The Speakers Group
The Speakers Group is a privately held thought leadership studio that delivers Shawn Ellis's branded keynotes on change and adaptability, provides 1:1 coaching for emerging speakers, and offers curated speaker referrals to enterprise event planners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersNashville, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Speakers Group does
The Speakers Group, Inc. is a privately held thought leadership studio founded by Shawn Ellis in Nashville in 2003 and currently operated from the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area. The company delivers two flagship keynotes — Choose Your Ending™ and Radical Adaptability — both built around the trademarked 5 C's Framework (Calm, Clarity, Courage, Confidence, Community), and serves enterprise event planners across industries including financial services, healthcare, aerospace and defense, insurance, manufacturing, and government. Client logos include Lockheed Martin, Freddie Mac, BlueCross BlueShield, Unum, Bridgestone, Toastmasters International, and Microsoft's and Disney's audiences via represented speakers.
The core product is human-delivered keynote speaking by Shawn Ellis at $15K-$25K per domestic program, supplemented by a 1:1 coaching program called Stand Out and Speak for emerging speakers and a two-tier Speaker Finder referral service (free Direct and $99 Managed). Supporting brand assets include the Better Life. Better Business. podcast, a published book (Mastering the Moments), and an extensive SEO-driven blog and city-specific landing pages targeting the Columbus, Nashville, Chicago, and Cincinnati markets. The company maintains no proprietary technology platform and does not list any AI/ML capabilities.
The business model is service-based and founder-centric: revenue is generated through per-engagement keynote fees, selective referral commissions or managed-service fees, and undisclosed coaching engagements. Distribution is direct via website contact forms, phone (614) 285-6171, and email, with organic content marketing and referrals driving inbound demand. In 2024 the company formally transitioned away from operating a full-service speakers roster, repositioning as a thought leadership studio under single-founder ownership with no external investment, no parent company, and a headcount of 1-10.
The Speakers Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Speakers Group
- Legal name
- The Speakers Group Inc.
- Website
- https://thespeakersgroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Speakers Group is a privately held thought leadership studio that delivers Shawn Ellis's branded keynotes on change and adaptability, provides 1:1 coaching for emerging speakers, and offers curated speaker referrals to enterprise event planners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Speakers Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Keynote Speaking Services
- NAICS
- Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Speaker, Program & Abstract Management Services (THAHACAI)
Keywords
Where The Speakers Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nashville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
The Speakers Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Keynote Speaking Engagements: Primary revenue stream from Shawn Ellis delivering keynote presentations at corporate events, conferences, sales kickoff meetings, and leadership retreats. Fee range of $15,000-$25,000 for domestic programs.
- Speaker Referral Services: Connecting event planners with trusted speakers from their network. They receive inquiries and make referrals, potentially earning referral fees or commissions from placed speakers.
- Coaching & Advisory Services: The 'Stand Out and Speak' program offers 1:1 strategic coaching for emerging and evolving speakers to clarify their brand, story, and positioning.
- Speaker Finder Managed Service: $99 fee for event planners who want TSG to manage speaker proposals on their behalf, hiding direct contact information from speakers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Shawn Ellis Keynote Speaking - Domestic Programs |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Shawn Ellis Keynote Speaking - Regional/Local Events |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Erik Wahl Keynote Speaking |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Amy Jo Martin Keynote Speaking |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Shannon Miller Keynote Speaking |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Derrick Moore Keynote Speaking |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Speaker Finder Managed Service |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Stand Out and Speak Coaching Program |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Speakers Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Speakers Group is a thought leadership studio that delivers keynote presentations by founder Shawn Ellis on change, resilience, and adaptability; provides 1:1 coaching through the Stand Out and Speak program for speakers seeking to clarify their message; and operates a curated Speaker Finder referral network that connects event planners with trusted keynote speakers outside bureau contracts.
Product overview
The Speakers Group is a thought leadership studio that operates as a platform-plus-services model. The core offering centers on two flagship keynote presentations by founder Shawn Ellis: the 'Choose Your Ending™' keynote and the 'Radical Adaptability' keynote, both built around his proprietary 5 C's Framework. The company supplements its speaking services with the 'Stand Out and Speak' one-on-one coaching program for emerging and evolving speakers, and a curated speaker referral network for event planners. Supporting brand extensions include the 'Better Life. Better Business.' podcast and Shawn Ellis's book 'Mastering the Moments.' The company was founded in 2004 and has evolved from a traditional speakers bureau to a thought leadership studio focused on elevating voices through keynotes, coaching, and strategic referrals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Choose Your Ending™ Keynote A flagship keynote presentation delivered by Shawn Ellis that helps audiences reframe change as a creative act, identify what is holding them back, and make one brave choice that unlocks momentum and growth. Targeted at corporate event audiences and leadership teams.
