Oct 1, 2020
Corporate Executive To Professional Speaker
James Taylor interviews Dr Shirley Davis and they talked about
going
from Corporate Executive To Professional Speaker
In today's episode Dr Shirley Davis they talk about going from Corporate Executive To Professional Speaker
Dr Shirley Davis is an accomplished international keynote speaker, corporate executive, President of SDS Global Enterprises and a master of reinvention. She has over 20 years of business experience and has worked at five Fortune 50 and 100 companies in various senior and executive leadership roles. Most recently, she was the Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion and Workplace Strategies for the Society of Human Resource Management, the world’s largest HR association. She’s been featured and quoted in NBC’s The Today Show, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. Shirley is a Board Member of the National Speakers Association and holds a Bachelor’s in Pre-Law; a Master’s in HR Management; and a PhD in Business and Organization Management.
What we cover:
- Transitioning from a corporate job to full-time professional speaker
- Diversity at events
- Positioning as a business strategy
Resources:
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Read full transcript at https://speakersu.com/corporate-executive-to-professional-speaker-sl082/
James Taylor
Hi, it's James Taylor, founder of SpeakersU. Today's episode was first
aired as part of International Speakers Summit the world's largest
online event for professional speakers. And if you'd like to access
the full video version, as well as in depth sessions with over 150
top speakers, then I've got a very special offer for you. Just go
to InternationalSpeakersSummit.com,
where you'll be able to register for a free pass for the summit.
Yep, that's right 150 of the world's top speakers sharing their
insights, strategies and tactics on how to launch grow and build a
successful speaking business. So just go to InternationalSpeakersSummit.com
but not before you listen to today's episode.
Hey there, it's James Taylor, and I'm delighted today to be joined by Dr. Shirley Davis. Dr. Shirley Davis is an accomplished international keynote speaker, corporate executive president of SDS, global enterprises, and a master of reinvention. She has over 20 years of business experience and has worked at five of Fortune 50 and 100 companies in various senior and executive leadership roles. Most recently, she was the Global Head of diversity and inclusion and workplace strategies for the Society of Human Resource Management as the world's largest HR organization. She's been featured and quoted in NBC, as D show USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, surely is a board member of the National Speakers Association, and holds a bachelor's in pre law, a master's in HR management, and a PhD in business and organization management. And it's my great pleasure to have today. And I feel incredibly under qualified now that I've just got to read all your incredible quote, you're so so share with me show everyone what was going on in your world, just now what's happening
Dr. Shirley Davis
is a lot happening. As I am mentioning to you, I'm heading out on a
six city tour over the next seven days, I'll be there delivering
seven speeches, I do have the absolute pleasure to one of those
stops will be at the Les Brown speakers Institute. And I will be
one of the speakers there. I traveled with les for about five
years. He is one of my mentors, my coaches and certainly a friend
of mine. And so he's asked me to come in train some other speakers.
So that's one of the things going on. Another great opportunity
that's happening is my business has really expanded in a way that I
wasn't anticipating. But with all of the revelations and a lot of
the conversations going on now with me too. And Time's up. My HR
background has really catapulted me into an opportunity now to
start doing a lot more work with organizations around how to build
more harassment free, respectful and inclusive workplaces. So
James Taylor
that's really taken off. And so we're gonna come into that and a
little bit as well, because I really want to start talking about
especially as it relates to the world of word of speaking in
events. But before I do, how did you get started in this this world
of speaking, I mentioned earlier, you have this very strong
corporate American America kind of background. How did you end up
in the in the world of being a professional speaker,
Dr. Shirley Davis
professional speaker is one thing, but I actually have been
speaking since I was about six years old. My very, very first
public speech, was as valedictorian of my kindergarten class and my
teachers actually saw something in me early on before I even knew
that this is what I was going to be called to do. But
professionally, actually, I think it's just it's been a calling for
me. I have been working, as you mentioned, corporate America, but
in human resources, and much of what I've done in addition to
corporate training and development and leadership development, has
been speaking on behalf of the company. So I've done everything
from media interviews to keynotes to their clients and customers,
to just doing training every day for our staff and our leaders and
executives. And that's really what prepared me to ultimately then
you know, move out on my own and be doing this full time for
James Taylor
my business. And as you started taking those first steps to moving
from from the corporate world to becoming a professional speaker,
who were those early mentors or guides for you who the people that
maybe you mentioned, les, Les Brown there as well, but with with
other people that can take you under their wing to help you can
support you in that journey.
