Sekou Andrews
po-et•ic voice, n.
A new type of speaker and artist who seamlessly blends inspirational speaking with spoken word poetry.
Imagine harnessing the power of an engaging opening video, an electric closing performance, and an insightful main stage keynote all in one dynamic presentation. For over 20 years, Grammy-nominated artist Sekou Andrews has been helping the world’s largest organizations deliver relevant information with riveting inspiration through an innovative, unconventional category of speaking called “Poetic Voice.”
It is no surprise that Forbes Magazine has called Sekou “the de facto poet laureate of corporate America.” His “wow-factor” is in high demand with the world’s most successful organizations, including Google, Viacom, Toyota, Nike, Cisco, Linkedin, Global Green, Paypal, ASAE, The Gap, General Mills, TEDx, YPO, Capital One, L’Oreal, Autodesk, ACLU, Intuit, and the NBA to name but a few. Sekou has also emerged as an inspiring voice for health and wellness, routinely evoking tears, cheers, and standing ovations at events for clients such as Johnson & Johnson, United Healthcare, Mayo Clinic, Blue Shield, TEDMED, Roche, Genentech, and the American Nurses Association.
Many of Sekou’s clients share a similar journey with his work. It begins with the words “Why would we want poetry at our leadership meeting?” and ends with the words “highest rating opening of our event, ever” and “only speaker invited back.” Sekou’s talks on disruption are in such demand because they literally embody disruption on stage, charging audiences to disrupt themselves to access their individual innovation. His keynotes on dynamic communication and storytelling show leaders how to deliver dense data through beautifully human presentations. From bold thinking and success, to healthcare and tech, Sekou’s speeches are rich with actionable insight that help attendees connect more deeply with their communities, become more influential leaders, and unlock greater possibilities.
A schoolteacher turned actor, recording artist, two-time national poetry slam champion, entrepreneur, and award-winning poetic voice, Sekou is a multi-talented entertainer with over 2 decades of experience rocking diverse audiences. His work has been featured on ABC World News, MSNBC, HBO, Good Morning America, Showtime, MTV and BET. He has given private performances for such prominent individuals as Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou, Quincy Jones, Larry King, Hillary Clinton, Coretta Scott King & family and President Obama. He has also shared the stage with such heavyweights as Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, Carlos Santana, Kendrick Lamar, Maroon 5, Jill Scott, and the Pasadena Pops Orchestra. As a recording artist, his last album, “Poetic License,” made him the most awarded artist in the nation’s largest independent music organization.
Sekou has now returned to the classroom, teaching his rockstar secrets to public speakers through his highly effective Stage Might™ speaker training system, that helps executives, influencers and leaders become more dynamic communicators by applying the techniques of master performers to business stages.
With all of the innovation and inspiration that is poetic voice, Sekou Andrews is accomplishing the seemingly impossible – bringing spoken word to the world’s largest stages, while redefining the notion of what a speaker is… and what a poet can be.
D.I.Y Innovation
“Innovation is the difference between ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’ and ‘Why didn’t I think LIKE that?’” As businesses scurry in pursuit of “big I” Innovation – A.I., robotics, and other exponential technologies - Sekou focuses on empowering your leadership with “little i’” innovation, helping you to innovate from within. Offering incredibly fresh perspectives on embracing failure, bold thinking and the innovator’s mindset, Sekou teaches how to harness the power of collaboration, purpose, storytelling, community, and inspirational leadership to create a culture of innovation. This insightful and inspiring talk promises to surprise you with its ability to delight, discomfort, and disrupt you on a business and personal level.
Disruption Mindset Shift
“Disruption is not just a concept, it’s a feeling … it’s a mindset.” This roller coaster-ofa-speechis the embodiment of that idea. It begins with a deliberate cacophony that consistently turns on a dime while offering valuable insights from the “voices” of consumers, technology, millennials and more. Soon the experience evolves from cacophony to symphony as Sekou brings it all together, teaching you how to disrupt yourself through mindset shifts that deliver powerful business results. As an entrepreneur who is disrupting the traditional speaking model, Sekou shares inspiring stories and empowering strategies on how he helps global organizations shift their relationship to change and ready themselves for the unknown.” Prepare for an entertaining and unconventional keynote experience that will help you catch disruption’s rhythm and leave you wanting more.
