Business, Careers -

The Six-Step System That Can Make Anyone a More Persuasive Speaker

Most people believe that persuasive speaking is a natural talent. But retired Army Colonel Larry Tracy says it’s a skill that anyone can master. Drawing on decades of high-stakes experience briefing military leaders, defending U.S. policy before hostile audiences, and training professionals competing for multimillion-dollar government contracts, Larry developed an easy-to-follow 6-step system to help speakers communicate with confidence, clarity, and credibility in any setting.

Praised by President Ronald Reagan as “an extraordinarily effective speaker,” Larry demonstrates that persuasion isn’t about charisma—it’s about preparation. His battle-tested approach can help anyone influence audiences, overcome speaking anxiety, and deliver messages that truly change minds.

Larry’s proven system is featured in his book How to Bring Home the Bacon: Becoming a Persuasive Speaker.

Contact: Larry Tracy at (571) 336-0507; Ltracy@rtirguests.com

Why Women Often Make Better Leaders—And What Companies Miss

In today’s rapidly evolving workplace, companies say they value strong leadership, but often overlook one of their greatest untapped assets: women. Research and real-world results consistently show that women tend to lead with empathy, collaboration, and long-term vision—qualities that drive stronger teams and more sustainable growth. Yet many organizations still default to outdated leadership models that reward dominance over development.

Entrepreneur and author David Hampson argues that businesses miss the mark by failing to fully empower female leaders, especially in cultures that prioritize short-term wins over people-first strategies. If companies want better outcomes, it’s time to rethink leadership itself—and recognize that elevating women isn’t a trend, but a competitive advantage. David is the author of Rainbow Gold: Building A Business That’s Both the Journey and the Destination, and a business advisory consultant.

Contact him at (603) 605-8594; dhampson@rtirguests.com

The Backlash to AI Content Has Already Begun — Ask This Expert What Comes Next

Audiences are growing tired of polished, AI-generated content — and they can spot it instantly. Lisa Rothstein, New Yorker cartoonist, former advertising creative, and Axiom Award-winning author of Drawing Out Your Genius, saw this coming. Her answer: the messier and more human your communication, the more trusted you become.

In interviews, Rothstein will reveal why imperfect hand-drawn visuals are now outperforming slick presentations for buy-in, innovation, and team alignment — and why that gap is only widening. She’ll share quick techniques anyone can use to tap their own visual thinking, simplify complex ideas, and stand out as authentically human in an AI-saturated world.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS:

Why are audiences turning away from AI-generated content — and what do they want instead?
How does drawing badly actually build more trust than a perfect presentation?

CONTACT: Lisa Rothstein at (310) 388-8093; Lrothstein@rtirguests.com

America Is Running Out of Teachers — And This Ph.D. Wants to Do Something About It

Over 440,000 teaching positions are now filled by unqualified staff or sitting empty. Deanna Gilmore, Ph.D., says the only way to fix it is to make people fall in love with teaching again — and to pressure lawmakers to fund salaries that keep them there. A 26-year classroom veteran, former school principal, and university professor who trained the next generation of educators, Gilmore wrote There’s a Pig on the Playground: Memorable Stories from the Schoolyard to do exactly that — sharing firsthand stories from teachers, bus drivers, paraprofessionals, and coaches to remind America what’s at stake before it’s too late.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS:

With nearly half a million teaching positions unfilled, what happens to America’s public schools?
What concrete steps can communities and lawmakers take right now to stop the bleeding?
How are school voucher programs making the teacher shortage even worse?

CONTACT: Deanna Gilmore: (208) 285-7567; dgilmore@rtirguests.com

The Diplomatic Skills Every Leader Needs — But No One Teache

Great leaders aren’t just decisive—they’re deliberate. “In high-stakes rooms where every word carries weight, success depends on skills rarely taught in business school: listening with precision, speaking with intention, and navigating conflict without escalating it,” says author and former diplomat Dianne Olvera. Drawing from real-world diplomacy and leadership experience, this approach reveals how to manage tough conversations, defuse tension, and influence outcomes without overpowering the room. “It’s about knowing when to speak, when to pause, and how to choose language that builds trust instead of resistance,” she says. Dianne is a board-certified educational therapist and the author of The Power of Connection: Understanding Individual Differences to Uplift and Empower. She’s also a former diplomat and spy.

