Motivational Speaker Goes from Unemployed to Being in High Demand

The third time was the charm for Derek Felton. After being fired or laid off for the third time in 5 years he decided it was time to pursue his dream of inspiring America’s youth. So he set out to become a full-time “inspirational speaker”, as Felton calls himself.

“It was very scary”, he says. “I would no longer be relying on someone else to give me a paycheck. And I had a lot of bills to pay!” But, he knew that if he didn’t take decisive action immediately he might not get another opportunity. “I felt prepared because I had been doing a lot of speaking on behalf of the college I worked for. As a result, I was familiar with what my audience wanted and needed.”

Even though he was prepared to deliver his material to his listeners, it wasn’t easy getting gigs. In 2005 he gave his first speech to a group of six 12-year-old basketball players in a tiny gym in Chicago – for free. He’s now in great demand on the youth circuit and does as many as 50 paid presentations per year.

Felton educates youth – grammar school through college – on topics such as diversity issues, how to build self-confidence, and the importance of positive attitude in everyday life. In the past two years he’s spoken in 23 different states and is hoping to get some international invitations.

“I am fortunate to be able to say that I truly love what I do. Having the ability to make a difference in people’s lives is a wonderful and ongoing source of personal fulfillment for me,” said Felton.

Visit www.derekfelton.com and sign up for his free weekly inspirational newsletter.