Imagine harnessing the power of an exciting opening video, a breathtaking closing performance, and an inspiring and insightful main stage keynote all in one dynamic presentation. For over 20 years, GRAMMY-nominated artist and award-winning entrepreneur Sekou Andrews has been helping the world’s largest organizations deliver relevant information with riveting inspiration through an innovative, unconventional category of speaking called “Poetic Voice.”
It is no surprise that Forbes Magazine has called Sekou “the de facto poet laureate of corporate America.” His “wow factor” is in high demand with the world’s most successful organizations, including Google, Viacom, Toyota, Nike, Cisco, Linkedin, Amazon, Paypal, ASAE, Mastercard, General Mills, TEDx, Accenture, Capital One, GE, L’Oreal, Microsoft, ACLU, Intuit, and the NBA to name but a few. Sekou has also emerged as an inspiring voice for health and wellness, routinely evoking tears, cheers, and standing ovations for clients such as Johnson & Johnson, United Healthcare, Roche, Mayo Clinic, Blue Shield, TEDMED, Abbvie, Genentech, and the American Nurses Association.
Many of Sekou’s clients share a similar experience with his unique work. It often begins with the words “Why would we want a poet at our leadership meeting?” and ends with the words “the highest-rated keynote of our event” or “only speaker invited back over multiple years.” Sekou’s talks on bold thinking and innovation embody disruption on stage, challenging audiences to disrupt themselves to access their innovation mindset. His keynotes on humanizing business show leaders how to harness storytelling and become more inspiring in their leadership, marketing, or communication. From topics like creative thinking and success to industries like sales and tech, Sekou’s dynamic blend of strategic storytelling, actionable insight, spoken word, theater, and comedy turns events into experiences and transforms audiences of informed receivers into enrolled responders.
A schoolteacher turned entertainer, public speaker, and respected thought leader, Sekou brings over 2 decades of experience inspiring diverse audiences. His work has been featured on ABC World News, HBO, FOX, CBS, Good Morning America, Showtime, MTV, and BET. He has given private performances for such prominent individuals as Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou, Quincy Jones, Larry King, Hillary Clinton, Coretta Scott King, and President Obama. He has also shared the stage with such heavyweights as Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, Carlos Santana, Kendrick Lamar, Maroon 5, Jill Scott, and The String Theory orchestra. His last album made him the first spoken word poet in over 30 years to receive the GRAMMY nomination for “Best Spoken Word Album.”
Sekou has even returned to the classroom, teaching his rockstar secrets to public speakers through his highly effective Stage Might™ speaker training system, which helps executives, influencers, and leaders become more dynamic communicators by applying the techniques of master performers to business stages. With all of the innovation and inspiration that is poetic voice, Sekou Andrews is accomplishing the seemingly impossible – bringing spoken word to the world’s largest stages, while redefining the notion of what a speaker is… and what a poet can be.
“The energy and passion he brings to the stage resulted in the highest-rated opening our program has ever had.”
“The energy and passion he brings to the stage resulted in the highest-rated opening our program has ever had.”