Writing nonfiction books is hard work—unless you have a plan. Finding time to write is a challenge—unless you can do two things at once. Many people have the ingredients to be successful, published authors, Dan Poynter supplies the recipe.

Dan shares his organizational approach to writing a nonfiction book. He describes shortcuts that eliminate many of the traditional steps to creating the book. You will discover how to qualify the project, research on the Net, organize the project, draft the content and convert it into a PDF file for a literary agent or printing. He will show you how to embellish your book and make it more readable with sources for illustrations, quotations, stories and resources. How to set up and build your book rather than just write it.

This is the perfect presentation for professionals, coaches, consultants, mentors, clergy, professors and other leaders. It is an ideal spouse program.

Dan Poynter is an author of more than 120 books, has been a publisher since 1969 and is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP). His seminars have been featured on CNN, his books have been pictured in The Wall Street Journal and his story has been told in US News & World Report.

Dan is an author and he is a publisher. One of the pioneers of modern self-publishing, he has experienced every phase of the book publishing process. He has sold his manuscripts to other publishers, he has published other authors, he has published his own books and his books have been translated and published in six other languages.

You can make a difference and make a living with your book. A book will bring you more credibility, fame and a new profit center.

*As a special bonus, Dan with also draw upon his years of experience to regale us with tales of speaking disasters. You won’t want to miss this inside look at the publishing and speaking industries!

Schedule

3:45 pm – 4:00 pm     Registration and Networking
4:00 pm – 4:15 pm     Welcome and Introductions
4:15 pm – 5:30 pm     Dan Poynter (Part 1)
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm     Dinner and Networking
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm     Dan Poynter (Part 2)

Click here to register!

Once you have identified your Power Core, we need to ask three questions:

1. What benefits did the attendees receive?
2. Who do you best deliver the value to? What audiences do you consistently hit it out of the park for?
3. How do you deliver it?

The whats and the whos stay consistent. What changes is the how.

Sam instructed us that when you’ve answered these questions you are ready to start a movement. Your movement is where your energy and passion reside. The hardest person to get to join a movement is the second person. After that, each person becomes a little easier.

Sam has a powerful movement in the works to teach 1,000,000 students to be accountable. As he said, when you can move young people to hold themselves accountable at a young age, the opportunities they will enjoy are enormous.

As he said, it’s not about giving back, it’s about giving.

After dinner Sam discussed NSA’s Four Competencies:

Eloquence: The only way to get better in the speaking business is by getting up and speaking. We need to have training investments

Enterprise: You need a system. What happens when you book a gig? What happens after you speak? What do you outsource? Do what you do best, and outsource the rest.

Ethics: You better be using your stories. Success in the speaking industry is based on relationships with speakers, speakers bureaus, and clients.

Expertise: What is your area of expertise? You need to know what it is when you get on the platform. Experts are more respected and sought out than novices, and therefore, get paid more.

Sam summed up the evening discussing The Five Accountabilities:

• Do the right things consistently. Both morally and tactically. You need to know where you want to go, as Sam calls it “strategic intent.”
• We need to be accountable to manage our space. People only grow in a vacuum. You need to create space from which to grow.
• Manage the process. Persistence and creativity make it happen.
• Establish the right expectations. Expectation drives the level of effort.
• Contribute to our relationships. Contribute by finding out what is important to others, and then contribute to them.

People see accountability as a consequence. Sam sees accountability as your competitive advantage.

Throughout the program, Sam asked the question, “Are you all in?” Well Sam, I know that you provided many powerful ideas, now it’s up to each of us to be accountable so that we’re All In!

Sam, thank you for giving so much to NSA-WI.

This post was written by Rob Bell.

Past national president Sam Silverstein, CSP shares insights on how to build a successful speaking business. By learning exactly what you are accountable for in your business you will be able to position yourself to create the speaking business you desire and enjoy the success you seek. Come discover your strengths, your weaknesses and what you need to do to leverage your skill base for maximum growth.

