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I am Jayanthi Chinthamani and I was privileged and blessed to be a part of the Professional Speakers Summit (PSS 2023) the biggest event for professional speakers in India. I was the 3rd performer cum speaker where I demonstrated by comparing and contrasting the 2 different genre, Performing Arts and Professional Speaking. I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the organizers and participants of the recently concluded summit. It was an incredibly insightful and enlightening event that brought together some of the brightest minds in the speaking industry. Though I attended only few sessions, the overall experience was engaging and inspiring, and I came away with a renewed sense of purpose and passion for my work. One of the key takeaways from the summit was the importance of collaboration and networking. I found the networking opportunities to be invaluable, providing a chance to connect with colleagues and industry leaders from around the world. This resonated deeply with me, as I am always a people person and believed in the power of teamwork. I am confident that the insights and ideas shared at the summit will help everyone to achieve their goals and make a positive impact in their life. In particular, I would like to commend the organizers for their thoughtful planning and execution of the event. From the seamless registration process to the well-organized sessions, everything ran smoothly and efficiently. Overall, the summit was an excellent opportunity to gain new insights and perspectives, and I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute both as a performer and a speaker. Thank you once again for organizing such a wonderful event, and I look forward to future collaborations with PSAI. AUTHOR Jayanti Chinthamani

The sudden explosion in ChatGPT users shocked many. It surpassed 100 million users in less than two months. TikTok took 9 months, while Instagram took 2 years. Google quickly announced an alternative. It created such a buzz that it remains a keyword in many discussions today. At the recently concluded Professional Speakers Summit 2023 (PSS 2023), it was not surprising to hear that some emcee speeches were drafted using ChatGPT. By the way, I am sure you will agree with me that it was a very memorable summit, right? The organising committee did a great job. Now, may I request just 10 seconds of your time to reflect on the summit. What was your most memorable part of PSS 2023? Are the ChatGPT lines on top of your mind? I will not be surprised if the emcees themselves could not remember the text. As for me personally, the reflection made me smile as I replay the sessions with Gilli Amma, Lenny, Pravin, and others in my mind. It is their story that captivated me. I am sure many would still remember Lenny sending a powerful message, talking gibberish while being seated. I remembered that session the most as I was in that roleplay, speaking in Malay, the Malaysian national language. The stories that I heard at the summit planted key learnings and realisations in me that I still treasure today. Our Gilli amma’s sharing reminds me that one person, with good intentions, can trick us into stardom. As Lenny shared about the son’s joyride, it struck me that people who are stressed out need relief, not more stress. That is a lovely message that I have taken to heart, especially in dealing with my two teenage daughters. Pravin showed the impact that one can create just by giving selflessly. These are our stories, which neither ChatGPT nor other AIs can replicate or duplicate. You cannot Google them nor recreate them. These stories are the factors that set us apart. The AI solutions simply cannot compete with our personalised experiences. As such, AI, in my opinion, is not our foe. In fact, I believe that AI is our friend. AI can help us strengthen our stories. ChatGPT can answer any questions you may have. “How can I brand myself better as a Professional Speaker?” is a good question to ask. You will be astounded, but you will be unable to act on it. Try the same question with Pravin Sekhar, our Outlier Marketeer, and you will notice a difference in his personalised sharing. Quillbot can rephrase and rewrite our speeches, providing you with alternatives to consider. It can help improve the language structure by performing spell and grammar checks. Synthesia can create a beautiful marketing video for you with your own avatar while DALL-E2 has the potential of serving you with beautiful art to complement your slides. There are many others which can complement you in many ways. With this, I would definitely put AI as a friend to speakers. It is there to support us as we need it. It can simplify our work in man Our real competitor, in my mind, is another speaker, who speaks on the same topic, while maximising the use of AI, when we are not. So, go forth and embrace AI. It will not bite you. AUTHOR Siva Seenivasan FCMI

