, and educate their audience. Keynote speakers must be experts in their field to provide valuable insights and encourage others to achieve greatness.
Steve Wozniak’s involvement in the Generation Freedom Future Leaders Conference is a prime example of these qualities. He shared his innovative ideas and the thought process behind them and also gave the youth of Poland valuable advice on what it takes to be a successful scientist.
Steve Wozniak’s appearance at the conference was a true highlight. His talk encompassed a wide range of topics, delving into the realms of innovation, technology, entrepreneurship, and the future of leadership. The audience, estimated at around 800 VIPs personally invited by the hosts, comprised business leaders and entrepreneurs with a strong focus on technology.
Throughout the conference, Wozniak’s insights and wisdom left the audience in awe. His ability to convey complex ideas in an accessible and engaging manner is a testament to the impact that thought leaders can have on shaping the future.
Promotivate Agency: A Game-Changer
This agency was founded in 2005, but initially, they were focused on limited areas only. It developed with time, and now they are a worldwide brand. They have over 1500 pro speakers in multiple fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Space Sciences, Blockchain industry, Business Transformation, Comedy, Entertainment, Cultural, Customer Services, Technological Advancement and many more.
Steve Wozniak, recent address to the youth of Three Seas in Poland serves as a great example. The conference was focused on providing valuable insight to the youth about being a leader in the technological industry. During a conversation hosted by TBC, he answered attendees’ questions about what is essentially required in the technology industry and what he has been working on.
Steve Wozniak, also known as “the Woz,” is a renowned technology scientist and co-founder of the Apple 1 and Apple II home computers. He revolutionized the computer industry by inventing the first-ever home computer.
Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs co-founded Apple and received numerous accolades, including the National Medal of Technology from the US president. Steve is a humble person and an excellent addition to the panel of speakers at Promotivate. He inspired the youth at the GenFree Youth Conference 2023 with his speech. His main focus was on the following points.
Technology Advancement
During his speech, Steve emphasized the importance of technological advancement. He highlighted how the ever-increasing demands of the modern era have made it essential to innovate and develop new ideas constantly. Steve also mentioned that technological advancements can greatly benefit vital industries such as education, healthcare, and finance. However, the creation of new tools and solutions depends on the people’s needs. Steve encouraged the youth of Three Seas to think outside the box and come up with unique ideas.
Essentials to Be an Innovator
Steve emphasized three crucial skills when asked about the essentials of becoming an innovator. Firstly, he stated that a desire to learn and explore new things is essential. Additionally, having a strong sense of creativity and confidence to think outside the box is crucial. Lastly, he mentioned that ambition and the power to walk on the tough path are necessary. He shared his experience of starting his first venture from a garage and how his life has been challenging throughout.
Jonathan Curran: The Visionary Behind Promotivate
Jonathan Curran has made a significant impact in the world by utilizing the talents of skilled speakers to enhance the performance of different companies/departments. In 2005, he founded Promotivate which initially had only a few speakers specializing in limited areas such as motivation.
However, Curran’s dynamic and innovative leadership skills have propelled this agency to become the world’s finest, with 1500 speakers on board who travel globally. His recent appearance at the Technology Conference in Poland has showcased his skills as an agent.
Generation Freedom Future Leaders: A Showcase of Excellence
The GenFree technology conference is an initiative by the Three Seas Group to provide valuable insights and leadership skills to the youth of the Three Seas. It was held for the third year in a row on September 22, 2023.
In addition to the Promotivate speakers, the conference featured keynote speakers from around the world who were experts in their fields. They all gathered at the Warsaw University of Technology to hold a conversational and addressing session with the youth of the Three Seas. However, the morale of the community was truly lifted by the address by Steve Wozniak, who came very well prepared for a series of 3 keynote deliveries.
As we look back on the 3rd edition of the ‘Three Seas Generation Freedom Future Leaders Conference 2023,’ it’s clear that Promotivate, in collaboration with visionary leaders like Steve Wozniak, continues to make a significant mark on the world stage. This event was not just a conference; it was a platform for fostering innovation, promoting positive change, and inspiring the leaders of tomorrow.
With primary sponsors being the State of Poland Foundation, and esteemed partners such as The Warsaw University of Technology and TVP World, this conference exemplified the collaborative spirit required to drive positive change. The event also received patronage from the Polish State Development Bank BGK and the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, further underscoring its importance on the national and global stage.
Summing it up
In a world where knowledge and inspiration hold immense power, Promotivate and Steve Wozniak demonstrated commitment to creating a brighter future for all. As we continue to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of leadership, innovation, and global connectivity, we eagerly anticipate more events like the Three Seas Generation Freedom Future Leaders Conference 2023 that will shape the world for generations to come.
A Great Conference Keynote Speaker Will Use All Ten Points Below To Optimise Their Performance
Know your audience: Research your audience’s demographics, interests, and expectations. This will help you tailor your content to resonate with them and make your speech more engaging.
Be authentic: Share personal stories, experiences, and emotions to create an emotional connection with your audience. Being genuine and relatable will make your message more powerful.
Master your content: Be well-prepared with the subject matter of your speech. Know your material inside and out to deliver it confidently and answer any questions that may arise.
Start strong: Open your speech with an attention-grabbing hook, such as a powerful quote, a surprising statistic, or a thought-provoking question. This will set the tone and keep your audience engaged from the beginning.
Use effective body language: Stand tall with your shoulders back, maintain eye contact, and use purposeful gestures to emphasize key points. This will make you appear confident and authoritative, and help you connect with your audience.
Vary your vocal dynamics: Use changes in pitch, tone, volume, and pacing to maintain interest and convey emotion. Monotonous speech can be dull, while vocal variety adds excitement and keeps the audience engaged.
Incorporate visuals: Use slides, images, or videos to support your message and make it more memorable. Make sure your visuals are clear, relevant, and not overly cluttered.
Engage your audience: Encourage participation and interaction by asking questions, seeking feedback, or conducting polls. This will keep your audience involved and help them feel more connected to your message.
Practice, practice, practice: Rehearse your speech multiple times to iron out any kinks and become comfortable with the content. This will help you deliver your speech smoothly and confidently.
End with impact: Close your speech with a memorable conclusion, summarizing your key points and leaving your audience with a call to action or an inspiring message. This will ensure your speech has a lasting impact on your listeners.
Following the 10 tips above will ensure the delivery of a very strong performance and is likely to delight any audience.
And finally, it is important to ask for feedback from the organizers and their audience. This feedback is super valuable to any keynote speaker and will provide ideas for further improvement and a useful testimonial to show new clients. Here is an example of strong feedback from one of our recent speakers, Joáo Garcia
“We had a great experience with Joao and his story really resonated with our audience. I believe they found it both interesting and could also see a connection between his drive to achieve and theirs. Lastly, he was lovely to work with. Thanks again.”
How Much Does A Motivational Virtual Keynote Speaker Cost?
This is a question that we have been advising on since the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic.
It is not only companies and clients asking this question. Speakers are also asking the question as we have all entered into a new world of virtual service delivery. What we have is inexperience and no established cost model in place for virtual speaking. This part of the speaking circuit remains ambiguous in terms of pricing.
After six months of the pandemic and speaker requests both from globally recognized companies and virtual conference organisers, we do observe that unacceptably low offers are being put across for experienced speakers. ‘Don’t pay for a Mini and expect a Rolls Royce!’
In this article, we provide helpful advice on guest speakers and their fees for virtual keynote delivery.
(An example of some of the great speakers we book for real and virtual speaker events)
(Living with Coronavirus: Good examples of leading speakers and their topics of discussion)
Don’t Assume A Virtual Keynote Speaker Cost Is Less Expensive
Speakers have traditionally factored in travel time to and from conferences.
Consider if a conference location is remote or without nearby airports and regular flights. Unless the speaker is local to the venue their commitment or time away can be two or even three days of travel. This means lost time and for highly in-demand speakers, other bookings can’t be accepted due to travel time.
Just because the talk is online, which means no travel time is needed by the speaker doesn’t always mean the speaker will charge less for their keynote delivery.
Another point of view is that travel time is irrelevant to the speaker’s fee. The speaker is paid to deliver a keynote on a topic in a location. How they get to the venue and however long it takes is unrelated to the guest speaking fee.
