What it took to get a $100,000,000 contract
- Brandon Gaydorus
- Dec 28, 2025
- 3 min read
A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to interview legendary comedian and ventriloquist Terry Fator, who not only won America’s Got Talent in 2007, but also signed a $100,000,000, 5 Year contract in Las Vegas shortly after that in 2008.
So, here were my main takeaways from our conversation that helped lead to this epic 9-figure contract!
1.) Make the Decision
When Terry was younger, he decided he would be the best. It wasn’t an if; it was an I’m going to do whatever it takes to make that happen.
One thing that has helped me continue to get better in the speaking world is taking time to learn from the best. Every time I see a great speaker or comedian, I feel like there’s a new sense of motivation to work on things I picked up from their show.
This is why, at most speaker schools, we take our attendees to see a comedy show one night, so they can see someone work a room with a mic and a message.
2.) The Best are Willing to Work 50x Harder Than the Greats
When asking Terry what it was like to build up to becoming the best ventriloquist in the world. He talked about how most people follow the 10,000-hour or 10-year rule to be considered experts in their field.
Instead of being content with becoming great at what he did, he talked about how he’s probably spent 500,000 hours working on mastering his craft.
I did the math and realized that wasn’t possible, but it gave me perspective on how someone like him is always looking for ways to improve even into his late 50s.
A lot of people ask me why I got into comedy, and it wasn’t to sell out theatres. It was because I noticed the best speakers in the world were adding more humor into their speeches, it was almost like they were entertainers who were educating.
2.5 years into comedy, I have no regrets. I’m grateful for all of the connections and learning experiences throughout that time.
3.) It’s Not Always Pretty on the Way Up
Terry talked about how one time, he performed at a fair with only one person in the audience, and how that prepared him for moments like the preliminary audition for America’s Got Talent, where there were 6 people in the room.
This year, I had a paid speaking engagement where there were 5 people in the room to start, I told the head of the event. Hey, that’s 5 people to impact.
By the end of the 75-minute keynote, there were about 30 people in the room, many with teary eyes toward the end from my closing message.
At the cocktail hour, shortly after, I probably had a third of those people come up to me and talk about something that touched them from my speech.
I think about Terry’s advice quite often and believe this would be a great thing to share with y’all for this week's Newsletter!
All the best,
Brandon Gaydorus
Upcoming Speaker School Masterminds
January 23rd & 24th, 2026 (Stamford, CT)
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This post first appeared on LinkedIn on December 20, 2025.
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