January Speaker
Chuck Gallagher
The Speaker's Edge: AI For Marketing & Content | | When our January speaker, Beth Ziesenis, got sick, we were very fortunate that Chuck Gallagher was able to step in at the last minute. Chuck is an expert on AI and took a lot of the mystery out of it for us. He taught us how to leverage this incredible tool as our own marketing assistant. He gave us proven techniques to pitch ourselves, attract opportunities, build a better brand, reach ideal clients and craft a unique speaker profile. He demonstrated how giving AI better prompts creates amazing results. “It will do whatever you ask or tell it to; the trick is to do that well.”
He taught us how Google analyzes content and how we can manage our information so the platform ranks us higher on searches. He highly recommended using Google alerts as well. You can set it up to send you articles on your topics or on businesses that are hiring you so you can better connect with them. | | | February Speaker: Frank Kitchen, CSP
S.P.I.C.E. Up Your Speaking Business!
February 8, 2025 | 9:00 am - 12:00 noon
CoHatch Waterfront |  | A Steady Stream of Paid Speaking Opportunities is the key to every successful Speaking Business. Join Frank Kitchen as he reveals the ingredients needed to fill your calendar. In this hands-on experience, Frank will demonstrate the recipe he used to go from being a novice speaker hungry for bookings to being distinguished by the National Speakers Association as one of the world’s top Professional Speakers. You and other participants will partake in a series of interactive learning exercises, thought-provoking questions, and discussions that will demonstrate how to stimulate the profits of your Professional Speaking Business. You will learn how to craft the mindset of a successful professional speaker, how to position yourself as an industry expert, the recipe for filling your calendar with paid speaking opportunities, and how to transform your network into your personal sales team.
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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
| Last Story Standing Contest |
How well can you tell a story? Enter the Last Story Standing Contest and find out! Compete to be NSA Pittsburgh's Chapter Champion, with a chance to tell your story on the main stage at Influence! Enter here on the contest webpage and upload your story of 5 minutes or less by February 15. Stories are judged on purpose, impact, and delivery. The winner receives a free coaching session from Charlie Krebs and another from a national NSA mentor before being entered in the NSA Regional Competition, plus a professional video of them retelling their story at our March meeting. All entrants will receive valuable feedback on their storytelling skills.
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NSA Pittsburgh will be offering 3 free training sessions in public speaking in March. Charlie Krebs, our Vice-President, who taught speaking and theatre for 22 years before retiring and moving to Pittsburgh, will be teaching them. The sessions will be online and free to members. Non-NSAP members can pay to attend and deduct that fee from a new NSA membership within 30 days. Look for an email with more details. |
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:James Protin |
Originally from Charleroi, PA, James has lived in the Pittsburgh area for 65 years. He is a senior consultant in engineering and construction. “I was introduced to NSAP by my dear friend Mj Calloway during her Presidency but didn’t become a member until last year. What I like most about speaking is that there’s an intimate connection with the audience that can’t be felt in any other way.”
When asked what drew him to speaking, he said “I’ve struggled with depression for decades. I was amazed at how many people are battling some form of mental illness. I want them to know they’re not alone and healing is possible. We don’t have power over most of what life throws our way—whether it’s loss, hardship, or unexpected change—but we do have power over our minds and how we respond to life’s challenges.”
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He says his audience is anyone who has experienced trauma or adversity in their life. When asked why he thinks he is a good speaker, he said “I think in a word it’s authenticity. My signature talk is vulnerable and a bit emotionally raw. My goals are: to make people aware that having a mental illness doesn’t mean you’re crazy, to show people that healing is possible, and to encourage and empower them to raise their hand to seek help.”
When asked what makes him unique, James said “My journey from my last dark day, to stop being at the mercy of my circumstances, to stepping into the light, and beginning to live in alignment with my highest values.” One of his favorite moments was becoming a Grandpa. Other highlights include starting a podcast in 2021 and publishing his first book The Person in the Chair, Becoming Your Authentic Self, in 2024.
| | | We are so pleased to welcome three new members to our chapter: Jeff Corle, Eric Pensenstadler, and Andrew Reichert. We will do everything we can to support your journey!
| We normally associate worry with negativity: “What if this goes wrong?” “What if that doesn’t work?” “What if people don’t like my speech?” Our objective in worrying is usually to preempt bad things from happening but, when we worry about what we don’t want to happen, we often throw gasoline on that very problem making it even worse.
The answer isn’t to stop worrying.
The answer is to KEEP worrying but turn it around and worry positively? “What if I succeed?” “What if this goes well?” “What if they love me?” And see how you can make things better. | “Speak like you talk, not like you write."
— Craig Valentine | © 2025 NSA Pittsburgh. All rights reserved.
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admin@nsapittsburgh.org | |