Image courtesy of Chris Jackson/Getty Images There is a long history of former US Presidents and Presidential candidates joining the ranks of the global speakers circuit – commanding fees in the $150,000 to $400,000 range – and that was brought to life in the clearest way this past week in Toronto. Fresh off the celebrity […]

TL;DR: Garth Brooks and Joe Biden at SXSW, the subtle takeover of RFID, the TED Talk you HAVE to watch, and the media coverage of Amal’s UN speech vs. her baby bump. _______________________ South by Southwest – come for the tech, music and BBQ – stay for the speeches SXSW in Austin, Texas gets a […]

TL;DR: Hilary’s got a new book, the meetings industry makes an impact, celebrity and influencer marketing keeps hitting new heights, must-read tips to for any panel facilitator. _______________________ Madame President To Madame Keynote Hillary Clinton has been fairly quiet since losing the US election on November 8 but her future has started to become a […]

TL;DR: Try a debate at your next event; VR isn’t a be all end all, but it can add some buzz to your event; Donald commanded $400,000 plus speaking fees but Mariah has him beat at $1,000,000. Swapping panels for debates Every great movie (…and novel, sports game, story) must have tension to engage the […]

Today alone, there are hundreds of thousands of people stepping on stages, grabbing a mic and addressing audiences. These audiences range from 20 people to 20,000. Some audience members are looking to be inspired. Others are hoping to learn something new​. Many just show up for the free lunch. For the speakers, many are addressing […]

By Jeff Jacobson It’s my job to place newsmakers, whether it’s athletes, authors, ex-politicians, TV personalities etc. at conferences around the country. And because of my professional goals, I may read news stories a bit differently than you. Every article may contain a new topic of interest or a new personality who might be compelling […]