Nobody puts the ‘care’ in health care quite like the members of the Texas Health Care Association (THCA)! I recently had the pleasure of serving as the keynote speaker for the group at their 72nd Annual Convention & Trade Show in San Antonio, Texas — the opening keynote speaker, that is!
While I always love delivering my keynote, ‘Work That Matters,’ there’s truly something so special about being the opening speaker at an event… especially at a health care event, where my message genuinely connects with the audience. Tag along as I help kick off the THCA 72nd Annual Convention & Trade Show!
THCA Puts the ‘Care’ in Health Care
The Texas Health Care Association, better known as THCA for short, is the largest long-term care association in Texas. Founded over 70 years ago, THCA’s robust membership consists of several hundred licensed assisted living facilities, specialized rehabilitation facilities, and nonprofit and for-profit skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) across Texas.
THCA is also home to nearly 200 long-term care businesses that cater to the state’s facilities. These facilities provide exhaustive, around-the-clock care for patients of all ages, as well expansive rehabilitative and specialized medical programs. It’s safe to say these individuals have been profoundly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
So, it comes as no surprise that THCA selected the theme of ‘Restore. Recharge. Reimagine’ for the 72nd Annual Convention & Trade Show. This theme is ideal for any conference post-Covid (or #PoCo, as I like to call it!), particularly for health care workers. Not to mention, my talk ‘Work That Matters,’ fits that theme perfectly!
Triple Threat as an Opening Keynote Speaker
The 2022 THCA Annual Convention & Trade Show kicked off on September 13 at the Grand Hyatt San Antonio. I could not have been more excited to get on stage and set the tone for the event, something that the structure of my keynote is excellent for! You see, as a keynote speaker, I leverage my abilities as a performer and moderator to prime the audience for maximum engagement.
As the opening keynote speaker for the Annual Convention & Trade Show, I was confident my message in ‘Work That Matters’ would truly resonate with the crowd. In particular, I knew my strong connection to the health care industry through my nonprofit organization (and the star of my ‘Work That Matters’) Win-Win Entertainment, would drive meaningful, moving conversations.
And folks, I was right! Being that I’m always in hospitals for Win-Win, I’ve seen the struggles of the health care industry firsthand. So, I allowed my personal relationships in the industry to help speak to the challenges of Covid, tune into the audience’s mindset, and connect with the crowd. Of course, my triple threat of speaker, entertainer, facilitator certainly helped! Take a look at what I mean.
1. Electric Speaker
‘Work That Matters’ is near and dear to my heart, not just because it’s based on personal anecdotes, but because it enables me to become vulnerable with my audience — and in turn, encourages them to become vulnerable with me. I share what I call my origin story, or what put me on the path to where I am today.
Then, I take the audience on a journey of how certain life events happened along that path, and the ripples those events had in my life. It’s this honest-but-still-funny keynote speaker approach that helps audiences dig deep to find their origin story. If you don’t want to take my word for it, check out what the audience had to say!
2. Exciting Entertainer
Though I love my role as a keynote speaker, my principal position (and first passion!) will always be an entertainer. As a Las Vegas Headliner turned corporate entertainer, I use my family-friendly clean comedy and physical stunts to wake up the crowd and grab their attention. When bookended by my transparent talk, the entertainment aspect of my funny keynote speaker gig is what helps truly set the tone for an exciting event.
3. Engaging Facilitator
Last but definitely not least, what would a triple-threat keynote speaker be without solid facilitator skills? That’s where my abilities as a professional emcee come in! As an emcee, it’s my job to facilitate organic interactions between not just myself and the crowd, but between individual crowd members.
Midway through ‘Work That Matters,’ I encourage the audience to speak to one another and share their own origin and ripple stories. As a major differentiator (especially for a funny keynote speaker!), this is where my moderator skills shine. The conversations shared by attendees, especially THCA, will undoubtedly go beyond my keynote, and I am so grateful for that.
Teachable Moments from the Opening Slot
When it comes to people who focus on serving others, THCA is top tier! These selfless, amazingly dedicated people are so invested in what they do. However, it’s no secret that these past few years have been unfathomably difficult for those in health care. To hear members recalling their origin and ripple stories with such admiration was truly such a special moment for me!
Even better, I loved that the interactions that occurred during ‘Work That Matters’ were also slated at the beginning of the conference. As the opening keynote speaker, I was able to remind attendees of why they joined the industry in the first place, and drum up some major enthusiasm for the remainder of the Annual Convention & Trade Show.
Texas Fun with an Old Friend
As if the fantastic company of THCA wasn’t great enough, I had the luck of hanging with an old Vegas buddy in San Antonio, too! Chris Johnston is an awesome videographer who I first connected with on the Las Vegas Strip before he moved to San Antonio with his production business, Truthful Studio.
Chris was able to come by the THCA Annual Convention & Trade Show to film my keynote and a few testimonials, and even better, took me on a tour of his stomping grounds after! He took me to the historic Pearl District where we toured the Hotel Emma and had lunch at the Boiler House. It was a blast to explore San Antonio!
Thankful to Work with Such Terrific People
There’s not a single day that I don’t realize how fortunate I am to work with such terrific people. From the incredible members of the Texas Health Care Association to my old friend Chris, being a keynote speaker and entertainer who can work alongside the best of the best across the country is never lost on me, ever!
If you have an upcoming event and require a keynote speaker, entertainer, or emcee, I would love to chat! I’m always thrilled to meet new organizations, associations, and corporations, and am eager to learn more about what you have in store. Send me a booking inquiry today to get the conversation started!
