Jo’burg Chapter Meeting

Dear members, colleagues, and friends

After our record-breaking chapter meeting last month, with more than 40 people in attendance, we are taking a very brief break from physical events. Our next chapter meeting, on Thursday, will be via Zoom. Once you register, you will receive the link.

It is going to be well worth attending. We will be having our Jo’burg chapter’s first round of the Speaker Factor competition, a contest in which Associate Members give a 5-minute talk, to compete for the honour of representing the chapter in the second round on 29 March, and potentially the national semi-finals on 4 April. The top 3 go through to the final, which takes place at the Annual Convention of the Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa on 21 April 2023. (Book here for the convention).

We already have a stellar lineup of contestants for this Thursday night and it is going to be an exhilarating ride through their debut efforts at addressing fellow professional speakers. They will be followed by last year’s national Speaker Factor winner, our own Nick Smit, aka The Rebel Ninja, who will give us a taste of how far the event has propelled him.

Nick Smit – A.I.M. high
The Rebel Ninja always encourages those who attend his sessions to ‘A.I.M. high’. In this presentation he will help you Activate yourself, review your goals from the perspective of their current and potential Impact and finally Move you from perpetual procrastination to action. Make 2023 your year. Be there!

Nick is a teacher by profession and passion, which led him into public speaking, corporate training and disability advocacy. He runs two companies – Straight A Tutors and Smergos – and has launched his own speaker brand, “The Rebel Ninja”.

He believes that challenging life experiences push you as a person, forcing you either to grow to meet the challenges or shy away into their shadows. His greatest strength, and what sets him apart from many others, is his physical disability as a result of a car accident when he was 6 months old. He is a determined and positive person, perceiving the seemingly impossible as challenges to be overcome. Instead of his disability becoming a weakness, it has become an empowering tool.

He has presented a variety of workshops and the like, to an array of audiences, including schools, universities and companies. Most relate to disability advocacy, awareness and inclusion; the power of the mind, Growth Mindset and overcoming challenges.

When presenting he aims to activate, impact and move his audience. He did that powerfully enough at the 2022 Annual Convention of the Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa to take away the coveted trophy of champion of the Speaker Factor contest.

Warm regards

Arthur Goldstuck
Johannesburg Chapter President