Young Couple's Speakers'
Agency Thrives
by
Sheldon Kirshner
Canadian
Jewish News (August 3rd, 2000)
Canadian
personalities from hockey hero Paul Henderson to former astronaut
Roberta Bondar may well owe their careers in public speaking to
Martin and Farah Perelmuter.
Now both 30, the Perelmuters are proprietors of Speakers' Spotlight,
a Toronto-based agency they founded in 1995, the year they were
married.
Their
company has grown steadily since then. Bookings reached the $1 million
mark in 1998, and revenues are significantly higher today.
"Our
goal," said Farah, "is to remain the best agency, not necessarily
the biggest one."
"Our
challenge is to keep our numbers manageable so that we can represent
our clients effectively." Martin added.
Speakers' Spotlight represents an eclectic core group of 80 speakers,
about a quarter of whom are Jewish. They range from author-journalist
Peter Newman to media mogul Moses Znaimer.
Usually,
the Perelmuters deal with Canadians. But when the need arises, they
recruit speakers from the Unites States, Europe and Australia.
"We made a conscious decision to work with Canadians," explains
Martin, a former corporate/commercial lawyer with the Bay Street
firm of Goodman Phillips & Vineberg. "American speakers often don't
understand the nuances of Canada, and have sometimes proven to be
major disappointments."
Like their competitors, the Perelmuters represent three kinds of
speakers - professional speakers, known for their expertise in this
or that field; celebrity speakers, basically riding the crest of
their fame; and technical speakers, sought out for their knowledge
of certain subjects.
Organizations
and companies call on their services to deliver motivational or
factual speeches. The topics vary widely, from leadership to future
trends.
"There
is always a need for such speakers," said Farah, a former advertising
executive. "Companies and organizations are constantly changing,
as is the world, and people want someone to explain these changes."
In
booking a speaker, they look for a person who obviously possesses
excellent platform skills, but who also brings a combination of
experience and credibility.
If
the topic is management and organization, they call on Harry Rosen,
the Chief executive officer of the menswear chain of stores, or
Barbara Moses, one of North America's leading authorities in career
development.
Should
the subject be media or broadcasting, they can count on seasoned
correspondents like Mike Duffy or Peter Kent.
If
politics, current events or social issues are the topics, they can
reach out to broadcasters Hana Gartner or Daniel Richler.
And
so on and so on.
In
Canada, a speaker can typically earn $5,000 for a one-hour speech,
but the crî´e de la crî´e command a maximum of $15,000. In one instance,
Nicholas Negroponte, director of the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology's media lab charged $40,000 (U.S.) for a talk.
By contrast, the fee for high profile speakers in the United States
is seemingly limitless. Chistopher Reeve, the disabled actor who
portrayed Superman in a series of movies, commands no less than
$100,000.
Whatever
the fee, the Perelmuters stand to gain a tidy profit. On average,
they receive a 25 percent commission for each engagement.
The
companies and organizations using their services run the gamut from
the Bank of Montreal and IBM to the Unites Jewish Appeal and Hadassah-Wizo.
When
they started Speakers' Spotlight they had no contingency plans for
failure. "We went for it," said Martin. "We strongly believed it
would work out."
Speakers'
Spotlight was Farah's idea. After an uncle asked how he could reinvent
himself as a motivational speaker, she did the required research
and, much to her surprise, discovered that there were myriad opportunities
in this business.
The
concept appealed to them because they had dreamed of being self-employed
and thus in more control of their lives. "Our objective was to achieve
a balanced lifestyle and to enjoy life together," she explained,
pointing out that she originally envisaged it as a sideline after
starting a family.
Convinced
that they had a good shot at success, they left their jobs, pouring
$25,000 of their savings to launch Speakers' Spotlight. Working
punishing hours and scrimping, they broke even the first year. "No
one knew who we were," recalled Martin. "We had no contacts. Our
experience was limited."
Their first speaker, the hockey player Paul Henderson, was impressed
by their pluck, ambition and trustworthiness. "He was willing to
give us a chance," said Martin.
"We discovered that our age was not a hindrance," said Farah. "We
were judged on our performance. We were innovative. We gained a
reputation for being creative."
In
1996 and 1997, sales increased by some 400 percent. Not having looked
back since, the Perelmuters moved to bigger quarters in downtown
Toronto, hired more staff, opened an office in Vancouver to serve
the west Coast market, established a popular and effective website
(www.speakers.ca) which gets
approximately 200,000 hits a month, and began publishing a spiffy
newsletter, In The Spotlight.
Martin
and Farah still put in 60 to 70 hours per week, but they thoroughly
enjoy themselves. "It doesn't seem like work," said Farah who is
expecting her first child in September. "We look forward to it."
Thanks in no small measure to planning and foresight, they have
avoided the tensions which can befall couples who are in business
together.
"We
have defined our roles clearly," said Farah. Martin deals with day-to-day
servicing of clients and with follow-up arrangements. Farah is in
charge of marketing and preparing catalogues and media releases.
