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Stan Phelp's Blog

The Goldfish Chronicles

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

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A person places two bricks on a white box. The text reads "One Book = One Brick" with a B1G1 logo.

ONE Goldfish eBOOK = ONE BRICK

ONE BOOK = ONE BRICK. Download a free Goldfish eBook on Amazon (January 11 or 12) and one brick will be given to support schools in Cambodia.

This is one of three giving initiatives I’ve created through B1G1. B1G1 has pioneered a platform that allows you to integrate giving as part of your everyday business.

Here’s how it works in three steps:

1. You select the causes you want to support.

2. You then select a core business activity or activities ⎯ such as a sale of a product/service. In my case, the three triggers are a Goldfish Tank experience, a global speaking engagement, or an eBook download.

3. You link specific IMPACTS to your activities. In this case, every eBook download triggers a donation of one brick.

For background, I usually make one of my Goldfish books free for download at my keynotes and workshops. In some months there will be as many as 500 downloads.

My hope is to supercharge that to give over 10,000 bricks in 2023.

B1G1’s project is managed by This Life Cambodia.

With the donations, they’ll buy bricks and build dormitories in remote communities.

Why?

Because newly qualified teachers are often placed in remote schools far from home. If they have a safe place to live, they will stay longer and build stronger connections with the community.

Photo Credit: B1G1

Strong links with the community encourage better enrollment and attendance at school.

In addition, This Life has plans to add classrooms and libraries in partnership with the communities they serve.

Back to the eBook downloads, I’ve made 11 of my books free for download. (See the links to download in the comments)

1. Purple Goldfish 2.0 – 10 Ways to Attract Raving Customers
2. Green Goldfish 2.0 – 15 Keys to Driving Employee Engagement
3. Golden Goldfish – The Vital Few
4. Blue Goldfish – Using Technology, Data, and Analytics to Drive Both Profits and Prophets
5. Red Goldfish – Motivating Sales and Loyalty Through Shared Passion and Purpose
6. Pink Goldfish 2.0 – Defy Normal & Exploit Imperfection
7. Yellow Goldfish – Nine Ways to Drive Happiness in Business for Growth, Productivity, and Prosperity
8. Gray Goldfish – Navigating the Gray Areas to Successfully Lead Every Generation
9. Diamond Goldfish – Excel Under Pressure & Thrive in the Game of Business
10. Silver Goldfish – Loud & Clear: The 10 Keys to Delivering Memorable Business Presentations

and one fun eBook…
11. Bar Tricks, Bad Jokes, & Even Worse Stories 

Favor – please download an eBook and add a brick to create IMPACT. Click here to check out your options.

Read on...
Four people sit at a table with drinks and condiments, smiling at the camera. A "Mookie's" logo is visible.

How can leaders foster engagement and reinforce culture post-Covid with a distributed workforce?

Great time today at our first Jeffersonian Lunch of 2023 with Sarah Lien Finnerty, Pam Didner, and Chris Quinn.

We went to Mookies New York Deli in Cary. Thanks to owner Ron Didner for the hospitality. Hat tip to Marcey Rader, CSP® as we had Marcey’s Brussel Sprouts as an appetizer.

Here was our topic:
How can leaders foster engagement and reinforce culture post-Covid with a distributed workforce?

My three takeaways were intention, trust, and onboarding.
First, you need to be intentional to make both the time and investment into your team members. For most companies, your people are your secret sauce and the key to your competitive advantage. I love this challenge to leaders by Chris, “Show us your P&L, will it show that investment?”
Second, you need to trust your team members. Treat them like they matter… and they will. Give them the flexibility to do their jobs. Pam shared that you develop trust with the team by showing that you trust them first.
Lastly, you need to get off on the right foot. New team members make a decision really early whether they’ll stay with the company for the long term. Sarah pointed out the need to pay attention to how you bring them into the company. You never get a second chance to make a solid first impression.

Read on...
A cashier in a store smiles while talking to a customer at a checkout counter labeled "Chat Checkout.

