Dr. Jessica Levin
Putting the "Honor" back in Honorarium
For far too long, speakers have viewed themselves as the bookends to an event, dropping in to deliver some inspiration and then leaving the question of educational value to be answered by their books or workshops (at additional cost and time). Jessica delivers both inspiration and education; there is no reason why they must be mutually exclusive.
Jessica Levin is a dynamic speaker known for her engaging style and valuable takeaways.
KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS
Based on her forthcoming book co-written with Rachel Anevski, founder & CEO of
Officer Matters of Management, LLC, Jessica challenges the norms of what a CPA firm
looks like today and in the future. The session covers firm structures, the lack of business
acumen among staff, shifting roles and responsibilities and the marriage of marketing
and HR professionals. She will also discuss firm culture, core values and why firms need
to evolve or dissolve.
What did you want to be when you grow up? Did you live that dream and are onto the
next one? Did you end up in a place you didn’t plan on and are ready to return to that
dream? It’s 2024 and many want to blaze their path – whether it’s a new one, an old one
or one they haven’t thought of yet. This session will help you think through getting your
staff excited about creating a future they can get excited about.
Based on the book, Perfect Pairings: The Art of Connecting People, this session is full of both inspirational stories and practical, actionable tips on how being a connector can transform your personal and professional life. Whether you are new to business networking or are looking for tips to up your game, The Art of Connecting People will leave you with desire to help others achieve their goals and will provide you with the steps on how to do it.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the difference between networking and connecting
- Understand the common traits that all connectors possess
- Understand what steps need to be taken to become a master connector
Developed from her book, Everyone Has Sh*t: Unsolicited Advice for Being Human, this keynote presentation serves as a reminder that life can be challenging, but embracing positivity, common sense and kindness, makes it a bit easier to thrive. Weaving inspiration and humor into the session, Levin shares deeply personal stories and lessons for dealing with what life throws at you. This session offers tips for self-reflection and self-care. At the end, attendees will feel more empowered and optimistic. In a world filled with adversity, who couldn’t benefit from some unsolicited advice?
Learner Outcomes:
- The realization that life is challenging for everyone, but how
you deal with it matters most. - Practical tips for managing stress and dealing with people.
- Ideas for increasing confidence and being a better contributor
to society.
What did you want to be when you grow up? Did you live that dream and are onto the next one? Did you end up in a place you didn’t plan on and are ready to return to that dream?
It’s 2021 and it’s time to blaze your path – whether it’s a new one, an old one or one you haven’t thought of yet, this session will get you excited about creating a future you can get excited about. Are you a business owner looking for a reboot? Have you always wanted to run your own company and now you have the chance? Are you looking for full-time employment in a new roll?
No matter which path you choose, this keynote, filled with stories and practical ideas, will help put you in the mindset to create a successful 2021 and beyond.
If you have ever bought or sold anything you know that the right style can make all the difference. As a buyer, if you don’t “click” with your salesperson then you may pass on a product – even if it’s the right fit for you and your organization. As a seller, we often get caught up in the 30-second elevator pitch rather than spending time listening to the specific needs and experience of our audience. In this session, we will discuss how to begin the sales process from an authentic relationship building perspective and not that of a “snake oil salesman” that makes you want to take a shower after you get off the call.
In this interactive session filled with discussion and role-playing, we will discuss the following:
1. Your Role as Seller;
2. Your Role as Buyer;
3. Your Role as the Middle person
We will cover scenarios such as, when a Prospect reaches out to you; when you are cold/warm calling; and referrals and other scenarios.
INTERACTIVE WORKSHOPS
Data Analytics. It's been a trend for several years, but what does it really mean to a law
firm or accounting firm and who is doing it well? In this interactive session, you will learn
the truth about data and will work through an action plan to get better data in the
future. This is not a technical session, but a program about creating leadership and
management practices that create systems that work.
Change is a constant in today's business environment, and the ability to manage it
effectively can make or break the success of CPA firms. Our interactive workshop offers a
comprehensive exploration of change management programs, all grounded in
academic research on accounting firm culture.
Engaging and transformative interactive workshop that delves into the world of
coaching and mentoring programs tailored specifically for CPA firms. This workshop is
designed to equip you with the strategies, insights, and tools necessary to cultivate a
culture of continuous growth, development, and leadership within your organization.
Enlightening session that delves into evidence-based strategies for developing a firm
culture that not only draws in exceptional individuals but also fosters their long-term
commitment. This session is grounded in rigorous academic research, ensuring that you
gain insights and techniques that have been proven to drive recruitment and retention
success.
While accountants and lawyers are proficient in their respective areas of expertise, there is often a gap in business acumen. Without strong acumen, staff members are less able to provide clients with a full range of solutions. This workshop helps participants identify strategies to develop business acumen within their teams, recognize potential opportunities and obstacles, and create actionable plans.
In the workshop we will discuss the importance of business acumen (financial literacy, strategic thinking, operational understanding); identify opportunities; brainstorm ideas for developing these skills (e.g., online courses, mentorship) and obstacles (e.g., budget constraints, resistance to change); create an analysis; develop an action plan with follow-up protocol to monitor progress.