By attending Sam’s program you will:

• Understand how to create an effective business model and then implement it.
• Learn how to make every speech the “front end” for your “back end”.
• Discover what products make the most sense for you in your business.
• Create a plan to excel at the four NSA competencies, Expertise, Eloquence, Enterprise and Ethics.
• Learn the five specific areas of business and life you are accountable for.

This session will include time for questions, dialogue and a cool gadget or two.

Schedule

3:45 pm – 4:00 pm     Registration and Networking
4:00 pm – 4:15 pm     Welcome and Introductions
4:15 pm – 5:30 pm     Sam Silverstein (Part 1)
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm     Dinner and Networking
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm     Sam Silverstein (Part 2)

Click here to register!

Ever wish you could just turn to someone in your office and ask a question about the speaking business?

Wish you had someone to bounce that new idea around with you?

Ever think, “I’m Tired Of Working By Myself!”

Won’t You Be My Colleague?

Let’s bank on the power of the Wisconsin Chapter and build our businesses. Join us as we gain efficiency and effectiveness through shared knowledge and best practices. It is sure to be the HOTTEST session of the year!

In the spirit of Cavett, let’s get together and grow the pie as we:

• Get the Hot Skinny on timely topics
• Use the power of the room to answer burning questions
• Share sizzling best practices
• Feel the warmth of our chapter as we laugh, learn, and grow our businesses

Schedule:

3:30 – 4:30: Sizzling Social hour – snacks & cash bar & Introductions

4:30 – 5:30: The Hot Skinny on:

• Social Media Tips to Build Your Business with Phil Gerbyshak
• Defending your Fee by Selling Value Instead of Price with Noah Rickun
• How to structure a joke to make your point with Chip Lutz
• Mine Your Story for the Point with Chris Clarke Epstein
• Run Your Business Like A CSP with Barb Bartlein
• Home Office Survival Skills and Marketing Tips with Kim Kotecki

5:30 – 7:00: Dinner

7:00 – 8:30: Burning Questions – Super Master Mind Session

See you there!

Your hosts for the evening,
Chip Lutz & Eliz Greene

Click here to register!

As crazy as it sounds, a person’s job in improv is not to be funny! The harder someone tries to be funny, the less funny they actually are. The last thing a person should be thinking about in improv is what funny thing they should say next. The job description is to tell the audience an interesting story, not a funny story. The very best scenes are the interesting ones and being interesting only comes from playing to the reality of the scene (being in the moment). That reality is broken when you go out of the way to make a joke. When an interesting scene is performed, something very cool happens, the funny comes out all by its self.

OK, it works in improv, but what about the real world? Well, I’ve been testing the hidden rule out and I’ve discovered and witnessed it working. The harder I try NOT to be funny, the funnier I become. By sticking to my character and getting lost in the reality of the moment, funny things just happen. It is the opposite of what a person would think. This is why the funniest things happen when a person doesn’t even know somebody is watching them. This is also way kids are so funny. They don’t care about being funny nor do they really care about anything but the reality of the moment. My 2 year old, Carter, isn’t thinking about a joke or even trying to be funny. He is in the reality of the scene playing with our dog’s tail as if nothing else in the world exists.

Just because your audience isn’t laughing doesn’t mean that you’re not doing your job. If you do your job and tell an interesting story, then all the funny you will ever need will fall into your lap. This hidden rule of improv is important to remember because it can be applied directly to the speaking stage. Don’t try to be funny. Just be interesting and get lost in the reality of the moment. If you can learn to do this, you increase your chance of success, not just in improv, but in life.

This post was written by Matt Booth.

3:45 pm – 4:00 pm     Registration and Networking
4:00 pm – 4:15 pm     Welcome and Introductions
4:15 pm – 5:30 pm     Lisa Bany-Winters (Part 1)
5:30 pm – 6:45 pm     Dinner and Networking
6:45 pm – 8:30 pm     Lisa Bany-Winters (Part 2)

Improv to Improve

With Lisa Bany-Winters

Improve your public speaking, teambuilding and overall people skills through improvisational comedy. Author and Second City faculty member Lisa Bany-Winters leads participants through interactive fun exercises that will leave you with great ideas to pass along and use in your every day work.