Jumbo Supermarket creates slow checkouts on purpose

This is amazing! Dutch retailer Jumbo Supermarkten has created “slow checkouts.”

Hat tip to Wendy Lloyd Curley for sharing this pink goldfish with me yesterday.

Called “Klets-Kassa” (translated to Chat Checkout) these are slow checkout lanes where customers are encouraged to chat with the cashier.

The pilot occurred during the summer of 2019 as a part of the Dutch government’s “One Against Loneliness” campaign.

Of the million-plus elderly citizens of Holland, roughly one-third say they feel lonely sometimes.

The first slow lane in Vlijmen was so successful, JUMBO has now installed 200 of them across the country.

This is a tremendous example of the Pink Goldfish of Opposing. The site Upworthy points out how JUMBO is defying normal,

“Increasing amounts of technology are being used in the grocery industry, with the goal of reducing costs and encouraging self-service by customers. We have less and less human interaction as clients scan their own purchases and then pay at a self-service counter. As a result, the Jumbo Supermarket really opposes this trend…”

Faster isn’t always better. And technology is never the only answer. Kudos to Jumbo for recognizing a need and slowing down to care. To quote the Church Lady from Church Chat, “Isn’t that SPECIAL!”

Read on...
Illustrated podcast cover with the title "Learn Speak Teach" and "EP. 50" featuring a portrait of a bald man with glasses. Hosted by Ben Albert. Powered by Balbert Marketing LLC.

The Art of Differentiation and Superior Customer Service

Want to Build A Bulletproof Brand? In this podcast, I chat with Ben Albert about the “Art of Differentiation and Superior Customer Service”

Here is our conversation on Episode #50 on the Learn – Speak – Teach podcast:

[00:00] Episode intro and a quick bio of our guest; Stan Phelps
[06:34] Stan’s rainbow of 11 colored goldfish.
[13:04] An example of a business that has the massive goldfish differentiation
[18:23] Stan’s background
[27:38] Value-based techniques to differentiate
[33:22] Purple, Green, and Gold Goldfish
[35:20] Case study on the impact of doing a little something extra on sales
[44:54] “The pick-end rule”
[46:25] Ben’s biggest takeaway from reading Pink Goldfish
[48:40] Flawesomeness
[52:01] What Stan is working on right now and how we can support him
[53:14] How to reach out, connect, and learn more about Stan
[52:43] Homework: How to start owning your flaws to be different and unique
[54:55] Final Thoughts

Synopsis:

Today, your brand is what customers see and feel when interacting with your product or service. Your brand is not what you tell people it is. It’s the differentiated experience your employees deliver, how your customers feel about it, and what your customers and employees tell others about their experience.

You can drive loyalty through word of mouth by differentiating what you do and the experience you provide. The differentiation aspect is all about the little things you do for your customers that make you stand out from your competitors. Doing something extra and going beyond the transaction creates a differentiating experience and honors the relationship with your customers.

Read on...
A poster reads "We don't speak January" with text about January being a language. "Equinox did not accept any new members on New Year's Day" is written to the left.

Equinox did not accept any new memberships on New Years Day

This is a bold example of the Pink Goldfish of Opposing.

And they took a full-page ad in The New York Times to tell the world that their members “don’t speak January.”

Equinox VP & Executive Creative Director Will Mayer shared the reasoning on Linkedin:

“January 1st is one of the largest sign up days for fitness clubs as people prepare for a ‘new year new me’ – but for our members, it’s just another day.”

Will goes further and explains what makes Equinox members different:

“You are not a New Year’s resolution. Your life doesn’t start at the beginning of the year. And that’s not what being part of Equinox is about. Equinox is a lifestyle – not a trend. We speak the language of fanatical dedication. We don’t speak January.”

Most gyms and clubs have their biggest membership sign-up days on New Years. So it’s normal to promote and incentivize new member sign-up.

Equinox is opposing the norm. In our book Pink Goldfish 2.0, David Rendall and I shared a similar example from REI. In 2015, the retailer closed on Black Friday. Not only their 150+ stores… they shut down their website for e-commerce.

Why?

