Hachette Speakers Bureau - Powerful Women, Powerful Words. by Greater Talent Network

Powerful Women Powerful Words Hachette Speakers Bureau

Proudly Representing Outstanding Women Authors and Speakers

SPEAKING OF HSB SPRING 2014

Powerful Women. Powerful Words.

Dr. Lois Frankel captivates on stage

“The vast majority of participants described Dr. Frankel’s presentation style as ‘inspirational and engaging’, with most commenting that they were able to take away a multitude of practical tips and advice.”

Inside, a few of our outstanding women exclusives answer questions about how they became the pioneering women, authors, and speakers they are today. Get to know them like never before, and see why they draw crowds and pack venues each and every time. HSB proudly represents the authors and speakers most relevant to your organization’s events. Contact us to bring one of our remarkable speakers to your next event!

—Australian Institute of Management

Get to Know Our Speakers in Their Own Words: 4 Rebecca Musser, The Witness Wore Red Lily Koppel with Florence Wolfson, subject of The Red Leather Diary

“I like to see the magic and potential in small things. I wanted to be struck by lightning, and with The Red Leather Diary and The Astronaut Wives Club I was. I get goose bumps about the story I know I need to write a book and tell the world.” —Lily Koppel, best-selling author

14 Lily Koppel,

The Astronaut Wives Club

17 Ashley Merryman, NurtureShock 18 Dr. Lois Frankel, Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office

Spotlight On... Rebecca Musser

Advocate for Victims of Human Trafficking & Best-selling Author

Author of the best-selling book The Witness Wore Red, Rebecca Musser is a leader of social change who continues to speak out for the oppressed. She famously testified over 20 times in court against Warren Jeffs and other founders of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) after escaping the cult and assisting law enforcement in rescuing others. In her memoir, she shares a gripping account of her struggle to escape religious fanaticism and sexual slavery, and a courageous story of hope and transformation. Today, Musser is the founder of ClaimRED, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing dignity, hope, and healing to victims of human trafficking.

“I wrote this book because I want to use the experiences of my life as a means to educate others about rethinking possibilities and understanding the power of choice…My hope for all who read my book is that they will celebrate the resiliency of the human spirit, see more possibilities in their own life and most importantly, take action towards achieving their dreams.” —Musser on The Witness Wore Red

Powerful Women. Powerful Words.

hat advice would you give your 7-year-old self?

Trust yourself. Never give up hope. You are stronger than you know. Learn the value of choice and freedom. No matter what others say is right or call holy, do not deny your inner voice. Learn to recognize it and let it speak and guide you. Every step along the way has the potential to move you towards freedom, happiness, and fulfillment, no matter how difficult those steps may feel.

ne piece of advice for women?

Let go of everyone else’s expectations of you and let go of your need to be perfect. Life isn’t about being perfect. It’s about owning all the parts of you and becoming whole. Wholeness is healing. You are worthy of respect, dignity and equality, and it’s your responsibility to claim those rights, while honoring the rights of others.

est advice a woman mentor ever gave you?

My counselor: Nothing in life changes until we are honest about our behavior and the behavior of others. Take away a person’s title, position, and relationship, and then listen to their behavior, not their words. Learn to deal with the world as it is, not as you wish it to be. Life can be messy. Always be honest and never lose hope.

Spotlight On... Rebecca Musser W

(continued)

hat do you want audiences to take away from hearing you speak?

I want each person to walk away with a deeper understanding of their innate worth as a human being while acknowledging the gifts they bring to the world. I want them to understand their incredible resiliency and ability to heal. I want to inspire people to have the courage to own all the parts of their life, and to use every experience as fuel towards self-actualization.

“Compelling…the book speaks to the ways isolation, fear and secrecy can shelter insidious abuses until someone has the courage to step forward as a witness.” —Kirkus Reviews

Musser at a book signing for her NYT best-seller, The Witness Wore Red

Powerful Women. Powerful Words.

ne change you’d like to see happen for women in your lifetime?

I believe we can create positive change in a society when we educate and empower its women. I want every woman to understand their personal human rights, feel their innate value as a human being, and learn how to claim their freedom through the power of choice.

