Category: Top Articles

As seen on BigSpeak.com

As the year comes to a close, we at BigSpeak would like to reflect on the keynote speakers who have dedicated themselves to making the world a better place through the power of public speaking. Our top 10 speakers of 2017 range from motivational speakers to business speakers to tech speakers and everything in between, but one thing they have in common is the power and reach their keynote speaking has seen in 2017.

Without further ado, I give you BigSpeak’s Top 10 Speakers of 2017

10. Daymond John

Business speaker, Daymond John is most recognized for his role as a Shark on the reality TV show, Shark Tank, but most people don’t know about the entrepreneurial successes that got him there. Daymond John is the founder and CEO of FUBU Clothing and a marketing and branding genius. He turned his $40 clothing line budget into a $6 billion dollar sportswear line by revolutionizing marketing to focus on the consumer’s wants.

He works to spread his knowledge and help other entrepreneurs fulfill their dreams through his keynote address. He inspires his audiences to conquer their wildest dreams and goals by providing insight into the mind of a successful entrepreneur who started with nothing. His self-made story of triumph is as powerful as his tangible advice for becoming a business tycoon.

9. Peter Zeihan

With the panic surrounding our current political climate, there’s no surprise that Peter Zeihan, Geopolitical Strategist, made our top ten list for his brilliant political forecasts. He specializes in global energy, demographics, and security, and uses his expertise to predict how our global political-economic systems will shift.

China will crash, Europe will fall apart, Russia will keep pushing the U.S.’s buttons, and Iran will soon be America’s best friend. People always say you can’t plan for the future, but those people clearly haven’t met Peter Zeihan. His insight is applicable to any field as he shapes his keynote addresses to fit all things influenced by politics, and his shocking predictions are backed by data that will truly help you plan for a future you never dreamed of.

8. Fredrik Eklund

Fredrik Eklund, business speaker, number one Broker in the Nation, author, and former information technology entrepreneur, skyrocketed to our top 10 list using the same charm that got him his own Reality TV show on Bravo, Million Dollar Listing, and his new real estate show, Bethenny and Fredrik, with BigSpeak favorite, Bethenny Frankel.

His power-house keynote addresses are not only entertaining and full of high-kicks but also incredibly enlightening as he shares his secret to high-stakes sales. He gives his audience the list of to-do’s when making a sales pitch that landed him some of the biggest real estate sales in New York.

7. Tan Lee

Tan Le is one of our top picks for 2017 not only because of she brought all of our Star Wars mind control fantasies to life with her brainwear company, Emotiv but also because of her inspiring climb from immigrant to CEO.

Tan Le shares her story of fleeing her war-torn home in Vietnam when she was four years old and growing up as an “outsider” in Australia. She credits her upbringing for giving her a different perspective that allowed her ingenuity to flourish. In her keynote address, she explains the benefits of broadening your scope to promote innovation and how to achieve them.

6. Robyn Benincasa

Robyn Benincasa was an obvious pick for BigSpeak’s top 10 list because she’s a hero… literally, she was named CNN Hero for her work helping survivors of medical and traumatic setbacks reach their adventure goals with her non-profit Project Athena.

She on top of being an inspirational teamwork speaker, she is a San Diego firefighter, adventure racer, and Ironman triathlete.Through all of her physically demanding work she has become an expert in creating supportive and cohesive teams. Her inspiration can turn any office into a winning team.No matter what your team is working through, Robyn has conquered worse with her own and is here to help with her motivational speaking.

5. Tom Flick

Tom Flick, former NFL Quarterback, is an authority on leadership building. After seven seasons of leading football teams, as well as his experience working in corporate America, he is considered an expert voice in motivational strategies and team building.

His diverse background allows him to cover a wide variety of fields in his talks and speak to a larger body while connecting to each individual. Tom Flick is a BigSpeak favorite because of his speaking style and influence.

4. Mitch Lowe

Whether you’re an old-time fan of our business speaker Mitch Lowe for giving us Netflix, or you recently joined the bandwagon by subscribing to MoviePass, Lowe is beloved in the hearts of every movie buff. Lowe, co-founding Executive of Netflix, CEO of MoviePass, and former President of Redbox, knows a thing or two about disrupting an industry.

As one of the most innovative minds in the movie industry he has transformed movie sharing and viewing not once, but three times. His keynote address gives his audience insight into the disruption process, the risk-taking involved, and the business sense needed to make it all happen. Learn how to flip your industry on its head with this innovative mind.

