John Bates

Executive Speaking Success

John Bates​‘​ mission is to bring out what is awesome inside you, so you can have the impact you want to have on the world. 

John is an in-demand Leadership Communications Expert, Executive Coach, Author, and Keynote Speaker. He is also one of the most prolific TED format coaches in the world. Executives from organizations like Johnson & Johnson’s JLABS, NASA (including the Astronauts), US Navy Special Operations, Boston Scientific, and more recommend him to their colleagues as the best leadership communications coach working today. He knows the power that creating a TED-like talk can bring to anyone - in business and life. 

John is also an in-demand pitch coach. He supports many accelerator programs and organizations including Johnson & Johnson Innovations JLABS, The Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge, ION Houston Accelerator, Starburst Aerospace Accelerator, and more. He has assisted clients in winning million-dollar pitch competitions, raising millions in VC, winning millions in grant money, and more. 

John shares his long experience as an entrepreneur / successful fundraiser, along with important company culture principles for your success.

John designs all of his programs using principles derived from neurobiology, so YOUR COMMUNICATION ​is as​ MIGHTY​ as YOUR IDEAS​.

CEO/Founder

Goldstar Events, Inc.

Responsible for working directly with the CEO on public speaking, media training, speech and presentation writing, and all aspects of 'in person' messaging.

Speaking & Messaging Coach

TED Conferences

Previous license holder for TEDxSantaMonica where we did salon events to create community which were dedicated to furthering the TED mission of sharing “ideas worth spreading” by organizing regular events • Create & deliver educational programs to teach TEDx speakers how to create and deliver TED-Worthy presentations •  Perform as the speaker coach for numerous TEDx events including TEDxAFC (America's Finest City: San Diego), TEDxSanDiego, TEDxHoboken,TEDxVilnius, TEDxFulbright, TEDxTaiz • Speak at TEDx events including TEDxWoodsHole, TEDxMonterey, TEDxHoboken, TEDxLex, TEDxTaiz, TEDxVilnius • Hosted and co-Hosted numersous TEDx events including TEDxSantaMonica, TEDxPCC (Pasadena Community College), TEDxVeniceBeach, and many more, the SupporTED Collaboratorium to support the TED Fellows and current TED Fellows Coach • Developed partnerships with local businesses along with the TEDxSantaMonica team • Manage team of dedicated & brilliant volunteers • Evangelize the TED & TEDx organization.

TEDx Volunteer Organizer

MindArk PE AB

John is responsible for business development and public relations initiatives throughout North America. As the US representative, John speaks with the media and at conferences and other events for Mindark and the Entropia Universe all over the Americas and the Pacific Rim. John creates and executes marketing strategies,  generates business partnerships, and expands Entropia's reach to a new and greater population of gamers and virtual world enthusiasts.  John oversees overall US business development for the Entropia Virtual World Platform, negotiates potential alliances, brand development, and more.

Platform Evangelist & Strategic Marketing

MEME Dispersal Unit. LLC

MDU offers Memetic Marketing, Brand Advocacy, and Sales. MDU offers a nationwide network of student influencers and opinion leaders, and years of deep experience with the market. Clients include: Goldstar Events, Altadena, CA, successfully opened the Bay Area market and was asked to move to Altadena and join the company for approximately a year to open several key regions. Expression Center for New Media in Emeryville, CA where MDU created and implemented an extremely successful and ongoing outreach program; BIGGERWORDS.com, Annapolis, MD where MDU developed and guides a large network of student marketers; Anarchy Online, Oslo Norway, MDU created/executed several successful marketing campaigns, one of which brought the computer network at MIT to its knees due to the demand created by MDU.

Owner

WemoMedia

I spread the word about our underwater ocean experience project and brought in partners by speaking at conferences, talking with the press, direct outreach and relationship building and networking.