Lisa Bany-Winters is the author of four books: On Stage: Theatre Games and Activities for Kids; Show Time: Music, Dance and Drama Activities for Kids; Funny Bones; and Family Fun Nights. On Stage received the Parents Choice Award, has been translated into other languages, and has sold more than 50,000 copies around the world. Lisa is co-founder and director of an educational theatre company in Evanston, IL called Play On where she adapts and directs children’s theatre, runs school drama clubs, and co-directs drama camp. She is on the faculty of The Second City where she teaches adult improv, and youth workshops and residencies.

Click here to register.

Thanks to Larry Cockerel for this report on our event:

The day, October 20, 2011, the location, Gateway Technical College-Kenosha Campus, Do Good & Get Good- Wisconsin Speakers Care, all proceeding go for the Wisconsin Operation Home Front (the families of our brave service men and women). Seventeen of Wisconsin’s best speakers lined up for a full day of motivation, inspiration and great information, nonstop!

As I recall this awesome day and share with you, I’m thankful to also have been involved to share two of my programs. As professional speakers and trainers we seek excellence and favor adding value to others through our programs. The day was full of so many different styles, topics and content. Each presenter had a great message that adds value to others, motivation and information that you can use personally and professionally. I’ve found that is the power and benefit from our Wisconsin speakers and what NSA Wisconsin offers their members and the clients of our members.
Just take a sneak peak at a few shots from an event to remember!

Kinza Christenson, teaching us about laughter, living our life and how to belly dance! As you can see on the left Matt Booth, professional member doing a pretty good job of this belly dancing thing!

Here we have professional member Wendy Naarup, teaching us about not dropping the ball in life and being our own center point, great presentation on taking control of your life.

Joanne Cantor sharing her excellent program on; so you think you can multitask? From her book and years of research, Joanne’s program is a perfect fix for all of us that try and do way too much multitasking.

Mr. Chip Lutz with his program on leadership, The Hot Skinny on Leading Mo’ Better, very excellent content and high energy, I can’t think of any corporation or association that wouldn’t benefit from Chip’s program and excitement for life.

And know we have Eliz Greene, the “Embrace Your Heart” expert sharing with us about living a healthy life so that we can be our best and share our best at home and work. What an awesome message on “Get a Move On!” and I also learned a few great exercising techniques I can do in my car and the kitchen! A lady on a mission to help inspire the lives of millions, plus, Eliz Greene heads up our Speaker U at NSA Wisconsin. Check us out at our next professional development program.

Our Host & Hostess for the day’s event, Eliz Greene and Chip Lutz, doing their thing and energizing the audience as they always do with their clients, why wouldn’t you want to hire them for your next event?

Noah Richun speaking on the topic of everyone sells something! His program; Reach out and sell something.  As a sales trainer myself I can relate to his program, we are all in sales and it’s our responsibility to discover ways to get better and learn to listen well.

Oh yes, here I am sharing my program, Larry’s Law of Encouragement, always looking to engage and involve the audience with my programs to be able to connect on common ground with them. This day was a great day because we were able to share the stage with many of our peers and support a great cause through NSA Wisconsin, the Wounded Warriors Project.

A few others I need to mention; Matt Booth, with his very energizing and motivating talk on attitude, will always have you at the edge of your chair. Mr. Jim Morrison our Past President 2010-2011 NSA Wisconsin, did an excellent job with his signature speech and sharing that, “There is a “YOU” in Success” Jim has a very personal way of touching the audience and getting their attention and connecting with them on a personal note to help them make new choices on how they think and live their life’s.