3. Jeff Degraff

In addition to being one of our top innovative business speakers, Jeff Degraff is the Professor of Management and Organizations at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, where he teaches leading creativity, innovation and change.

Degraff’s objective through his teaching and speaking is to “democratize innovation.” He believes that innovation is not reserved for the leaders with the highest IQ. Instead, it is a collaborative effort that can be promoted in any group. He provides his audience with four easy steps to jumpstart the process to reaching “new and improved.”

2. Marc Randolph

Business speaker, Marc Randolph, is a co-founder of Netflix, serving as their founding CEO, as the executive producer of their website, and as a member of their board of directors until his retirement in 2004. Although best known for starting Netflix, Marc’s business speaking reflects his career as an entrepreneur spanning more than four decades. He’s been a founder of more than half a dozen other successful startups, a mentor to hundreds of early-stage entrepreneurs, and an investor in numerous successful (and an even larger number of unsuccessful) tech ventures.

He’s everyone’s dream angel investor, with all the knowledge and backing to turn any start-up into a success. He shares his entrepreneurial spirit with his audience and divulges the lessons he’s learned through his successes and failures.

1. Matthew Luhn

Coming in at number one of our top 2017 speakers is innovation speaker Matthew Luhn. His inventive outlook on the world not only allows him to create some of Pixar’s best movies, but also gives you the tools to make the tough sells. His speaking encompasses his imaginative world as a Pixar storyteller and the importance of a story in every business setting.

He explains how every sale, every marketing strategy, every corporate event needs a background story to be impactful, and luckily he can give you the tools to create a compelling and persuasive narrative.

---

The content writers at BigSpeak Speakers Bureau are Experts on the Experts. They hold doctoral, masters, and bachelors’ degrees in business, writing, literature, and education. Their business thought pieces are published regularly in leading business publications. Working in close association with the top business, entrepreneur, and motivational speakers, BigSpeak content writers are at the forefront of industry trends and research.

As seen on BigSpeak.com

This new year it’s time to make a commitment to lifelong learning. While you’re working on your 2018 goals, don’t forget to nourish your mind with a reading list that inspires, invigorates, and enthuses you.

We’ve done some of the heavy lifting for you here at BigSpeak, and compiled a list of upcoming book releases you’ll love and 2017 reads you may have missed but really shouldn’t have.

2018 Soon-to-be Best Sellers

‘Great at Work’ by Morten Hansen (Jan. 30)

Morten Hansen, an expert on management at UC Berkeley, has discovered the secrets every top performer lives by, and he’s sharing them with you. After a five-year study looking into what makes somebody the best in his/her field, he came up with an empirically based answer– and it’s not working overtime until your family forgets what you look like.

He found that top performers actually work less, do more, and achieve greater successes. His “seven work-smarter practices” will lift you up to join the top performers without overworking you.

Pre-order your copy here

‘Thinking in Bets’ by Annie Duke (Feb. 6)

World Series of Poker winner, Annie Duke, will turn your 2018 into an adrenaline-filled year. Her book ‘Thinking in Bets’ uses her experience as a professional poker player to help you assess risks, take bets, and catch bluffs.

She knows life won’t always present the full picture, but with her techniques you will be able to make confident decisions without knowing the whole story. This book will teach you how to maintain emotional control, in even the most stressful decision-making scenarios.

Pre-order your copy here

‘Rise and Grind’ by Daymond John (Jan. 23)

Daymond John’s latest book, ‘Rise and Grind,’ is a sequel to his first book, ‘Power of Broke,’ in which he highlights the key elements that brought him from rags to riches with his garage start-up, FUBU.

In his new book, John pulls from his experiences as a now-successful entrepreneur, as well as other successful businessmen and women he has worked with and looked up to. He identifies characteristics that are shared by successful people and helps you assimilate them into your own life.

Pre-order your copy here

‘Your Best Year Ever’ by Michael Hyatt (Jan. 2)

This new year Michael Hyatt, former CEO, entrepreneur, and bestselling author, has created a five-step plan to help you reach your most important goals. This book will help you focus on the big picture and move past the little, distracting obstacles.

Read this book before mapping out your new year’s resolutions to ensure that you are setting healthy goals in and out of the office, and creating realistic routes to take you where you want to be.

