Emerging Speaker of the Year 2025 – Be Part of History

Are you ready to step up and showcase your speaking skills?

The Emerging Speaker of the Year 2025 competition is not just any competition—it’s the inaugural one. That means the winner will not only take home the title but also gain the prestige of being the first-ever Emerging Speaker of the Year.

At the PSA, we’re all about helping you Speak More, Speak Better. This competition is designed to do just that by giving you an opportunity to refine your speechwriting, hone your delivery, and gain valuable experience in front of a supportive audience.

Sound exciting? Let’s dive into the details…

What is the Emerging Speaker of the Year Competition?

The Emerging Speaker of the Year (ESY) is a speaking competition exclusively for Associate Members of the PSA. Here’s how it works:

• Deliver a 5-minute speech – This is your time to shine. Slides aren’t allowed but props are very much welcomed.
• Compete regionally – Each PSA region holds a heat. Winners progress to the semi-finals, and three finalists will take the stage at Impact 2025.
• Judging criteria – Your speech will be evaluated based on:
  • Engagement (10%)
  • Originality (10%)
  • Stagecraft (20%)
  • Script (20%)
  • Delivery (20%)
  • Bookability (20%)

Judges include PSA Fellows and highly experienced professional members, so you’ll receive top-notch feedback to help you grow.

Important: To keep the competition fair and fresh, your speech must be original and should not include content delivered previously on any platform, including other competitions or speaking engagements.

Who Can Enter?

To take part, you must:

• Be an Associate Member of the PSA.
• Have NOT entered Speaker Factor (our previous speaking competition).
• Be a paid-up member of the PSA as of 1st February 2025.
• Have attended at least two regional meetings (as a guest or member) in the past 12 months before your heat.

When Does It Happen?

• Regional heats – Held at regional meetings in January, February, or March 2025. Dates vary by region, so check with your regional president.
• Semi-finals – Friday evening at Impact 2025 in April.
• Finals – Live on the main stage during the Impact 2025 conference.

Important: If you win your heat, you’ll need to attend Impact for the semi-finals and finals.

Why Enter?

This isn’t just a competition—it’s an incredible opportunity to grow and connect. Here’s what’s in it for you:

1. Be part of history – As the first winner of the inaugural Emerging Speaker of the Year, your name will forever be part of PSA’s story.
2. Practice makes perfect – The more you speak, the better you’ll get. This competition pushes you to bring your A-game.
3. Main stage moment – The three finalists will speak at Impact 2025—a career-boosting opportunity
4. Video & photos – Get professional footage and images of you speaking to a large audience.
5. Prestige – The winner can proudly promote themselves as The PSA’s Emerging Speaker of 2025.
6. Community & camaraderie – Competing builds incredible relationships with fellow speakers.
7. And most importantly – it’s FUN (it really is! Just ask every contestant of Speaker Factor).

How to Apply

Talk to your Regional President – Let them know you’re interested and find out the date for your regional heat.

Want More Info?

Feel free to contact Speaking Competitions Coordinator Carol Benton at [email protected] or call +44 (0)7956 447579.

So, what are you waiting for?
Step up, take the stage, and show us what you’ve got. Your journey to becoming the inaugural Emerging Speaker of the Year 2025 starts now.