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Global Speakers Academy Turns 5: Celebrating a Half-Decade of Top-Tier Training
March 27, 2026
Since 2021, more than 250 EO members have sharpened elite public speaking skills in the immersive program.
The 2025 Global Speakers Academy cohort at the NIZUC Resort and Spa in Cancun
Entrepreneurs’ Organization’s (EO) Global Speakers Academy (GSA) celebrates its fifth anniversary this year. Part of EO’s portfolio of executive education opportunities, GSA was designed to help entrepreneurs strengthen critical leadership skills: communicating ideas with clarity, confidence, and effective storytelling. Through a structured framework and group coaching, participants develop and refine how they present their ideas and connect with diverse audiences.
GSA is an immersive, five-day program during which EO members receive unparalleled training to develop, refine, and deliver a compelling signature speech. Upon completion, participants earn GSA certification and may pursue speaking opportunities within and beyond EO’s global community. Designed as an intimate, high-impact experience, the program brings together a small cohort of roughly 40 members each year. Over the past five years, more than 250 EO members have participated in GSA.
“I have been on stage at meetups, conferences, and workshops for the better part of 20 years, and this experience helped me realize so many things I can refine and improve for greater clarity, impact, and engagement with audiences, especially at scale,” says Aaron Kopel, a five-year EO member through the EO Cincinnati chapter, who attended GSA in 2025.
Each year, the program is hosted in a different geographic region, which helps expand access to EO members from an array of locales. Past GSA programs have been held in the United States, United Kingdom, Mexico, Panama, and Portugal.
"It has been one of the most transformative courses of my life.”
- Maria Dolores Fernández (EO Quito)
The program is curated and led by Speaker Labs coaches Eli Gladstone and Eric Silverberg, who deliver the program's core content. Additional coaches support participants through small-group sessions and one-on-one coaching.
In 2025, participants focused on developing a clear narrative framework for their ideas. Through story development, delivery techniques, and both personal and group coaching, members left the program better equipped to use public speaking to engage their audiences, create strong first impressions, and deliver messages that resonate.
In a survey after the most recent GSA, all respondents indicated they are very likely to recommend the program to another member. Additionally, 91 percent reported that the program fully delivered on its promises and exceeded expectations.
"It has been one of the most transformative courses of my life,” says Maria Dolores Fernández, a three-year member through the EO Quito chapter, who was also a 2025 GSA attendee. “This experience confirmed something I have always thought: Only when you risk leaving your comfort zone and choose to be vulnerable do you manage to communicate with the genuine intention of connecting and inspiring others.”
At its core, GSA reflects EO’s belief that learning is a lifelong journey and that entrepreneurs grow through shared experiences. By creating space for members to develop their voice and elevate how they communicate, the program strengthens both individual leadership and the broader EO community.
This year’s GSA cohort will gather in Thailand from 28 September–2 October. Members are invited to join the interest list.