Pre-order your copy here

‘Brotopia’ by Emily Chang (Feb. 6)

After exposing herself to the tech world of Silicon Valley through hosting and producing the hit show Bloomberg Technology, Emily Chang knows the challenges women face in the industry. Her interviews with leading ladies in the industry shed light on the closed-off men’s club that is the tech industry.

In her book, Chang discusses the long road ahead for women’s equality in the Valley and the daring women who have taken huge risks to pave the way for others. If you are at all interested in being a leader in the tech industry (men and women alike) read this book for insights into bettering working conditions in ‘Brotopia’.

Pre-order your copy here

2017 You Shouldn’t Have Missed

‘The Asshole Survival Guide: How to Deal with People Who Treat You Like Dirt’ by Robert I. Sutton

This entertaining and informative book is a must-have for anybody that interacts with people on a daily basis (so… everyone). Jerks come in all shapes and sizes, but Sutton will teach you how to make them seem minuscule in 2018.

He uses scientific research, studies, and experiments to figure out how to deal with the different type of jerks in your life and help you de-stress because of it. He’s spent his life studying organizational change and has applied this work to eliminating stressors, like big kid bullies. Make 2018 the year of positivity by arming yourself with these defense mechanisms that will neutralize any jerk.

Catch up on the hype here

‘Rejection Proof’ by Jia Jiang

Become resilient in ways you never thought you could be by adopting Jia Jiang’s ‘rejection proof’ attitude. Jia Jiang is a rejection expert, capable of turning any ‘no’ into a positive experience.

His book surrounds the same premise as his ‘100 Days of Rejection’ TED talk, which was the most viewed talk of 2017. After actively seeking out rejection for 100 days he learned not only how to cope with it, but also how to learn and grow from it. His book will teach you how to become rejection proof in all aspects of your life and have you welcoming the word ‘no.’

Catch up on the hype here

‘Multipliers’ by Liz Wiseman

Liz Wiseman’s revision of her previous book ‘Multipliers Vol. I’ has become the authority on best leadership practices. Her experience in the corporate world, ending in her current role as President of the Wiseman Group, has lent her valuable lessons to what makes a leader great.

“Multipliers’ refers to the leaders who stretch themselves to uplift the people around them. We all know there are two types of the leaders; the ones that drain their employees of creativity and intelligence, and the ones that inspire it. This book will give you tips and tricks on how to encourage the best out of your employees. If you are currently (or ever hope to be) a leader in your field this is a must-read.

Catch up on the hype here

‘The Art of Connection’ by Michael Gelb

If 2018 is anything like 2017 we are sure to lose a little bit more of ourselves to technology. Michael Gelb, the leading authority on genius thinking to personal and organizational development, is working to counteract the loss of personal connections due to developing technologies.

In his 2017 book, he provides several methods for making personal connections to better your career and your personal life. He uses scientific research, empowering anecdotes, and hands-on activities to teach you how to make lasting and powerful connections that will turn you into someone everyone wants to work with.

Catch up on the hype here

‘Innovation Code’ by Jeff Degraff

Jeff Degraff’s book will thrust you out of your comfort zone and into the magic making zone of innovation. Degraff’s experience as a business professor and author has dubbed him the ‘Dean of Innovation.’

This book will help you find the right environment for your innovation and creativity to flourish.It will coach you through the process of letting go of order and composition to embrace the chaos and collaboration needed for true innovation to occur.

Catch up on the hype here

---

The content writers at BigSpeak Speakers Bureau are Experts on the Experts. They hold doctoral, masters, and bachelors’ degrees in business, writing, literature, and education. Their business thought pieces are published regularly in leading business publications. Working in close association with the top business, entrepreneur, and motivational speakers, BigSpeak content writers are at the forefront of industry trends and research.

As seen on BigSpeak.com

BigSpeak Celebrates Partnership with Carl Bernstein, Watergate Journalist, Pulitzer Prize Winner, Bestselling Author, and Political Analyst.

Santa Barbara, CA— Dec. 18, 2017: BigSpeak, the leading business speakers bureau, now represents Carl Bernstein, the investigative journalist behind Watergate. BigSpeak will represent Bernstein in scheduling interviews, keynote speaking engagements, and moderating.

Bernstein is best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism that uncovered the Watergate scandal. His career in reporting has changed the course of history on multiple occasions and he continues to dedicate himself to uncovering political and social abuses of power. Since Watergate, he has written five best-selling books, including All the President’s Men and The Final Days. His most recent book A Woman-In-Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton, was called Clinton’s definitive biography.