Musser with legendary broadcast journalist, Keith Morrison

Musser on Piers Morgan Live

“ For every question, there had been an appropriate, programmed answer. I was never allowed my own opinion; I had never developed the ability to choose. All of my people were like that, too. I gave myself permission to look deeply at polygamy in a way I never had before. ” —excerpted from The Witness Wore Red

ow can women, specifically, benefit from hearing you speak? I used to think the struggles I was facing were something unique to me because of where I was from. I didn’t realize nobody had it all figured out. Though the details of my life are different, the abuse women suffer is the same. The good news is that the road to recovery is also the same. Healing doesn’t happen by accident and isn’t a stroke of luck. It comes down to specific skills like taking an honest look at behavior, letting go of perfectionism, embracing our humanity, realizing our worth and developing healthy relationships with ourself and others.

Spotlight On... Lily Koppel

Journalist & Best-Selling Author of The Astronaut Wives Club

A one-of-a-kind journalist and writer, Lily Koppel is the New York Times bestselling author of The Red Leather Diary, in which she shares her story of recovering a 1930s young woman’s diary and embarking on a treasure hunt to find its owner decades later. In her latest book, The Astronaut Wives Club, Koppel delivers readers a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of a group of women who were transformed into American royalty overnight and defined a new age of women. She tells the true account of the brave wives who stood beside some of the biggest heroes in American history, the Mercury Seven astronauts.

Don’t miss the highly anticipated TV series, The Astronaut Wives Club (based on Koppel’s best-selling book) premiering on ABC July 24 @9 PM!

“The men catapulted into space in the 20th century were interesting, sort of. The women they left back on earth were fascinating…A lively account of how the wives coped with fame, fear, and loneliness.” —People Magazine on The Astronaut Wives Club

Powerful Women. Powerful Words.

hat advice would you give your 7-year-old self?

Funnily, I remember exactly what advice my 7-yearold self gave my adult self today. I know that sounds odd, so let me back up. When I was young, I was afraid that when I became an adult, I’d forget about what it was like to actually be a 7-year-old kid. I thought I was a pretty creative, terrific, fun-loving, imaginative girl. But I worried that I’d somehow get caught up in my fabulous adult life (at the time I was watching a lot of 1980s movies like Splash) and I’d forget “the truth” of who I was. I think I’ve always kept this tantalizing fear inside of me—of that punky 7-year-old kid saying, “Don’t forget about me and your fantastic, seemingly impossible dreams.” So I guess advice works both ways. Seven-year-olds are pretty magical thinkers.

A young Lily Koppel, ready to take on the world

est advice a woman mentor ever gave you?

The subject of my first book, The Red Leather Diary (about my serendipitous discovery of a young woman’s 1930s diary), was a woman named Florence Wolfson. She was 90 when I met her and I had embarked on a treasure hunt to find her since she was exactly the kind of woman I longed to be—wild and daring and whirled around her New York, having love affairs, and pursuing her aspirations as a painter, writer, and actress. She even hosted her own literary salon, which many famous writers visited. When I met her, she surprised me by asking me, “From being that young woman in the diary’s pages, how did I end up living this ordinary life?” I wondered, from being the Renaissance woman she was, and then getting married and having children, had she somehow not set off all the firecrackers she’d hoped to in her life? But the more I thought about it, I saw a woman who was still as brave as her younger self, one who was willing to allow me (a stranger until we became dear friends) to share her most intimate of memories with the world in book form. So Florence’s advice to me was: BEWARE OF LIVING AN ORDINARY LIFE. That doesn’t mean missing out on the amazing experience of getting married and having kids, both extraordinary achievements in my book, but remaining true to yourself till the end.

Spotlight On...

Lily Koppel

(continued)

hat do you want audiences to take away from hearing you speak?

I want them to connect with the real woman writer and women who are behind some of the books they love and the power of storytelling to change our lives—as writers, readers, and subjects. I do my best to bring my story and the characters I’ve written about to life for each audience.

“A fair and accomplished reporter, Lily Koppel offers a grounded, irresistible and sociable social history… The Astronaut Wives Club is wholly and consistently in Koppel’s voice: smart, evocative, informed and warm—an electric fireside chat with the women who put men on the moon.” —Chicago Tribune

hy did you choose to become a speaker?

I’ve been told I have a gift for strong, clear storytelling, and “painting pictures with words.” I relate to the world in a visual way. I want audiences to feel what I know. Students and young writers at university lectures relate to me because they want to know how to achieve their dreams. That’s very satisfying.

Lily Koppel talks about The Astronaut Wives Club at Princeton Public Library

hat is your proudest professional achievement?

Powerful Women. Powerful Words.

ne piece of advice for women?