The Next, Next Level
“The next level is not about reaching new heights, but reaching new depths.” Ever since we were little, we’ve been obsessed with growth. But in order for the transformational leader to keep reaching the proverbial “next level,” you
must first transform your concept of the word “growth” in a sustainable way. This unique keynote experience will help you unlock your ability to adapt and innovate, fortify your well-being, connect more deeply with your community and
purpose, and lead with inspiration. You will learn how to win by losing, how to go higher by going deeper, and how to remind yourself, and your team, that you already have everything you need to perpetually reach your next level. Prepare to supercharge your resiliency through an energetic and inspiring keynote like no other.
The Audacity of What If?
“What if there is a better way?” As the innovator of an audacious new category of public speaking that brought poetry to industry in unprecedented ways, Sekou has mastered the art of audacity. His 20-year career helping global brands
humanize messaging, began with two words: “What If?” “What if we could define business our own way?” “What if our way could set the standard for our industry?” This inspiring and interactive speech will help you ignite that same audacity needed for you to defy convention, deny limitations, and define yourselves for yourselves. It focuses on re-defining the word “touch” as a metaphor for how leaders and brands can impact communities in increasingly purposeful ways. Prepare to engage your imagination and learn new strategies to help your business get in TOUCH with its humanity.
Power Through the People
“Diversity is disruption.” It is uncomfortable, volatile and disrupts the stasis of “sameness”. And yet, just like with disruption, the organizations that are facing and embracing diversity end up stronger, smarter and higher-performing than their counterparts. Sekou is no stranger to tackling discomforting and disruptive topics with an engaging, emotive and highly entertaining presentation style. This interactive presentation delivers proven data and actionable takeaways to help your audience understand how DEI can strengthen performance, stimulate innovation, enhance “belonging” and future-proof your organization. Sekou will create a safe space for your audience to grapple with this
troublesome topic, leaving them laughing til it hurts and shifting in their seats as they learn how to include diverse voices in their collective success story.
The Science of Wave Making
“It’s not that we don’t understand the science behind waves... it’s just that we like YOUR version better” Big ideas and bold thinking are not traits exclusive to pioneering leaders. They have been lying dormant within each of us since
childhood, waiting to be reignited. This speech is the spark that rekindles your access to the imagination and creativity required to stir the waters and make waves in your industry. Inspired by hilarious grade school theories on how waves are made, Sekou delivers a highly inspiring and informative keynote on why leaders must challenge convention to make transformational change. Sharing pivotal moments and insights from barrier-breaking companies and individuals, Sekou shows leaders how to spark the big ideas that make a big splash.
Find Your Voice
“Your vision is only as powerful as your voice.” No matter how mighty the vision for your organization is, your ability to communicate it must be just as mighty. As consumers and employees expect to be moved by brands and leaders, it’s no longer enough to do your job like a rockstar; you must also communicate your value like a rockstar! So, in this interactive presentation, Sekou shares the rockstar secrets that help amplify influence through dynamic communication. Perfect for entrepreneurs, leaders, and influencers, this keynote will unlock your ability to communicate and inspire in ways that are more compelling, passionate, and human, in order to deepen your relationships with the communities you serve. The voice of your organization must be purposeful. The voice of your leadership must be inspiring. This speech will help you find that voice and tell your stories in the mightiest of ways.
The Story of Telling
“A great story requires your ability to tell it greatly.” Storytelling is transforming how innovative companies market themselves, engage customers and reinvent their businesses. And as the world’s leading poetic voice, no one tells stories quite like Sekou Andrews. Sekou has helped diverse divisions – from sales and marketing, to finance and IT – understand how to use strategic storytelling to inspire customers, galvanize staff and up-level leadership. This presentation will not only teach you the value of storytelling in business as an individual, it will help your organization harness the power to “sequel itself” and write the next chapter of your success story by transforming your narrative. Pulling key insights from Sekou’s “Stage Might: Storytellers” corporate training, this speech is rich with actionable takeaways on how to embed business data into compelling stories to engage your listeners on a human level.
Success Junkie
“We don’t know how to spell ‘end’ or ‘say when’ or do anything else but win… Win… WIN!!!” There are certain people, teams and cultures that are hardwired to be winners. But when you love your work, and love winning, both can become addictive. So this speech helps you define the word “win” in a balanced, purpose-driven context in order to win at the long game. Set in the fun, fictional world of a support group for success addicts, Sekou celebrates the ambition and standards of excellence present in every culture of go-getters. The best practices, storytelling techniques and success strategies he shares are especially motivating for sales teams who need to be championed for the heights they’ve reached, while being challenged to keep raising the bar. This high-energy keynote will inspire you to prevent your success story from ending by embracing a sustainable version of the word “winning.”
