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The Lavin Agency Speakers Bureau

A speakers bureau that represents the best original thinkers,
writers, and doers for speaking engagements.

Alan Doyle

Excellence means being ready and able to overdeliver—in any situation.

Musician and actor | Bestselling author of Where I Belong | Lead singer of Great Big Sea

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Be Prepared to Overdeliver

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You Either Work With People, or You Don’t

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Live Music and the Pandemic

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You Either Work With People, or You Don’t (2:08)

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Be Prepared to Overdeliver (2:10)

Lavin Exclusive Speaker

Best known as the front man to folk-rock legends Great Big Sea, Alan Doyle is a true renaissance man who embodies success in every passion he pursues. As a hit singer-songwriter, distinguished actor, and bestselling author, Doyle’s body of work stretches beyond artistic disciplines. Sharing essential life lessons he’s picked up along his storied career, Doyle’s talks explore how the key to excellence is over-preparedness: how knowing the task at hand inside and out allows you to adapt, improvise, and chase success without setbacks.

A true heart-on-his-sleeve Newfoundlander, Doyle’s career is not short of accolades. A recipient of the Order of Canada, his albums have sold over a million copies. Great Big Sea’s nine albums, double-disc hits retrospective, and two DVD releases have all been declared Gold or Platinum. He’s even a frequent collaborator in music and film with Russell Crowe! Having honed his skills as a fearless lead singer and performer, Doyle is a masterful storyteller with a meaningful message. More than just an entertainer, his keynotes fuse together core principles that have been key to his success onstage and off. Offering captivating anecdotes (along with maybe a song or two), Doyle illustrates how we can be more open to the opportunities that surround us daily—equipping yourself with a mindset that cultivates excellence in the process.

Aside from fronting one of the most iconic Canadian bands, Doyle is constantly working on a myriad of other projects. His third solo album, A Week at the Warehouse, cemented his reputation as one of Canada’s most treasured musicians and storytellers. As an actor, Doyle has starred in such features as Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood, as well as CBC’s Republic of Doyle and Murdoch Mysteries. He’s also scored numerous films like The Shipping News and Young Triffie’s Been Made Away With. Doyle has also penned two bestselling books, Where I Belong and A Newfoundlander in Canada.

Testimonials

Alan Doyle was an excellent closing to our convention this year. His stories and ending song had everyone on location singing and cheering. He paints the perfect representation of the differences and similarities of all Canadians. The perfect geography lesson.

Calgary City Teachers' Convention

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Speech Topics

Motivational

Chasing ExcellenceDoing Whatever the Day Asks of You

What does it take to be a peak performer at the top of your game? We often see professional athletes and entertainers as being naturally talented. What we don’t see is all the preparation—the collaboration and passion behind the scenes—that goes into excelling at every turn. It is this readiness, according to Alan Doyle, that is present in every top performer and team. Using stories from his legendary career as an artist, Doyle shows you how excellence means being able to improvise at a moment’s notice—and that nothing prepares you for going off book, like knowing the book forwards and backwards. Giving you practical life lessons in an endlessly entertaining fashion, Doyle shows us that preparation—be it for the next big concert, or business meeting—is the key to greatness.

Discovering CanadaA Newfoundlander Far from Home

Whether in a van, a bus, or occasionally in a broken car, few have had the opportunity to travel across the Canadian coasts like Great Big Sea front man Alan Doyle. Equal parts hilarious and heartwarming, Doyle tells numerous tales of leaving Petty Harbour, Newfoundland and discovering the unexpected in mainland Canada during his time on tour. Turning his perspective outward across the country, Doyle reflects on a life punctuated by triumphant leaps forward, deflating steps backward, and everything in between. On his many adventures, Doyle’s established notions about Canada were often debunked, while his own identity as a Newfoundlander was constantly challenged. Giving you an extraordinary snapshot of the great white north that’s as heartfelt as it is insightful, Doyle taps into the complexities of the Canadian community as told by a wandering musician trying to navigate a vast, diverse, and wonder-filled country.