Backstage Pass: Ep. 8 - Heather Davis: Behind The Scenes With A Seasoned Event Strategist

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Backstage Pass: Ep. 8 - Heather Davis: Behind The Scenes With A Seasoned Event Strategist

Backstage Pass: Ep. 8 - Heather Davis: Behind The Scenes With A Seasoned Event Strategist

Heather davis bio

Heather L. Davis, JD, CLU®, ChFC®, CAP®, has been with New York Life since 1999. She is part of the leadership team at The Nautilus Group where she heads the Marketing, Meetings and Agent Development team. Prior to this role, Heather managed a team of consultants at New York Life’s Advanced Planning Group and was a member of the special cases unit at Nautilus where she created customized business and estate analyses for high-net-worth clients. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa and as a Superior Scholar from the University of Nebraska, where she received both her Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor. She is also a member of the Texas State Bar Association.

Show notes

In this episode of Backstage Pass we’re joined by events strategist Heather Davis, Corporate Vice President with New York Life. She drives high-impact outcomes through oversight of three domains: marketing, meetings, and training and development. This conversation has Heather share what makes a speaking event successful, why some speakers are invited back, and the biggest hurdles she faces as an events strategist. She also spills about what a recent speaker did that surprised her—and what she expects to see in the event and speaking space next.

Key topics in this episode include:

  • The services Heather provides and the individuals who look for these services.

  • The overall objective of the annual meeting that Heather coordinates.

  • How having a small event team influences the planning process.

  • Signs of a successful annual meeting (and why measuring it matters).

  • How many contracts Heather has facilitated.

  • What encourages Heather to book a speaker again (or never again).

  • Why you should book speakers as far in advance as possible.

  • Whether a speaker’s video is actually helpful in decision making or not.

  • The biggest challenges Heather has in strategizing events.

  • Why speaker customization is so important.

  • How she approaches booking speakers and who she trusts with the heavy lifting.

  • The type of speaker that Heather needs right now who are also hard to find.

  • What a recent speaker did that surprised Heather.

  • Heather’s predictions for future events and what’s already changing now.

  • Recent speakers that stood out for Heather in a positive way.

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Backstage Pass: Ep. 7 - Lisa Bodell: Eliminating Complexity Through The Power of Simplicity

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Backstage Pass: Ep. 7 - Lisa Bodell: Eliminating Complexity Through The Power of Simplicity

Backstage Pass: Ep. 7 - Lisa Bodell: Eliminating Complexity Through The Power of Simplicity

Lisa Bodell bio

“Complexity is crippling our organizations. It’s stifling our people and keeping them from doing their most meaningful and impactful work.” Lisa Bodell, a global leader on simplification, collaboration, and innovation, has a solution. Lisa shows organizations how to eliminate complexity and leverage simplicity – unleashing creativity and sparking the energy so essential to innovate and compete in a rapidly changing world. FutureThink, which she founded in 2003, works with leading brands worldwide and has become the largest source of innovation research, tools, and training in the world. Lisa is the author of two groundbreaking books, Why Simple Wins: Escape the Complexity Trap and Get to Work That Matters and Kill the Company: End the Status Quo, Start an Innovation Revolution. She ranks on the list of Top 50 Speakers Worldwide and captivates audiences with her energy and humor. Lisa’s keynotes leave audiences inspired to change and arms them with radically simple tools to get to the work that matters.

After earning her business degree from University of Michigan, Lisa launched her career at Leo Burnett in Chicago, where she discovered a gift for uniting strategically-driven ideas with forward-thinking themes. She went on to build two successful businesses before moving to New York and focusing on the simplification and innovation space with FutureThink.

Lisa brings a compelling perspective to the sought-after topics of simplification and innovation to over 100,000 people each year. A thought leader and serial entrepreneur, her transformational message has inspired executives at top-ranked organizations such as Google, SAP, Citigroup, and the Department of National Intelligence.

