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ONE SOUTHERN ACCENT...A THOUSAND CHARACTERS

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Award-Winning Storyteller, Comedian, Author, Entertainer, and Motivational Speaker, Kelly Swanson, and her wacky cast of characters have entertained, informed, and charmed audiences from cruise ships to conventions and just about everything in between.

AND SHE CUSTOMIZES EVERY PROGRAM JUST FOR YOU! Yes, you heard it right! And we're not talking customization as in changing the name of the city and mentioning your company name every fifteen minutes. Kelly approaches EVERY job as if it were a production.  She discusses your goals and objectives, studies the values and missions of your organization, gets to know your group in advance, finds out your theme and event objectives, and then sits down and weaves her magic. Combining what she knows, with her wacky cast of characters, she writes a one-woman show just for you - that will leave your attendees talking about it for years.  She has truly found a way to step outside of the same-old-same-old-speaker-on-a-platform-rambling-about-what-they-know-mixed-in-with-a-tired-old-audience-exercise -  to give you a truly unique experience - where her message isn't told, it's shown.

Hold on to your seats, because Kelly Swanson has just taken the keynote experience to a whole new level by using the art of professional storytelling to actually transport the audience to another place (her tiny town about a mile and a hair past nowhere) where her truths are played out through the stories she tells and the characters she becomes at the slightest tilt of her head. So it's not so much what makes Kelly different - as who - because with Kelly comes her entire wacky cast of southern characters who will work their way into your head and then into your heart. You will laugh a lot, cry a little, have a renewed passion for what you do, and, yes, even learn something in the process. Kelly Swanson is a five-star experience in a small town package.

"Kelly Swanson was a real treat at our Convention. She had the audience belly-rolling with laugher. She has a way to connect with people - not just with humor but also sympathy and encouragement. Kelly really learned about our industry and the people she was addressing. She even wrote us a poem that had everyone on their feet requesting a copy. There has been such bad news spread to so many industries this past year, but it was a delight to have Kelly at our conference to give them a boost. Honestly, the best speaker we ever had." 
Amy Bryson 
NC Association of Long Term Care Facilities

CREATING REMARKABLE RELATIONSHIPS FROM THE INSIDE OUT

Excellence isn't about what you do. It's about who you are.
Kelly Swanson

Success in an organization isn't found in the processes you have created - it's found in the attitudes and behaviors of its people. Yet still we continue to focus on the process - to dump more and more information on people who already live in a state of information overload. People don't need more information or a longer list of things they need to do better. People need to know that they matter - their part in the big picture. It's time to start a new conversation. It's time to step back from what we want to do, and instead examine who we are and who we want to be. If you know who you are, then what you do will naturally flow out of that. It's time to see things from a different perspective. That's where I come in.

 

I use my years of experience as an award-winning storyteller and entertainer, my crazy sense of humor, my passion to show people that they matter, my unique performer's perspective, and those wacky southern characters to help you find the remarkable in yourself and to create winning relationships with your customers and co-workers.

 

I will listen to your needs, study your audience, and craft a show just for you - that captivates them, encourages them, teaches them, and leaves them talking about it for years. My goal is to create an unforgettable experience where you walk away knowing you have the power to be unforgettable too.

 

The end result? Stronger teams of people who feel a renewed passion for what they do and their ability to conquer the challenges that block their path to remarkable. People who lead better, handle stress and change and conflict better, work with others better, sell better, and represent their industry better. People who feel better about who they are and what they contribute to the bottom line. People who feel they can now change the world. People who are not focused on what they do, but on who they are.

WHAT HER CLIENTS SAY

"Funny," "fantastic," "truly unforgettable": these are only a few of the many rave reviews conference attendees shared about Kelly Swanson, a session and closing speaker at our 2009 Bakersfield Women's Conference.  Kelly quickly endeared herself to everyone with her hilarious storytelling, down-to-earth delivery, and caring attitude. Attendees couldn't get enough of her...A versatile performer capable of adapting to small and large crowds, Kelly easily engaged her audience from her first words...If you are looking for a speaker who is approachable, energetic, and a quirky combination of folk wisdom and southern charm, Kelly is your girl...I highly recommend Kelly for your next function; you'll leave the event ready to take on the world!
Colleen Bauer
2009 Chairwoman
Bakersfield Women's Conference
 

 

