Your Monthly News & Updates |
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In News Flash, we provide the highlights of the month with links to the stories you most want to read. You'll find the full edition of News Flash online here. Please forward this newsletter to others whose careers benefit by improved skills in speaking and presenting. Some examples are members of Toastmasters, ATD, MPI, ICF, and AZODN among others.
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A Message from Our President |
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Welcome to March! I hope this article finds you well and safe.
I am nine months into my term and the state of our chapter is strong during these trying times. We have provided world-class education and opportunities to stay connected via various labs.
During my term, I have promoted the following theme of Rethink, Retool, and Reinvent. And as such, your board of directors has been diligently working behind the scenes to continue providing you value for your membership. Here are just a few of the items we have rethought, retooled, and reinvented:
- We are proud to announce that we have finalized a new website and association management software. The software enables leadership more flexibility, you greater ease of use, and access to stronger financial and management tools. I would like to thank Rich Hamilton, Suzanne Lanctot, Elaine Simpson, and Paul Barton for all their valuable contributions to make this a reality.
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We have made the post monthly program sessions of the Professional Opportunity and Candidate session accessible to either professional members or candidates. This allows you to make the decision of which option best fits your professional goals and objectives.
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We have virtually continued to provide value with our Projects and Speakers Lab sessions. If you have not participated in these opportunities, you are missing out.
- We are exploring a new session to help you deal with the virtual realities of the speaking business. Stay tuned for more on this shortly.
- We have put together a plan for new member outreach which will generate both new professional members and candidates.
In closing, I would like to thank YOU for helping to keep our speaking community strong. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and no it is not an oncoming train, but a way forward.
Tomorrow is brighter, thanks to all the thought leadership you provide to others. Keep rethinking, retooling, and reinventing.
NSA-Arizona President
2020-2021
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NSA-AZ Monthly Meeting
Saturday, March 13, 2021
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THIS MEETING WILL BE VIRTUAL |
Networking: 8:30 a.m.
Presentation: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER—ON YOUR MARK: FROM FIRST WORD TO FIRST DRAFT IN SIX WEEKS with Cathy Fyock, CSP®, SPHR
You understand that a book could open the doors for prestigious speaking, coaching, and consulting engagements. A book could also be the calling card that grabs the attention of your hottest prospects, or could open the floodgates for media attention.
Maybe you've tried writing a book before and couldn’t get traction. Or you thought it was just too overwhelming, or believed you don’t have the time. No matter what the reason, long-time National Speakers Association member Cathy Fyock, CSP®, SPHR, has developed a process for you to get it done!
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Register by March 1st
SAVE 50%!
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Leverage the power and knowledge of the NSA-Arizona Professional Member community. Facilitated by Roger Rickard.
Join your peers as we develop tangible action items cultivated from the material presented during the monthly meeting. Accountability, brainstorming, and creative thinking lead to the tactical implementation of business-generation ideas!
Join us on Zoom from 12:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. immediately after the regular chapter meeting.
Attendance at the Professional Opportunity is included for Professional Members and Candidates in the meeting registration. All members are welcome!
Register in advance for this meeting by clicking here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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The NSA-Arizona Candidate Spring Program continues with its "Finding Your Niche" theme. Our March guest speaker will be Dr. Diane Hamilton, the Founder and CEO of Tonerra and Co-Founder of DIMA Innovations. Both are consulting and media-based businesses. Diane's path to success is laced with exciting opportunities for growth that helped her "own" her space in the marketplace.
Diane is the creator of the Curiosity Code Index® assessment, which is the first and only assessment that determines the factors that inhibit curiosity. She's also creator of the Perception Power Index, which determines the factors that impact the perception process. Her groundbreaking work helps organizations improve innovation, engagement, and productivity. Thinkers50 Radar, which identifies thought leaders, chose her as one of the top minds in management and leadership. Her work has been endorsed by some of the most respected names in leadership.
After Diane shares her story about how she arrived at her niche, candidates will have an opportunity to ask questions. Candidates will have many takeaways from their time spent with Diane. Don't miss it!
Register in advance for this meeting by clicking here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
As always, we’d love your feedback on your experience so far and what additional topics you might want to include in future sessions. Email Kay Sever.
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Dr. Diane Hamilton is a nationally syndicated radio host, keynote speaker, and the former MBA Program Chair at the Forbes School of Business. She has authored multiple books which are required in universities around the world. These include Cracking the Curiosity Code: The Key to Unlocking Human Potential, and The Power of Perception: Eliminating Boundaries to Create Successful Global Leaders.