BigSpeak—which serves 68% of the Fortune 1000—will represent Bernstein in any matter related to booking for keynote speaking, interviewing or moderating. His success in his field has branded him as an authority on political integrity and given him a behind-the-scenes look at the world of the White House.

Bernstein takes his past experience with deconstructing political frameworks and applies it to modern politics and their relationship with the media. He is currently working on an HBO series that illuminates the real drama of politics. He is also writing a memoir about his time as a reporter during the Kennedy era. He relates the insights he has accrued from a life in journalism to the current political climate.

“Carl Bernstein is an icon in the arena of political journalism and it’s an honor to welcome him to the BigSpeak roster,” explained Executive Vice President Ken Sterling.

Bernstein has dedicated his life to investigative reporting, starting at the age of 16 with The Evening Star. With his break in the Watergate story, Bernstein changed the relationship between journalist, politicians, and the public. His reporting emphasized a journalist’s duty to the public, creating a new standard for investigative journalists.

BigSpeak is a full-service speakers bureau located in Santa Barbara, California. BigSpeak serves 68% of the global Fortune 1000 and works with a wide variety of organizations—including corporations, associations, and universities—to serve the needs of event and meeting planners, and corporate training. BigSpeak’s keynote speakers include business keynote speakers, world-class athletes, best-selling authors, award-winning entertainers, global icons and more. BigSpeak also offers workshops and consulting services—with programs geared toward sustainable organizational change.

As seen on BigSpeak.com

“… all of my returns, have come from the [companies] run by women or owned by women.” — Kevin O’Leary, Educational Software Mogul, and Judge on Shark Tank

 

You probably know O’Leary from his role as an investor on Shark Tank, but what you didn’t know is he’s also a serial investor in women-run companies. In an interview with Business Insider he explained why. Out of his 27 investments, he doesn’t “have a single company run by a man that’s outperformed the ones run by women.”

O’Leary identified two common trends in his successful female-run/owned companies—better time management and more attainable goals. Here at BigSpeak, we know that our female speakers are setting goal after goal and hurtling through them. We know that they’re organized and calculated, and forces to be reckoned with.

We’ve seen our women speakers shift with the times and grow into business moguls. After hearing O’Leary’s assessment of his top investments, we thought we’d make a little assessment of our own based off a trend we noticed—fortitude.

We compiled a list of our Top Women Speakers whose fortitude inspires us.

 

Tan Le

We want to recognize Tan Le not only for her groundbreaking tech company, Emotiv, but also for her inspiring story of gumption and fortitude that brought her from war-torn Vietnam to a new life in Australia.

With the support of her family, Le battled discrimination and the feeling of being an outsider while growing up in Brisbane. None of these obstacles stopped her from receiving her Bachelor Degree with honors at the age of 16 and pursuing her potential to the fullest.

She then paved her way into the tech industry where her ingenuity led her to the first brainwear headset, ushering in the age of mind control technology and naming her a National Geographic Emerging Explorer in 2013. Le has been honored by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader since 2009.

As a business speaker, she reminds us to push our limits and move outside of our comfort zone to find a real exploration of creativity.

 

Yassmin Abdel-Magied

Yassmin Abdel-Magied was born in Sudan and immigrated to Australia when she was two. In her keynote address called “What Does My Headwrap Say About Me?” she challenges her audience to see past their preconceived notions of the female Muslim by revealing that she is a mechanical engineer who works on an oil rig and headed the racecar program at her university.

Abdel-Magied works with her audience to examine the unconscious biases we all face and take steps towards eliminating them. She shows the beauty of diversity and the benefits that a company will enjoy if they are able to change their unconscious.

She has dedicated her life to fighting the unconscious biases she faces on a daily basis. At the age of sixteen, she founded Youth Without Borders, an organization that empowers young people as leaders of positive change through collaborative community initiatives.

 

Robin Givens

Robin Givens is best known for her acting roles on The Cosby Show and Head of the Class, or you may remember her from Empire’s list of “100 sexiest stars in film history.” More recently she starred in Tyler Perry’s House of Payne and Riverdale.

Through all of her success, she battled with an abusive relationship with World Class Boxer Mike Tyson, and the lasting effects of domestic violence. Robin now publicly speaks about the trials she faced as a survivor and activist at a time when domestic violence was often swept under the rug.

