As the year comes to a close, we at BigSpeak would like to reflect on the keynote speakers who have dedicated themselves to making the world a better place through the power of public speaking. Our top 10 speakers of 2017 range from motivational speakers to business speakers to tech speakers and everything in between, but one thing they have in common is the power and reach their keynote speaking has seen in 2017.

Without further ado, I give you BigSpeak’s Top 10 Speakers of 2017

10. Daymond John

Business speaker, Daymond John is most recognized for his role as a Shark on the reality TV show, Shark Tank, but most people don’t know about the entrepreneurial successes that got him there. Daymond John is the founder and CEO of FUBU Clothing and a marketing and branding genius. He turned his $40 clothing line budget into a $6 billion dollar sportswear line by revolutionizing marketing to focus on the consumer’s wants.

He works to spread his knowledge and help other entrepreneurs fulfill their dreams through his keynote address. He inspires his audiences to conquer their wildest dreams and goals by providing insight into the mind of a successful entrepreneur who started with nothing. His self-made story of triumph is as powerful as his tangible advice for becoming a business tycoon.  

9. Peter Zeihan

With the panic surrounding our current political climate, there’s no surprise that Peter Zeihan, Geopolitical Strategist, made our top ten list for his brilliant political forecasts. He specializes in global energy, demographics, and security, and uses his expertise to predict how our global political-economic systems will shift.

China will crash, Europe will fall apart, Russia will keep pushing the U.S.’s buttons, and Iran will soon be America’s best friend. People always say you can’t plan for the future, but those people clearly haven’t met Peter Zeihan. His insight is applicable to any field as he shapes his keynote addresses to fit all things influenced by politics, and his shocking predictions are backed by data that will truly help you plan for a future you never dreamed of.

8. Fredrik Eklund

Fredrik Eklund, business speaker, number one Broker in the Nation, author, and former information technology entrepreneur, skyrocketed to our top 10 list using the same charm that got him his own Reality TV show on Bravo, Million Dollar Listing, and his new real estate show, Bethenny and Fredrik, with BigSpeak favorite, Bethenny Frankel.

His power-house keynote addresses are not only entertaining and full of high-kicks but also incredibly enlightening as he shares his secret to high-stakes sales. He gives his audience the list of to-do’s when making a sales pitch that landed him some of the biggest real estate sales in New York.

7. Tan Lee

Tan Le is one of our top picks for 2017 not only because of she brought all of our Star Wars mind control fantasies to life with her brainwear company, Emotiv but also because of her inspiring climb from immigrant to CEO.

Tan Le shares her story of fleeing her war-torn home in Vietnam when she was four years old and growing up as an “outsider” in Australia. She credits her upbringing for giving her a different perspective that allowed her ingenuity to flourish. In her keynote address, she explains the benefits of broadening your scope to promote innovation and how to achieve them.

6. Robyn Benincasa

Robyn Benincasa was an obvious pick for BigSpeak’s top 10 list because she’s a hero… literally, she was named CNN Hero for her work helping survivors of medical and traumatic setbacks reach their adventure goals with her non-profit Project Athena.

She on top of being an inspirational teamwork speaker, she is a San Diego firefighter, adventure racer, and Ironman triathlete.Through all of her physically demanding work she has become an expert in creating supportive and cohesive teams. Her inspiration can turn any office into a winning team.No matter what your team is working through, Robyn has conquered worse with her own and is here to help with her motivational speaking.  

5. Tom Flick

Tom Flick, former NFL Quarterback, is an authority on leadership building. After seven seasons of leading football teams, as well as his experience working in corporate America, he is considered an expert voice in motivational strategies and team building.

His diverse background allows him to cover a wide variety of fields in his talks and speak to a larger body while connecting to each individual. Tom Flick is a BigSpeak favorite because of his speaking style and influence.

4. Mitch Lowe

Whether you’re an old-time fan of our business speaker Mitch Lowe for giving us Netflix, or you recently joined the bandwagon by subscribing to MoviePass, Lowe is beloved in the hearts of every movie buff. Lowe, co-founding Executive of Netflix, CEO of MoviePass, and former President of Redbox, knows a thing or two about disrupting an industry.

As one of the most innovative minds in the movie industry he has transformed movie sharing and viewing not once, but three times. His keynote address gives his audience insight into the disruption process, the risk-taking involved, and the business sense needed to make it all happen. Learn how to flip your industry on its head with this innovative mind.  

3. Jeff Degraff

In addition to being one of our top innovative business speakers, Jeff Degraff is the Professor of Management and Organizations at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, where he teaches leading creativity, innovation and change.

Degraff’s objective through his teaching and speaking is to “democratize innovation.” He believes that innovation is not reserved for the leaders with the highest IQ. Instead, it is a collaborative effort that can be promoted in any group. He provides his audience with four easy steps to jumpstart the process to reaching “new and improved.”

2. Marc Randolph

Business speaker, Marc Randolph, is a co-founder of Netflix, serving as their founding CEO, as the executive producer of their website, and as a member of their board of directors until his retirement in 2004. Although best known for starting Netflix, Marc’s business speaking reflects his career as an entrepreneur spanning more than four decades. He’s been a founder of more than half a dozen other successful startups, a mentor to hundreds of early-stage entrepreneurs, and an investor in numerous successful (and an even larger number of unsuccessful) tech ventures.

He’s everyone’s dream angel investor, with all the knowledge and backing to turn any start-up into a success. He shares his entrepreneurial spirit with his audience and divulges the lessons he’s learned through his successes and failures.

1. Matthew Luhn

Coming in at number one of our top 2017 speakers is innovation speaker Matthew Luhn. His inventive outlook on the world not only allows him to create some of Pixar’s best movies, but also gives you the tools to make the tough sells. His speaking encompasses his imaginative world as a Pixar storyteller and the importance of a story in every business setting.

He explains how every sale, every marketing strategy, every corporate event needs a background story to be impactful, and luckily he can give you the tools to create a compelling and persuasive narrative.

The content writers at BigSpeak Speakers Bureau are Experts on the Experts. They hold doctoral, masters, and bachelors’ degrees in business, writing, literature, and education. Their business thought pieces are published regularly in leading business publications. Working in close association with the top business, entrepreneur, and motivational speakers, BigSpeak content writers are at the forefront of industry trends and research.