Brad Barton Speaks

"All that energy! Wow! Thank you seems inadequate to express our appreciation for your wonderful talent and your meaningful message." - Shirley Harris, Vice President Michigan Association of Hospital Auxiliaries

what is csp?

The designation Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) is the speaking industry’s international measure of excellence. CSP is conferred only on those who meet strict criteria. The letters CSP, indicate a speaking professional with proven ability to deliver consistent value and client satisfaction. Fewer than ten percent of the 4,700 members of the International Federation for Profesisonal Speakers hold this prestigious designation.

Basically, CSP’s rock! Brad is proud to be a member of their ranks.

Read more about how tough it is to earn the CSP at:
http://nsaspeaker.org/ABOUTNSA/Certification.aspx

publicity photos:

To help Brad create magic, he would appreciate:

A raised platform high enough to give audience members an unobstructed view of his magic.

A small table (preferably draped).

One sturdy non-folding chair without cushion or arm rests.

A wireless, hands-free microphone (Brad can provide his own upon request).

Some of Brad’s presentations also require a video projector and screen (preferably set up to one side of the stage).

Contact Brad for specifics.

Some additional ideas for room set up to enhance positive, enthusiastic audience responses:

Use speakers in the front, middle and rear of the audience.

Enhance the stage lighting. When the presenter is illuminated, participants focus more on the speaker and the message. Illumination should not be intense. Brad wants to comfortably see his audience.

Keep the front row close to the stage–four to six feet away is best.

If you expect 200 attendees, set the room for 200, not 250. Audiences respond better when there are not rows of empty chairs in front of them.

Remind attendees to turn off cell-phones before the program.

If a projection screen is used, place it to the side of the stage, not directly behind the presenter.

Use music in your program. This increases the energy level of your event.

Do not use a center aisle–this is prime viewing space. Rather, use two smaller aisles on either side of the center.

Stagger the chairs. Don’t put one chair directly behind the other. That way audience members won’t have someone’s head blocking their view. Make sure there is a 2-inch space between each chair.

Close the doors to the meeting room during the presentation. Ask the servers to stop serving. Do whatever else you can to minimize distractions and help Brad create magic.

sample introduction

Are you ready for some magic that could refocus and energize your team?

Brad Barton, author of the book Beyond Illusions, will help us do that through the Magic of Positive Perception.

Life is more exciting–work environments more fun and friendly–personal lives more rewarding–when we look Beyond Illusions and find the real magic that is in us.

Brad is a Certified Speaking Professional, serves as president of the Mountain West Chapter of the National Speakers Association and is a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. He’s an NCAA athletic and academic All-American. For the past decade he has been inspiring the likes of Kimberly Clark, Mayo Clinic, State Farm, Kroger, Department of Defense, NASA and even the IRS - and now it’s our turn.

Are you ready for some real magic?

Let’s welcome Brad Barton!

Event brochure descriptions and bio

Beyond Illusions

When your team accepts tough situations as opportunities, they move beyond the illusion that bad things are bad and apply extraordinary solutions to extraordinary problems. They work with fresh perspective, renewed energy and focus. Ready for a high energy, magical experience? Here it comes!

Got Magic?

Misdirection and mental conditioning are powerful techniques magicians use to fool audiences for fun. They can also create illusions in our personal and work worlds that aren’t fun.

Laugh out loud at the tricks and tales of this master disillusionist and discover for yourselves that you got magic!

Marque Copy:

Beyond Illusions

Move beyond the illusion that bad things are bad.

Got Magic?

Discover for yourselves that you got magic!

Presenter Profile:

Who's Brad?

Who is this witty magical speaker who convinces audiences to believe in opportunity, even when they don’t see it?

Brad is a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians and President-elect of the Mountain West Chapter of the National Speakers Association. He authored the recently published book Beyond Illusions, inviting readers to look beyond their illusions with the power of positive perception and find the real magic that is in us.

This NCAA All=American athlete was ranked internationally in the 3000 Meter Steeplechase and named Weber State University Athlete of the Year. He was a US Olympic trials qualifier and an NCAA Academic All-American. He resides in Ogden, Utah with his wife of 18 years and their six children.

