#BSNLive Events Set to Provide Knowledge and Resources to Aspiring and Professional Speakers
Just over one year old, Black Speakers Network (BSN) has already attracted the attention of communicators across the globe. The organization, which now has more than 1,300 members, will kick off its inaugural North American #BSNLive Tour in Baltimore Saturday, July 29from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Startup Nest’s new co-working space.
#BSNLive events are engaging learning experiences designed to help speakers gain clarity, spark ideas, access resources, increase revenue, and build valuable relationships. The events will focus on the “5 M’s,” five key areas that BSN has identified as essential for a speaker’s business: mission, message, marketing, monetization, and management.
The speaker line-up for Baltimore includes:
- Dipo Adesina, Founder & CEO of Agro Angels Investments
- Edwin Avent, Sales & Marketing Executive at Max Score Credit
- Tiffany Bethea, Founder & CEO, Kingdomboss
- Quinn Conyers, Chief Fashion Officer, The Purse Paparazzi
- Brian Olds, Founder & Principal Consultant, Black Speakers Network
Brian J. Olds, Founder of Black Speakers Network, and Baltimore native, knows first-hand the value that expert public speaking skills can provide. While he is now a corporate trainer and internal diversity consultant for a leading U.S. provider of recruiting and services, he was not always so confident in front of an audience. He decided to join the nonprofit Toastmasters International for his own professional development.
“I still remember the first speech that I ever gave; I was so nervous that I almost walked out of the room as I was talking,” Brian says. “The communication and leadership skills that I cultivated during my time at Toastmasters taught me that speakers are made, not born. With the right training, everyone has the ability to improve their speaking performance significantly. Black Speakers Network is my opportunity to pay it forward.”
Being involved with Toastmasters International not only catapulted Brian’s career, but also landed him a place in the 2015 Toastmasters International Speech Contest Semifinals. After noticing a resource gap for speakers who were not involved in Toastmasters, he founded Black Speakers Network in 2016 to provide an alternative source of training and support.
The next #BSNLive tour stop is planned for Washington D.C. in September. Future stops include Atlanta, Los Angeles, Houston, New York and Toronto. For tickets and sponsorship information, visit http://bit.ly/bsnlive1. For the latest updates, follow @blackspeakersnetwork on Instagram and @bsnspeaks on Twitter and use the hashtag #BSNLive.
About Black Speakers Network (BSN)
The mission of BSN is to connect, equip and inspire the next generation of black professional speakers. The membership-based organization unifies talented communicators who are ready to enhance their professional development. BSN seeks to close the resource gap for aspiring and professional speakers through digital products, online training, and live events. The network also offers support to those involved in careers that require expert communication skills.For more information, visit blackspeakersnetwork.com.