Professional speakers are constantly seeking ways to enhance their presentations and captivate their audience. Thanks to advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), speakers can now utilize a variety of tools to improve their speeches and make their presentations more engaging. Here are five AI tools that professional speakers can use to present better and create engaging talks: 1. Poised – Poised is an AI-powered speech training assistant that can help speakers prepare for presentations. It uses machine learning algorithms to analyze the speaker’s voice and provide real-time feedback on aspects such as pitch, tone, and pace. With Poised, speakers can improve their speaking skills and make their presentations more dynamic and engaging. 2. Zoom.ai – Zoom.ai is an AI-powered virtual assistant that can help speakers manage their schedules and stay organized. It can schedule meetings, send reminders, and even create presentations for the speaker based on their preferences. Zoom.ai can also help speakers prepare for their presentations by suggesting relevant research materials and providing talking points. 3. Emaze – Emaze is a cloud-based presentation software that uses AI to create visually stunning and interactive presentations. It offers a range of design templates and animations to make presentations more engaging and memorable. Emaze also allows speakers to add interactive elements like quizzes, polls, and surveys to their presentations, making them more interactive and engaging. 4. ChatGPT – ChatGPT is a language model trained by OpenAI that can assist speakers in researching and outlining high-impact talks. By inputting relevant keywords, ChatGPT can provide speakers with relevant information and talking points, helping them create informative and engaging presentations. 5. Big VU AI Magic Writer – Big VU AI Magic Writer is an AI-powered video script writing tool that can help speakers create compelling video content. It uses natural language processing to turn raw text into engaging video scripts. With the help of Big VU AI Magic Writer, speakers can create high-quality videos for their presentations that captivate their audience and leave a lasting impression. In conclusion, AI-powered tools can help professional speakers create more engaging and interactive presentations. From speech training assistants like Poised to virtual assistants like Zoom.ai, these tools can help speakers with logistics, design, content creation, and research. ChatGPT can provide relevant information and talking points for high-impact talks, while Big VU AI Magic Writer can help speakers create compelling video content for their presentations. With the help of these AI tools, speakers can deliver powerful presentations that capture the attention of their audience and leave a lasting impression. AUTHOR Neeraj Shah

Saying ‘yes’ to new opportunities (aka unknown territories) has always been my way of leading a fulfilling professional life. Being invited as a keynote speaker at the Professional Speakers Summit 2023 was one such opportunity. Performing stories on stage for an audience is not new for me. However the word ‘keynote speaker’ felt new for a moment. I undoubtedly said “Yes” to the opportunity. I have always believed that a treasure of experiences, perspectives and emotions emerge from unapologetically sharing your personal stories with others. ‘Stories from the heart’ seemed an apt topic that way. Here is a glimpse of the insights I shared as part of my talk at the event. Inspiring stories are disguised as moments that we continue to call mundane. And those moments actually offer a unique experience that might have never happened before. As you practise keeping your ears, eyes and heart open, you will see how these moments plant themselves as stories within you. These stories reflect your unique perspectives of people, events, situations, or challenges. When you deliver them in your style, they can’t be replicated. Looking back at the Summit experience, I recall how the entire hall was brimming with bright ideas of speakers from all across the world. It was a true camaraderie of confidence, talent and positive energy. Getting a standing ovation from the crowd and experiencing an audience who were totally invested in the talk listening with rapt attention are all things that I will cherish from this event. The post-session interactions I had at the Summit were equally warm and filled with positive feedback from seasoned speakers. PSS 2023 was a truly enriching experience of learning, sharing and connecting with wonderful people from different walks of life. Thank you PSAI-Professional Speakers Association India for having me as part of this event. AUTHOR ANAKI SABESH