There were others, I could go on for day’s but I need to get to work on offering hope and encouragement to everyone I meet! Thanks to everyone for sharing their programs, insight and inspiration. When I review the over-all messages from all the presenters I think it all boiled down to living your best life personally and professionally, isn’t that what we all want?
As I wrap-up of this review I’ve got to say if you want to learn more about our speakers, trainers and consultants at NSA Wisconsin, just visit the speaker information of all of our members and we hope you can find the right fit for your next event or professional development training session. And for those of you visiting us that are thinking about joining our great chapter at NSA Wisconsin, this is the only place you can find that will help you build your professional speaking business in this very rewarding and people focused industry.

Until next time, good speaking to you all!

Larry S. Cockerel

Great Start Session: 9:30 – 10:45 am:

Don’t Act Like Prey!  Be Assertive!

Susan L. Farrell, MBA
Our professional and personal success depends upon us being assertive.  If we run and hide like prey (passive behavior), we will never achieve our dreams and goals.  If we attack like predators (aggressive behavior), we still will not achieve our goals because we will kill the relationships that mean the most to us. The balance is to be assertive.  We need to respect and stand up for our own rights while respecting the rights of others.
This session uses stories from encounters with wildlife to illustrate the importance of being assertive to achieve professional and personal success.  Be a bear, not a bunny!

Faye Kufahl

Maximizing Employee Output

Faye Ellen Kufahl
Ever wonder if the person you supervise is just a jerk, or if there are deeper issues going on?  Unsavory behavior at work is contagious and can lead to loss in productivity.
Faye Kufahl’s speech will offer tips on what you can do to identify behavioral symptoms that sabotage profits. She tells you what mannerisms may be related to mental health issues and she gives you step by step directions on what you can do, as a supervisor to intercede.
You will learn specific signs to watch for, and how to address employees who exhibit these challenging behaviors.
Learning these skills will help your business increase emotional wellbeing which increases the bottom line, profit.  These skills will help you to look your best when your team runs efficiently.

3 Ways to Get What You Want

Dale Suslick
If you want to grow your bank account, live your passion and control your time then what is missing?
#1. Encouragement.
#2. Accountability.
#3. Small NEXT steps.
It’s encouragement above all else. Simple yet people miss it. And when you miss it, well, you’ll end up missing out!
Perfect for: #1 small business owners; #2 professionals who want out and #3 those who need to think like #1. You’ll leave encouraged with 1 radical way to hold others accountable.  Dale guarantees you’ll leave with 1 or 2 ideas on your NEXT step grow your bank account, live your passion and control your time. 3 if you’re an over achiver.

Move Ahead Session: 10:45 – Noon

Secrets to Living Intelligently!

Neil Ihde
Life is complex. We need help to navigate the challenges and major decisions of our lives. We all have blind spots and have made choices that have hindered our personal and professional effectiveness… The wrong job, the wrong partner, the wrong word, the wrong timing, the wrong pet, the wrong thought, the wrong number, the wrong assumption…These mistakes cause frustration, disappointment, heartache and in extreme cases depression and a shattered sense of self. We could all use some perspective.  We need a roadmap.  We need a tiny individual on our shoulder who will sing in a booming operatic voice, “MISTAKE!!!” every time we are about to make another disastrous decision. Secrets to Living Intelligently explores the time-tested principles of those who have lived a great life and how we can apply it to our lives TODAY!

There Is A “You” In Success

Jim Morrison
Have you ever been awakened by a phone call in the middle of the night?
Usually not good news. We are all only one call away from a life changing experience. Remember that we define our own success.
In this program, Jim explains a way to define success, the importance of good communication skills in achieving that success and how the skill we use the most is the one we learn the least. He also discusses how important  those closest to us are in achieving success and challenges us all to not wait for the late night call but to make a life changing call to someone else.

An Unforgettable Journey, C.A.N.C.E.R, and how it can add to the bottom line!

