Do you dream of turning your entrepreneurship knowledge and insight into a paid speaking engagement? Successful paid international speakers such as Raffy Pendery continue to break new grounds globally by fine-tuning their public speaking skills. They can deliver thought-provoking and emotional speeches that leave a memorable impact on their audiences.

Rafferty Pendery continues to do just that. He has gone from starting his first business venture at 11 to becoming a well-known international keynote speaker. While it is vital to have soft skills to become a public speaker, you may need more than just eloquence to make you successful.

Here are five essential traits of a paid international speaker.

1. Excellent Story-Teller

Every international speaker should be able to tell a story that the audience can resonate with. They can paint a picture through storytelling while teaching vital lessons through their speech. A storyline helps to break your major points into step-by-step instructions for the audience. The listeners can relate to the international speaker’s life through the various mysteries, plot twists, and revelations in the narrative. In the end, you can string all points together to pass a vital message that remains memorable for the audience.

2. Great Audience Awareness

Public speakers need to demonstrate their skills by engaging their audience. Illustrations, case studies, and dialogue can help kill boredom during the presentation. Be creative in coming up with an interactive discussion that makes it fun, both for you and the audience. You can opt to ask questions, story-tell, or engage in body relaxing activities. Additionally, a quick study of the audience can guide you on the topics that would excite them. It means that you may have to be dynamic when coming up with ideas to speak of.

3. Confident

Confidence is an invaluable skill for any paid international speaker. The audience needs to remain enthralled with the message that you are trying to pass. An audience can tell when you are anxious, which may impact the delivery of your speech. Confidence gives you the courage to speak eloquently in public, exuding influence and authority through the message you convey. It also allows the audience to trust the message you are trying to pass.

4. Passionate

As a tech entrepreneur cum international speaker, you must have a passion for whatever you do. Being passionate allows you to remain enthusiastic as you present your ideas. The emotion may rub off on your audience, allowing them to resonate while the message you convey. A passionate speaker can inspire and attract a diverse audience and change them for the better.

5. Knowledgeable

Your audience will expect that you will deliver unique messages and ideas. They yearn for a fresh perspective that will propel them to a better self. You may need to settle for an area of expertise that you can comfortably speak on. Raffy Pendery offers tips for entrepreneurs through his speeches, blog, and other resources. An easy way to hack it is by staying true to yourself and your beliefs.

As a top paid international speaker, Raffy believes anyone can learn and hone their skills to become better at public speaking. While these are only five examples, many vital traits define successful international speakers. For more information on how to make your speeches relatable, motivating, and inspiring, reach out to Rafferty Pendery here.

Successful entrepreneurs like Raffy Pendery have broken new grounds in business through value-added partnerships. Having a partner can boost your business prospects, but it could also lead to chronic problems and endless disputes. In this article, we look at some of the essential qualities to look for.

1. Unique Entrepreneurial Skills

When you are starting a business, you may lack some of the essential skills that could make the venture successful. One of the main objectives of finding a business partner is to fill the skills gap by hiring someone with unique abilities.

One of the common entrepreneur mistakes is to settle for someone who has the same exact skills as you. For the partnership to be successful, it must complement both parties. By combining your unique skills, you can overcome many of the initial challenges that may come your way.

2. Passion and Motivation

Entrepreneurs like Raffy Pendery are passionate about what they do. So, it makes sense to find someone who has the same level of passion. You don’t want to work with a partner who you will have to push to fulfill their end of the bargain. They should also be self-driven and motivated to push the business forward at all times.

3. Compatibility

Even though both of you may have a unique skill set, there needs to be a sense of genuine respect between you. That means that you value your partner’s contribution, skills, and concerns, and vice versa.

When there is a strong partnership built on respect, the company can blow through the obstacles. And when you attain success, you’ll be there to celebrate each other’s accomplishments.

4. Capability to Network

When unveiling a new product or service, businessmen like Raffy Pendery tap into their networking circles for leads. When you are in the process of finding a business partner, you may want to consider someone with valuable contacts. A well-connected entrepreneur can help take your business beyond its current market boundaries. Their networks can also help with financing or other aspects of the business that you are not yet aware you need.

5. Communication Skills

Effective communication is an essential part of running the day-to-day operations of any business. Some decisions can be controversial, so it is important to communicate not to be misunderstood than to be understood. You can’t have a situation where the right hand does not know what the left one is doing.

6. Creative and Open-Minded

Whether you are a marketer or tech entrepreneur, your company will have to incorporate new ideas to be successful. An ideal partner should contribute business ideas and help you resolve conflict. They also need to be open-minded so that it is easy to share and discuss new groundbreaking strategies. That way, you are not constrained to doing business the way it has always been done, as this can stifle growth.

7. Professionalism and Ethics

If you are interviewing individuals to partner in your business, you’ll need to evaluate their sense of professionalism and ethics. You should share the same standards on business practices, compliance, and respect for clients. If there your ethical standards mismatch, that could be a source of endless conflicts that could lead to business failure.

Get the Right Partner

There are many good reasons to find a business partner. However, if you’re not careful, you could make mistakes that could cost you your venture. Entrepreneurs like Raffy Pendery encourage startups to find mentors to guide them at different building stages. There are always great insights you can tap from experienced entrepreneurs.

On our entrepreneurship blog, we previously shared some tips for picking the right business partner. But one of the most obvious options when finding a business partner is to look to your existing friends. After all, your best friend may know you better than anyone and share your passions, making them a natural fit for your business. But while this may seem like a great idea in the beginning, it can turn out to be one of the biggest entrepreneur mistakes you’ll make.

Ultimately, the choice of whether to go into business with a close friend is up to you — and whether or not it will succeed depends on a number of factors. But if you’re wondering how to start a business with your BFF, here are a few considerations to keep in mind before you forge ahead.

You Can Build a Business Based on Trust and Common Interests

If you attempt to find a business partner out of the blue, it can be tough to figure out who you can trust. If you entrust the wrong person, you could end up getting burned. While that still may be true for friends who go into business together, your existing relationship can mean that you don’t have to waste time getting to know each other and your respective business styles. What’s more, you’ll probably have a better idea of what your friend is passionate about and will know whether emotional buy-in already exists. Not only will your friend want your business to succeed for their sake, but they’ll also be invested to ensure you succeed.

Your Friend Can Provide Balance and Create a More Complete Partnership

One of the most important tips for entrepreneurs is that you should pick a business partner who can offer what you can’t. If you decide to go into business with a friend, you’re probably already very familiar with their main strengths and weaknesses. If you know that they excel in places you lack, this can actually be of huge benefit to your venture. As part of your partnership, the two of you will provide a sense of balance to each other and bring out the best in each other. That’s assuming, however, that this is the dynamic of your friendship. If you frequently find yourself in a spat with your friend or you’re too much alike, this may not bode well for your business. If you team up with a friend, make sure that their temperament and business style complements yours and makes up for what you may not have.

Business Partnerships Based on Friendship Have Higher Stakes

Although 80% of small businesses started n 2014 made it to their second year, there’s no guarantee that your business will survive. And if your business fails, it’s also possible that your friendship could end as a result. Working together can bring out other sides of each person; if you don’t have a solid plan in place to ensure communications are productive, it’s possible that working together could damage your friendship. If you do decide to go ahead and go into business together, make sure you’re both on the same page about the state of your friendship and come to an agreement to keep work and personal lives separate.

As our entrepreneurship blog shows, going into business isn’t an easy task. And while starting a venture with your friend can be an excellent idea, it’s one that should be carefully considered first. For more tips and tricks for startups and visionaries, check out our entrepreneurship blog.