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GDA Technology
Your GDA Advantage: Our Client Portal & Polling Feature
At GDA Speakers, we believe event planning should be empowering—not exhausting. Over the years, we've embraced technology not just to keep up with change, but to stay ahead of your needs. Gail Davis dives into how our exclusive GDA Client Portal and polling feature were built to support you with transparency, efficiency, and heart.
GDA Industry Insights
The Future of Event Planning: Trends and Tips for a Seamless Experience
Planning events is always a dynamic process, and staying ahead of trends can make all the difference. In this month's blog, Gail Davis shares insights on key trends event planners can anticipate as we move into the new year.
Trending Speakers
The Husband & Wife Duo That Every Event Needs: Sandra Joseph & Ron Bohmer
Every organization needs to book Sandra Joseph and Ron Bohmer. It is that simple. Whether you are a non-profit raising money for a great cause, an organization celebrating a milestone anniversary, or an association looking for an experience of a lifetime - Gail Davis shares her experience working with Sandra and Ron and how they will leave your audience entertained, uplifted, and inspired.
GDA History
Celebrating 25 Years of Setting Stages Worldwide
Have you noticed GDA Speakers' new logo? You guessed it - 2024 marks our 25th anniversary! In the coming months, we will be reflecting on the last quarter of a century through a series of blogs that offer insight into our journey, who we are as a business, and the impact we have had the privilege of bringing to stages worldwide. Read Gail's first blog of the new series.
Latest Blogs
Trending Speakers
Andre Norman and Giving Back
I 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.
Trending Speakers
Energy and Synergy with Ankit Fadia
Last 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.”
Trending Speakers
Tom Martinez- A Story of Hate, A Message of Hope
Wow! 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.
Trending Speakers
Customer Service: Going Above and Beyond
Thank you Ross Perot.You founded EDS on the strongest principles of customer service.I was lucky enough to be hired by EDS right out of college. I worked there for 20 years under some serious leadership and culture. I interfaced with Ross, Mort Meyerson, Jeff Heller, Les Alberthal and, yes, Dick Brown. That is another blog.At EDS, I learned about being in the service business. It is different. You are only as good as your last gig. You have to come up with solutions. You need to have the customer's best interest at heart.When I left EDS and started my company almost 11 years ago, I knew no way other than to be focused on the customer.I surround myself with a team and speakers who get that.A few weeks ago I had a classic example. I had booked Steve Palermo for a YPO event in Oklahoma City. Steve is an awesome guy. He was the most successful umpire in the Majors when he was shot in Dallas trying to be a good Samaritan.
Trending Speakers
In Remembrance of Randy Snow
Randy Snow was a great person, a special friend and professional speaker. He passed away suddenly on Thursday, Nov 19 while volunteering at a wheelchair tennis camp in El Salvador, doing something he loved.Since 2003, we booked Randy 46 times for our clients. He always got great reviews. He was a dream to work with from our perspective as well as our clients'. He loved meeting people and sharing his message.I am writing this blog to record my special memories of Randy Snow. Randy reached out to us back in 2003 and said he was getting into the speaking business and he knew we were a locally based bureau so he wanted to stop by and bring us lunch. At the time, we were an all female staff with typical female concerns regarding food…..all health conscious and watching our weight. We agreed for Randy to bring us lunch. I will never forget him wheeling up the sidewalk with a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits, gravy and two liters of Mountain Dew! I laughed so hard and teased him about not knowing women at all!Randy was so accessible and reasonable that he became our “go to” speaker for folks with limited budgets. We crafted some great deals. We really hit the jackpot back in 2005 when Randy spoke to Nestle Waters and created a talk on safety. The word spread and we booked him eight times for various plants across the country.I knew Randy as a speaker and a friend. Since his death I have learned so much more. A harsh reminder of how we often do not really know those in our own midst. This past year, I have been taking my car to a dealership in Arlington and always turn on Randy Snow Road. I always thought it was funny and kept intending to mention it to Randy. I learned after his death that the street was named after him. He had transferred to UTA from UT and joined the fledgling Mavericks wheelchair basketball team. The street was named after Randy in 1984 when he attracted world-wide attention at the 1984 Summer Olympics when he finished second in the 1,500 meter wheelchair race immediately after Carl Lewis won a gold medal in a race. The publicity gave wheelchair athletes an unprecedented platform to show the world what they could do. A few weeks later, the city of Arlington renamed Midway Road as Randy Snow Road for his silver medal performance.
Trending Speakers
Domestic Violence
You would have to be living under a rock to not know about the recent Chris Brown and Rihanna incident. Larry King, Oprah and everything in between is covering this topic.Domestic violence is a sad and complicated issue. It's an issue that never goes away, that people need to keep hearing about.That's why we're proud to represent Leslie Morgan Steiner. Leslie is the author of “Crazy Love” – a new book released on March 28.Leslie is someone I have truly enjoyed getting to know. From the first moment you meet her, you're drawn to her warm and open personality. She is attractive and confident. It does not take long to realize how smart she is. Her degrees from Harvard and Wharton come as no surprise.I first got to know Leslie when her husband was a client. I remember thinking it was so neat that he was so very proud of her. He told me about her shortly after she published her first book, “Mommy Wars.”
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