Upcoming events

    • 30 Nov 2023
    • 27 Jun 2024
    • 13 sessions
    • MAC6, 1430 W. Broadway Road, Tempe, AZ 85282
    Register

    Speaker Studio

    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 that would benefit from some feedback? Come join us at Speaker Studio and experience the valuable feedback and encouragement to help you improve in any area of your content development or presentation skills.

    Speaker Studio usually meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month (except December 2023) from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at MAC6 in Tempe. 

    You may attend these sessions as a Guest. However, if you wish to present, you must be a Chapter member in good standing.

    In a regular meeting, we fit in as many speaking slots as possible. The maximum time allocated is 20 minutes but many are less based on what the speaker is trying to accomplishwe usually have time for four 20-minute slots – 10 minutes for presentation and 10 minutes for feedback. Speakers can use the time to receive feedback and tips for a specific purpose, like trying out new material or a new form of speaking.

    Jim and I attended the last session and it was amazing!! Don is GREAT at leading this...and the privilege of having some platform time with constructive feedback is priceless!! Don't miss this. We will both be at as many as possible!— Naomi Rhode

    SPEAKER PRACTICE SESSIONS

    To request a practice session slot, please contact Don Thoren at don@donthoren.com or 480-560-3525, by no later than the Friday preceding an upcoming Speaker Studio meeting. 

    There may be more participants wanting to present at a specific practice session than time can accommodate. Requests will be approved on the following priority basis:

    A.     New Studio participant (following at least two observation sessions)

    B.     New Studio participant follow-up practice session

    C.     Participants not presenting in the most recent four Studio sessions

    D.    NSA-Az members requesting feedback on specific presentation elements

    E.      All other requests.

    Special circumstances will be taken into account when scheduling practice sessions.

    SPEAKER STUDIO COMPILED READINGS

    Don Thoren has contributed many documents – articles, emails, etc. – over the past several years as teaching aides. These documents are contained in  this file (click to access).

    The documents have been organized into four sections:  A) Annotated Table of Contents; B) Speaker Studio Feedback Forms; C) Speech/Presentation Preparation; and D) Business Development.  Please access and apply any of the content that is relevant to your learning and work.  Also, please feel free to submit your own documents and articles that may be helpful to other Speaker Studio participants.

    BECOME OR REMAIN AN IN-DEMAND AND HIGHLY PAID

    SPEAKER, TRAINER, COMMUNICATOR

    PRACTICE PRESENTING TO A LIVE & SAFE AUDIENCE – Receive valuable personal coaching from Don Thoren CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame as well as other mentors and speakers.

    JUST OBSERVE THE PRESENTERS - Your speaking and writing skills improvement will accelerate 10-fold.

    Questions or suggestions? Feel free to contact Ev Taylor via email or phone at 480-720-9065

    LOCATION: MAC6, 1430 W. Broadway Road, Tempe, AZ 85282

    All Speaker Studio sessions will be held on the second floor training room.


    By attending this event, you are giving permission for NSA-Arizona to add your contact information to our email list and to use any photographs (or screenshots) that are taken at the event containing your likeness for as long as NSA-Arizona deems appropriate and desirable.

    • 4 Dec 2023
    • 26 Feb 2024
    • 11 sessions
    • Virtual via Zoom
    Register


    NSA-Arizona Projects Lab

    Project Lab 

    What is it? A casual, virtual co-working support space

    Why do it?

    • Bursts of focused work with breaks promote productivity and reduce stress.
    • Focus intently on a project, content development, marketing, pitching, operational or administrative processes etc.
    • It’s an opportunity to ask for feedback, share resources and support each other’s work
    • During the highly productive segments, you’re muted with your video on or off


    How long is it? 2 hours, once weekly

    When is it? Monday from 12:00 p.m. -2:00 p.m.

    • Project lab may be expanded to an additional day and time if Monday participation merits expansion


    Project Lab Flow:

    Start at 12:00 p.m.

    • Welcome new participants to introduce themselves
    • Each person shares their project, challenge or goal for the lab time

    Facilitator schedules a 50-minute work session

    • Take a break and share progress, ask any questions, share any related resources
    • A 40–50-minute work session is scheduled
    • Topics or conversations that require more time can continue via the chat or participants can stay on zoom after the scheduled end time and continue supporting each other

    The regular host is Michele Redmond, with co-host Shevon Quijano.

