Advertise on podcast: Speaking On Demand

Speaking On Demand is powered by: Capitol City Speakers Bureau www.capcityspeakers.com In this episode of Speaking On Demand, host Aaron Rehberg discusses the latest trends in keynote speaking for 2026, including the most requested topics and the importance of creating memorable speaker experiences. He shares an inspiring story about Jim the Rookie Morris and highlights upcoming events for event planners and meeting professionals. Takeaways The five most requested topics for 2026 are peak performance, change leadership, risk taking and innovation, entertainment, and artificial intelligence.Jim the Rookie Morris's story is a great example of resilience and inspiration.Speaker experiences are becoming more important than just raw inspiration.Event planners should focus on creating memorable experiences for their audiences.The Capital City Speakers Bureau offers strategic support for event planning.A successful keynote speaker engages with the audience's needs during pre-event planning.Tandem storytelling combined with practical strategies is the future of speaking.Networking opportunities are essential for event planners and speakers.The importance of understanding the audience for effective keynote delivery.Upcoming events can provide valuable insights and connections for meeting professionals.Exploring Keynote Speaking Trends for 2026The Evolution of Speaker Experiences"Jim the Rookie Morris is an inspiring story.""Less rah rah, more about tandem storytelling.""It's our 21st speaker showcase this year!"Chapters 00:00Welcome Back and Introduction to Speaking On Demand 02:50Keynote Speaking Trends for 2026 05:42The Importance of Speaker Experiences

Capitol City Speakers Bureau and the Speaking on Demand Podcast welcome Wade Koehler to the show!  Wade Koehler is the President of the Foodservice Consultants Society International (The Americas Division) and runs Forte AMC www.forteamc.com   In today's interview Wade and Aaron discuss the challenge all Associations and Member Consortiums are dealing with right now:  How do I retain my Membership and keep my members Engaged!?  Wade offers several tips for other meeting planners and also discusses the Food Service and Hospitality industries and how they responded to the Covid 19 Pandemic.

About Norm Bilsbury, Ph.D. From door-to-door sales to medical device startups to partnering with clients to enable growth...Norm's path has given him insight and empathy for the daily challenges that business leaders face. With a background in business, academia, and Big Ten sports, the path Norm took trained him as a doer, thinker, and competitor—providing winning insights that are positive, compelling, and effective. Collaborating with the management team, we close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Contact Aaron Rehberg at 217-855-6909 or @aaronrehberg on Twitter to inquire about Norm speaking at your next sales meeting or conference!

This is  Episode 20 of the podcast!  Today's episode can also be found on You Tube as Jack will present several graphics toward the end of the conversation.  Enjoy the podcast! JACK SHAW Corporate Financial Executive, Software Company Executive, Innovation and Change Management Consultant, Author, and Speaker. Jack integrates his executive experience in industry, technology, and consulting to speak on Technology Enabled Innovation, Change Management, and Transformational Leadership. Starting over three decades ago, even before the birth of e-commerce, and through the advent of blockchain in the early Millennium era, Jack took an early and enduring interest in understanding how new technologies create disruptive change while enabling creative innovation in everyday processes, corporate strategies, and even fundamental business models as well as how organizations must adjust and adapt to those impacts. His decades of experience designing, developing, and implementing emerging technologies have given him a deep understanding of how these evolve and are adopted. This experience enables him to speak with unique perspective on such current leading-edge technologies as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, 5G, and the Internet of Things and how, individually and collectively, they will impact business and society. Jack has delivered over 1,000 keynote presentations and executive forums in 26 countries and every state across the U.S. He is a Yale University graduate, and he holds a Kellogg MBA degree specializing in Finance and Marketing.

Amy Beadle is the Sales Manager for the Springfield, IL Convention & Visitors Bureau.  Her team is focused on attracting tourists and corporations/associations to visit the great city of Springfield, IL. In today's episode, Amy shares a little about her professional background, her passion for community involvement, and how Springfield, IL has innovated to attract tourists during the challenging Covid-19 landscape. Amy is a terrific ambassador for the city of Springfield, IL.  Springfield, IL is a great place to visit!  Follow the path of Lincoln, Cruise on historic Route 66, and find out why Springfield is the Chili capitol of the USA :) Learn more about Amy and Visit Springfield here:  https://www.visitspringfieldillinois.com/ Enjoy the episode!

