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Roy Spence

Co-Founder & Chairman of GSD&M, An Advertising Agency, and The Purpose Institute

Co-Founder & Chairman of GSD&M, An Advertising Agency, and The Purpose Institute

Travels From Travels From:
Austin, TX, USA
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
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Roy Spence Biography

Roy Spence is the co-founder and chairman of the advertising agency GSD&M and the co-founder and chairman of The Purpose Institute, a consultancy whose goal is to help leaders and companies recognize their values and purpose and then realize them.

In 1971, alongside three other soon-to-be-graduates of the University of Texas at Austin, Spence started an advertising agency in Austin, Texas, which, at the time, was a funky little college town known primarily for hippies and armadillos. Their simple business plan was to stay together, stay in Austin, and use the power of marketing to make a difference. Almost 50 years later, Spence and his partners are still together, still in Austin, and still trying to make a difference. Spence signs every letter with the words, “Ride at Dawn.” That’s not just a sign‐off, it’s a manifesto -- a call‐to‐action to live life to the fullest every day.

Spence and his partners built GSD&M from scratch into a marketing, advertising, and idea machine. GSD&M has advised and consulted with Herb Kelleher, the founder of Southwest Airlines; Sam Walton, founder of Walmart, BMW, PGA Tour, John Deere, and the U.S. Air Force.

Spence’s passion is entrepreneurship, which he refers to as “the miracle of America.” He deeply believes that when America is at her best, it does not matter what your last name or zip code is. If you can dream it, you can build it. Spence is also co-founder and CEO of The Purpose Institute, which is also based in Austin. The Purpose Institute is singularly focused on discovering the higher calling, purpose, and core values that define and shape an organization’s culture.

Along with Haley Rushing, Spence co‐authored the best‐selling book, "It’s Not What You Sell, It’s What You Stand For: Why Every Extraordinary Business is Driven by Purpose." He has also authored "The 10 Essential Hugs of Life," a collection of heartwarming stories about the need for gratitude and love.

In 2018, Spence founded The Promiseland Project, the purpose of which is to unleash the power of purpose‐inspired marketing and messaging to help bridge the massive cultural divide in America. The Promiseland Project is a large and diverse group of purpose‐driven communications professionals from all over America whose passion is a unified America. The goal is to inspire and engage the American people to help move America from the dark winter of political and cultural division into a bright new dawn of a culture of the collective "us." One of the key drivers of The Promiseland Project is the deep belief that American cities will be the drivers of innovation, new ideas, and solutions to America’s most pressing issues.

Spence is also a Gallup Senior Adviser as Gallup’s expert on purpose and a champion of Clifton’s Strengths Movement. Over 14 million people around the world have taken Clifton’s StrengthsFinder assessment, all in the effort to help people everywhere discover and then play to their strengths in work and life.

Spence has been inducted into the American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame. He has also had the honor of being named “Adman of the Century” by Texas Monthly magazine and Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Texas at Austin. He is a member of the University of Texas McCombs School of Business Hall of Fame and he serves on the board of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation.

Roy Spence Speaking Topics

  • The Power of Purpose in Business, Life and the Life of America

Roy Spence Videos

  • Roy Spence With Matthew McConaughey | The Power of Purpose in ...
    In today’s world of hyper-connectivity, people are feeling more disconnected from themselves and their core Purpose—both in life, in their work...
  • Expert Tips for Work and Life from Roy Spence
    We’re back with another episode of The Creative Fix, where Dhinuka catches up with the legendary Roy Spence. As one of the co-founders of GSD&M,...
  • Roy Spence: 2017 CEO Summit
    Roy Spence, Chairman and Co-founder of The Purpose Institute and Co-founder of GSD&M, unveils his latest initiative, The Promise Land Project to...

Roy Spence Books

  • The 10 Essential Hugs of Life
    The 10 Essential Hugs of Life
  • It's Not What You Sell, It's What You Stand For: Why Every Extraordinary Business Is Driven by Purpose
    It's Not What You Sell, It's What You Stand For: Why Every Extraordinary Business Is Driven by Purpose
  • The Amazing Faith of Texas: Common Ground on Higher Ground
    The Amazing Faith of Texas: Common Ground on Higher Ground

FAQs on booking Roy Spence

  • How do I book Roy Spence to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Roy Spence for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Roy Spence, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Roy Spence or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Roy Spence

    Speaking fees for Roy Spence, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Roy Spence are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Roy Spence, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Roy Spence speak about?

  • Where does Roy Spence travel from?

    Roy Spence generally travels from Austin, TX, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Roy Spence’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Roy Spence for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Roy Spence for your next private or corporate function.
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    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Roy Spence or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
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    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Roy Spence is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as The Power of Purpose in Business, Life and the Life of America. The estimated speaking fee range to book Roy Spence for your event is $20,000 - $30,000. Roy Spence generally travels from Austin, TX, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Tim Sanders, Afdhel Aziz, Gary Vaynerchuk, Paul Orfalea and Harvey Mackay. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Roy Spence for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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