Because REI is all about enjoying the outdoors. They believed that their staff and members should be outside with their families as opposed to jockeying for position in lines.

Sometimes you can “stand out” by doing less. Equinox is speaking volumes by turning the volume to zero. No pretty pictures… just a manifesto that celebrates the commitment of its members.

Read on...
A hand holds a sparkling sparkler against a blurred background. The text "Spark Impact" is displayed. Logos of TWCTM Speakers and B1G1 are visible.

My word of the year is…

My word of the year is…

Confession: I usually want to punch people in the throat when I hear the beginning of the sentence above.

But, I’m going to make an exception in order NOT to be a hypocrite. Because I’ve picked one word. But mine isn’t for just 2023.

My next 10 years are going to be about sparking…

IMPACT

For background, I’ve just started my second decade as an author and professional speaker.

I can’t say I’ve reached an INFLECTION point. Because that mathematical term was just officially banned for 2023 (along with GOAT, quiet quitting, gaslighting, and six other overused words).

Nor can I call it a PIVOT… that was banned in 2022. Plus, when you pivot in basketball, one of your feet stays in the same place and you don’t go anywhere.

Let’s call it an MoT (Moment of Truth). I’m done writing about creating a better customer, employee, and brand experience. I’ve written over 600,000 words (17 books) and spoken at over 600 events.

IMPACT speaks louder than just words and/or speeches.

Here are the three ways I’m focusing on making IMPACT in the coming year:

1. IMPACT Programs – in 2022, my goal is to do more than 10 “Goldfish Tank” events. These are full-day innovation experiences for 20-35 participants. This unique, applied learning program culminates with teams pitching new ideas or enhancements.

The Goldfish Tank addresses a few of today’s biggest challenges:

A. Most organizations want their employees to be innovative. Yet they don’t teach them how.
B. Most organizations want to empower their employees to uncover insights to better serve their customers. Yet they don’t give them the time to do it.
C. Most organizations want to reward their best employees beyond dollars, but they struggle to find rewarding team experiences that make them feel valued.

2. IMPACT Global – I’ve been blessed to have spoken in 19 countries. I now want to ramp up my speaking overseas to create more impact as I pursue my Global Speaking Fellow credential.

This June I’ll be part of a two-week tour across Asia with Together We Can Change The World.

TWCCTW was founded by Scott Friedman, CSP and Jana Stanfield with the mission of empowering and educating less fortunate children and women. Over the last 15 years, the group has supported causes in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, the Philippines, and Thailand.

3. IMPACT Giving – I’ve become part of B1G1. This organization, co-founded by Paul Dunn and Masami Sato, is all about impact. They’ve pioneered a platform that allows you to integrate giving as part of your everyday business.

Here’s how it works: You select causes you want to support (there are nearly 500 projects to choose from). You then select a core business activity or activities ⎯ such as a sale of a product/service (in my case a “Goldfish Tank” or a global engagement or an eBook download) and link specific IMPACTS to your activities.

MORE to come on each of these three initiatives in the coming weeks and months…

Read on...
Silver electric car parked in a lot, with a sign promoting "Capital One Auto Navigator + 9 Other Tips for Car Buying.

Capital One Auto Navigator and 9 other tips for buying a car

OK … every five years or so I go down the rabbit hole of buying a car. I learn something new each time. Fresh off of buying my pre-owned Tesla, this post shares 10 tips for buying a car in 2023.

1. Where is the value? If you want value, buy a pre-owned car with low miles. If you want the latest and greatest, prepare to wait and spend top dollar.

Tip: If you can avoid new car smell (that’s literally a scent they pump in), let someone else take the massive depreciation hit.

2. Understand the three levers – There are three elements of any car purchase. Trade-in, price (including fees), and financing.

Tip: You can eliminate two of the three to retain control and make sure you are getting the best possible deal.

3. Trade-in value – This is where a dealer lowballs you on your current car. They want to pay you less than what your car is worth if they sent it to the auctions.

Tip: Pay off your loan (if needed) and sell your car privately. I put a five-dollar ad on craigslist and sold my Lexus in 12 hours. That earned me $5K over the lowball offer.

