I thought the name Troy Dunn seemed familiar. This week I met Dunn, entrepreneur and host of television show The Locator that reunites people with lost loved ones on the air, through friend and marketing expert Duff Dyer.
Dunn sold his family research business BigHugs.com to Utah’s Ancestry.com in 2002. Today he is co-founder with TJ Hoisington, professional speaker and co-author with Ken Blanchard of The One Minute Manager of Dunn Hoisington Leadership International, which provides leadership teaching to organizations in most parts of the world.
Dunn has been a professional speaker for 25 years. As we got acquainted I learned we share a zest for communication, and that Dunn’s company recently launched its first program and product for consumers. It’s called Professional Speaker in a Box. I asked him about the biggest impediments he sees for individuals who would like to speak professionally, along with his biggest secret to success. The success ticket is easy, Dunn says—it’s mentors. Many, many mentors.
Troy Dunn has been speaking professionally for more than 25 years. (Image courtesy of DrPhil.com)
But as for impediments, he shared with me five surprising truths about the “glamorous” world of professional speaking. As entrepreneurs hone their skills in public presenting, it is likely that at least some of these points will ring true:
1. The Best Speakers of the Future Have Yet to Admit Their Dream of Speaking to Anyone Else
There are many individuals who deep down have a big desire to become a paid professional speaker. This is not “many” as in hundreds or thousands, according to Dunn, but tens of thousands and possibly more. These people attend seminars and while everyone else is listening (or not) to the presentation, are being distracted by their own thoughts. “No offense, but I could do better than this guy.” Or, “I wish I could ask this guy how he got started speaking. I’d love to do this for a living instead of what I’m doing right now.” Or, “someday…I’m going to do that!”
The National Institute Of Mental Health says that 74% of people suffer from some level of glossophobia (the fear of public speaking).