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Say Hello to Projects Lab:
- A casual, virtual co-working support space to focus on a project
- Meets 2 hours, twice weekly
- Includes 3 mini-breaks of 5 minutes each to share or get fast feedback
The lab is based on evidence that bursts of focused work of 25-45 minutes align best with brain function. Also, mini-breaks promote productivity and reduce stress.
Recent Projects Lab examples:
- Commencement speech teleprompter preparation (Roger Rickard)
- Working on book (Michelle May, Marla Harr, Lynette Charity)
- Consultant training prep and handouts for winter NSA (Bob Pike)
- Caption conversion for videos and classes (Lynne Wellish)
- Preparing client projects and reports (Natalie Sayer, Denise, Michele Redmond)
There's been fun, like Lynette working on a comedy gig, but also crushing tedious tasks like invoicing. The mini-breaks offer a moment to refresh but often to share inspirational comments and helpful feedback.
Join us on Zoom:
- Mondays from 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. - Meeting ID: 810 0479 9119 | Passcode: PROJLAB
- Thursdays from 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. - Meeting ID: 896 0984 8982 | Passcode: PROJLAB
Typical Projects Lab Flow:
12:00-12:05: What’s your project/task/goal
12:05-12:40: Focused work
12:40-12:45: Break/Feedback
12:45-1:20: Focused work
1:20-1:25: Break/Feedback
1:25-1:55: Focused work
1:55-2:00: Feedback
If you'd like to work on a project, with the support of your peers, email Suzanne or Marla Harr for the LINK 24 hours prior to the session.
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In our current online environment, many of us have been presented with new challenges regarding engaging our audiences. Both the NSA Chapter meetings and the NSA Speakers Lab meetings have gone online. These present an appropriate opportunity for practicing in this environment and getting feedback.
Our presenters may seek help with marketing materials, website design, book ideas, or presentations. NSA-Arizona Speakers Lab is known for providing valuable feedback from skilled evaluators. They help the presenters (and others in the session) to engage their prospects, customers, clients, readers, or audience.
Our methodology: We ask presenters what their purpose is and what kind of feedback they want or need. We provide feedback in a structured environment that includes guidelines both for evaluators and for speakers. This helps to provide supportive, constructive, and useful advice.
Is there an area of your speaking or your speaking business that would benefit from some feedback? Come join us at Speakers Lab and experience the valuable feedback and encouragement to help you improve in any area of the speaking business.
Because of our host's scheduling conflict for the Tuesday morning sessions, we are shifting our attendance to the Wednesday evening meetings for the time being. An announcement regarding the Zoom session for the Lab will be emailed prior to the Speakers Lab. When you respond to that email to register for that session you will be provided with a link.
You may attend these sessions as a Guest. However, if you wish to present at the Lab, you must be a chapter member in good standing. We ask that you attend as a participant twice, before you sign up for time to present.
In a normal meeting, we have three 30-minute slots. Speakers can use the time to receive feedback and tips for a specific purpose, like trying out new material or trying a new form of speaking. They can also get feedback about marketing materials, web sites, or a book idea.
Upcoming Guest Enrichers
Wednesday, March 17, 2021 – Joe Sherren, CSP®
“Speakers Lab is one of the greatest features provided by NSA-Arizona. It is designed to be a safe place to not only practice and hone speaking skills, the feedback given by NSA members is extremely valuable and well worth the price of membership. I highly recommend Speakers Lab to anyone serious about advancing their speaking career.” — Rita Hudgens
NSA-Arizona Speaker Lab Leadership Team: Michael Haley, Debra Exner, Natalie Sayer, Antonio Valles.
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Congratulations to NSA-Arizona's newest Candidate:
Bonny Llyn
San Jose, CA
Call Bonny: 415.710.4524
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Volunteer Spotlight: Dr. Maria Church |
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Where do you live now? Where are you originally from? Do you share your home with pets or family? I live in Hereford, which is nestled in the canyons of Southern Arizona. I was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and as a young child lived outside of Washington D.C., in Maryland. My family moved to Tucson where I went to junior high, high school, and was an undergraduate at the University of Arizona. My husband and I share our yard with numerous birds, several lizard families, jack rabbits, and occasional deer.
Do you have any hobbies, travels, volunteer work, or other interesting things to share? I love to travel and go on foodie tours to try local cuisine.
