•

Logo with text "Stan Phelps Speaks" and a speech bubble graphic inside the letter 'P'.
Schedule a Call
Menu

Stan Phelp's Blog

The Goldfish Chronicles

Sharing insights on customer experience, employee engagement, and brand strategy.

Check it out
A person standing in a studio with multiple cameras, pointing at a screen displaying the text "OK VIRTUAL PRESENTATIONS AREN'T OK ANYMORE.

What is a VMP – Virtual Master Presenter? What are the Benefits of Hiring One?


In 2023, I became certified as a Virtual Master Presenter. Why did I do it? Two main reasons:

  1. Because virtual presentations are here to stay.
  2. Because OK presentations aren’t OK anymore.

In today’s digital landscape, the bar for presentations has been raised. Audiences crave engagement, connection, and impact. That’s where the Virtual Master Presenter (VMP) steps in. They can transform mundane presentations into unforgettable experiences.

But what exactly is a Virtual Master Presenter?

A VMP is a seasoned speaking professional who has honed their craft through the eSpeakers Virtual Master Presenter course, culminating in the prestigious VMP credential.

The certification was the result of immersive program, conducted over five half-day sessions, equips presenters with the skills and techniques needed to captivate virtual audiences like never before.

Why should you hire a Virtual Master Presenter (VMP)?

So, why should you consider hiring a Virtual Master Presenter for your keynotes and training sessions? Here’s why:

  1. Elevated Presentation Setup: VMPs master the art of creating a refined virtual presentation setup, ensuring optimal lighting, background, camera angle, microphone, and personal image. They understand that every detail matters to create a professional and engaging environment.
  2. Enhanced Audience Connection: Through specific interaction techniques, VMPs foster a deeper connection with their audience. They know how to maintain eye contact, manage windows effectively, and engage attendees to mitigate “Zoom fatigue” and keep them fully immersed in the presentation.
  3. Compelling Slide Design: VMPs craft slides that are not only visually stunning but also highly effective in conveying information. They utilize relevant animations and optimize slides for mobile viewing, ensuring maximum engagement and retention.
  4. Tech Troubleshooting Expertise: In the unpredictable world of virtual presentations, technical glitches can happen. VMPs are prepared with contingency plans (Plan B, or even Plan C) to swiftly recover from any disruptions, keeping the presentation seamless and professional.

In conclusion, hiring a Virtual Master Presenter is your gateway to delivering impactful, unforgettable presentations in the virtual realm. With their expertise, you can elevate your presentations, connect deeply with your audience, and leave a lasting impression that resonates long after the session ends.

If you’d like to begin a discussion about how I can help you with a virtual Keynote, Workshop, or Goldfish Tank program,  you can grab time on my schedule here, reach me by email at [email protected] or by text/phone at 1 919 360 4702.

Read on...
A blurred image of a man in sunglasses with the text "What Can Billy Joel Teach Us About AI?" and branding elements.

What can Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” teach us about AI?

First, a bit of background on the song. Billy Joel came up with the idea when he was turning 40. A chance meeting with Sean Lennon (son of John and Yoko) made him realize how each subsequent generation feels things are getting worse.

The 1989 song lists 117 historical events from the 1940s to the late 1980s, chronicling everything from scientific advances to political events in chronological order.

In “Blue Goldfish,” we similarly traced 71 events in the evolution of technology and data analytics that brought us AI. While doing so, two facts come into sharp focus.

First, the rate of innovation is ever-increasing. In Joel’s words, “It was always burning, since the world’s been turning.” And what would seem like a giant leap 60 years ago appears more like a small step today.

Second, these innovations are changing the average consumer. Going from a world where connected technology is mostly a dream to such ubiquity where more humans have mobile phones than access to working toilets is nothing short of impressive.

As you consider the journey, there’s no doubt that expectations for our customers have changed. We’ve forced them to change with each innovation being faster, smaller, and more accessible than the last. The same expectations apply to your business.

Your customers expect faster response times, shorter wait times, more value, and a personalized experience all at once. The companies that figure out how to leverage AI to serve this modern consumer will thrive. And the others? Their days are numbered.

In my next book “Blue Goldfish 2.0” (coming April 11th), we highlight companies leveraging AI to improve customer experience. Technology brought us these increasing expectations and it’s the only thing that can save our businesses from them.