Larry Cockerel
Larry’s professional program from his book, It’s not about cancer it’s about you. The program is designed to help professionals and businesses leverage Larry’s experience with cancer by adding to the bottom line and the development of their business and vision.

Be Yourself – Improve Yourself. It’s an attitude thing!

Matt Booth
To be happy in this world, you’re going to have to be yourself. To be successful, you must be in a continued state of self improvement. Be yourself and improve yourself and be default, you’ll be a more positive person.

Connection Session: 1:00 – 2:30 pm

Larry’s Law of Encouragement:
The Three keys of Encouragement and Winning with People

Larry Cockerel
Larry’s Law of Encouragement was developed to help people connect, communicate and win with others personally and professionally. This program is guaranteed to get you out of your seats and making things happen!

Fear and Respect: Public Speaking for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Professionals

Matt Dodge, PhD
Brilliant ideas aren’t enough.  STEM professionals often lack the presentation skills to move beyond their abstract ideas and concrete data to focusing on communicating the importance of their work. Aspiring professionals must hone their skills to confront the fear of public speaking and gain the respect of colleagues, the general public, and potential investors.

In this interactive public speaking training session, Matt Dodge, a Ph.D. organic chemist with industrial research experience in the pharmaceutical sector provides strategies, techniques, and tools to be incorporated into your presentations immediately and used to advance your career in any technical field.

Laugh and Live Your Dreams

Kinza

Laughter—it’s a healthy choice
Stress relief and empowerment galore!…. Music, pizzazz, and humorous stories combine with KINZA’s 25 years as an American Belly Dancer to impact audiences on goal-setting, self-esteem issues and living dreams. This unique program is guaranteed to leave them laughing!.

Connections Not Contacts: 21st Century Networking Tips for Busy Professionals

Phil Gerbyshak
Do you know about the law of big numbers? You know:

• The more contacts you have, the better your chance of making a sale.
• Collect as many business cards as you can, every chance you get, so you can add them to your database and contact them whenever you want?

What about the law of REALLY big numbers?

• If you can contact 50 people a day through cold calling, door knocking, and business card collecting, you can contact 100 times that many using social media.

Those aren’t laws anymore: Those are LIES! Never before has it been so easy to IGNORE people we don’t know, with caller ID, email spam filters, iPhones, Androids, iPads, and the like. Learn how to connect to and and stay connected with your customers and employees before they IGNORE you like never before.  Let Phil Gerbyshak show you how to be a successful networker in the 21st century.

Power Session (6 for the price of 4!): 2:30 – 5:30 pm

Reach Out and Sell Something

Noah Rickun
You’re either in sales or you’re wrong. What are you selling? Yourself. Your ideas. Your resume. Your product. Your service. Your everything. And the better you are at sales, the better you are at persuading others, the more willing you are to go after what you want in life, the happier (and more successful you will be. The bottom line: If you’re not getting what you want in life you’re not asking for it.

Bounce: Stay In Control of the Ball

Wendy Naarup
In basketball the point guard brings the ball up the court and runs the offense.  The point guard controls the game.  In life, you have to be the point guard.  This speech points students in the direction of their dreams and helps them realize their potential to become champions. 
Key Points:

• Use your coaches: communicate
• Recruit great talent: you are who you hang out with
• Have a game plan: you have to see it to be it
• Rebound: you’re going to miss a lot of shots, the refs will make bad calls, you will be fouled, keep shooting!

Believe you’re a superstar:  become the best possible version of yourself

So You Think You Can Multitask?
Making the Most of Your Time and Your Talents In The Internet Age

Joanne Cantor, PhD
Are you suffering from CyberOverload? —The dominance of digital devices (e.g., computers, smartphones) in our lives results in repeated interruptions  and unprecedented levels of multitasking. By engaging in a series of entertaining and eye-opening brain exercises and hearing about recent research, you’ll discover the brain’s limits in dealing with this barrage of input, and learn simple strategies for managing distractions and doing higher quality work in less time. Whether you’re a student or are already in the workforce, you need to understand how digital distractions affect our brains in order to work smarter, not harder.

