Meet 13 #INBOUND15 Speakers: Introductions From Their Fellow Speakers

The INBOUND team here at HubSpot is finishing off May with a big flourish. In celebration of this year's impressive (and growing!) list of INBOUND speakers, we've invited friends, colleagues, mentors, and influencers to share thoughts and stories about our speakers, and then share their posts on social media using the #speakerfan hashtag.

Some great #speakerfan posts include HubSpot VP of Content Joe Chernov's wonderful deconstruction of "true collaboration" with speaker Leslie Bradshaw, and Ben Heyman's personal list of the speakers he thinks no one should miss at this year's event.

In the spirit of sharing words about #INBOUND15 speakers, we've asked our speakers to introduce the fellow speaker they know well to you, our readers. Check out what they have to say about each other and learn more about the remarkable people you could see at this year's INBOUND event.

Brené Brown: Live and In Person

By Seth Godin, Best-Selling Author

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"The thing is, Brené Brown is always live and in person. When we read her bestselling books or watch her explosively viral (and incredibly human) TED talks, we’re with her, together, no matter where we are. That’s because Brené sees us. She sees our isolation and our fear and our pain. Brené, more than any social scientist I know (and first and foremost, she is a scientist) is a human, a fellow traveler, a person who cares."

Seth Godin: What You May Not Know

By Laura Fitton, HubSpot

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"After 18 books, thousands of blog posts, and hundreds of speeches what could the world not already know about Seth Godin? That he’ll quietly clear away trash at his events. That he’ll vehemently deny his mind and heart are extraordinary. That he may unexpectedly meet a train, cook lunch, or serve tea for a mentee. That he lives in authentic service of his family, original thinkers, and underdogs everywhere. That most of all, he just wants you to question and think and hope and try and do."

Justine Musk: Brilliant, Driven, and Inspiring

By Porter Gale, Author & Speaker

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"Creative, articulate and independent, Justine Musk is an explorer and writer who isn't afraid to tell it like it is. Her insights and ideas inspire all those around her to think differently, reach higher and to live more passionately. A two-time author, speaker and blogger, Justine captivates on the stage and off."

Shama Hyder: Fearless and Knowledgeable

By Anum Hussain, HubSpot

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"Going with the flow rather than against it: That's how Shama Hyder defines 'Zen.' It's in the name of her book, her business, and truly defines who she is as a marketer.

"After graduating at the top of her MBA class, Shama found herself looking for work at companies that had yet to recognize the value of social media. Rather than following the easy path, she started her own agency to prove how social media can work for business. Flash forward to now, and Shama's marketing firm is helping clients all around the globe take advantage of the digital world."

Porter Gale: Engaging, Gracious, and Oh-So-Smart

By Susan McPherson, Author

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"Warm, genuine, multi-talented, and real, Porter Gale is a true Renaissance woman given the many hats she wears and has worn. A C-suite marketing executive, a best-selling author, a film producer and director, and if that weren’t enough, she’s an advisor to many start-up businesses and mom to a beautiful teenage daughter.

"Porter authentically lives her mantra that one’s network is indeed currency and must be valued and nutured. We can all learn from her tremendous experience."

Michael King: Feisty and Full of Heart

By Laura Fitton, HubSpot

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"While I've been lucky to know some of our speakers for years, I met Michael just eight days ago. He's made a huge impression, fast.

"Lively, smart, funny and full of heart, Michael takes a stage like a boss and brings the audience on a feisty tour of his considerable mind. His stage presence is no accident considering his years as a musician touring the country on Greyhound buses and performing on stages big and small. I can't wait for you to meet Michael in September."

Tara Hunt: Passion, Raw Honesty, and Sparkle

By Leslie Bradshaw, Made By Many

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"When I first met Tara Hunt, I was mesmerized. It was 2007 and a gaggle of geeks from FOWA London had shuffled into a pub, where Tara had a microphone and the attention of all of us. Her passion made her sparkle. Relatively new to the scene, I didn’t fully understand everything she was saying, but I knew what she was about: meaningful relationships and community.

