Speaking

I will try to keep a calendar here of my speaking engagements. Currently most of them are tentative. I will update as I get them finalized.

Speaker Fees

I am available to speak most anytime I’m not scheduled already. The question that comes up, of course, is what my fees are. I wish this were simple to answer, but it’s not. I am transitioning to doing beekeeping and speaking full time, so I need to make a living at this. First, let me say if you think it’s not in your budget give me a call and we will see what we can work out. There are things that we can do to reduce my costs and time and therefore the fee. For instance, if you schedule something where I’m already in the area and I don’t have to spend a day traveling to get there and another traveling to get back, it saves me two days and it may save you the expense of paying my transportation. A day whether traveling or presenting costs me the same as far as my time and work. As far as room and board, I’m more than happy, and would actually usually prefer to stay with some beekeeper who doesn’t mind staying up all night talking bees, and will feed me, rather than a hotel and restaurants. Part of my dilemma, of course, is that I don’t want to price my time so high that I miss something I could have otherwise done, but at the same time, especially during queen rearing season, it could cost me more than I make to speak. If I miss a round of queens, it could be pretty significant income that I could have otherwise made. So my base price here is different for "queen rearing season" than "not queen rearing season". Also I am assuming that I will be allowed a table somewhere to sell my books (some written by me and some not).

As far as what I am available to do, I can do as many presentations as you like while I’m there (within reason of course). I can do seminars on queen rearing or hands on demonstrations on any topic if you can provide the bees and the equipment. If you like I can organize a seminar or you can. If I organize it, then I need some kind of a minimum enrollment that will cover my expenses and I will collect and take registrations etc. and not other compensation will be expected. If you do then my regular daily fee will apply.

So my fee per day (whether traveling or presenting) is:
May 15 through August 30: $250
Sept 1 through May 14: $125

As an example, a typical seminar is two days traveling and two days presenting. That comes to 4 days. In queen rearing season that is $1000 total plus travel expenses (airline tickets, etc.). In the off season that is $500 total plus travel expenses.

Travel can be lowest air fare or IRS mileage (I prefer to drive if it's 500 miles or less so I can take boxes of books). Should plan on me flying out 24 hours in advance to minimize cancellation issues by airlines.

Copyright 2004-2009 by Michael Bush

Bush Farms Home