INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SPEAKERS BUREAUS

What INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SPEAKERS BUREAUS does

The International Association of Speakers Bureaus (IASB), now operating as the Global Speaking Industry Association (GSIA), is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association founded in 1986 (incorporated as IASB in 2002) and headquartered in Tempe, Arizona. It serves as the global trade body for speakers bureaus, lecture agencies, and speaker management companies, with membership open to qualifying companies worldwide that derive at least 51% of revenue from booking, representing, or managing paid professional speakers. The organization also serves adjacent constituencies—meeting planners seeking vetted speakers and professional speakers seeking representation—by publishing a Member Directory, facilitating the Meeting Planner Referral Program, and running the 25+ year IASBtalks Speaker Showcase.

IASB operates a portfolio of programs anchored by the ENGAGE Annual Convention, described as the largest gathering of speaker bureau, agency, and speaker management professionals globally, plus recurring programs including IASBhub hybrid events, Mid-year Meetings, Community Chats, eLearning, and IASBlive digital sessions. The technology stack is built on YourMembership's association management platform (handling membership, directory, and event registration) and a new Learning Management System launched in December 2025 in partnership with LeaderPass. The association is professionally managed by Nonprofit Resource Group, LLC, an external association management company, with a staff of 7 supported by a volunteer Board of Governors drawn from member bureaus.

Revenue is generated from annual membership dues (subscription/recurring), event and convention registration fees, sponsorship and partnership packages for ENGAGE and other programs, and digital advertising in Member eNews and the website. The organization is governed by mandatory Standards of Professional Conduct enforced through an Ethics Committee, affiliations with the Events Industry Council, Meeting Professionals International, the National Speakers Association, and the Global Speakers Federation, and established awards programs (John Palmer, Dottie Walters Helping Hand, Lifetime Achievement). Specific revenue figures, membership counts, and pricing are not publicly disclosed.

Name

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SPEAKERS BUREAUS

Legal name

International Association of Speakers Bureaus

Website

https://iasbweb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

International Association of Speakers Bureaus (IASB/GSIA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association serving speakers bureaus, agencies, and speaker management companies globally through membership dues, the ENGAGE annual convention, and education programs including a newly launched LMS.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conferences & Conventions Operations Services (Registration, AV, Logistics) (MPAGAGAM), Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)

Keywords

• Speakers bureau association
• Trade association membership
• Speaking industry events
• Professional speakers network
• Meeting planner resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Tempe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from speakers bureaus, agencies, and speaker management companies. IASB is a nonprofit corporation with 501(c)6 tax-exempt status. Membership dues are not considered charitable contributions but may be tax-deductible.
2. Event Registration Fees: Registration fees for ENGAGE annual convention and other programs including IASBtalks Speaker Showcase, Mid-year Meetings, Community Chats, eLearning, and IASBhub programs.
3. Sponsorship and Partnership Revenue: Event and program partnership packages, advertising opportunities on website and in digital publications, and sponsorship of conventions and programs.
4. Advertising: Digital display advertising on website and in Member eNews publications, with quantity discounts available and 10% discount for IASB Members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The International Association of Speakers Bureaus (IASB), now operating as GSIA (Global Speaking Industry Association), is a nonprofit 501(c)(6) trade association that serves speakers bureaus, lecture agencies, and speaker management companies worldwide. It provides membership benefits including industry standards, networking events, the ENGAGE Annual Convention (the largest gathering of speaker bureau professionals globally), the IASBtalks Speaker Showcase program, an LMS learning platform, member directory, and professional development resources.

Product overview

The International Association of Speakers Bureaus (IASB), now operating as the Global Speaking Industry Association (GSIA), is a trade association providing a portfolio of programs and services for speakers bureaus, agencies, and speaker management companies. The core offerings include the ENGAGE Annual Convention (the largest gathering of speaker bureau professionals globally), the IASBtalks Speaker Showcase program (25+ year program connecting speakers with booking agents), and the IASB Learning Platform (LMS) launched in partnership with LeaderPass. Supporting programs include IASBhub (hybrid regional programs), Community Chats (virtual gatherings), Mid-year Meetings, eLearning workshops, and IASBlive digital programs. The association also provides the Member Directory, IASB Podcast, Speaking Industry Lexicon, Professional Standards framework, Research initiatives, and Awards & Recognition programs. The organization was founded in 1986 and is professionally managed by Nonprofit Resource Group, LLC.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ENGAGE Annual Convention The largest gathering of speaker bureau, agency, and speaker management professionals in the world, featuring 2.5-3 days of educational programming, networking, Annual Industry Awards, and the Speaker Showcase Program.
• IASBtalks Speaker Showcase A curated speaker showcase program running for over 25 years that brings together professional speakers with professional booking agents from around the globe, providing speakers with feedback on marketing assets and exclusive opportunities to engage with booking agents.
• IASB Learning Platform (LMS) A learning management system created in partnership with LeaderPass, providing curated educational content for the global IASB community, featuring virtual workshops, on-demand content, and ENGAGE workshop programs. Available to IASB Members.
• Member Directory

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and minor.

• LeaderPasscoreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic technology partnership for the IASB Learning Platform. LeaderPass provides a secure, modern web application that serves as IASB's learning management system. The platform delivers curated content for the global IASB community and was launched following sneak peek at 2025 ENGAGE.
• YourMembershipcoreTechnology or IntegrationYourMembership provides the association management software powering the IASB website. The platform handles membership management, event registration, member directory, and website functionality.
• Meeting Professionals International (MPI)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPI is listed as a partner organization. IASB collaborates with MPI on industry events and programs. The Mid-year Meeting is often co-located with MPI events to foster synergy and partnership.
• Events Industry Council (EIC)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerIASB is a member of the Events Industry Council (EIC), providing members with voice and visibility in the Meetings & Events industry. EIC provides resources related to Coronavirus (COVID-19) for the Meetings and Events Industry.
• Global Speakers FederationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIASB is affiliated with the Global Speakers Federation (globalspeakers.net), an international network supporting the speaking industry globally.
• National Speakers Association (NSA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIASB collaborates with NSA (nsaspeaker.org) as part of the broader speaking industry ecosystem.
• Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIASB works with PCMA (pcma.org) as part of collaborative organizations in the Meetings and Events Industry.
• American Society of Association Executives (ASAE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIASB is affiliated with ASAE (asaecenter.org), the leading organization for association executives.
• NSA-IASB CouncilkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerIASB participates in the NSA-IASB Council, a joint council supporting collaboration between the National Speakers Association and IASB.
• Amplify Publishing GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization featured on IASB website. Amplify Publishing Group is recognized as a partner supporting the association's mission.
• AfterburnerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization featured on IASB website. Afterburner provides speaking and training services recognized as a partner supporting IASB programs.
• Corporate TravelerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner providing travel services to IASB. Featured on IASB website with focus on entertainment travel industry expertise.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Speakers Association (NSA): The primary U.S. association for professional speakers; operates the parallel side of the speaking industry (speakers themselves rather than bureaus). IASB collaborates with NSA via the joint NSA-IASB Council, making them direct, complementary peers serving the same broader speaking ecosystem.
• Global Speakers Federation: International federation supporting the global speaking industry. IASB is formally affiliated with GSF; both serve as umbrella organizations for speakers and bureaus across geographies, making GSF a structurally analogous trade body.

Broad incumbents

• Events Industry Council (EIC): Federation of 30+ member organizations serving the events industry. IASB holds membership in EIC, giving it voice and visibility — making EIC a peer umbrella organization with broader scope than IASB's niche.
• Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA): Leading association for convention and business event strategists. IASB is a listed PCMA collaborative organization; both serve the meetings/events industry with overlapping value propositions around professional standards, education, and networking.
• International Live Events Association (ILEA): Association for live event professionals and creative producers. Operates adjacent to IASB's bureau constituency in the meetings/events ecosystem with comparable membership, education, and certification offerings.
• Meeting Professionals International (MPI): The largest global association for meeting and event professionals. IASB collaborates with MPI (Mid-year Meetings are co-located with MPI events); both serve the meetings/events industry with overlapping audiences of planners and bureau partners.
• American Society of Association Executives (ASAE): The leading association for association executives and the trade body for the association management profession. IASB is affiliated with ASAE; both serve as professional membership bodies delivering education, standards, and community to a defined industry.

Others

• Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP): Peer association of similar scale and operating model — membership dues, annual convention, professional standards framework, certification, and chapter structure. Useful as a benchmark for association operating metrics and member value delivery.

Regional players

• International Association of Business Communicators (IABC): Global association for business communication professionals. Operates a comparable trade-association model (membership, education, standards, chapters) serving an adjacent professional services niche rather than the speakers bureau vertical.

Emerging players

• National Speakers Bureau (Canada): A bureau that serves as an IASB member company and as a regional bureau competitor. While a member rather than an association, NSB represents the bureau-side commercial model that IASB's members collectively compete in — a useful structural peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IASBWEB
• Facebookfacebook.com/IASBpage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-association-of-speakers-bureaus

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SPEAKERS BUREAUS