Some of our speakers have queried reducing fees for virtual or even pre-recorded inspirational speaking. The valid point that they made is that: ‘ film stars and musicians don’t discount their fees when recording movies or music videos, so why should a speaker.’ Speakers are also performers after all!
The speaker still has to invest the same time and energy in preparing their keynote content and presentation. A briefing call and now added is a check on the speaker’s home audiovisual set-up are mandatory requirements in the virtual setup.
Some speakers report that they are still collecting 100% of their normal speaking fees for virtual talks. This is likely to occur when the speaker has been previously booked by the company with success. Speakers are reminded that agents work in a more competitive landscape than speakers themselves. Agents make recommendations and work to the available budgets. Agents have a wide array of speakers to choose from which is to the client’s advantage.
Our Position on Virtual Keynote Speaker Cost
We advocate finding a balance for virtual speaking costs that sits well with everyone. In this case, it is the clients booking them and the speakers themselves.
A good agent provides strong advice and the ability to generate the best value in selection of the speaker to meet the clients requirement.
(Reaching agreement on keynote speakers costs)
(Finding the balance for paying for booking virtual keynote speakers in a new world)
Virtual Speaking – Key Factors
Virtual talks require no travel time
Not all speakers are good or experienced delivering talks to a camera with no audience for feedback
Preparation time for a virtual keynote delivery is significant which includes testing the speaker’s AV and video conferencing set up
Speakers should not be expected to suddenly give talks for free or for a fraction of their standard speaking fee
Virtual talks are normally shorter to keep the user’s attention (20 – 45 minutes we advise)
Virtual talks can be turned into a mini-series focusing one or multiple speakers on bite-sized topics from leadership, sales, coping with Coronavirus etc.
Innovation eg. we can have copies of the speaker’s books signed and sent to coincide with the virtual session
The more well known the speaker, the less likely a discount will be made for a virtual live or recorded session. This also applies to the traditional speaking model
Access to a far greater range of speakers for virtual keynote delivery over the traditional model with travel
Virtual Keynote Speaker Cost: Conclusion
Virtual speaking services should be less expensive. But by how much is based upon an individual basis and the speaker’s status.
We don’t think any speaker should be devaluing their professional speaking fee by more than 25 to 50 percent of their in-person on stage fee. But we do feel that in most cases clients agree that a 25 to 50 percent reduction in standard speaking fees is acceptable. This won’t apply to all speakers as there will be those at the top who clients will need to pay their full speaking fees to secure their services.
We have a responsibility to professional speakers to help not have speakers income reduced further. We have already seen great loss with the temporary shut down of conferences worldwide.
“Our belief is that speakers can and will play a very important role in bringing positivity and learning to companies during and post Coronavirus.”
(Speakers are great for communicating positivity in the times we are living in)
There should be a higher volume market for virtual keynote delivery as companies familiarise themselves with video conferencing solutions. This is positive for those speakers who’ve made the leap successfully to speaking online.
We are here to help advise, recommend, and negotiate with leading conference speakers to bring their talks online.
If there is anything we can do for your group or organization to set up an event online please let us know.
Virtual Keynote Speakers: An Improved Service For A New World During And Post Coronavirus
Since the onset of Coronavirus in March (2020) we’ve been working with speakers to take their work online as virtual keynote speakers in the most professional way.
Importantly, virtual keynote speaker delivery is easy to set up, test and when prepared well is surprisingly good. It is also far less expensive than running a traditional conference gathering which involves expense for venue hire, set production, event management, branding, travel, and downtime by employees who attend. We believe as people become familiar with the video conferencing platforms that these will evolve faster and be far more widely used.
We have collated the information we have, which includes client feedback and our own assessment of how well the internet-delivered video conference worked. We’ve also kept a close eye on how the session was prepared and the speaker’s participation to help this process.
We’ve considered speakers from not just in Europe but other regions who we work with and listed our top 20 virtual keynote speakers who we recommend and are doing this well.
Our Top 20 virtual keynote speakers list is far from conclusive and these names will change as more and more strong speakers become familiar with the required set-up. The majority of speakers should be able to deliver high-quality professional virtual keynote speaking from remote locations to hundreds of users online. Our role is to help this process along.
Organizations have the capability to deliver many more virtual amazing keynote speaker sessions to their audiences than they would have done before pre-Coronavirus. In the longer term, we look forward to traditional conferences returning but also combining into an evolved new world with multiple web-based virtual keynote speaker events.
Example: Sir Clive Woodward – Live Q&A, June 2020 (in the midst of lockdown)
The virtual keynote speaker solution we recommend involves short sharp keynote delivery or targeted Q&A delivered by a known and proven expert in a field. With relevance to the business unit.
For example, whilst writing this post, we had Sir Clive Woodward the former coach of the winning 2003 England Rugby World Cup tested and prepared earlier in the day for a live session on leadership that went live to a technology client later that day.
Clive is a renowned expert in leadership, change management, and high performance. He started his business @hivelearning in 2012 to harness the power of mobile phone technology to deliver continuous high-performance leadership programs.
As Clive does a lot of television rugby commentary speaking to a camera, as opposed to an audience comes naturally to him.
There are well known international speaking circuit speakers who are not comfortable speaking for a prolonged period of time talking into a camera without feedback or audience interaction.
‘There are many well-known speakers who don’t like and are unwilling to do virtual keynote speaker delivery. So it’s worth asking this question early in the discussion’
For most established speakers speaking without an audience, interaction is a new skill. This provides speakers with a fresh challenge but one they can adapt to with a little effort.
There are also many innovative ways in which video conferencing can be used. Yesterday we watched this fascinating virtual collaboration via Zoom between leading sales speaker Frank Furness and Grammy-nominated Freddie Ravel of Earth, Wind & Fire, Santana, and more. How does music influence people’s lives? Frank was in his studio in London and Freddie on his keyboard in his in L.A. It was a very good live production with strong audience engagement.
Tips On How To Upskill As A Virtual Keynote Speaker
For speakers who lack the skills and confidence to deliver virtual keynote speaking sessions here are some helpful points that will lead to a better output:
Work with a strong moderator in advance to build a good rapport
Upgrade the home office to have a studio look with strong AV
Have a briefing call and test run on the video con platform in advance
Take questions via the moderator at the end of the virtual talk
Do as many virtual keynote deliveries as possible for practice
With the client’s permission aim to have a few sessions recorded to demonstrate capability and content to share with potential clients
Our Top 20 Available Virtual Keynote Speakers – International & Evolving Quickly
1. Duncan Wardle (U.S): ‘Innovating in Crisis’
Duncan Wardle spent his 25 years career at Disney developing some of their most innovative ideas and strategies. Ideas that would forever change the way the company expands its impact, trains its employees and solves problems creatively.
“Duncan’s workshop sparked our creative minds and gave us tools that will pay dividends for years to come. My team was thoroughly captivated, fully engaged, energized and inspired. Look no further than Duncan for one of the best investments you will ever make in your business.” Orlando Magic
2. Robert Muggah (Brazil): Latin American specialist in smart cities, security, migration, and new technologies
Robert is at the leading edge of debates on the future of cities, disruptive technologies, digital and real threats, and the future of liberal democracy. His experience covers over 20 years’ working on the frontlines of many world conflict zones and criminal hotspots. Using exciting data and visual tools, he addresses corporate, public sector, non-profit, and academic audiences worldwide on global challenges and solutions.
Former Formula One driver turned gold para-Olympian, turned 2018 Ironman World Record Holder. Alex’s life-changing story from near-death and losing both legs leading an Indy Car race to what he decided to do next is incredible and extremely inspirational.
“As you approach the finish line, you go through a tunnel of people, all of them cheering and encouraging you. Then I heard the speaker say, ‘Alessandro Zanardi, you are an Ironman!’ It was something phenomenal, something amazing. … I got very emotional at that point. Normally I don’t let things like that get to me, but yesterday I was in tears. It was truly amazing.” Alex Zanardi
4. Nando Parrado (Uruguay): ‘Alive – Miracle in the Andes’
Nando Parrado tells one of the greatest ever stories of hardship and heroism. When the plane with his school rugby team and mother and sister crashed in the High Andes in temperatures of -30°. Resorting to the only option of cannibalism for food, only 16 of the original 45 survived the 72 days it lasted.
