Speaker - December 2017

Later, when Steve was fresh out of college, he worked for an audiovisual company that set up the sound system for a speaker named Mark Scharenbroich, CSP, CPAE. Steve was already developing a traveling science show, but after seeing Mark, he knew he had to step up his game. He decided to focus on the elementary-school market where he could speak multiple times a week and hone his craft.

Then, during a chance encounter with a teacher at one
assembly, Steve realized that teachers needed these types of
skills to better engage their students. And when he found that
several school districts wanted professional
development for their teachers, he created
one of the first STEM (science, technology,
engineering, mathematics) institutes for educators.

Finally, in the early 2000s, he recognized the potential of online video. His do-it-yourself videos on YouTube led to millions of views, requests to appear on network television shows, and ultimately, his own series on Fox.

So, the question is, are you paying attention to your customers and your market? Or are you so focused on creating content that you’re not seeing new opportunities to take your work to a new place? Steve has always paid attention. And when he saw a need, he developed a way to meet it.

MEET THE NEED (AKA RESPOND)

One of the challenges of running a speaking business is doing the research, developing the programs, and creating the products. All of this behind-the-scenes work is not nearly as glamorous as being onstage. And unfortunately, this is why many new speakers leave NSA after their first year. They realize how hard it is to do the work.

Steve Spangler does the work. When you see thousands of film canisters explode on The Ellen DeGeneres Show or watch him masterfully emcee the CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame® banquet, you realize the work that’s involved.

One can’t imagine Steve ever saying, “That’s too
hard” or “We can’t do that.”
Instead, he just does the work.

Early in his career, Steve built and packaged (in zip-locked bags) hands-on science kits in the basement of his home. He saw that teachers needed materials to enhance their curricula, so he and his wife, Renee, did the work to meet that need.

Steve’s career could read like the instruc- tions on a shampoo bottle but instead of “lather-rinse-repeat,” his would say, “See a need-meet it-repeat.” And it’s no coincidence that this approach is similar to the scientific method. Steve has successfully applied this formula to his content, his products, and his business.

SEE A NEED (AKA PAY ATTENTION)

You may think of Steve as an engaging speaker, a television personality, or a humorist with a nerdy science slant. But when you peel away these accurate but incomplete labels, you’ll find an astute student who simply pays attention.

For example, when he was young, his father confessed that he hated his job as a corporate executive. Steve’s mother suggested that his father quit. And so, he did. But without a plan to replace his income, they decided to do what most of us would do—teach magic to magicians! OK, maybe that’s not what you would do, but Steve’s father was an acclaimed magician and it was a way to pursue something he loved. During this transition, Steve watched his parents build a business and teach stage performance. And he has continued paying attention throughout his career.