At the inaugural Speechwriters of Color conference, David Meadvin, CEO of One Strategy Group, joined a panel moderated by Bloomberg Law’s Khorri Atkinson and featuring Liz Lebron, founder of Blue Nexus Group. The panel focused on career advice for aspiring speechwriters looking to navigate and expand their roles in communications.
The conference, held on Capitol Hill and founded by Michael Franklin, is designed to elevate and provide opportunities for speechwriters of color in an industry often lacking in diversity. Against the backdrop of Washington, DC, a city that shaped the early days of Meadvin career, he offered practical tips and strategic advice that could serve as a roadmap for speechwriters eager to broaden their horizons.
“Speechwriting is a profession that gets you in the room,” Meadvin said. “The question is: What do you do once you’re there?”
For Meadvin, being "in the room" wasn’t just about writing speeches for political leaders, including during his time on Capitol Hill and in the Obama administration. It was about understanding the value of positioning oneself not only as a writer but as a trusted advisor and strategist. This mindset, he suggested, is what ultimately helped him transition from politics into the boardroom, where he now advises CEOs and executives with his colleagues at One Strategy Group.
One of the key points he emphasized was the need to be proactive once you’re given access to decision-makers. “Always remember the value of ‘and.’ Are you just a scribe, sitting quietly and producing work? Or do you find opportunities to be a writer and a strategist?” he asked the audience. Meadvin described how, early in his career, he recognized the importance of leveraging those opportunities to not just write speeches, but to contribute to the broader strategic conversations happening around him.
He urged the audience to strive for their best possible work always, sharing a personal anecdote that struck a chord with the room. As an in-house executive communications lead for a major company, Meadvin once spent weeks drafting a keynote speech for the CEO, only to receive feedback that read simply: "This is a six." The lesson, he said, was about constantly pushing oneself beyond mediocrity, even when things seem "good enough."
“Challenge yourself to be an eight or nine,” Meadvin advised, underscoring his commitment to high standards. This, he explained, is what sets good writers apart from great ones—those who not only fulfill the requirements of their roles but exceed expectations and think bigger.
Looking to the future of speechwriting, Meadvin didn’t shy away from acknowledging the growing influence of artificial intelligence AI in the industry. While he recognized that AI could replace some of the more technical aspects of writing, he argued that the true value of a speechwriter lies in the relationships they build and the trust they earn.
"AI might write passable content," he said, "but it can’t replace the trust you build as a a trusted advisor who’s been ‘in the room’ again and again, building the pattern recognition of leadership and complex decision-making."
In an industry that’s facing rapid technological changes, Meadvin believes the key to longevity is to pivot and adapt. His final advice to the room of speechwriters was clear: Build trust and always offer something more than what’s expected. Those traits, he believes, will ensure speechwriters remain indispensable in an AI-driven future.
The first-ever Speechwriters of Color conference highlighted Meadvin’s deep ties to both the speechwriting community and his commitment to helping the next generation of communicators succeed. For him, the journey from political speechwriting to corporate strategy has been about staying adaptable, and his message to attendees was clear: Don’t just be a writer—be a strategist, be a leader, and always aim higher.