“Nando Parrado is the best speaker that I have seen in all my corporate life…and what a charming, candid and respectable person. Through all my years in the business world, I have seen and listened to many speakers. There have been average speakers, good speakers, excellent speakers, but EXCEPTIONAL speakers only one. Nando Parrado ranks above them all.'”Yahoo!
5. Ricardo Diniz (Portugal): ‘It’s All About The People”
Ricardo in a widely sought after inspirational speaker in Portugal. Comfortable in front of the camera he talks about his humble beginnings in a fishing village before becoming a renowned sailor and author, co-founding and becoming the President of the Portugal Ocean Race.
“Ricardo really captured the audience and told a very engaging story to the event participants. He was vocal, interesting, spoke to the point and managed to convey the message that we wanted. At the end of his speech people stood up and were applauding him which is an excellent testimony to his brilliant presentation. We were very glad to have him as a speaker at our event.” Louis Vuitton
6. Rasmus Ankersen (Denmark): ‘Hunger in Paradise’
Rasmus Ankersen from Denmark is a bestselling author, a speaker on performance development and a trusted advisor to businesses and athletes around the world. Back in Denmark at the MCH Arena, the home FC Midtjylland, his childhood football club where Rasmus is the Chairman, they have created the world’s first drive-in for football. The players play in an empty stadium, the fans are parked in their cars outside the stadium watching the game live on a huge screen. Innovation for helping to live with Coronavirus!
“CCI hosted Rasmus Ankersen in One Team leadership event held in Turkey. Ankersen in his speech ‘Hunger in Paradise’ abolished the correlation between strong performance and great results through ‘Outcome Bias’ concept. Rasmus made audience to think about the ideal condition for success and asked them to leave the comfort zone to reach real improvement. His real life examples on the issue of saving the success from failure made important contribution to the meeting as well as provided valuable insights to CCI’s leadership team.” Coca-Cola
Jim is a wonderfully energetic motivational speaker who practices what he preaches. Hugely in demand for businesses seeking a conference speaker on improving Performance, Change, Communication & Leadership. Jim has entertained and inspired over half a million people on five continents, plus many more through his bestselling book ‘Taming Tigers.’ In 2020 Jim was voted #1 speaker outside of America and #6 in the world’s Top 30 Speaking Gurus. and he has successfully taken his performance online. Highly recommended for injecting the ‘bold decision making’ needed to find and adapt to our new world.
“Hi Jonathan, thanks so much for your support and that of your team in arranging for Jim to work with us. He was fantastic—I have had nothing but extremely positive feedback from my teams. Jim was easy to work with and flawlessly integrated key meeting themes into his message. I am thrilled he was able to join our meeting.” Crocs EMEA – Split, Croatia
8. Frank Furness (U.K) – ‘Managing Disruptive Change’
Frank is an internationally sought-after motivational speaker. His lively, enthusiastic and humorous style has inspired audiences all around the world. He is a specialist in sales, technology, social media and goal setting and how they work in tandem to produce great results for organizations. In the past 3 months, he has done over 30 virtual presentations to audiences as small as 20 to groups of over 600 and has mastered the art of virtual keynote speaking.
“Frank came to our recent sales conference in Athens and gave an energetic and informative presentation on ‘Hunting with Tigers’, this was excellent as it fitted perfectly with the theme ‘Hunting to Grow’. A very insightful view on how top salespeople work and many key lessons were presented. Thoroughly enjoyable and I would recommend to any sales organisation” GE Healthcare
Mark has managed teams in Formula One. His insights into how F1 teams need to adapt and innovate to change or fail is highly applicable to the Coronavirus situation. As a result of Coronavirus, most organisations will need to implement change quickly across leadership, marketing, technology and beyond. Mark has this experience and is a leading international speaker in this area.
“Having heard him speak at an EADS Engagement Forum in Paris I asked Mark to speak at our Leadership Conference for Airbus in the UK. He was able to combine his experiences of F1, leadership and engagement in a humorous and enlightening way that really connected with the audience” Airbus
10. Sir Clive Woodward (UK): ‘How To Win’ (In these difficult times)
Sir Clive Woodward is a high-performance Coach of the England Rugby and the British Olympic Team for London 2012. He led England to win the 2003 Rugby World Cup and worked for six years as Director of Elite Performance for the British Olympic Association. He’s also a designer of executive leadership programs on the science of winning having been a successful businessman for prior to his involvement in sport.
11. Ann Daniels (UK) – ‘How Anyone Can Change Their Outlook In An Instance’
Ann Daniels is a record-breaking polar explorer and a renowned international speaker. Daniels is the first woman in history, along with expedition teammate Caroline Hamilton, to reach the North and South Poles. Aged 30 Ann was a mother of triplets, working in a bank and had never had a rucksack on her back. She has turned ordinary into extraordinary.
“Your talk and contribution to the day was a great inspiration to us all. We were fascinated by your achievements and you brought a new dimension to the event.” IBM Europe
12. Marc Lammers (Netherlands):’Adapting to Change, Teamwork & Focus’
Marc Lammers is the former Dutch Olympic Hockey Coach who introduced technology and innovation to improve performance and develop winning teams. He has coached Spain, Netherlands and the Belgian national sides leading the Dutch to Olympic Gold in Beijing in 2008.
The relevant strength to Covid-19 is that he is an expert at guiding people to adapt, to be better team players, handle stress and learn from failure and difficulty.
“Marc gave an energetic presentation at the launch of our company 2ndSense. Where a crisis is an opportunity. Just the nail on the head when it comes to our attitude and our philosophy. Our guests were full of praise for Marc, even those who have seen him before.” 2ndSense
13. Araceli Segarra (Spain): ‘What Lessons Can We Learn From The Mountains’
Araceli was the first Spanish woman to conquer Everest. She is a model, television and radio personality, author, and children’s illustrator A multilingual speaker who is fluent in Spanish, Catalan, French, and English. Expert in leadership, teamwork, goal setting, organization, and risk management.
In her virtual keynote, Araceli discusses characteristics that the virus pandemic has placed upon people which include; frustration, isolation, uncertainty and lack of motivation. All mountains are different and require a different focus and each requires a new skill to overcome them.
“Araceli helped us communicate to our team that to get through rough times the keyword is teamwork. She made a superb presentation that made everybody leave the room with a completely different view of work and life.” Bulltick Capital Markets
14. Bruce Dickinson (France): ‘Don’t Be Afraid of Failure’
Although the lead singer of Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson, is probably best known for being a global rock star, he is also a polymath who has enjoyed great success in diverse areas. He is a commercial airline pilot, the driving force behind Cardiff Aviation, Vice-Chairman of Pouncer, Chairman of GoldiLox, commercial entrepreneur, and an excellent fencer.
“Bruce Dickinson is a superstar… When you dig deeper, you find that his tremendous sense of humour facilitates the telling of an epic story. This man has an enormous heart and fighting spirit.”
15. Stefan Hyttfors (Sweden): Managing Disruption, ‘We are ALL SUFFERING, but this is also an OPPORTUNITY.’
Stefan Hyttfors is a brilliant international conference speaker and author of the highly-acclaimed business book: Yoga For Leaders: ‘How to Manage Self-Disruption in a World of Self-Destruction’
His skill set is very well-tuned to provide expert advice and guidance on how to manage the disruptive change that the CORONA-19 virus has placed on all us world-wide.
“Stefan is a combination of a stand up comedian and thoughtful key note speaker. He delivers energy and laughs while at the same time making you reflect upon todays challenges and how to tackle the unknown future. We really appreciated his key note and I highly recommend him if you want an inspiring talk about change. He was also very easy to work with.” Spotify
16. Erin Meyer (France) – ‘Driving Cultural Change’
An expert on cross-cultural management, Erin is the author of ‘The Culture Map’, a Professor of Organisational Behaviour at INSEAD, winner of the Thinkers 50 ‘On The Radar Award’ and Top 30 HR Influencers. A perfect candidate to speak to companies now needing to redefine cross-cultural leadership due to remote working. Erin teaches speaks on ‘Leading Across Cultures’ and ‘Managing Multi-Cultural Teams’.
