“If you want to start your day with a bolt of energy that blows coffee away – CALL VELMA! Within minutes of hitting the stage, she had 6—donor relations professionals on their feet and thinking differently about communication styles.”
“We had the pleasure of having Velma speak at our IFMA November Luncheon. The topic she brought was “Lead with Heart: 5 Languages of Appreciation in the workplace, Recruit and Retain Top Talent”
In these times, finding and keeping good employees is at the top of this list. Velma’s presentation absolutely nailed it! She totally opened up a new perspective on how to more effectively communicate with coworkers and make a difference in the workplace experience. ”
“Velma is highly experienced and knowledgeable in areas of marketing, membership and customer experience. She supported our organization’s renewed membership growth through revised strategy and the successful execution of planned activation.”
HUMAN RESOURCES LEADER
“Velma – thank you for the fabulous presentation you gave to our members! They are still talking about it.”
“Her presentation was FANTASTIC! The audience was engaged from start to finish. Velma’s style is relatable and authentic. She ended on a high note that had me dancing in the aisle!”
“We hired Velma to speak to our chapter leaders on membership and it was FANTASTIC! After our initial planning call, she reached out to a group of chapter leaders to learn more from their perspective not just the association headquarters. With knowledge from both sides she was able to present to our leaders with information that they could immediately put into action. The survey results from Velma’s session is one of our top successful programs! Thank you, Velma, for bringing your knowledge and like a true leader you also took time to learn from us. I look forward to working with her again.”
HEALTHCARE CONFERENCE PARTICIPANT, FLORIDA
“I had the pleasure of listening to Velma Knowles speak and it was awesome! She provided really good tips that we should keep close to us, near and dear. Value people, value you, and Value time. That was such an amazing moment to hear Velma tell us about this. Velma is awesome; you should have her come and speak for you!”
“What an energetic and impactful speaker on leadership! If you don’t know Velma….you should!”
“I had the pleasure of hearing Velma speak during an Ignite session at American Society of Association Executive’s (ASAE) Great Ideas conference. She was an engaging and motivating speaker who was able to connect with her audience through humor, empathy, and sincerity. As a passionate birder (birdwatcher), Velma was able to transport us through her words to the bush —patiently waiting for the next colorful and intriguing bird. She was able to talk about this hobby in a way that inspired us to apply it to our work as association professionals — using the binocular to focus, having patience, and appreciating the diversity, beauty, and grand expression of it all so that we can innovate. ”
HUMAN RESOURCES CONFERENCE PARTICIPANT
“How do I choose a great speaker/trainer? I am here to make that easier for you…choose Velma! I met Velma a couple of years ago and was immediately struck by her desire to serve others and live out her faith. Since then, we have had the opportunity to attend several events together across the country. One cannot help but be positively impacted by her energy, enthusiasm and friendly personality… all while coupled with engaging speaking skills and a wealth of knowledge and background in leadership and marketing.”
“The Leadership training with Velma was extremely informational and helpful. Being able to relate to other people and their different learning styles has been very beneficial. The ability to develop a better foundation, and to add more pieces to make me a better, more well-rounded employee and leader, has been invaluable. I recommend everyone take this worthwhile opportunity to learn with Velma.”
“If you want an energetic speaker to come and talk to you about leadership, using real life stories, I would highly recommend Velma. She came to an evening event with 40 people, after work and had their attention captured with her topics and what she was presenting.”
“Great Information! It really helped me frame how I can interact with staff to continue successful work plans and best ways to communicate with Board members.”
STEVE SMITH CEO, NEXTGEN LEADERS
“I had the pleasure of hearing Velma present as guest speaker at a recent Manatee Chamber of Commerce event, she echoes and amplifies many of the themes she covers in those verbal settings. Any person aspiring to be a better leader will benefit from the simple and very graspable principles she delivers. The lessons in her book are based on her own life experiences as a marketing executive and as a learner, coach and mentor.”
“We hired Velma to speak to our chapter leaders on membership and it was FANTASTIC!. The survey results from Velma’s session is one of our top successful programs! ”
“High energy and engaging! I love the way Velma connected with the attendees and got everyone involved. ”
“Velma is a dynamic speaker who led a leadership summit for our organization. She was able to keep our entire group engaged while thoughtfully challenging things that may have been holding us back. I would highly recommend Velma to any organization who is looking to take their leadership to the next level!””
“Velma joined us for our Board retreat and shared an activity on leadership that was intriguing and enjoyable. She has a talent of bringing out the very best characteristics of professional leaders through her methods as well as giving takeaways to make you an even better leader. I highly recommend Velma for anyone wanting to offer leadership professional development, coaching, or tools to enhance communication to any organization.”
“Unbelievable energy! Velma came recommended to our commercial real estate group in South Florida and the level of energy she brought was amazing. She was very good at audience engagement and had our crowd of 100 laughing often. I would highly recommend her for speaking engagements as well as working with small teams to get motivated and all rowing in the same direction.”
HEALTHCARE CONFERENCE PARTICIPANT, FLORIDA
“I learn something every time I attend one of Velma’s presentations or have the opportunity to talk with her. Velma is a dynamic, inspiring speaker who connects with her audience in an authentic and honest way, and who provides insightful and useful information and ideas. She has fun, and she makes sure her audience does as well. You won’t leave one of Velma’s sessions without some practical takeaways you can apply immediately. It is the same when you speak with her one-on-one. Her advice and insights are thoughtful and usually spot-on.”
“Velma joined us for our Board Retreat and shared an activity on leadership that was intriguing and enjoyable. She has a talent for giving takeaways to make you an even better leader.”
“Velma did a great job in running our Leadership Workshop we recently completed. I was so impressed with her preparation and research ahead of time, and she did a wonderful job presenting and facilitating discussions during the program. Velma is a pro and it shows through in all that she did leading up to and during our workshop.”
“Velma is an exceptional speaker, insightful, and engaging. She also offered me some of the best career advice in our first 30 minutes together. Her positive attitude will rub off on you I promise.”