Do More With Less Using AI (Issue 09)

THE PROBLEM: You know you need a keynote on "innovation," but does that mean a Silicon Valley executive at $75K, a local startup founder at $5K, or someone in between? You're juggling three constraints that feel impossible to balance: finding someone compelling enough to justify the investment, available in your city (or willing to travel), AND within a budget your CFO won't laugh at. Plus, your boss just said "get someone inspiring but not too salesy" - helpful, right?

THE SOLUTION: The Speaker Discovery Engine acts like a matchmaker between your specific needs and the entire web of speakers - not just the famous ones. It factors in your location, budget reality, and actual event goals to surface options you didn't know existed: the former Nike exec who lives 30 minutes away, the researcher whose work perfectly illustrates your conference theme, or the up-and-coming thought leader who'll do it for half the price because they want the exposure.

HOW IT WORKS:

1. Input your real constraints (budget, location, date, topic, audience profile)

2. Define success ("what does a home run look like for this keynote?")

3. GPT searches across the internet to find:

   • Local experts who don't need travel costs

   • Rising stars willing to work within your budget

   • Virtual options that could save 40% on fees

WHAT YOU GET:

• 5-7 speaker options ranked by fit, not fame

• Specific talking points that connect to YOUR conference theme

• Speaker fees if available

Ask follow up questions to better understand potential additional fees, and how you can gain negotiation leverage points ("They did IBM's event for $X last month").

Real Example Output: "Based on your $15K budget for AI + creativity in Denver, here are 3 local options, 2 rising stars who'd travel for that fee, and 1 virtual option at $8K that would let you also bring in a panel. The local Microsoft alumni entrepreneur scores highest for audience fit and has recent talks showing strong engagement..."

The goal? Stop settling for whoever's available and start finding speakers who make your attendees put their phones down.

DISCLAIMER: AI is not better than a bureau agent (yet). It’s a great place to start, but it’s limited by web search and SEO meaning it won’t always show you the real #1 option.

Ashlee Nelson, Founder & Event Strategist, just shared what every event planner thinks but rarely says out loud:

A recent LinkedIn post by her reveals the five things that make planners stop scrolling and book immediately, and they're exactly what you should be looking for when evaluating speakers.

1. Start With Specificity, Not Star Power

Ashlee's first point is gold: Look for speakers who own their lane. "Keynote Speaker on How Leaders Can Retain Top Talent in a Hybrid World" tells you exactly what you're getting. "Leadership Expert"? That could mean anything.

When evaluating speakers, specificity is your friend. The speaker who can articulate exactly what they deliver is usually the one who actually delivers it.

2. The 60-Second Test

As Ashlee says, "A 60-second stage clip beats a 10-paragraph bio every time." But here's what to watch for in those 60 seconds: Do they have dynamic range?

After watching hundreds of speaker reels, the best presentations have natural peaks and valleys - the moment everyone laughs, the pause for reflection, the story that makes everyone lean in. If their reel is one sustained energy level (all hype or all serious), their keynote probably is too. Look for speakers who show they can work the emotional spectrum.

3. The Right Testimonials Matter More Than Perfect Scores

if you can find specific NPS ratings on a talk, that’s ideal. "100% rated 5/5" is a good sign, but it’s better to be able to reference past client testimonials that say more than just a word or two.

"Great speaker!" means something if it’s from a reputable source, but "Our developer audience - who usually multitask through keynotes - put their laptops down" really quantifies their impact. Find speakers who have proof they work for YOUR type of audience.

4. The Pre-Call Reveals Everything

Here's what Ashlee didn't mention but I've learned from experience: what differentiates good speakers from great speakers often is reflected in their ability to communicate how their content is relevant to the audience.

Recently, a speaker for a utilities conference asked: "I've worked with utilities before - are these mostly operations folks or corporate leaders? Within utilities, are they full service or specifically water or electricity?" That specificity showed they'd customize, not just swap the logo on slide 2.

Red flag questions: "What does your company do?" "Will there be a greenroom?" Green flag questions: "What's the one thing attendees struggle with most?" "What would make this a home run for you?"

5. The Hidden Cost of Hidden Fees

If you can publish your rates, it helps planners make a quick decision. As Ashlee puts it: "I move FAST." When you're juggling multiple speakers and your CEO wants options by EOD, the speaker with clear pricing gets the call. The mysterious one gets skipped.

