Capturing the Story: 5 Celebrity Speakers Worth Hiring
- By Declan McManus
- Dec 31, 1969
Finding the right celebrity speaker for your event is like fishing. When you try to catch the biggest fish in the sea, you will most likely waste your efforts and time in exchange for an empty line.
Often times event planners will gravitate towards the biggest names they can think of, but this isn’t the best strategy. And here’s why: the most famous, “insta-worthy” celebrities will be overbooked and overpriced. Not only this, but their presence is typically for show rather than the quality of content.
Yet, you still need someone who will captivate, impress, and dazzle your audience. After years of experience booking talent and attending events with celebrity speakers, I can vouch that the most impressive keynote speakers are the people with the best stories to tell. So here is my advice: aim for the Marlin instead of the Great White.
When prioritizing “story” as your main criteria for choosing celebrity speakers, instead of their degree of fame, you will find that your audience is better able to connect with and appreciate the message.
To aid you in the process of finding the perfect celebrity speaker for your event, here are 5 celebrities with inspiring stories that will capture your audience:
Ignacio Serrichio is an Argentine American actor known for his role as Diego Alcazar on ABC's Daytime Soap Opera, General Hospital. Since then, the Argentine has featured in over 20 movies and TV series highlighted by his role as Alex Chavez in The Young and the Restless and Dr. Rodolfo Fuentes on Fox's longtime hit show, Bones. More recently, Ignacio was cast in the Netflix reboot, Lost in Space, and is the main role in Telemundo's, El Recluso. You can watch Ignacio on the big screen too as he plays Julio in Clint Eastwood's new film, The Mule. Ignacio is a multi-linguist, fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese.
Mark Dacascos is an actor, director, martial artist, and television personality. Whether seen on the big screen or small, playing the good guy or the bad, Mark has been making audience stand up and take notice for many years. This spring, Mark will be seen in two highly anticipated films. Currently Mark is in Vancouver filming the new Netflix series Wu Assassins opposite Katheryn Winnick. Mark is perhaps best known for his work as The Chairman on The Food Network's hit show, Iron Chef America, or for his role in CBS's Hawaii 5-0 in which he played the iconic villain Wo Fat. Aside from his time on the big and small screen, Mark is an expert in an array of martial arts. He learned the skills and developed the patience of a martial arts master from his father and honed his skills as a young fighter in Germany. The darkly exotic, multi-lingual, multi-skilled Dacascos is a mix of Japanese, Filipino, Spanish, Irish, and Chinese heritages. He was born in Hawaii and attended school in Germany. He is married and the proud father of 3 children. Mark and his family currently reside in Los Angeles, California.
3. Yogi Roth
Yogi Roth is a storyteller: seeking and uncovering the humanity in sports around the globe. A Pac-12 Networks college football analyst, Award-Winning Filmmaker, Scholar, New York Times Best-Selling Author, accomplished Coach, Motivational Speaker, Media Personality, Host and World-Traveler. Over the past 15 years Yogi has been driven by the power of sports and story. Yogi began his storytelling career after coaching football at USC, co-authoring the New York Times best-seller Win Forever with Pete Carroll, as well as his second book From PA to LA. As a filmmaker, he has produced and directed multiple documentaries with the Pac-12 Networks, NFL Films, Bleacher Report and ESPN, including the Emmy-nominated film Keep Climbing: 2013 Elite 11, and the award-winning film Life In A Walk. As a media personality, Yogi has been a host/college football analyst for ESPN, Fox and the Pac-12 Network, as well as a correspondent for Entertainment Tonight on CBS and beach volleyball on TBS for the last decade. In addition to his podcast The Yogi Roth Show: LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS, he has also hosted the Elite 11 for the last decade on ESPN, Bleacher Report, NFL Network and YouTube.
On May 25, 2001, Erik Weihenmayer became the first blind person to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. In 2008 he climbed Carstensz Pyramid on the island of Papua New Guinea, completing the Seven Summits, the highest point on every continent. This accomplishment closed the circuit on a 13-year journey that had begun with his 1995 ascent of Denali. He is joined by a select company of only 150 mountaineers to have accomplished the feat. As word spread about Erik’s remarkable achievements, the world took notice; shortly after his summit of Everest, he was honored with a Time cover story detailing his conquest of the world’s highest peak. Since then, he has authored multiple books, including his memoir, Touch the Top of the World. Yet for those who had long known him, his propensity for taking on and knocking down the loftiest of challenges came as no surprise. Erik co-founded not merely an organization, but rather a movement called No Barriers. The mission is to help people with challenges, all of us to some extent, to turn into the storm of life, face barriers head on, embrace a pioneering and innovative spirit and team up with great people to live rich in meaning and purpose. The motto is “What’s Within You Is Stronger Than What’s In Your Way.” To this aim, Erik continues to challenge himself to live a No Barriers Life and in September 2014 he kayaked the entire 277-miles of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Erik is one of the most inspiring, engaging, and sought after speakers in the world. His presentations engage and inspire audiences by capturing lessons from his life and adventures around the world. Erik’s essential messaging focuses on harnessing the power of adversity, developing a guiding vision and building a strong “rope-team.” Erik sees every new challenge as an opportunity to problem solve, strategize and pioneer new ways forward.
5. Miesha Tate
Miesha Tate is an American mixed martial arts pundit and former mixed martial artist who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and is a former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion. Primarily known for her grappling ability, Tate became a wrestler while attending Franklin Pierce High School in Tacoma, Washington and won a state championship during her senior year in 2005. She began her professional mixed martial arts (MMA) career in 2007 and won the bantamweight championship of the Freestyle Cage Fighting promotion in 2009. Tate gained increased recognition in 2011, when she won the Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Championship. She has also won a silver medal in the FILA Grappling Championships. Outside of MMA, Tate has modeled for numerous websites and publications, including ESPN The Magazine and Fitness Girls. In 2015, Tate was announced as a cast member in the feature film Fight Valley. Her fighting style, which focused on wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, has earned praise from multiple peers and media outlets. Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White has credited Tate's fight with Ronda Rousey on March 3, 2012 as the key factor in the creation of women's divisions in the UFC.
In Conclusion
There are plenty more fish in the sea, but these individuals are a catch. To book or learn more about their stories click here.
Check out Engage's roster of celebrity speakers that will leave a lasting impression on your audience.