Evangelist for theBlu

Finch, Evolutionary Search

We manage your adwords buys and accomplish substantial savings while increasing your desirable traffic tremendously. Let's talk. 
Finch brings together many of the rapidly developing opportunities online - cloud computing, Web 2.0/3.0 API/data integrations, search portal infrastructure, and open source - to solve a big problem for online advertisers in a disruptive way. Be on the right side of this disruption!

Sales

FileDBA.com

John consulted on all business activities including website development, partnerships and marketing.

Consultant

Renewable Hydrogen Foundation

Was recruited by the Renewable Hydrogen Foundation to create, launch and manage the RHF membership program.  Main duties included managing website development, membership program development, bookstore functions, Public Relations and messaging, and public speaking engagements. Met or exceeded milestones, however RHF lost funding for 2006.

Director of Marketing and Membership

Initially working as a consultant, was recruited by Goldstar Events launch and manage SF Bay Area, signed up over 100 venues.  Relocated to lead explosive growth into new markets from company headquarters. Expanded leadership responsibilities beyond the Bay Area to include, San Diego, Las Vegas and Chicago Regions. Main duties included sourcing clients, negotiating, and closing Goldstar Events partner relationships. Regularly exceeded expectations by closing more venues in less time than aggressive goals required. Consistently exceeded goals and broke monthly sales records. 
https://www.goldstarevents.com/splash?p=F5881N

Director of Venue Relations

Get my Mini-Trainings for Free ↙️ | Message me the word "COMMUNICATE" to 10X your Speaking Ability | Leadership Communication Expert | Speaker | Trainer | Executive Coach | CEO

Over 15+ years, I have worked with some huge brands, such as:

> TEDx
> NASA
> US Navy EOD
> Johnson & Johnson

All whilst coaching leaders who aim to make a global impact for good.

I've seen that today's business world is tough:

> A lack of confidence can impact your success.
> Communication within the leadership team is vital.
> Leaders need high quality speaking and presentation skills.

What if you could:

> Have more impact on the world.
> Become a far better speaker and presenter.
> Convey your message to leave a lasting impact.
> Lead a more influential, effective, and ultimately successful life.

We're all about turning these challenges into wins by:

> Leadership communications training.
> Executive Coaching and "Executive Whisperer" techniques.
> Public speaking and presentation coaching, especially in the TED format.
> Individual and team coaching for effective communication and leadership.
> Online and in-person training courses in public speaking, pitching, presenting, leadership, and teamwork.

Here are some of our results over the years:

✅  “He is extremely knowledgeable in how to connect with audiences and he has a relaxed approach that can be tailored to any group’s needs.” - Austin Knight - CEO - Air Liquide USA

✅  “That knowledge from John has completely changed how I present today…and we got great feedback after the talk. So, it’s working!” - Stephanie Venn Watson - Co Founder and CEO - Epitracker

✅  “He not only brings out the best in you when you talk, but he looks inside your soul when he does it.” - Melinda Richter - Head of Johnson & Johnson

All through revealing the secrets of human evolutionary biology and human neurophysiology that govern effective communication, persuasion, and influence.

If you want to see how I could help you, shoot me a message saying ‘Speak’.

Every small interaction shapes how people see you. 
 
In public speaking and life, the little things matter most.
 
Every conversation, every comment, every interaction, builds your reputation.
 
That’s your invisible PR quietly working for or against you.
 
When you’re kind, curious, and respectful, you’re not just being nice, you’re building trust and connection.
 
Those little moments add up, whether you’re speaking on stage, leading a team, or just chatting with someone.
 
On the flip side, there’s unkindness. That’s like a massive tax on your talent.
 
A dismissive word or lack of attention can chip away at the opportunities you’ve worked so hard for.
 
The best speakers and leaders know it’s not just the big presentations that matter.
 
It’s the habits and interactions behind the scenes.
 
They’re what make people listen, trust, and show up for you.
 
And Usain Bolt’s actions in the video below are proof that the small moments can have a huge impact. 

