Alastair Humphreys » Speaking

PK Friday: why do people go on expeditions?

Al Humphreys — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 09:50:07 +0000

At the recent Night of Adventure I attempted to explain what lures me on to the next adventure.

Speaking event in Bristol

Al Humphreys — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 12:18:05 +0000

On August 7th, I will be talking at Cyclescreen – Bristol’s first dedicated bike film festival.

The event is being organised by Watershed, Bristol’s acclaimed media centre which sits on the city’s historic harbourside. The bike holds a special place in the hearts of Bristol’s ever-growing cycling community and to celebrate the many pleasures to be found on two wheels, Watershed are hosting a season of fun, inspiring cycling films, talks and events for riders and non-riders alike. All this and a pedal powered cinema!

If you would like to come along I’ll be at the Watershed, Bristol on Saturday 7th August at 17.00 – 18.30.

Tickets are available from the Box Office on 0117 927 5100.

Night of Adventure 2 – thanks to the speakers

Al Humphreys — Tue, 18 May 2010 19:36:11 +0000

Last night was the second Night of Adventure, a fundraising event for Hope and Homes for Children. Fifteen speakers kindly gave up their time to present to an audience of 400 people at the Vue cinema in Leicester Square, London.

Over the next weeks I will be sharing their talks on this site (like this).

For now I just want to thank them all for their brilliant efforts and to point you towards their own exciting projects:

To make a donation to Hope and Homes for Children please click below.

Make a living doing what you love

Al Humphreys — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 09:20:08 +0000

I recently gave this interview to journalist Alexis Grant.

You talk about making a living doing what you love. How have you managed to do that?

The key thing is to do what you love and do something interesting. Worry about the money-making afterward. I have managed to make a living out of traveling by:

a) doing interesting things
b) documenting them well (I hope) through my blog and books
c) working hard at marketing myself
d) doing a good job when people pay me to do something for them.

From this a positive reputation can slowly begin to grow.

What kind of audiences do you speak to? Do you seek out most opportunities or do they come to you?

I speak to a lot of schools and some corporate audiences. The talks come about through a lot of hard work, cold calling and occasional spamming! I seek out the majority of my talks. However, with time, I am now starting to find that some people come directly to me, mostly through the effort I have put into in making my blog good and current.

What do you talk about? How do you keep it fresh every time?

It depends what the client wants. The essence though remains the same: exciting adventure stories and good photographs. The relevant message varies, from geography lessons to religious studies to corporates wanting to learn what difficult really means, setting high goals, etc…

Are you naturally a good speaker? If not, how did you learn?

I would say that I am naturally articulate. But I am not naturally self-confident enough to stand up and speak to large audiences. I have gotten used to this though. The knowledge that I am the world expert on my subject (“me”) helps give me confidence. And once an audience laughs in the right place you quickly relax.

I spend a lot of time studying other speakers and trying to improve. The TED talks are great for this. I have also started doing some Pecha Kucha talks — they are very unforgiving!

How do you know how much to charge? Did you start out speaking for free?

I started for free, and then crept my fees up over a few years until I reached a level that both the client and I were happy with.

You’re a big fan of print-on-demand. Can you tell us about your writing journey? Do you sell your books when you speak?

I had the usual round of rejections from normal publishers so I self-published my book. I sold it on my site and at talks (a large advantage I have over some POD authors). On the back of a few positive reviews a mainstream publisher came along and asked me to work with them.

The biggest difficulty of becoming an author is not writing, or even publishing your book. It is selling it. Marketing and distribution are so hard.

What tips do you have for authors looking to grow their audience, promote their books or make money by speaking?

Become an expert in your niche. Help other people. This seems counter-intuitive, but it is an attitude that will reap dividends in the long run.

Build a presence in your community, whether that is a real community or your online world. Get known. Get a reputation for being good at what you do, and also as a reliable, decent person to work with.

Start small, learn to walk before you fly, serve your apprenticeship. Life is not the X-Factor: for every instant superstar there are a thousand who plod and graft and get there in the end. And there are a million more who don’t work hard enough or imaginatively enough and who eventually give up.

Any other advice for people who want to make a living doing what they love?

Do what you love with relentless energy, passion, commitment. Set very high standards. Learn from others. Help others. Do not compromise on the things that really matter and compromise on things that don’t matter too much. Be continually grateful for the opportunity and the freedom to be doing what you love, even when it feels like a nightmare!

How much money is your time worth?

Al Humphreys — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:58:31 +0000

“I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.”
- WH Henley

I have just been offered more money than ever before to give one single talk.
I am flattered. I need the cash. It would be great for my speaking profile.

But the date of the event is right in the middle of the chunk of time I have blocked out for a summer expedition.

I had a dilemma.

Should I rearrange or even cancel the expedition? It’s not even up and running yet. My partner is injured. And I need that money. Surely I have to do whatever it takes to get this speaking gig?

But why am I living this life? Why do I make my living as a speaker? I love speaking, but I do it to pay the bills. It is the adventures and the journeys that define who I am.
Years from now what will I hold most dear: a slightly healthier bank balance, or a sweet memory of an epic expedition?
What will I be most proud of decades from now: a juicy cheque, or the nicely composed, beautifully exposed photograph that captures a moment of pure and simple happiness?
What will do more good for my life: a very well-paid corporate talk, or staying true to my path, being the captain of my soul?

I turned down the talk.

Am I an idiot? Let me know in the comments below.
Fancy booking me for a talk at your school or business? Get in touch.