"Together
we strategize and brainstorm," she said.
"We're a married couple first and business partners second," Martin
observed.
They
met at the University of Western Ontario, where they were students,
and starting dating in 1993.
Born in Winnipeg, the daughter of Irvin and Toby Vinsky, a dentist
and interior decorator respectively, Farah attended a talmud torah
school and the University of Winnipeg before enrolling at Western.
After graduating, she took a two-year program at the Institute of
Canadian Advertising.
Martin, an Osgoode Hall Law School graduate, was born in Toronto.
His parents - Jack a chartered accountant, and Joanna, a real estate
agent - immigrated to Canada from Poland in 1959.
Five
years after starting Speakers' Spotlight, they feel blessed. "We're
lucky we're doing something we love," said Martin.
"And to be doing it with someone you love," Farah chimed in sweetly.
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MeetingsCanada.com - November 27, 2008
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MSN Small Business - October 2008
Profile: Speakers' Spotlight
Millionairemom.com - October 2008
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Canadian Event Perspective - August 2, 2008
Defied Odds to Stay True to Their Dream...
Women's Post - July 11, 2008
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Bizbash.com - June 12, 2008
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CareerJoy.com - April 28, 2008
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Montreal Gazette - April 07, 2008
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By Elizabeth Thompson
Alberta Venture - March, 2008
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By Shannon Sutherland
AOL Canada - February 13, 2008
Couple Q&A:
Romance is....Notes on the Windshield, Bum Squeezes and Kids
By Sarah Treleaven
National Post - December, 2007
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By Shinan Govani,
Woman's Post - December, 2007
Farah Perelmuter: change to happiness
By Angela Trimmer
Midtown Town Crier - November, 2007
Midtown couple dreams their way to success
By Kelly Gadzala
National Post - September 29, 2007
Business owner by age nine, CEO proves an early start helps
By Libby Znaimer
Emprendedores
Speakers Spotlight, por hablar que no quede
Contemporary Business Communication
Business Presentations
By Scot Ober & Brad Quiring
Speaking Of Impact - Summer, 2007
Racing for ROI
By Michelle Ray, CSP
Progressive Choices - Winter/Spring, 2007
Making A Difference
By Cathy Watters
Progressive Choices
National Post - January 15, 2007
Confessions of Dynamic Duos
Running a business with your spouse
By Deena Waisberg
globeandmail.com - May 30, 2006
Married to the Job
By Sasha Nagy
Esteem Magazine - Spring 2006
Balancing Success
By Kevin Craig
The Globe and Mail - Sept. 29, 2004
Speakers' circuit not just talk
By Wallace Immen
WOMEN CAN DO ANYTHING (July 2004)
Let’s
Talk Business Interview
with Farah Perelmuter
INNOVATIVE PROGRESS (May 2004)
BUILD
BUZZ: 8 Keys to Entrepreneurial Success
by Martin Perelmuter, LL B.
SPEAKING OF IMPACT (Spring 2004)
A Tale
of Two Countries
by Martin Perelmuter, LL B.
In Conference
Supplement in The Globe and Mail - Spring 2004
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by Successful Speakers
PROFITguide.com (October/November 2003)
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off paying customers sounds counterproductive, but it can actually
help you grow
THE MISSISSAUGA NEWS (Nov 13, 2002)
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Profit Magazine (June, 2002)
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Profit Magazine (June, 2002)
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The Globe and Mail: In Conference Magazine (Spring, 2002)
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The National Post (Monday March 19, 2001)
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by Marjo Johne
Canadian Jewish News (August 3rd, 2000)
Young Couple's Speakers' Agency Thrives
by Sheldon Kirshner
The Calgary Herald (April 22, 2000)
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by Michelle Simick
The Generator (November, 1999)
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Home Business Report (Summer, 1999)
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by E.T. (Mitch) Lenko
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Couple Builds Agency on Soapbox,
by Jeff Brooke
The National Post (Monday, December 21, 1998)
When Your Partner is Your Business,
by Laura Fowlie
The Western Alumni Magazine (September, 1998)
"Well Spoken",
by Jeff Brooke
The Toronto Star (May 25, 1998)
Thinking Big - Agency puts speakers in spotlight
by Michael Schultz
Association - Canada's Association Management Magazine
(December/January, 1997/1998)
Best Speaker Bets: 1998 Forecast
The Meeting Professional (December, 1997)
"Beyond Boundaries: Speaking Across Cultural Boundaries",
by Martin Perelmuter
The Financial Post Magazine (January, 1997)
"Power Talks",
by John Greenwood
The Toronto Sun (August 18, 1996)
"Two by Two: Lessons for Couples Living and Working
Together",
by Sandy Naiman
Association Magazine (June/July, 1996)
"Helpful Hints on Booking a Speaker",
by Farah Perelmuter
The Toronto Star (November 27, 1995)
"'Canadian' the New Word in Public Speaking",
by Oscar Rojo
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