Michael Lyons is a Professional Speaker, Actor and Meetings Industry Consultant. A highly respected veteran of the meetings/travel industry, his diverse professional background - covering more than 40 years - includes senior level posts with some of the industry's best known names. Until 2014, he served as Exhibition Director for Reed Travel Exhibitions, with responsibility for managing IBTM America, a global meetings industry trade show. Prior to his stint with Reed, he worked for the likes of Carlson Wagonlit Travel, EGR International and McGettigan Partners (now Maritz). He was also the President and CEO of Global Events Partners, Philadelphia, the premier Destination Management Company in the greater Philadelphia region which he co-founded and ran successfully from 2002 through 2010.

As a professional speaker, Lyons has given talks to numerous groups on a variety of topics, with an emphasis on how to turn daydreams into reality and pursue your passion. He has also authored a number of articles in both hospitality industry trade journals and consumer magazines and is frequently sought out by the media as one of the experts in the meetings & events industry. He co-wrote the chapter on Marketing Strategies in the book "Best Practices in Destination Management" as well as the chapter entitled Making ROI-based Decisions in Today's Business Environment in the business book "Improving the Profitability of Your Company", published by Aspatore Books.

As a SAG (Screen Actors Guild) actor for the past 25 years, Mike has been in numerous films, TV shows, commercials and more than 350 live appearances on home shopping network QVC as a product host. His credits include speaking parts in "The Sixth Sense", "All My Children, "Veep", "What Would You Do", "Arrest & Trial", "Outsiders" and "House of Cards" among others. He is also an Emcee and a singer and has performed on multiple occasions singing Sinatra songs with live bands.

Programs:

"SET YOURSELF FREE...DAYDREAM IT, BELIEVE IT, ACHIEVE IT

The past few years have been a true test for everyone, but in particular for people in the meetings/hospitality industry. Some saw their jobs eliminated or downsized. Others were given more responsibility with the same (or decreased) compensation. Service standards suffered.

With that experience as a backdrop, it's a good time to step back, re-evaluate our careers and life path, and contemplate a possible change in direction and attitude.

In this entertaining, interactive and informative session, speaker Mike Lyons will guide the audience through a discussion asking them to reflect honestly on their life/career goals and assess where they stand in relation to their "bucket list". At the end of the session, participants will walk away with tangible and manageable tips to implement that will help them to stay focused on life/career goals.

In addition to his hospitality, speaking and acting careers, Lyons has also been an entrepreneur who has started 4 companies (all with varying degrees of risk) on the side, so he is not averse to risk-taking and "going for it". He will share some of those stories as examples.

Participant Outcomes:

• Gain the tools to assess your progress towards meeting your life/job/career goals
• Identify tactics to stay on track on a daily basis
• Overcome your internal censor's negative messages that might hold you back
• Get charged up to make a change in your life!

"THE BRAND OF YOU!"

Every one of us is a unique human being and, like it or not, you represent a brand - the brand of YOU. This session reviews the disciplines of business branding and applies them to the process of creating, developing, managing and protecting your own personal brand.

How you present yourself, how you behave and how you are perceived by your professional peers will determine your personal brand and the level of success in your career (and life). After all, if you don't brand yourself, other people will. And, chances are they won't brand you in the way you want to be branded. If you are not conscious of your personal brand and don't work on it, you may fall short of your career aspirations.

It has been said that your smile is your logo, your personality is your business card, and how you leave others feeling after having an experience with you is your trademark. So true. In this informative and entertaining session, Mike Lyons will engage the audience with interactive and fun exercises, and walk participants through a road map of how to enhance and sustain your personal brand.

Participant Outcomes:

• Learn how to build a personal brand so you can be more successful personally and bring more value to the company where you work

• Learn how to package "Brand YOU" in person and online with a distinct value proposition, and how to develop a marketing game plan for success

• Learn the four components of your personal brand and why all 4 must be addressed and incorporated into your brand plan:

             - Appearance
             - Personality
             - Competencies
             - Differentiation

THE 16 C'S TO BUILDING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS

Whether it's personal relationships, or business relationships, there are a number of "C" words that form the foundation of long lasting relationships where mutual trust is an important cornerstone. Those C words are:

• Communication
• Consideration
• Commitment
• Compassion
• Concern
• Caring
• Conciliation
• Courtesy
• Cooperation
• Candor
• Confidence
• Compromise
• Compatibility
• Consistency
• Connection
• Collaboration

In this session, speaker Mike Lyons will lead participants through a discussion of these C words and how important they are in creating and sustaining long term relationships. A veteran of over 40 years in the business world and married for 40 plus years, Lyons has a learned perspective on what makes long term successful relationships work.

"GETTING YOURSELF CAMERA READY"

Everything and everyone is now on video, though most people don't like, or are uncomfortable speaking on camera. In today's business world, odds are you will be interviewed or be asked to create a video for your web site or some other project. Join professional actor and speaker Mike Lyons as he walks you through the steps that will ease the process. Learn special techniques and tips that you can use for yourself or for prepping your own speakers at your events.