The Society of Professional Consultants upcoming events

Your Human Edge in an AI World: How to Sell Your Ideas, Your Services and Yourself Using Public Speaking, Even Online (Thursday, December 03, 2026)

Thu, 03 Dec 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Your Human Edge in an AI World: How to Sell Your Ideas, Your Services and Yourself Using Public Speaking, Even Online

The SPC and the Society of Women Environmental Professionals (SWEP) are partnering to bring you this workshop.

Whether you're pitching your consulting services, championing an idea with your team or stakeholders, or making the case for your next opportunity, you are always selling something. Very often, what you're really selling is yourself.

In an AI world, anyone can produce polished slides and perfectly worded proposals in seconds. So the content alone no longer sets you apart. What does? How you show up and how you speak, in the room or on camera.

Most professionals were trained to speak to inform: share the data, explain the process, present the findings. But informing is not influencing. People rarely say yes because they received more information. They say yes because they trust you, feel understood and can see what's possible.

The good news is you don't need to become “salesy” or someone you're not, and speaking to influence is a skill anyone can learn.

In this fun & interactive session, you will:

Discover the difference between speaking to inform and speaking to influence, so you can move your listeners to action.
Learn how to shape your message so you can sell your services, your ideas or yourself in a way that feels authentic, not salesy, and drive positive impact.
Get a reliable tool to quiet your inner critic, so you can stop getting in your own way and receive the visibility you deserve.

There’s no charge for this workshop, but advance registration is required. A recording will only be available on demand for registered attendees.

About Our Speaker:

Mary Cheyne, MBA, went from socially awkward computer programmer to World Champion Speaker, placing 2nd out of 35,000 contestants from 14 countries in the World Championship of Public Speaking. Her roots in tech give her a rare view of both sides: what technology does well, and what only human connection can do.

She is a TEDx speaker with over 1 million views across platforms, featured on TED.com, and the bestselling author of Present Yourself in Public Speaking. Over 18 years, she has trained more than 30,000 professionals across 30+ cities and 100+ organizations, including teams at Amazon, GE Aviation, Liberty Mutual, Siemens and Beth Israel Lahey Health.

When she's not speaking, Mary is busy raising a 12-year-old, training as a third-degree black belt in karate, and singing along to her guitar. You can learn more about Mary at her Website and see her speak by watching her speaker reel.

SPC Virtual Networking - Members and Non-Members (Friday, December 11, 2026)

Fri, 11 Dec 2026 18:30:00 GMT

Come to our virtual meetup on Friday, December 11th to network with your fellow consultants and solo professionals. You'll get a chance to make new connections and learn from your colleagues.

We'll be on a video call from 1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Eastern Time.

This meetup is sponsored by the Society of Professional Consultants (SPC) and is open to members and non-members.

There's no registration fee to attend. We're limiting the meetup to 25 people so please register and save your spot. We hope you can join us!

SPC Virtual Networking - Members and Non-Members (Friday, January 08, 2027)

Fri, 08 Jan 2027 18:30:00 GMT

Come to our virtual meetup on Friday, January 8th to network with your fellow consultants and solo professionals. You'll get a chance to make new connections and learn from your colleagues.

We'll be on a video call from 1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Eastern Time.

This meetup is sponsored by the Society of Professional Consultants (SPC) and is open to members and non-members.

There's no registration fee to attend. We're limiting the meetup to 25 people so please register and save your spot. We hope you can join us!

What Sets You Apart From Your Competitors? (Wednesday, January 20, 2027)

Wed, 20 Jan 2027 20:00:00 GMT

What Sets You Apart From Your Competitors?

You know your work is good. But the right buyers either aren't finding you, or they find you and still don't choose you. Those are two different problems, and they start in the same place.

You've probably tweaked your website, rewritten your bio (again), and tried a dozen ways to explain what you do. None of it's landed.

Most of the time, it's a positioning problem. You haven't nailed down what sets you apart from everything else your buyers are weighing, and what you picture as your competition is only a slice of what's really out there.

In this workshop, you'll map every type of competitor you're up against, including the ones most solos and small businesses never think to list. You'll walk away with a research roadmap you can put to use immediately, plus finally have what you need to stop guessing and start explaining what you do and why buyers should choose you.

There’s no charge for this workshop, but advance registration is required. A recording will be available for registered attendees and current SPC members.

About Our Speaker:

Stacy Eleczko is a positioning and messaging strategist, keynote speaker, and workshop facilitator who helps referral-grown solos and small businesses figure out how to stand out in the market. As a former classroom teacher, she learned early that teaching and marketing are the same job: you're up against an audience with a million other things pulling at their attention, and it's on you to break through the noise, make them care, and get them to act.

Most consultants think their positioning problem is a wording problem: rewrite the bio, redo the website, take one more pass at the pitch... It rarely is. The real issue starts earlier, in what Stacy calls the Proximity Trap™, where your business has grown through the people closest to you, so you've never had to see how many options your buyers actually have, let alone why they'd land on you as the obvious choice.

Stacy uses positioning psychology, the science behind why your buyers choose you, and does Sherlock Holmes-level research to build a genuine understanding of where you fit in the market. Her framework is built on three pillars. When positioning is strong, buyers understand exactly why they should choose you, and you're no longer limited to whoever happens to be in your network. They see the value you provide before they ever work with you, not just after. That's the shift from convincing cold leads to having the right buyers come to you already sold.

If you're ready to make it easier for your right buyers to say yes (and stop crossing your fingers every time a cold lead hits reply), subscribe to Stacy's newsletter, connect with her on LinkedIn, or catch her on YouTube.

SPC Virtual Networking - Members and Non-Members (Friday, February 12, 2027)

Fri, 12 Feb 2027 18:30:00 GMT

Come to our virtual meetup on Friday, February 12th to network with your fellow consultants and solo professionals. You'll get a chance to make new connections and learn from your colleagues.

We'll be on a video call from 1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Eastern Time.

This meetup is sponsored by the Society of Professional Consultants (SPC) and is open to members and non-members.

There's no registration fee to attend. We're limiting the meetup to 25 people so please register and save your spot. We hope you can join us!