Speaking & Training

Bill Collier speakingBill Collier is an accomplished speaker who mixes personal experience, food for thought and humor into every presentation.

We can tailor a presentation, speech, or keynote address for your specific needs. Typical audiences include companies, industry/trade associations, chambers of commerce, and non-profit organizations. Many of our Speech topics can also be presented as training workshops, from 2 hours to a full-day in length. Contact us to discuss your needs. Below are some sample topics.
 
Make Lemonade ... and Sell It!
Sure it's tough out there! But sitting around blaming the government or the banks will waste your time and zap your morale. Use your energy to focus on having a strong year. Leave the blaming and hand-wringing to others. Here's a five-part plan for thriving in the current economy.

 
How to Succeed as a Small Business Owner ... and Still Have a Life
Based on Bill's Amazon best-selling book of the same name! Too many small business owners work hard and don’t realize above-average incomes for their risk and trouble, and many are only a few minor adjustments away from real success. Learn proven strategies and step-by-step approaches that can make the difference between just getting by and succeeding. 

 
The Practical Power of Open-Book Management
Do your employees go beyond simply performing their jobs? Are they truly engaged in the quest for your organization's success? Find out about Open-Book Management (OBM) and how to use it to engage your workforce, create a high-involvement culture, and improve your company's performance.

 
High-Impact, Common-Sense™ Marketing
It's far too easy, with all the choices available today, to bounce wildly between marketing activities with mixed results. Businesses need to make effective use of their scarce resources - including time and money - to generate a steady supply of qualified leads. In this information-packed interactive workshop, you'll come away with plenty of down-to-earth ideas you can put to immediate use, and will actually build your marketing plan.
  • How to design a sales and marketing mix appropriate for your business
  • How to put your customers on your sales and marketing team
  • The 2 most effective elements of marketing
High-Impact, Common-Sense™ Branding
In this information-packed interactive workshop, you'll come away with plenty of down-to-earth ideas you can put to immediate use, and will actually build your branding strategy.
  • Define and promote a "brand promise" you can consistently deliver
  • Build awareness of your brand - inside your company and in the marketplace
  • Enhance your customers' perception of your brand
  • Use customer success stories and testimonials to reinforce your brand
  • And much more!

This session can be used as a companion or follow-up to High-Impact, Common-Sense Marketing™, or is excellent as a stand-alone.

 

High-Impact, Common-Sense™ Strategic Planning
Forget everything you know about business plans. Most are a waste of time and paper, and are abandoned before mid-year. We'll look at a new way to approach annual strategic planning. We'll learn to:

  • Cut through the clutter of data and information

  • Identify the business' most important issues

  • Actually implement the plan and move the businesses forward

 

Effective Bonus Plan Design
A bonus or incentive plan can be a powerful motivator and can help drive improved financial results. But, if not done correctly, a bonus plan can simply be a cash drain and can produce an "entitlement mentality" in your company.

  • The 5 biggest bonus plan mistakes & how to avoid them
  • How to tie incentive payouts to financial results
  • How to make your bonus plan "self-funding"
  • Eliminate the "Entitlement Mentality"
  • Specific bonus plan designs including the popular "Bucket Bonus Plan"

 
Create a High-Retention Culture: Developing & Retaining Your Employees
Is your business plagued by high employee turnover? How about low productivity, poor morale, or bad attitudes? Learn how to set expectations, reward for performance, measure and reduce turnover, and to keep your employees pulling in the right direction. 

 
Preparing Your Company for Sale
Selling your company starts long before you sign the final documents. Ideally, you've selected the proper structure to avoid double taxation at sale and have built the business in a way that maximizes its value. Once you find a ready, willing and able buyer and enter due diligence, everything about your company is open for review. Hear about Bill's sale of his former company and learn how a potentially antagonistic process can be a win-win for both buyer and seller.

 
Finance & Accounting for Non-Financial Employees
Refresh your knowledge or learn the fundamentals of accounting and finance. Participants will learn: 
  • The language of business and the reality behind the numbers.
  • How to read the Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement, and Balance Sheet.
  • How the three statements impact one another, and the difference between profit and cash.
  • How individuals and teams can participate in improving the financial performance of their departments and of the company.
  • How to address and communicate problems and opportunities more effectively, and to make better business decisions.

These programs can be tailored for management or rank-and-file employees, and can even be customized for your company using your own financial statements.

More Info Here
 
Key Performance Indicators: A "Dashboard" for your Company or Department
Your financial reports are important, but running your operation using only financials is like driving your car while looking in the rearview mirror - they represent what has already happened. A better approach is to add some "forward-looking" indicators, to help predict and drive future results. Available as a 45-90 minute speech or as an interactive 2 hour or half-day workshop.

 
Excellence: Better than Yesterday & Better than the Competition
Use the dual concepts of "Challenge Everything" and "Know what's important to your customers" to embed a culture of Continuous Improvement in your organization. Chock full of take-aways you can use right away to improve your organization.

 
Values: The Real Boss
If a business or other organization is looking for a bedrock foundation upon which to build, this is it. If you have a solid set of values in place that the team is passionate about, they offer consistency and continuity. They provide guidance to employees – whether or not the owner is present. They attract and give assurance to customers, suppliers and lenders. They provide a stable base for business decisions of all kinds. Learn how to choose your organization's values and how to embed them into your culture ... to make them part of your "corporate DNA."

 
In addition to Bill's presentations to various organizations, we also offer our own series of seminars, workshops, classes, and other events.

Contact us for:

Download a 1 minute video of Bill speaking. 2.4MB WMV format. Or, scroll down to see an 8 minute video on this page.
See some of our past speeches, workshops and events

Our popular Great Game of Business Breakfast is the 3rd Thursday of each month. Normally held at Greenbriar Hills Country Club in Kirkwood Missouri, we focus on topics related to open book management and the Great Game.

