With all the noise out there it can sometimes be hard to get noticed. Especially if you want to get picked to speak in public. Public speaking for some is well terrifying, to say the least. Rated among the top of things that people are scared of the most. A new book, Get Picked: Tips, Tricks, and Tools for Creating Irresistible Speaker Proposals perhaps your fears will not be a much of a challenge. The official launch date of Get Picked by Aurora Gregory and David Pitlik is on June 28th. I have spoken publicly over the years in front of various audiences. I spent years as a deejay talking on a microphone at dozens of weddings, parties, and nightclubs. I decided to share my story and testimony in front of strangers at a gala. I also participated in a panel discussion recently on stage in front of a group of entrepreneurs. No matter the audience or venue, I wish I had known what it took to get picked and stick out as well as have more success with my speaker proposals. Get Picked is the resource I have been unknowingly looking for and thrilled to have found. You have a message, experience, and knowledge that needs to be heard. @GetPicked2Speak Click To Tweet Public speakers can be like anything else; you must rise above the crowd and stick out above the rest to get picked. This book is full of techniques and ways to get speaking gigs that are perfect for you and your niche. Everyone has a story to share […]

Read More

Unless you are still using a flip phone like a few people I may be related to; you likely have a smartphone and use its apps. An app is an application, one that likely has an icon on either your home screen or extended menu. Some apps are small software programs that run on your phone. Other apps are nothing more than a cute shortcut to a mobile site. Recently I was introduced to a relatively new app by accident. Late one night our new neighbor’s dog escaped. While we were helping him look for his dog, he introduced himself, handed me a piece of paper that had information about signing up for an app called Nextdoor. He briefly explained how it worked in his previous neighborhood in situations just like the one we were in. I had heard of Next door a couple of times previously and not paid it much mind. A few days past and I pulled out the now crumpled paper and decided to investigate a bit further. Next door is a social networking app that is all about your local community. Unlike Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or others it is an app that is developed for real relationships. To reach the application’s potential, once you sign up, you need to invite others to join. A caveat to that is you only can invite people that live in your local area, in your neighborhood. You can find the Nextdoor app in either your Google Play store on Android or the App Store for […]

Read More

For those of you that have followed my blog for long, you have learned that the children of Haiti have stolen my heart. Recently I had the pleasure to speak with the founder of REBUILD globally, Julie Colombino, who is helping the kids of Haiti with the Impact Shoe. If you have ever been to Haiti or even seen pictures you would see that the terrain there can be rather difficult. Since the earthquake in 2010, much of the infrastructure has been reduced to rubble. It is not uncommon for the children of Haiti to walk great distances. Sometimes a couple of miles of rough mountainous terrain each day to attend school. Shoes donated from countries around the world do not always provide the wear they need. Shoes bought at the dollar store, or hand-me-downs might last in countries with roads and sidewalks, but not where rocks and debris make your path. Orlando-based nonprofit, REBUILD globally, announces a groundbreaking initiative to tackle the root causes of poverty in Haiti with a revolutionary new product: a school shoe made from re-purposed and recycled materials that enables children to pursue their education. It is estimated that 50% of the children of Haiti do not attend school due to costs. Costs of not only the school, but also the uniforms, and shoes. To solve this and other problems, REBUILD globally created a Haitian for-profit company named deux mains designs. As a nonprofit organization fighting poverty, REBUILD globally felt that by creating a local business in Port-au-Prince, that gives […]

Read More