Nsa Carolinas

What Nsa Carolinas does

NSA Carolinas is a regional chapter of the National Speakers Association, operating since 1985 as a nonprofit professional membership association for speakers, trainers, authors, consultants, and coaches in North Carolina and South Carolina. The organization runs a portfolio of programs built around four pillars (Expertise, Eloquence, Enterprise, Ethics), including an annual Speaker Academy cohort, quarterly in-person retreats capped at roughly 35 seats, monthly virtual Speaker Development Series and 3rd Wednesday calls, monthly 2nd Saturday regional meetups across Raleigh, Charlotte, Winston-Salem, and a virtual channel, plus Specialty Interest Groups, Member Masterminds, an annual banquet, and a Week of Speaker Love series. The membership product is delivered through a Wild Apricot-powered website that handles registration, the member directory, and communications; member speakers are also surfaced to enterprise buyers via an eSpeakers marketplace integration and a 'Hire A Speaker' portal.

The business is volunteer-led with 1-10 staff and generates revenue from annual chapter dues (around $165), tiered event registration (retreats $130-$380, Speaker Academy $600-$875, banquet $90-$250), and corporate sponsorships. Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: prospective members typically enter through guest attendance at meetups or the Speaker Academy, then convert to paid annual membership, with reduced member pricing and bundled membership options used as conversion levers. The chapter differentiates on the density of credentialed members, claiming more CSP and CPAE Hall of Fame speakers than any other NSA chapter, and on the volunteer board structure that sustains year-round programming.

Name

Nsa Carolinas

Legal name

NSA Carolinas

Website

https://nsacarolinas.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NSA Carolinas is a volunteer-led nonprofit chapter of the National Speakers Association, founded in 1985 to serve professional speakers, trainers, coaches, and consultants across North and South Carolina through annual membership, retreats, the Speaker Academy, and a credentialed peer community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cullowhee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual chapter membership dues provide recurring revenue. Membership is available at different levels including professional membership. The membership renewal is typically $165/year as mentioned in Speaker Academy pricing.
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue generated from paid events including retreats (ranging from $130-$380 depending on ticket type and early bird status), Speaker Academy cohort program ($600-$875), Annual Banquet ($90-$250), and general chapter events. Some events offer guest pricing for non-members.
3. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support chapter programming through event-specific sponsorships and annual sponsorship arrangements. Sponsors receive visibility and recognition through the chapter's marketing channels and events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

NSA Carolinas is a regional chapter of the National Speakers Association that sells annual membership subscriptions and a portfolio of paid programs to professional speakers, trainers, authors, consultants, and coaches across North Carolina and South Carolina. Its core deliverables include the Speaker Academy cohort training program, quarterly Member Retreats, monthly virtual development sessions, regional meetups, and a Hire A Speaker directory service connecting event planners to member talent.

Product overview

NSA Carolinas is a professional membership association for speakers, trainers, coaches, and consultants based in North Carolina and South Carolina. Rather than a unified software platform, the organization offers a portfolio of programs and services centered on professional speaking development: the Speaker Academy is an annual cohort training program; Member Retreats and the Annual Chapter Banquet provide in-person intensive experiences; the Speaker Development Series and 3rd Wednesday Virtual Calls deliver monthly virtual education; 2nd Saturday Regional Meetups enable local community building; Specialty Interest Groups (SIGs) address niche topics; and the Member Directory and Hire A Speaker service facilitate member visibility and business referrals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Speaker Academy: Annual program for aspiring and emerging speakers to develop their speaking skills and business.
• Speak or Treat Retreat