No Nonsense Retention:
Painless Strategies to Retain Your Best People

Jeff Kortes
If you knew the key to retaining your top talent… Would you try it?
Based on his book “No Nonsense Retention…Painless Strategies to Retain Your Best People, Jeff provides candid insight into the thoughts and reasoning of employees who decide or are contemplating leaving their jobs in various organizations.  Through humorous, real-life stories and interactive participation Jeff has created a program that helps organizations discover ways to gain a competitive edge when trying to retain talent to compete in the marketplace.  He gives you an eye opening glimpse into what motivates solid performers to consider leaving their employers and what gets them thinking that “the grass is greener” on the other side of the fence.

Attendees will hear real life comments that employees will never admit in an exit interview with Human Resources or tell their boss.  This information will shock, amaze and validate many of the things that management may suspect but never hears directly from employees when they leave the organization.  The comments will enlighten participants so they can take a critical look at the retention process in their organizations both strategically and tactically.

Get A Move On

Eliz Greene
Feel like you should be getting more exercise, but just can’t fit it into your busy day? Not to worry, being active doesn’t have to mean a trip to the gym! Using her background as an adaptive movement specialist Eliz provides ideas to fit exercise into your busy day and develop an active lifestyle.  Get A Move On in this interactive – and active – session participants learn and practice strategies to be active in the car, at their desk, in the kitchen – everywhere!

The Hot Skinny on Leading Mo’ Better

LCDR Chip Lutz, USN(Ret), MSEd, CLL
Vision and leadership – the two words go together like peanut butter and jelly. From the division to the department; from the department to the organization; and from the organization to the nation – people are looking for meaning and purpose. For leaders, when considering the path ahead, you need to ask yourself, “What would Wonka do?” Willie Wonka, that is. His response would be, “Invention (or vision), my friend, is 93% perspiration, 6% electricity, 4% evaporation, and 2% butterscotch ripple.” Yes, that’s 105% – but that’s what it takes to move a great vision from concept to reality. This program focuses in how to connect with team members is a “fun” way in order to break down barriers, boost morale, and build a covenant of trust!

No reservations needed – pay at the door.

Look for more details about speakers and topics soon!

Please pass this invitation on to your network – we want to fill the house.

1) The primary investments of a Guerilla Marketer should be TIME, ENERGY and INVESTMENT. You can do a lot without any money.

2) In all of your marketing pieces, you MUST have a call to action. (i.e “For more information, call,” “Visit this website,” “Buy now.”) Otherwise they will fail.

3) The best prospect is a current customer. The second best prospect is a past customer.

4) You can call yourself an expert. You are an expert in SOMETHING.

5) Use Twitter search to look for keywords in your expertise that will allow you to start conversations, look for leads, and add value.

6) Do Google searches for things like “annual conference las vegas” to look for possible speaking opportunities.

7) Leverage yourself. Use your book, free speeches, and PR you’ve received to score more gigs.

8) “Marketing results depend less on how advertising is written than on how the product or service is positioned.” — David Ogilvy

Also, Al graciously allowed us to share his PowerPoint slides. Here is a link to the file.

If you were at the meeting, what was YOUR biggest takeaway?

This post was written by Jason Kotecki.

Allow me to share the journey, you may be asking why? Just because, no, just kidding, I know there are many professionals that have a dream, a vision, and a story or program to share, to help make a difference. Just like this guy did when I came to my first Chapter meeting and there was a professional speaker by the name of Bill Geist that offered to meet for lunch in Madison and share what the chapter was all about. Then I meet a fellow by the name of Robert Ian, ten years later helped me move into the president role of the chapter to serve, and also helped me to discovery my cancer-fighting team at UWM, Madison. It’s amazing the connections you can make, and you never know how far a relationship can take you or help you!

