Betty Garrett – Speakers Bureau Legend
Founder of Garrett Speaker International, Betty Garrett, CMP, has been active in the meetings industry over four decades. She came to Texas from Louisiana with the burning desire to work for an airline and her dream came true when Braniff International hired her.
Betty was able to transfer her skills from the airline to meeting planning at Young President’s Organization, the business travel department at Mary Kay Cosmetics and Meeting Professionals International (MPI). She developed relationships with the many professional speakers she hired for her programs, so it was a natural progression to start GSI.
Working as a speaker bureau owner, Betty realized there was a gap between ordinary speakers and those wanting to take their speaking career to a higher level. She has implemented a new division within GSI to coaching speakers on how to “get bureau ready” and grow their business. These are tips, tools and techniques that will get the traction needed for bureaus and higher paying fees.
Betty is also an author, consultant and speaker. When her husband was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, she knew she needed help and there was nothing on the market to assist the caregiver. She authored From Chaos to Control: A Survival Guide for the Cancer Caregiver, a how-to manual for caregivers tending to cancer patients. She also developed the Caregivers Companion to assist caregivers in staying organized with the appointments, treatments, medications, etc. Her website is www.caregiversforcancer.com.
Betty Garrett is a leader in Meeting Professionals International, having served as chapter president, and was the recipient of the Marion Kershner Memorial Leadership Award by MPI. The National Speakers Association named her the Partner of the Year, plus recently received the Dallas Business Journal award for Women in Business.