Tag: ted talks

David Lavin, president of The Lavin Agency speakers bureau, has a lot of experience working with TED speakers—in fact, he was invited by TED to deliver a keynote to their Fellows. As he tells negotiation and communication speaker Misha Glouberman in this exclusive discussion, the secret behind the success of TED is the people they put on stage. TED doesn't pick  average, run-of-the-mill speakers to lead their lectures. Rather, they choose people who are “genuinely, passionately, engaged in doing something that's incredible,” Lavin says. “People are hungry for content,” he continues. TED provides their attendees with an assortment of speakers who deliver quality content that inspires their audiences. We here at Lavin agree, and we represent an assortment of TED speakers sure to deliver rousing speeches no matter what the subject matter. TED recently announced its line up for its 2013 conference in Long Beach, including Lavin's own Jared Diamond and Camille Seaman.

“Suddenly with TED, with the videos online, people are watching lectures,” says Glouberman. Promoting these videos online has given a new rise to the public intellectual, and more people are seeking out these informative and engaging talks than ever before, he says. This has had a noticeable impact on the speaking industry, and has given rise to the public-speaker-as-rock-star mentality where a speaker can amass a real following. When Lavin booked one of his first lectures, he organized it as if it were a rock concert—complete with a large stage and the space for hundreds of attendees. And, as Lavin reminisces, the event sold out.

The breakthrough success of Glouberman's non-expert lecture series Trampoline Hall is another example of the rising popularity of the public speaker. In its home city of Toronto, the event has sold out every year since 2001. It has also received a great deal of praise and international acclaim. In addition to hosting this event, Glouberman also teaches a course called “How to Talk to People about Things” and co-authored the book The Chairs Are Where the People Go with Sheila Heti. He is an expert in the nuances of communication and negotiation, and his speeches help audiences learn to interact more effectively with others. He also has experience in the conference space and is a vital resource for those looking to make their next event a success.