The Sweeney Agency

About David Ben - Speaker on Innovation and Creative Problem-solving:

A former tax attorney with a law degree from London School of Economics, David Ben is unlike any speaker you have ever seen before. Author of Advantage Play: A Manager's Guide to Creative Problem Solving, David was educated at the University of Toronto (BA), the University of Western Ontario (LLB), and the London School of Economics (LLM). He retired from practicing tax law to pursue his passion for creativity, performing and community. David was the sole protege of Ross Bertram - one of the great sleight of hand artists of the 20th century. David is a member of London's prestigious Magic Circle (Member of the Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star) and has performed throughout the United States, Canada, England and Japan.

David has written two other books: Tricks, was a how-to book for magicians published by Squash Publications, and his most recent Dai Vernon: A Biography, the first volume of a long awaited portrait of the life and times of the most influential magicians of the twentieth century.

David Ben is subject of the Award-Winning Documentary Film A Conjuror In The Making, which aired on A&E and on CBC's Adrienne Clarkson Presents. He is Co-Creator and Performer in The Conjuror and The Conjuror's Suite, which enjoyed extended runs at The Shaw Festival, Charlottetown Festival, and the Royal Ontario Museum Theatre.

What David Ben Talks About:

In his remarkable interactive presentations, David takes your audience on a journey into the world of creative problem solving. Demonstrating that problem solving is at the heart of everyone's business, David demystifies the process by taking his audience behind the scenes of the world of magic and revealing the tricks of the trade. By explaining the methods used by magicians, gamblers, and psychics, David demonstrates fundamental points about the creative process.

David's presentation focuses on assessing opportunity based on the needs of the customer, maximizing opportunity by discovering new applications for existing products and services, using negative people to the advantage, closing the sale, and understanding the importance of the after sell and its role in developing new and repeat business and inspiring confidence in colleagues and co-workers.

Most of all, David demonstrates the true meaning of being proactive. As a magician, David has to make miracles happen. By performing magic and then explaining how the magic was created, people learn that success in magic and business is the result of the cumulative effect of many apparently inconsequential details most people take for granted. It is a unique approach to learning a few new tricks for the trade presented by a unique individual - David Ben.