Products and services

• Annual Chapter Membership Annual membership subscription to NSA Carolinas, priced at $165/year standard, providing access to member-only events, the online member directory, reduced event rates, leadership and volunteer opportunities, and chapter elections participation. Members receive complimentary eSpeakers profiles for visibility in the Hire A Speaker directory.
• Speaker Academy Annual cohort-based training program for aspiring and emerging professional speakers covering fundamentals of speaking business, brand positioning, marketing, presentation video production, intellectual property protection, and business planning. Runs August through December with 8 sessions; member early bird pricing $600, member regular $725, non-member early bird $750, non-member regular $875.
• Member Retreats Quarterly in-person immersive two-day experiences featuring in-depth workshops, keynote presentations, and networking opportunities, limited to approximately 35 seats. The Speak or Treat 2026 Fall Retreat runs October 25-27 at Embassy Suites Myrtle Beach with member early bird $190, member full $220, Monday only $130, non-member bundle $380.
• Speaker Development Series Monthly virtual educational sessions held on the third Wednesday of each month, designed to help members build a thriving, ethical speaking business with topics covering business growth, marketing, certification preparation, and professional development.
• 2nd Saturday Regional Meetups Monthly regional in-person and virtual networking events for professional speakers held on the second Saturday of each month, hosted in Greater Raleigh, Greater Charlotte, Winston-Salem, and remotely via Zoom. Free for members; non-members may attend at their discretion.
• 3rd Wednesday Virtual Calls Monthly virtual membership calls held on the third Wednesday of each month focusing on topics relevant to professional speakers, including trend discussions, conference takeaways, and strategy sharing.
• Annual Chapter Banquet Annual awards gala and dinner held in June featuring recognition of chapter accomplishments, board officer transition, professional development roundtables, and networking opportunities. June 12-13 in Raleigh, NC, with member full weekend $200, non-member full weekend $250, single-day options $90-$160.
• Week of Speaker Love Annual week-long virtual event series held in February featuring daily programming to help members feel connected to the speaker community.
• Last Story Standing Storytelling Contest Annual storytelling competition where chapter contestants compete to advance through chapter, regional, and national contests, with the national winner performing live at NSA's INFLUENCE conference.
• Member Masterminds Exclusive small-group gatherings for members meeting monthly or quarterly to track progress, provide mutual support, share ideas, solve problems, and build a supportive community.
• Specialty Interest Groups (SIGs) Topic-focused member groups covering areas such as book publishing, podcasting, speaker demo video, and CSP certification preparation.
• Hire A Speaker Directory Service Directory service powered by the eSpeakers marketplace connecting event planners with NSA Carolinas member speakers across various industries and topics. Members receive complimentary profiles as part of their membership.

Quantifiable outcome

• More Hall of Fame (CPAE) and Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) members than any other NSA chapter
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and supporting.

• NSA Philadelphia, NSA Colorado, NSA Mountain WestminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026Collaborative multi-chapter event 'Beyond the Badge' bringing together members from four Elite NSA chapters for joint programming focused on maximizing NSA membership benefits and Influence conference value.
• High Point UniversityminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 April 2017High Point University served as venue host for the April 2017 chapter meeting, with university president Nido Qubein (CSP, CPAE, Cavett Award recipient) as featured speaker.
• National Speakers Association (NSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNSA Carolinas is an official chapter of the National Speakers Association, operating under NSA's charter and aligned with NSA's Code of Ethics, Civility Code, and Professional Conduct policies. The chapter participates in NSA national events (Influence, Thrive) and programs (Last Story Standing contest). Chapter members can also be members of NSA National.
• eSpeakerscoreTechnology or IntegrationeSpeakers provides the online speaker directory platform for NSA Carolinas member speakers. Members receive complimentary eSpeakers profiles as part of their membership, allowing event planners to search and book speakers. The platform integration enables the 'Hire a Speaker' functionality on the chapter website.
• Chapter SponsorssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsors support chapter programming through event-specific and annual sponsorships. Sponsors receive recognition through chapter marketing channels, website visibility, and event branding. The chapter actively seeks sponsors who support speakers in their business development.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NSA Colorado: Another 'Beyond the Badge' partner NSA chapter with a similar regional model serving speakers in Colorado, providing directly comparable programming and member experience.
• NSA Philadelphia: A fellow regional NSA chapter co-hosting the 'Beyond the Badge' multi-chapter program; offers directly comparable speaker community, events, and member services in the Philadelphia region.
• NSA Mountain West: Yet another 'Beyond the Badge' partner NSA chapter operating a comparable regional model for professional speakers in the Mountain West geography.

Broad incumbents

• Toastmasters International: A much larger global membership organization for public speaking and leadership skill development; broader scope than NSA Carolinas but overlaps on speaker training and community.
• National Speakers Association (NSA): The national parent organization of NSA Carolinas; offers overlapping membership, certification (CSP/CPAE), and major events like INFLUENCE, but operates nationally rather than regionally.
• Leading Authorities: An established commercial speakers bureau that books keynote speakers for corporate events; overlaps with the chapter's marketplace function of connecting event planners to member speakers, though operating commercially rather than as a nonprofit.
• Global Speakers Federation: International federation of speaker associations of which NSA is a member; serves a similar professional speaker community globally and offers comparable credentialing and events.

Others

• eSpeakers: Technology partner that powers the chapter's 'Hire A Speaker' directory and member booking profiles; comparable as a marketplace infrastructure provider for professional speakers rather than a competing association.

Regional players

• Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS): The Canadian counterpart to NSA — a national professional association for speakers offering similar membership, events, and CSP-style credentialing, but operating in Canada rather than the U.S.

Emerging players

• Bureau of Digital Speakers: A modern speaker bureau/representation agency focused on digital and marketing speakers; partial overlap as a channel that connects professional speakers to event planners, similar to the chapter's eSpeakers directory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@NSACarolinas
• Facebookfacebook.com/NSACarolinas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nsa-carolinas
• Instagraminstagram.com/nsacarolinas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Nsa Carolinas