More Money Saved Because People Found This Blog

As the economy tanks, we can be sure of one thing.... I have saved many people money -- speakers like you and me who work hard for our money and don't have extra to throw away on non-services like those offered by ISN or Book a speaker, or any of the other names they are using these days -- because they have found this blog.

At last count, at least 14 people have told me they were thinking of signing up, but found the information on this blog, and decided against it. That means I've saved folks at least $7000 and maybe more!

Joseph is the latest. He asked, "what's the scoop with these folks?" So I told him. I've also noticed a speaker named Lt. Col. Bob Weinstein just attended one of their workshops. I hope he learns what they WON'T do for him before he spends any more money. He certainly sent out enough press releases talking about it.

It truly helps me sleep at night to know I've saved so many people grief, stress and hassle. Thanks for listening.

Getting Back at the International Speakers Network

See the comment below -- someone has asked what we can do to put the International Speakers Network and Book a Speaker. net out of business.

What I know is that there are dozens, if not hundreds of people who have paid money for services never rendered. Promises made, not kept. Frustration -- and David Wright and his son, Greg Wright, laughing up their sleeves at all of us who sent money and really expected they were going to help us out!

The point was made that "none of the people who worked there two years ago are there now." There is at least one -- Dona is still there as far as I know. I also know Brenda went out on her own to scam people all by herself. Turns out she just finished her 10 years of probation for stealing a quarter million dollars from her last employer! (Wow -- must make it tough to find a new job. No honor among thieves?)

If you have had problems with the International Speakers Network, here are some things that you can do to make sure others don't waste their money:

1. The more information written online about ISN and its bad business, the more chance someone searching for information about them will find it. What we know about rising in the ranks in search engines is that the more links that come IN to a site, the higher it ranks.
2. If everyone who has been scammed starts a blog like this, or is willing to link from an existing website, then all these posts will rise in the search engines. So you can start by writing a blog and linking to this blog: http://burnedbyisn.blogspot.com/
3. Once you have written a blog, let me know, and I will link back. We can start a whole group of blogs that are linking to each other -- and they will all rise in the search engine results.
4. The Rip Off Report already shows up on the first page of search results. Go to the Rip Off report and add to the information I have started there. You'll have to sign up, but you'll find it can be useful. I started the first post there many months ago, and since then, someone from ISN (pretending they weren't!) posted. Then just a few days ago, someone else posted about problems again. The more people who post, the better. Here's the link: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/291/RipOff0291778.htm
5. File with the Knoxville Better Business Bureau. There are a few, and because David Wright replies with so much bull-pooky, you won't get your money back. BUT -- file anyway. It takes only a few minutes and it causes ISN to have to do the paperwork. Even if you don't get your money back, you get the satisfaction of knowing that the BBB knows these guys are scam artists. Here's the link for the BBB: http://knoxville.bbb.org/WWWRoot/Report.aspx?site=57&bbb=0533&firm=11488 It does say ISN has an "unsatisfactory" record -- but that and a quarter....
6. Lawsuit -- I'm going to let someone else pick up the ball on that one. It's easy enough for me to get back in touch with all those I know have been scammed -- probably about two dozen people I know about who have reached out to me. We can always reach out to others on their list of speakers.

Please let me know if you do any of the above and I'll do updates to this blog.

February 2008 Report -- More Dollars Saved!

It's been a busy couple of months since my last post.

First -- the good news: I've been contacted by four more people since the first of the year with questions about my experience with the International Speakers Network. I shared my story with them and each one has decided against doing any business with these money-stealing bozos. I saved them each about $600, right? You do the math.

Second -- more good news: I was contacted by some people who run workshops for people who want to be speakers. They have a great blog called Hidden Speaker Treasures of the Internet. They asked if they could use my experience to present at a conference they would be giving in San Francisco this month. Perhaps that's why the counter on this blog went up so high so quickly? Happy to be of service. If I kept even more people who have not contacted me from spending their hard earned money, it's worth sharing my story.

Third - still more good news: Knowing the ISN would not be helping me after all, I began searching the internet for conferences that focus on the topics I can speak to. I'm happy to report I've had some success. I have seven talks booked between now and October and bites on two more. There is life after the International Speaker's Network.

Bad news? yes, of course. I have not heard one single word from David Wright or Brenda Keefer or Greg Wright or any of the rest of them. They still have all my money and they have left me with nothing but the knowledge that karma will get them.

What goes around comes around ISN.... I hope even more people find this blog and save their money. At least I hope they don't give it to you.

Closing Out the Year on ISN

Two updates to report here -- hope they are helpful to you.

First, I was contacted by someone who found this blog in a search as she was researching ISN and bookaspeaker.net, and she contacted me to find out if I was bonafide and had a legitimate gripe.

I gave her the info she needed and I'm pleased to say that she has passed on the "opportunity" to work with ISN / bookaspeaker.net .

Secondly, I found a website called Ripoff Report -- and filed some information with them. Never realized one could take their bad consumer experiences online!

As of today, December 31, 2007, I have nothing to show for the money I gave the International Speakers Network. Nuttin. nada. They "tell" me they have followed through but I have nothing to even suggest they have.

Supposedly they have sent 12,000 emails on my behalf targeted specifically to my audience -- health and wellness. But if you do the math for direct mail, then there should have been inquiries from a minimum of .5% of them at this point -- that's one half of one percent.

That math means I should have heard from a minimum of 60 people interested in my speaking services -- and I have not heard from a single one.

