Update From Our President | I wanted to say “Thank You” to James for getting us into COhatch for our November meeting. Thanks also to everyone who helped pitch in to get the room ready for Ross Bernstein’s presentation and our memorial for Mj Callaway, a previous president of NSA, who impacted everyone she met. It was heartwarming to hear testimonials about Mj from so many chapter members. Many thanks to Lisa Ryan for coming to our meeting from Cleveland. She and Debbie Peterson created a special program for chapter members, the proceeds of which will be donated to the NSA Foundation in Mj’s name. See the article below or the NSA Pittsburgh website for details. The deadline is Dec. 30 to sign up for the program. The chapter will also make a donation to the foundation in Mj’s memory. Thank you again Lisa and Debbie.
Wow! Was Ross Bernstein great! What a real and down to earth guy. We enjoyed meeting his wife at dinner on Friday night. Was his presentation powerful or what? I am already using some of the ideas he shared with us. We ended up with one or two new members after our meeting too!
Thank you to everyone who attended our Holiday Gala at the historic Grand Concourse. We enjoyed have great hors d’oeuvres, a raffle, and wonderful music by the talented Jamie DeRosa. We're grateful for the opportunity to come together and celebrate our special NSA Pittsburgh Chapter and our members. What a great group we have.
Our Hall Of Fame Speaker series has been a big success in so many ways. I can’t believe it is December already.
Happy Holidays to you and your families.
Karin J. Lund
Proud President
NSA Pittsburgh
| November Speaker - Ross Bernstein, CSP, CPAE
The Champion's Code: How I Consistently Book 100+ Keynotes a Year | A tell-tale sign of the power of Ross’ presentation was how long people hung around after the session. He was electric, tremendously engaging, loaded with insights, and very present, making sure that we learned as much as he could fill us with. He wasn’t trying to sell anything; he just wanted what was best for us to grow our own businesses. He presented a wide range of ideas to connect with potential clients, drive sales, and generate momentum. It was evident that he excels in customer service and gave us great advice so we can do the same. He made it clear that to succeed, we must follow industry trends and know what potential clients are looking for. Know what their pain is and how you can fix it for them.
Mark LeBlanc’s presentation in September was a touchdown. Patricia Fripp’s presentation in October was a touchdown. And Ross Bernstein’s presentation in November was a touchdown. I hope you were able to catch them all. NSA Pittsburgh rocks and we hope you’ll join us for the second half of our season starting in January. The speakers and dates are below.
|
Beth Ziesenis: CSP
How to Turn Your Content into a Mini-Book over a Weekend
Saturday, January 18, 9:00am – Noon / COhatch
Frank Kitchen: CSP
S.P.I.C.E. U.P. Your Speaking Business!
Saturday, February 8, 9:00am – Noon / COhatch
Lois Creamer
Book More Business; Growing Your Business in a Competitive Market
Saturday, March 15, 9:00am – Noon / COhatch
Rob Ferre: CSP
Next Level Audience Engagement
Saturday, April 12, 9:00am – Noon / COhatch
Tami Evans: CSP
ShowBUSINESS: Ideas to Punch Up your Presentation
Saturday, May 17, 9:00am – Noon / COhatch
| At the November meeting Karin gave a wonderful tribute to our Past President Mj Callaway, who passed away on October 20. Several member also shared their fond memories of this amazing woman. A video of the tribute can be found here.
As a way to honor Mj, Lisa Ryan and Debbie Peterson have teamed up to provide a 90-minute virtual training program for our chapter.
Unlock Your Speaking Success: Success Strategies for Speakers
Date: Monday, December 30, 2024
Time: 11:00 am - 12:30 pm ET
Location: Zoom
Cost: $50, which will be donated to the NSA Foundation.
All registrants will receive a recording of the session.
Equip yourself for a successful 2025 with service-driven strategies, powerful systems, and the knowledge that your participation is making an impact. All proceeds from this event will be donated to the NSA Foundation in Mj's name.
| It was outstanding and a true celebration of all that our chapter does so well. Karin did a marvelous job organizing it, selecting the food, creating great raffle items, and decorating beautifully. Jamie’s music was uplifting and beautiful. We’ll have lots of pictures in the January newsletter. Thank you to everyone who was able to come. | 116 years ago, NSA’s founder, Cavett Robert, CSP, CPAE, was born in Starkville, Mississippi. Long before founding NSA in July 1973, Cavett Robert had already carved out a distinguished and entrepreneurial path as a lawyer. It was this rich tapestry of experiences that shaped the Core Values of NSA—values that continue to guide and inspire us daily.
