We are living in unprecedented times. The economy is in turmoil. Corporate America is sitting on two trillion dollars in cash, ( 7.4 % of their total assets, the largest percentage since 1959) unsure of what to invest in or how to move forward without going broke. I’ve traveled around the world this year, reaching more than 50 million people in the media, and the feedback I’ve gotten from Miami to Sydney is the same: people are scared. They don’t know what the future holds or how to proceed. They’re afraid their kids won’t have as much opportunity as they have had. They need the kind of world-class motivation, inspiration and business expertise only professional speakers can provide. The world has never needed us as much as they do in 2011. Meanwhile, with corporations and associations cutting back on hiring professional speakers, many speakers who have been in the business for 10, 15, and even 20 years are going back to the job market and giving up on their speaking careers. If you think this is a bad thing, think again. This is the greatest opportunity that new and emerging speakers will ever have to break into this business. If you’ve been dreaming about becoming a professional speaker or moving to the next level as a speaker, this is your BIG chance. I speak (no pun intended) from experience. My big break came in the last major crisis in the speaking industry, which occurred after 9/11, when companies froze travel and canceled their conventions. Hundreds of speakers left the business, which was the break I needed to move in. You can do the same in 2011. Watch this video I shot on 7-mile beach in Jamaica, and I think you’ll understand.    Steve Siebold

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