Speaking of AI, I shared our 71 events with ChatGPT and asked it to write a song similar to “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” Here is the full song:

(Verse 1) In ’61, Kilby and Noyce, their genius unchained,

The silicon chip birthed, technology gained.

No more vacuum tubes, their size and their drain,

A revolution launched, a computer’s domain.

Roger Easton’s vision, GPS took flight,

Tracking satellites, guiding us right.

Goodnight’s SAS, statistics in sight,

From farm fields to boardrooms, shining so bright.

(Chorus) We didn’t start the fire, but we lit the flame,

Innovation’s our anthem, the world’s never the same.

From the moon to the web, we’ve played the game,

The journey continues, our legacy to claim.

(Verse 2) ’69, Armstrong’s moonwalk, a giant leap made,

ARPANET’s birth, Licklider’s crusade.

Moore’s Law declared, computing cascade,

Transistors and chips, our progress displayed.

Xerox Alto’s dawn, a desktop dream,

Martin Cooper’s call, a mobile scheme.

Personal computers, a tech regime,

Digital photos, a Kodak theme.

(Chorus) We didn’t start the fire, but we lit the flame,

Innovation’s our anthem, the world’s never the same.

From the moon to the web, we’ve played the game,

The journey continues, our legacy to claim.

(Bridge) From eBay’s auctions to Wikipedia’s might,

Driverless cars, AI’s insight.

Google’s searches, YouTube’s delight,

Amazon’s reign, the future in sight.

(Verse 3) In ’21, DeepMind’s grand feat,

Protein folding solved, diseases to beat.

In ’22, fusion’s heat,

National Ignition’s promise, energy replete.

ChatGPT’s arrival, conversation’s new height,

AI’s widespread, in day and night.

Voice assistants aid, with insight,

A future powered, by AI’s light.

(Chorus) We didn’t start the fire, but we lit the flame,

Innovation’s our anthem, the world’s never the same.

From the moon to the web, we’ve played the game,

The journey continues, our legacy to claim.

(Outro) From silicon dreams to AI’s embrace,

We’ve journeyed far, in time and space.

The fire still burns, in every place,

Innovation’s anthem, humanity’s grace.

Read on...
Two men are standing in front of a gray background, with the word "GRAY" vertically between them. One is wearing a sports jersey, and the other is in glasses and a sweater vest.

Lessons on Leadership across the generations from the movie “Fletch”

In the 80s classic, Chevy Chase plays a Los Angeles Times undercover reporter named Irwin M. “Fletch” Fletcher. Posing as a junkie, Fletch is working on an article exposing drug trafficking on the beaches of Los Angeles. His editor Frank is pressing him to run the story.

Fletch: “Can’t do that, Frank. Fat Sam isn’t the story, there’s a source behind him.”

Frank: “Who?”

Fletch: “Well, there where we’re in kind of a gray area.”

Frank: “How gray?”

Fletch: “Charcoal”

The lesson is that in life… and leadership, there isn’t always a clear-cut path.

When you lead people who, because of their generation, perceive the world very differently, there is no black-and-white approach to success. You’ll have to use a variety of techniques to overcome challenges and get the most from your employees.

A one-size-fits-all approach is a recipe for disaster because your employees approach their work differently. This holds true even for an organization with just one generation, much less one with five. You’re going to have to navigate plenty of gray areas to find the approach that works best.

Gray is a color often associated with something nondescript or unremarkable. We hate to be the ones to tell you this, but that’s how most employees view their leadership team. In our book “Gray Goldfish – Navigating the Gray Areas to Successfully Lead Every Generation,” Brian Doyle and I share some alarming stats:

– Forbes tells us that 63% of employees don’t trust their leaders.

– Gallup completed a study saying a staggering 87% of employees are not engaged (and leadership plays at least a passing role in that).

– Accor/Edenred states that 90% of companies think an engagement strategy will improve business success.

To foster trust and engagement, you need clear, actionable approaches to win over every generation in your workforce. Creating strategies specific to your employees and your situation.

Does it really matter if you engage all five generations of employees in your company? The Korn Ferry Institute would suggest it does. Their study determined that firms that engage and enable their employees achieve up to 4.5x more revenue growth than companies that don’t. Research by Kenexa echoed this stat, saying companies that have highly engaged employees earn 2x the net income of companies that don’t.