    By registering for this event, you are giving permission for NSA-Arizona to add your contact information to our email list and to use any photographs (screenshots) that are taken at the event containing your likeness for as long as NSA-Arizona deems appropriate and desirable.

    • 14 Dec 2023
    • 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
    • Chateau Luxe, 1175 E Lone Cactus Dr, Phoenix, AZ 85024
    Register


    NSA-Arizona: Gila Monster Holiday Mingle

    'Tis the season to celebrate the holidays and new year, so join your colleagues and friends old and new for a party with delicious food, awesome music, and fun surprises. Let's celebrate together at Chateau Luxe for laughter, hors d'oeuvres, dessert and holiday experiences! Charge bar (credit cards only, no cash). Silent Auction, Arizona-style: we will be auctioning off gift baskets with fun themes celebrating the best of Arizona.

    Bring your spouse, family members or friends to enrich this special gathering of our NSA-Arizona family!

    • Make and take your own custom hot cocoa jar: decorate and customize your own mini mason jar of hot cocoa to take with you (as a gift for your loved one or yourself!)  
    • Networking Bingo: meet new people while playing a networking game and winning cool prizes!

    Food donations: we will be filling up Santa's sleigh with donated food for the food bank. Please consider bringing canned and boxed food to donate.

    Signature cocktail and mocktail: Have a Gila Monster Margarita!

    Come celebrate the season with NSA Arizona!

    Join us anytime between 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

    Deadline to register: Monday, December 11th.

    By registering for this event, you are giving permission for NSA-Arizona to add your contact information to our email list and to use any photographs that are taken at the event containing your likeness for as long as NSA-Arizona deems appropriate and desirable.

    • 13 Jan 2024
    • 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM
    • MAC6, 1430 W Broadway Road, Suite 201, Tempe, AZ 85282
    Register

    NSA-Arizona Program Saturday, January 13, 2024

    This meeting will be held upstairs in the training room.

    8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.  Networking
    9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.  Program Meeting



    Please note: Coffee, water and light snacks will be provided. You are welcome to bring your own beverage and snacks.

    Join us in person or register to receive a link to the recording afterward.

    EARLY REGISTRATION ENDS ON JANUARY 8TH. REGISTER EARLY TO SAVE!

    G.R.O.W.  – Strategically Your Speaking Business!
    Get yourself booked,

    Run a great business,

    Open the opportunities,

    Work as much as you want

    with Mary  C. Kelly, PhD, CDR USN (ret)

    Are you running your business like a business?

    Did the crazy of the last few years cause you to lose focus? 

    Did you take your foot off the gas pedal?

    Are you looking long-term at your profits and expenditures, and effectively planning your business and personal finances properly?

    Do you have a succession plan for your business? 

    Are you developing the products and multiple streams of income (no, that does not mean working as a greeter at Walmart AND working the window at Taco Bell) that provides you with a sustainable lifestyle?

    In this fun, relevant, and irreverent session, Mary discusses:

    • The top 10 ways speakers sabotage their own business success
    • Business techniques that make you and your team more efficient
    • Productivity tools to stay focused on what you do best
    • Ways to turn your content into profits
    • How to find leads, follow-up, and stay top of mind with meeting planners
    • Deliverables that help you generate profits as well as bookings


    Mary loves dogs, horses, and most people.  She became a professional speaker and corporate advisor after retiring from the Navy after 25 years on active duty.  A university professor for over 30 years, she taught leadership, business, management, and economics at the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, Hawaii Pacific University, and Colorado State University.

    Mary is dedicated to helping people grow their businesses to be profitable. 

    Mary served on the board of the Colorado NSA Chapter, and published the NSA CO Directory to help meeting planners find and book local speakers.  Mary was the Chair of the Editorial Committee of Speaker Magazine from 2014-2015, because she has not mastered the ability to saying “NO” to her NSA friends.  She was also the Head Coach (another volunteer job) of the Air Force Academy’s Equestrian Team for 7 years.

    Mary grew up in Dallas, TX before going to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, and as a result, she tends to drawl after a margarita or two. 

    Her future goals include eliminating world poverty, getting animals out of shelters and into great homes, and meeting Condoleeza Rice.


    Thank you to our Showcase Your Business sponsor!



    By registering for this event, you are giving permission for NSA-Arizona to add your contact information to our email list and to use any photographs (screenshots) that are taken at the event containing your likeness for as long as NSA-Arizona deems appropriate and desirable.

    Cancellation Policy: No refunds.

    Please notify us if you have any special needs for the meeting.