Identifying what’s on our niche’s mind involves understanding their interests, needs, and preferences. Thoughwe start our business based on a niche market in our mind as a speaker, trainer or coach, it does not ensure thatwe know what’s in their mind. What do they think about the problem that we offer to solve?If the problem is something they feel like to be solved?Do they consider you as the right person to solve their problem?Is the problem that they think they have the core problem? It is easy to know the spoken problem, but how to understand the unspoken issues of our niche? How do we know what is in your niche’s mind? Here are some strategies to help you gain insights into your niche audience: 1. Research and analyze your niche: Conduct thorough research to understand your niche market. Identify the key characteristics of your target audience, such as demographics, behaviour patterns, and preferences. This information will give you a starting point for understanding what’s on their minds. 2. Monitor social media: Social media platforms are valuable sources for gathering information about your niche audience. Follow relevant social media accounts, join groups or communities related to your niche, and pay attention to the discussions, questions, and comments. This will provide you with real-time insights into your audience’s critical topics and concerns. 3. Engage in online forums and communities: Participate in forums and online communities that are frequented by your target audience. Look for popular threads, discussions, and questions related to your niche. By actively participating in these conversations, you can better understand what’s on your audience’s mind. 4. Conduct surveys and interviews: Directly interacting with your niche audience through surveys and interviews can provide valuable insights. Design surveys that ask specific questions about their interests, challenges, and needs. Additionally, consider conducting one-on-one interviews to delve deeper into their thoughts and opinions. This qualitative data can provide a nuanced understanding of their mindset. 5. Analyze keyword research: Keyword research tools can help you identify the most popular search queries related to your niche. By analyzing these keywords, you can gain insights into the topics and issues that your audience is actively searching for. This data can guide your content creation and marketing strategies. 6. Monitor industry publications and news: Stay current with industry publications, news websites, and blogs catering to your niche. These sources often cover trending topics, emerging issues, and the latest developments within your niche. By keeping yourself informed, you can align your content and strategies with your audience’s current interests. 7. Engage in conversation: Actively engage with your audience through comments, emails, and direct messages. Encourage them to share their thoughts, opinions, and suggestions. By fostering open communication, you can gain valuable insights into their mindset and better understand what’s on their minds. Remember that understanding our niche audience is an ongoing process. Continuously monitor and adapt our strategies based on the insights you gather. By staying connected and responsive to their needs, you caneffectively identify what’s on their minds and cater to their interests. AUTHOR Ayesha J Bibha

Jack had the Ace of Diamonds up his sleeve, helping him to be a winning team leader for the last 27 years – but it was not always that way. He discovered the Ace during a life-threatening situation, but the experience and rewards were worth it Jack was a terrible micro-manager, he hated his workers, and they hated him. He never cared about anyone and only focused on his team’s production output. He was a slave driver. Then one day, he was thrown into a potentially catastrophic situation. One of his workers was in his dormitory room with a sawed-off shotgun and threatening suicide. Jack did not care about this worker’s life and had no training or experience to handle this situation. But Jack’s boss pushed him into the room with the disturbed individual and locked the door behind him. At first, Jack thought his life was in danger because this worker hated him more than the others. He was scared and did not know what to do, so he sat quietly and listened to the individual explain why he had no reason to live. Jack listened intently and then began to emphasize with the individual. The situation was defused, and all turned out okay after the most excruciating hour of Jack’s life. During that day, Jack realized why his workers hated him – he never cared about anyone but himself and getting the work done. That was the first day he understood that he needed to care about the people working for him. The next day, a Senior leader gave Jack a book by Zig Ziglar titled, See You At The Top. Jack was intrigued by the book’s central message: You can have everything you want if you just help others get what they want. He knew he needed to incorporate this into his leadership style. Jack developed his own personal slogan to remind himself of this message and repeated it over and over again, sinking it deep into his subconscious mind. Then he began to live it – If you take care of the people, the people will take care of the process. Jack had never taken any time to know the people who worked for him. He was your micro-manager extreme, a “villianistic” Darth-Vader-like ruthless leader, but things had to change. Jack realized the need to change if he wanted to be a successful leader and a winner in the game of life. He had been at the losing end of most relationships and had no “real” friends or supporters. Jack began asking the workers about their personal goals. He focused on what the workers needed to do a good job. He got new tools to replace their old broken ones, provided a safer workplace, and solved logistic problems that constantly irritated the workers. He focused on the needs of the workers and stopped being a mico-manager. Jacklearned that the technique of listening to your workers and finding out what they really need comes after you understand that they are not robots – but people with real feelings and needs, just like him. Performance increased, morale improved, Jack got suggestions from the workers to improve processes, and together they implemented them. The workers no longer hated Jack; instead, after they got used to the “new” Jack, they wanted to keep him as their leader. He had found his niche as a successful leader by helping his workers get what they wanted – not just what he wanted. The hidden Ace of Diamonds that Jack needed to be an award-winning leader was there for his taking, and he used it every day after that. He kept the card up his sleeve and used it as a constant reminder. He became an example for other leaders and shared his Ace with the younger leaders who would follow him – “If you take care of the people, the people will take care of the process.” I know this story is true because I am Jack. Michael Wader is a Rotarian, a Toastmaster, and a member of the Malaysian Association of Professional Speakers and the Virtual Speakers Association International. He is a best-selling author and known as the “Inspirational Catalyst.” AUTHOR Michael Wader