As a public figure, actress, and sex symbol the pressures of the era were fighting against her outcries, but she was able to build a lasting career while speaking out and supporting women to do the same.

Soulaima Gourina

Soulaima Gourina opens her keynote address showing  a picture of a boy trying to thread a frayed piece of string through the head of a needle, and claims this picture represents her life’s work—“I have spent my whole life trying to do something people considered impossible.”

From her youth, Gourina was a rule-breaker who never fit into the boxes people wanted for her. She dealt with prejudice because of her race and her gender while moving from foster homes to youth shelters. But Gourina believed in her talent and knew that her differing life outlooks gave her a unique upper-hand.

She went on to receive her MBA from Copenhagen Business School and grew into a seasoned global businesswoman, winning the Global Leader Award by the World Economic Forum for the past five years. She is a sought-after speaker by multinational companies for her communication skills, empathy and ability to encourage change.

In her talks, she illuminates how to use your unique voice in the mundane corporate world to your advantage and how the changes in her life led her to better cope with a changing workplace.

 

Check for the availability of these inspiring women or to find more women warriors for your next event click here.

---

The content writers at BigSpeak Speakers Bureau are Experts on the Experts. They hold doctoral, masters, and bachelors’ degrees in business, writing, literature, and education. Their business thought pieces are published regularly in leading business publications. Working in close association with the top business, entrepreneur, and motivational speakers, BigSpeak content writers are at the forefront of industry trends and research.

As seen on BigSpeak.com

Congratulations to Peter Guber, exclusive speaker to BigSpeak, Chairman and CEO of Mandalay Entertainment Group, and UCLA professor of over 40 years, for being awarded the UCLA Medal on Dec. 4 in a special ceremony at the Chancellor’s Residence.

The UCLA medal is the highest honor bestowed by UCLA for individuals with extraordinary accomplishments. Since the award was established in 1979, recipients have included national and international leaders in government, education, science, industry and the arts.

Guber has a long list of extraordinary accomplishments in numerous fields to qualify him for such an honor: entertainment (Best Picture for Rainman), sports (two NBA Championships as co-owner of Golden State Warriors), and business (bestselling author of Tell to Win).

However, it’s his dedication that has been most extraordinary. Guber has been a mentor and inspiration to thousands of students during his tenure as a professor at UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television, and the Anderson School of Management, for the past 40 years.

---

The content writers at BigSpeak Speakers Bureau are Experts on the Experts. They hold doctoral, masters, and bachelors’ degrees in business, writing, literature, and education. Their business thought pieces are published regularly in leading business publications. Working in close association with the top business, entrepreneur, and motivational speakers, BigSpeak content writers are at the forefront of industry trends and research.

As seen on BigSpeak.com

BigSpeak would like to announce their newest partnership with Carl Bernstein, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist/author, CNN Political Analyst, and Vanity Fair editor.

Bernstein is best known for winning the Pulitzer Prize for his investigative journalism on Richard Nixon’s Watergate scandal. His career in reporting has changed the course of history on multiple occasions and he continues to dedicate himself to uncovering abuses of power in all fields. Since Watergate, he has written five best-selling books, including All the President’s Men and The Final Days. His most recent book, A Woman-In-Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton, was called Clinton’s definitive biography.

Currently, Bernstein is a Political Analyst on CNN and an editor at Vanity Fair. He is also working on an HBO show that focuses on the drama of the Senate throughout the ages and a memoir about his time reporting during the Kennedy era.

Why Carl Bernstein?

Carl has dedicated his life to investigative reporting, starting at the age of 16 with The Evening Star. Through his coverage of the Watergate scandal, Carl changed the relationship between journalist, politicians, and the public. He emphasized a reporter’s duty to the public, creating a new standard for reporting.

His success in the field has branded him an authority on political integrity and given him a behind-the-scenes look at the world of the White House. His keynote speaking addresses American history’s effect on our current political climate while emphasizing the importance of integrity in every field.

