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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
GDA History
Momentum, Passion and Transformation
By Gail DavisIn 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.
GDA History
Partnerships
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.
GDA History
Celebrating 10 Years of Inspiration
May 1989. It was a pivotal month in my life. I took the leap and started Gail Davis & Associates.There were so many other things swirling in my life: I had two young boys and everything that comes with that ... I'd had a 20-year career at, what was at the time, one of the biggest corporations in the world ... and I had this inescapable feeling in the pit of my stomach that if I didn't step out on my own I'd miss out on living my passion. It was truly a "trust your gut" moment.And so, rather than rehashing all the memories from the past ten years (we have a timeline on the home page that gives you a taste of those big moments), I want to share my gratitude.I am thankful for Nando. When you took a phone call from an event planner back in 1988 and agreed to tell your story at her event, did you ever imagine we'd be where we are today? Your story continues to be my inspiration.
GDA History
Milestones and Celebrations
My oldest son turned 21 today, and I can say with a smile on my face that it's a great feeling watching my son become an adult. I am proud of the work I put into parenting and I am equally relieved that he has become an independent adult. I like what I see and consider it a sort of accomplishment. Gail Davis & Associates will be 10 years old in May. In retrospect, starting a company, or even leading one, is a lot like parenting. I've let it grow, figured out when it's better to let go than hold tight, and at the same time, I have never stopped being committed to the areas I believe require my constant involvement.The greatest testament to my company's maturity was my ability to take AND ENJOY a two-week vacation earlier this year. It was able to run without me. I could see the commitment of my team to handle the details and customer service with a high degree of professionalism. Their ability to see the big picture and the overall goal of the client's event is what keeps loyal relationships alive in this business.
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