Embracing your niche as a professional speaker is not an easy path, because it means to let go of many attractive opportunities that do not fit your niche. When I started my own business, I had the tendency to broaden my services because I love to do many different things and frankly speaking, it was hard to say ‘No’ because I needed the money. I see the same temptation among other starting entrepreneurs and speakers in an attempt to maximise their market reach. However, focusing on a very specific niche is what truly brings success. Popular general topics such as “Leadership” and “Motivation” are really too broad to position yourself. To become a thought leader, there are two key factors to consider: connecting with yourself and transforming your audience. Connecting with yourself requires deep soul searching. I regularly ask my audience “What is your spark?” – in other words: what is your purpose, what is your passion, who are you at your core level? I spoke with many wonderful people and got many inspiring answers. I challenge you to describe your spark in just one word. One disclaimer though: When you ask yourself surface questions, you’ll get surface answers. When you are prepared to look deeper into yourself, you will get closer to the core of who you truly are. THAT’s the insight that changes everything and THAT’s where your true potential lies. Ask yourself why-why-why to get more clarity. Over time, the answers reveal themselves but only if you intentionally look for them. For this to happen, you need to step out of your daily stress zone: spend some time alone without your phone and other distractions. My major life decisions and inspirations all came from silent meditation retreats. Transforming your audience starts with understanding them on a profound level. Who are the individuals you want to impact? Ask people about their pain points, aspirations and desires. Show your audience that you are a valuable resource who truly understands and can address their needs. By developing this deep understanding, you can tailor your message to resonate with their experiences. Craft compelling stories backed up by facts that speak directly to their concerns and offer practical solutions. Research has shown that when facts are presented in the form of a compelling story, people are 22 times more likely to remember them (source: Forbes). Adding your personal touch makes your talk unique and delivering it with passion makes your talk inspiring. When you are 100% connected with yourself and gain a deep understanding of your audience, the possibilities are endless. You become authentic, laser-focused and speak effortlessly in a state of flow. Instead of hustling for work, opportunities will come to you because your message resonates with your target audience. Finding your niche and becoming a thought leader is a journey of self-discovery and audience understanding. You can only truly connect with others when you are connected with yourself first and foremost. It takes courage and determination to embrace your fear, to let go of the need to please everyone and to find your spark but the rewards are immeasurable. Imagine yourself standing on stage, being your authentic self and transforming the lives of your audience members… how wonderful is that! Your unique voice and expertise have the power to make a lasting impact. It’s time to ace it with your niche! AUTHOR Dennis Akkerman

Why is it important to determine a speaker’s zone of genius? The simple and straightforward answer is because it will result in higher referral rates, more incoming speakingrequests and less pitching work since you are already established as the go to speaker in your niche. You still have doubts! Do you really want to spin your wheels! Maybe you just want to speak to everyone andfeel confident of succeeding at it. Now picture your website speaking to culinary arts, international collegeadmissions, horse-riding, and keto dieting! In other words, you are speaking to any and everyone and no onein particular. What you are doing is, confusing the very people you are working to serve. To be considered an expert, you want to know precisely what you are speaking about and who you arespeaking to. Maybe you worry that a niche will narrow your target market and hurt your speaking business. It in fact,will allow you to branch off to other topics that are allied and can be traced back to your core expertise.The same original process will apply to the new direction. First get good at your subject and then rinseand repeat in other areas. The first step therefore is to ask yourself why you want to speak in the first place. What is your goalwith your message? The next step is to determine who you want to talk to? The more specific youget with this, the more targeted your marketing can become. Finally, you will be left with todetermine the topics that will align with your goals and support your audience. All that is leftto do now is to practice, expand and improve your topics continuously. Destigmatize Mental ill-health and Youth Suicide How to be Age Inclusive The New Generational Death Positivity The New-age Impact Revolution The speaker sweet spot lies at the intersection of your experience, your expertise and your audience’s interest. There is no getting around this! The only way out is through it. AUTHOR Neerja Singh