“Whether you are sitting at a desk in Boston or eating at a restaurant in Beijing, communicating across cultures is the great challenge of the global economy. Getting it right will be the the difference between success and failure. Erin Meyer shows you how to get it right.’ Founders of the Thinkers50
17. Dr Steven MacGregor (Spain): ‘Wellbeing In A New World’
Barcelona based Chief Wellbeing Officer and a top expert in leadership, health, and wellbeing, Dr. Steven MacGregor founded The Leadership Academy of Barcelona (LAB) to help deliver global programs for his impressive list of clients. His build’s positive cultural change into organizations, much sought after in managing to deal with Coronavirus.
“I have worked together with Steven in different projects. His performance and attitude have always been excellent. He is very proactive and he knows very well how to manage things. You feel that you can leave things on his hands, and they will be done on time and with high quality. He is creative and imaginative, but at the same time very pragmatic and result-oriented. He is a person to work with, without any doubt.” IESE Business School
18. Benedikt Böhm (Germany) – ‘Accepting The Situation’
Extreme mountaineer Benedikt Böhm is the international managing director of Dynafit, a leading global ski touring brand. He is also a speaker whose talks, managed with great finesse, sees him develop ties between the world of extreme mountaineering and the business world.
“You have really inspired us with your presentation, and have clearly hit right to the heart of the big overlap between the mountain world and the business world. Based on your presentation, topics such as communication, decision-making and speed can be discussed anew with a totally fresh perspective. Many thanks for that!” Linde AG
19. Ian Bremmer (U.S) ‘Calculating The Political and Economic Risk of Cororonvirus’
Ian Bremmer created Wall Street’s first-ever global political risk index. As the president of Eurasia Group, Ian Bremmer is a sought after adviser on international risk management on the geopolitical and economic landscape.
Ian provides an informed view as to where we are likely to be headed and the consequences we will face or avoid.
20.Steve Wozniak (U.S) – ‘Networking & Technology Post Coronavirus’
Co-Founder of Apple and builder of the world’s first home computer. A pioneer of the modern technology era who had a desire to build a home computer that was easy for everybody to use and that he could about teach to the younger generation which he remains very passionate about. Woz provides virtual speaking keynote delivery from his home recording studio.
“I’ve had the pleasure of featuring Steve Wozniak across several conferences and enjoyed working with him immensely. His enthusiastic personality translates to a fantastic keynote, and his generosity off stage connecting with attendees had the entire event buzzing. Woz is akin to the Santa Claus of technology – all those that cross paths with him can’t help but be charmed and delighted.” TechMedia
As we mentioned earlier in the post. This Top 20 list is not conclusive, it will change as more speakers adapt to provide strong virtual keynote delivery capability. The speakers named above are those that have been working on their complete package and we are aware of.
We are all in the process of learning to adapt to new ways both during and post-Coronavirus. These are challenging times, but it also creates an opportunity for success. In these times, great speakers help by inspiring and motivating when it’s most in need.
Now the ability exists to reach far greater audiences using rapidly developing, but already great video conferencing packages. Without the large costs of running traditional conferences, clients can save small fortunes but still by using a virtual speaker to connect with their employees and run virtual client events.
A few speakers will be uncomfortable, but many like we do will see an exciting new way. Speakers could, with this positive outlook achieve many more virtual bookings, especially as travel and the associated time it takes are temporarily on hold.
If you have questions about any of our speakers listed here, or you would like guidance or recommendations on selecting a great speaker for a forthcoming conference, please contact me T: +34938004890 or email us here.
We run virtual keynote delivery and webinars for companies with relative ease at these times. We’d like to share some of our good practices with our audience of speakers for whom this is relevant.
We also wish to inform clients who maybe unaware of the simplicity of how easy it is to set up virtual talks. They are significantly lower in cost to host than traditional conference stage based sessions which involve time away and travel costs. With access to good speakers we are finding ways to bring strong positive communications to clients and their partners, improving positivity at a time when all of us are being asked to keep social distance.
Why?
Companies everywhere are scrambling to find virtual speaking solutions to communicate messages of positivity to employees working remotely. They are also a great method for showing employer empathy and delivering upskilling. Last but not least, these sessions can provide a welcome break from the monotony of long periods of isolation and reconnect people.
But…
Companies don’t need speakers to focus on the negative content regarding Coronavirus. These messages are dominating our news networks, so the focus of the session should be steered away from CV-19 and 99 per cent directed on providing the solution.
How Many People Can Attend A Virtual Keynote Or Webinar?
From 2 to 10,000 attendees online, virtual keynotes are easily set up using the right platform, that supports the size of the audience. Here’s an article we published about the video conferencing platforms and costs here.
How?
In order to demonstrate how a well-composed virtual keynote delivery should run, we’re going to use a real conference that we delivered with 100% success this week in May. You’ll see video links within this post that show the outcome by recording our screen.
‘Success’ for a virtual keynote delivery is when all of the online audience watches and interacts without any service interruptions, and sound and picture quality for the duration of the virtual event are perfect.
In our case, none of our global pharmaceutical companies audience of 400 employees, based worldwide had any connectivity issues whatsoever.
The moderator is in the office studio and the speaker from home. Both had high-quality green screen backgrounds in operation giving the audience a highly professional appearance. It helps that the speaker was excellent. Virtual speakers need more than content they require the ability to talk to a camera unable to see, feel or hear the emotions of 400 people reacting to what he was saying.
What Does A High Quality Virtual Keynote Look Like?
A top-quality virtual keynote will look close to the stage production when done well. To achieve this is not as technically difficult as it appears. The selection of a great speaker on a relevant topic for the audience is essential. Getting this wrong will lead to a bored and ungrateful audience. Getting this right will help motivate the group and who will be grateful for the gift of the virtual session. They’ll be encouraged and inspired to make positive actions going forward.
How To Build A Home Studio To Deliver Virtual Talks
The studio can be at home or from a professional recording studio. This will depend on the location of the speaker and regional social distancing rules. Finding a recording studio may also be preferred if you wish the speaker to be alongside the moderator. But as we are showing you here in the examples, the speaker was transmitting live from his home in the UK and the moderator was at the client’s main offices in Denmark. We want to tell you how easy it is to set up a solid home recording studio.
If you plan to stream a high-quality keynote or an interactive Q&A session with a speaker then don’t have the speaker simply staring into their computer screen or camera. They should be standing up with a fully interactive background, which requires a green screen, professional microphone, high definition recording camera (though these are found on higher-end home computers) and strong lighting in the room.
(A typical Green Screen or what the Speaker places behind them)
Studio lights can be bought for about $50 on Amazon.com for three lights which include two umbrella reflectors. Alternatively, a simpler solution is to use a couple of angular desk lamps. We had a look at mics and one of the most popular and best looking is the Blue Yetiwhich costs about $130.This kit is not as expensive as it seems with many packages in the $200 – $400 range. It is also possible to use green fabric or even paint the wall green behind the camera.
“If a speaker delivers a really good virtual talk, the small investment in this equipment is for the long run in this rapidly evolving space. If any of the AV variables which includes the internet connection fail or drops off, clients will be extremely unhappy and unlikely to either rebook this speaker or potentially other speakers.”
Here is a link to recent buyers guide for home recording studio packages. The internet connection should be wired by ethernet cable and have a speed of at least 20mpbs. Running wirelessly is to be avoided, as no matter how strong the connection, wireless connections are prone to dropout. Test your connection speed immediately for free via Speedtest or Fast.
(Here’s our example of what the Green Screen is replaced by as seen by our virtual audience in the background)
Green Screen Software
Speakers should want to adjust the content that appeared on their stage presentations for the virtual version. This will mean that any videos, slides and sound can appear behind the speaker for both prerecorded speaking and live sessions.
This is complicated if you lack knowledge of video editing. Thankfully there are many platforms and apps available online will allow for simple editing and addition of special effects that can be trialled and tested. The simplest package that we found was one called Camtasia 2020 which is available for Windows and Mac. Buying an individual licence appeared to cost about $250 on a one of purchase basis. Apple users might also look at Final Cut Pro X which at the time of writing this article has a 90-day free trial.