- Radical Adaptability Keynote A practical keynote delivered by Shawn Ellis that presents the 5 C's Framework — Calm, Clarity, Courage, Confidence, Community — to help leaders and teams lead through uncertainty and create thriving organizational cultures. Aimed at enterprise leadership and sales kickoff audiences.
- Stand Out and Speak Coaching Program A one-on-one strategic coaching engagement led by Shawn Ellis that helps emerging and evolving speakers develop a magnetic speaker identity, client-facing keynote titles and messaging, and supporting materials including one-sheets, website copy, and demo scripts. Targeted at speakers and executives seeking to elevate their thought leadership.
- Speaker Finder Service A speaker referral service offering two tiers: Speaker Finder Direct (free, sharing of direct contact info) and Speaker Finder Managed ($99, where TSG manages speaker proposals and protects client contact information). Targeted at event planners seeking speakers outside their existing network.
- Mastering the Moments Book A published book by Shawn Ellis titled 'Mastering the Moments: A Journey of Endings, Beginnings, and the Space in Between' offering practical guidance on navigating life's transitions with resilience, clarity, and purpose.
Quantifiable outcome
- 10 transformative keynotes delivered in 15 weeks for major organizations
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Speakers Group
Customer profileNamed customers19 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Speakers Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
The Speakers Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Speakers Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BigSpeak Speakers Bureau: BigSpeak is a full-service speakers bureau representing motivational and business keynote speakers for corporate events. Directly comparable to The Speakers Group's original bureau model and its current speaker referral function.
- The Lavin Agency: The Lavin Agency is a boutique speakers bureau representing authors, thinkers, and business speakers for corporate and association events. Closely aligned with TSG's speaker referral and curated bureau positioning.
- Leading Authorities: Leading Authorities is a Washington, D.C.-based speakers bureau providing keynote speakers for corporate, association, and government events. Comparable in customer base (enterprise, associations) and service model.
- Harry Walker Agency: Harry Walker Agency is one of the oldest and largest speakers bureaus representing prominent figures for paid speaking engagements. Directly comparable category, though at a larger scale than TSG.
- Premiere Speakers Bureau: Premiere Speakers Bureau represents keynote speakers for associations, corporations, and meetings. Overlaps with TSG's core speaker referral and matching service for event planners.
- Keynote Speakers International: Keynote Speakers International is a speakers bureau representing business, motivational, and leadership speakers for corporate events. Direct competitor in the same speaker-booking category.
- Executive Speakers Bureau: Executive Speakers Bureau is a bureau focused on leadership, diversity, and business speakers for corporate and association audiences. Comparable in target market, service model, and fee tiers.
Broad incumbents
- Creative Artists Agency (CAA) Speakers: CAA's speakers division represents high-profile talent for paid speaking engagements. A broader, incumbent player in the same space, competing for the same marquee keynote bookings at the premium end of the market.
Others
- National Speakers Association (NSA): NSA is the trade industry body for professional speakers, providing CSP certification and industry recognition referenced in TSG's represented-roster history. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor.
Regional players
- Eagle Point Speaker Booking Agency: Eagle Point is a speakers bureau serving primarily U.S. event planners with keynote speakers. Similar service offering and geographic focus, making it a regional-category comparable for TSG's domestic bookings.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
The Speakers Group social profiles
Digital presenceThe Speakers Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Speakers Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Speakers Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Speakers Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Speakers Group
What does The Speakers Group do?
The Speakers Group is a thought leadership studio that delivers keynote presentations by founder Shawn Ellis on change, resilience, and adaptability; provides 1:1 coaching through the Stand Out and Speak program for speakers seeking to clarify their message; and operates a curated Speaker Finder referral network that connects event planners with trusted keynote speakers outside bureau contracts.
Is The Speakers Group a public or private company?
The Speakers Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Speakers Group founded?
The Speakers Group was founded in 2004. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Speakers Group based?
The Speakers Group is headquartered in Nashville, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Speakers Group make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Keynote Speaking Engagements are the primary driver. The others are speaker Referral Services, coaching & Advisory Services and speaker Finder Managed Service.
Who are The Speakers Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BigSpeak Speakers Bureau, The Lavin Agency, Leading Authorities, Harry Walker Agency, Premiere Speakers Bureau, Keynote Speakers International and Executive Speakers Bureau. Creative Artists Agency (CAA) Speakers is listed as a broad incumbent. National Speakers Association (NSA) is listed as an others. Eagle Point Speaker Booking Agency is listed as a regional player.
Does The Speakers Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Speakers Group.
What industry is The Speakers Group in?
The Speakers Group's product category is Professional Keynote Speaking Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHACAI, Speaker, Program & Abstract Management Services. Its NAICS code is 56192 and its SIC code is 8742.