Keynote Speaking
I Don’t Have a Signature Keynote
Most speakers have 3-5 polished talks they deliver to any audience. They’re good at what they do. They’re also giving you a performance, not a thinking experience.
I approach speaking the same way I approach coaching: the curriculum is wherever you’re stuck.
Before I speak to your group, I want to understand what they’re actually wrestling with. What assumptions are holding them back. What patterns they can’t see. What question they’re not asking.
Then I craft content specifically for them. New every time.
What Makes This Different
I don’t give answers. I help people see differently.
Most keynotes give you frameworks, tactics, inspiration. You leave feeling motivated but not fundamentally changed.
I ask questions that make you uncomfortable in a good way. Challenge assumptions you don’t know you have. Use stories across 40 years and 15+ industries to reveal patterns you couldn’t see before.
You might leave with action items. Or you might leave questioning everything you thought you knew about your business. Both are valuable.
I bring pattern recognition, not best practices.
I’ve worked inside operations across ministry, TV production, retail, commercial storage, headhunting, web marketing, plus 25 years coaching SMB owners. This means I can show you how your challenge appears in completely different contexts - which often creates the breakthrough.
The goal is trust-building at scale.
Speaking is how people get exposed to how I think. If it resonates, some will reach out for coaching. If it doesn’t, they won’t. That’s the right outcome either way.
Recent Speaking Topics
Topics change based on the audience’s actual needs. Recent examples:
For business owners navigating AI: “You’re Not Afraid of AI - You’re Afraid of What It Means: Leading Through Transition You Don’t Fully Control”
For entrepreneurial groups: “How Are You Complicit in Creating the Conditions You Say You Don’t Want? Seeing What You Can’t See as a Business Owner”
For family business conferences: “When the Business Holds You Hostage: Building Businesses That Serve Your Life”
For leadership teams: “The Fixer’s Paradox: How Successful Entrepreneurs Become the Constraint in Their Own Growth”
These aren’t fixed keynotes I repeat. They’re examples of how I’ve approached specific audiences. Your group would get content crafted for their actual challenges.
What Audiences Experience
Questions that shift perspective.
Not rhetorical questions for effect, but real questions that make you reconsider assumptions you’re operating from.
Stories that reveal patterns.
I draw from 40 years across wildly different industries to show how your challenge appears elsewhere - which helps you see it differently in your context.
Discomfort in a useful way.
I’m not there to make you comfortable. I’m there to help you see what you can’t see. That requires some productive discomfort.
Permission to think, not just implement.
Most business content pushes you toward action. Sometimes the most valuable thing is clarity about the question, not rushing to the answer.
This Works Best When
Your audience:
- Is wrestling with real challenges, not just looking for motivation
- Can handle being challenged, not just validated
- Values insight over entertainment
- Includes potential coaching clients (business owners, executives facing transition)
You want speakers who:
- Craft content specific to your audience’s needs
- Shift how people think, not just what they know
- Ask hard questions, not just deliver polished content
- Build long-term relationships, not just deliver a talk
This Isn’t Right If
You need:
- A polished, repeatable keynote on a standard topic
- Pure entertainment or motivation
- Someone who speaks 100+ times per year
- A speaker who stays in their lane and doesn’t challenge the audience
I’m selective about speaking engagements. This isn’t a major part of my business - it’s trust-building at scale and positioning for coaching work.
How We Work Together
Discovery conversation:
Before I agree to speak, we talk about your audience. What they’re actually facing. Where they’re stuck. What assumptions might be limiting them.
Content development:
I craft content specifically for your group. This isn’t a stock keynote - it’s built for their reality.
Delivery:
Typically 45-90 minutes, depending on format. Can be keynote, workshop, or facilitated conversation. The format adapts to what serves your audience.
Follow-up:
Some attendees will reach out for coaching conversations. That’s the real goal - not applause, but connection with people ready to do deeper work.
Investment
Speaking fees vary based on:
- Audience size and context
- Preparation required
- Travel logistics
- Whether this is lead generation opportunity or pure service
Contact me to discuss your specific event and needs.
Let’s Talk About Your Event
If you’re looking for a speaker who will challenge your audience to think differently - not just motivate them or deliver polished content - let’s have a conversation about what your group is actually facing.