Don’t worry so much about how you look—imperfections are beautiful and a slightly nervous disposition can be helpful. For example, I used to get very nervous before my speaking engagements (and sometimes I still do). My mother told me a piece of advice that I haven’t forgotten, “Use the nervousness.” Public speaking is a performance, after all, not unlike Broadway! (I always think, “I’m about to put on my tap shoes.”) Being nervous and even a bit uncertain, in any endeavor, is actually a huge asset and compliment to you. It means you care. Your audience will appreciate it.

ow do you define the term “Working Woman”?

It’s no longer the picture of Diane Keaton in Baby Boom with high heels, a briefcase and a baby in tow, but a nurturing, elegant, sometimes silly (at least I am), very driven woman who is navigating how to surf the wave of life with a smile.

ne change you’d like to see happen for women in your lifetime?

Abortion rights for women that are unquestioned (let’s go into the future, not back to the Dark Ages). I’d like to see our country as a whole put far more value on education and especially reading.

unniest or most embarrassing workplace/professional faux pas?

I was a young staff member working on the Metro desk at The New York Times. Somehow, I came back to my desk from the bathroom trailing some toilet paper. Of course I didn’t notice until I was standing at the communal printer waiting for something and the head editor of the desk (who was a merciless teaser) said something along the lines of, “Koppel, you’ve got a tail.” I didn’t think I would come back to work the next day.

hat is your proudest professional achievement?

Having my books impact people around the world has been tremendously satisfying, also how the redemptive nature of my stories has brought my subjects into the spotlight (a 90-year-old diarist and the women behind our astronauts) and proven how much their stories matter and that our heroes are often the quiet ones back at home. Seeing The Astronaut Wives Club being made into a major television series by the creator of Gossip Girl is icing on the cake.

“A remarkable story of perseverance and friendship in a time when women had few rights.” —The Daily Beast on The Astronaut Wives Club

Spotlight On... Ashley Merryman

Best-Selling Author & Award-Winning Journalist

A best-selling author and award-winning journalist, Ashley Merryman’s insights have changed the national dialogue on children-rearing. With Po Bronson, she’s written two New York Times bestselling books – Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing and NurtureShock: New Thinking about Children. Together, they’ve won nine national awards for reporting. From chief executives to stay-athome moms, the most common reaction Merryman hears after a speaking engagement is: “You just changed my life.” Utilizing a unique blend of science and storytelling, she discusses tough parenting topics and educates audiences with razor-sharp analysis.

“The cutting edge science behind life’s triumphs and failures… insight from politics, finance, science, sports and economics to tip the odds in your favor.” —National Public Radio on Top Dog

“The ‘Freakonomics’ of childrearing …a fantastic read…a wakeup call for parents.” —Good Morning America on NurtureShock

Powerful Women. Powerful Words.

hat do you want audiences to take away from hearing you speak?

I’m on a quest to understand what makes people tick, and my speeches reflect that. I pull together research from a range of scientific disciplines– psychology, neuroscience, sociology, economics and more–then, I put that research in real world contexts. A great sports or business story. How a study I read changed something in my own life. I want my speeches to be informative, inspirational, and intellectually challenging. I want people to walk out of the speech feeling empowered, feeling that they can now apply the science they’ve just learned in their lives, just as I’ve done in mine. I also want my speeches to fun, engaging, and entertaining. Generally, I don’t conceive of my events as lectures; I think of them more as a dialogue with the audience. Beyond that, I always customize my remarks for a specific event. I enjoy talking to event organizers beforehand, because it’s my chance to learn know what issues are important to the community. I want to get a meaningful sense of who is in the audience and what their interests are. My job is to make organizers’ vision of the event become the audience’s reality. And that’s what I want to do.

ne piece of advice for women just starting in your industry?

It’s not your job to say “No.” Recently, I was in Houston, talking about how women need to take more risks in their professional lives: too often, women miss out because they only pursue things that seem to be a guaranteed success. After my speech, a senior executive came up to me, saying she hadn’t applied for a job because she only had seven of ten requirements listed on the application. She asked if I thought she should have applied. I answered, “You told yourself, ‘No,’ and never even gave them a chance to say ‘Yes.’ Why did you assume everyone else was more qualified than you? What if the experience you have is more valuable than anything they asked for? It’s not your job to say ‘No.’ It’s your job to say, ‘Here’s what I can offer. Here’s what I can do.’” Don’t take yourself out of the running, even before a race has even begun. Apply for the promotion. Don’t hide your good idea, because you aren’t sure it’s great enough to take to the boss. Just take the risk. You won’t always succeed. But at a minimum, you’ll always learn from the experience. And people will respect your courage and your passion.