Expected Outcomes:
- Enhanced business acumen understanding to better serve clients.
- Identification of opportunities and obstacles.
- Detailed analysis and action plan.
- Ongoing monitoring strategy.
This workshop promotes strategic thinking and practical planning to build stronger business acumen within teams with the goal of better serving firm clients.
As the world changes, professional services firms often need help to innovate and develop new services. This interactive session aims to guide firms in identifying and designing new service lines to meet evolving market needs. Participants will collaborate to explore trends, brainstorm ideas, define necessary skills, design services, and develop pricing strategies.
The workshop will include steps such as identifying trends or unmet needs; brainstorming service ideas, defining required skills and obstacles, designing the service, discussing pricing and differentiation, and scoring ideas.
Key Takeaways”
- A clear understanding of a market trend or unmet need.
- A list of potential new service ideas.
- A detailed blueprint for at least one new service line.
- Defined skills and resources required.
- A pricing strategy and points of differentiation.
- A prioritized list of service ideas with next steps for development.
-This session encourages collaboration, innovation, and strategic thinking, ensuring your firm stays competitive and responsive to market changes.
If you never have trouble recruiting attendees and score perfect 10s in all of your event reviews, this session is definitely NOT for you. But if you’re like most of us, you are competing for the time and attention of people who have lots of other options — and increasingly high expectations. And a typical lecture won’t cut it. This session will explore how to design events that clients, members, prospects, sponsors and referral sources will want to attend. In this workshop-style session, participants will learn new approaches to education, networking, entertainment and more, that will generate buzz, improve attendee satisfaction and attract attendees to your future meetings events.
Participants will learn:
- Key points of adult learning theory that are highly relevant to meetings
- Practical examples of out-of-the-box networking and entertainment ideas
- Advice for selling new event concepts to clients or senior management;
- How to make the meeting environment more inviting and comfortable
- Fun ways to build buzz that will help draw attendees to your future events
Based on the book, Perfect Pairings: The Art of Connecting People , this session is full of both inspirational stories and practical, actionable tips on how being a connector can transform your personal and professional life. Whether you are new to business networking or are looking for tips to up your game, The session will leave you with desire to help others achieve their goals and will provide you with the steps on how to do it.
Taking this approach and applying it to membership organizations, attendees will learn not only how to connect for their own benefit, but how to build stronger relationships with volunteers by connecting them and helping them help the organization. This session will show how listening to volunteers personal needs can identify ways to build loyalty and commitment to your association.
Speaking Videos
See samples of Jessica Leigh Levin speaking in the videos that are on this page. To book Jessica to speak at an upcoming event, Contact Us.
Contact Jessica
E.mail: jessica@sevendegrees.co
Phone: 908-912-4418
Contact Jessica
E.mail: jessica@sevendegrees.co
Phone: 908-912-4418
Jessica's Background
With a background in business strategy and marketing, Jessica's passion for connecting people and creating experiences is evident in everything she does. Jessica’s expertise lies at the intersection of marketing and technology. Understanding people first and foremost, she has combined traditional relationship building techniques with modern communications tools to help clients meet their goals.
For two decades she has worked with businesses and not-for-profit organizations across North America on the development and execution of strategic planning and marketing initiatives designed to grow revenue and market share. She's worked with companies on employee professional development and CSR initiatives.
NJBIZ named her as one of New Jersey’s Best Fifty Women in Business and previously to New Jersey’s Top Forty Under 40. She was named to the Best Marketing and Communications Professionals Under 40 list by the NJ Ad Club and Jersey Shore Public Relations and Advertising Association and was inducted into New Jersey’s Advertising Hall of Fame. She was named a Finalist for Woman of the Year from the Women's Center for Entrepreneurship. She made MeetingsNet’s Top 10 Social Media Influencers List. She was twice named Planner to Watch by Convention South magazine and was inducted into the New Jersey Social Media Hall of Fame.
Author & Motivational Speaker
A motivational and engaging speaker, Jessica frequently presents on marketing, networking & business development, event strategy and humanity. She has authored numerous articles and blog posts and wrote the book, Perfect Pairings: The Art of Connecting People and Everyone Has Sh*t: Unsolicited Advice for Being Human.
BEing When You Grow Up was released in 2024.
She has a Doctor in Business Administration degree focused on Organizational Leadership and Development from Capella University. Jessica earned a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Science from Florida State University in with majors in Marketing, Management and Entrepreneurship.
Jessica holds the designations Certified Association Executive (CAE), Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and Digital Event Strategist (DES).
What's Included?
You will receive an option to include a selection of the following with every speaking engagement:
- One two-minute educational video for YouTube or other promotional purposes
- One webinar or video chat, conference call or other format moderated by the leaders
- Educational materials such as workbook or similar handout
- Custom designed learning or networking game
- Post-presentation, cooldown session with small groups
- Other custom forms of audience engagement