4 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
A platform worth talking about
As Tracey Maconachie re-entered the realm of public speaking, she found fellow Manitoba keynotes had the same gripes.
'We need more support,' she said.
Convention speakers often pitch themselves to event planners. Their fees for service might vary wildly because they don't know what to charge. They may not know where to look for gigs, Maconachie relayed.
On the other side, event hosts search outside Manitoba for speakers. Local talent can be hidden, said Maconachie, who's formerly led associations and was an economic development deputy minister in Brian Pallister's provincial PC government.
She now runs 321 Tipping Point, a consulting firm for stakeholder engagement.
'There's a lot of different speakers who are here,' Maconachie said. 'It would be amazing to see our community organizers really engage some of these speakers.'
The disconnect was something Maconachie bonded over with Kristine Tubiera and Linda Drosdowech, fellow speaking and coaching consulting firm owners.
The result: the women are launching an online platform connecting event planners with Manitoba speakers. Keynote Connect is the latest step in the group's work aimed at presenters.
'I'm super excited,' Maconachie said, minutes before preparing for Keynote Connect's Wednesday launch party.
She's been watching Manitobans join the website pre-launch. The free version allows members to search each other's profiles, connect and post on a social media-like feed.
The next level, which is paid, is called the 'inner circle.' It includes a speaker directory for event hosts, monthly coaching sessions and a forum for sharing.
'Word of mouth will help people find new speaking engagements,' Maconachie said.
When she, Tubiera and Drosdowech linked up last fall, they began offering networking nights. Forty people attended, then 50, Maconachie relayed.
The trio launched a program aimed at fledgling speakers in February. The 10-week session, called 'Mastermind,' focused on creating storytellers and attracting speaking gigs.
Louise Neil enrolled. She's set a goal of speaking about menopause and perimenopause at events. Her company, Pivoting Point Career Solutions, targets women making midlife changes.
'There's how to do (speaking engagements) and the logistics around that,' Neil said.
Where to go and how to make it viable is another story, she continued. But the three coaches helped, she said, and she now has jobs booked for the fall.
Neil has a year-long membership in the 'inner circle' because she finished the Mastermind program. Once her year finishes, she'll need to pay the standard $500 per year fee.
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'A lot of times it can feel like, when I'm building my own business, that I'm competing with other companies,' Neil said. 'This doesn't feel like that. It just feels really good to be part of (the) group.'
Maconachie's Keynote Connect expansion plan includes going to Manitoba communities outside Winnipeg. More programming could fall under the company's umbrella, she hinted.
The women are launching another round of Mastermind, with 13 sessions, on Sept. 16. The $1,500 course is taking up to 20 people, Maconachie said.
Tubiera runs LMVA Consulting, which develops strategies for associations and non-profits, among other things. Linda Drosdowech has an eponymous coaching business.
Gabrielle PichéReporter
Gabrielle Piché reports on business for the Free Press. She interned at the Free Press and worked for its sister outlet, Canstar Community News, before entering the business beat in 2021. Read more about Gabrielle.
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