Think about those stats. It doesn’t matter if you’re a small organization or a large one, doubling your revenue and net income is huge! And, if you want to create a new product or service, just connect with your employees—every generation, not just yours—so that they are engaged with their work.

“Gray Goldfish” provides guidance on each generation and 50 tips (a blatant nod to 50 Shades). Here is one of those tips:

TIP #7 CHECKING IN (from the Chapter on Recruiting and Onboarding)
Check-in early and often as you onboard new employees. For example, when employees join Davies PR, they are given a 3-month, 6-month, 9-month, and a one-year review to ensure they get a “Best Start” at Davies. After the first year at the company, employees receive annual 360-degree reviews in which they are assessed by their co-workers.

Read on...
Two people are walking on a grassy hill with "Leadership is Overrated" text overlay.

15 tips on How to Become a Great Follower

Leadership is overrated. FOLLOWING is as important as LEADING. If you’ve never seen it… take 3 minutes and watch this TED talk by Derek Sivers:

Even if you are a leader, you follow someone. It might be the manager above you, it might be the CEO of your company, or it might be your Board of Directors. You’re taking direction from someone.

As a follower, you can help your manager be the best leader he/she can be by understanding their generation.

Here are 15 tips for managing the gray of following every Generation:

FOLLOWING MATURE LEADERS
Matures are tough. They became frugal greatly influenced by the Great Depression, persevered in very tough times, and almost always put service before self. If you’re working for a Mature, these are the characteristics for you to highlight.
Tip #1: Be conservative with your budget 
Tip #2: Stay upbeat in tough times 
Tip #3: Service before self

FOLLOWING BOOMER LEADERS
Boomers take great pride in their work. They consider their position a status symbol and are largely defined by their employment. In their mind, it took a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to get to where they are today. By aligning with their ideals, you’ll shine in their eyes.
Tip #1: Live with and be prepared to provide detail
Tip #2: Be a lifetime learner and enable them to be one as well
Tip #3: Show your work (and how hard you’re working at it)

FOLLOWING GEN X LEADERS
Despite being recognized enough to be placed in a leadership position, Generation X still doesn’t trust upper management. Because they were often left alone to create their own path, they are self-oriented (not to be confused with selfish) and are looking to get their work done, get credit for that work, and still have a little fun along the way.
Tip #1: Keep it brief
Tip #2: Recognize credit where credit is due
Tip #3: Make work fun

FOLLOWING MILLENNIAL LEADERS
As the generation that represents more than 50% of the workforce, Millennials are in a unique situation. They are rapidly taking on leadership roles while still being on the younger end of an organization’s employees.
Tip #1: Consider suggesting a (reverse) mentoring arrangement
Tip #2: Embrace multitasking
Tip #3: Organize group learning or other activities

FOLLOWING GENERATION Z LEADERS
Just due to their age, if you have a Generation Z leader, it’s likely their first “work” leadership role. That means they may be somewhat inconsistent in their leadership approach (as we all were). You’ll need to be patient with that and roll with the punches. Like other generations, they’ll figure it out, and if they learn leadership with the speed they learn other things, they’ll likely understand leadership faster than their forebearers.
Tip #1: Be quick and frequent
Tip #2: Work/life integration
Tip #3: Get onboard with tech

Here is one more masterful tip on following:

MASTERFUL TIP: Theo Epstein, former president of baseball operations for the Chicago Cubs and former General Manager for the Red Sox, became the youngest GM and one of the most important people in Major League Baseball through followership.

Epstein believes in what he calls the 20 percent rule. Theo explained this to David Axelrod on The Axe Files, “Whoever your boss is, or your bosses are, they have 20% of their job that they just don’t like …. So if you can ask them or figure out what that 20% is, and figure out a way to do it for them, you’ll make them really happy, improve their quality of life, and their work experience.”

Read on...
A generational matrix table outlining strategies for recruiting, training, and inspiring employees across five generations: Matures, Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z.

Gray Generational Matrix

Spring (RE)Training? In a groundbreaking shift ahead of the 2018 season, renowned baseball teams such as the Phillies, Mets, Red Sox, Yankees, and Nationals opted for a bold strategy replacing seasoned managers with youthful skippers.