The AI Research Advantage

While speakers are polishing their marketing materials, you can use AI to dig deeper. Run their name through search tools to find:

• Recent talks (are they recycling content?)

• Social media positions (any brand risks?)

• Actual credentials (is that "bestselling author" claim real?)

• Pattern recognition (do they consistently deliver for similar events?)

The best speakers have nothing to hide and everything to share.

As Ashlee perfectly concludes: "Great speakers inspire audiences. Bookable speakers inspire confidence in planners."

When evaluating speakers, look for both. The one who makes it easy for you to say yes is usually the one who makes it easy for your audience to remember why they came.

This week, I'm doing something different - sharing my own journey from seeing AI's potential to building tools that solve real problems event professionals face every day.

The Background You Didn't Know

Before launching this newsletter and building GPTs used by 700+ event professionals, I had a unique vantage point on both AI and events. Growing up with a father who co-founded Siri gave me early exposure to what AI and many of the people heavily involved in the space, but programming was never my strong suit.

After the launch of ChatGPT, I saw firsthand how far you can get using AI without a technical background. I started chatting with event professionals and noticed that most people feel as overwhelmed as I did growing up around AI, but aren’t aware of the change accessability.

Now, there’s a massive gap between AI's capabilities and how event professionals are (or aren’t) using it.

From Observation to Implementation

Two weeks ago, I did an in-person keynote at MPI Northern California and introduced my AI Readiness Framework - a systematic approach to identifying which event tasks are ready for automation TODAY versus which should stay human forever.

The Three Principles That Drive My Work:

1. Start Where It Hurts Most: The best AI implementations solve problems that make planners say "ugh, not this again." That's why every GPT I build comes from an actual planner's complaint.

2. 10x Better, Not 10% Better: AI should transform tasks, not just tweak them. The Timeline Generator is build to cut planning from 4 hours to 30 minutes.

3. Human Touch Stays Sacred: Some things should never be automated. Client relationships, creative vision, on-site crisis management - these remain uniquely human. AI should handle the mundane so you can focus on the magic.

What I'm Building Next

After the last few months of conversations, three themes keep emerging:

• The need for AI that understands context (not just follows prompts)

• Tools that integrate with existing workflows (not create new ones)

• Solutions that save time without sacrificing quality

The Speaker Discovery Engine you saw today? That came from my day-to-day just realizing how hard it can be to source keynote speakers! The next tool will tackle another universal pain point - stay tuned.

The Bigger Picture

We're at an inflection point. Event professionals who embrace AI as a force multiplier will thrive. As I tell every audience: "AI doesn't do your job yet. It does the parts of your job you wish you didn't have to do."

Want to see these frameworks in action? Book me for your next event through Speak About AI or reply to this email. I love showing event professionals how to reclaim their time while delivering better experiences.

💊 Director, Meeting Planning @ Shionogi Inc. (Florham Park, NJ | Hybrid) – Lead all non-HCP meetings including national sales meetings and C-suite events. Manage vendor relationships, budgets, and SOPs while ensuring compliant delivery. $180,000-$210,000 + bonus. Apply here

💼 Event Planner Associate @ Blackstone (New York, NY | On-site) – Plan and execute high-visibility corporate, investor, and internal events. Support budget management, venue selection, and compliance for a leading investment firm. $92,000-$135,000 + bonus. Apply here

👟 Event Planner II @ Brooks Running (Seattle, WA | Hybrid) – Lead North American and global internal events including holiday parties, leadership summits, and company-wide initiatives. Partner with executive stakeholders to align events with company culture and values. $64,169-$96,254/year. Apply here

🏦 Events & Partnerships Specialist @ OnPoint Community Credit Union (Portland, OR | On-site) – Execute high-profile brand activations with OSAA and Live Nation. Lead concert and championship event logistics, track ROI. 4+ years experience required. Apply here

🎬 Manager, Partnerships @ Sundance Institute (Remote, relocate near Boulder by 2026) – Manage partner relationships and Festival activations for one of the world's premier film festivals. Lead sponsor benefits and Festival planning. $54,000-$60,000 + full benefits. Apply here

Check out the full spreadsheet with 100+ up-to-date event jobs here.

Are you hiring? I can spread the word. Reply to this email with any job opportunities and I’ll add it to the sheet!