Communication
Clients across every industry are asking for speakers who can help improve communication inside their companies. Strengthening communication skills is one of the most valuable investments an organization can make—it builds trust, loyalty, alignment, and ensures everyone is working toward the same goals. Based on our research and client feedback, here are our highly‑rated speakers on improving communication at work in 2026.
About
Jay Acunzo: Business Storyteller | Author of Break the Wheel | Speaker on Differentiation, Messaging and Public Speaking
Make Your Ideas Matter More
Jay Acunzo helps organizations answer that question with a clearer message and a stronger story. Drawing on marketing experience at Google, ESPN, and HubSpot, he shows audiences how to build ideas that resonate and move people to act. The Sweeney Agency
Why Book Jay Acunzo?
Jay helps marketing, sales, and leadership audiences define the idea they want to be known for—and communicate it so the right people care. His sessions connect differentiation to the words, stories, and presentations teams use every day.
That makes his keynote especially valuable when an organization has strong expertise but struggles to explain why its work matters.
What Makes Jay Different?
- Experience developing stories and original content for brands and business leaders
- A focus on finding one clear, ownable idea
- Practical tools audiences can use to sharpen their message
- An engaging presentation style rooted in the craft he teaches
- A keynote he customizes to the audience and its goals
Why Is Jay Right for Your Audience?
Jay is a strong fit for marketing conferences, sales meetings, leadership events, and client programs. He is particularly relevant when a team feels pressure to publish more or speak louder while its central message remains unclear.
Book Jay when your audience needs to:
- Differentiate its ideas in a crowded market
- Explain value in language buyers remember
- Build a consistent story across marketing, sales, and leadership
- Turn expertise into a clear point of view
- Create stronger presentations and thought leadership
- Move people from attention to trust and action
Audience Takeaways
Attendees will leave:
- Better able to identify a signature idea their audience cares about
- Equipped to make their message clearer and more distinctive
- Ready to develop stories that make their expertise relevant
- More confident speaking to customers, colleagues, or larger audiences
- Focused on the influence of their ideas
Keynote Programs
Resonance Over Reach
Jay’s most-booked keynote helps audiences clarify their message and organize their work around an idea they can own. Ideal for marketing, sales, brand, and executive audiences.
The Last Great Advantage
Jay explores public speaking as a valuable human skill in the AI era. By breaking down effective talks, he gives audiences structures and techniques they can use to make their own presentations more compelling.
The Power of a Premise
Jay shows teams how a clear premise can distinguish their work, strengthen their storytelling, and make their expertise easier to remember. Ideal for organizations building thought leadership or refining how they communicate their value.
Why Contact The Sweeney Agency Now?
Tell us what you want people to say or do differently after the event. We can help you choose Jay’s most relevant keynote, discuss customization, and confirm his availability and current fee.
Is Jay Right for Your Event?
Tell us about your audience, the message you want to sharpen, and the action you want to inspire. We’ll help you assess Jay’s fit and plan the next step.
To check availability and fee of this speaker, call 1-866-727-7555 or email [email protected].
About
Click here to receive your Customized List of the Best Speakers on Sales
Our Sales Speakers have used their knowledge to adapt and create actionable and engaging presentations on how organizations can pivot to embrace the opportunities presented by the pandemic.
Ranging from Virtual Keynotes to Fireside chats, all with interactive elements, let our Sales Speakers help your 2021 Sales Conference.
We work with some of the best Sales Speakers in the speaking world and asked them all the same question:
What is your number 1 sales tip?
Here’s how they answered:
Saying “yes” implies a course of positive action. The predictable expletive, “No!” can fill up our time and energy because saying “no” is
frequently a commitment to an unproductive struggle that reinforces helplessness and inertia.
Responding positively to problems is the prerequisite to overcoming bad things that occur so we can break down our challenges and move forward.
People thrive on challenges, and are the winners who get things done.
Scott McKain is a Dynamic Speaker on Innovation, Sales & Customer Service.
2. The 80/20 Rule – Tim Sanders
Some great advice we received from Tim Sanders, VP of Customer Insights for Upwork just after starting The Sweeney Agency:
“Don’t think about sales or closing deals, just position yourself so that whenever you can help someone you help them, without any expectations. 20% of the people you help you’ll never hear from again, but that won’t matter because you will certainly hear back from the other 80%. They will remember you and your incredible help and that will create such great relationships
that you will build both a great business and a great life.”