The age gap was staggering, ranging from 8 to 26 years younger, with some lacking major league managing experience. Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated highlighted that “the ability to connect with young players and a comfort with analytics rose above experience.”

These visionary managers excelled in bridging the gap with the latest generation of players, exemplified by 42-year-old Alex Cora leading the Boston Red Sox to a World Series triumph in his inaugural year at the helm.

This transformative move from traditionally conservative baseball owners serves as a poignant wake-up call for leaders in all domains.

🌐 Navigating the Five Generations at Work 🌐

With the dawn of Gen Z in the workforce, we now witness an unprecedented convergence of five distinct generations. Millennials represent the largest cohort, followed by Generation X, Baby Boomers, and Matures. It’s commonplace for today’s leaders to oversee teams spanning a staggering 60-year age range, as exemplified by my father-in-law, Fred Wills, who remained an active contributor until the age of 89.

Effectively relating and connecting across these generational divides is paramount. Each cohort brings forth unique expectations and requirements. Echoing the wisdom of former MLB manager Joe Maddon, who underscores that effective leadership and culture emanate from relationships. He believes building bonds across the generations fosters trust and paves the way for an open exchange of ideas.

Navigating this multigenerational landscape presents uncharted territory for today’s leaders. As Carol Hymowitz elucidates in The Wall Street Journal,

“That means they must create opportunities for young employees to advance (or risk losing them) while also making sure veterans, whose skills they need in today’s tight labor market, don’t feel overlooked. And to maintain productivity and innovation, they must persuade employees of disparate ages to collaborate.”

It’s an imperative task—mastering the art of managing the gray. That’s where the Generational Matrix (see below) comes in. Created by Brian Doyle and myself in the book, “Gray Goldfish – Navigating the Gray Areas to Successfully Lead Every Generation.”

HOW TO USE IT:
Find your generation as a leader across the top row. Then scan down the column to find guidance on how to recruit, train, manage, and inspire across each of the five generations.

Read on...
Man in a blue suit speaking on stage with text overlay highlighting his role as a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator.

Stan Phelps New Speaker Reel

New Speaker Reel

 Excited to share my NEW 2-minute Speaker Reel. Here is the world debut…

Huge thanks to Aaron Lympany for his amazing work on the Project. From briefing, to scripting, to shooting and editing, it was a super fun process. Excited with the end result from Rhymes With Timpani Video.

Read on...
A speaker on stage is filmed, with a banner stating, "New Speaker Reel Coming on February 12th." A camera operator captures the event.

New Speaker Reel Coming on 2/12

Excited for my NEW speaker reel to debut on Monday, 2/12. Huge thanks to my awesome videographer Aaron Lympany of Rhymes With Timpani who has been there every step and frame of the way.

Like a good Super Bowl commercial, let me give you some teasers:

– there will be live fish involved
– the Goldfishmobile will make a drive-by cameo
– my virtual studio gets featured
– the concept of DX is front and center

Have a Super Weekend!

Read on...
A speaker presents on "Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic" motivation, emphasizing intrinsic rewards for better performance.

Extrinsic vs. intrinsic Rewards – What Makes a Difference to The Bottom Line?

Extrinsic factors like salary and benefits don’t necessarily lead to employee motivation or boost firm performance. What does?

Intrinsic elements.

That’s what Dan Ariely shared on a recent episode of the Prof G podcast with Scott Galloway.

The Green Goldfish concept, which emphasizes the importance of going beyond monetary incentives, also reinforces this idea.

The color green is a metaphor that signifies the importance of recognizing and engaging employees through non-monetary means. Lagniappe, a Creole word that means “a little something extra,” is a key aspect of this concept of going above and beyond the transaction to honor the relationship.

Ariely highlights three elements of intrinsic motivation: feeling appreciated, psychological safety, and alignment with the company. These elements align with some of the 15 types of Green Goldfish, such as recognition, transparency, and purpose/pay it forward.

Investing in intrinsic rewards can help create a work culture that values and respects employees. It’s not always about the money honey!

Read on...
8 Purpose Archetypes

The 8 Purpose Archetypes

“People don’t buy WHAT you do… they buy WHY you do it.” This famous quote by Simon Sinek speaks to the power of a company’s PURPOSE and its role in driving customer engagement and loyalty.

