Not A Motivational Speaker

Old Headshot

People see my posts… you travel and speak? Is that your headshot? Are you a motivational speaker?

WHOA NOW. No. NO. JUST NO.

Well I guess, maybe, kinda… NO NO.

I hate the term motivational speaker. For many reasons, but one is that I think I actually made a name for myself telling people what not to do. So maybe a better descriptor would be that I am a Demotivational Speaker. HA. I mean I started speaking about hazing, about not hazing. I told my story of hazing, and why I changed my tune about its value and impact. I wrote an article called “My Hazing Evolution”, I then wrote my program “Stupid vs. Hazing” and one by one started getting invited to campuses. Next thing I knew I was speaking at national conferences, keynoting on campuses and I was Sam “That Speaker Guy” (cause no one can say my last name).

It evolved into programs for fraternities and sororities about all the stuff they are supposed to stop doing… racism, sexism, violence, etc. Lately I am doing more motivational type programs and really talking about building your legacy. I do think I want to start a new demotivational program on goal setting… my new thing is STOP goal setting… by START intention setting, start finding your purpose, then the goals work themselves out… still working on what that program might look like.

So where are things now? Each year I say I am going to do less traveling, but I still get a lot of asks despite literally doing no advertising. I really am one of few Latino Greeks out there speaking so I want to be out doing this for a community that I strongly support, and that often isn’t getting supported elsewhere.  I am touched each time a campus I visited in the past asks me to come back for another program. I suck at saying no, and I still try to charge students what they can afford and since I am not paying an agent I can pass those savings on to the students.

I am booking already for the back to school events for 2018. Feels pretty cool. Looks like I will have my first gig in Oklahoma, and have a couple return visits, and this fall I am hoping to get to do more of my “Abualitas Hands” program. I really love that, and now with everything happening I think it is more important than ever that immigrant and Latino youth remember why they are in this country, and the despite the chips being stacked against us, we need to rise up and succeed.

Thank you to everyone who helped grow my Demotivational Speaking career…