Recommended Video Conferencing Platforms
When in-person communication isn’t an option, video conferencing is preferred for feeling connected with co-workers. There are numerous applications and platforms for video conferencing and collaboration.
Some, such as Cisco WebEx, are industry standards but can be expensive. Others are growing in popularity and may even be offered free or at a low cost.
Based on our actual experience in recent times we have ranked the Top 5 video conferencing platforms in the following order when considering the quality of service, usability and price.
Zoom is one of the most popular video conferencing solutions for businesses. It is feature-rich, with various plans based on business size and needs. Prices range from free for basic personal meetings to $19.99 per month (with a minimum of 100 hosts) for large enterprises.
Source: Zoom
Source: Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams has been widely adopted as part of the Microsoft 365 office suite. Teams is useful for big companies. It is possible that for small enterprises the expensive costs outweigh the benefits, but for big corporations, Teams works great to unify the company on a central hub and standardizes the tools needed for work. It is arguably the best platform for running video conferencing to the big screen for large events as the image below shows. The costs vary from free to $20 per month for small to mid-sized businesses.
Cisco WebEx is an industry-standard service, especially for those with a large number of team members or an exceptionally large enterprise, Cisco’s WebEx video conferencing service enables joining meetings online or via the phone, depending on the participant’s location and ability at the time. Pricing starts at $13.50 per month.
Source: Cisco WebEx
Source: GoToMeeting
GoToMeeting has many useful features, including instant meetings or meeting scheduling and in-app meeting messaging between participants. It is not free and GoToMeeting pricing starts at $14 per month for groups of up to 10 meeting participants and costs $29 per month for larger groups of up to 150 participants.
Google Meet is an upgraded version of Google Hangouts. It is designed for G Suite users. Google Meet is for video meetings among team members, with similar features to Zoom. With many users operating their business email accounts via Google’s servers we expect Meet will quickly rise up the rankings.
Source: Google
What Are The In-Demand Virtual Speaking Topics?
Coronavirus has led to demand from expert speakers on a range of established speaking topics. The topics and the skills required to best manage difficult circumstances are directly applicable to companies working with isolation and social distancing measures well which are affecting performance at employee and company level. Here they are:
#Resilience – Overcoming adversity by being more resilient in changing and challenging times
#Change Management – How do employers and employees make the seismic shift in mindset that is required to adapt to a new world and new way of working
#Culturalchange – Many organisations will be forced to make personnel changes and recruit locally to replace internationally diverse teams. What policies can be adopted in order that the change is effective and seen positively
#Communication – How do we communicate effectively using available technologies and how often should we be communicating
#Sales & #High Performance – How to retain and even grow sales pipelines under isolation. How to build your own network of sector experts that will help growth when we are socially distancing
#Motivation– All speaker inputs should be #motivational for all of these topics, communicating positive messages. A pure motivational speaker can be engaged virtually to inspire groups in challenging times
#Leadership – How do you lead and inspire teams to perform in times of extreme difficulty. How often should be speaking to remote employees? What messages should a strong leader give out and what comments should be avoided?
#Futurework – Where does your company want to be in the future? What are the likely changes to infrastructure; changes to work/life balance, the need to be flexible and adaptable to change.
Here are speakers and the topics that they are well placed to speak virtually to audiences:
Jim Lawless Photo e1589288413749
Bear Grylls A Survival Guide For Life
Clive Woodward Talent alone is not enough
Conference Speaker Victor Küppers by ProMotivate Speaker Agency
01 Anders on Stage Mariusz Szachowski
Jess Ennis book Unbelievable
Matthew Syed Latest Book Rebel Ideas Diversity Speaker 1
Tim Peake Speaker
rory best speaker
steve wozniak contact e1560874690419
david aguilar amphoux
frank furness 2
erin meyer 2
sophia the robot
about 2
bertrand piccard beyond
ken hughes 3
nicole brandes 3
kriti sharma
nick bostrom
chris roebuck
araceli segarra contacto
Kyle Maynard Cover min
brent gleeson
Marc Lammers Speaker
Brian ODriscoll5 150×150 1
Mika Hakkinen
daria tataj contact
bruce dickinson
alex zanardi
JQ
laura winterling
AntonioNewSocialPNG
steven macgregor speaker
CSC1860.72
Porter
The Set-Up And Technical Requirements For Virtual Talks
Choose a strong moderator who either knows about or they will research the company and sector. A good moderator will pull the strings, give energy and is the interaction between the online audience (who will send questions for the speaker) and the speaker. If possible we recommend that the leadership of an organisation moderate as it provides airtime and shows empathy from above.
‘The moderator is, therefore, the face of the company.’
Select a strong speaker on a relevant topic of interest, from those we mentioned above. The speaker should in addition to their experience have the homestudio recording setup that we’ve been outlining above. Another option is to travel to a local recording studio or even the client’s office to record the live stream from. There are recording studios in most cities who provide these services.
Jim Lawless: Green Screen
Bear Grylls: Teaser Video – Click image to play
Brief the speaker at least 3 days before the talk to discuss the objectives and desired outcomes. To help build the audience, have the speaker send a maximum two-minute ‘Teaser Video’ announcing their participation and a summary of what they will be talking about. Here is the teaser Bear Gryllsrecorded by way of example for an up and coming conference.
Limit to 35 – 30 minutes for keynote delivery followed by Q&A. Our experience shows that going beyond a total time of 45 minutes is likely to be counterproductive. Consider that the viewers are sitting in front of computers with access to the internet, email and other distractions. We also work with speakers who are very comfortable and effective communicators for up to 90 minutes. But for most groups, the shorter duration is advised.
The 9 Key Elements & The Order of the Virtual Session should be as follows;
(1) The virtual waiting room area opens 5 minutes before with a looping speaker video c.30 seconds
(ii) Exactly on-time the Moderator will welcome guests, set the scene and introduce the speaker.
iii) Play the speaker’s introductory video (usually up to 3 mins in length>
(iv) at around 30 minutes the speaker concludes their keynote and opens for questions.
(v) the moderator will select questions from the audience, which can be sent using the chat room facility on most video conferencing platforms. Or for greater interactivity using an app like Slido for running polls and generating useful feedback from the online audience. This session lasts for as long as the Moderator feels fits the situation.
(vi) The Moderator will close out the entire session within 45 minutes (be aware that some free versions of video conferencing software have time limits on duration. Zooms free version allows up to 100 users and limits the conference to 40 minutes, and automatically turns the session off if the user goes beyond their time limit.
(vii) Take feedback on the same day from your audience whilst it is fresh in their minds. Did they enjoy it? Was the session valuable? What did they learn most? Do they have suggestions to make improvements? Would they like to participate in future virtual sessions?
(viii) Share the feedback with your audience as much as possible. We recommend also asking the speaker to produce a summary of their key points and include this. See the example on the right we sent out for a recent virtual talk by leading speaker Jim Lawless to 400 people at a global pharmaceutical company.
(ix) Finally, review the entire virtual process. It should be very easy to organise and set up. If it was not, then look at where the problems arose from the audience feedback and fix them for the next session.
(Follow Up Notes of Jim Lawless after his virtual keynote)
In Conclusion
Virtual speaking is easy to set up professionally, cost-effective and should be an extremely effective tool for communicating positivity to isolated employees. Or perhaps for impressing client partners.
If you have any questions at all about how to run a successful virtual keynote or webinar speaker series we’re happy to speak on a video conferencing platform and guide you.
First! What’s The Actual Difference Between a Virtual Keynote and a Virtual Webinar?
A webinar (a combination of the words “web” and “seminar”) is a video workshop, lecture, or presentation hosted online using webinar software. Often business-related, these sessions can be used to share knowledge, ideas, and updates with people around the world. Webinars can also be leveraged to build and nurture relationships, build authority around a brand, or demonstrate a product.
A virtual keynote delivery is a live speech by a speaker to a live virtual audience. They typically involve the speaker foccussing on topics of relevence to the organsitation. They can be tailored to a clients specific needs with an advance briefing or planning call. The interactive part of these virtual sessions normally comes from questions being sent digitally and answered following the session. A moderator is required to help the speaker manage the question feed.