4. OK, I realize selling your current car privately isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

Tip: Kelley Blue Book has a free service called “Instant Cash Offer.” They provide a quote and participating dealers will contact you directly. If I went this route, it would have been $2.5K more than the lowball offer.

5. Financing – don’t wait to get financing at the dealership. The dealership gets paid if they finance your car. There is no incentive for them to get you the best deal.

Tip: I used Capital One Auto Navigator. You fill out a simple online app and the bank pre-approves you for financing. The response time was quick and the rate was very competitive. The only hitch is that you can only use the offer at participating dealers. But if you are willing to travel a little bit, there are plenty of options. Cap One has a great site that will help you search.

6. Know what you want – I recommend zoning in on the model, year, trim, color(s), and desired mileage before beginning your search.

Tip: Use AutoTempest.com as it aggregates listings from a number of car-buying sites including my two favorites: TrueCar, Inc. & Cars.com.

7. Filter and Sort – Filter out all the garbage.

Tip: Use price ranges, mileage ranges, model years, trim, accidents, title, etc. when searching. Then sort your results by what’s important to you, i.e. mileage, price, value, or nearest?

8. Price and Fees – understand the nuances of how dealers work. Internet pricing tends to be aggressively low to compete. Meaning that dealers are reluctant to reduce their published price beyond a token discount.

Tip: Be upfront to ask about their fees. Fees are often a way the dealer tries to recoup margin.

9. Pay attention – the longer the dealer has a car… the more motivated they are to sell it.

TIP: Look at the pricing history of the car. Each week or few days the dealership may drop the price. Notice any patterns? Simply waiting a day before inquiring may save you another $2-3K. The end of the month, quarter, or year is also a good time to buy.

10. Checklist – to get the best deal and/or the exact car you are looking for, you might need to expand your search. I’ve flown between 500 and 1,000 miles for each of the last four cars I’ve purchased.

Tip: You want to check out the car thoroughly before hopping on a plane or driving a long distance to pick it up. I recommend creating a detailed checklist and doing a video tour/test drive of the vehicle. Walk through every detail.

I’m sure I missed a tip of three. What would you suggest as a best practice for buying a new or pre-owned car?

Read on...
A statue of Thomas Jefferson with text about historic Jeffersonian lunches featuring James Madison and Alexander Hamilton.

Wednesday Jeffersonian Lunch

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I’m starting a new tradition in the Triangle in 2023. It is called Wednesday Jeffersonian Lunch. A Jefferson what?

What exactly is a Jeffersonian Lunch?

Thomas Jefferson was known to invite thought leaders and influencers of his time from various backgrounds to share in conversation and fellowship over dinner.

I’m cutting out the wine and changing it to lunch.

By engaging in a single conversation, with only one person speaking at a time, Jefferson and his guests were able to unlock the power of their collective wisdom. 

The purpose was simple:

To network, to listen, to learn, and to inspire one another through meaningful dialogue.

How does it work?
Each Wednesday (if I’m in town and not speaking), I organize up to 3 people to go to lunch with from 12 to 1 p.m. I pick a place that’s convenient for everyone joining. Everyone picks up their own check… or we agree to play credit/debit card roulette 😉

If I get invited, do I need to prep at all?
Nope. It’s an easy lift. I’ll share the topic and a convenient lunch location the day before.

Which Wednesday is available?
The scheduling feature in Calendly below will show the available Wednesdays up to seven weeks in advance. Once four people sign up for a particular Wednesday … that date will no longer be available.

Why four people?
I’m keeping it small. Inspired by our Founding Father, when Thomas wanted to have a vibrant conversation… he restricted the number of people to four. Three guests is the magic number. Yes it is, it’s the magic number.

Jefferson was known to feature unique conversation starters at these events. For example, at one dinner he set a jar of Mississippi River water in the middle of the table. The entire dinner was about the area, its people, and its features.

Some say that Jefferson’s dinners were one of the things that saved our early republic. Let’s see what lunch in the Triangle can do…

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Read on...

