Today, I want to take a moment to honor someone who shaped not only a business, but my life. Larry Ketelaars, founder of Inspiring Speakers Bureau, passed away on April 17th, 2026. He was my stepfather, my mentor, my business partner, and one of the most influential people I will ever know. Larry built Inspiring Speakers Bureau from the ground up in the late 1990s. Through sheer persistence, optimism, and (most crucially) his belief in people, he guided this business through some of the toughest periods in modern history. Inspiring Speakers survived and adapted through 9/11, SARS, the 2008 financial crisis, and COVID—times when many in the speaking industry didn’t make it. Larry never lost faith. He never lost purpose. He just kept moving forward. In 2017, Larry entrusted me with the business and passed the torch. But he never stepped away in spirit. Up until his final days, he remained a powerful and invaluable mentor, guiding me, challenging me, and continuing to shape the direction of Inspiring Speakers. Everything I know about this business (and much of what I know about life) came from him. He taught me the ins and outs of the professional speaking world, but more importantly, he taught me about people. About human connection. About branding and marketing with integrity. About building real client relationships. About conducting yourself ethically, even when it’s difficult. Larry was an incredible leader. He led with positivity. With optimism. With a mindset that no matter what was happening externally, there was always a way forward. That attitude became the backbone of this business. Throughout his career, Larry had the privilege of working with some of the greatest voices in the world—Les Brown, Robin Sharma, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Robert Kiyosaki, Dr. Wayne Dyer, and many more. But what stood out most wasn’t just who he worked with—it was how he showed up. With humility. With consistency. With genuine care. Larry was legally blind. He had only about 5% of his vision. And yet, I’ve always said—he was the most observant man I’ve ever known. Because he paid attention. He listened. He noticed what others missed. He recognized people for who they truly were. Larry saw more than most people, in both a literal and metaphorical way.

Okay, first off, if you haven't subscribed to @Jerry Fletcher 's newsletter on LinkedIn, you are missing the boat. Secondly, Jerry recently posted in his newsletter about emotional hooks you should use in your posting. I took screenshots than threw the info into Claude (AI). Then since Claude and I are now buds, he asked if I wanted examples specific to my industry. The two attached documents are the result. Quit fearing AI! USE IT along with the guidance of the experienced ... like Jerry Fletcher. Thanks Jerry!!

Trust me, eventually the flower blooms.

Last week, I was interviewed by Emmy-award winning journalist and investigative reporter Mark Allen. Our focus was on the intersection of artificial intelligence and human wisdom, and my work with leaders in this area. You can watch the full interview on my YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuwiQ5sxKv8&t=77s

Hey folks! We’ve had some fantastic conversations lately on our weekly Inspiring Talks Zoom calls, and we have started posting short video clips from those sessions on our YouTube channel. These clips capture some of the best insights, ideas, and breakthroughs shared by our members — from speaking strategy to mindset shifts to practical ways to grow your speaking business. Here's a short clip from one of our calls that you may benefit from watching: https://youtu.be/-eTuGZ75x34?si=NEgscgScqMgTv1HJ We encourage you to: • Watch the clips we send each week and revisit the key moments from the calls, and then watch the full Zoom videos of our weekly calls, all of which are posted in the community • Share them with your network if you think they’ll benefit others • Invite colleagues and fellow speakers to join our growing community • Join our upcoming weekly Zoom calls so you can participate live and be part of the conversation Every week the discussions get richer and more valuable, as experienced speakers, coaches, trainers and branded experts contribute their perspectives and real-world experiences. We've had some truly amazing calls with many powerful insights, and they just keep coming! If you know someone who would benefit from being part of a supportive community focused on growing a speaking business, please feel free to invite them. We're excited to keep building this community together, and we look forward to seeing you on one of our upcoming calls! To your speaking success! David & Drew Inspiring Speakers Bureau "Inspire the World!"