Tim Sanders is a renowned Communication and Leadership Speaker.
3. A Vision of the Future – Ryan Estis
Communicating compassionately, consistently, confidently and courageously is precisely what is required during a crisis. Our research has found that two of the biggest drivers of engagement and commitment from employees are confidence in their senior leadership and confidence in the future of the
organization.
Now is the time to model scenarios to create a long-term plan and vision for your business, fully aware that you will be agile enough to adapt when new information is available or the landscape suddenly changes.
Ryan Estis speaks on Business Performance, Leadership and Sales.
4. Be Indiana Jones – Sterling Hawkins
At the climax of Indiana Jones & The Holy Grail, the Nazis are turned to dust after selected a gem studded chalice they believe to be the Holy Grail. Indy chooses a simple wooden cup that is in fact the true Holy Grail.
In the context of business, most of us scramble to have the “right” message on social media or want to make things look a certain way. The same optics that make the false grail so beautiful.
This is a powerful lesson: the substance of something, is ultimately infinitely more important than what it looks like. Optics may present a short term gain but will always lose in the long run and at a macro level.
5. Ask Open-Ended Questions – Diana Kander
Your customers’ natural inclination is to be nice, not honest. Open-ended questions give your potential customers the option to respond very honestly and to fully explain the problems they’re
facing (that your product may or may not solve).
Ask leading questions that broadcast the answer you want to hear, such as:
- “Are you…”
- “Will you…”
- “Won’t you…”
- “Didn’t you…”
- “Can’t you…”
Diana Kander is an Entrepreneur, Author, and Speaker on Innovation.
Get in touch to book your next great sales speaker.
Kim Becking
Communications and PR strategist, Trusted Media Expert, and Bestselling Author
About
Kim Becking: Keynote Speaker | Bestselling Author | Expert on Change, Resilience and Unstoppable Momentum
Build Momentum Through Change
Kim Becking helps audiences turn that question into action. Drawing on her research into change, resilience, and human behavior, she gives people practical ways to shift their mindset, strengthen connections, and build momentum amid uncertainty.
Why Book Kim Becking?
Kim brings energy and useful tools to conversations about change. She helps audiences recognize what they can influence, respond more effectively to setbacks, and take the next step even when circumstances remain uncertain.
Her message can be tailored to leaders, teams, sales professionals, and association audiences facing rapid change or sustained pressure.
What Makes Kim Different?
- A research-informed approach to change, resilience, and human behavior
- Practical strategies audiences can use during periods of uncertainty
- A focus on moving forward together
- Experience speaking to corporate and association audiences
- An energetic style that makes serious challenges easier to discuss and act on
Why Is Kim Right for Your Audience?
Kim is a strong fit for leadership conferences, employee events, association meetings, and sales gatherings. She is especially relevant when people are managing constant change, competing demands, or a loss of momentum.
Book Kim when your audience needs to:
- Adapt to change with greater confidence
- Build resilience during demanding periods
- Replace overwhelm with a practical next step
- Strengthen connection and collaboration across teams
- Lead others through uncertainty
- Sustain motivation toward shared goals
Audience Takeaways
Attendees will leave:
- Better able to recognize and reframe unhelpful reactions to change
- Equipped with practical ways to regain focus and move forward
- More aware of how connection supports resilient teams
- Ready to take ownership of actions within their control
- Motivated to build momentum for themselves and others
Keynote Programs
Ignite Unstoppable Momentum
Kim shows audiences how to use adaptability, resilience, and mindset to navigate a fast-changing world. Ideal for conference and employee audiences seeking renewed energy and a practical path forward.
Resign as General Manager of the Universe
This keynote invites people to release the pressure to manage everything, refuel, and refocus on what matters. Ideal for audiences experiencing overwhelm or sustained demands.
Unleash Unstoppable Momentum in Others
Kim explores how leaders can strengthen connection, engagement, and resilience through a more human approach to leadership. Ideal for managers and executive teams guiding people through change.
Build Unstoppable Momentum Together
Kim focuses on the connection and collaboration teams need to move forward together. Ideal for organizations working across functions or rebuilding shared energy around a goal.