I pinched myself. Was someone pranking me? Months ago, still heady with excitement after PSS 2025 in Mumbai, I, a novice speaker with no international professional speaking experience, had applied to speak at Trailblazers 2025, PSA NZ’s annual conference scheduled in September in Auckland. Once I had filled out the form and clicked submit, I nearly forgot all about it, focusing instead on my nascent career as a standup comic and Co-CEO of Humor911, a humor collective which helps businesses use humor to enter new markets. So, that email in my inbox telling me I had been selected as a speaker set my spidey-senses tingling. But, after asking around (and checking the email headers to make sure I wasnít being scammed), I decided to take the plunge and make the trip to Auckland. And let me tell you, I would have been kicking myself if I had not made the trip! Even knowing that I was going to speak at Trailblazers made me get out of my comfort zone and reach out to companies with the offer to test my material with them in return for candid feedback. Almost everyone I reached to was very gracious about allowing me to speak to their teams. The first half of September was spent fine-tuning my material and worrying about collaterals like my headshots and collecting copies of my book to share with conference attendees. As luck would have it, I was delayed en route to Auckland due to a weather emergency in Hong Kong – which is a story for another day – but I reached the conference venue in the second half of Day 1, having missed the networking drinks the previous night. That, though, was no barrier to making some amazing connections with speakers and leaders from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Germany who had made the trip to Trailblazers. I learnt so much about the art and business of professional speaking – from finding our mission to establishing our brand to the relative merits of positioning oneself as a keynote speaker who offers training versus a trainer who does keynotes. I must highlight the warmth and camaraderie of PSANZ who gave so selflessly of their time and energy to make us attendees from overseas feel welcome and loved. Every night, after the conference, we attendees would take over a portion of the hotel lounge and chat for hours about any and every topic. Those hours were as valuable to me, personally, as the time we got on stage to share our message. Now that I’m back home, I find myself looking forward to seeing photos and videos that people are sharing on LinkedIn and the conference WhatsApp group. In conclusion, if you are serious about growing as a speaker, just go to conferences like Trailblazers. The learnings and relationships you will build will far outweigh any imposter syndrome or worries you may have about the trip.

When I boarded the flight to Malé in the Maldives, I knew this trip would be special. But I didn’t anticipate how profoundly it would remind me why I became a speaker in the first place. Standing on that island, surrounded by turquoise waters, soft sands, and a room full of passionate professionals, I realized once again that speaking is not just about sharing ideas. It is about creating energy that transcends boundaries. The invitation came from Afeef Hussain of the Maldives Professional Speakers Association (MPSA) to deliver a keynote and conduct a workshop at the Maldives Professional Speakers Summit 2025 on “AI for Keynote Speakers.” It was an honor to share the stage with international speakers Eugene Seah, Michelle Mills Porter, Mimi Nicklin, Marta Pardo, Vaibhav Nahata, Guan Hin Tay, as well as our equally talented MPSA speakers and our very own Bharti Naik. Representing the Professional Speakers Association of India (PSAI) on this global platform was both humbling and inspiring. The Keynote: The Future Of Speaking – Harnessing Gen AI for Stage and Beyond My keynote focused on how speakers can utilize AI as a creative ally to research more efficiently, personalize content, and design presentations more effectively. I also reminded the audience that while technology can enhance our process, it should never replace authenticity. The stories, emotions, and sincerity we bring on stage are what truly move people. The session sparked curiosity & excitement, demonstrating that the future of speaking belongs to those who strike a balance between innovation and heart. The Workshop:Supercharge Your Speaking Career – A Practical Gen AI Workshop The post-noon workshop brought together an energetic mix of speakers and trainers eager to explore AI tools in action. I guided the participants through a focused sequence of AI prompts designed to help them identify their niche and craft a customized keynote outline. We wrapped up the session with some light-hearted fun by asking ChatGPT to roast the participants using what it had learned about them during the session. Iyaz Waheed, President of MPSA, sportingly volunteered to have his roast read aloud, filling the room with laughter and providing the perfect finale to an inspiring afternoon. Lessons from the Island Beyond the sessions, the experience offered three powerful takeaways 1. Speaking is global, but impact is local. Every culture absorbs ideas differently. Adapting to the audienceís values, humor, and rhythm makes all the difference. 2. Community builds confidence. The warmth and enthusiasm of MPSA showed how professional associations like PSAI elevate speakers across borders. 3. Growth happens at the edge of comfort. Traveling to a new country, connecting with diverse audiences, and experimenting with AI on stage all pushed me beyond familiar territory. A Shared Future As I watched the sunset over the Indian Ocean after my final session, I felt a deep sense of gratitude. The Maldives was not just another destination. It was a reminder that our voices can bridge worlds, our tools can amplify purpose, and our community can shape the future of communication, one inspired audience at a time. AUTHOR JOHN V JAYAKUMAR