See the calendar below for all our upcoming speeches, workshops, and other events. Click on "Agenda" for a list view of upcoming events.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER: http://twitter.com/bill_collier

 

Written comments received after Bill's presentations:


"As President of the St. Louis Organization Development Network, I had the pleasure of having Bill Collier present at a recent monthly program that our organization hosts for our membership. Bill’s presentation, The Practical Power of Open-Book Management, engaged the audience from the beginning and held their interest to the end. On a 4.0 point scale the audience rated the topic 3.6, and the presenter 3.8. Written comments from our membership included: 'excellent', 'great presentation', and 'Bill was great, good topic, content, and presentation.' I agree with these comments and would recommend Bill for other presentations."
- St. Louis Organizational Development Network

"Bill--I want to thank you on behalf of the St. Louis Chapter of ACG on your presentation last week ... The material and presentation were both first rate and you generated a lot of interest, as I am sure you know since you continued to be asked many questions long after the meeting was over and the social hour began. Thanks again for a great introduction to the topic to our members--we really appreciate your insight."
- Association for Corporate Growth

"Thank you again for getting our chapter's year off to such a thought-provoking start. We appreciate your efforts in preparing and presenting information for us. The real-life examples were great. We also appreciated you soliciting our input, ideas and stories."
- American Society of Women Accountants

"I would like to express our gratitude for speaking at the spring semester CPA Management Breakfast. Your presentation was very well-received by all who attended. There were many compliments on your knowledge and delivery of the subject. We hope you will consider returning in the future to speak again."
- St. Louis Community College - CPA Breakfast Series

"Your presentation to our group was very well received as all the reviews of it were excellent. Your presentation is what our audiences crave…content. I had no idea what a great presenter you are! We’ll definitely have you back in the near future."
- St. Louis Women's Journal

"Bill Collier's presentation hits home for the small business owner. His presentation style enables the participants to understand the key concepts that can be implemented for successful business growth. His interactive presentation techniques engage the participants so material is relevant and useful. Members of the Chamber overwhelmingly rated this presentation valuable and time well spent."
- Mary Ann McWilliams, Executive Director, Crestwood-Sunset Hills Area Chamber of Commerce

"Thank you for speaking at our luncheon. I have had great feedback from the attendees. You did an outstanding job! It is the first time I have seen people take notes at one of these luncheons, which speaks highly of the points you made. You shed new light on ways of doing things."
- Clayton Chamber of Commerce

"Thank you for speaking at our seminar. Everyone came away with new and exciting ideas."
-Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce

"I want to thank you so much for speaking at our recent Chamber meeting. Even though your presentation, 'How to Succeed as a Small Business Owner...And Still Have a Life,' was geared to business owners, you provided ideas and tools that can and should be used by everyone! Your presentation was fantastic! And judging from the numerous comments I received, I know that our members thought so as well. Your remarks were insightful, and most importantly, extremely helpful. Our members definitely got their time and money's worth! We appreciate the time you took from your busy schedule to speak to our organization. Thank you so much!
- Lemay Chamber of Commerce

"We had Bill speak at our monthly membership meeting recently and the feedback was incredible!  Many attendees noted the great tips and enthusiasm Bill shared with the group.  We will definitely have Bill back in the future to speak at an upcoming meeting!"
- St. Peters Chamber of Commerce

"Bill's unique insights were quite helpful to our members, and offered ideas they could apply right away. He was instrumental in helping us host a successful event."
- West St. Louis County Chamber of Commerce

"Your topic 'How to Succeed as a Small Business Owner ... and Still Have a Life' brought out a record crowd of 120 attendees for our Chamber luncheon. Many members mentioned how much they enjoyed your talk and how they plan to put this to use on a daily basis."
- Fenton Chamber of Commerce

"Your professional and personal experiences shared with us were very much appreciated and enjoyed. Those who attended had great feedback about your presentation. It was a great success and we have learned much about establishing goals and achieving success."
- Maryland Heights Chamber of Commerce

"This was the most valuable training I attended this year. It was a very helpful workshop and a great refresher. Please keep me posted about your future seminars. Thanks."

"Great Job!!! Thanks for sharing your trials, triumphs, experiences and personal stories on your journey as a small business owner. I especially liked the way you encouraged the audience to think about "One Thing". My "one thing" is to work with meeting planners this year. I did write it down and will let you know when I accomplish my goal. Again Bill, I want to say "E" for the Excellent, Enthusiastic, Experienced, Encouraging and Entertaining presentation."
- Cheri Hanstein, Networking Works

"You gave us some useful tools we could all put into place right away."

"Very nice presentation this A.M. You struck a lot of chords with everyone in the room. I liked how you tied your presentation to a "how to" ... you put together a very insightful perspective ... that was very invigorating."

"Bill Collier is an engaging presenter.  He offers valuable insight and suggestions to the unique challenges we face as small business owners. With his experience and sincerity, he truly provided our group a memorable presentation."
- Institute of Management Consultants

"Your presentation was a great way to start the new year with ideas that can positively affect the business operations of all our members. Your style and delivery were very professional and also personal ... please come back and visit us again."

 
Bill delivered 'Preparing Your Company For Sale' at the Gathering of Games (the Great Game of Business' annual national conference), and his audience rated him 3.78 on a 4.0 scale! Here is some feedback from those comment cards:
  • "Great style. Great info. Practical ideas."
  • "Very informative!"
  • "Excellent!"
  • "Outstanding information."

Below is an 8 minute sample video of Bill delivering a keynote address in 2009

 

Call or email to discuss your needs.