The New Goldfishmobile is a Tesla

I’m blaming this on Hertz and Rita Aquilina.

Back in May I had the honor of speaking to BNI Australia. Frederick Marcoux, Avinash Sequeira, and the entire team put on a wonderful National Conference in Sydney.

They arranged for a BNI member to pick me up from the airport in Sydney. That’s when I met Rita from The Limousine Line. She picked me up in a Tesla SUV. I had never been in a Model X and she was kind enough to point out all the interesting features.

Fast forward three months and I have flown into Houston for a keynote in Lake Charles, Louisiana. I had made a rental car reservation with Hertz. I get to the rental car counter and they inform me that they didn’t have any cars currently available. For a split-second, I thought I was in a Seinfeld episode. “Isn’t that the whole point of a reservation… the holding part.”

After waiting for 45 minutes the rental car agent asked me if I’d consider taking a Tesla. There would be no additional charge and I could leave straight away.

Two minutes later and I’m having my first experience driving an EV. It left an impression.

Fast forward three more months and I sold my Lexus RX Goldfishmobile.

Last Friday I flew to Chicago to buy a 2016 Tesla Model X P90D.

Can’t wait to name and wrap the new Goldfishmobile. I’ll be sharing my experiences from the road.

Any suggestions on her name? I’m currently going with Goldie, but I’m open to something more creative…

Read on...
Airplane with Delta logo flying against a purple gradient sky, with a large text overlay saying "Free WiFi" and a WiFi symbol above the plane.

Delta Air Lines and Free WIFI

Delta Air Lines is offering a “little something extra” for passengers.

I recently flew from Atlanta to Chicago. An announcement caught my attention…

Delta announced they were offering free WIFI on the flight. As long you were a SkyMiles member (you could sign up for free), WIFI was free.

I’ve logged over 1.25 million miles with Delta and I applaud the move. This is a thoughtful “Purple Goldfish” (little extra thrown in for good measure) for passengers.

The move from Gogo Wifi to Viasat has made this “throw-in” possible. JetBlue was the first airline to offer free WIFI, but Delta became the first of the “big three” US carriers to make the move.

This little bit of lagniappe (something extra) signifies that Delta is staying true to its Louisiana roots. CEO Ed Bastian wants to make WIFI free on all Delta flights.

Back in 1928, C.E. Woolman bought out Huff Daland Dusters. With another $10,000 in capital, he created Delta Air Service in Monroe, Louisiana.

Why Delta? Because Monroe was located on the Mississippi River Delta. The company would be headquartered in Monroe until 1941 before moving to Atlanta.

[Interesting aside: Monroe would still wield influence over the airline. The Delta Air Lines annual stockholder’s meeting was held in the small Louisiana town every year from 1957 to 1995]

When will you be able to surf for free at 35,000 feet on Delta?

According to Zach Griff at The Points Guy, “Though there’s no timeline yet for when Delta will officially flip the switch on free Wi-Fi, the airline plans to do so ‘soon’ for domestic flights, with an international expansion slated for the end of 2024.”

Read on...
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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

Stan's engaging style is informative and entertaining. He received an incredible 100% satisfaction rating on our post-event attendee survey

"Stan Phelps graciously came to Iowa and spoke to our local AMA chapter here in Des Moines. He has a knack for taking very strategic marketing tactics and explaining them with equal parts beloved college professor and late night talk-show host. Stan's engaging style is informative and entertaining. He received an incredible 100% satisfaction rating on our post-event attendee survey - what more can I say? I would highly recommend Stan for any speaking engagement!"

VP of Programs, AMA Iowa

Stan's energy level was also exuberant and made for a refreshing Zoom presentation that was both entertaining and educational

"Stan gave a great Pink Goldfish virtual presentation! We had originally booked Stan to present in person, but after many months of Covid precautions and postponements, we switched to a virtual presentation. He was very engaging and interactive. He kept the audience involved by asking questions and presented new marketing ideas and concepts to our chapter. Stan's energy level was also exuberant and made for a refreshing Zoom presentation that was both entertaining and educational."