Dr. Shirley Davis
Yeah. Les Brown, obviously, was one that I've been following for
years anyway, but I actually had been following early on the zigzag
colors. I followed the Jolo stains and the TD Jakes because there
they are worldwide ministries, and that's that was important to me.
They're great, motivational, inspirational speakers as well. So
those have been some of my mentors, obviously, I tracked you know,
Del Toro McNeal, he's one of my friends as well as a colleague in
this business. Simon T. Bailey is a great example of some of those.
And then I just I study a lot of different speakers, Tony Robbins,
obviously, always looking at who's the best at the top of their
Echelon, and what can I learn from them.
James Taylor
Now, we have this kind of romantic notion of if you come from the
corporate world, and you want to become a speaker of kind of going
in there on Monday morning and handing in your notice and say,
that's it. I'm going to be an author. I'm going to be a speaker.
This is who I am. I'm going to go I'm going to go out there. Is
that what it's like in real life. I don't come from the corporate
world, but I can have it My imagination like in the movies, that's
kind of the speaker's journey going from corporate to there. What
was your journey? Did it have anything in resemblance to that?
Dr. Shirley Davis
No, actually, it was a journey, because I actually, for me, had to
work an exit strategy. So it took me three years to get up the
courage to actually put the infrastructure in place to really build
the kind of business that I wanted to have before I started. So I
literally planned for it over a three year period, while I was
still working in corporate America, timing for me is everything. So
what I knew was time for me was whenever I started getting more and
more requests to come into organizations, and to corporations, to
do separate speeches from what I was doing, when I was working at
the Society for human resource management, I was getting a lot more
of those requests. When I went to talk to General Counsel, about
you know, is this something I can do with my five weeks of
vacation, and you know, do some of this on my own time? And they
said, No. So I thought, okay, so I feel like I'm a little bit
confined and limited here. And I really can't live my dream because
I'm confined by job description. So I literally worked a three year
exit strategy. And during that time, I had to reaffirm my what I
had to lay out my business plan my three to five year business
plan, I had to get my family on board and get all the moral support
and build my network, I had to get my finances in order. And then I
had to, like I said, build the infrastructure and get the right
resources in place. So I plan to succeed, and I plan to be in this
thing for a long time.
James Taylor
So it must have been quite a nerve wracking time as well. I mean,
going from having that regular paycheck that's coming in, and
health insurance, and all those kind of things that go with that as
well, to going into a world of really kind of entrepreneurship, as
a speaker. Was was that, you know, was there like a particularly
dark time in that period, when you were kind of going through those
changes where you felt? I just don't know if I can I can do this,
if I've got the stuff to be able to make this happen? Or are we all
Have you always been this kind of confident type of person?
Dr. Shirley Davis
Not at all? Not at all. So that's again, why I said it took me
three years, because part of that was building up courage and
building up my faith and, and praying and asking, okay, is this
really, really what I'm supposed to be doing on my own? And is this
the right time. So that's what took me some time to do that. And
during that time, is when I was saving up money, I was saving up my
bonus checks, I was saving up my vacation of unpaid leave, I was
saving up, you know, tax refunds. And so I literally when I left my
corporate job, I had a year's worth of salary saved up so that just
in case things didn't work out, I had a backup plan to at least pay
my bills. So it really was important. And for me, I think having
that plan in place. And having thought this through and I talked to
so many speakers and business leaders to find out what it was that
they did to succeed. But what are the things that they learned in
order not to fail, that really helped me but I was very afraid. And
that steady paycheck and a six figure income and, and having the
benefits and all of that being lost was one of the reasons why I
put in place having a backup of having my own one year salary saved
up now.
