Jia, in brief:

Jia Jiang is an award-winning speaker on Emotional Intelligence and Overcoming Rejection. He is the honoree of the 2019 Toastmasters Golden Gavel Award for accomplishments in the fields of communication and leadership. His popular TED talk has frequently been used in sales trainings and classrooms all over the world. Jia started his journey with the blog 100 Days of Rejection, which became the basis of his bestselling book Rejection Proof: How I Beat Fear and Became Invincible. Through his work, Jia provides inspiration and tools for people and organizations to become courageous through rejection.

The TED Talk Everyone Loves

Giving a TED talk about an idea worth spreading had always been a dream of mine. So when TED invited me to give one on What I Learned From 100 Days of Rejection in 2015, I was ecstatic. However, it's one thing to have a TED microphone. It's another thing to deliver an amazing talk that moves the audience and impacts future online viewers. So I practiced and rehearsed hundreds of times, and gave it all on the stage.

A few years later, the Rejection talk has become one of the most viewed TED talks of all time, with 10M views and counting. It's shared among companies, schools, and churches everywhere in the world where rejection happens. It goes to show the reach of the TED platform, but also the power of authenticity, humor, and a universally relatable topic.

This TED talk also launched a speaking career, culminating in my receiving the 2019 Golden Gavel Award from Toastmasters International for being a top speaker.

Getting the annual Golden Gavel Award from Toastmasters, an organization I have admired forever was a highlight

How I Approach Speaking

I believe giving a great speech involves influencing the audience on different levels. You start by hitting their hearts, then impacting their mind, and end up moving them to action.

Heart - almost all great talks start with a personal story, an experience every audience member can relate to. Whether through laughter, tension, anticipation, or tear, the stories draw people into the speaker's world. My goal is to take the audience on an emotional ride and let them relive my unexpected journey of 100 Days of Rejection.

Mind - stories and emotions are great, but that's not all. An effective speech will also hit the audience on an intellectual level. It teaches the audience new ideas, perspectives, and discoveries. They carry out TED's mantra - delivering (an idea worth spreading). In my talk, I give the audience three key takes aways on: 

  • How to overcome fear

  • How to turn NO into YES

  • How to ask with power and conviction

Action - this is a part that most speakers overlook or ignore. You can entertain, encourage and inform the audience, but the best speeches also inspire action. I let the audience return to their "real world" with a list of ideas to try, and an action plan to implement. (By event organizer's request) I even give them a 30-day Boldness Challenge, so they can actionize what they just learned, and make a real impact in their business and careers.

My Speech Sizzle Reel

Past Clients

256 Events and Counting - Invite Jia to Speak

Testimonials

  • "Jia Jiang was absolutely amazing! We had hundreds of people present from across the country (from large cities to rural towns) and he was inspirational, funny, and relatable to everyone in the room. We just loved him! Our best keynote speaker in a long time!"

  • "Jia had one of the largest audiences we can get at our Google Author talks. He was so successful that he returned a year later. Jia helps others shift how they think about rejection, so they can be more resilient in the world and go after new challenges and adventures both personally and professionally. More people need to listen to Jia so they can also see that they have the power to face their fears and do anything they want."

  • "Really great having Jia in the last session, where we did it differently by not showing his TED talk ahead of his talk. Such a relevant topic, delivered with much humility and grace."

  • "Jia has a rare combination of humility, vulnerability, and humor that will disarm, delight and provide practical skills to those you are training. He was a pleasure to work with and willing to customize his content to our leaders. His content applies to leaders at any level of an organization, who will all be won over by his open and genuine speaking style. I highly recommend him for any event you might need a strong communicator."

My Interview on NBC Today Show

Speaking Inquiry