Agency Puts Speakers In Spotlight
The Toronto Star (May 25, 1998)
by Michael Schultz
The story of Speakers' Spotlight was featured on
the front page of the Toronto Star's Business section
 Finding the right speaker is crucial to the success of any meeting
or conference. Just ask anyone who's had to do it.
Better still, ask Farah and Martin Perelmuter. The married
couple, both 28 years old, run Speakers' Spotlight, a Toronto-based
agency that represents a growing list of Canadian professional speakers.
Their catalogue and Web site ( http://www.speakers.ca) is a virtual "who's who" of Canadian
culture. Speakers' Spotlight is also connected with thousands of
speakers worldwide.
No longer do Canadian speakers have to take a back seat
to foreign speakers to provide motivation, education and entertainment.
"Canadian meeting planners recognize that we have our own
highly talented pool of professional speakers," says Farah. "Not
only that, but Canadian speakers are in demand around the world.
Organizations come to us when they need a keynote address, a seminar
or training session, or perhaps a master of ceremonies."
Farah was an advertising account executive. Martin was
a corporate lawyer. Working long hours, they spent little time together.
After a year of careful research, planning and saving,
they launched Speakers' Spotlight in mid-1995. Martin says Speakers'
Spotlight was Farah's idea.
"Hiring a lawyer would have been too expensive," says Farah,
"so I married one. Now we spend 24 hours a day together.
"We saved and bought everything we needed, so we'd start
with no debt. It cost us about $25,000."
The agency represents some of Canada's most inspirational
speakers, such as authors David Chilton and Nuala Beck, hockey legends
Paul Henderson and Ken Dryden, broadcasters Mike Duffy and Ron MacLean
and astronaut Roberta Bondar.
The Perelmuters say a great speaker should be natural and
knowledgeable.
Popular topics include leadership, team building, future
trends, change and technology.
Speakers' Spotlight bills the speaker not the client. This
provides clients with a free, value-added service. This might include
coaching the client on how to select the most appropriate speaker
for their event.
Fees for professional speakers vary widely. Most speakers
charge between $2,500 and $8,000.
Farah and Martin don't want to be the biggest agency, just
the best. Financially, they had to take a drop in earnings. In 1996,
they reached their sales goal of a modest six digits. In 1997, their
revenue surpassed both their 1997 and 1998 targets. This year, they
hope to reach seven digits.
Last year, the couple wanted to take a vacation. But leaving
the business meant lost business.
"We decided we needed some help," says Martin.
"We were finally in a position to hire an in-house person,
so we went ahead."
After all, says Farah, "one of the reasons we started our
business was to get away from the strict, corporate life."
When the Perelmuters asked clients how they could help
them pick speakers, the response was "let us see the speaker in
action."
Since 1996, they have been "showcasing" their speakers
in a half-day annual program. Proceeds from the 1998 Showcase went
to the Ontario Literacy Coalition.
Staging their own event has given them a greater appreciation
of the work meeting planners carry out.
Their advice for other entrepreneurs?
"If you really believe in what you're doing, set clear,
written goals and work with integrity," says Farah.
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