Ben Glenn

Biography

Ben Glenn, The Chalkguy, is the president of Chalkguy Media International, a company dedicated to sharing a positive, life-changing message of hope with groups all over the world. Ben's humor-packed speeches are filled with personal stories and heartfelt encouragement for individuals to step outside their comfort zones to live a full life based on self-knowledge, personal responsibility and a positive attitude. His own story of growing up Learning Disabled is one that he has shared with thousands, inspiring and motivating students, parents, teachers, sales professionals and professional athletes to have a greater appreciation for their unique talents and abilities. Ben is a powerful and entertaining speaker, but he is also much more than that. Part of Ben's struggle with traditional learning led him to discover a love of art. A love that he has turned into a dynamic, not-to-be-missed, live art demonstration which wows and astonishes audiences, sweeping them up in an exciting and memorable experience that crowns Ben's message as he literally whips together a beautiful drawing in less time than it takes to eat a sandwich! Calling it performance art does not do this portion of Ben's program justice. Judging by the way crowds spring to their feet to give him a standing an ovation when he's done turning a blank canvas into a masterpiece, the experience should be renamed more aptly - alas it is difficult to put something so deeply emotional and spiritual into a couple of words. People use words like breathtaking, awesome, cool, and amazing to share their impressions of what he does. To the uninitiated, Ben likes to say that they have to see him perform first-hand in order to fully appreciate the full impact of the artistic part of his program. Importantly, no matter where he is and whom he is addressing, Ben always finds a way to tie his message in with the drawing. This integration of both spoken and visual, firmly stamps the presentation and its message into the hearts and minds of all his audiences making Ben one of the most unique, but also relevant speakers you could invite to your event. (His return client base is a testament to the effectiveness of his program - more than 80% first-time clients bring Ben back multiple times within five years of the initial event.) Because Ben's core message is so universal in content, he has taken it all over the world, from Australia to Hong Kong to Mexico, and has shared it with many, many diverse groups from schools to churches to Fortune 500 companies. Since 1994, when Ben became a full-time speaker, he's made over a thousand keynote speeches to audiences ranging from 20 to 75,000. Traveling more than 100,000 miles every year, Ben's legacy is thousands of people, young and old who have been touched and inspired to make positive changes in their lives. For those working directly with Ben in preparing for an event, they could not ask for a more flexible and easy-going presenter. He is truly a professional in every sense, collaborating with clients to expedite set-up, respectful of their needs and goals and mindful of the fact that he is there to help make the event as exciting and successful as the client envisions it to be. Ben is as down-to-earth and authentic on-stage as he is off-stage. As an adult, Ben was officially diagnosed with AD/HD, a challenge he's had since early school days. After his diagnosis, Ben set out to educate himself and others about this unusual and controversial disorder. Ben's experiences as an ADDer and his encounters with other ADDers have taken him on a personal mission of removing the stigma that comes from being diagnosed with AD/HD by talking about it openly and with humor whenever he can. In spite of struggling with both reading and writing, Ben has written a book called Simply Special; Learning to Love your ADD, which is directed at individuals who have AD/HD and designed to help them see the positive aspects of the disorder. All in all, when you book Ben for your event, you will be getting much more than an inspiring, funny, easy-to-work-with speaker, you will in fact get something that can only be referred to as an experience - The Chalkguy Experience! Finally, as much as Ben loves being a speaker and performing artist, he loves being a husband and father more. Married for over ten years, he, his wife and two daughters live in a great little city called Indianapolis.

Titles

The Power of Synergy 60 minutes (includes drawing and lightshow) This inspirational program is ideal as a closer to any meeting or conference where participants are introduced to new ideas & products or are challenged to strive to achieve greater goals for their organization. Ben's The Power of Synergy is a fast-paced, humorous and story-filled program that highlights the importance of team-work and positive interaction between individuals, especially in the workplace. Participants will walk away with a fresh appreciation for their own ability to be an encouragement and an inspiration to others, as well as a reminder that ultimately success, personal or organizational, is highly dependant on their ability to work effectively with other people. Winning the Thought Battle; Breaking through the Success Plateau 60 minutes (includes drawing and lightshow) This is a powerful keynote that will motivate the audience to do more with their careers, their relationships and their personal development. Through humor and personal anecdotes, Ben will address the top three success-busters: Self-doubt, Fear and Complacency. In a simple and down-to-earth way, this program will help the participants identify negative internal dialog and commit to taking charge of their inner voice to achieve more in their lives. This program is perfect for any group of adults that's just a bit on that side of jaded. A well-balanced combination of content, humor and multi-media pizzazz and the crowd will be left refreshed, inspired and thoroughly entertained. The Chalkguy Experience 15 minutes(includes drawing and lightshow) A 15-minute customized drawing/digital media extravaganza to kick off or close out your convention or conference. The Power of Generosity 40 minutes (includes drawing and lightshow) If you're having a fundraiser, you will be hard pressed to find another program that will meet all the needs of an ideal fundraiser event like Ben's The Power of Generosity. Ben's keynote will inspire, entertain and challenge your donors to support your cause in a way that will create a memorable day for everyone involved. Ben shares how $285 that a teacher paid to send him to a Fellowship of Christian Athletes camp changed his whole life. This is a powerful and compelling presentation about the difference that generosity can make in the lives of others.