I hope this blog will serve to help you decide whether to work with ISN / Innovator's Group / Insight Publishing / bookaspeaker.net all located in Sevierville, TN.

I am so very sorry I wasted my money.

Heard back from the Better Business Bureau

Got the final word from the Better Business Bureau. They have done what they can do, the International Speakers Network is unwilling to budge.

They would rather keep the $950 they owe me than follow through on what their contract with me is, or reimburse the money they stole from me.

Yes -- I use that word "STOLE" -- because in good faith, I paid them for services they have not rendered. It's been more than six months and I have nothing to show for the money I gave them to help market my speaking abilities. Zippo. Nada.

I will continue being a thorn in their sides.

If you are considering joining their organization, or doing business with them in any way -- please consider my experience before sending your hard earned money to these people who make promises they don't keep.

I ask again: David Wright, Greg Wright, Brenda Keefer and others -- how DO you sleep at night? You call yourself good Christians. I believe instead that you give Christians a bad name.

They've Ignored the Better Business Bureau

Just checked in with the Better Business Bureau in Knoxville, Tennessee (closest city to Sevierville, TN with a BBB) --

Seems that David Wright, nor Greg Wright, nor any of their associates have bothered to respond to my complaint. A second notice has been sent. They have until Weds of this week to reply (11-21-07).

If you are interested in seeing their postings for the International Speaker's Network, link here.

http://knoxville.bbb.org/WWWRoot/Report.aspx?site=57&bbb=0533&firm=11488

Please note, they are also called Insight Publishing.

I'll keep you posted.

New! Want to keep abreast of this problem? Contact me at: burnedbyisn(at)hotmail.com and I'll add you to my growing email list.

Two weeks later....

Tap, tap, tap..... still waiting....

Much has happened since I last wrote -- but none of it good -- and nothing resolved....

I did file a complaint with the Knoxville, Tennessee Better Business Bureau (BBB). They have until tomorrow to reply to the complaint. As mentioned previously, ISN (International Speakers Bureau) has an unsatisfactory record with the BBB -- wish I had been smart enough to find that out before signing up with them.

(Sevierville, where ISN is located, is about an hour's drive from Knoxville, in the eastern part of Tennessee -- not far from Dollywood and Gatlinburg -- a beautiful area of the country.)

I finally had a conversation with David Wright, the president of ISN. Very slick man. It was a pleasant enough conversation -- and he PROMISED ME -- that I would receive not only a copy of the email that was sent out to (supposedly at this point) 4,000 meeting planners, but the lists of who those meeting planners are, too.

I was going to have all of those by last Friday.

Surprise!! They sent me the same pdf they sent previously -- which showcases 4 people plus me -- BUT -- NO marketing information, NO contact information, NO way to get in touch with any of the 5 of us OR anyone at the ISN.

To remind you.... I contacted those same people the first time this information was sent to me, and this is what I learned from them:

• I had a bit of a clue of what I would hear back because of the other four people, only one even addresses health and wellness issues.
• Not one of them is supposed to be included in that mailing. None of them paid for it.
• Three of them mentioned that they had purchased services for other mailings. Not one of them has ever seen any of those mailings. As far as they know, none were ever emailed.
• None of them has ever been booked as a speaker through ISN or Book a Speaker -- not one booking among five people. Not one.

I have sent one more request for my money back to David Wright and his posse.

Honestly, I don't know how they sleep at night!

I'll keep you posted...

Is this smear blogging?

I did write to ISN yesterday. Heard back from Greg Wright who said it was the first time he had heard about my disappointment with their service. That's possible.

I made a correction and suggested my disappointment was about their LACK OF service.

He asked me to desist with my smear blogging. I told him this blog is merely a recount of my experience.

He told me that in fact, all the mailings I had contracted for had been sent and he had directed Brenda to send me the confirmations.

The program he's referring to is an email that was supposed to be sent out to 12,000 conference planners with a pdf listing me as a Top 5 speaker.

So I asked him to send me -- within the hour -- a copy of the pdf. Afterall, if it's already been sent out to the conference planners it shoud be nothing at all to send me a copy, right?

So far nuttin. In fairness, all this took place at 5:30 in the afternoon. Perhaps I'll receive it this morning.

I also told him I want the names and contact info for three of the people it was sent to so I can talk to them to verify they received it.

I'll keep you posted.

Still playing dumb....

If you've read this far, and you are still considering spending your hard-earned money with the International Speaker's Network (located in Sevierville, TN ) -- consider my experience:

It's been 4 months since I spent nearly $1,000 to sign up with Book A Speaker, an ISN service, and to be included in an email that supposedly goes to meeting planners. Nothing. Still nothing.

And -- they are claiming they don't owe me any money. However -- I'm still fighting it.

I wish I didn't get mixed up with this bunch! I've contacted almost a dozen of their other speakers and to date I can't find one single person who has ever been booked through their program -- not one.

Nor can I find any conference producers who have ever even heard of them!

These are the business names they use:

BookaSpeaker.net
Insight Publishing
International Speakers Network
The Innovator's Group

The Better Business Bureau listing cites Greg Wright as the contact person -- I think he is David Wright, the owner's son. Doesn't make David much of a role model, does it?

In my experience, corraling us speakers is just their way of getting us to print our speaker materials -- except -- the promises they make to me as a speaker are empty. It makes me wonder what their promises are to authors?

I'll keep you posted.