Trends

The Speaker finishes, the crowd is on its feet with thunderous applause and right away the buzz starts. Demand for a Speaker is based on impressive past reviews and word of mouth. When word gets out there that a Speaker delivered an impressive presentation that had audiences talking, people want to know if they can have that Speaker at their event. Most Clients book their Speakers 3-4 months out but the buzz in 2015 around the 12 Great Speakers listed below had clients booking them 8-12 months before their  2016 events:

Shawn Achor

What is it about having a positive outlook and being happy that improves performance and fosters success?  In his life’s work, first at Harvard University, then at his consultancy, GoodThink, Shawn Achor has found the connection linking positivity to performance. His research shows that happiness and well-being at work is the foundation of a productive and optimized organization and makes a huge difference for a company’s bottom line. Shawn’s message becomes even more pertinent in 2016 as a greater number of workers clamor for better work-life balance and job satisfaction. Through his TED talk with over 11 million views, his highly-rated television special on PBS, and his speaking engagements in more than 50 countries, Shawn has shown audiences world-wide how to reap the benefits of a positive mindset, how to overcome challenges, and succeed in both work and in life.

Robyn Benincasa

The importance of a motivated, functional team to organizational success cannot be overstated. Robyn Benincasa is a World Champion Adventure Racer and an award-winning motivational speaker. The past 20 years have seen Robyn and her teams successfully race through the jungles of Borneo, climb the Himalayan peaks of Tibet, swim the rivers of Fiji, and fight the brush fires of Southern California. It is through these life-affirming and team-building experiences that Robyn developed her unique perspective on what it takes to succeed against all odds and go the distance at work and in life: Human Synergy and Teamwork. With this key message, Robyn has ignited meetings and motivated audiences to look at how they can transform their own groups into World Class Teams. In 2016, her quest to impart this lesson continues.

Ty Bennett

At just 21 years old, Ty Bennett co-founded a company that grew to over $20 million in annual revenue before he turned 30. Today, Ty is a speaker who excites audiences with practical ideas and effective strategies on Leadership, Communication, and Sales based on his own experiences as a successful entrepreneur. A naturally gifted presenter, he has been a sure-fire hit in 2015 for clients like RE/MAX, Johnson & Johnson, and Russell Investments. 2016 promises to be an even bigger year for Ty as he offers a young, fresh voice using interactive presentations that are as engaging as they are inspiring and motivational.

Andy Boynton

The notion that the best business ideas come solely from innately creative and brilliant minds is a mistaken belief that leads to apathy and inaction within organizations and their employees. The Dean of Boston College’s Carroll School of Management, Andy Boynton is an expert on helping organizations implement his proprietary methodology for harnessing the power of teams to “significantly improve problem-solving speed, innovation and results” – A skill of great importance considering the rate of innovation and change in business – projected to only increase in 2016. Innate creativity and brilliance aside, great ideas come to those who are in the habit of looking for great ideas! In his engaging presentation, Andy will show you how.

Dr. Travis Bradberry

Emotional Intelligence (EI) has become a buzzword in business circles ever since a landmark study in 1990 found that people with high EI tend to make the best leaders and team players because of their ability to understand, empathize, and connect with others around them. Travis Bradberry is the award-winning author of the #1 bestselling book, Emotional Intelligence 2.0, and the co-founder of TalentSmart ⎯ a consultancy that serves more than 75% of Fortune 500 companies and the world’s leading provider of emotional intelligence tests and training. With increasing globalization and corporate consolidation in 2016, the importance of EI in organizational cohesion and health cannot be ignored as leaders manage people of differing backgrounds in ever growing numbers. Travis contends that successful leaders know how to handle their own emotions, understand the emotions of others, and find a balanced approach to managing both.

Geoff Colvin

Geoff Colvin has been an editor and columnist at Fortune Magazine for more than 35 years, covering a variety of current events and offering analyses on how those events affect the greater financial, political, and economic landscape. His speaking career has taken him on engagements in six continents where he delivered on topics ranging from Leadership and Management, Economic Trends and Global Competitiveness, to the intersection of Politics and Business. In 2016, Geoff’s insights into the workings of the global economic and geopolitical arena will remain an invaluable resource for businesses and organizations.

