Pivoting a Speaking Career in a Time of Pandemic [Podcast]

Podcast #185 – Marc Interviews Thom Singer Who Has Had His Speaking Career of 11 Years Disrupted

Description:

Thom has authored twelve books on the power of business relationships, sales, networking, presentation skills, and entrepreneurship, and regularly speaks to corporate, law firm, and convention audiences. He sets the tone for better engagement at industry events as the opening keynote speaker or the Master of Ceremonies. The unique Conference Catalyst Program has become a “meeting planners” favorite in how it transforms the conference attendee experience.

As the host of the popular “Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do” podcast, Thom interviews business leaders, entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and others who possess an extra dose of the entrepreneurial spirit. The information compiled from these compelling interviews is shared with his clients, as he challenges people to be more engaged and enthusiastic in all their actions.

Thom earned the prestigious Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation in 2014. The Certified Speaking Professional designation, established in 1980, is the speaking industry’s international measure of professional platform skill. The CSP designation is conferred by the National Speakers Association (NSA) only on those speakers who have earned it by meeting strict qualifying criteria. The letters CSP following a speaker’s name identify that speaker as a speaking professional with a proven track record for understanding and delivering value from the platform.

In early March of 2020, Thom saw all of his business disappear.

This episode is sponsored by Career Pivot. Check out the Career Pivot Community.

Now on to the podcast…

Thom first appeared on this podcast in episode 15 – On Becoming The Conference Catalyst with Thom Singer [Podcast].

Thom had pivoted from being a business development, and salesperson to being a full-time public speaker.

Thom had been speaking to audiences for 11 years. He had built a solid lifestyle business where he was on the road for 100 nights a year. He thought he would ride this ride out for the next 10 years. The 2nd quarter of 2020 looked like it was going to be the best quarter ever and then on 3 days in March Thom saw all of that evaporate.

He tried to maintain a positive attitude. He was not alone as the entire meeting industry came to a grinding halt.

Going Virtual

The first natural pivot was to go virtual. Many of Thom’s clients switched their events to be virtual.

Thom and Eliz Greene who I interviewed in Episode #170 several years ago started the Conference Talk Show thinking that many events would go hybrid being both online and in person. That really did not happen.

Thom and Eliz revamped it to be the Webinar Talk Show.

Thom found that associations were not willing to pay at the same level for virtual presenters as they would for in-person ones. To make this work he would have to present 2 to 4 times as much just to make the same amount of money.

Talking to a Smart People Everyday

Every day Monday through Friday Thom spoke to someone smart. He looked through his Rolodex and scheduled a 30-minute zoom call.

One of those calls resulted in being offered a part-time position as an executive recruiter. Thom made a career pivot and started with Stanton Chase. Thom had been offered executive recruiter positions earlier in his career so this was not a foreign idea. He would also get to keep his speaking business and podcast.

The compensation is mostly commission.

Thom knows that the speaking business gets tougher as you approach the age of 60. He sees executive search as a complementary role to his speaking business.

Thom rebranded his podcast Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do, which had 574 episodes, and it is now called Making Waves at C-Level.

Thom is being scrappy. He started reading eastern philosophy and Buddhist literature last November. Thom learned to separate who Thom is and what Thom does. That allowed to Thom to stay calm and think clearly.

Listen to Daniel Elizalde how he used his blog and podcast to pivot –> How to Pivot Industries Using a Blog and a Podcast [Podcast]

Thom did not want to take a job only to quit the job when the speaking industry comes back.

Thom’s network has been there for him.

Emergency Fund

Thom is looking at making his emergency funds last.

Thom has been working virtually for associations that have had their budgets have been slashed. He has developed a new presentation Social Tightening When Social Distancing.

He is working on making his 6-month emergency fund last 9 or more months.

You can virtually touch him at ThomSinger.com.