NSA Michigan Members,
We are thrilled to invite you to apply to speak at the exclusive Next Gen Meetings Conference, taking place on June 2–3, 2025, at the stunning Saint John’s Resort in Plymouth, Michigan. Saint John’s Resort is a luxurious setting designed to inspire creativity and connection. This inaugural event will set a new standard for premier professional gatherings in the meetings industry and has been carefully crafted as an NSA Michigan partnership with Destination Michigan.
This highly anticipated event is designed to inspire, educate, and connect meeting professionals with innovative ideas, cutting-edge trends, and actionable strategies to shape the future of the meetings and events industry.
Why You Should Apply/Benefits of Being Selected to Speak:
- Speech Coaching Receive individual hotseat coaching on a portion of your presentation 3 weeks before the event from Craig Valentine, 1999 World Champion of Public Speaking
- Exposure Position yourself as the thought leader to hire among a very well-networked audience of association, corporate, government, and other meeting professionals and decision makers from all around the state of Michigan
- Professional Assets Presenters will receive photo and video footage of their session for promotional use. Saint John’s Resort is a premier setting, and our AV partner is building out an incredible stage design to showcase you as a top-tier professional speaker.
- Event Access Enjoy complimentary attendance to both days of the conference, including all networking and educational opportunities, with the requirement to attend only on your speaking day.
- Dedicated Networking Opportunities Have opportunities to engage in meaningful, one-on-one conversations with meeting professionals who will be especially interested in your message and delivery. You'll have a dedicated table for these interactions and are encouraged to bring your speaker one sheets, other marketing materials, and/or business cards to put in the hands of planners sourcing speakers, in addition to other attendees interested in professional collaborations.
- Speak Locally This is a wonderful opportunity to invite your support community to witness you living the dream in a beautiful, prestigious setting. You can invite friends, family, your support community, speaker bureaus, and other professional speakers who might refer you after experiencing your talents. Ask your fans to save the dates and watch for information about ticket sales opening in mid-March.
- The total value of the tangible benefits easily exceeds $4,400. However, this does not include the intangible, incredible value of exposure to our specially-curated audience of event professionals and decision makers, which is truly priceless. Do not pass this opportunity by, as we believe speakers from outside of the state may wish to join NSA Michigan and apply as well.
Specific Opportunities for NSA-Michigan Speakers
Spots are limited for this prestigious opportunity and video auditions will be required. All selected speakers are encouraged to show up with their A-game and leverage the many opportunities the NextGen Meetings Conference positions them for, regardless of placement. Give it all you’ve got and it will be well worth your investment! We are looking for up to 15 dynamic speakers to fill the following slots:
- 3 Keynote Speakers (30 minutes each)
- 5 TED-style Speakers (10 minutes each)
- 6 Breakout Sessions (45 minutes each)
- 1 Emcee to introduce mainstage speakers with energy and professionalism
Theme & Topics
The event theme focuses on NextGen Meetings—topics that are fresh, forward-thinking, and deeply relevant to meeting professionals. We want your session to align with current and emerging trends, offering practical takeaways and solutions for our audience. Connect your topic to one of 9 categories that today’s meeting professionals will greatly benefit from learning about (see application for descriptions of the CMP categories). The need for education is greater than what is typically found at a speaker showcase, as meeting professionals will be offered CMP continuing education credits for attending.
Participation Timeline:
- Pre-Application Q&A Zoom Session: March 4, 2025, 6:30 PM
https://zoom.us/j/91960847133?pwd=4M01cyqhaE8I2LEVaUhKleVibZtT7r.1
- Application Deadline: March 26, 2025
- Notification of Selection: April 9, 2025
- Speaker Prep Call: April 22, 2025, 12:00 PM
- Speaker Hot Seat Coaching: May 10, 2025, 12:30 - 3:30 pm
- NextGen Meetings Conference: June 2 (1:30pm-8:00pm) & June 3, 2025 (8:30 AM - 3:00 PM)
Application Process
To be considered for this prestigious opportunity, please follow these steps:
- Complete the Application Form. You'll be asked to provide the following:
- Your name, title, company, website, and contact information.
- A professional headshot and a 4-sentence bio/introduction. Include a fun fact about yourself.
- Session Details
- Provide your topic title and description (max. 150 words).
- Submit 3–4 learning outcomes that attendees will take away.
- Indicate which CMP category/categories your session aligns with:
- Strategic Planning: Involves the development of meeting or event objectives that align with organizational goals.
- Project Management:Encompasses the application of processes, methods, skills, and knowledge to achieve specific project objectives.
- Risk Management:Focuses on identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks associated with meetings or events.
- Financial Management:Pertains to budgeting, financial planning, and fiscal oversight of meetings or events.
- Human Resources: Involves managing the personnel and staffing aspects of meetings or events.
- Stakeholder Management:Centers on identifying and managing relationships with all parties involved in or affected by the meeting or event.
- Meeting or Event Design: Relates to the creation of the event experience, including program content, environment, and attendee engagement.
- Site Management: Involves selecting and managing the physical location of the meeting or event.
- Marketing: Pertains to promoting the meeting or event to attract and engage the target audience.
- Showcase Your Style
- Share a 5-minute video of you presenting, showcasing your speaking style, energy, and ability to engage an audience. It is not required to record your video on your intended/submitted topic, but this would be helpful and is suggested. Any video longer than 5 minutes will not be judged.
- Submit your nonrefundable $50 application fee, which contributes to the growth of NSA Michigan’s chapter initiatives, in support of professional development for speakers.
- Availability & Rules
- Indicate your availability: June 2, June 3, or both days.
- Indicate your session preference/s, in accordance with your business model: keynote, TED-style, breakout, emcee
- Confirm that you are a current NSA Michigan member in good standing. Not a member yet? Click here to join.
- If selected, agree that you will pay the $699 speaker fee (benefits package is outlined above)
- If selected, agree that you plan to attend:
- Speaker Prep Call: April 22, 2025, at 12:00 PM EST.
- Speaker Hot Seat (extra coaching): May 10, 2025, at the NSA MI Seminar with Craig Valentine, 12:30 - 3:30 pm in Ann Arbor.
- Deadline & Notifications
- Application Link: Click here to apply.
- The NextGen Meetings Conference welcomes diverse voices and will accommodate speakers’ accessibility needs. Please specify any in your application.
In Summary
The NextGen Meetings Conference is an extraordinary platform for showcasing your expertise and talents to an engaged audience of industry leaders and decision-makers. Without including the incredible value of exposure to this esteemed audience, the tangible benefits alone are valued at a minimum of $4,400. As a selected speaker, you’ll:
- Receive speech coaching from a world-champion professional speaker
- Have the opportunity to share your insights and leave a lasting impact on the audience, which could include your own support system, cheering you on
- Own beautiful professional photography and video footage of your session in a distinguished setting—an invaluable asset for future engagements
- Be highly visible to well-connected decision-makers who may be sourcing speakers for upcoming events
- Network with an intentional and curated audience at a designated table
- Learn about cutting-edge trends at a two-day conference entirely focused on the meetings and events industry
As you can see, this comprehensive, first-of-its kind NSA Michigan member-only benefit offers a tremendous amount of opportunity. Do not miss out on this event!
All questions can be directed to event chair Robin Shear at joycoachrobin@gmail.com.
We can't wait to experience the NextGen Meetings Conference with you!
Robin Shear
NextGen Meetings Conference event chair
NSA Michigan President Elect