Lisa has contributed her expertise to a wide variety of media. She is a monthly contributor to Forbes and has frequently appeared in other media including: Fast Company, WIRED, The New York Times, Inc., Harvard Business Review, and CNN. She has also been featured in many major books such as Warren Berger’s A More Beautiful Question, Adam Grant’s Originals, and AfterShock, the 50-year celebration based on futurist Alvin Toffler’s Future Shock.

Lisa has taught innovation at both American University and Fordham University and has a TED talk on the topic. She has served on the board of advisors of several organizations, including the Global Agenda Council for the World Economic Forum, the United States National Security Agency, the Association of Professional Futurists, and the Novartis board of Diversity & Inclusion.

Learn more about lisa bodell
 
 

show notes

Today our guest is the founder and CEO of FutureThink, Lisa Bodell.  Lisa is a futurist and a global leader on collaboration and innovation. She ranks in the top 50 speakers worldwide, and she is also a two-time best-selling author. She’s an expert in helping people discover how to eliminate complexity through the power of simplicity. In today’s conversation, she shares why emphasizing productivity doesn’t work, and why simplifying your work is the way to go.

Key topics in this episode include:

  • Why so many people are at a breaking point right now.

  • How being organized differs from being simplified.

  • The benefits of simplifying your work and your life.

  • A better way to say no (that actually feels good).

  • The importance of leaning into saying “yes, if” statements.

  • Why people want their time back and how being selfish with it helps.

  • How your work culture influences the complexity of your work.

  • What makes Lisa a more sought-after speaker and why.

  • Why Lisa says simplicity is agnostic and who her main audience is.

  • Why productivity isn’t the answer in the workplace (and what matters more).

  • How Lisa applies the things she speaks about to her own life.

  • How killing stupid ideas has made Lisa’s team even better.

  • The secrets to making a speaking event a home run.

  • What the best rooms are to find yourself in and what makes the best group.

  • The surprising thing Lisa learned about herself as a speaker.

Visit gdaspeakers.com to learn more about bringing Lisa Bodell to your next event.

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Backstage Pass: Ep. 6 - John Register: Amputate to Amplify (Transforming Adversity Into Advantage)

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Backstage Pass: Ep. 6 - John Register: Amputate to Amplify (Transforming Adversity Into Advantage)

Backstage Pass: Ep. 6 - John Register: Amputate to Amplify

John REgister bio

John Register is a two-time Paralympian, Paralympic Games Silver Medalist, Persian Gulf War veteran, and TEDx Motivational Speaker. He embraced a “new normal mindset” in becoming an amputee following a misstep over a hurdle while training for the 1996 Olympic Games, after participation in two consecutive Olympic trials.

An Oak Park, Ill. native, Register discovered how to “amputate his fear of disability” and founded the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee Military Sport Program in the early 2000s. He launched a book titled: 10 Stories to Impact Any Leader: Journal Your Way to Leadership Success, as business leaders return to work with their staff amid stressful circumstances surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic and the recent unrest in our urban cities.

Register teaches business professionals through his “Hurdling Adversity” speeches and podcasts to “amputate fear and embrace their new normal,” as they discover “stories within themselves.”

He finds that “it is the personal stories that inspire teams more profoundly with greater impact.”

Register is a four-time All-American graduate of University of Arkansas. He served six years in the U.S. Army—including in operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and in active-duty with the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program—winning nine gold medals in the Armed Services Competition and two World Military Championships.

Register had his left leg amputated after a misstep over a hurdle changed his life. Register hyperextended his knee and severed the popliteal artery. He started swimming to aid in his recovery, made the U.S. Paralympic Team in 1996, and later won a silver medal in the long jump—as he set an American record—and sprinted to fifth in the 100 meters and 200 meters at the U.S. Paralympic Games in Sydney.

Register resides in Colorado Springs, CO with his wife Alice. The couple have three children - John Jr., Ashley, and Ronald.

Learn more about John Register
 
 

show notes

In this episode of Backstage Pass we’re joined by John Register. John is a Paralympic silver medalist, army combat veteran, TedX speaker, author, and CPAE. Recently, he was named among the top global leadership speakers. John opens up about his Paralympic career, what holds people back from moving past difficult times (and how he can help), and the experiences that helped make him the speaker he is today.