James Taylor
You get to speak all over the world now. And you and I were going
to be speaking in event together in Singapore coming up soon as
well. You and You speak to lots of different industries. So what
I'm interested in what strikes you about how the global workforce
is changing? Because you're talking to lots and lots of different
countries across lots of different industries? What are you seeing
the trends there?
Dr. Shirley Davis
Absolutely. That's actually one of the sweet spots. For me, that's
where companies called me and as their resident expert, and as a
global thought leader on the changing workforce, about the fact
that not only today, but in the next 15 years. So by 2020, and I
talked about inclusion and workforce 2030 is that the world now has
become more global and diverse and virtual and mobile, and hyper
connected. And also working in a gig economy where people have
their side hustles they got other jobs, they're working full time,
but they've got online businesses, they're working Uber or Lyft.
And they've got you know, Bed and Breakfast is through a lot of
those online, you know, rental property. So it's a lot of those
changes that we're saying I call it this era of disruption, and the
workforce is being disrupted as well, too. So a lot of my work is
helping CEOs of these major fortune 100 and fortune 50 companies to
revamp their strategy around how they get great talent, how do they
engage that talent? How do you develop and grow that talent? And
how do you use that talent to build greater inclusion and
innovation and, and be more competitive and stay relevant and build
a long term business success?
James Taylor
You mentioned inclusion, I'm thinking I was actually listening to
something today just saying here in the UK, they've been making a
lot of changes in terms of having more diverse boards, because
there's there was a big study I think was Credit Suisse came out
the big study saying those those You know, one of the reasons we
went through some, some terrible economic crashes recently was
because there was lots of people in the room that look the same had
same backgrounds. And so so I can see that's happening within
boards, and it's obviously happening within organizations. When it
comes to the speaking world, it sometimes feels like that message
hasn't quite got through yet, you know, a lot of energy go to. And
I mean, I've seen a speaking event recently, and I looked at the
number who was speaking. And, frankly, there was a lot of people
that looked like me that were there were male and pale. And that
was predominantly kind of what it was. So what you see from, from
your perspective, in terms of someone that you speak in all these
different types of is it changing? Is it? Is it finally starting,
that transition is finally starting to happen? Or is it something
that we need to be doing just as as speakers and actually speaking
up a bit more if we see that lineup in terms of coming through
being actually coming forward? A little bit more, we already been
booked for it? What can we be doing as speakers?
Dr. Shirley Davis
Yeah, that's a great point, James. And it's a, it's a business
issue. It's a business strategy. And that's a long term
sustainability strategy. So when I was in corporate America, even
as I was the Global Head of diversity, and inclusion and workforce
strategies, I was working a lot with organizations who were dealing
exactly with that. But what I was also finding is that companies,
even conferences, were saying, we need to get more diversity, even
on our big stage, because people who are coming to our conferences
look different. They're from different companies, different
cultures, different backgrounds, they're different races, different
ethnicities, different genders, and they have different needs. And
so they're recognizing that they've got to have a message that
resonates with their changing clients and customers and members, as
well as their staff. So even though the global marketplace and the
global workforce is changing, so are our communities that are
consumers, and our customers and members. So it is very critical. I
see now that a lot more companies are calling on me, not only
because I'm an expert at what I do in the global changing
workforce, but also because I happen to be a woman of color, who
can command the stage and who is a thought leader. So they get sort
of the best of all of those worlds. But they are hearing that same
feedback as well, is that they need to change up who is on that
lineup of keynote speakers, because everyone tends to look the
same. And yet, that's not who's in the audience all the time. So
they're very important. You know, one of the point I wanted to hit
on real quick was we talked about this global changing marketplace
and workplace Think about this. Now we have 51% of the global
workforce are women, that means consumers to women are consuming
the largest amount of our consumer spending. They're the ones that
are paying, you know, for products and services, they're the ones
that are making most of the financial decisions, both in their
homes, as well as in the communities and then you know, as a
consumer. So we got to think about that you look at now there's
five generations that are in the workforce, but they're also our
consumers. And look what's happening with the drive of millennials,
Millennials are changing policy. They're changing organizational
strategies and structures. They're changing the way that we do
business and the way that we work. So we also have to change the
way that we service them as well. So we as leaders, have to know
that 75% of the workforce by 2025 is going to be millennials. So
think about how we need to change our messages and our format and
the way that we communicate with them very differently than 20
years ago, and 10 years ago.