    • 10 Feb 2024
    • 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM
    • MAC6, 1430 W Broadway Road, Suite 201, Tempe, AZ 85282
    Register


    NSA-Arizona Program Saturday, February 10, 2024

    This meeting will be held upstairs in the training room.

    8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.  Networking
    9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.  Program Meeting



    Please note: Coffee, water and light snacks will be provided. You are welcome to bring your own beverage and snacks.

    Join us in person or register to receive a link to the recording afterward.

    Power Tools for A Profitable Speaking Business

    with Crystal Washington, CSP®

    Having a successful and sustainable speaking business requires more than simply rocking the stage. Developing systems and policies are key! Let Crystal Washington, CSP, share some of the most powerful and underutilized tools for extraordinary business growth. Whether you are a new speaker or a seasoned veteran, you'll learn new ways to leverage old tools and the coolest new tech for business growth. 

    1. Discover how to create a system for prospecting

    2. Learn the best tools for event management

    3. Uncover how to market yourself to grow your business

    EARLY REGISTRATION ENDS ON FEBRUARY 5TH. REGISTER EARLY TO SAVE!

    Crystal Washington, CSP® works with organizations that want to leverage technology to increase profits and productivity!

    As a technology strategist and certified futurist, Crystal takes complex social media, app, and web topics and makes them easy to understand and accessible for everyday people.

    Crystal’s clients comprise Fortune 500 companies including Google, Microsoft, and GE, and as a sought-after keynote speaker, she has entertained and educated audiences around the globe.

    As one of Forbes’ 50 Leading Female Futurists, She appears weekly on season two of the Emmy nominated show, Life 2.0 and she’s appeared in numerous publications including Entrepreneur and Bloomberg Businessweek. She is regularly called on by major television networks as a tech expert.

    Crystal is the author of the books One Tech Action and The Social Media Why.

    By registering for this event, you are giving permission for NSA-Arizona to add your contact information to our email list and to use any photographs (screenshots) that are taken at the event containing your likeness for as long as NSA-Arizona deems appropriate and desirable.

    Cancellation Policy: No refunds.

    Please notify us if you have any special needs for the meeting.

