I left the security of the corporate nest and joined the ranks of those brave souls starting a second career. Times were good and I had a burning desire to speak to the issues of the day. Corporations were beckoning for experienced voices to help them shape their message as they dashed headlong into the 21 st Century. Today, I'm a full time professional speaker. Since joining the ranks of the thousands of speakers who make up the industry, I've been amazed to find that most people are really surprised to hear that one could actually become a professional speaker.
Public speakers speak for free.
I speak for a living. You see, if I don't speak, I don't eat. That's the first hard lesson one learns when they run off to join the ranks of the self-employed. Of course there are lots of positives, but that's a subject for another article. Professional speakers provide a valuable service.