Accelerate Unstoppable Momentum
Kim addresses the mindset and persistence sales teams need when conditions shift. Ideal for sales meetings and teams looking to maintain focus through uncertainty.
Why Contact The Sweeney Agency Now?
Tell us what is changing for your audience and the kind of momentum you want to create. We can help you choose the most relevant keynote, discuss customization, and confirm Kim’s availability and current fee.
Is Kim Right for Your Event?
Tell us about your audience, the challenges it faces, and what you want people to do differently after the event. We’ll help you assess Kim’s fit and plan the next step.
To check availability and fee of this speaker, call 1-866-727-7555 or email [email protected]
About
Ty Bennett: Leadership Speaker | Bestselling Author | Expert on Storytelling and High Performance
Turn Better Communication Into Better Results
Ty Bennett helps audiences answer both questions. A bestselling author and entrepreneur, he combines storytelling, leadership experience, and research on performance to give people practical ways to connect, influence, and achieve more.
Why Book Ty Bennett?
Ty makes communication a skill audiences can use immediately. He shows leaders how to build trust and commitment, and helps sales teams tell stories that make their value clear and memorable.
His entrepreneurial background gives those ideas weight: he built a direct sales business with his brother to more than $20 million in annual revenue by age 21. He brings that experience to keynotes that are energetic, engaging, and focused on action.
What Makes Ty Different?
- An accomplished storyteller who demonstrates the communication skills he teaches
- Experience building and leading a successful sales organization
- Bestselling books on storytelling, influence, and partnership leadership
- Research-informed insights into high performance
- Practical ideas for leaders and sales professionals to apply after the event
Why Is Ty Right for Your Audience?
Ty is a strong fit for leadership conferences, sales kickoffs, association events, and company meetings. He is especially valuable when an organization wants stronger relationships, clearer communication, or greater commitment to a shared goal.
Book Ty when your audience needs to:
- Earn buy-in and strengthen trust across teams
- Communicate ideas in ways people remember
- Make sales conversations more relevant and engaging
- Build collaboration instead of relying on authority
- Improve performance while sustaining long-term results
- Turn inspiration into specific changes in behavior
Audience Takeaways
Attendees will leave:
- Better equipped to use stories to explain ideas and move people to action
- Ready to ask better questions and create more meaningful conversations
- Clearer on how partnership builds commitment and collaboration
- Able to apply practical leadership and communication techniques
- Motivated to improve how they lead, sell, or work
Keynote Programs
Partnership Is the New Leadership
Ty shows leaders how to build commitment through communication, trust, and genuine partnership. Audiences learn ways to encourage collaboration and build stronger relationships across their organizations. Ideal for leadership and management events.
The Power of Storytelling
Ty teaches audiences how to use stories to make messages easier to understand, remember, and act on. He connects storytelling to leadership, sales, and customer relationships, giving participants tools to make everyday communication more effective. Ideal for sales, marketing, and leadership audiences.
Redefining High Performance
Drawing on his performance research and entrepreneurial experience, Ty challenges audiences to rethink how they pursue results. He explores ways to lead, sell, and perform more effectively while sustaining progress over time. Ideal for sales kickoffs and organizations aiming to raise performance.
Why Contact The Sweeney Agency Now?
Tell us where your audience needs to improve: leadership commitment, sales conversations, storytelling, or performance. We can help identify Ty’s most relevant keynote, discuss how it can fit your event, and confirm his availability and current fee.
Is Ty Right for Your Event?
Tell us about your audience, the challenges it faces, and what you want people to do differently afterward. We’ll help you assess Ty’s fit and plan the next step.
To check availability and fee of this speaker, call 1-866-727-7555 or email [email protected].
Dr. Jasmin Bergeron
International expert on the WOW Effect, Dr. Jasmin Bergeron delivered more than 2,000 keynote presentations on the WOW Effect in sales, leadership, teamwork and work-life balance.
About
Dr. Jasmin Bergeron: University Professor | Researcher | Speaker on the WOW Effect in Sales, Service and Leadership
Give People a Reason to Remember You
Dr. Jasmin Bergeron helps audiences create what he calls the WOW Effect: practical moments of value that strengthen relationships and leave a lasting impression. A university professor and researcher, he makes his findings useful through humor, interaction, and examples tailored to the people in the room.
Why Book Dr. Jasmin Bergeron?
