(An Event Planner’s Guide from a Professional Speaker) Whether you’re a seasoned event planner or you’ve been tasked (perhaps unexpectedly) with finding a keynote speaker for your company or association’s event, choosing the right speaker is an important decision. There are thousands of keynote speakers to choose from, covering countless topics, industries, and budgets. But
Leonardo da Vinci once said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” To be honest, I don’t know if he said that. But that’s what the internet told me. But his quote resonated with me because I was forced to confront the notion of simplicity after a recent event. During my time on stage, while explaining how
Like many, I’ve struggled to maintain New Year’s resolutions. But that’s why I waited a few weeks into January to share this article because I know we’ve reached the point when most resolutions fail. Good. Let them fail. We weren’t set up to succeed in them anyway. Instead, three weeks into the year, let’s take
It’s not an outrageous statement to say we’ve become polarized. Whether it’s driven by a 24-hour television cycle, social media, or your next door neighbor’s conspiracy theories, there’s a lot of “either/or” going on. You’re either Republican or Democrat. You’re either too young to understand or too old to know better. You’re either right, or
A few weeks ago, I hit the big 4-0. As others have told me, it’s either the beginning of the end, the beginning of the greatest chapter in life, or as my Mom put it, “I’m perfect and I love you.” Thanks Mom! Personally, 40 felt exactly like the previous 9 birthdays. My back hurts
I’ll admit it. It feels a little cliché to talk about journaling during the New Year’s timeframe. It feels like everyone already does it, has done it before, or started journaling on January 1st determined to make this year the year! My goal isn’t to convince you to journal. Instead, I want to share what
“Let me check my calendar.” “I’ve got an opening from 1:00 – 1:30, but then I’m booked until Thursday.” “You need 15 minutes? How does two weeks from now work?” Ever uttered similar phrases before? Of course you have! And that’s OK because you’re just like millions of us who get consumed by a calendar
I’m not trying to brag, but last week was a pretty big milestone in my Millennial life-journey. At 38 years old, I moved back in with my parents!! Finally! I’m now living the life every Millennial dreamed – a life devoid of rent, responsibility, and accountability! Well, that’s not exactly the case. A few months
“You make me feel safe.” On a recent family camping trip to the Eleven Points River in southern Missouri, my wife Megan and I learned an important lesson. Sometimes, all they need is YOU. Your presence can be enough. This trip was an annual camping trip we do with my wife Megan’s family. While I
In a recent podcast interview, I spoke with Michael Harvey about his journey to Chief Strategy Officer at Corra. The full conversation is worth a listen, but it was his story about traveling the world for four years with his wife and two children on a 40ft. sailboat that has had me rethinking what it
How quick are you to give someone the benefit of the doubt? To give them grace even before they’ve earned it? In a recent podcast episode, I interviewed Justin Fox, an Army veteran and 20-year operations leader, about the transition from military life to civilian leadership. One of the challenges Justin faced – as do
Has someone ever told you to, “think positive?” Or how about the people who describe themselves or others as having a positive mindset? Last week, I was filming a video training series at a production studio in Detroit, MI and I was taken aback (in a positive way:) by the company’s core values plastered throughout