Navaal Mahdi
Influence 2026 lands in my hometown of Austin, TX, this July 25–27 at the Hilton Austin. The theme is about building a better business, and if you’re attending, you should show up ready to learn. The main stage will be strong, the breakouts will be useful, and the hallway conversations will be everywhere. Bring a notebook and … Read more
I am, first and foremost, and will always be, an envelope salesman. My business card says so. But more people probably know me as an author and speaker – which evolved from my sales career. Who knew? Regardless of the title on your business card, everyone is a salesperson whether you want to admit it or not. Why? Because from the time you get up in the morning until the time … Read more
I read a thread recently that stopped me mid-scroll. The topic wasn’t new, but that didn’t make it any less relevant. It was about whether speakers should attend the reception the night before they present. I paused because this is one of those things I still debate… every single time. I’m that speaker sitting in my hotel room five minutes before … Read more
Public speaking is one of my favorite pastimes – and it should be, considering all the speeches I give every year. I speak to huge corporations and highly-specialized groups and get paid well for the privilege. I’m often asked for advice on making effective and interesting presentations. Seems a lot of folks out there are … Read more
Everybody’s talking about AI. It’s the hot topic at conferences, the buzzword in boardrooms, and apparently the newest line item on speaker one-sheets across the country. The problem? Most of the content being delivered from the stage isn’t strategy—it’s a book report. Summaries of what ChatGPT can do, mixed with a few headlines from tech blogs, and … Read more
How are you, as a professional speaker/trainer/consultant growing your speaking business? Most have no real plan or strategy for what they need to do to have a successful, and profitable long-term speaking career. What does your plan look like…and what are you doing each week to advance this master speaking plan? What’s your plan to … Read more
Talk to any speaker long enough, and one dream is bound to surface: taking their message to a global stage. The allure is understandable: images of exotic destinations, selfie-filled reels beside iconic landmarks, late-night receptions under foreign skies, multilingual backstage crews managing headset switches, and spontaneous applause in languages you don’t even speak. And while … Read more
Want to be sexier in your speaking business? You already rock the stage. But what about backstage — the messy, unsexy side, where the sausage gets made? Let’s talk about building systems that keep you in your zone of genius and off the hamster wheel. Why bother? Systems = freedom. Systems keep your business … Read more
I’ve held a lot of microphones in my life. Town hall meetings. Hospital boardrooms. Government offices. Conference panels. I’ve briefed ministers, board members, nurses, and CEOs—often in the same week. At one point, I was in three countries a week, translating healthcare goals into policy and practice. One thing I didn’t realize…I was already a … Read more
In July of 2023, I sat in the back of the ballroom in Orlando, Florida, watching a parade of brilliant speakers walk across the stage to receive their CSP, CPAE, and respective awards. Moved to tears by the remarks from Dr. Willie Jolley, CSP, CPAE, Cavett Award Recipient, I scurried back to my room, pulled … Read more