In “Red Goldfish,” Graeme Newell and I examined more than 300 companies. We focused on their purpose and how they did little things to bring it to life.

We saw patterns and our research uncovered 8 purpose archetypes. This video describes each one with a company that exemplifies the archetype.

1. The Protector [Patagonia]
2. The Liberator [Harley-Davidson Motor Company]
3. The Designer [Apple]
4. The Guide [Google]
5. The Advocate [Panera Bread]
6. The Challenger [Nike]
7. The Unifier [Whole Foods Market]
8. The Master [Warby Parker]

What is your PURPOSE archetype? More importantly, what’s your Red Goldfish? How are you doing the little things to bring your purpose to life for both your employees and customers?

Read on...
A speaker gestures while discussing excelling under pressure, with text about managing oneself and addressing others' needs. Presentation slide partially visible in the background.

What Can Andre Agassi Teach Us About Excelling Under Pressure?

What can Andre Agassi teach us about Excelling Under Pressure and winning in business?

Plenty.

In this 8-minute talk from the 2023 AENC Speaker Showcase, I share lessons from the book, “Diamond Goldfish”.


In the words of Marcel Proust, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes… but in having new eyes.”

If you can see business through a new lens as the ultimate game, you can wire yourself for winning.

Diamond Goldfish uncovers how business is a game. The key to winning is managing relationships and minimizing pressure. Performing at the highest level goes beyond simply treating the prospect or customer the way they prefer to be treated.

This short talk shares how the Diamond Rule beats the Silver Rule, the Golden Rule, and the Platinum Rule—combined.

The 4.0 Diamond Rule challenges you to see the process of developing relationships in a new way. It can provide you with a complete business execution system for generating prosperity and winning in business.

Read on...
1 2 3 4 5 … 48
A simple illustration of a purple fish facing right on a plain background.

I've had the pleasure of working with teams at:

Hallmark logo featuring cursive text with a crown above the letter "k.
Discover logo with the word "DISCOVER" in black and an orange circle representing the letter "O" on a gray background.
Hyundai logo featuring a stylized "H" in an oval above the word "HYUNDAI" in bold, uppercase letters.
IKEA logo in bold black letters on a white oval background, set against a dark rectangle.
Square logo with a grey square icon and the word "Square" in grey text.
ExxonMobil logo in gray text on a dark background.
IHOP logo with the letters "IHOP" in uppercase, and a curved line below resembling a smile.
The image shows the Red Hat logo featuring a stylized red fedora hat alongside the text "Red Hat.
Logo of American Family Insurance, featuring stylized text under a roofline design.
Logo of Boston Scientific with the tagline "Advancing science for life™" below it.
Cardinal Health logo featuring stylized bird wings above the company name in dark gray.
Citrix logo with black text on a transparent background.
A gray logo with the word "kenvue" next to a stylized "K" shape.
Stylized Liberty Tax Service logo featuring the Statue of Liberty's crown alongside the company name.
MetLife logo with a stylized "M" icon on the left and the text "MetLife" on the right, all in grayscale.
SAS logo featuring the letters "sas" in lowercase with a stylized "S" design to the left.
Logo of UnitedHealthcare with icon resembling a shield on the left and the company name written in a serif font on the right.
Logo of United Way featuring stylized hand, person, and rainbow circle.
Xerox logo with grey text and a stylized sphere featuring white intersecting lines.
Sherwin-Williams logo featuring an inverted paint can pouring paint over a globe, with the company name in capital letters to the right.
Logo reading "Window World" in black script on a gray background.
American Century Investments logo featuring a stylized tree and text.
Microsoft logo with four colored squares forming a larger square on the left and the word "Microsoft" in gray text on the right.
Nintendo logo with black text inside a rounded rectangle.
The image shows the Volvo logo, a circle with an arrow pointing diagonally upwards to the right and the word "Volvo" written across the center.
Canon logo in black font on a transparent background.
CAT logo featuring bold black letters with a white and gray triangular shape underneath.
Black and white Dairy Queen logo with the letters "DQ" inside a tilted oval shape.
Fidelity Investments logo featuring a stylized sunburst design above the company name.
IBM logo in bold, gray letters with horizontal lines cutting through each letter.
Intel logo in black and white with the company name in lowercase letters encircled by an oval.
Logo of the National Association of Realtors, featuring a stylized "R" symbol and the organization's full name in bold letters.
TEDx logo in bold, uppercase black letters on a white background.
Logo of Choice Hotels featuring a stylized letter "C" composed of geometric shapes above the text "Choice Hotels.
Logo with the letters "E" and "O," and a circular shape resembling a clock or gauge with a needle pointing right. Three small stars are above the image.
Genworth Financial logo featuring a circular pattern of triangles with the company name underneath.
Black and white Johnson & Johnson logo with stylized cursive lettering.
Target logo with a red bullseye above the word "TARGET" in capital letters.
UPS logo in grayscale, featuring the letters "ups" inside a shield design.
Black ESPN logo on a transparent background.
Black and white GSK logo with bold, stylized letters on a transparent background.
MLS logo in black and white, featuring a diagonal stripe across a shield with three stars and the letters "MLS" at the top left.
Three purple fish silhouettes swimming to the right on a dark background.