If you are familiar at all with the life insurance business you know the name Solomon Hicks. He is an internationally sought-after speaker, career coach, and consultant. With 50 years in the business, Sol is showing no signs of slowing down as he continues to add exciting and inspiring chapters to his already remarkable life. Most recently he launched Hicks Global Enterprises, Inc. and added “Author” to his resume. For more than three and a half decades, Sol Hicks was an agent with Prudential Financial. He is one of only two agents in Prudential’s 130-plus-year history to have won the President’s Trophy Award—that company’s highest honor, given to its number one agent—a staggering seven times. (To put that deed into perspective, it should be noted that it took more than 25 years for the other seven-time trophy winner to accomplish this feat, while Sol’s effort took him just 10 years.) He has received the President’s Citation Award 21 times. In addition to that, Sol Hicks is a life and qualifying member of the Million Dollar Round Table for 32 years (MDRT), a 23-time COT qualifier, and a 20-time TOT qualifier. He was the General Agents and Managers Association’s Agent of the Year in 1998, 1997, 1996, and 1995. Sol Hicks is the author of three books. “Wise Guys Finish First,” is an autobiographical portrait of overcoming incredible obstacles to get to the top. In “The Secret Life of a #1 Salesman,” Sol shares the mindset, values and daily disciplines that led him to his great success and Making Disciples where he will show you how to move up and stand out in a world where the power to move products is increasingly dependent on your ability to move people. Sol has been married to his wife Carol for 55 years. He proposed to her the day he met her. She turned him down that day and every day for 84 days after that. She finally accepted on the 86th day and they were wed just four days later. “I consider Carol my first successful sale, and the toughest one. I’m not intimidated by a ‘no.’” Believing that success is not only attainable but transferable, Sol spends much of his time mentoring more than 150 agents worldwide, including his daughter, Cynthia who joined him in the business 3time MDRT qualifiers 1 COT qualifier and 1 TOT qualifier.

In today's show, Calvin Stovall explains how an Iconic company like HIlton Worldwide focuses on not just Customer Experience, but the Employee Experience.  It's never been as important as it is today to focus on your team and make sure they are engaged and appreciated. Here is a little more about Calvin: Calvin Stovall is the CEO, Chief Experience Officer and Iconicity Enthusiast for ICONIC Presentations, LLC. He specializes in delivering high-energy, customized keynote presentations for organizations that desire to reach or maintain ICONIC status. Calvin focuses on delivering the perfect blend of: Business concepts Story-telling Music Themes His presentations bring home an impactful message that touches both the heads and hearts of his audiences. Armed with more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality and non-profit services industries, Calvin’s audiences learn real-life, hands-on practical customer experience and leadership principles which can be easily applied to business challenges today. Calvin was born and raised in the infamous Cabrini Green housing projects in Chicago during the era of the iconic 70’s syndicated television show, Soul Train. Calvin’s enthusiasm and immeasurable passion for music has continued throughout his adult years. Today, he leverages his life experiences as a business leader along with the universal language of music to engage and connect with his audiences. He has energized and motivated people nationwide with his high-content, unorthodox, and humorous platform. Calvin holds an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Chicago State University and a Master’s of Hospitality Management from Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. He currently resides in Charlotte, NC with his two boys, Caden and Carson.

Speaker Bio:  Patrick "Lips" Houlahan Patrick had a distinguished 27 year career in the United States Marine Corps as an Active Duty and Reserve fighter pilot.  He was stationed in San Diego, CA. and participated in four six-month deployments: three to the Western Pacific and one to Al Assad, Iraq. Patrick was recognized as the Instructor Pilot of the Year and graduated from the United States Navy Post Graduate Fighter Weapons School, “Top Gun.” During his military career, he trained over 500 replacement aircrew, graduated from the United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College, earned his Master of Strategic Studies as a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Army War College, and served in a variety of leadership roles. After leaving active duty in 2004, Patrick joined a management consulting company and quickly rose to become one of their top speakers. Over 13 years, Patrick delivered and conducted over 450 keynote presentations, training workshops, and consulting engagements with today's leading corporations such as Verizon, ExxonMobil, Medtronic, DOW, VMware and H&R Block to name a few. He became an Executive Consultant/Director of Seminars and in 2006 was selected as the San Diego’s MPI (Meeting Professionals International) Speaker of the Year. Speaking Topics: Leadership Development Change Management Debriefing Executive Coaching Effective Planning Organizational Development

Aaron gives a freestyle update discussing the busy month of October and how it compares to fall meeting seasons of the past.

