Whether you’re looking to engage your audience, employees, customers, or family and friends, it boils down to communication. When you can effectively speak with others, you’re aligning your objectives, goals, and values with theirs. You’re also letting them know why and how they’re important within the bigger picture. Needless to say, this is an important area everyone should strengthen. One of the best ways to achieve this is by seeking out inspirational and down-to-earth advice; the following 12 motivational speakers are a good place to start.
1. John Hall
Initially more in the marketing guest speaker and sales motivational speaker realm, John’s content has evolved over the years; he’s now considered a premier motivational speaker. His differentiating factor is that he can assist your audiences in staying top of mind with the people who matter most.
This is often an area that’s overlooked. But building trust with others, challenging yourself to become a better version of yourself, and discovering how to engage the people around you are all aspects that John can motivate your group to achieve through practical steps.
2. Serenity Gibbons
Serenity has written more than 1,000 articles in publications ranging from Forbes to Entrepreneur. Her main area of focus is guiding and motivating people to become more successful professionals, such as through building stronger relationships with customers, recruiting the best talent, and diversifying your business.
I saw her speak at a young leadership event in San Francisco and was inspired by her exceedingly friendly tone. It made everyone in the audience feel a strong personal connection to her and her message. If you’re searching for someone to motivate your audience to make the world a better place, Serenity should be at the top of your list.
3. Robert Glazer
Robert is the founder and CEO of Acceleration Partners, a global performance marketing agency. Robert is an authority on topics as varied as performance marketing, company culture, personal improvement and inspiring others. He is the creator of Friday Forward, an newsletter that reaches 100,000 leaders in over 60 countries each week and inspires them to set and achieve audacious personal and professional goals.
Robert sets himself apart by providing actionable steps every audience member can use to make lasting changes in their own lives and businesses. Robert’s keynotes are rooted in his real-world experience building a business that wins numerous performance and culture awards each year, and in his journey to build a life aligned to his purpose and core values.
4. Allen Gannett
Allen founded and served as CEO of TrackMaven, a marketing analytics platform. After the company merged with Skyword, he became the chief strategy officer for Skyword and wrote “The Creative Curve,” which Inc.com recommended as one of the “8 Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read in 2019.”
What Allen will do for your audience members — besides deliver an entertaining presentation — is help them unlock their true potential. Allen has discovered that there’s actually a science behind engineering creativity within yourself and others to become successful in any field.
5. Raj Jana
One of Raj’s more popular keynotes is around staying grounded, which covers transforming pain into purpose and inspiring people to realize who they’ve always been to live an extraordinary life. He also has a conscious capitalism speech where he talks about how he focused his company on a more impact-driven mentality and grew it 800%. He’s one of the most engaging speakers out there and his real life examples really bring a lot of entertainment to his speeches.
6. Brittany Hodak
Brittany Hodak is an award-winning entrepreneur who helps brands of all sizes and industries, from Amazon to Taylor Swift, develop loyal and dedicated fan bases. I’m guessing that explains why she named her business The Superfan Company. She’s also written articles for outlets like The Wall Street Journal and Forbes.
If booked for your event, you can expect Brittany to be engaging, enthusiastic, and full of energy. Best of all, the audience will leave with realistic advice they can implement immediately.
7. Robin Sharma
Robin Sharma is the bestselling author of “The Leader Who Had No Title” who’s given speeches to corporations ranging from Nike to GE to NASA. With his social media posts reaching more than 600 million people in a given year, he was named one of the “Top 5 Leadership Experts in the World” in a survey of 22,000 people. A former lawyer, Robin self-published his first book and has grown that effort into a publishing franchise; he helps others see how they can transition and transform their own careers.
With a platform centered on giving back, Robin’s tone is warm and inviting, and his push toward philanthropy convinces audiences that they, too, have something to give.
8. Amanda Hammett
Known as the “Millennial Translator,” Amanda Hammett has helped numerous companies engage and motivate Millennials, as well as Gen Z. Amanda is passionate about stretching the leadership skills of these important generations. In fact, she’s known for speaking and working with them before they even enter the workforce. She does this by working with college- and university-affiliated groups to give students the leadership skills needed to succeed.
Not only does Amanda have a knack for connecting with younger audiences and seasoned business leaders, but her speeches are also incredibly fun and interactive.
9. Jeff Fromm
Jeff made a name for himself as the Millennial Marketing Guy, but he’s now known as a leading Gen Z whisperer. Considering that Gen Z is now the largest population in the U.S. and is starting to come into its own, it’s essential to understand how this specific generation thinks and behaves. Jeff also relays the most effective ways to motivate and communicate with them.
After reading Jeff’s book, “Marketing to Gen Z,” you’ll realize he’s the best person for this task. He can clearly explain the differences between Millennials and Gen-Zers, as well as how to speak their language and understand their need for transparency and personal validation.
10. Andrew Thomas
Andrew is an entrepreneur who founded the SkyBell video doorbell. He’s also an investor and adviser who’s written columns for publications like Inc., The Huffington Post, and Forbes. His main area of interest is helping to build the future of smart homes. He also emphasizes the importance of mindfulness and health, focusing on how to build solid connections with those around you.
If you’re looking for someone to bridge the gap between technology and building real, meaningful relationships with people, Andrew Thomas is the perfect speaker.
11. Joe Simpson
Joe is the author of “Touching the Void,” a book about his survival after a leg-shattering fall in the Andes. Left for dead, Joe went on to become a bestselling author and the focus of a BAFTA Award-winning film. He now teaches others about psychological resilience, personal development, and risk assessment. Pushing others toward courage and endurance, Joe’s powerful story helps others apply his lessons to their own lives.
Despite the heavy nature of Joe’s content, he has a humorous approach and is known for keeping things light yet impactful. For those looking for a story with a bang, Joe delivers.
12. Haley Hoffman Smith
Haley Hoffman Smith graduated from Brown University last year but has already made waves on a speaking tour including venues like Harvard, Yale, and Columbia, as well as TEDx. Interested in big ideas and tapping into the motivation to pursue them, her talks are based on her book, “Her Big Idea,” which was named a “2018 Must Read” by the Tory Burch Foundation and debuted as a top 3 Amazon bestseller.
Oriented in her personal entrepreneurial story that launched with founding an international literacy nonprofit at the age of 18, Haley’s talks get real about failure, resiliency, and the power of the adventures that big ideas can spur. Haley writes for Entrepreneur and Thrive Global and has also been featured in Forbes and The Washington Examiner. She’s known for her approachable tone and open demeanor, making her a great fit for audiences finding — or re-establishing — their groove.
If you’re looking for a way to improve how you engage and communicate with others, start by watching these motivational speakers in action. They’re all extremely personable and engaging figures themselves. More importantly, the advice they provide is useful to anyone looking to develop personally and professionally.
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