Cavett’s philosophy was rooted in inclusivity and growth. He famously said, “Don't worry about how we divide up the pie, there is enough for everybody. Let’s just make a bigger pie!”
His legacy is not just in the words he spoke but in the collaborative spirit he fostered among speakers. He encouraged us to not only pursue our passions in the speaking industry but to also support and grow alongside our fellow speakers.
Each year NSA members celebrate the "Spirit of Cavett" day on November 16th. Though the day has passed for 2024, we hope that you will take a moment to reflect on your own journey. How did you embark on the path of becoming a speaker? What led you to become a part of our vibrant NSA community? Think back to those who have supported and inspired you along the way, just as Cavett supported many.
Let’s honor Cavett’s memory by continuing to nurture and grow our community! Tag us on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram using #MyCavett, and tell us about the NSA member who encouraged you to keep building and pursuing your speaking business.
Thank you for helping us build a bigger pie!
|  |
Steel City Speakers is NSA Pittsburgh’s dynamic new Facebook group. This vibrant community is for anyone in the greater Pittsburgh area with a passion for speaking. Join us to share your experiences, gain knowledge, and elevate your speaking game alongside fellow enthusiasts.
| Member Spotlight: Rich Ermlick | Originally, from Portsmouth, VA, Rich moved to Charleroi when he was 6. Currently, he lives next door to the generational family house where he grew up.
His business is called Boring Excellence LLC—Bringing Stability and Excellence to Businesses and Humans. He joined NSAP in 2014 “as a factory-floor worker, seeking to grow my musician and energy healing businesses. I used knowledge gained and social support to transition into a global company leader and launch a consultancy.”
He is a member of the Board of Directors and serves as Secretary. He writes “Speaking (and writing) does two things for me: 1) It forces me to focus and clarify my message. 2) It gives my message a wider reach."
|
"I never thought of myself as a speaker. Groups kept asking me to speak to them about music and healing. It took several years of that to find this group via random search result. I had to grow into the identity of a speaker and a leader.” When he is speaking he said he likes to talk about “practical ways that people can address their problems. My focus is generally on using simple methods to find and fix the (apparently) small issues that cause big pain.”
When asked who his audiences are, he said “I serve as the main lay-minister and give the sermon a few times per month at our local church. I also look for business leaders and people who have the authority to make penetrating changes to whatever systems they are working in. I seek to impact those who can affect significant change.”
| | |
When asked why he thinks he is a good speaker, he said “I do not think of myself as ‘good’ or ‘bad.’ Self-judgement can be lethal. For me it’s focusing on serving the audience as deeply as possible. I simply look to improve myself and my skills.” His speaking goals are “To use speaking on platforms as a way to raise awareness of my message, establish myself as a true expert, and attract the right buyers in raving hordes.”
As for what makes him unique, Rich said “I used to use music like some use heroin. I was completely disconnected from and escaping life (and myself). So now I use every interaction and speaking opportunity to bring connections—powerful connections through deeper understanding. And then help people to craft non-complex ways to express themselves and those connections. This works in business at scale and in life in deeply personal settings.”
“I want you, the reader, to know that I believe in you and your inherent greatness. Feel that energy right now.”
| We are so pleased to welcome Ebtehal Badawi to our chapter. We will do everything we can to support your journey!
| Working on these questions will shift the focus off of you and put your conscious mind to better use. As a speaker, replace self-consciousness with lesson-consciousness and ask “What do you want your audience to learn?” When you focus on that, you instantly take the spotlight off yourself and put it on the listener, where it should be. Doing this reduces self-consciousness and you’ll stop eroding your confidence. A lot of success has to do with aiming your focus onto thoughts that will increase confidence. | May your holidays be filled with all the people you love, the traditions you hold dear, good will to all, and peace on earth.
| “Find out what's keeping your clients up at night and offer hope.
Your theme must be an answer to their fears."
— Gerald C. Myers | © 2024 NSA Pittsburgh. All rights reserved.
4607 Library Road, Suite 220 #513
Bethel Park, PA 15102-6909
www.nsapittsburgh.org
admin@nsapittsburgh.org | |