CONTACT: Dianne Olvera at (805) 779-3558; dolvera@rtirguests.com

Forget Role Models: Leadership Lessons from Rebels, Pirates, and Outlaws

What if the most powerful leadership lessons didn’t come from heroes—but from history’s most notorious figures? Author and leadership coach Steve Williams reveals 20 bold, practical lessons drawn from rebels, outlaws, pirates, and power players you won’t find in a typical business book. From Attila the Hun to Al Capone, he strips away myth to uncover the strategies that made these figures astonishingly effective leaders. Steve shares examples of how these notorious people made great leaders, and comparisons between these and effective leaders of today? He is the author of six books including “Notorious: Leadership Lessons from History’s Most Notorious Leaders,” with a forward written by renowned author Jack Canfield, and a certified leadership coach and QMS expert.

Contact: Steve Williams at (920) 280-1068; swilliams@rtirguests.com

Why Humor Is the Only Topic That’s Never Untimely – From a Guy Who’s Been Proving It for 30 Years

Bill Williams has been sending daily humor emails for three decades. What started in the 1990s as a way to get his sales staff to read emails has grown into a beloved ritual for hundreds of subscribers globally—and he’s never made a dime doing it.

Drawing from 20 Years of Internet Humor … and Other Interesting Things, Williams explains why humor works in any news cycle, for any audience. Listeners will discover how he turned a workplace tool into a lifelong practice of spreading joy, and why his college friend John Denver influenced his view on taking creative risks.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS:
• You’ve done this for 30 years without making money—what keeps you going?
• You say humor is never untimely. What makes it work when other topics go stale?
• How did your friendship with John Denver shape your approach to life?

CONTACT: Bill Williams (419) 534-0399; wgwilliams@rtirguests.com

Why This Entrepreneur Says “You Can’t Teach What You Haven’t Done” – And He’s Done It All

At 87, David Selley has lived in three countries, built three careers, and stayed married for 65 years—and he’s already completed a Guinness Record as the oldest author to publish the most books in one year. His message about entrepreneurship is turning heads.

In “PAPA3$ The Entrepreneur,” Selley reveals why modern education creates worker bees instead of entrepreneurs. The statistics are shocking: 87% of college graduates never use their degrees, 56% experience job turnover, and creativity gets systematically crushed. He’ll share why real-world experience trumps classroom theory, how he’s helping 700 million entrepreneurs worldwide, and what his 65-year marriage taught him about building anything that lasts.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS:
• You say 87% of college graduates never use their degrees—what’s really happening with our education system?
• What does your 65-year marriage have to do with entrepreneurial success?
• At 87, you’ve just completed a Guinness Record—what’s next?

CONTACT: David Selley at (808) 229-3985; dselley@rtirguests.com

Why Drawing Badly is Actually the Secret to Business Breakthroughs

What if your messy stick figures could transform stalled meetings into breakthrough moments? Lisa Rothstein, New Yorker cartoonist and former advertising creative, has discovered that imperfect doodles beat perfect presentations every single time—and the science backs her up.

In interviews, Rothstein will reveal how simple sketches get buy-in faster than any PowerPoint deck, why drawing badly creates psychological safety that “perfect” can’t match, and how to use visual thinking in the age of AI to stand out as authentically human. Drawing from her book Drawing Out Your Genius, she’ll share quick techniques anyone can use to simplify complex ideas, kickstart innovation, and finally get teams speaking the same language.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS:

You say “the worse it looks, the better it works”—how does that make sense?
What kinds of problems can this technique help you solve?
How can non-artists use drawing to get breakthrough results this week?

CONTACT: Lisa Rothstein at (310) 388-8093; Lrothstein@rtirguests.com

Why You Don’t Need a New You in 2026 — The Real You Is Enough

Every January, millions chase a “new you”, yet research shows perfectionism and self-criticism are rising, fueling burnout and anxiety instead of change. Leadership coach and TEDx speaker Barbara Stone says the problem isn’t motivation, it’s identity.

After 25 years hiding her alopecia under a wig and her voice behind corporate success, Barbara took off the wig on stage and discovered a surprising truth: real growth begins when we stop trying to fix ourselves.

In this segment, she shares what shedding perfection taught her about self-worth, authenticity, and why flaws, not upgrades, are often the key to confidence. Whether your audience is hiding a condition, insecurity, or impossible expectations, Barbara offers practical ways they can stop performing and start living more honestly.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS: Can trying to “improve yourself” actually make you less confident? What did losing your hair teach you that success never did?
CONTACT: Barbara Stone at (315) 840-2845; bstone@rtirguests.com