Find Your Best-Match Program

With over 18 possible keynote speaking presentations, workshops, and GOLDFISH TANK programs available to meet your ever-evolving needs, I’ve created this 2-minute, 6-question quiz to help you understand which program is best for you and your audience.

Take the Quiz

Meet Your Presenter

Through keynote speaking presentations, hands-on workshops, and GOLDFISH TANK programs, I empower you to power loyalty and growth.

Hi, I’m Stan Phelps. I work with organizations that want to increase loyalty, drive sales, and promote positive word-of-mouth by creating differentiated experiences.

As an author, keynote speaker, and workshop facilitator, my in-person and virtual programs stand out in a sea of sameness because I model my own message of differentiated experience (DX).

I leverage my unique collection of more than 5,500 case studies on customer, employee, and brand experience to engage audiences with practical ideas that inspire action.

More About Stan
A person wearing glasses and a gray quarter-zip sweater stands outdoors in front of a building with a triangular glass roof at dusk.

Every time we do business together, Something amazing happens in the world!

Through my partner B1G1, each program gives back to create global IMPACT

Two students in blue uniforms smile while washing their hands at an outdoor tap.

When we complete a GOLDFISH TANK, we give 1001 days of clean water to school children

Collage of three images: a person washing hands, a child drawing with colored pencils, and a group of people sitting outdoors with some raising their hands.

When we complete a GLOBAL engagement, we give 365 days of clean water access in Peru, 120 days of learning aids in Malaysia, and 50 days of business training for women in Malawi

Hand placing a brick on a surface with text: "One Book = One Brick" and an Amazon logo.

When someone downloads a GOLDFISH eBook, we give one brick toward building school facilities in Cambodia

An absolute game-changer

"Stan's talk to our AMA Triangle Transitions Mastermind group was an absolute game-changer for anyone navigating the job search process. His Ultimate Job Search Tool Checklist offers a structured, actionable framework that emphasizes building a powerful online presence, crafting compelling resumes, and maintaining positivity and confidence throughout the journey. By blending practical strategies with the importance of self-presentation and preparation, Stan equipped us with invaluable insights to make our job searches not only more effective but also more intentional and rewarding."

VP of Transitions, AMA Triangle

His engaging presentation style and interactive break-out sessions left everyone asking for more

"Stan presented his 'Effective Communications and Presentation Skills' workshop to me and approximately 25 of my colleagues. His engaging presentation style and interactive break-out sessions left everyone asking for more. Several colleagues asked me if he could come back again and conduct the workshop in front of their team members who were unavailable for the session."

Sr. Director Brand Strategy & Content, Church’s Chicken

He was one of our best rated events for our AMA Chapter and we can't wait to bring him back!

"If you want energy and knowledge, hire Stan! After going to countless conferences and seminars Stan is one of the few speakers that I have seen that entertains, energizes, but still provides tangible takeaways. He was one of our best rated events for our AMA Chapter and we can't wait to bring him back!"

VP of Programming, AMA OKC

Stan utilizes an engaging speaking style with hands on activities

"We welcomed back Stan for the Wellness and Productivity Workshop after taking the Presentation Skills Workshop a year ago. Stan utilizes an engaging speaking style with hands on activities to reinforce workshop learnings. His material again was relevant to our entire organization, regardless of level, making both workshops impactful for our annual brand building organization training."