With the effects of Covid-19 pandemic and the resultant changes to the way in which companies work with their employees, the way in which we communicate has likely changed forever.
There are significant advantages of being able to provide top-class speakers for moderated virtual webinars and keynote delivery directly to companies worldwide.
Lets in the first instance look at the disadvantages compared to the advantages of hosting virtual sessions.
Disadvantages of Virtual Sessions
Lack of one-to-one and team interaction with employees or client partners
Perceived technical connection issues
Potential security risks due to engaging 3rd party conference streaming software
Frustration if set up poorly
Advantages of Virtual Sessions
Easy and quick to set up
Direct communication with employees and clients, showing that the organisation cares about its people
Significant travel and accommodation savings
More efficient use of employees and clients time
Ability to ensure the ‘target’ corporate theme/message is delivered within a concise window of time to a defined audience
Easy to encourage full participation by a selection of a great speaker, topic and advance invitation by email (teaser video encouraged, see below)
The audience has the ability to ask questions and interact online
A professional moderator will add a lot of online audience engagement
The session is more intimate in comparison to a large auditorium
Easy to compile a short summary video for follow up and a reminder of the session
Access to speakers worldwide, not just in your region
Less expensive speaker fees, due to no travel requirements
Speaker Selection
The first important consideration to note is that ‘not all speakers like virtual speaking, and are competent at it.’
This is likely to change as remote working becomes the normal and in most cases speakers will have to adapt to this new world. But many speakers are already experts on relevant topics that include; resilience, teamwork, communicating remotely; taking risk; remote sales and more.
The good news is that many of the worlds leading conference speakersfrom the former pre-Coronavirus period have adapted quickly to speaking virtually. Some speakers and celebrities already have studio arrangements in their own home for greater interaction and with fans. This is a real benefit!
Speaker fees are also affected in a positive way for clients. Without travel speakers fees can be reduced as they are now able to work on more than one talk per day from home.
To look at speakers of interest in this area visit the Speakers page here.
The Moderator
“The role of the moderator is extremely important when it comes to virtual webinars and virtual speaking. A good moderator will control the energy levels and what the audience leave the session having learned.”
A great moderator is like a chat show host, able to add humour but importantly have researched the client, speaker and the industry sector itself.
In doing so, they are able to manage the interactive question and answer session with skill.
They command the virtual room and should be considered as important as the speaker themselves by the client.
Companies may also where possible use the senior leadership for these sessions as it allows a great platform for communication from above.
How Long Should A Virtual Webinar or Keynote Delivery Be?
There is a direct answer for this, based upon our experience of what has worked and not worked so well.
Virtual Keynote Delivery: 25 – 45 minutes followed by 15 minutes interactive Q&A
Virtual Moderated Webinars: 20 – 60 minutes to include 15 minutes of interactive Q&A
Which Platform To Use And At What Cost?
This depends largely on how companies and organisations have been communicating internally and externally via video conferencing platforms. Security plays a key factor in determining which platform is most suitable.
In addition to this, the numbers of people who will be invited and attend the virtual session will influence which platform works best. For example Zoom’s offering is free for up to 100 participants on a video call but limited to 40 minutes.
To have 500 participants and unlimited call time you would require the purchase of a professional licence. With Livestorm where you can have up to 2,000 participants per call the licence fee would for running unlimited webinars is c. $400 USD per month.
Looking beyond the more well known commercial videoing names there are also a host of bespoke platforms, that companies seeking greater multi-screen capability should consider. Twentythree is one of these and we have included their pricing model here by example.
Here is a link to a good reference page that summarises the capabilities of the current video conferencing providers.
What Does The Remote Worker Require?
An internet speed of 10 Mbps or more guarantees successful connection to the virtual set up. They should make sure that they have well in advance downloaded the required software and then check the video and sound settings on their terminal.
The positioning of the computer or handheld device closer to the wireless router should be considered. We recommend that participants should test their internet speed using free online checkers such as Speedtest.net or Speedcheck.org.
How Much? What Are The Fees for Booking Virtual Speaking & Webinars
This is the question that we have been receiving repeatedly since March 2020. The answer is that they vary, but we are finding an acceptable level. We have found that there are many less-competent speakers marketing talks for very little money or free.
This we understand, but it should not mean that experienced and leading conference speakers should also give away their talks if going online.
With the speakers themselves finding that their incomes have been affected by the loss of conference work, here at Promotivate we have been recommending that the speaker’s fees for virtual speaking should amount to 50% of their normal speaking fee.
The only exception to this being if the client booking the speaker requires the speaker to spend significantly more time preparing for the virtual session.
Testing, Teaser Videos, Trial Runs and Add-Ons
We recommend that at least a 15-minute test run is completed a few days before the virtual event itself. If audience participation is included; such as having live Q&A or online poling then this should be included.
We also like to ask speakers to provide clients with a short teaser video. Normally the video is no longer than a minute and should announce their arrival and what they are coming to talk about.
It’s a great way to make sure signup and attend the virtual meet. Here’s an example we had Bear Grylls record for a forthcoming virtual conference.
For example, we like a mobile phone application called sli.do which allows the online audience to answer questions set by the organisation in advance, during or following the virtual session.
Slido improves the interactivity and provides valuable feedback to leadership teams about important issues that are affecting the group in real-time. This also then enables reactive measures and behavioural change to be applied. The feedback can be anonymised if required.
There is no answer to whether a webinar or a keynote is better. This is simply down to the need of the audience. Both virtual setups will undoubtedly be useful in moving forward. Companies will be using both virtual programs to communicate at far less cost than flying employees and client partners to annual conferences worldwide.
We look forward to the return of the physical conferences when normality is restored. But we believe the speaker industry can benefit from companies booking a series of virtual talks annually when previously one big organised event was scheduled.
“In the longer term, the combination of both virtual and traditional conference speaking should see the industry restored to beyond its pre-Coronavirus levels.”
If we can help you organise either a virtual talk or a webinar programme we’ll be pleased to assist you. We are working normally worldwide with none of us on the government furlough support schemes. We have both the speakers and technical capability in position to deliver these advanced virtual speaking solutions now.
It made total sense to Promotivate that we put our speaker’s expert knowledge on managing difficult situations online at a time when it is most needed. After all, this is what we are regarded as being knowledgeable about.
In late March we have launched an independent video channel on YouTube.
The channel’s objective is to provide daily INSPIRATION to everyone during these difficult times. We’ve gathered leading professional speakers who are experts on how to be RESILIENT and deal with SIGNIFICANT ADVERSITY. We asked each of them to provide a few minutes of their best advice to provide HOPE for others.
We HOPE that throughout this uncertain and deeply stressful period of (Covid-19) that by sharing the short videos specifically recorded for this channel by the experts that we can help to encourage people through the coming months. The videos are from our world-renowned adventurers, record breakers, scientists, high-performance coaches, game-changers, top motivators and more. In addition, we welcome receiving videos for inclusion from other experts who can help share valuable advice in these difficult times.
To be involved please make a short video (3 min max) and send it to me for inclusion.
It made total sense to Promotivate that we put our speaker’s expert knowledge on managing difficult situations online at a time when it is most needed. After all, this is what we are regarded as being knowledgeable about.
In late March we have launched an independent video channel on YouTube.
The channel’s objective is to provide daily INSPIRATION to everyone during these difficult times. We’ve gathered leading professional speakers who are experts on how to be RESILIENT and deal with SIGNIFICANT ADVERSITY. We asked each of them to provide a few minutes of their best advice to provide HOPE for others.
Laura Winterling Speaker Astronaut Trainer by Promotivate Speakers Agency
Stefan Hyttfors Speaker
thomas bubendorfer speaker motivational e1564399195243
The videos are from our world-renowned adventurers, record breakers, scientists, high-performance coaches, game-changers, top motivators and more. In addition, we welcome receiving videos for inclusion from other experts who can help share valuable advice in these difficult times. To be involved please make a short video (3 min max) and send it to me for inclusion.