I remember one program many years ago, in my early years, Chris Clarke- Epstein, CSP shared with the ”Fast Track” program back then, now Speaker U, led by the wonderful and giving Eliz Greene. Chris shared on marketing, with her one-sheet, business cards, and talked about products, got me thinking back then, I need more stuff. What a great giver and mentor Chris is to so many members. Talking about “Fast Track” program and I sure liked the title, fast track- get it, get the stuff and get to work. Well back in those days the honorable Sally Anders steered that ship and what a job she did. Looking back she added much value to me and many more, maybe her mentorship is why I mentor as many new speakers coming into the business, to give back, thank you Sally Anders.

So many to mention, like watching Mike Domitrz CSP, build his business from his passion and purpose with a cause. Mike’s passion helped me identify mine and build my branding. I remember listening to Dennis Mannering share his passion and I liked his style, Rob Bell, CSP with his enthusiasm to “WOW” the audience and Jim Morrison’s dedication to the chapter. I believe all these ingredients have help me build my business and better serve my clients. It’s always interesting when we invite other speakers from around the country come and share about the business, from marketing too business, style and delivery techniques.

I must mention Jason Kotecki, what a powerful and fun program he offers, not only does Jason Kotecki help us with the blog and site development, I learned about being very creative with my message from Jason. His blog is worth checking out if you haven’t already, you may even be able to win something, I tried! The creative mind is a wonderful thing, and I’m sure his audiences enjoy this skill that Jason masters.

When it comes to product and aids that can help me help my clients once I’m gone from the presentation, from books, CD’s, booklets, my time with NSA Wisconsin has been the key foundation for helping me build my business as a business to better serve my clients. I remember Debra J. Schmidt sharing about teleseminars and getting your book to market, to Mike McKinley, CSP-CPAE, sharing the power of a fun and engaging PowerPoint presentation. I’ve had the opportunity to grow and lead newer speakers through my experiences, mentor and help them grow. I know that this is what the chapter is all about. Just the other day I was able to team up with an awesome up and coming speaker, Traci Bogan we shared a conference together and I was able to help her deliver her powerful program on Goal Mastery.

I must mention two awesome ladies in our industry and chapter and that his Patty Hendrickson, CSP, a person on a mission to change lives and with a smile that won’t stop shinning. Patty is the type of person you can count on, and will do what it takes to help the chapter to be the best it can be. And that other lady that I must mention who has taught me about just being yourself and sharing your passion, is Kinza Christenson, a lady on a mission to offer laughter and inspiration.

It’s all about giving, to our members, friends, clients and ourselves, to get better at what we do, serve, motivate and educate. You wonder why is this guy is sharing this article, well let me tell you, it’s about the chapter and what we stand for. It’s about making a difference in our industry and being the experts for our clients. The chapter has given to me over the years in so many ways, so it’s my time to acknowledge the good, complement those that have added value to me and let those that are researching the NSA Wisconsin chapter say, this is it folks. If you want to build a professional speaking business, trainer or consultant this is the place to be. This is the place where others will reach out and offer you a helping hand; this is the place to learn all the different aspects of the speaking business. And yes for you Meeting Professionals that are looking for the best experts to help you help your clients, this is the place for you, too.

So why write this piece, because it’s my duty to share, inspire and motivate others about who we are and what we can do. My story on what the chapter and some of its members have done for me. I may have left some names out, excuse me please; there’s been many over the years and the years to come. I’m not going anywhere, I’m here to stay and contribute and mentor and get better at what I have to offer to my clients and the industry. Oh yes, there is a couple more names to mention, the two folks that are behind the scenes every day helping us move forward, keeping us in line as a board, watching the “T’s” and doting the “I’s” Terry & Terry Estness, our Executive Directors.

Now with all this said, let’s get out there and make a difference, help change the world, inspire and motivate others and have fun along the journey!

–Larry Cockerel, Professional Speaker – Training Specialist – Author
Helping to inspire change! Thanks to my NSA Wisconsin Chapter the journey is the reward not the destination.