Andrew Winston

WINSTON: Inspiration. Knowledge. Energy. I want them to understand the scale of the challenges the world is facing and get excited by how big the business opportunity is to solve these challenges. At their core, companies exist to solve a customer problem profitably. Global challenges create big problems and thus many customers. I also hope that people are surprised and inspired by how much large companies are already doing.

WINSTON: I’m always doing research, both formally and informally, through a great deal of reading about the world and consistent interactions with clients (multinational companies) to understand the issues they’re dealing with. For a specific engagement, I have at least one preparation call to understand the audience better and ask questions: What do they want people to walk away with and feel at the end of my talk? What else are they hearing/learning during the event? Where do I fit in the agenda? What are the big trends in the company or industry sector – what are they dealing with lately?

I then focus my presentation to include examples and stories from their sector or region so it’s relatable.

WINSTON: I’ve given hundreds of keynotes all over the world, including many European countries, multiple stops in South America and China, and visits to Russia and Kazakhstan. Many have been “unusual” in different ways. There was one audience having a sit-down lunch, which would not be unusual, except there were 5,000 people in the room – one very big room in Las Vegas. At that same event, I followed a very famous magician, an odd, fun juxtaposition.

Another time, I spoke at Walmart headquarters, but a last-minute schedule change meant that the quarterback Peyton Manning was going to speak as well, so the room was packed with kids in football jerseys – not the usual audience for me. Manning arrived near the end of my talk and they had him come on and make a joke about being there to see me and get a signed copy of my book.

WINSTON: I’ve spoken to a wide range of groups across nearly every sector imaginable. In recent years, the entire value chain of retail and consumer products, and especially those in the food business, has been a great fit. Those industries are facing deep change brought on by the mega-trends I talk about (climate change, resource constraints, transparency, health & wellness, etc.).

A fairly common audience for me is the management team of a large company – i.e., the annual meeting of the top few hundred execs in one large enterprise. I also help set the stage for big industry events and trade shows, helping the audience understand the big trends and where the world is headed.

WINSTON: Honestly, I enjoy all the talks I give. Every talk includes some discussion of mega-trends and how they are changing society and business, and I really like that experience of connecting the dots for people. Discussions of the rise of transparency and changing expectations of Millennials are fun, as well. I also especially enjoy talking about the shifts in the energy business; it’s a whole new world now as renewable energy takes over.

WINSTON: I wrote a book, Green to Gold, that sold over 100,000 copies in 7 languages. That’s when the speaking began in earnest. Speaking is an amazing way to get in front of people and start influencing their thinking about tough issues. Humor and “a-ha” moments can really move people and organizations in new directions.

On a side note, one little known fact about me: part of the reason I am comfortable on stage is that I spent years as a singer. I was in a college a capella group (way before Pitch Perfect) and toured the world with them. Later I sang in a semi-pro group in New York City, which is how I met my wife.

WINSTON: On some level, all human communication is based on stories, so yes, I use many stories. “Case studies” sounds too formal, but I do have many examples of companies doing interesting things. I quickly move through a mix of short and longer stories, but mainly keep people interested by incorporating some level of humor. Of course, some of what I’m talking about is serious stuff – climate change and threats to the planet and economy – but there’s still humor to be found in what I do.

WINSTON: I’ve worked closely with multinationals as they’ve moved to renewable energy, inspired their own employees, created new products that help their customers be more sustainable, and much more. Much of that work is through consulting.

The successes from my keynotes are often harder to measure, but I frequently hear from people months or even years later who tell me that my talk “started something” in an organization or individual. I’ve had CEOs or board members start funding new initiatives and change their priorities because of a presentation, but the most rewarding feedback I’ve gotten comes from people I meet who, because of my talks or books, have actually changed careers. The fact that my work’s inspired them to choose their direction in life makes me feel like there are ripple effects from what I do.