Carl Bernstein speaks on…

• The Use and Abuse of Power: The American Presidency from Nixon to Trump
• An Evening with Carl Bernstein: The System Can Work– From his time as a copy boy at age 16 in the Kennedy era, through Donald Trump’s presidency, Bernstein reflects on the power of journalism and the concept of the common good as keystones of American democracy.
• “The best obtainable version of the truth”– Bernstein’s definition of real reporting and the only basis for an informed debate about the American condition, whether the debate is in Congress or at family dinner tables across the country. While critical of the performance of the press, Bernstein notes a decreasing willingness by ordinary citizens to be open to the best obtainable version of the truth, while searching out news and information to reinforce their already held political, cultural, and religious beliefs.
• The Lessons of Watergate: A Behind the Scenes Look at the Reporting and Political Drama that Led to the Resignation of President Richard Nixon and Continues to Affect the Course of American History.
• The Problem of Washington: It’s Not Just the Politicians. We the People Sent Them There; We the Press are Complicit.
• The Triumphant End to an American Century: Three Remarkable Presidents—Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, and the Problem of Their Successors.
• The Broken Branch and Future of America: Can the United States Congress be Repaired?

---

The content writers at BigSpeak Speakers Bureau are Experts on the Experts. They hold doctoral, masters, and bachelors’ degrees in business, writing, literature, and education. Their business thought pieces are published regularly in leading business publications. Working in close association with the top business, entrepreneur, and motivational speakers, BigSpeak content writers are at the forefront of industry trends and research.

As seen on BigSpeak.com

The groundbreaking ingenuity we’ve come to expect from futurist Elon Musk is now doing just that… breaking ground. For Musk the electric car was child’s play. Real innovation is taking place underground.

Elon Musk is taking the future underground with the actualization of his long-awaited idea for subterranean transportation. His company Boring Company recently began digging the first of what one day will be an intricate, high speed, underground freeway system.

The idea behind this new transportation was inspired by the permanently congested L.A. freeways that surround SpaceX’s headquarters in Hawthorne, CA. With one of the least impactful public transit systems, L.A. is notorious for its clogged roads and the problem has only worsened in the last decade.

Almost a year ago Musk tweeted “Traffic is driving me nuts. Am going to build a tunnel boring machine and just start digging…”

Unlike most angry traffic rants that calm by the end of the 5 o’clock rush hour, Musk followed through with his plan.

A little less than a year later the first tunnel, connecting SpaceX HQ to LAX airport, is underway.

It will include electric sleds that carry cars at 125 mph and are completely autonomous, allowing the driver freedom to do anything but drive. After the completion of the beta-tunnel, Musk plans to create a multi-layered network of roads that reach the entire city.

While the West Coast tunnels are being drilled, Musk is seeking government approval to begin drilling the “Hyperloop,” an underground tube that will move people and cargo from New York to D.C. in 30 minutes.

This underground transit more closely resembles a subway system on crack. Musk describes it as pods in a giant vacuum tube, rather than the L.A. sleds that will carry cars individually. The pods levitate above the tracks, suspended and propelled by magnets. The SpaceX team has already created and tested the technology for the Hyperloop. Musk says as of right now they are mostly working on clearing the red tape to begin construction.

In a tweet, he claimed to have received verbal approval to commence drilling. However, he must wait for written government approval which he expects to receive soon.

The technology has been worked out and the product has been born– the only thing between us and the future of underground high-speed travel is simply digging the holes.

---

Jessica Welch is the Content Marketing Associate at BigSpeak Speakers Bureau, holding a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature and Anthropology from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Her business thought articles often appear on Business 2 Community, Born 2 Invest, and YF Entrepreneurs.

As seen on BigSpeak.com

We’d like to introduce you to our newest exclusive speaker– Jia Jiang is a rejection expert, entrepreneur, bestselling author, and founder of Wuju Learning. His TED Talk on becoming rejection proof was one of the top five most viewed TED talks of 2017.

Jia became a rejection expert by perfecting the art of being rejected with his 100 Days of Rejection challenge. By actively seeking out rejection time and time again, the fear associated with it began to fade. He realized that without this fear a world of opportunities unveiled itself.

From asking strangers if he could plant flowers in their backyard to requesting a $100 loan from a passerby on the street, Jia lived to hear “no” for 100 days. He discovered rejection was not personal, but really just a matter of fitting someone’s needs into yours and working within their limitations.

Jia wants to share the freedom he found by letting go of the inherently human fear of rejection and help you apply it to your goals in sales, entrepreneurship, or overall life outlook.

Jia has since grown his company, Rejection Therapy, to reach the largest crowd possible with online coaching and rejection card games, as well as opening the school of Wuju Learning where he teaches participants to look deeper into rejection and view it as a positive experience.

Jia’s book, Rejection Proof: How I Beat Fear and Became Invincible Through 100 Days of Rejection, coaches you through a similar process of shedding “the darkest shadow” of rejection—the fear associated with it.

