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  Have you experienced this before? You’ve done the hard work. You’ve spoken with colleagues, researched the market, narrowed the options and found a speaker who perfectly fits your audience, objectives and budget. Then comes the meeting with the committee or the client. Suddenly, people who haven’t spent hours researching speakers begin asking questions and…

When you invest in a speaker, you want more than someone who can hold an audience’s attention. You want a story that changes the atmosphere in the room. One that brings people to silence, laughter or tears, and stays with them long after the event is over. The most powerful keynotes are often grounded in…

AI is already in the room. For many teams, the question is no longer if AI will change the way they work, but how prepared they feel to use it well. That uncertainty is real. Pew Research Center found that “about half of workers (52%) say they feel worried about how AI may be used…

“How are you?” It is something we hear every day, but rarely stop to answer honestly. In workplaces, the question often passes quickly between meetings, deadlines, emails and the general pace of the day. Most of the time, the answer is automatic. “Good thanks.” “Busy, but fine.” “Can’t complain.” But sometimes, there is more sitting…

We all know just how much of an impact global events can have on the way organisations operate. As situations develop, miss-information and gossip spreads quickly! Many teams are now looking to external perspectives to better understand what lies ahead. From former politicians unpacking geopolitical shifts, to economists translating global tension into business impact, and…

“Most of the impact of a keynote happens long before anyone steps on stage.” That idea sat at the heart of The Speaker Briefing. Bringing together a full room of event professionals, four standout speakers, and a shared focus on improving how events are planned and delivered, the afternoon was built around one goal —…

A message from Keith Harwood on 10 years growing Inspire Speakers Well that went by fast… Tuesday, 1 July 2014, I sat in my apartment – no website, no contacts, no clients, no database and no team. I had a phone and a laptop with an email address. Starting Inspire Speakers had given me the…

Men’s Health Week is an annual event that serves as a significant reminder of the importance of men’s well-being and sheds light on the health challenges they face. This week-long celebration, organized by the Centre for Male Health at Western Sydney University, aims to promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being while raising awareness of men’s…

We’ve always considered it a massive privilege when our clients share with us their most pressing concerns and challenges. They often look to us to help with the solution – in the form of an expert or keynote speaker speaking to their people. And in 2022 the responsibility to deliver those solutions has never been…

If you’ve ever watched a movie with a stock market crash, you’ll recognise the scene when the bell rings for the market to close and all the stockbrokers look at each other in disbelief at what has just happened – well that scene resembled our office around 5pm on Friday March 13th 2020. 12 months…

Have you ever been to an event or conference where the speaker was mind-numbingly boring? And you were responsible for booking them?! Here are 5 rules to help you get the perfect speaker. RULE 1: Understand WHY we book a speaker EMOTION: We book external speakers for our conference and events because we want the…

I’ve sat in a lot of conference audiences in recent years. And I love it. Sitting in the audience, watching a brilliant speaker on stage, it can be as good as going to the movies – sometimes! Occasionally I know the person that is sitting next to me in the audience at a conference; often…

We’ve all been there. At a conference – you’re there to learn and meet people. People all around you seem to be talking, connecting, engaging – and you’re not. This awesome recent Forbes article by Darrah Brustein shares 15 Ways To Start A Conversation At A Conference (Without Feeling Weird). To your left, there’s a…

My dear Event and Conference Planners, It’s conference season and I’m worried about you! I’ve spoken to 4 of you already this week (you know who you are!) who have a cold or feel run down and are crazy busy planning for a roadshow or large event in the next couple of weeks. The build up and executing of these conferences, awards nights…

Why you should let go and surrender. Surrendering is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of liberation and it is a tool we can use to move forward in business, in life and in relationships. We are not talking about military or political surrender, but more about psychological and spiritual surrender. Instead…

Becoming a member of the EU has been a vital part of ensuring Britain’s strong economy as Britain’s GDP per capita has doubled since joining the EU in 1973. Leaving the EU is a risky option for Britain, as its projected consequences will negatively impact the strength of the country’s economy. Whilst exact cost predictions…

We are on the brink of significant intergenerational change in our workplaces. Generation Z, born 1995-2009 currently make up less than 1 in 10 workers. However they’ll comprise almost a third of the workforce (31%) by 2025. At the other end of the spectrum, the Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) who currently hold a lot of…

One question I’m always asking clients, speakers and colleagues is – how was the conference? The answers will vary, but the response an Event or Conference Organiser least wants to hear is ‘it was soooo boring’. People go to conferences to learn, network and hopefully enjoy themselves. Amongst the countless and often conflicting objectives of…

How does a law student and casual runner from Melbourne become the first woman and youngest person ever to complete the ‘4 Desert Ultra Marathon Series’ – one of the toughest endurance events on Earth? Samantha Gash initially set out to test her physical and mental limitations – having no idea of the journey of…

Switzer is a name synonymous with business, investing and commentary on the financial markets and the global economy. And with good reason – the Switzer Financial Group is a diversified media and financial services company that run everything from media to publishing to financial planning to lending. Sought after for their expert analysis and commentary,…

Sir Terry Leahy is the former CEO of Tesco and one of the most admired business leaders in the world. Knighted in 2002 for his services to food retailing, Sir Terry is well known for successfully turning around Tesco to become the largest chain in Britain, transforming the country’s supermarket industry. At its peak, £1…

Joel Creasey is one of Australia’s brightest and most sought-after comedians. Appearing seemingly out of nowhere at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2010 – Joel quickly became the talk of the town. Joel’s style is one of a confident storyteller – energetic, flowing and conversational – his tales are hilarious and his delivery is…

The AFC Asian Cup, the second largest soccer tournament in the world, is coming to Australia in January 2015. Sydney, Newcastle, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane will host 32 world-class football matches over 23 days, culminating with the final being played in Sydney on January 31st, 2015. The Asian Cup is Asia’s biggest sporting event, attracting…

Our interview with global expert, speaker and author on leadership – Robin Sharma “Know that change is hard at first, messy in the middle and gorgeous at the end” – Robin Sharma shares this thoughts on leadership. With 15 international bestselling books (including ‘The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari’ and ‘The Greatness Guide’), published in…

‘’I’m your Master of Ceremonies for the evening, and frankly, there’s not an awful lot you can do about that.’’ And he was right! Like most people in business these days, I’ve attended more conferences, corporate events and awards evenings than I have my Mum’s Sunday roasts. Some have been delightful occasions, some bitterly painful. And…