ABOUT ROGER CRAWFORD https://www.capcityspeakers.com/roger-crawford/  #Inspirational #Safety #OvercomingAdversity Sports Illustrated has named Roger Crawford as “One of the most accomplished physically challenged athletes in the world.” In recognition of his extraordinary athletic achievements, he was given the prestigious ITA Achievement Award, presented by the International Tennis Hall of Fame. After realizing tremendous success on Center Court as a Division 1 athlete, he took his talents to Center Stage and became a motivational speaker. Roger’s transformational message gives organizations the ability to decrease excuses, increase results, and breakthrough self-imposed limitations. His remarkable life story is a powerful example that “challenges are inevitable, defeat is optional!” He is the host of the weekly feature Motivational Mondays with Roger Crawford, which can be seen worldwide on Tennis Channel. Roger has been inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame in recognition of his professional success. As a member of the Hall of Fame for People with Disabilities, he shares this impressive distinction with fellow honorees such as Christopher Reeve, Helen Keller, and former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. You may have seen Roger Crawford interviewed on CNBC, Good Morning America, Monday Night Football, The Today Show, and many other prominent television programs. The print media has profiled Roger in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Men’s Fitness, Fast Company, and Tennis Magazine.

Michelle Miller, aka The Farm Babe, joins us on Speaking on Demand to discuss a number of topics surrounding Agriculture today.  As a farmer, keynote speaker, social media influencer, and columnist, Michelle has been voted as one of the most trusted and reputable farmers on social media.  Michelle's social media following has eclipsed 200,000 with over 3,000,000 views monthly. Keep Michelle in mind as a speaker on the following topics: -General Agriculture topics -Food & Ag Myths debunked -Women in Agriculture -Social Media hyperboost -Women's Leadership for booking inquiries contact Aaron Rehberg at 217-855-6909 or [email protected]

Meet today's guest Greg Nelson.  Today's conversation focuses on the Virtual Work-From-Home Economy.  How productive is our workforce in this setup?  How do hiring managers avoid critical mistakes when conducting virtual job interviews?  How are certain types of leadership styles being forced to adapt?  Find out in today's conversation. Experience + Impact Greg D Nelson is a motivational speaker and coach whose style combines down-to-earth enthusiasm, knowledge and humor with practical solutions for the challenges leaders are facing today. Audiences connect with his engaging, high-energy presentation style. He has served as a national speaker for the renowned Studer Group, as the Vice President of Leadership for the global consulting company, DDI, and now leads his own company. In addition to his hands-on experience, Greg's strategic thinking and visionary ideas have helped both for-profit and not-for-profit groups in the service industry including health care, financial services, hospitality, government agencies, education and professional trade associations. Greg is known for the practical tips and tools he provides to leaders and staff that put the words into action.

Today's guest is former NFL player Ray McElroy.  Since his playing days on the gridiron, Ray has focused his efforts on his faith, family, and his foundation - A Ray of Hope on Earth.   This has led to numerous motivational speaking engagements. Ray talks NFL and how he has helped NFL athletes, several churches, and corporations have a Diversity and Inclusion dialogue of unity. Ray's foundation website:  https://www.arayofhopeonearth.org/ To hire Ray to speak virtually or in-person at your next event, contact Aaron Rehberg at [email protected] or 217-855-6909

Andy Schuster is a Sr. Manager of Training at GROWMARK, Inc.  Andy is our first MEETING PLANNER guest on the podcast!  When Covid-19 hit in March, Andy and his team quickly embraced virtual solutions to advance training and development objectives within their organization.   In today's show, Andy discusses how his team successfully shifted their training and development efforts to virtual and when he thinks in-person events will resume.  He also explains why meeting planners cannot afford to wait for the "virtual bubble" to pass without jumping in. Also discussed in today's show is a high-level overview on Agriculture in the USA. In addition to being a meeting planner, Andy is also a keynote speaker who speaks on the topics of:  Leadership, Succession Planning, and Culture. Links: Meeting Planner recent survey (small increase in planners who will hold in-person meetings in 2020):  https://www.businesstravelnews.com/Meetings/Survey-Small-Increase-in-Planners-Expecting-to-Resume-Events-in-2020

Emergency Room Nurse Terry Foster joins the show to discuss the mood in ERs and hospitals right now, the future of telehealth in hospitals, and his appearance in the Netflix series "Untold Stories of the ER) The Camp Stove Incident (Netflix - Untold Stories of the ER)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XwsOFmEMik Terry Foster speaking page - http://www.capcityspeakers.com/speakers/Foster.htm