When I first watched this video I cried, because I've been the "not Usain Bolt" person in these interactions and it makes me want to be sure that when I'm on the other side I am this caring and generous. 
 
You also have the ability to make your invisible PR work for you.
 
All it takes is one kind interaction at a time.

Is there someone in your life who has been "Usain Bolt" for you? Give them a shoutout in the comments and let them know you noticed! 
 
Video credit: Dan Abrahams.

Great Leaders Become Great Speakers With Me via Team & Individual Training & Keynotes | Helped 12,000+ Clients Become TED-Worthy Communicators | 92+ Net Promoter

🎙️ New Episode Coming This Week!

#132 — Making Your Message Stick in a Noisy World with Jennifer Kaplan ✨

This week, I’m joined by Jennifer Kaplan — PR powerhouse, media strategist, and founder/CEO of Evolve PR & Marketing, the largest firm of its kind in Arizona.

Jennifer and I dive into what truly makes a message resonate — and what real leadership looks like beyond business success. From the power of giving back to mastering on-camera presence, Jennifer shares hard-earned wisdom from decades in PR and crisis communication.

We also talk about earned media, visibility, vulnerability, and why the most “authentic” pros rehearse more than anyone else.

👉 Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode! Link in the comments 👇

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The first time I coached leaders at NASA and Johnson & Johnson, I braced myself, but what happened next surprised me.

These were people at the top of their fields. Brilliant scientists. High-ranking executives. The kind of leaders whose decisions shape industries, even nations.

I’ll be honest… part of me expected them to have their walls up. I even thought there would be some resistance. But what I found surprised me.

Instead of resistance, I was met with curiosity.
Instead of defensiveness, I was met with openness.

These leaders weren’t just willing to be coached, they were some of the most coachable people I’d ever met.

One example that comes to mind is my friend, Dolph Lundgren.

As an actor, Dolph knows what it’s like to take direction.

He understands the value of someone standing outside the frame, a director guiding him to bring out his best performance.

And that same humility shows up in great leaders.

It dawned on me: of course they’re coachable.

That’s how they got there in the first place!

The best leaders are brilliant at what they do.

But they also know the power of letting someone else guide them, sharpen them, and help them see what they can’t see themselves.

And that realization changed how I see leadership at the highest levels.

Over the years, I’ve learned that coachability isn’t subservience.

It’s the quiet superpower of the world’s best leaders.

I’ve seen this trait in my dad and every great leader I know.

It completely changed how I think about leadership 👇

The best leaders I’ve met aren’t great at everything, they surround themselves with people who are.

But what really sets them apart is how they treat those people.

When things go wrong, they step forward and take responsibility.

When things go right, they step back and give credit where it’s due.

Watching them over the years, I’ve realised this isn’t just good character, it’s good science.

Our brains are wired with mirror neurons.

We subconsciously reflect the people we look up to.

So when a leader owns mistakes and celebrates others, their team starts doing the same.

- Accountability spreads.
- Trust deepens.
- And the entire culture changes.

That’s what I’ve seen from my dad, my mentor RB Hackenberg and leaders like Melinda Richter at Johnson & Johnson Innovation JLABS.

👉  This week, look around you.

Are you surrounded by people who lift you higher and are you lifting them too?

You spend 99% of your time performing… working hard... producing...

But it’s the other 1% that actually decides your success.

That 1%? It’s when people see you in action.

Here’s what I mean:

YIPE = Your Impression = Performance × Exposure.

We all obsess over performance… the late nights, the prep, the extra effort.

But exposure?

That’s the moment you speak up in a meeting, brief the board, or deliver a killer 
presentation.

And that moment multiplies your hard work. For better or for worse.

You can have a million-dollar performance, but if no one gets it, you’ll look like a $50k idea.

But that doesn’t have to be the case.

Want people to feel your impact?

You need a solid performance x great exposure.

Remember, your work doesn’t speak for itself.

You do.

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