How Speaker Bureaus Get Paid
“So How Do You Guys Get Paid?”
It’s the most common question we get from event planners. Right after “who do you have available” and right before “wait, seriously?”
Here’s the honest answer: working with us doesn’t cost you anything.
The Myth
Most planners assume booking through a bureau means paying more. A bureau fee on top of a speaker fee. A markup for the middleman.
That’s not how it works. Not with us, not with most reputable bureaus.
Book a speaker directly. Book that same speaker through us. Your cost is the same.
Same Fee, Different Split
Speakers work on what’s called a gross speaking fee. That fee already includes the bureau’s cut, whether you’re the one who found them or we are.
We get paid from the speaker’s end. Typically 20-25%.
You’re not paying more to use a bureau. The speaker is just paid less directly, and we’re the ones in the middle making the match, handling the logistics, and showing up when something goes wrong.
The only thing that changes is who the speaker’s fee gets split with. Not what you pay.
Why This Actually Matters to You
If it costs the same either way, the real question isn’t “does a bureau cost more.” It’s “what am I getting for the exact same price.”
Direct booking, you get a name and a contract.
Book through us, you get the fit, the vetting, the fee negotiation, the on-site support, and someone who answers the phone at 6am when a speaker cancels.
Same price. Very different level of risk.
The Takeaway
Free isn’t the interesting part of this. Free is just the fact that clears up the confusion.
The real question isn’t whether a bureau costs you more. It’s why you’d ever book alone when “not alone” costs exactly the same.
Contact us if you want to talk through your next event.