James Taylor
Yeah, I mean, that reminds me, I'm thinking now, I was recently
involved in doing a some online summit, primarily for event
professionals, meeting planners. And one of the things that came
through the I'd never really thought of before, but came through
very, very strongly said you have to do we're saying you have to
remember now that many of the people that are coming into starting
in organizations, and even getting into like that first level of
management in the corporate world, they have been educated in
different ways. The new you know, I don't I don't know when you
were at school cause but when I was at school, college, you know,
you had someone that was like in the front of the room, the sage on
the stage, and they would blast information at you and hoped you
would remember some of it. But now he said, so much of the teaching
that goes on in the cloud, in classrooms, colleges and schools, is
this flipped classroom where they receive a lot of their
information online in other ways. So when the role of the teacher
or the person in the classroom is to encourage debate and
discussion and questions, and it's much more interactive than then
something when I was at school, so if that's what's happening in
the schools, that's all that's going to come so suddenly, that that
person who's in like they're in their 20s is coming into that
event, and then suddenly seeing that speaker that's like just
blasting information at them for 60 minutes or 90 minutes. It kind
of feels a bit old fashioned now,
Dr. Shirley Davis
it definitely is very archaic and you're not going to keep people
really fully engaged every seven minutes. You really need to be
changing up how you're presenting. So my keynotes Not lectures, my
keynotes are very interactive, very engaging, very provocative. And
I have found over the last seven to 10 years, for me, I've gotten a
greater level of response. When I have been, you know, I've now
incorporated polling I've incorporated, you know, tweeting, I've
incorporated for them to do, you know, conversations with each
other, share your experiences, get them more engaged in talking.
And as a part of my, you know, my presentation, so you got to keep
it changed up, you can't just stay the same and expect that people
are going to, you know, and again, as I said, we're in a virtual
mobile workforce, but that also means that's who your clients are.
And that's probably who your audience participants are. So you've
got to be continuously engaging and upgrading. And as a
James Taylor
woman of color that's going into speak at these different
organizations. What what biases do you do you encounter? And how do
you how do you deal with those biases, because I think this is a
hard thing, you know, to make myself that is kind of difficult for
me to get because, you know, I'm, I am who I am. And I'm not a
woman. And so and there are there's the when you go in to speak
organizations you can talk to in a certain type of way. So when you
come across those those biases, I'm sure you definitely come across
those biases and organizations, how do you deal with them,
especially when you're talking, you know, and have that
conversation with that CEO, that decision maker in the
organization,
Dr. Shirley Davis
James, we only have 30 minutes for this. So I can't go into my life
story. But that's actually as a woman of color, I absolutely have
dealt with that. And so I mean, everything from being marginalized
to being devalued to being invisible to being at the table, but
being assumed to be the one to take the notes or being excused or
letting my ideas be shared only for them to be dismissed, and
someone else to share that same idea A few minutes later, and
everyone thinks it's the best thing since cornflakes, right. So a
lot of those things I've experienced, I also now still today, go
into organizations, and you know, I'm waiting to meet with someone.
And they don't necessarily know that I am the one that's the
keynote speaker, if I'm with a colleague of mine, I've got a team
of people, sometimes who will go with me, if they are my white or
Caucasian colleagues, they will assume that it's one of them that
they must be, you know, coming out to meet and I must be the
executive assistant or the support person. So I still get a lot of
those, I can come off of a stage even now. And I'll have people
come up to me and say, Wow, that was awesome. You're very
articulate. But you don't say that to white men, right. So it
hidden in that are some biases up, I didn't expect you to be that
great, or I didn't expect you to be that articulate, or I didn't
expect you to be that intelligent. And so I still deal with those.
But I've turned those into teachable moments. And because I work
with diversity and inclusion and work with leadership coaching all
the time. Those are opportunities for me now to excuse the biases,
but use it as an opportunity to teach them how they can certainly
be much more respectful and sensitive and culturally aware of
sometimes the things that they say and do that can minimize a
person's value. And what about
James Taylor
the hidden biases, because I was thinking the other day about so
much of this industry is one of referrals. So I'll get a call from
maybe at the conference I spoke at last year, and they'll say this,
this the theme of this one is this theme. Who would you recommend?