Key topics in this episode include:

  • What getting the CPAE title meant to John and how he reached this milestone.

  • How being diverted towards the Gulf War elevated his speaking ability.

  • How he lost his leg and what it taught him about adversity.

  • Why he was so surprised when he made the Paralympic swim team.

  • The importance of having people in your life who won’t let you fail.

  • How his Paralympic experience developed and expanded.

  • The fear that holds people back from reaching their goals and how John can help.

  • How his speaking gives him a unique perspective of leadership and the world.

  • The calls John gets weekly and why he makes himself available to serve them.

  • Why knowing what the Constitution is matters when protecting it.

  • The unique aspect the US brings to athletic events, including the Paralympics.

  • What John is focusing on right now in his career next.

  • Why the way you show up with event planners and producers matters.

  • The influence any interaction you have with someone, no matter how small, can have.

Visit gdaspeakers.com to learn more about bringing John Register to your next event!

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Backstage Pass: Ep. 4 - John Sanei: Exploring AI Frontiers Through Neuroscience & Business Strategy

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Backstage Pass: Ep. 4 - John Sanei: Exploring AI Frontiers Through Neuroscience & Business Strategy

Backstage Pass: Ep. 4 - John Sanei: Exploring AI Frontiers Through Neuroscience & Business Strategy

john sanei bio

International keynote speaker John Sanei is an advisor, and strategist on the convergence of neuroscience, technology, and business strategy who is dedicated to changing the narrative around our uncertain future.

John provides unique insights on how this combination impacts our collective futures. His bold vision will help you unlock strategies to master the power of unlearning old patterns, relearning new ones and embracing adaptability to thrive in a disrupted world.

Through captivating keynotes, engaging masterclasses, and strategic advisory services, John shares his wisdom and insight from decades of working with future-forward organizations.

John helps organizations prepare for the rapidly changing future of work and the future of leadership, while also advising on organizational restructuring.

He has helped countless organizations prepare for the future of work and the impact of artificial intelligence on business; develop strategies to elevate leadership and increase sales; and create a culture that’s adaptable, agile and welcoming of change.

John is a trusted advisor to some of the world’s leading Fortune 100 companies, global organizations, governments, and royal families around the world. Brands that trust John include: Autodesk, Coca-Cola, Dell, Dayforce, EY, Mastercard, Mattel, Meltwater, Oracle, PwC, Reuters, Visa, Workday, and more.

He is a global expert at Singularity University in San Francisco, a faculty member at Duke Corporate Education in London and North Carolina, an associate partner at the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies, a 4-time TEDx speaker, a podcast co-host of the award-winning business podcast – The Expansive, a transformation specialist and a bold change maker. John is also a 5x best-selling author.

Learn more about john sanei
 
 

show notes

In this episode we visit with John Sanei who is an expert on human psychology, neuroscience, and business strategy. As a Certified Futures Strategist, he combines his expertise to understand how these aspects intermingle to impact our collective futures. John gives his insights on the future of AI (and why we should be optimistic), how to move towards your own authenticity, and advice for making large-scale events way more enjoyable.

Key topics in this episode include:

  • How John and Gail first connected, and the nickname Gail received as a result.

  • Why John says we’re all geniuses in our own ways (and what his genius is).

  • How we can solve the very human problem of getting stuck.

  • John’s strategy for crafting a great speech.

  • John’s favorite pastime and how it helps him evolve as a speaker.

  • The next phase of AI and the implications this has on the world around us.

  • The false belief many humans have and how it holds us back from optimism.

  • How John’s international background has influenced his life and career.

  • The customized presentation John is working on now and why it matters.

  • Why John focuses on business strategy and human evolution.

  • How understanding and anticipating the future is agnostic to industry.

  • The business book that John is working on now.

  • The recent speaking challenge John had to navigate and how he overcame it.

  • John’s tips to make large-scale events more engaging and less boring for audiences.