I have to tell you about my experience watching Kelly Swanson. She was completely amazing and one of the funniest and motivating speakers I have ever seen. I have been to many seminars and the fact that she was down to earth, brought real life experiences and the creativeness of her style of learning into her program made the experience stick with me in a way I could understand and I could use. I could take her technique into other places besides work, I could use them in life itself. She made me laugh, she made me cry and she made me want to tell others all about her and to stay on the funny side of life. Thank you Kelly for ‘deciding to dance’ and become a professional storyteller and bringing us into your world.
Johnine Fregia
Nurse Recruiter
Presbyterian Healthcare

 

We certainly had a fun time with you yesterday, and we appreciate all you did to make our event REMARKABLE. Everyone was very awed and inspired by your presentation and information. You kept it lively for 75 minutes which is an unbelievable task.The top educator of Novant saw me afterwards and was very complimentary of your information relating to Novant's core values.She said you had them exactly. We did tell her we met with you beforehand and shared them. So THANKS for bringing them out.In the surveys I reviewed, you were the tops by far.
Beth C. Wilson
Executive Assistant to Janet Smith-Hill SVP/HR
Novant Health

 

I had the great pleasure to have Kelly Swanson work with us on my first fundraising benefit for the Pulmonary Hypertension Association in Charlotte, NC.  Kelly was a perfect match for us!  Her talent to motivate, encourage and make people laugh all at the same time is extraordinary!  She was a special addition at our event and I hope to have her back year after year!
 
Glenn Johnson - Event Coordinator
Pulmonary Hypertension Association

 

ISN'T IT TIME FOR A SECOND WIND?

You can have the most expensive sailboat in the world with the best parts that money can buy. But without wind in the sails, your boat is useless.  Kelly Swanson

 

An attention-getting Gallup Poll about disengaged employees was highlighted in a recent Wall Street Journal. Gallup found 19 percent of 1,000 people interviewed "actively disengaged" at work. Based on these interviews and survey data from its consulting practice, Gallup says actively disengaged workers cost employers $292 billion to $355 billion a year. Furthermore, Gallup concluded that disengaged workers miss more days of work and are less loyal to employers.


Walk into most establishments today and you don’t see people lacking skills, you see people lacking the right attitude. Stop dumping more information on them and give them a new perspective. Call Kelly today. Give your people a Second Wind - and watch them sail. 

Newsletter Email

Get a dose of Kelly delivered to your inbox. Always funny, sometimes serious, and always worth reading.

 

Kelly on Fox 8

Watch as Kelly introduces her new book "Who Hijacked My Fairy Tale" on the Fox 8 morning show.

 

Track Kelly

Sign up to track Kelly. Get notices when she will be in your area.

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YouTube Channel

Kelly's funny, motivational videos are now on Kelly's YouTube channel - Swanson Speaks. 

Funny Motivational Videos on YouTube > >

 

What's NEW With Kelly...

We've just put the finishing touches on Kelly's new TRIBUTE TO THE MILITARY AND THE FAMILIES WHO SUPPORT THEM.  Thank you for your service and for all you have sacrificed for us. To view the tribute on YouTube, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAAzRAI-z-8

 

Check out Kelly's blog: www.swansonspeaks.com

 CREATIVITY is one of the most important tools in business today - the art of creating rather than imitating - yet it is the least discussed. Check out the Programs page to read about Kelly's new Creativity Workshop - designed to help you bring fresh ideas and new perspectives to your line of work.


Kelly just wrote a great new show just for TEACHERS that includes a tribute at the end which is being recorded and posted on YouTube. Know a teacher who needs a little inspiration? Ask for a copy of the video tribute. Need her to come speak to your public school system? Call today!

 

Kelly is writing a one-woman show for people in  HEALTHCARE. You won't want to miss this hilarious and heartwarming message for people in all aspects of healthcare.

 

Hold on to your hats folks in HUMAN RESOURCES, because in September 2009 Kelly is launching her program just for you! Get ready for your Second Wind!

 

Kelly has been invited to be a regular guest on NC TALK RADIO out of Rockingham, NC. Now her wacky cast of characters and stories about life and staying on the funny side of it, will charm even more people as they drive to work.

  

Kelly has finally found her cause. While there are a lot of worthwhile charities and ministries out there that provide valuable services - Kelly has been searching for the cause that truly holds a special place in her heart. And she's finally found it - Broken Women who Need a Second Wind.  Kelly will be devoting a great deal of time and energy into giving a second wind to women who have come to find the next page of their fairy tale ripped out. Stay tuned for more about Kelly's new cause and how you can play a part.

 

Performance Write Up

GTTC Newsletter November, 2009