Jia moved from Beijing, China to the United States at age 16. He received a Bachelor in Computer Science from Brigham Young University and a Master of Business Administration from Duke University.

Why Jia?

What makes Jia unique and extremely effective is the way he teaches. Instead of pushing concepts down to the audience, he relates to them using humor and authenticity. He pulls the audience into his own stories and lets them apply the lessons themselves. Often after hearing Jia’s talk, people talk about having a life-changing experience, and their relationship with rejection and failure are forever changed.

Jia speaks on:

• Eliminating the fear of rejection and failure
• Breaking out of a race or gender “box” and becoming an influential leader
• Sales
• Recruiting

 

For more information on Jia Jiang or to book him for your next keynote, email us at Info@BigSpeak.com

As seen on BigSpeak.com

Are you good at failing? Can you slap a smile on your face and ask for more when the world shuts you down?

According to Jonas Kjellberg being good at failing is what makes successful leaders. Kjellberg explains that if you learned a lesson from your failure you’re doing it well. He sees success as moving from one failure to another, just with greater enthusiasm.

In his keynote speech at CFA Institute Kjellberg laid out the three biggest lessons he learned from his past failures that turned into success.

Success doesn’t mean you’re done

Never get comfortable– ever. The moment you stop moving you start disappearing. He learned this harsh reality from his time serving as Vice President of Bertelsmann for Lycos Europe, the second-largest search engine back in 1998. Don’t recognize the name? It’s because they don’t exist anymore.

Kjellberg joined the Bertelsmann team the same day Google was founded and watched as the Lycos shareholders passed on the opportunity to buy out Google. Twelve years later Lycos was bought out for a fraction of their worth prior to Google’s founding.

This was failure in every way, shape, and form, but Kjellberg saw it as a learning experience. He saw the source of their demise– focusing on shareholders, not users. Lycos didn’t adapt to the shift in purpose that Google originated with their idea of “delighting the user,” and they suffered the consequences.

Another example of this was Volvo’s massive decline in sales when they failed to continue innovating their products. They were originally seen as forward-thinkers in the industry because of their groundbreaking safety technology, but when those safety features became commonplace in all cars, they failed to adapt. Their innovative ideas halted with safety and they fell behind.

Kjellberg believes that any moment of stagnation will hurt you.

Zero Game

Kjellberg coined the term “zero game” to refer to cutting cost, especially where it may seem impossible. He explains how Airbnb won the zero game by cutting the cost associated with hotel maintenance and staff. They took the hotel industry and completely eliminated an entire element to save themselves money. This is a true form of innovation that will always be a disrupting force in any industry.

This was the part of the success he took away from his failure with Lycos. He learned to think big when it comes to innovation and it paid off with Skype. Skype won the zero game by cutting the cost of a provider to make calls. The program eliminated the cost by piggybacking on internet providers that were already found in every household.

Kjellberg attributes this aspect of Skype to its success.

However, Kjellberg sees that sometimes it really is impossible to cut costs. But that is when he turns back to his first lesson—don’t slow down. “If [you] can’t innovate by zeros, what can [you] do to put an extra zero behind my price?”

For Kjellberg and other successful business leaders, being successful is about innovation in any way. If you aren’t moving forward you’re falling behind.

---

Jessica Welch is the Content Marketing Associate at BigSpeak Speakers Bureau, holding a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature and Anthropology from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Her business thought articles often appear on Business 2 Community, Born 2 Invest, and YF Entrepreneurs.

As seen on BigSpeak.com

Did you ever have a dream derailed by a setback?

Motivational Speaker, Robyn Benincasa’s non-profit, Project Athena, helps men and women rediscover their inner, empowered gods and goddess by coaching and supporting them through their dream adventures that were set aside after a medical or traumatic incident.

The non-profit is committed to giving these men and women the chance to accomplish whatever seemingly far-fetched dream they had before their setback and showing them they are still more than capable of reaching all their goals.

Recently, Project Athena helped a team of medical/traumatic survivors follow their dream in the annual Santa Barbara Adventure. Led by founder Robyn Benincasa, the group completed a 24-hour multisport adventure.

This non-competitive race covered over 82 miles of mountain biking, kayaking, and hiking. After completing the Santa Barbara challenge, the survivors felt a reclamation of their body and spirit from whatever disease or event had set them back, as well as gaining their new title of Athenas.