This former at risk kid insists that bad isn’t necessarily bad and disasters aren’t always disasters. The ricks and tales of this high-energy keynote speaker with the magical message will have you believing you’ve got magic before you can say “Shazaam!”

brad's schedule

Let’s set up a conference call with two or three of your colleagues so we can create a special program tailored to the needs of your group.

Here are some of the things Brad will ask you about. You may not have all the information. We’re fishin’ here–just give us what you can.

What is your event?
Why are you having it?
Do you have a theme?

Each Brad Barton presentation contains portions of the following three elements: fun, message and inspiration.

What % mix of these do you desire?
___% Entertainment, the fun factor.
___% Information, new ideas, the message.
___% Inspiration, the motivation factor.

Brad’s illusions metaphor adds fun and excitement to your event. It also opens a way to speak to relevant and sometimes painful issues in a non-threatening and thought provoking way. It’s fun and effective to couch your isues within the following magical terms:

Slight of Hand - What the magician lets go of during the trick. The important piece here is letting go of something so the magic can be created.

What thoughts, beliefs, habits, attitudes or behaviors would you like to see your team members let go of?

Misdirection - Getting the audience eyes focused away from the important part of the trick.

How do you see your team members focused on the wrong things? Remember, sometimes misdirection is focusing on one good things at the expense of another good thing.

Mental Conditioning - The words, manipulations and impressions that a magician carefully feeds the audience to prepare them to accept the deception.

In what ways are your team members programming (conditioning) themselves and each other for success or failure? Consider the books they read (or don’t read), how they speak of customers, subordinates, colleagues and supervisors. What is their mental self talk?

What are your people talking about, what are the hot topics?

What are some of your organizations inside jokes, common enemies, product or project names, jargon, acronyms?

What are some of your common gripes?

What are some phrases or sayings that the executives are known for?

Who are the Go-To guys?

What is the name and title of the person who will be introducing Brad? (Our office will provide you an introduction specifically customized for your event.)

What takes place just before and after Brad’s presentation?

Who is your audience? (Tell us their median age, gender, role in your organization, stress level, motivation for attending event, etc.)

What seating style will be used? (Classroom, theatre, dinner setting, etc.)

What is the dress for the meeting? (Casual, business, formal, theme oriented, etc.)

What are some of the challenges faced by those attending?

Identify some recent successes of your organization which Brad might mention in his presentation.

What do you want your people to take with them with as a result of Brad’s message?

Confirm dates, times, travel arrangements, etc.

Please send brochures, program agenda, your web address, and anything else you feel will help Brad better understand your organization’s mission, purpose and values.

family matters

"Meet the Bartons"

Brad & Alydia:

Alydia and I met as teammates while both on track scholarship at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. We married our senior year in college and hoped to be blessed with a large family. I was a middle-distance track star and Alydia’s specialty was 10,000 m so we hoped our offspring would share our talent and passion for long-distance running.

Check us out 19 years later. We have truly been blessed indeed.

Alydia:

(Sweet Pea) She serves as Brad's Office Manager, Travel Agent and CFO. She's a high school head track coach, mathematics instructor, elite marathon runner, Sunday school leader, wife and mother of six. In short, she is one busy lady!

Born in Beirut, Lebanon, her parents returned to Federal Way, Washington when she was six years old. She excelled in high school track and cross-country and earned a scholarship to run for Weber State University where she studied mathematics and received her secondary education teaching certificate.

She qualified for the US Olympic Marathon Trials and has a lifetime best marathon time of 2:49.36.

Jacob:

(Jacobman) Our 17-year-old high school senior, a.k.a. "The Cross King" won both the Utah 3A Cross-Country Championship his Junior year, and the state 4A cross-country crown his Senior year. He loves BC calculus, seminary, and psychology.

Jacob is a dedicated athlete. He runs 50 to 70 miles per week. He spends his evenings with homework (he maintains a 3.99 GPA - Utah High School All-Academic Team), video games, Facebook, and eating - a lot!

Jacob has recently accepted an academic and cross-country/track scholarship at Utah State University in Logan, Utah. He will run for the Aggies and study engineering beginning fall 2010. He plans to serve a two-year full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints between his freshman and sophomore years at USU.

