Lincoln Jay

A Q&A with Asher Dresner, MD of Lincoln Jay

What’s the idea behind Lincoln Jay?

Many people want to get into paid speaking but struggle to find the right route. Some speaker agencies told me that they have to turn away most people who approach them: their life-stories may be fascinating but their public speaking skills are not good enough. I saw that such people might be accepted if they sorted out their public speaking skills and were connected with the right agency. That set off the idea for Lincoln Jay.

Five months on, I’m delighted to be working with our team of talented writers, coaches, and partners.

Why did you set up the company?

I’ve always found that one of the biggest – and simplest – pleasures in life is meeting people who love what they’re doing and getting them to talk about it. How they came to be doing it, the times when everything was going wrong, the challenges they faced, and how they overcame them. After years of talking to interesting people and learning good questions to ask, I decided to make a living out of it.

Where does the name come from?

Some types of jay are associated with magpies, and we speechwriters are like magpies: we pluck out the facts, images and stories that shine brightly in the information clients give us.

I saw a poster in the fine Flat Planet coffee shop in Great Marlborough Street:

It’s a perfect example of how to use the bare facts of a life to make a simple point memorable.

What are your ambitions for Lincoln Jay?

To offer a great service, expand our network of relationships with speaker agencies around the world, and grow. I want our brand to be the single best way to get into paid public speaking.