Andre Norman and Giving Back

Gail Davis, 01 February 2011

Andre NormanI really am passionate about the speaking industry and the potential it has to transform lives. There are so many important genres of speakers. While I enjoy and understand the importance various speakers and topics play in the marketplace, my personal favorite is inspiration.

I carefully chose the word inspiration over motivation. I am not sure motivation has a long-term impact on audiences. However, I do believe we can be forever changed by inspiration.

Over the years, one of my favorite ways to give back is to provide a speaker to the Tarrant County Juvenile Detention Center. The first time I did this, I sat in the back of the room and was brought to tears. I did not expect so many young children to be in the audience. I did not expect my heart to break for their pain. I was overjoyed that I had the opportunity to arrange for the speaker to be there. I remember the complete satisfaction of watching these hurt kids start to smile as they began to believe their lives could be different. That feeling is like no other. It is awesome to see a ballroom of corporate employees rise to a standing ovation for a speaker. But to see kids impacted is a completely different level of satisfaction.

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Energy and Synergy with Ankit Fadia

Gail Davis, 15 November 2010

Ankit FadiaLast week Ankit Fadia visited our office. Being around Ankit is an energy rush. His accomplishments are incredible for a 25 year old. Yet, only a 25 year old would have the energy to do what he does!!

Ankit wrote his first book at 14. He began speaking at age 15 and today he runs a successful security consulting firm. He also runs training courses in India and China on computer security, is the host of his own show on MTV India called What the Hack, has a lucrative speaking career AND is a world traveler who takes the time to meet locals and truly experience the places he visits.

I met in Ankit in 2007 and began representing him. At the time , his speaking career focused on a presentation called “Hacked”. The presentation is usually two hours long and very interactive.

The idea of the presentation is to scare everyone through his use of audience volunteers showing the ease of breaking passwords and getting into email and credit card accounts. He also scrolls down a screen showing everyone’s mobile phone that has blue tooth enabled. Audiences gasp when they see their name and phone number scrolling on the screen. Most of us have no idea how vulnerable we are to technological break-ins.

This presentation is still a crowd favorite because it is very hands on, scary, exciting, educational, very much a performance, and fast paced...perfect for someone with a short attention span.

During the last 15 minutes...Ankit gives real solutions as take-home for audience members to implement.

Since 2007, many of our clients have booked Ankit. Most of them have wanted to bring him back a second time. To respond to this request, Ankit created a presentation called “The Digital Social.”

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Momentum, Passion and Transformation

Gail Davis, 01 October 2010

By Gail Davis

Nando In 1994 I was issued a challenge from the chairman of EDS, Les Alberthal. He asked me to find a speaker that was new and different- someone everyone would like to hear and someone who was international in appeal. It is a story I never tire of telling. For six months in a pre-Google era, I searched and searched to no avail. Finally my dad offered a great suggestion and I went through the Uruguayan embassy to find Nando Parrado. Good idea but not as easy as you might think. They told me they could not give me his number but shared he had a television show in Montevideo. Speaking Spanish, I navigated my way through the phone maze at the tv station and eventually had the number for Nando’s office. I called. He answered. And from that moment on, both of our lives changed dramatically.

After much convincing, I got Nando to speak at the EDS sales incentive event in Maui, Hawaii. It was the wildest success one could imagine. It was even suggested that I retire because everyone agreed I would not be able to top the success with Nando. My friendship with Nando and his wife continued to flourish. I made a trip to Uruguay with my entire family. Nando thought the EDS deal was a onetime situation. However, his wife Veronique and I could not get over the impact he had on the event attendees and the letters and faxes that followed. We both felt there was a reason Nando survived and that he had a message the world needed to hear.

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Partnerships

Gail Davis, 09 August 2010

When I was starting my company, I toyed with the idea of having a partner. I interviewed several successful entrepreneurs to discuss the pros and cons of going it alone or having a business partner. I remember my friend Jo Kling of Landry & Kling telling me that the best part of having a business partner is there is always another person there helping you row the boat. In the end, I did not base my business on a partnership model. The ironic part of it is partnerships are a key ingredient to the success we have experienced.

Looking back over the last 12 years, I can clearly say that we have been fortunate to have client relationships that feel more like partnerships. We have been invited to strategy sessions and events. We are made to feel that our experience and recommendations are key to the overall success of our clients’ events. The same is true on the speaker side of the house. We have speakers we have booked consistently throughout our company history. There is no doubt that we have forged our way by having a mutual respect and understanding of each other.

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An Epic Trip

Gail Davis, 08 July 2010

CruiseThis blog may not have as many specific hints for planning events or selecting speakers, but what I hope it does say is that each experience we have helps establish and create our frame of reference. Each relationship we develop with vendors is an expansion of our ability to create. Continuing to experience new things keeps us fresh but maintaining our relationships gives us trusted advisors with experience. Mixing it up ensures we do not get stale … so read on for some first-hand experience of new venues and ideas!

It’s all about ideas, relationships and people……at least that is my perspective when it comes to the world of incentives, events and creating memorable experiences.

This weekend I was in New York for the Norwegian Cruise Line Epic inaugural cruise. I was exposed to a new ship while being reunited with some people I have known in this business for many years.

The Epic is NCL’s largest and newest ship in their fleet.

Given its size (it can accommodate just over 4,000 passengers) and it has a lot of offer. Some of the concepts are unique. It has an area for travelers sailing solo. Traditional cruise ship pricing is based on double occupancy in a cabin. On most cruise lines you pay 1.5 if you are traveling alone. The Epic has some small studio type cabins designed for single travelers and an area called the Studio Living Room where those utilizing this new concept can congregate for coffee.

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Tom Martinez- A Story of Hate, A Message of Hope

Gail Davis, 06 July 2010

Tom MartinezWow! I was almost numb after hearing Tom Martinez, a former hate group member, speak at a recent, client event in Dallas. Tom visited our office earlier in the day but that was like dipping only your toe in the pool. The event was full immersion.

The venue helped create the atmosphere for soaking up his story. My client selected the Holocaust Museum in Dallas. It was a somber location that reminded us all of the devastation when you combine hate and a lack of education.

Tom is a genuine and likeable guy. He does an amazing job of explaining how and why he was seduced by a hate group. He paints the picture of being a young husband with a new baby and trying to make ends meet while working at a bakery earning minimum wage. You can see how this welcoming brotherhood that offered support and monetary gain had a strong appeal.

Tom begins his presentation with a movie trailer from the Showtime original picture the Brotherhood of Murder, which stars Peter Gallagher and William Baldwin and is based on Tom’s autobiography. He has recently developed PowerPoint presentations that include several photos of various leaders and events associated with The Order. He also has some music clips at the end that demonstrate the use of music lyrics in furthering a message of hate.

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