“Speaking without a producer is like a skydiver jumping without a chute” -John Chen
The producer chose to use a projector in a room that had skylights on a sunny day. The result is that a Blue Angel Boss with exclusive video was completely washed out and unviewable, missing a key impact of his talk.
The conference had an incredible panel of women executives in sports. The microphones had tremendous feedback so I had trouble understanding these women. The panel had no lighting, leaving these impressive women literally in the dark.
A speaker had a new computer and could not share her screen for the first 5 minutes of her first day of her program. This resulted in her losing part of her valuable audience.
These are real examples from my past.
This leads me to my latest sound bite: “Speaking without producers is like a skydiver jumping without a chute” -John Chen
Many breakout rooms have an AV person arrive early to see if you’re “good” and then they leave.
Many main rooms have an AV person who’s on their phone most of the time.
A great producer can save you from these embarrassments.
A great producer can fix these challenges immediately.
A great producer can make your talk even better.
A great producer will be with you all the time.
Get a producer and choose one that’s going to help you be even more engaging.
Here are 5 things you can do to make yourself the easiest speaker to work with for a producer:
1) Thank your AV team immediately
2) Send in your presentation early AND bring your presentation on a flashdrive that has all fonts and videos embedded, and has all videos, audio as separate files marked on what slide it’s for.
3) Show up early for your AV test and test any technical element such as videos, interactions and audio.
4) Give your AV team a run of show to let them know what you want and when you want it
5) Thanks them at the end of the program, they are often forgotten
Don’t jump without a chute. Get a producer. Make friends with your producer. And shine even brighter on stage.
-John Chen
-John Chen
CEO, Engaging Virtual Meetings
Your experts in engaging virtual and hybrid meetings
—FREE—–
Engaging Virtual Meetings
Transform Your Online Meetings from “Meh” to Magic.
Free Virtual Event — Reserve Your Spot Now!
Wednesday 9/3/2025 11:00am PST
https://engagingvirtualmeetings2025.eventbrite.com
—INVITATION—–
You are personally invited to The Engaging Retreat. 10/28/25-10/30/25
If you a speaker, planner or leader who wants to be more engaging, CLICK to join this community.
https://evmconference.eventbrite.com?discount=evmjohn
Tickets:
FREE – Livestream
$97 VIP – Zoom
$997 IN-PERSON – complete with video recording, coaching, after-hours networking and all food and beverage
—UPCOMING CALENDAR—–
8/16/2025 – NSA NW Confab with Lisa Ryan – Smiling and Dialing
Mercer Island, WA and Virtual
Featuring Past-President Denise Gabel and the FIRST NSA Northwest Cavett Award Winner Brian Walters
9am-12pm PST + Optional Lunch
I am the Producer and President
https://nsanorthwest.org/content.aspx?page_id=4091&club_id=372276&item_id=2600840
FREE pass with code VIPGUEST for first time visitors!
8/23/2025 – NSA NW Happy Hour and President John Chen Birthday Celebration
12pm-5pm
Shoreline, WA
https://nsanorthwest.org/content.aspx?page_id=4091&club_id=372276&item_id=2620980
9/13/2025 – Florida Speakers Association
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
https://www.floridaspeakers.org/
10/19/2025 – 10/22-2025
The Presentation Summit
The BEST place to learn how to make your presentations even better.
I will be the Main Producer and Speaker
https://betterpresenting.com/summit25/
10/28/2025 – 10/30/2025 – The Engaging Retreat 2025
If you want to learn how to be more engaging as speaker or an event planner, this is your retreat to bring you NEW ideas.
The first 50 to register in-person get 5-minutes on stage with coaching and 4-camera video returned to you.
Bothell, WA and Virtual
https://evmconference.eventbrite.com?discount=evmjohn
11/5/2025 – 11/6/2025 NSA Activate
NSA’s Virtual Conference!
https://activate.nsaspeaker.org/
11/15/2025 NSA NW Confab with Legendary Speaker Patricia Fripp!
Mercer Island, WA and Virtual
9am-12pm PST + Optional Lunch
https://nsanorthwest.org/content.aspx?page_id=4091&club_id=372276&item_id=2607859
11/18/2025 – 11/20/2025 – Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education Symposium 2025
Phoenix AZ and Virtual
I am the Virtual Emcee
https://www.afcpe.org/symposium/
-John Chen
CEO, Engaging Virtual Meetings
Your experts in engaging virtual and hybrid meetings
—FREE—–
Engaging Virtual Meetings
Transform Your Online Meetings from “Meh” to Magic.
Free Virtual Event — Reserve Your Spot Now!
Wednesday 9/3/2025 11:00am PST
https://engagingvirtualmeetings2025.eventbrite.com
—INVITATION—–
You are personally invited to The Engaging Retreat. 10/28/25-10/30/25
If you a speaker, planner or leader who wants to be more engaging, CLICK to join this community.
https://evmconference.eventbrite.com?discount=evmjohn
Tickets:
FREE – Livestream
$97 VIP – Zoom
$997 IN-PERSON – complete with video recording, coaching, after-hours networking and all food and beverage
—UPCOMING CALENDAR—–
8/16/2025 – NSA NW Confab with Lisa Ryan – Smiling and Dialing Mercer Island, WA and Virtual Featuring Past-President Denise Gabel and the FIRST NSA Northwest Cavett Award Winner Brian Walters 9am-12pm PST + Optional Lunch – I am the Producer and Presidenthttps://nsanorthwest.org/content.aspx?page_id=4091&club_id=372276&item_id=2600840FREE pass with code VIPGUEST for first time visitors!
8/23/2025 – NSA NW Happy Hour and President John Chen Birthday Celebration12pm-5pm Shoreline, WA https://nsanorthwest.org/content.aspx?page_id=4091&club_id=372276&item_id=2620980
9/13/2025 – Florida Speakers Association Ft. Lauderdale, FL https://www.floridaspeakers.org/upcoming-fsa-events/
10/19/2025 – 10/22-2025 The Presentation Summit The BEST place to learn how to make your presentations even better. I will be the Main Producer and Speaker https://betterpresenting.com/summit25/
10/28/2025 – 10/30/2025 – The Engaging Retreat 2025 If you want to learn how to be more engaging as speaker or an event planner, this is your retreat to bring you NEW ideas. The first 50 to register in-person get 5-minutes on stage with coaching and 4-camera video returned to you. Bothell, WA and Virtual https://evmconference.eventbrite.com?discount=evmjohn
11/5/2025 – 11/6/2025 NSA ActivateNSA’s Virtual Conference!https://activate.nsaspeaker.org/
11/15/2025 NSA NW Confab with Legendary Speaker Patricia Fripp! Mercer Island, WA and Virtual 9am-12pm PST + Optional Lunch https://nsanorthwest.org/content.aspx?page_id=4091&club_id=372276&item_id=2607859
11/18/2025 – 11/20/2025 – Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education Symposium 2025Phoenix AZ and Virtual. I am the Virtual Emcee https://www.afcpe.org/symposium/
