How do you choose the right speaker for your company’s needs?
Choosing a speaker can feel simple on the surface. You find someone well-known, check they’re available, and book them.
But the reality is a bit more nuanced.
The right speaker depends on what you want your audience to take away and what you need to happen after the event. Some speakers are brilliant at energising a room. Others focus on practical tools. Some do both.
A good starting point is to understand the different types of speakers you’ll come across and what each one brings.
Sports speakers
Sports speakers often come from elite performance backgrounds. They have experienced pressure, discipline, setbacks, and success at the highest level.
What they bring
They share real stories that connect quickly with an audience. You hear about resilience, focus, and what it takes to perform under pressure.
That creates a strong emotional response. It can lift the room and give people a new perspective on what they’re capable of.
What to consider
The key is how those lessons translate into your world.
Sport and business operate differently. Your team deals with competing priorities, long-term projects, and complex team dynamics.
A sports speaker can inspire your audience to think differently. You may need to support that with follow-up actions or internal work to turn that inspiration into long-term change.
When this works well
This type of speaker fits well when you want to:
Open or close an event with impact
Boost morale or motivation
Create a shared experience for your team
Side hustle speakers
Side hustle speakers are usually still working in industry or have recently stepped away from it. Speaking is one part of what they do.
What they bring
They often offer current, practical insight. They understand what it’s like to work inside organisations today and can speak from recent experience.
This can make their content feel relatable and grounded.
What to consider
Because speaking isn’t always their main focus, the style and structure of delivery can vary.
Some are excellent communicators. Others are stronger on content than presentation.
It’s worth checking how they engage an audience and whether their delivery style fits your event.
When this works well
This type of speaker fits well when you want to:
Share practical insight from someone close to the work
Run smaller sessions or workshops
Work within a more flexible budget
Full-time speakers
Full-time speakers have usually built a career in business and then focused on turning that experience into structured talks and programmes.
Speakers like Dr Alison Edgar MBE fall into this category. They take real-world experience and shape it into clear frameworks that organisations can use.
What they bring
You get a balance of experience and delivery. They know how to hold a room, structure a message, and keep people engaged. They also tend to focus on giving audiences something they can apply straight away.
Many full-time speakers also work closely with you before the event. They take time to understand your goals and tailor the session to your audience.
What to consider
This level of preparation and experience often comes with a higher investment.
It’s worth thinking about the role the speaker plays in your wider strategy and what you want the return on that investment to look like.
When this works well
This type of speaker fits well when you want to:
Support behaviour change, not just inspiration
Give your team practical tools and frameworks
Align the session closely with your business goals
How to make the right choice
Before you look at names, start with your outcome.
Ask yourself:
What do I want people to think differently about?
What do I want people to do differently after this?
How does this fit into our wider business goals?
Once you’re clear on that, the decision becomes much easier.
Each type of speaker brings something valuable. The key is choosing the one that aligns with what your audience needs right now.
Final thought
A great speaker supports the outcome you’re trying to achieve and leaves a lasting impact. When you focus on that first, everything else becomes clearer.