Aubrey:

(Brie girl) Our 14-year-old high school Freshman, thankfully, loves horses more than boys. She enjoys spending part of her summer at the family cattle ranch in Salmon, Idaho. A gifted artist, she won Best of Show in her school districts art competition. (She likes the ribbon, but I think she was more impressed with the several hundred dollars that came with the honor.)

She is a voracious reader, an entrepreneur, and enjoys beekeeping with her dad.

Aubrey is also a gifted runner, maintaining her varsity spot on the second best girls cross-country team in the state of Utah.

Garrett:

(Mr. G.) This is dad's fishing, hunting, gardening, baseball buddy. An 11-year-old fifth-grader, he enjoys reading fantasy, writing science fiction, time with friends, and anything that involves guns or fishing rods. His lifelong dream was fulfilled last summer when he caught a 52 pound King Salmon with his dad in Alaska.

Garrett shows real promise as a long-distance runner. He's fast on the track, but get him on a mountain trail and he leaves his elite-runner mom in the dust and his NCAA All-American dad gasping for air. The kid is an animal!

Mareina:

(Mary Miss) She loves to run and owns a fistful of ribbons to prove how good she is at it but her favorite sport is gymnastics. She started training last year but has caught up with and surpassed many of her peers who have been at it for years. She is our fearless one and has a high pain threshold. She broke her hand at the gym but didn't mention it to anyone for fear of missing out on some of the fun.

As an eight-year-old, friends are very important to Mariena but she still loves giving her dad back rubs and plenty of XOXO. She is also the family gift giver. She loves doing anonymous kind acts of loving service. Her favorite subjects in school are art, reading and PE.

Sienna May:

(Miss E May) Our adorable 4-year-old daughter is physically small but she packs a giant personality. She’s emotional, strong-willed and determined. She has an insatiable sweet tooth and is a great help taking care of her baby sister.

She loves going to track practice with her head coach mother where she is anxious to run laps with the jumpers and throwers. The standing rule for the field athletes is that they have to at least keep up with the four-year-old (which is no easy task - this kid loves to run!).

Avery Grace:

The terrible twos have struck a year early! She is like a tornado in a diaper! She is in constant need of new information and experience. With a mischievous grin, she quickly leaves one disaster area and heads off for a new destructive adventure. She has no need to learn to speak as her siblings are happy to cater to her needs. Our family cannot imagine life without her.

brad's happy clients:

Accessories Resource Team, (ART)
Affordable Housing Management Association
American Association of Occupational Health Nurses
American Linen
Americorps
Aquascape
Arizona 4-H
Arizona Charter Schools Association
Arizona Department of Education
Arizona Governor’s Office
Arizona School-Age Care Coalition
Association of Educational Purchasing Agents
Association of Government Accountants
Associated Schools of Construction
ATK Launch Systems
Autolive
Automotive Technology Institute
Box Elder Credit Union
Boy Scouts of America
Boys & Girls Club of Atlanta
Brown-Forman
Bullard Smith Jernstedt Wilson Labor & Employment Law Firm
California’s School-Age Consortium
Center for the Application of Substance Abuse Technology (CASAT)
Children’s Aid Society
Colorado 4-H
Colorado Future Business Leaders of America
Colorado Department of Labor
Community of Caring
Complex Community Credit Union
Computer Services Inc.
Credit Union National Association (CUNA)
Dairy Deli Bakery Council
DECA
Delta Epsilon Chi (DEX)
Executive Officers Club
Facilities Management Engineering Inc.
Families Careers & Community Leaders of America
Farm Bureau
Focus Services
General Growth Properties Inc.
Gerber Construction
Girl Scouts of America
Get Away Today Travel
Glanbia
Harlem School District, NY
Hallmark Cabinets
Head Start
Help Desk Institute
Hospice for Utah
Housing Authority of Salt Lake City
Idaho Dairy Processors Association
Idaho STARS
Idaho State Health Department
Illinois Association of School Financial Aid Administrators
Illinois Association of School Business Administrators
Impact International
Intermountain Healthcare
Intermountain Wood Products
International Association of Administrative Professionals
International crime prevention
International Institute of Food Technologists
International Personnel Management Association
Internal Revenue Service
Iowa School-Age Care Coalition
Kentucky Law Enforcement Council
Kennedy Foundation
Kimberly Clark
Kroger
LDS Hospital
Learn & Serve Arizona
Louisiana State Department of Education
Louisville Chamber of Commerce
Management Training Center
Marshall Space Flight Center
Maryland Institute Collage of Art
Mayo Clinic
McKay Dee Hospital
Michigan Association of Hospital Axillaries
Mid State Technical College
Minnesota Credit Union Network
Missouri School-Age Care Coalition
Montana Office of Public Instruction
NASA
National Aerospace FOD Prevention, Inc.
National Alliance on Mental Illness
National Association of Housing & Redevelopment Officials
National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors
National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome

National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Crime Prevention Council
National Kitchen and Bath Association
National School-Age Care Coalition
National Speakers Association
National Youth Highway Safety Board
New Jersey School-Age Care Coalition
New Mexico School Nutrition Association
North Dakota Department of Mental Health
Northern Utah Association of Government Accountants
Oklahoma Dept of Human Services
Oklahoma Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse
Oklahoma Future Farmers of America
Oregon Association of Hospital Axillaries
Oregon State Office of Education
Pampered Chef
Permian Chapter of Credit Unions
Purdue University
Questar Gas
Reeds Dairy
Red Cross
Richard Manufacturing
Salt Lake City Affordable Housing
Salt Lake Olympic Organizing Committee
Sellers Management Inc.
Smiths Food and Drug
South Dakota School-Age Care Association
South Dakota 4-H
So. Idaho Dairyman's Association
Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency
Southern Utah University
State Farm
Synergy Pro Marketing
Texas Association of Local WIC Directors
Texas Education Agency
Texas Home School Association
United Space Alliance
University of Utah
US Department of Labor
US Air Force
US Army
Utah 4-H
Utah Apartment Association
Utah Art Association
Utah Assisted Living Association
Utah Association of Elementary School Principals
Utah Association of Student Councils
Utah Association of Public Treasurers
Utah Department of Child & Family Services
Utah Department of Workforce Services
Utah Department of Corrections
Utah Division of Juvenile Justice Services
Utah Facilities Operation & Maintenance Association
Utah First Credit Union
Utah Gerontological Society
Utah Juvenile Justice Services
Utah League of Credit Unions
Utah Public Transportation Association
Utah Rural Schools Association
Utah School Foundations Association
Utah’s Secondary School Principals Association
Utah State Courts
Utah State Office of Mental Health
Utah State Office of Education
Utah State School Nutrition Association
Utah State University
Virtualrain
Vivus Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals
Washington State Office of Attorney General
Washington State Future Business Leaders of America
Weber School District Credit Union
Weber State Credit Union
Weber State University
West Virginia State Office of Education
Western Illinois University
Western States Lodging
Wheeler Machinery Company
Workers Compensation of New Mexico
Wyoming 4-H
Wyoming Future Business Leaders of America
Wyoming High School Coaches Association
Wyoming State Office of Education
Youth Crime Watch of America
Youth Crime Watch of Kentucky
Youth of Promise

brad's favorite dozen books

Good to Great
Jim Collins
The Road
Less Traveled
M. Scott Peck, M.D.
The Dog Poop Initiative
Kirk Weisler
A Brief History
of Time
Stephen Hawking
Ender's Game
Orson Scott Card
Believing Christ
Stephen E. Robinson

Good to Great
Jim Collins
The Greatest
Salesman in the
World
Og Mandino
Life Is
Tremendous
Charlie Jones
The 7 Habits of
Highly Effective People
Dale Carnegie
How to Win Friends
& Influence People
Jim Collins
The Screwtape
Letters
C.S. Lewis

brad's favorite links:

Max Brown: www.smaxbrown.com

Doug Nielson: www.dougspeaks.com

Tom Cantrell: www.tomcantrell.com

Kirk Weisler: www.kirkweisler.com

Jason Hewlett: www.jasonhewlett.com

Chad Hymas: www.chadhymas.com

NSA Mountain West: www.nsautah.com

brad in action:

Presenter Profile:

Want a one-of-a-kind presentation custom-fitted to your organization, your event, your audience?

Let's Talk. Tell us about your event. What is your theme? If you don’t have one yet that’s great – we’ll help. Who is your audience? What are the challenges you want addressed?

Call us: 801-392-4088 or 888-GOT-MAGIC (468-6244), or fill out the following form and we'll be in touch.