And and so so I'll automatically go. And I'll say Usually, it's
probably often the last speaker I had a conversation with on that
particular topic. But it has made me think now, when someone I have
that conversation with someone that I might I might recommending
that person, because they're like me, and that is why I'm
recommending that person? And is that just perpetuating something
so that that person gets booked for that. And it just happens time
and leave? So and bearing in mind we're This is to our community of
speakers. What can we be doing as speakers to make changes?
Dr. Shirley Davis
I think it's it's twofold, right? So part of your role and
responsibility is to be more culturally competent and more
sensitive that the workforce, the workplace, our society is
becoming much more diverse. So make an intentional decision to
broaden your network of people of other cultures and backgrounds
and races and genders that you don't traditionally relate to. So
for someone like me, on the flip side of that my role and
responsibility is to also build relationships that are broad, broad
reaching, and of course, as a woman of color, I've learned how to
do that anyway, because that's one of the ways to get to the top or
to be successful is to, you know, partner with and to get to know
and build relationships with those who have the power those who
have the position. So I have done that. And I have found by doing
that, that I've gotten more referrals from some of my white
counterparts. I've gotten referrals from people from different
cultures and different countries because I have made an intentional
decision to broaden my network, but it has to be To fold as
well.
James Taylor
So you are now on the board of the National Speakers Association.
And, and I remember going to my first Speakers Association mean,
not the National Speakers Association, not another speaker
Association. I went I went to I went to one in one country, that's
not my home country. And and, and I felt a certain kind of thing.
And it was very open and very people. And it was very diverse,
actually, the people in the room, and I went to another one. And it
felt very, it felt quite male, a lot of a lot of blazers, blue
blazer type type vibe, and it felt a bit uncomfortable. Even, you
know, for me, and I'm like, is this really the kind of group I want
to be kind of part of is this really my values and everything? So I
know, this is a subject you're really passionate about, you know,
your role now, as a leadership role, the NSA, the NSA, that the
organization and the membership can more reflect the world, you
know, what's going to what's going to the diversity of in
organizations in the world, what some of the things, some of the
major projects, the ideas that you have, in terms of changing
things there.
Dr. Shirley Davis
Yeah, actually, I'm one of many on the board. But I really
appreciate the fact that that was a priority for last year's board
was to make sure that they were being much more reflective and
considerate of the fact that their membership is changing, as well
as the world around them. And they've got to learn to be more
relevant and that they've got to reflect that in their membership
and in their products, their programming their services, as well
and walk the talk. I'm like it when I first walked in to my first
annual conference, and even to chapter meetings, I felt the same
way I didn't feel like I belonged. I didn't feel a part of I didn't
see a lot of people who look like me, it was very cliquish, sort of
that old boy network, right. And so I felt like, okay, now I'm in
diversity and inclusion, I understand this. So I can either be a
change agent, or I can just walk away. And you know, and go and do
something else with my life. But I felt like there was a role that
I could play that, you know, with my business experience, and
background with my corporate experience, and having worked in a
membership Association, I thought, wow, I can really add some value
here by helping them helping the leaders to be much more
understanding and aware and sensitive of how the workforce is
changing, and help them put in some strategy. So everything from
making sure that our programming now reflects more diversity of our
society, make sure that we're looking at technology in different
ways, and multiple channels of how we can deliver to so many people
who have different learning styles and thinking styles and ways of
communicating to looking at our chapter strategies, and how can we
make sure that our chapters are being much more inclusive and
appealing and attractive to diverse talent in their communities as
well. So those are some of the things that I can do. It's going to
take a while, you know, I'm going to be on the board for three
years or more. But it will take a while but at least I'm glad to
see that we're focusing on that now.