Chester Elton 

The development and promotion of a healthy organizational culture is crucial to helping people within companies work together as a team. Chester Elton has spent his career studying the intricacies of organizational culture, teamwork, and motivation. He is the co-author of the New York Times bestsellers All In, The Carrot Principle, and The Orange Revolution which have been called “must-read(s) for modern managers” by no less than Larry King of CNN. Chester has developed a road-map that managers can use to create a high-achieving culture within their own teams, increasing productivity, and making a real impact on the bottom line. In 2016, the speaker who the Globe and Mail calls the “Apostle of Appreciation,” will continue to make waves in the corporate world as he extols the merits of passionate engagement and a culture of possibility within organizations.

Dr. George Friedman

Dr. George Friedman is the foremost geopolitical authority in the world today. He is the Founder and Chairman of Geopolitical Futures, a new online publication dedicated to forecasting the course of global events. He also founded Stratfor, a global intelligence and consulting firm that helps clients identify opportunities, make strategic decisions, and manage political and security risks. Dr. Friedman is invited to speak at conferences and business meetings on five continents where his insights on events shaping international affairs and business are highly prized. As we move into 2016, the continuing migration of millions of refugees into Europe coupled with the slowing economic engines of the BRIC countries, Dr. Friedman’s overarching knowledge and expertise of geopolitical forces is poised to make an even bigger impact on the world stage.

Dr. Frank Murtha

Dr. Frank Murtha is an expert on Investor Psychology and Behavioral Finance who is known for his ability to take the weighty scientific and academic subjects of his training and communicate them in a practical, and often humorous way. Frank helps financial professionals understand the underlying emotions and behaviors that may affect their management of investments as they go through the Capital Market Cycle. Since the financial crisis of 2008, the markets have seen the second longest period of growth in history. By mid-2015 however, the Chinese stock markets have collapsed, oil prices are less than half their value over the previous year, and the Euro Zone’s tenuous economic recovery is threatened by the refugee crisis. How do investors manage expectations and not give in to fear and panic, or conversely, to speculative buying sprees? With looming economic uncertainty in 2016, Frank’s expertise is bound to be in great demand.

Josh Linkner

Current levels of innovation drive business cycles in months, not years. How do business leaders keep up with this break-neck pace of change in the market place, maintain their organizations’ relevance, and fuel growth? Josh Linkner believes the answer lies in creativity. A four-time tech entrepreneur, a two-time New York Times Bestselling Author, and a professional Jazz guitarist, Josh has built an exceptionally successful career using the power of creative disruption. As a speaker, he helps audiences harness creativity, innovation, and re-invention to develop actionable strategies that produce measurable outcomes. Using highly engaging, visually-rich presentations, Josh enlivens meetings and events –2016 will prove no different.

Marilyn Tam

Marilyn Tam’s story of never giving up on one’s dreams in spite of daunting odds and brutal circumstances is inspirational. Growing up as an abused, neglected child in Hong Kong, she left home as a teen and moved to America alone. Through sheer determination and hard work, Marilyn achieved international and humanitarian success, first becoming President of Reebok/CCM, then CEO of Aveda Corporation, and for the past 19 years, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Us Foundation. As a speaker, her presentations on leadership excellence, business management, and diversity are a hit with corporate audiences. But especially because of the continuing global events that will impact 2016, her message on women in the workplace, corporate social and environmental responsibility, and organizational well-being are timely and of the essence.

Mark Thompson

Mark Thompson has been leading teams and building companies for over 25 years, a career that places him among a select group of thought-leaders on executive leadership, business strategy, and innovation. His clients include some of the most recognizable brands and Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft, Nike, Ford, Coca Cola, and the Virgin Group. Much in demand in 2015, 2016 is shaping up to be an even bigger one for Mark. With more companies moving towards consolidation, new technologies and rapid innovation disrupting business models, and the pressure on leaders to deliver and perform increasing, Mark’s expertise and experience will be needed in the new year.

*Speakers are listed in alphabetical order