Author and Guest Speaker Matthew Cossolotto – aka “The Podium Pro” – Underscores His Audacious Mission To Share His Uplifting Personal Empowerment Programs (PEPTalks) With Millions of People Around the World and Promises to Donate 10% of His Speaking Fees to Support Study Abroad Opportunities and Global Understanding

Leading Up To Make A Promise Day 2011, Cossolotto Speaks About The Power of Making A Promise to The Human Capital Institute and The Project Management Institute of Westchester

May 11, 2011 – Matthew Cossolotto (aka The Podium Pro) today underscored his audacious mission to share his uplifting messages including his Personal Empowerment Programs (PEPTalks) with millions of people around the world.  In pursuit of that goal, he promises to donate 10% of his speaking fees to Study Abroad Alumni International, a nonprofit organization he launched dedicated to fostering study abroad opportunities and global understanding.

Cossolotto, a former aide to Congressman Leon Panetta and House Speaker Jim Wright, said that he was delighted to speak recently about the power of making a promise to the Human Capital Institute’s executive members.  This HCI seminar was a return appearance for Cossolotto.  The author of HabitForce! and All The World’s A Podium, Cossolotto conducted two executive conversation programs last year for HCI.  One program was titled “Supercharge Your HabitForce!” and the other was called “Energize Your PodiumPower!”

In an online message to executive members, HCI issued the follow announcement about Cossolotto’s April 29^th program:

Beyond traditional goal-setting–Focus and align results with a promise

Making and keeping an important promise affects a leader personally as well as their followers. Stated in the form of a promise, an affirmation about attaining a goal helps to define a personal or organizational vision. Join our Executive Conversation to discover the power of making Personal Empowerment Promises (PEP) and put a “pep” talk in every promise. Share your promises with others and you’ll inspire your team, and align focus on results. All Executive Members who actively participate in the conversation will receive a signed copy of Matthew Cossolotto’s book, HabitForce! All Executive Members will also receive a copy of Matthew’s eBook, A Promise A Day – 30 Days to a Promising Future, in honor of “Make a Promise Day” on May 4th. Leaders, plan your promises now!

Cossolotto also spoke recently about the power of making a promise to the Project Management Institute of Westchester. Here’s what Paul O’Connor, the event organizer, said about Cossolotto’s presentation:

“Wow!  You achieved the incredible top rating of 87.5% as a keynote speaker to our Project Managers Group! Our member evaluations said you were highly thought-provoking, you skillfully engaged participants in meaningful discussions and inspired us in numerous positive and empowering ways.  Thanks again for your generous sharing of time and talent.”

PEPTalks and a Promise

Cossolotto has made a public promise to donate 10% of his guest speaking fees to Study Abroad Alumni International to foster study abroad opportunities and global awareness and understanding.  Cossolotto offers several Personal Empowerment Programs (PEPTalks) to a variety of audiences including schools and colleges, corporations, government agencies, and nonprofits.  Here are the titles of Cossolotto’s top three PEPTalks:

• The Power of Making a Promise: Make A Promise. Keep Your Word. Change Your Life. Transform The World.

• The Joy of Speaking: Turn Stage Fright Into Stage Delight and Speak Your Way to the Peak

• Success Is An Inside Job:  Harness Your HabitForce and Reach Your Peak Personal Potential

Other Developments Surrounding “Make A Promise Day” 2011

• The Westchester County Executive (New York) issued a proclamation designating May 4th 2011 and each year thereafter to be “Make A Promise Day.”  Here’s a link to a short YouTube video Cossolotto posted about this Proclamation.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fXex1ZjpXs.    To read more about the Proclamation, click here (http://wp.me/pSLX3-6W) and read this article on Patch.com (http://pelham.patch.com/articles/may-4-official-unofficial-make-a-promise-day).

•  Just before Make A Promise Day, Cossolotto was featured on Gail Lynne Goodwin’s popular Inspire Me Today website.  Here’s the link to the feature story: http://www.inspiremetoday.com/archiveDisp.php?type=0&ref=1126.  Also here’s the link to a short version of the “What’s Your Promise?” interview Cossolotto recorded with Goodwin about the life-changing promise she made to her daughter:  http://youtu.be/NfsOpV92sB0

• Finally, to celebrate “Make A Promise Day” 2011, Cossolotto published a new and improved version of his ebook A Promise A Day – 30 Days to a Promising Future.  This is a unique collection of personal empowerment promises.  Think of it as a Promise Diary.  Now available for a nominal investment on Cossolotto’s main website:  http://www.ThePodiumPro.com

Make A Promise Day Background
Cossolotto knows about the power of making a promise from personal experience. He made a promise to his mother on her deathbed that he would finish writing a book he had been discussing with her, get it published, and dedicate it to her memory. The resulting book, complete with Cossolotto’s dedication to his mother, is HabitForce!

Motivated by that firsthand experience, Cossolotto launched the first annual “Make A Promise Day” last May 4th as part of his ongoing mission to share the power of making a promise with millions of people around the world. He’s writing a book about the power of making a promise with a foreword by Jack Canfield, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. The book includes stories about people who have made and kept important promises in their lives.

Here is a brief excerpt from Jack Canfield’s foreword to Cossolotto’s forthcoming book The Power of Making a Promise:

“When Matthew first told me about the heartfelt promise he made to his mother and that he was launching a special day called “Make A Promise Day” on May 4th, I was hooked. You could say he had me at “I promise.”… Contributing the foreword to this book and being associated with Matthew’s inspiring “Make-A-Promise” project is totally aligned with my life’s purpose.” http://www.JackCanfield.com

To highlight the power of making a promise, Cossolotto cites several high-profile examples:

• Oprah Winfrey made a promise to Nelson Mandela that she would build a school for girls in South Africa.
• Entertainer Danny Thomas made a promise to build a shrine to St. Jude.  That promise led to the establishment of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
• Nancy Brinker, author of Promise Me and founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, promised her sister and breast cancer victim Suzy that she would help find a cure.
• Before his daughter’s wedding, former president Bill Clinton made a promise to Chelsea that he would watch his diet and take care of his health.
•  Kody Bateman, founder of Send Out Cards, made a promise to his older brother that led to the creation of this inspirational company.
•  NBC’s Al Roker made a promise to his dying father that he would deal with his weight issues.

About Matthew Cossolotto: Creator of “Make A Promise Day” (May 4th), Matthew Cossolotto (aka “The Podium Pro”) is an author, guest speaker, CEO-level speechwriter, and speech coach. A former aide to House Speaker Jim Wright and Congressman Leon Panetta, Matthew also served as a CEO speechwriter at MCI, Pepsi-Cola International, and GTE. The author of HabitForce! and All The World’s A Podium, he’s working on a new book with a foreword by Jack Canfield about the power of making a promise. Matthew brings his Personal Empowerment Programs — “PEPTalks”– to colleges, associations, and corporations.

Visit http://www.ThePodiumPro.com;  http://www.MakeAPromiseDay.com; http://www.MakeAPromiseDay.wordpress.com; Follow Matthew and “Make A Promise Day” on Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/MakeAPromiseDay.  “Make A Promise Day” greeting cards and other exciting gift items are available for convenient online purchase by visiting Matthew’s Zazzle store: www.Zazzle.com/TheCoz.