The kind of speaker audiences hope for but rarely get.”
–Ted Dekker
New York Times Bestselling Author
I understand the challenge of finding just the right speaker. In my prior role as the CEO of Thomas Nelson, I was responsible for hundreds of events, from small corporate training sessions to large, arena-size, multi-day conferences.
I quickly realized that success of an event came down to the quality of the speakers. If they hit it out of the park, we had a great event. If they didn’t, well … we had a not-so-great event.
Like you, I found myself spending hours researching speakers, to make sure we had just the right fit. My hope is that this page will make it easy for you to get the information you need to make the best decision possible.
Thanks for stopping by. Thanks also for considering me. I am honored.
An Overview of this Page
This page provides an overview of what I have to offer, along with a taste of what you can expect. You can click on the links below to take you directly to the relevant sections.
- What You Can Expect
- A Little Bit About Me
- My Video Clips
- My Most Requested Topics
- What Others Are Saying
- My Upcoming Engagements
- My Previous Engagements
- The Next Step
If you want to check my availability for your event, or if you have some questions before proceeding further, please click here:
What You Can Expect
Here’s what you can expect from me and my team:
- Prompt, professional replies to your phone calls and email messages.
- A personal phone consultation with me prior to your event, so I can better understand how I can best serve you and your audience.
- An announcement about your event on my blog and social media channels. (This assumes that your event is open to the public and you want additional visibility for it.)
- A custom resource page, exclusively created for your attendees. It will include the slides I used in the presentation, along with links to books, articles, and other resources I believe will be helpful.
- A quick follow-up communication after the event, to make sure I met your expectations. (I also want to know how you think I can improve.)
A Little Bit About Me
I have been speaking publicly for more than 25 years and have keynoted more than 100 events. I have also appeared on more than 100 television shows, including several on ABC, NBC, CBS, and CNN. I have also appeared on more than 1,000 syndicated and local radio shows.
I have spent most of my career in the book publishing industry, most recently as the CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, the seventh largest book publisher in the United States and the largest provider of inspirational live events in the world. I still serve as the company’s Chairman.
I now devote most of my time to writing and speaking. My blog is the top leadership blog in the world, with more than 300,000 visitors a month. My podcast gets more than 92,000 downloads a month. In addition, more than 70,000 people subscribe to my daily updates. I also have more than 120,000 followers on Twitter and 15,000 “fans” on Facebook.
I have written four books, one of which landed on the New York Times bestseller list where it stayed for seven months. My newest book, Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World, was just published.
I have been happily married to my wife, Gail, for thirty-four years. We have five daughters, four grandsons, and three granddaughters. We live outside of Nashville, Tennessee. In my free time, I enjoy reading, running, and golfing.
My Video Clips
I speak in corporations, non-profits, and faith-based organizations. Here’s a taste of me speaking in front of various audiences.
A Short Demo Video
This is a quick demo video:
In a Corporate Environment
Here are some examples of me speaking in a corporate context.
You can find even more video clips by clicking here.
In a Faith-Based Environment
Here are some examples of me speaking in a faith-based context.
You can find even more video clips by clicking here.
Though my spiritual life is important to me, the expression of it is not right for every context. I get that and am happy to dial it up, down, or off—depending on what you want to accomplish.
My Most Requested Topics
I speak on topics related to leadership, life balance, productivity, and social media. I will customize my presentation to meet your organization’s specific needs. My goal is to facilitate the outcome you want to create.
My most requested topics include the following ones. Keep in mind that I can present these as a keynote or a workshop. Also, I have a half-day, and in some cases, full-day seminar version.
What Others Are Saying
Here is what a few other event sponsors said after I spoke for them. These are just quick excerpts. The full text is in the column on the right-hand side of this page.
My Upcoming Engagements
Please note: These dates are subject to change without notice. Please check the event web site before you make plans to attend.
| Date | Topic / Event Details | City / More Info | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| + |
06/07/2012 09:00–10:00 a.m. | Keynote: “Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World” | New York City, NY | |
| Event: | BlogWorld & New Media Expo NY | Public Event | ||
| Sponsor: | BlogWorld | Register to attend | ||
| Venue: |
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center 655 West 34th Street New York City, NY 10001 USA |
Get more information | ||
| + |
06/14/2012 12:45-02:00 p.m. | Workshop: 7 Keys to Writing a Killer Blog Post | Memphis, TN | |
| Event: | International Shelby Conference | |||
| Sponsor: | Shelby Systems | |||
| Venue: |
Memphis Marriott Downtown 250 North Main Street Memphis, TN 38103 |
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| + |
06/14/2012 08:30-09:00 a.m. | Keynote: “The Importance of the Leader’s Heart” | Memphis, TN | |
| Event: | International Shelby Conference | Public Event | ||
| Sponsor: | Shelby Systems | Register to attend | ||
| Venue: |
Memphis Marriott Downtown 250 North Main Street Memphis, TN 38103 |
Get more information | ||
| + |
08/09/2012 10:00-12:30 p.m. | Keynote: Leadership and Productivity | Ft. Worth, TX | |
| Event: | Lectureship Circuit 2012 | Register to attend | ||
| Sponsor: | Cendera Funding | Get more information | ||
| Venue: |
Cendera Center 600 Benbrook Hwy Ft. Worth, TX 76116 USA |
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| + |
09/21/2012 TBD | Keynote: The Power of Story | Dallas, TX | |
| Event: | ACFW Annual Conference | Public Event | ||
| Sponsor: | American Christian Fiction Writers | Register to attend | ||
| Venue: |
Hyatt Regency Dallas 300 Reunion Boulevard Dallas, TX 75207 United States |
Get more information | ||
| + |
09/22/2012 TBD | Workshop: “Platform: What It Is, Why You Need It, How to Build It” | Dallas, TX | |
| Event: | ACFW Annual Conference | Public Event | ||
| Sponsor: | American Christian Fiction Writers | Register to attend | ||
| Venue: |
Hyatt Regency Dallas 300 Reunion Boulevard Dallas, TX 75207 United States |
Get more information | ||
| + |
10/04/2012 07:00–08:00 p.m. | Keynote: TBD | Atlanta, GA | |
| Event: | Third Annual Savvy Blogging Summit | Public Event | ||
| Sponsor: | Savvy Blogging | Register to attend | ||
| Venue: |
The W Hotel, Buckhead 3377 Peachtree Road NE Atlanta, GA 30326 United States |
Get more information | ||
My Previous Engagements
I have spoken at hundreds of events. You can find a list of the most recent ones here
The Next Step
Thanks again for considering me for your event. You can take the next step checking my availability. Just click on the red button below. Someone on my team will get back with you right away.


