James Taylor
And in your speaking career, this this journey you've had, was
there a key aha moment or lightbulb moment where you went? Okay,
this is direction I want to go with my speaking or this is a type
of type of organization or type of client, you want to do really
speak to
Dr. Shirley Davis
Yeah, my topic because I'm talking about the global changing
workforce? And how do you build an inclusive and high performance,
workplace culture? And how do you build the best talent? And how do
you, you know, have leaders that are walking the talk and leaders
of excellence. So that is a topic that is actually universal? Many
people are looking at that, because I can tell you, there's so many
more people that work for bad bosses. And they work for toxic
cultures or cultures that are static or complacent or rigid, or
risk averse. So I'm helping them to shift and make those
transitions. So I think for me, I I've had my aha moments as I was
going out and doing more training and just seeing people saying,
Wow, the way that you present this and position this as a business
strategy as a long term, sustainable strategy and business model
and the way that you make it practical and relevant, this is
something that we need. And so those have been my aha is probably
about seven years ago, I realized, gosh, there's a real need for
this. And people that look like me aren't out there speaking about
it and talking about it in a way that doesn't make people feel
offended or insulted or they feel like they've you know, gone
through the wringer because of the training. I'm talking to them
from the terms of how do you make sure that you are, you know,
appealing to an attractive to great talent, loyal customers, great
members? And how does this contribute to your bottom line? So
positioning it as a business strategy has been a real eye opener
and a long term business strategy for me.
James Taylor
And I think that's probably the reason why, I mean, sometimes, you
know, some of these things get put very easily in the breakout
session space. And, and you don't do that you are the keynote
speaker, you are that person at opening, you know, because it's
also setting a tone for an entire organization or an association as
well. So I think I really commend you for, for being able to do
that because that's a hard thing I think to do to be able to,
either it's not just on this topic, there's lots of subjects we can
think of which can If not careful, then get ready to get moved to
the the breakout session space.
Dr. Shirley Davis
Yeah. I mean, I'm not afraid to do breakouts. But I found that over
the last four or five years, they've wanted me as the keynoter
because I appeal to a broad audience. Now, I will tell you that I'm
speaking to manufacturing environments, I'm speaking to architects,
I'm speaking to engineers, I'm speaking to scientists, and I'm
speaking to a majority white male audience, but they resonate with
me because I'm talking their language. And because I diffuse a lot
of the stereotypes and the myths, and I think I'm able to relate to
them in a very personable way, but in a way that's practical, that
they can take it back and make a change in a difference, where they
haven't walked away feeling like they've been, you know, completely
insulted
James Taylor
to do my practicalities you're about to hit on the road, you've got
a big speaking to happening just now. What is in that speaker bag?
What isn't that bag that you carry with these two, all of your
speaking engagements, you'd never leave home or the office
without
Dr. Shirley Davis
in my speaker bag, I've always got to have my presentations on my
USB flash drive. So I always have a USB flash drive, just in case
something happens with the computer, it doesn't work technology is
broke down. There's always someone that has an extra extra laptop
there. And if they don't, I always have my presentation in a
hardcopy so that I can refer to it most of the time, I don't need
it, I can get up and speak this stuff like that, you know, like I
drink water. I also always have backup cords, I have HDMI and I
find that some companies I go into their technology is not up to
date. So I've always got a backup for making sure that my my chords
work with their, their their technology, I always have peanut
butter crackers, because when I'm traveling so much I need energy.
And I need that fiber and protein to keep me going because there
are days where I am like on a plane right after I speak, I don't
have time to eat. And so that gives me a little bit more energy to
go. And I always have my square because you never know when there's
going to be a great opportunity to sell something so
James Taylor
Oh, awesome. And then what about when it comes to? You mentioned
square? That's kind of one an app or two? Are there any other
online resources or apps or tools you find really useful for
yourself as a speaker?
Dr. Shirley Davis
Yeah, I do. I mean, obviously, I think all of us use TripAdvisor.
That's that's very, very important. I stay a lot on social media.
So I'm always kind of looking at what's going on I love are we that
we have a CSP link. I'm constantly looking at opportunities there
that people are using. But I think for me, I stay mostly in tune to
just some of the social media, whether it's YouTube or Vimeo or
LinkedIn or Instagram that keeps me up to date on what's going on.