This adventure is designed to challenge its participants past the point of fun and show them how strong they truly are. “Commitment to a finish line starts when the fun stops,” Benincasa tells. “That’s when woohoo turns into bravery.”

Her participants are coached by Trail Angels, a team partially made up of survivors who conquered their own Project Athena challenges in the past. Benincasa says her foundation isn’t only about proving to yourself what you can do, but also “looking around the world and seeing ‘Who else can I help?’”

The emotional connection each participant has to his or her adventure motivates them to help others down a similar path to recovery. Benincasa says, “The most gratifying thing is the moment when you see someone realize they’re going to make it, when you see the fear disappear and they realize how awesome they are!”

Watch the video to get motivated by the Athenas (and Zeuses) in action on their Santa Barbara Adventure.

---

Jessica Welch is the Content Marketing Associate at BigSpeak Speakers Bureau, holding a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature and Anthropology from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Her business thought articles often appear on Business 2 Community, Born 2 Invest, and YF Entrepreneurs.

As seen on BigSpeak.com

Do you feel overworked and underappreciated? If you do, you’re not alone. According to work researcher Bob Nelson Ph.D., author of 1501 Ways to Reward Employees, 85% of employees feel this way.

We all want to be appreciated for the good work we do. In fact, Nelson found that 99.4% of us want to be recognized for our good work, while the other .6% also want to be recognized but checked the wrong box on the survey.

However, when it comes to recognition there seems to be a one-size-fits-all mentality in business: money first, personalized reward last.

I know what you’re saying, what’s wrong with a thick wad of cash? Money IS a great reward—if you’re working paycheck to paycheck. However, if you’re paid well, a $100 dollar bonus might not be as nice as a day off or a gift certificate to a spa. What you reward people is just as important as giving them rewards.

If you want to give people what they really want, all you need to do is ask. Then you can customize the reward to what motivates the person the most.

Customizing your reward is important

Gift giving is one of the biggest ways to keep employees happy and loyal. The principle of reciprocity is one of the strongest principles of persuasion there is. No matter who you are, you feel obligated to a person who gives you a gift.

How obligated you feel, however, depends on the type of gift you receive. According to social psychologist Robert Cialdini, gifts that are meaningful, unexpected, and customized have the biggest effect on behavior.

In a recent talk at our company, Cialdini recounted the power of customization. He told us how his speakers bureau agent in Europe was always having problems getting a client to pay on time. Cialdini advised her to include a gift to the client when she sent the next invoice. The agent recalled how the client liked modern art and so inserted a postcard of a modern art piece in the envelope with the next invoice. The customized gift worked like a charm.

The client felt obligated to return the favor and paid the agent right away. Just imagine how you could use the right gift to encourage employees great efforts?

Four different types of rewards

There are four different types of rewards you should consider giving other than money, depending on the action rewarded and the company’s resources.

1. Low-end rewards are great for unexpected gifts or small rewards. These rewards can be gift cards to Starbucks or Amazon, discounts to events or restaurants, or even flowers. At BigSpeak, we send Starbucks gift cards with our checks as a way of saying thank you for the good service we received.

2. Symbolic recognition can be just as important as cash. Being recognized in front of your peers is a great way for a company to show recognition of good work. Symbolic rewards are tokens, pins, ribbons, plaques, and certificates.

Just make sure that such recognition is timely, specific, and public so people understand and feel appreciated. The Ritz-Carlton is famous for recognizing employees in front of their peers, and speaker Chester Elton notes how the #1 ranked hospital in New York City goes even further to recognize employees by sending thank you notes to the employee’s family.

3. Time off is a great non-cash reward you can give. It doesn’t have to be a full vacation day. It can be a voucher for a long lunch or a half-day off. This reward also pays dividends to the company. Employees refreshed from their time off are more engaged and productive.

4. Employee perks are an array of work rewards you can give to employees to show how you appreciate them. Perks can be free snacks in the breakroom, company fitness, or maybe shuttle service to work. While often costing very little, these perks send a message to employees that their efforts are appreciated.

Whatever the type of reward you give, always remember to let the employee know why it is being given for the best effect. You get what you reward.

---

Kyle Crocco is the Content Marketing Coordinator at BigSpeak Speakers Bureau, a graduate of UC Santa Barbara, and the lead singer of Duh Professors. He regularly publishes business book reviews and thought articles on Medium, Business 2 Community, and Born 2 Invest.