All of the speakers that we are featuring can be booked for ‘Virtual Speaking’ to employees working from home and we can guide and arrange for the appropriate internet streaming to be in place.
With Nando Parrado, Keynote Speaker @Staples Conference, Dallas USA
One of 16 survivors of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 which crashed in the Andes Mountains in 1972
Of the 45 people on board, the 28 who survived the initial crash faced starvation and death and reluctantly resorted to cannibalism
Rescuers believed they would not survive more than 36 hours ill-equipped and in temperatures dropping to -30℃
Ethan Hawke portrayed him in the 1993 Feature Film ‘Alive: Miracle In The Andes’
With no food, heat or mountain equipment succeeded in trekking 61km which resulted in 16 people being rescued
Very often in the life of a Speaker Agent you work with and meet speakers who are exceptional, with a genuine and a great story to tell. I travelled to Dallas, Texas to bring Uraguay’s Nando Parrado to 1,400 of Staples Store Managers. Here is an insight into the conference, why Nando Parrado was the perfect speaker for this event followed by a short Q&A with Nando where I asked him ‘the’ questions people want to ask but don’t!
This was a big conference on a huge scale by European standards, but normal for a US company with 30,000 employees and 1,400 Store Managers.
I have attended a lot of conferences and it’s rare to see such complete audience participation let alone genuine enthusiasm from a group this large. Mike Motz the new CEO of Staples Connect (45 days into the new job at this time) has been brought in to re-energize the Staples business. I am not able to divulge the details, they are private to Staples but they do point to the need for change; reflected in shifts in Staples corporate values, its interaction with the community and refreshingly through investment in its people.
Most people know that the high street is struggling to keep up with changes in consumer behaviour led by the giants of eCommerce versus the expense of maintaining a bricks and mortar based business. The leadership of Staples has made a bold decision to confront the challenge head-on, without delay by changing how they operate and rebranding as Staples Connect.
From what Nando and I heard from the Store Managers who we met, they hadn’t experienced or even seen anything so positive as this conference from their employers for at least the past 10 years. This was new, refreshing and surprised all.
Conferences like this Staples in Dallas event cost $ millions of dollars to organize. The return on the significant investment has to be well thought out. Between CEO Mike Motz and the CMO Marshall Warkentin who Nando and I enjoyed listening to, this conference was a bold decision of intent. The event was meticulously put together by Jane Shanab and her team at Spark Inc, based in Toronto.
The change followed this conference, effective immediately, Staples 30,000 employees discovered that they can now wear jeans and choose their own style of shoes. The new CEO has recognized the need to revitalize the brand but importantly has looked at those that can, and if empowered with greater responsibility, deliver more. By increasing the value placed on the employees and its customers, Staples believe this change will be reflected in success for all.
A Keynote on Change by Nando Parrado
Nando Parrado was flown from Montevideo in Uruguay to deliver the message of change to Staples employees: ‘You may have a challenge ahead, but none is insurmountable and I am going to tell you why.’
For those who don’t know of Nando or his story, he tells one of the world’s greatest ever stories of survival, courage, teamwork, decision making, risk and leadership’.
In 1972 Nando then 21 years old was flying from Montevideo with his rugby team to play against a team in Santiago, Chile. Onboard the plane with Nando was his mother, sister, the pilots and 40 of his best friends. The pilots made a fateful error in bad weather conditions turning the plane in the wrong direction and smashed it into the High Andes at 18,000ft. What happened next is remarkable, impossible.
The aeroplane broke in the middle upon impact and the front of the plane slid 4,000ft before it came to an immediate stop. Those in the rear of the plane from row 10 onwards died immediately upon the first impact. Nando was sat in row 9 and survived. (The first miracle) The plane landed on a 25-metre wide gap of snow between rocks at 18,000ft. Crashing left or right of this strip would have meant certain death. (The second miracle)
Temperatures outside were -30℃ below freezing. The 27 survivors had arrived wearing summer clothes, ill-equipped for what lay ahead. Rescue experts looking for the plane gave them no more than 36 hours to survive. At 14,000 ft search helicopters couldn’t reach them, and couldn’t find the plane as it was white in colour and blended in naturally with the snow-covered mountains.
Day after day, the situation became direr. On the tenth day, they were listening to a small radio playing at a local station. They heard the broadcaster announce that the search for them had been called off. It was now believed impossible that anyone would be found alive. Following the announcement, the newsreader then reverted to playing music.
What happens next defines Nando Parrado. He will tell the audience that he is ‘not a hero’ and that ‘anyone else faced with the same situation would have done the same thing’.
I am sorry Nando, I would love to think that I or anyone else would have taken the same courageous decision you took, but I can’t!
Having endured weeks of being in hell – described by Nando as ‘worse than being in Dante’s Inferno’. Nando lost his mother, his sister (only 17 years old) who died in his arms and half of his rugby team. This story that Nando tells is one of decision making, leadership, bravery, risk, teamwork at a level I don’t think anyone else has experienced.
Having survived for two months, when the whole world thought they were dead Nando Perrado together with his teammate Roberto Canessa completed a gruelling trek across the world’s most inhospitable mountain range and found help. They crossed glaciers and climbed without any equipment with only a sleeping bag made from the lining of the aeroplane. They trekked for over 60 kilometres for 10 days before finding civilization and the rescue.
Canessa who was almost dead went straight to the hospital. Nando went straight into the rescue helicopter wasting no time to point out where the plane was and collect the survivors. Fourteen others had survived due to the decision making and courage of Nando and Roberto.
Towards the end of Nando’s keynote, he plays a video containing beautiful images of his family that includes Nando as a young boy with his own parents, with backing music of ‘The Living Years’ by Mike and the Mechanics. It’s a reminder of how much he has appreciated his entire life, cherishes his family and enjoys living in the present day.
“I am happy to be alive.” – Nando Parrado
….. and finally by way of a little humour. Nobody knew this, Nando was due to arrive a day earlier for the Dallas conference. Upon take off from Montevideo, whilst taxing along with the runway flying headed to Santiago (the same route as in 1972), with Nando overlooking the wing, the engine sputtered and then exploded.
The plane was forced to abandon the flight and return to the terminal. I asked Nando had this concerned him? The answer, “No, I also have my own private plane license and regularly fly single prop planes”
Speaker Star Quality
Nando Perrado exudes happiness. He lives for every day, for his family and his dogs. He is a highly successful businessman in Uruguay.
What further separates Nando from other speakers is his willingness to do more than just speak at conferences. From the initial briefing call, Nando makes the offer that the client can use him for additional meetings, media interviews and sponsors events.
Once Nando is on the ground at a conference he is at the client’s full disposal for the entire duration of his stay there. In our experience, we see many others will take the speaking fee and run to their next event. Nando Parrado is refreshingly accommodating.
Q&A With Nando?
Are you afraid of flying?‘No not at all, I have a single engine private pilots license and fly regularly’
What motivates you in life?‘Every day I am thankful for just being alive. I never look back to the past, how can I, the only way for me if to look to the future and the opportunity life gives. I am a successful owner of three businesses, I travel the world with my passion which is motorsport and I have a beautiful family, I am happy.’
What was it like to eat human flesh?‘Firstly let me explain that on the aeroplane that crashed we found only two chocolate bars and there were 28 survivors at that point. We had no food and no heat and we knew that we were starving to death. At the time we made a pact by shaking hands that we would eat the bodies of our dead friends. People want to know what human flesh tastes like, I have one answer, ‘hope’. We did not want to do this, but we had to, there was no other way to survive, so that is why the taste is best described as ‘hope’ because it gave us hope.’
Do you like speaking at conferences?‘When I get a really good audience, in a great location I am really happy to speak. I ask my wife Veronique, and if she likes the location then it’s even better and we will normally book to stay for three to seven nights as a mini-vacation’.
If you have one message that you would give to inspire people what would it be?‘That I am not special, a hero or any different to the people that I meet. I simply did what everyone else would do when faced with the same situation. But what I have learned from surviving death not once but three times in 1972 is that every day is a new opportunity, where there are no limits to what people can achieve. Be happy and enjoy your family and friends who are the most important people in your lives.’
