Mike Southon is one of the world’s best-selling business authors.
The Beermat Entrepreneur, co-authored with Chris West, has sold over 100,000 copies around the world in many languages.
He is also a very experienced speaker, having spoken at over 1,000 events to every type of audience. His talks are highly motivational, with many practical ‘take-aways’, as well as highly engaging music and video.
Mike co-founded, built and sold his first company in the 1980s and has since had many adventures, including touring colleges and theatres with his own band, being Entrepreneur in Residence for the City of Liverpool and interviewing Sir Richard Branson live on stage five times in a single year.
Mike has also mentored over 1,500 entrepreneurs, face-to-face, always for free, so has seen and heard everything!
He is currently Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Westminster, where all 20,000 students aspire to run their own business, one day.
Mike’s specialist subjects are entrepreneurship in large organisations and helping non-salespeople, such as lawyers, accountants and software engineers, to generate new revenue without feeling sleazy or unpleasant.
Mike’s ideal speaking event involves him meeting the client in advance to agree the precise content, arriving the night before for a final briefing, listening to the whole day’s event to internalise the company’s culture and challenges and finally closing the conference with practical advice, style and humour.
He has never failed to get a standing ovation and always sends everyone to the bar singing!
"The presentations featured the leading figures in the industry and required a very skilled facilitator...Mike Southon has a rare blend of detailed technical knowledge and expert presenting skills¦.His understanding of the industry, event preparation and presentation skills are first class."
Thomas Chambers, CFO, Symbian
"Mike's handling of the event was both skilful and good-humoured. All the talks ran precisely to schedule, and his keynote speech on sales was very appropriate for our members. The feedback on the event was excellent." John White, Chief Executive, Timber Trade Federation
"Mike Southon is more than Quite Interesting. He spreads insight and cheerfulness in equal measure, like an ambidextrous chef icing two cakes at once." John Lloyd, producer of Blackadder, Not the Nine o'clock News and QI
"97% of delegates said they were inspired by Mike' Southon's presentation. Comments included: 'absolutely brilliant', 'motivating', 'practical, concise tips', 'thought-provoking' and 'informative'."
Julie Readman, Chief Executive, Business Link for South Yorkshire
"Mike has a background of success that enables him to speak authoritatively for the need to focus on simple, strategic selling. All of this with the added bonus of a truly engaging character and presentation." Virginia Flavin Pribanic, MIT Forum
"Wisdom without jargon: practical, practicable advice for the would-be entrepreneur." Lord Karan Bilimoria, founder, Cobra Beer, foreword to The Beermat Entrepreneur
"This is a sales book for everyone, written with clarity and wit." Stephen Fry, author, producer and performer, foreword to Sales on a Beermat