VP of Programming, AMA Columbus

Speakers like Stan are a joy to share with your audience

"Speakers like Stan are a joy to share with your audience. He gave an interactive presentation that engaged every attendee of our virtual event. Stan promotes learning through his insightful takes on differentiation and his unique style. In their feedback, our attendees were enthusiastic and grateful for the experience."

President, AMA Columbia

Stan appeals to and hits a chord, or two, of any business

"Beyond the enlightening content of his presentation, his engaging speaking skills, and the valuable goldfish nuggets he sends attendees home with, Stan gives and makes you feel the Lagniappe. In our organization, we have speakers from every corner of the marketing world, so we attract attendees from many different industries. While engaging and enlightening the crowd, Stan appeals to and hits a chord, or two, of any business, no matter the industry or scale."

President, AMA New Orleans

The stars couldn't have better aligned - so glad to have had the opportunity to bring you to Michigan!

"I wanted to thank you again for coming to our annual conference, sharing some energy and interest stories to inspire us to be a little weird and market how we're different. While it was a bit hectic when our other speaker canceled, the stars couldn't have better aligned - so glad to have had the opportunity to bring you to Michigan!"

VP of Programs, President-Elect, AMA SW Michigan

A fun, quirky and interactive presentation that literally got the audience up on its feet

"When we heard that Stan would be in town for a conference, we jumped at the chance to book him for a speaking engagement with our chapter of marketers. He was a joy to work with and gave a fun, quirky and interactive presentation that literally got the audience up on its feet. Our event with Stan sold out weeks in advance…so next time we'll need to book a bigger venue!"

President, AMA San Francisco

A dynamic presentation!

"We were very fortunate to book Stan for the closing keynote presentation of our Annual Conference. Customer experience is crucial to winning in the marketplace today. Stan helped our audience of marketers realize actionable ways to improve customer experience by doing little things that drive value or reduce customer effort. He illustrated several relevant examples which made for a dynamic presentation!"

President, AMA Madison

I noticed that there was quite a bit of follow up conversation afterward and I also received glowing feedback from attendees

"Stan came to speak at a meeting for a group that I volunteer for that helps people in career transition. He was very communicative all the way up to the presentation and the information he provided was very helpful to the audience. I noticed that there was quite a bit of follow up conversation afterward and I also received glowing feedback from attendees during the weeks following the presentation."

Director of the Transitions Link + Think, AMA Triangle

Our attendees were captivated

"Stan is one of SMPS Virginia's favorite repeat speakers, he always delivers a powerful message with enthusiasm and humor. Although our event this year was virtual, Stan's storytelling was masterful and entertaining. Our attendees were captivated while learning new tools on differentiating their firms from the competition. A true testament to Stan, our program was originally scheduled for an hour but the program lasted nearly an hour and 30 minutes due to attendees request. We will have Stan back again soon."

Education Director, SMPS VA

Not only did he deliver an impactful message, but it was one of the best I've heard

"I'm proud to be part of a chapter of the American Marketing Association that does a fantastic job at development programs, which is where I met Stan Phelps. I'm extremely lucky to have been able to glean from his wisdom. Not only did he deliver an impactful message, but it was one of the best I've heard. I felt challenged to dig deeper in order to create the best experience for our customers, and I couldn't wait to put the practical advice he gave us into good use."

Member, AMA Jacksonville

Stan delivers. If you book him...you will not be disappointed at all

"Stan is an absolute joy to work with. He is smart, engaging, funny and a good person. I was lucky enough to have him speak to our Milwaukee members in August and received nothing but high praise from those attending. Stan delivers. If you book him...you will not be disappointed at all. I know this is my second go-around with him!"

President, AMA Milwaukee

Really illuminating keynote

"To say you made a splash would be a massive understatement! Really illuminating keynote and I'm delighted our members got to share in your wisdom."

Programs Chair – PR Day, PRSA Houston
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Stan Phelps, CSP® is a keynote speaker and workshop leader who helps brands stand out, engage teams, and drive lasting impact through innovation.

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