What is your speaking specialty? I speak about Leading with Love, leadership, and organizational culture.
What kind of work did you do before you started speaking? Are you still doing that or other work in addition to speaking? I led the sales and marketing division for a Fortune 500 land developer and home builder. I am the CEO of Dr. Maria Church International with corporate and government divisions, along with Leadership Development University. I occasionally teach for different universities.
When did you start speaking? When did you join NSA-Arizona? I’ve been speaking for twenty years, mostly in university classrooms. Ten years ago, I launched my firm and started getting serious about a professional speaking career. I joined NSA approximately 8 years ago. (I think!)
How have you volunteered for our chapter? Yes, I was the dean of the Speakers Academy for 1.5 years, and president elect, president, and past president of the board.
For you, what is the best advantage of NSA-Arizona membership? The relationships and learning.
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Editor’s Note: This feature reminds you to take advantage of our fabulous lending library of NSA Convention recordings.
For those who asked, I can confirm that the recordings for Influence 2017 to 2019 are temporarily off line while the chapter website is under construction. Roger says the files are still in transition and will be back soon. In the meanwhile, your chapter library is still open for business for physical media. Tell me what you're looking for, I'll mail it to you, and you'll mail it back to me.
This month's keynote speaker, Cathy Fyock, will teach us her method to plan, draft, write, and then market our books in a short time (first draft in six weeks!). With this in mind, I would like to suggest the following titles related to creating, planning, publishing, and sale of books and other information products.
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Audio Products that Rock! Create Best-Selling Products and Distribute to 200 Million People by Bryan Heathman (CD, 2010)
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Available Wherever Books are Sold! Making Sure Your Book is Successful by Amy Collins. (mp3, 2014)
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The Book Game for Speakers, Extroverts, and Others Who Are Stalking Oprah by Dan Poynter. (CD, 2007)
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Building Your Digital Empire: How to Develop Provocative Content to Increase Your Thought Leadership, Dramatically Grow Your Business and Dominate Your Market by Chad Barr. (mp3, 2013)
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Content Licensing & Money-Making Tips for Speakers & Authors by Greg Hague (mp3, 2015)
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Earn Massive Profits by Selling Your Book by the Truckload! by Ted Rogers and Vickie Mullins (CD, 2010)
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From Back of Room to Front of Store: Growing Your Business With a Book by Meg La Borde and Clint Greenleaf (CD, 2008)
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From Platform to Print: How to Write and Publish Your Signature Story by LeAnn Thieman (CD, 2008)
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How to Create Products for Next to Nothing, by Warwick Merry (mp3, 2015)
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How to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon by Penny Sansvieri (mp3, 2014)
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How to Strengthen Everything You Write by Barbara McNichol (mp3, 2013)
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How to Write Your Book with Voice to Text Quickly and Easily End Writer's Procrastination Now! by Susan Fitzell (mp3, 2015)
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Info Product Wealth: Strategies for a Purposeful, Profitable Product Empire, by Stephanie Frank (CD, 2007)
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Make Money in Your Jammies: Creating Income from Blogs, Teleseminars, Webinars, and Subsequent Products by Rebecca Morgan (CD, 2010)
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No-Nonsense Book Marketing Ideas that Won't Break the Bank by Elaine Durnier (CD, 2009)
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Profit Ability: Leverage Your Message with Innovative Digital Products by Nick Night (mp3, 2015)
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Writers/Publishers PEG Session by Bob Wendover (mp3, 2014)
Please contact me for physical media, or download instructions for digital media.
Richard is NSA-Arizona’s librarian who accepts donations of books, tapes, magazines, CDs, and videos of interest to speakers. Contact Richard for instructions to download recent NSA Convention sessions.
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Influence 2021: July 10–July 12, 2021–Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, NV
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Word Tripper from the Platform |
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Do you ever confuse this word pair? Now you know the difference so you won't get tripped up!
Number, amount – You’ve likely heard people say, “Consider the amount of stores or the amount of muffins," etc. In these phrases, the word “number” should be used instead of “amount.” Hint: If you can quantify or count the objects, use “number,” not “amount.” Therefore, the correct phrases are “Consider the number of stores, the number of muffins, etc.”
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Due to COVID, Living Room Forum has been cancelled until further notice. |
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Email your News Flash announcements to editor Linda-Ann Stewart at or call 928-600-0452 by 15th of each month. Thanks to proofreaders Michelle Cubas and Richard Victor.
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