Return of the Do-Gooder
“The number of people in the world who are able to BE WELL depends on the number who are willing to DO GOOD.” Used to be that the word “do-gooder” was almost a slur in the business world. Now, however, consumers are more likely to support businesses that are purpose-driven, socially responsible, inclusive, and authentic. Which means: Do-gooders are back!... and more profitable than ever. The definition of business success can no longer ignore social impact. So the companies that will own the future are the ones doing the right thing in the present. Of course, you already know that. Yours is an organization that believes in making a positive impact through your work … yours is a team that is driven by purpose, passion, and values … yours is a community that is ready to celebrate the good you do for the world ... which is why this is the speech for you!
Love Affair with Healthcare
“When is the last time you wrote a love poem at work… ABOUT work?” What if you could remind your audience of the moment they fell in love with healthcare? What if you could reignite the passion in providers – caregivers, executives and housekeeping alike - to connect with patients on a human, heartfelt level? What if you could take your entire healthcare community on a laughter and tear-filled journey that renews their vows to provide the best quality care. If you could do that - write a love poem to healthcare that makes your audience fall back in love with it - this keynote is how it would sound.
The Pinky Promise of Care
“You made me an UNspoken but UNmistakably UNderstood pinky promise when I was admitted into your care...” The provision of quality healthcare is a beautiful topic. Patient safety and medical error?... not so much. So, in true poetic voice fashion, Sekou transforms this important and uncomfortable subject into a roller coaster ride of laughter, tears and valuable insight that holds every team member accountable to giving the highest quality, most human, and safest care possible. The fact that this interactive speech consistently leaves audiences carrying Sekou’s “Pinky Promise Pledge” back to their facilities, pinning it on their walls, and sharing it with their teams is proof of Sekou’s poetic power to tackle topics like patient safety, inspire patient-centric culture, and leave audiences re-committed to providing world-class patient care. Prepare to re-engage your commitment to care-giving by remembering “the irrevocable power of the digitus minimus.”
For a conservative organization, I wasn’t sure how it was going to land. But people were floored. They were absolutely blown away by it. So...at our big event in Madison Square Garden, I could just kick back, relax, and actually watch him do his magic on stage... they are mesmerized. They are trying to figure out, “How does he deliver the message that is both so inspiring, but also tailored to our organization?” Sekou is definitely one of the most engaging motivational speakers that I have had the pleasure to work with. Not only is Sekou brilliant at what he does... but he’s also a really nice guy.
He’s great to work with.
Sven Gerlinger, Chief Experience Officer | Northwell Health
Over three-quarters of our audience gave Sekou a five out of five on our post-event survey. They also gave him a standing ovation at the end of the keynote. In over 15 years, we’ve never seen response that positive or scores that high...I’ve never seen a keynote speaker quite like Sekou, and I would never hesitate to say I would hire him over and over and over again.
Linsy Miller, VP Brand Experience | SAP Concur
“Sekou opened up our global leaders meeting...in a way that cut through to the one hundred top leaders at eBay. It got our whole organization and our whole leadership team focused...The reaction was very positive, both to his remarkable talent [and], even more importantly, to the messages his performance conveyed to us; it helped us have a
really productive meeting thereafter.”
John Donahoe, CEO | eBay
“The energy level in the room was the highest I’ve ever seen, the content was amazing, and the reception by this conservative audience was beyond belief. They loved him. All I have to say to you is: Run! Run now and book Sekou. You will never regret the decision you make no matter how conservative your audience, you will receive content that is just what your members need to hear, and you will have a memorable experience like no other.”
Trish Lilly, Senior VP, Thought Leadership | Nat’l Assoc. Wholesaler-Distributors
“I saw young people saying, ”Oh, he gets it!” and older people saying, ”Oh, he DOES get it!” My 70 year old parents were there, as well as my 13 year old son and 15 year old daughter. I asked them “What presentation really struck you?” And both groups, without hesitation, start with Sekou Andrews.”
Albert Dotson, President | 100 Black Men of America
“It’s hard to imagine the artistry of this young man; his ability to take a concept - factual information - weave it into a story, move an audience, and structure a presentation of the most complex [form], taking us up and taking us down. It’s not a single message, but a series of waves; a crescendo, and they don’t end in the beach, they end in hope and understanding. I’m in awe of his talents.”
Richard Saul Wurman, Creator | TED conference