“Sometimes You Don’t Get There Alone” – With That, The Speakers Bureaus who Bring me to the World!

With the launch of my new Web site design, I’ve had a lot of opportunity to reflect on the remarkable success of a 25 year career – so far! – as a keynote speaker on stages round the world. It took a lot of hard work and effort – but it has also involved a lot of remarkable and wonderful partners along the way who took some confidence in my message.

With that, I must give a shoutout to my speakers bureau partners of which there are many. Everyone from the Washington Speakers Bureau and the Harry Walker Agency, each of whom represents Presidents and Prime Ministers of the world, to the Toronto based National Speakers Bureau / Global Speakers Bureau who first booked me into an event way back in 1994! 25 years ago! At that time, I was still using 35mm slides and acetates! Hey Theresa!

Partnership matters – and so, in no particular order, these are some of my most important partners who have booked me into an event in the last few years.

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When you contact me for a speaking engagement, you might notice one of my first questions will be, “how did you find me?” If it was through one of these partners, I’ll make sure to have them involved in the booking and contracting process, because I truly value the relationship they bring, both to me personally and to my clients.

When you are dealing with me through one of my partners, you will know that you are dealing with one of the world’s leading agencies. Any of the bureaus in my scroll bar above is a top-notch professional, long in the industry, and experienced at what they do.

You’ll also know that you are dealing with folks who deal with some pretty rarified global talent. For example, the Harry Walker Agency in New York can get you some pretty cool speakers for your event. This agency just booked me into a leadership awards event for a retail group…

Fully expecting that in this social media driven world that some crank-with-an-agenda will complain, I give you another bureau, the Washington Speakers Bureau, who represent me as well as some folks with a more conservative track record – as well as insight on some fairly recent current events. Next week, WSB as they have rebranded themselves, have me keynoting the American Cotton Shipping Association.

Many of these bureaus will help you get the high profile speakers that fit your particular event themes and requirements – and have access to a tremendous range of talent around the world. The folks over at APB Speakers, for example, who have booked me into the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs in Phoenix next week, also bring some other amazing insight to their clients.

Every once in a while, I’ll have a ‘pinch me, I’m dreaming‘ moment, when I realize how blessed I am to share the company I keep! Over at the Washington Speakers Bureau, you can book a couple of golf legends for your event. And if you like, enhance the program with my keynote  Driving the Future; Linking the Acceleration of Golf to the Speed of Business.

Because of these amazing and powerful relationships, I’ve had some pretty fascinating moments over the years.

I’ve shared events and stages with folks like Leonard Nimoy (“Spock” of Star Trek), the late Carrie Fisher (“Princess Leia” of Star Wars), Terry Bradshaw of the NFL, Biz Stone (Founder of Twitter), Jimmy Wales of Wikipedia, Astronauts Scott Kelly (last pilot of the Space Shuttle), Buzz Aldrin of Apollo 11 and ISS Commander Chris Hadfield, business leaders Jack Welch of GE and Roger Goodall, the Commissioner of the NFL, actors Robert deNiro, Goldie Hawn & Forest Whittaker, and Lee Trevino and Bubba Watson of golf, among others.

These lead to some pretty surreal moments – the time the Secret Service had me cut my keynote 15 minutes short because they had to do a security sweep before President Bush took the stage; seeing my 1-handicap son sitting backstage in the green room with Lee Trevino and David Leadbetter tailing golf; talking with Terry Bradshaw backstage in the green room about managing travel; and chatting with the late Carrie Fisher backstage about her battle with depression, and why she felt it so important to bring that message to the stage.

What do you need to know? If you are booking an event or leadership meeting, there are important partners out there who will be invaluable to your process. Learn about them, work with them, and have fun with them!