Sr. Marketing Director, The Gorilla Glue Company

Everyone left the session with a new perspective on branding and strategic differentiation

"Stan was a highlight among the speakers I invited this year. Keeping a group of knowledgeable students engaged can be challenging—not for Stan! With his range of stories and examples, everyone left the session with a new perspective on branding and strategic differentiation (and pink!)."

Professor, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School

Stan was so easy to work with and jumped right in

"I collaborated with Stan to customize video content from Diamond Goldfish for our National Sales Meeting. We worked together to tie key learnings from the book to a Sales Rep's world to make the messaging more familiar and impactful. Stan was so easy to work with and jumped right in. He was eager to know more so we even set time up for him to talk to a few of our Sales Reps to hear their challenges. I am excited for the Reps to see the video content soon and learn more."

Marketing Manager, Sherwin-Williams

Informative and more importantly actionable and practical!

"Stan has been a phenomenal supporter of our AZ Growth Advisors Community! We work with over 100 company executive leadership teams in the Phoenix area. He has shared his knowledge, wisdom & insights in person at our semi-annual all member meeting and virtually as part of our member webinar series. We have always found Stan’s sessions to be informative and more importantly actionable and practical!"

Managing Partner, AZ Growth Advisors

He commanded the room though tailoring his talk to our group

"Engaging, appropriate and fun - Stan Phelps delivered his Golden Goldfish presentation to us. He commanded the room though tailoring his talk to our group. In the presentation there was plenty of participant participation and it was as if he knew people in the room before the meeting took place. The meeting ended by Stan pulling together three themes and stories that exactly targeted what each person in the room needed to hear. His knowledge and repertoire is wide but his delivery is all inclusive and powerful."

President, Career Pro Inc.

Fresh ideas to enhance our commitment to customer-centric excellence

"Stan delivered an exceptional keynote at the 2024 Opkalla Tech Summit with his Purple Goldfish keynote, leaving a lasting impression on everyone in attendance. His insights on creating remarkable customer experiences were a powerful reminder of the importance of standing out for both our internal and external customers. The practical examples he shared were not only inspiring but also actionable, providing our team with fresh ideas to enhance our commitment to customer-centric excellence."

President, Opkalla

Positively impacted every member in attendance

"Stan Phelps was the closing keynote speaker at our NSA Carolinas Quarterly Retreat “Enterprise." Stan’s Golden Goldfish positively impacted every member in attendance. Why? Because Stan Phelps cared that every person left with value and actionable items to make their business better. He was the perfect person to close our 2-day event."

VP of Programming, NSA Carolinas

Positively impacted every member in attendance

"Stan Phelps was the closing keynote speaker at our NSA Carolinas Quarterly Retreat “Enterprise." Stan’s Golden Goldfish positively impacted every member in attendance. Why? Because Stan Phelps cared that every person left with value and actionable items to make their business better. He was the perfect person to close our 2-day event."

VP of Programming, NSA Carolinas

Incredible at activating and engaging an audience

"Stan is incredible at activating and engaging an audience, and he continues to leave a memorable impact through his framework. With his captivating delivery and unique insights, Stan undoubtedly sets a new standard for dynamic and inspiring presentations!"

President, NC State AMA
Book Stan

Discover the Impact

Download Stan’s Speaker Brochure

Enter your name and email to receive Stan's speaker brochure. Discover how his engaging keynotes, workshops, and his signature GOLDFISH TANK program can transform your next event and inspire your team.

Stan Phelps, CSP® is a keynote speaker and workshop leader who helps brands stand out, engage teams, and drive lasting impact through innovation.

Schedule a Video Call
Logo of the National Speakers Association, featuring the text "NSA CSP Certified Speaking Professional" in a circular design.
A badge with the eSpeakers logo reads "Virtual Master Presenter" on a purple and blue shield.
A globe with a microphone wrapped around it, next to the text "Global Speaking Fellow.

Connect

Navigate

Follow

Logo of the National Speakers Association, featuring the text "NSA CSP Certified Speaking Professional" in a circular design.
A badge with the eSpeakers logo reads "Virtual Master Presenter" on a purple and blue shield.
A globe with a microphone wrapped around it, next to the text "Global Speaking Fellow.

© 2024 - 2025 Stan Phelps Speaks

Schedule a Call