Spotlight On... Dr. Lois Frankel

Women’s Development Expert & Best-selling Author

President of Corporate Coaching International, Dr. Lois Frankel is a best-selling author, executive coach, and an internationallyrecognized expert in the field of leadership development for women. At the podium, she provides incredibly useful and practical advice based on nearly three decades as an internal and external human resources consultant. With warmth, wisdom, and wit, she often speaks on the topics covered in her New York Times best-seller, Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office, including the ways in which women sabotage their careers and how to avoid them, earning respect, and achieving success.

“This book is a treasure! If you’re looking for smart, down-to-earth strategies for building a fulfilling life, look no further. Frankel and Frohlinger are a winning team of coaches whose advice is essential reading for women who want to use their talents to the fullest.” —CNN Money.com

Powerful Women. Powerful Words.

hat advice would you give your 7-year-old self?

I would give myself the same advice that the maid, Aibileen Clark (played by Viola Davis), in the movie The Help gave the little girl: “You is kind. You is smart. You is important.”

est advice your mother ever gave you?

The best advice my mother gave me was more by example than through a specific verbal message, “You can do anything you put your mind to.” She was fearless and some of that rubbed off on me.

hat is your proudest professional achievement?

Although I suppose it should be writing a bestselling book, it’s really starting two nonprofit organizations that are doing well. The first one (MOSTE) I started nearly 30 years ago and it’s a mentoring program for inner city school girls. The second (Bloom Again Foundation) I started after my own encounter with breast cancer and it provides financial assistance to working women who live at the poverty level when they encounter medical challenges that cause them to miss work.

unniest or most embarrassing workplace/professional faux pas?

Dr. Frankel speaking with actor and management consultant, Tom Henschel

“The event was a great success and Lois was a HUGE hit! I am getting many requests for her book from women who have heard about how practical she was in her guidance.” —Time Warner Inc.

Oh, there are so many! But one that comes to mind is when I was on stage at a state women’s conference and said something about women in the great state of Texas. There was a little buzz, then one brave woman shouted out, “You’re in Florida.” I had been doing a lot of traveling that particular month and forgot where I was! Sometimes you just have to handle things with humor so I said, “Actually, the state of confusion is where I am.”

Spotlight On... Dr. Lois Frankel

(continued)

hy did you choose to become a speaker?

I became a speaker (among the other things that I continue to do) because I wanted my message of empowerment to reach large groups of women. As a therapist and a coach I impacted the lives of individuals, but from the platform there’s the opportunity to influence so many more women and, in turn, help to create a critical mass of confident and courageous women.

“Thank you for your outstanding presentation...Your talk exceeded all our expectations. The feedback I received was that your presentation was the best our group has ever hosted! Days after your talk, attendees stopped me in the hallway to say you really touched them and how they started to implement the ‘coaching tips’ you provided.” —Women’s Intrinsic Network

hat do you want audiences to take away from hearing you speak?

I want each woman in the audience to know that she can, and must, take charge of her career, her finances, and her life. That no one will ever take better care of her than she will take care of herself and that you can’t do that by behaving like the nice little girl you were taught to be in childhood.

Powerful Women. Powerful Words.

ow did you overcome the struggles you faced as a woman in your industry? I overcame the struggles I faced in corporate America by leaving and starting my own business. First it was a private practice of psychotherapy that focused on the needs of women and then it morphed into Corporate Coaching International, one of the country’s first executive coaching firms.

ne change you’d like to see happen for women in your lifetime?

But there are so many changes I would like to see! If I had to choose just one, it would be to see not equal numbers of, but more women than men leading corporations and countries. When that happens, we will know we have arrived.

“A must-read for anyone who wants to make the future better than the past – and that’s just about all of us.” —Fortune Magazine on Stop Sabotaging Your Career

ne piece of advice for women just starting in your industry?

The advice I would give to women starting their own enterprises in any industry would be to create a narrowly defined niche that distinguishes you from everyone else in your field. It’s counterintuitive because when you start out you want to be all things to all people, but by narrowing it down you set yourself up as the expert in a specific area and everyone wants an expert.

ow do you define the term “Working Woman”?

All women are working women. Whether they work in the home, care for elderly parents, or are employed by a company or corporation, all women work. I distinguish professional women by that fact that they have chosen to focus on a particular “profession” and are employed for pay in that arena. It may be a profession where they work for someone else or have their own enterprises.

The next time your organization is seeking an extraordinary speaker, be sure to contact Hachette Speakers Bureau. We offer the most celebrated storytellers whose books touch lives and whose keynotes captivate audiences. Before you plan your next event, let one of our expert agents help you deliver the speaker your audience will be talking about for years to come.

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