Past events

11 Nov 2023 November Program Meeting: Small Events, Big Back End
26 Oct 2023 Author MasterMind Group
14 Oct 2023 October Program Meeting: Transactional to Transformational
9 Sep 2023 September Program Meeting: How to Be an Expert
2 Aug 2023 Summer Social Event
22 Jun 2023 Speaker Studio
20 Jun 2023 NSA AZ Virtual Networking Mixer: Influence Edition!
10 Jun 2023 June Program Meeting: Rock Your Short Talk!
3 Jun 2023 Chapter Fundraiser: Content Marketing Workshop
13 May 2023 May Program Meeting: When YOU Are the Business!
29 Apr 2023 MPIAZ: Talks of the Town
22 Apr 2023 New Member Orientation
8 Apr 2023 April Program Meeting: Building a Million-Dollar Speaking Business
27 Mar 2023 Speaker Showcase Audition
11 Mar 2023 March Program Meeting: Marketing With A Book For Speakers
28 Feb 2023 Virtual Networking Night and Silly Trivia Extravaganza
25 Feb 2023 New Member Orientation
11 Feb 2023 February Program Meeting: Where Your Speaking Passion Can Lead
26 Jan 2023 Own the Room: Speaker's Academy
14 Jan 2023 January Program Meeting: Advantage Play™: The Art of Knowing What Comes Next
8 Dec 2022 Speaker YOU - Speakers Studio
7 Dec 2022 NSA-Arizona Holiday Party & Silent Auction
12 Nov 2022 November Program Meeting: Systems and Automation for Speaker Survival
2 Nov 2022 Virtual Networking and Games Night
8 Oct 2022 October Program Meeting: Turning Uncertainty To Competitive Advantage
24 Sep 2022 New Member Orientation
22 Sep 2022 Speaker YOU - Speakers Studio
17 Sep 2022 September Program Meeting: Leveraging Laughter in Stories for Connection and Impact
8 Sep 2022 Speaker YOU - Speakers Studio
24 Aug 2022 Summer Social Event
28 Jul 2022 NSA-Arizona Speaker Coaching YOU
14 Jul 2022 NSA-Arizona Speaker Coaching YOU
10 Jul 2022 NSA-AZ Chapter Gathering at INFLUENCE
23 Jun 2022 NSA-Arizona Speaker Coaching YOU
11 Jun 2022 June Program Meeting: High Fee Sales
9 Jun 2022 NSA-Arizona Speaker Coaching YOU
4 Jun 2022 New Member Orientation
26 May 2022 NSA-Arizona Speaker Coaching YOU
14 May 2022 May Program Meeting: Get Known Everywhere Using Publicity
12 May 2022 NSA-Arizona Speaker Coaching YOU
28 Apr 2022 NSA-Arizona Speaker Coaching YOU
14 Apr 2022 NSA-Arizona Speaker Coaching YOU
9 Apr 2022 April Program Meeting: Corral Your Ca$h Cow!
22 Mar 2022 NSA-Arizona Social Hour
21 Mar 2022 NSA-Arizona Speaker Coaching YOU
19 Mar 2022 New Member Orientation
12 Mar 2022 March Program Meeting: Strategic Storytelling
10 Mar 2022 NSA-Arizona Speakers Lab
24 Feb 2022 NSA-Arizona Speakers Lab
12 Feb 2022 February Program Meeting: Voice Matters
27 Jan 2022 Own the Room: Speaker's Academy
17 Jan 2022 Projects Lab
10 Jan 2022 Projects Lab
8 Jan 2022 January Program Meeting: Media Presence
3 Jan 2022 Projects Lab
16 Dec 2021 NSA-Arizona Speakers Lab
12 Dec 2021 NSA-Arizona Holiday Party & Silent Auction
4 Dec 2021 New Member Orientation
18 Nov 2021 NSA-Arizona Virtual Trivia Happy Hour
17 Nov 2021 NSA-Arizona Virtual Speakers Lab
17 Nov 2021 Projects Lab
15 Nov 2021 Projects Lab
13 Nov 2021 Program Meeting: The Fine Art of Small Talk: Every Conversation is an Opportunity for Success
11 Nov 2021 NSA-Arizona Speakers Lab
10 Nov 2021 Projects Lab
8 Nov 2021 Projects Lab
3 Nov 2021 Projects Lab
1 Nov 2021 Projects Lab
28 Oct 2021 NSA-Arizona Speakers Lab
27 Oct 2021 Projects Lab
25 Oct 2021 Projects Lab
20 Oct 2021 NSA-Arizona Virtual Speakers Lab
20 Oct 2021 Projects Lab
18 Oct 2021 Projects Lab
14 Oct 2021 NSA-Arizona Speakers Lab
13 Oct 2021 Projects Lab
11 Oct 2021 Projects Lab
9 Oct 2021 Program Meeting: Adventures in Podcast: Should Speakers Host and/or Guest On Podcasts?
6 Oct 2021 Projects Lab
4 Oct 2021 Projects Lab
29 Sep 2021 Projects Lab
28 Sep 2021 NSA-Arizona Speakers Lab
27 Sep 2021 Projects Lab
23 Sep 2021 Projects Lab
20 Sep 2021 Projects Lab
18 Sep 2021 New Member Orientation
16 Sep 2021 Projects Lab
13 Sep 2021 Projects Lab
11 Sep 2021 Program Meeting: How to Build a High Performance Business
9 Sep 2021 Projects Lab
2 Sep 2021 Projects Lab
30 Aug 2021 Projects Lab
26 Aug 2021 Projects Lab
24 Aug 2021 NSA-Arizona Happy Hour Fiesta
23 Aug 2021 Projects Lab
19 Aug 2021 Projects Lab
16 Aug 2021 Projects Lab
16 Jun 2021 NSA-Arizona Speakers Lab
12 Jun 2021 Program Meeting: Every Sales “YES” Begins With a “KNOW”: Web Search Secrets to Grow Your Speaking Business
9 Jun 2021 Take Your Speaking Business to the Next Stage: Free Virtual Seminar and Open House
8 May 2021 Program Meeting: 15 Ways to Grow Your Speaking Business in Every Economy
10 Apr 2021 Program Meeting: Bypass the Gatekeeper: Sell to Associations through the Backdoor
13 Mar 2021 Program Meeting: On Your Mark: From First Word to First Draft in Six Weeks
13 Feb 2021 Program Meeting: Use Facilitation to Grow Your Speaking Business!
9 Jan 2021 Program Meeting: Speaker Sales Systems

CONTACT US

10869 N. Scottsdale Road

Suite 103, PMB 238

Scottsdale, AZ 85254

480-968-7443

info@nsa-arizona.org

CONNECT WITH US

NSA-Arizona is a 501(c)6 nonprofit organization. 

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