"Fast forward to 2010: I was putting together an all-star roster of women in tech who had made fitness part of their lives for Nike Women. It gave me an excuse to reach out to Tara, who had been posting about her health journey. I remembering being so excited to talk with her one on one that I didn’t mind taking the call as I was wondering around Disney World in Orlando. To this day, I am inspired by her raw honesty and genuine spirit."

Susan McPherson: Angels Do Exist

By Leslie Bradshaw, Made By Many

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"Susan McPherson is proof-positive that angels exist. No, I am not talking about the investor-types (although she is generously one of those, too). Rather, I am talking about her as 'a person of exemplary conduct or virtue.' With her talents and Rolodex, she could work anywhere and do anything. That she has chosen to focus on corporate social responsibility speaks to her altruistic-yet-practical heart. The projects she gets involved with don’t just inspire, they make a real, lasting impact.

"A big part of that equation is involving for-profit companies by aligning their incentives with doing well by the world around them. She has also been an incredible lighthouse to my younger sister, Jennifer, helping her navigate the waters of building a career while making the world a better place. I am so grateful to know her and have her in our lives."

Ann Handley: Who Needs No Introduction

By Doug Kessler, Velocity Partners

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"Not a lot of people know this but Ann is short for 'Annoyingly'. Annoyingly successful, smart, funny, charming, talented ...

"When we think of being our best selves, we conjur up something more Ann-like. As an author ( Content Rules, Everybody Writes), she's clear, crisp, and compelling with sound, smart advice puncutated by laugh-out-loud moments and self-deprecating stories. As a speaker, she's generous, warm, and entertaining. And as a marketer, she's a sharp strategist, a student of the craft and a natural empath. That's a killer combination. And SO goddamn annoying."

Tim Washer: Waiter at LongHorn's

By Ann Handley, MarketingProfs

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"Tim Washer was born at a young age and went to school, where he majored in PowerPoint, with a minor in Overhead Transparencies. From there it was an obvious transition to comedy writer, emcee, actor, producer, and, eventually, waiter at Longhorn's.

"Tim is best known for appearances and writing on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, The Onion News Network, Saturday Night Live, and that one cable spot for Bob's Discount Furniture that airs in greater Poughkeepsie.

"Tim is not just funny. He's a creative genius. But more than that, he's also a devoted dad who possesses a generous spirit, sharp marketing instincts, and whatever a word might be for 'business smarts' that is not 'acumen,' because 'acumen' sounds like something the pharmacist prescribes for your hayfever."

Doug Kessler: Facilitates Constructive Rants

By Tim Washer, Cisco

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"One of the first rules I learned in comedy is that the most efficient path to discovering your voice is by exploring the things that make you angry. Doug Kessler and his team at Velocity simplified this process in theMarketing Manifesto. They made it so easy that even the corporate suits can learn to constructively rant. All of this from one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. It kinda makes me mad."

Darren Rowse: There's More to All This Than 'Gee Whiz'

By Chris Brogan, Owner Media Group

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"Darren Rowse runs problogger, which many of us turned to as possible proof that there was more to all this than gee whiz and complaining. His Digital Photography School went on to be huge as well. Sticking quite close to his knitting after all these years, he is every bit as prophetic and brilliant in what he covers as he was then."

Denise Jacobs: Creative, Vibrant, and Full of Possibility

By Marcia Conner, Author

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"Creative. Vibrant. Full of possibility. That’s the world Denise Jacobs magically draws people into. She works in the eye of the storm, sparking big ideas, and catalyzing change. Through her organization 'The Creative Dose,' she channels creative genius, translating new approaches into actionable ideas, assisting people in finding their place in the sun. Curious, participative, and engaged, Denise is a force of nature, showing us new and better ways for us to be."

Which INBOUND15 speakers are you most excited to see? Share with us in the comments below -- or, better yet, on your own blogs. Be sure to use the #speakerfan hashtag!