Nando Parrado was the keynote speaker at the Staples US Store Managers Conference held at the Hotel Anatole in Dallas, Texas. Represented by Promotivate Speakers Agency. Enquire about booking Nando Parrado and check his availability here.
Of Interest – Other Recent Headline Talks and Speakers by Promotivate Speakers
On November 27th as speaker agents for Steve Wozniak, Co-Founder of Apple we recommended and travelled with Woz to Poland where he gave an inspirational talk to 250 of Poland’s future tech stars. This was followed by media interviews and an intimate VIP dinner which was attended Poland’s Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki.
It’s widely reported in the press that Poland is fast becoming the Silicon Valley of Europe and who better than Steve Wozniak to help inspire the next generation of innovators in this rapidly developing country.
Whilst working for Hewlett Packard Steve Wozniak built and designed and built the Apple computer. Amazingly five times HP turned down the opportunity to build his easy to use home computer. Then Woz found Steve Jobs and the rest is history!
Woz’s session in Poland’s capital, Warsaw was captivating and widely reported in the press and on television.
Here is a link to the longer synopsis of Woz’s fascinating one-hour session on the conference stage with host Pawel Karson. We have an edited video of this session if you’d like to watch the Woz and hear him speak about how he founded Apple; what is coming next in technology; his personal ‘3 F’s’ mantra for success and happiness in life and his very interesting current thoughts on Facebook!
So good is the video that it had reached 1.33m views on YouTube within 5 days of release following Woz’s visit to Poland.
Finally, we have to comment that Poland is a wonderful country, the people, skill levels, revamped cities, history, food (perogies!), it has so much to offer the world. The name Wozniak is the 10th most common surname in Poland, and Steve is very proud of his connections to this fast-rising country.
Read the article in full and discover what the ‘Three F’s’ are that Steve Wozniak has adhered to since his days as an engineering student at Stanford and Berkely.
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how steve wozniak apple co founder motivates himself and thinks about facebook live from warsaw 8
motivates himself and thinks about facebook live from warsaw
Are you interested in bringing Steve Wozniak or another leading speaker to your conference?
Since 2005 we’ve been successfully representing the biggest names and most in-demand speakers for conferences and off-sites from Lisbon to Athens. From sales kickoff inspiration, leadership, innovation, healthcare, retail, change by 500+ speakers.
Last week two of our speakers were in Poland thanks to the foundation Polska Fundacja Narodowa. Mika Häkkinen and Mark Gallagher spoke about their experiences in motor racing and building high performances team to win. Below we show you the intervention of them in the event and a small video about Mika Häkkinen.
A short video overview of Mika’s career by Promotivate:
Since 2005 we’ve been successfully representing the biggest names and most in-demand speakers for conferences and off-sites from Lisbon to Athens. From sales kickoff inspiration, leadership, innovation, healthcare, retail, change by 500+ speakers.
Looking for Artificial Intelligence Speaker? ProMotivate represents and provides a high proportion of Europe’s leading speakers on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for conferences across Europe.
Here are our Top 10 experts on Artificial Intelligence who are sought after conference keynote speakers on AI.
At ProMotivate we have access to hundreds of world-class conference speakers from wider areas of technology and innovation. If you would like guidance or recommendations for speakers please contact us directly and we’ll be pleased to use our expertise to help you find the right speaker for your audience.
Looking for an AI speaker? We provide conference speakers across Europe (from offices in Spain and the UK) and in South America (Peru). The best artificial intelligence keynote speaker.
Or put differently: ‘Why do Event Companies and Event Organisers try to incorrectly bypass Speakers Agencies’?
Most event companies believe they’ll get a better deal and can make more money going directly to the speaker. This is not true with here at ProMotivate. It is, however, true with many of our competitors.
Let’s ask again; ‘Why do Event & Conference Organisers work with ProMotivate?’
Answer – ProMotivate has an agreement with all its speakers that the rate that we quote is the same direct rate the speaker quotes themselves. We often have licence to negotiate lower fees for our speakers which they themselves are uncomfortable doing.
Rewarding Event Companies
If you are organising events and bring ProMotivate the opportunity we reward or reduce the speakers fee (at cost to us, not our speaker) to reflect that we have not had to develop the initial sales opportunity. But do also take into account we are bombarded by event companies involved in competitive pitches to win the rights to produce and manage the entire conference.
We’re far more responsive when we are working on realistic opportunities. Whilst the speaker provision is only a small part of the wider event pitch, the quality of the speakers included in a proposal stands out and we can really add value by recommending leading qualified speakers which will improve the chances of winning the project.
I Am An Event Company, How Do I Get This Speakers Deal?
Any event companies can take us up on this offer. Call your regional office on the telephone number below or send us some details of the request to ask@pro-motivate.com or use our contact form here.
Reflecting on your achievements is often something that gets put to one side in busy lifestyles but is incredibly important in maintaining a high level of motivation. Yusra Mardini, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador and 2016 Olympian, shares the three motivational tips on why its important to reflect on how far you’ve come:
1. Determination
It’s inevitable that you’re going to come up against a few hurdles, despite your best attempts to avoid them! Don’t let them deter you, and think of the solution (not the problem) to overcome them. Determination plays a big part in providing focus to accomplishing your goals so don’t give up if you don’t achieve them first time round.
2. Positivity
When you’re faced with challenges, it’s often more difficult to remain positive and stay focussed on achieving your goals when the negative is crying out for your attention! Go back to the original concept, and remind yourself what the final outcome will be to help re-focus.
3. Celebration
Make a point of celebrating the victories, no matter how small. This is incredibly important to ensure you keep progressing. Once you’ve conquered one milestone, focus on the next one and reflect on what you’ve achieved to help stay motivated.
Want to find out more about Yusra? Visit our website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter for regular news updates!
ProMotivate, an international motivational speaker bureau that provides hundreds of organisations with motivational speakers to encourage positive change in the workplace and support employee engagement, leadership, entrepreneurship and corporate learning among others.
In the depths winter, it is easy to lose sight of the goals you have set for yourself, either in your personal or professional life. Succeeding in the plan you’ve set out for yourself can often feel like an uphill battle. Jack Parsons, an inspiring young entrepreneur and media influencer, is no stranger to this. Growing up in a tough area and struggling with dyslexia at school, the odds were stacked against him. Despite everything, Jack was determined to be successful, and has shared a few top tips on how reaching your goals:
Be specific when you’re goal setting
If you want to succeed, you have to set yourself a specific goal that’s easy to keep in mind and will motivate you working towards it. It can be as simple or as complicated as you like, as long as it makes sense to you and is achievable for you.
Set a timeline
This is vital when you’re trying to set your goals, and more importantly – achieve them! It allows you to keep track of what should be achieved and by when. It’s not only a source of motivation, but also a practical way to ensure everything is getting done.
Be realistic
As much as dreaming big is sometimes beneficial for motivational purposes, it is still essential to stay realistic in your ambitions. Think about what you want to do, and how to execute it in a way that is realistically possible. After you’ve laid the groundwork, you can start increasing your targets and forming more ambitious aspirations.
Stay focused
A key factor in succeeding is to simply not lose focus. Keep on track as much as possible, and don’t let outside factors take away your concentration from the target at hand. You should channel your energy and attention into your goal. It is very easy to lose track and attempt to do too many things at once.
Stay committed
Reaching your goals can sometimes be a very long and difficult process, and giving up may begin to feel like an option. Staying as driven and committed as possible is essential to working through any difficulties you might face. Believe in your ideas and abilities, to make it become a reality.
Want to find out more about Jack? Visit our website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter for regular news updates!
ProMotivate, an international motivational speaker bureau that provides hundreds of organisations with motivational speakers to encourage positive change in the workplace and support employee engagement, leadership, entrepreneurship and corporate learning among others.
Twitter post:
Reaching your #goals can feel like a long and difficult process. Check out @JackParsons_CEO ‘s top tips on how to become a success even if the odds are stacked against you! [link] #MondayMotivation #ProMotivate
Facebook post:
Reaching your goals can feel like a long and difficult process. Young entrepreneur and media influencer Jack Parsons is no stranger to facing struggles and coming out the other side. Check out our #MondayMotivation blog, where he shares his top tips on how to reach your goals! #ProMotivate
