Speaker Rider
Hello there! Thank you for considering me for your event. I’m really honored.
I take every speaking opportunity I have very seriously, regardless of the scope of the event or the size of the audience, so I put together this rider because I think conferences and events should be welcoming experiences for everyone. Fulfilling this rider enables me to bring my best physical, mental and emotional self to your event and provide the most value, so it’s a win for everyone involved.
This rider applies to all commercial conferences (e.g. events that you are selling tickets for). I realize that parts of this rider are exhaustive, but I am flexible on most everything here, especially if your event is a meetup or some type of small community event.
Rate / Honorarium
As a general rule, I do not speak for free. I bring my judgment, experience, and perspective to every event I speak at, and being paid for that not only secures my availability, but ensures that you know the value I can bring to your event.
Regardless of the event, virtual or in-person, I must be paid in full at least 24 hours before the event begins.
Travel
Travel expenses must be fully covered. This includes, for both international and domestic flights, business class/first class airfare. This is non-negotiable.
Ground transportation to and from the hotel and airport must also be provided.
NOTE: Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, I am doing in-person speaking events on a conditional basis. I am also available to speak virtually in lieu of travel costs and/or COVID-19 precautions at your event’s location.
Lodging
Lodging in a hotel must be covered for the full length of your event, even if I am only speaking for one day. No Airbnb rentals or other shared residences.
If your event is international, add an additional day both before and after the event. This will cover any issues with time zone adjustments or any COVID-19 testing or protocols for flights entering and exiting your country.
You must leave your credit card on file at the hotel for incidentals.
Event Logistics
The following items apply to events, both in-person and virtual:
Your event must have a code of conduct that attendees have agreed to, and the code must have clearly defined methods for enforcement of any broken rules.
The itinerary for your event must be approved at least two weeks before my publicly scheduled appearance.
I retain the right to abstain from any other scheduled events other than my publicly scheduled appearance. This includes any mixers, dinners, parties, etc.
The following items apply to in-person events only:
If I am presenting, I will use my laptop (a 2020 M1 MacBook Pro) and my own clicker.
Please have a confidence monitor available on stage so I can check my slides and the running time.
If I am presenting a talk, please provide a lectern with a stationary microphone.
If I am doing a panel or a 1-on-1 conversation on stage, please provide club chairs for seating. No director’s chairs or high bar stools that cannot reliably support a person of size.
Please provide a cool bottle of water on stage for me to drink. This applies to whether I am presenting a talk or speaking on a panel or 1-on-1 conversation.
Intellectual Property
Unless otherwise requested, I retain full ownership of my presented talk.
Do not censor my talk, visually or verbally.
Do not brand or re-brand my presentation for your event via custom designed slides.
Marketing
Regardless of the event, I reserve the right to not publicize it based on my schedule. If your speaker contract has a marketing clause, I’m happy to waive this.
Any recorded video or photos taken during my talk at your event must be approved by me first before public distribution.
Last updated: 12/14/2025