And I can find anybody anywhere that way. And then what
James Taylor
about a book if there was, I want you to imagine maybe there's
someone watching this just now that was in that position that you
were in a number of years ago. They're working in a corporate job,
they maybe really enjoy their job, but it's it's not necessarily
fulfilling. They know that there's something more there and they
want to make that transition want to make that journey and they
want to do it in quite a deliberate way. Is there any books that
you would recommend to them to kind of switch their mind to this or
even just going to help them get started on that journey?
Dr. Shirley Davis
Yeah, there's a couple I really love a good friend, my good friend,
Delatour McNeil has a great book called caught between a dream and
a job. And that's really all about how to make that exit from your
full time job that you're getting a paycheck at, but it's not your
dream. And so how do you sort of make that shift in that change? I
love this great book by Myles Munroe called passing it on. And it's
all about why we do what we do in life, having a purpose and making
sure that whatever we do that it's adding impact wherever we go.
There's a third book I really love by Simon Simon, that called
start with y. So always just kind of understanding why you're doing
something and ensuring that you're asking those right kinds of
questions before you take that leap and jump out and do it. And
then certainly I think for any speaker, joining the NSA is a great
opportunity and great resources there but paid to speak book, more
business all those are great books to get started as well. That's
great, some amazing resource, they will put as many of these on the
on the show notes here as possible as well. And kind of final
question for you. I want you to imagine you woke up tomorrow
morning, and we'll let you choose where you wake up which city
which country you wake up in, but you've got all the skills you've
acquired as a speaker over the years, but no one knows you, you
know no one you have to restart. What would you do? How would you
restart your career? You know, I would restart it the way that I
started this one I would started deliberately, slowly,
intentionally and with the strategy, but I will also start like
what I did when I jumped out I didn't immediately just quit my job.
And then the next day I was open for business. I actually quit my
job as I told you over three years and then when I gave them my
notice I gave them a six month notice I gave it to them in January
and I didn't leave till July. But I also partnered with Les Brown,
so I started speaking with him going to speakers training and then
traveling with him around the globe. We did five different
countries, over a five year period and then certainly all Around
the US. So that would be one of the things that I would say do is
get with someone else who's already doing this and use them as your
mentor, use them as an opportunity to train you and to grow and you
know, be able to learn more about what to do, don't just do it by
yourself. And don't just start that, you know, just from scratch,
you got to be out there and partnering with someone while you're
building your business. I think that's such great advice. I mean,
of all this, of all the speakers I've been talking with, is that
one of the thing that keeps saying out, which is the importance of
having some kind of mentorship as well, in the fight, you had Les
Brown, like one of the greatest speakers of the world is pretty,
pretty amazing as well. So I'm going to be really interested in in
the years to come watching you be a mentor, for other speakers that
are coming through as well. And I think if this summit still exists
in in a few years time, I'm looking forward to interviewing those
women, those men who have come through and have you've mentored and
helped them as well. So that's, that's, that's something I'm sure
we're gonna definitely see. I love that I actually have a
mastermind group specifically on helping you launch a profitable
consulting and speaking business. And I've got a great number of
people learning just like that, how do you do this? And so I'm
teaching them so I'd love for you to do that. Well, that's great.
So if people want
James Taylor
to learn about that, and they want to learn more about you and your
speaking, maybe the they're getting that call from that, that
meeting planner saying Who should we get this year and they want to
refer you and where should they go? What's the best place for them
to go to
Dr. Shirley Davis
absolutely go directly to DrShirleydavis.com. Or you can
definitely go to my LinkedIn profile. You can also find me on
LinkedIn learning I'm an author there launched a new course called
inclusive leadership. And you'll hear some of my personal stories
about my journey of becoming a speaker as well as a leader. So
there's a number of ways that you can find me but Dr. Shirley Davis
calm
James Taylor
Well, she's been a pleasure as always speaking to you I'm really
looking forward to getting to meet in person when we're in
Singapore at that event together. And I would I wish you all the
best on your on your speaking to the you're just about to embark
on
Dr. Shirley Davis
thank you I wish you all the best to thanks again for the
opportunity.
James Taylor
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