Visit gdaspeakers.com to learn more about bringing John Sanei to your next event!

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Backstage Pass: Ep. 3 - Leslie Morgan Steiner: The Interconnected Impact of Women's Issues

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Backstage Pass: Ep. 3 - Leslie Morgan Steiner: The Interconnected Impact of Women's Issues

Ep. 3 - Leslie Morgan Steiner: The Interconnected Impact of Women's Issues

leslie morgan steiner bio

New York Times best-selling author, TedTalk veteran, columnist for The Washington Post, women’s empowerment expert, corporate executive – and gender violence survivor.

Leslie Morgan Steiner speaks candidly from personal and professional experience about surviving gender violence -- interpersonal abuse, trafficking, and sexual assault. Each keynote is crafted to specific audience needs and client goals. Her credentials include over a decade of keynote speaking, and leadership roles at the Conference on Crimes Against Women, The One Love Foundation, and DC Volunteer Lawyers Project.

Steiner is a regular speaker at international women’s conferences. Her TEDTalks have been viewed by over eight million people. She is a frequent media guest on The Today Show, National Public Radio, Anderson Cooper 360, The Tamron Hall Show, ABC, NBC, CBS, and cable news networks. She has appeared in Newsweek, BusinessWeek, Elle, Parents, Self, Vogue, Vanity Fair, The Los Angeles Times, and CNN.com.

Steiner is the author of four nonfiction books: the New York Times bestselling memoir Crazy Love; the critically acclaimed anthology Mommy Wars: Stay-at-Home and Career Moms Face Off on Their Choices, Their Lives, Their Families; The Baby Chase: How Surrogacy is Transforming the American Family; and her latest memoir, The Naked Truth, which explores female sexuality, self-esteem and dating after 50.

Steiner holds a BA in English from Harvard College. Her first job was writing and editing for Seventeen Magazine. After graduating from Wharton business school in 1992 with an MBA in Marketing, she launched Splenda Brand Sweetener internationally for Johnson & Johnson. She returned to her hometown of Washington, DC in 2001 to become General Manager of the 1.1 million-circulation Washington Post Magazine, a position she held for five years. She currently writes a column for AARP. From 2006-2008 she wrote over 500 columns for the Washington Post’s popular on-line work/family column, “On Balance.” She has been profiled by People Magazine, the New York Times, Glamour, Psychology Today, Redbook, The Washington Post, and other publications.

She serves as an emeritus board member for the One Love Foundation, in honor of slain University of Virginia senior Yeardley Love, and the National Advisory Council for the Conference on Crimes Against Women.

Leslie Morgan Steiner lives in Washington, DC; New York; and New Hampshire.

Learn more about leslie morgan steiner
Crazy Love
By Steiner, Leslie Morgan
Buy on Amazon

Show notes

Today our guest is New York Times bestselling author Leslie Morgan Steiner. Leslie is also a TED Talk veteran, a columnist for the Washington Post, and a thought leader on women's leadership who speaks about overcoming adversity, surviving violence against women, and much more. During the episode, she shares the life experiences that led to her sharing her story so candidly.

Key topics in this episode include:

  • What Leslie writes and speaks about and why it’s important to everybody.

  • How men with female team members can benefit from women-focused content.

  • The unique way women approach their life and workplace.

  • What led up to Leslie writing her book Crazy Love.

  • How Leslie’s path in life has surprised her, and what her calling is now.

  • The staggering amount of people who face abuse, plus the role that denial plays.

  • The less typical places that violence against women education should be shared.

  • Where Leslie’s story expands and other places she found her resilience.

  • What Leslie’s other books are about and why their messages are important.

  • What Leslie realized after writing The Naked Truth and what surprised her most.

  • Why Leslie loves being a writer and speaker, and what she’s working on now.

  • The best place to find new ideas and creative inspiration for writing and speaking.

If you or someone you know are a victim of domestic violence, please CALL or TEXT the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit www.thehotline.org

Visit gdaspeakers.com to learn more about bringing Leslie Morgan Steiner to your next event!

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