Jasmin connects research with everyday decisions. He shows sales and service professionals how to manage expectations, increase perceived value, and build loyalty. For leaders and teams, he offers ways to improve recognition, participation, and collaboration.
He has delivered more than 2,000 presentations and workshops across industries. His programs can be customized for your organization and presented in English, French, or both.
What Makes Jasmin Different?
- A university professor who translates research into practical actions
- More than 2,000 keynote presentations and workshops
- Experience across financial services, healthcare, education, hospitality, and other sectors
- Interactive presentations that use humor and audience participation
- Bilingual delivery and the ability to tailor or combine topics for your event
Why Is Jasmin Right for Your Audience?
Jasmin is a strong fit for sales conferences, customer experience events, leadership meetings, and association programs. He is especially valuable when an organization wants its people to turn a broad goal such as “better service” into behaviors they can use immediately.
Book Jasmin when your audience needs to:
- Make customer interactions more memorable
- Strengthen trust and long-term loyalty
- Sell on value rather than relying on price
- Handle expectations and complaints more effectively
- Help managers recognize and engage their teams
- Build greater participation and cooperation among colleagues
Audience Takeaways
Attendees will leave:
- Clearer on the behaviors that create a positive lasting impression
- Ready to improve how they manage expectations
- Equipped with practical ways to build stronger customer relationships
- Better able to connect service, sales, and teamwork to daily habits
- Motivated to create WOW moments in their own roles
Keynote Programs
The WOW Effect!
Jasmin explores what makes an experience memorable and gives audiences practical ways to create more positive moments for customers, colleagues, and other important relationships. Ideal for a broad conference audience.
The WOW Effect in Sales and Business Development
Jasmin shows sales professionals how to increase the value customers see, build credibility, strengthen loyalty, and approach closing without undue pressure. Ideal for sales kickoffs and client-facing teams.
The WOW Effect in Customer Service
This keynote focuses on the interpersonal skills and service habits that help customers feel valued. Jasmin addresses expectations, complaints, and the impressions that shape satisfaction and loyalty. Ideal for service and customer experience events.
The WOW Effect in Leadership
Jasmin gives leaders practical ways to build trust, recognize contributions, and engage employees through change. Ideal for managers who want stronger teams and more consistent collaboration.
The WOW Effect in Teamwork
Jasmin explores how colleagues can increase participation, use their different strengths, and create a more supportive team environment. Ideal for organization-wide gatherings and team meetings.
Why Contact The Sweeney Agency Now?
Tell us where your audience needs to create a stronger impression: sales, service, leadership, or teamwork. We can help select or combine the most relevant topics, discuss the presentation language and format, and confirm Jasmin’s availability and current fee.
Is Jasmin Right for Your Event?
Tell us about your audience, the interactions you want to improve, and what you want attendees to do differently afterward. We’ll help you assess Jasmin’s fit and plan the next step.
To check availability and fee of this speaker, call 1-866-727-7555 or email [email protected].
Barb Betts
Sought-after keynote speaker, CEO and relentless advocate for building businesses rooted in relationships
About
Barb Betts: Human Connection Expert | Author of The Relationship Advantage | Speaker on Trust-Based Sales and Leadership
Make Relationships Your Business Advantage
Barb Betts helps leaders and sales professionals turn genuine connection into stronger trust, loyalty, referrals, and collaboration. Drawing on more than two decades in sales and leadership, she gives audiences practical ways to build relationships before they need them—and keep those relationships strong over time.
Why Book Barb Betts?
Barb makes an essential business idea actionable: people are more likely to work with, recommend, and follow those they trust. She shows audiences how consistent communication, curiosity, and follow-through can strengthen relationships with customers and colleagues.
Her message draws on the business she built through relationships and on the methods she now teaches. It is particularly useful for organizations that want more than a motivational reminder to “connect with people.”
What Makes Barb Different?
- More than 20 years of experience in sales, business building, and leadership
- A repeatable approach to building relationships, including her 5x5 Method
- Practical relevance for sales results, client loyalty, and team culture
- Personal stories that make authenticity and confidence easier to discuss
- An energetic presentation style focused on actions audiences can use
Why Is Barb Right for Your Audience?
Barb is a strong fit for sales kickoffs, leadership conferences, association events, and programs focused on customer experience or workplace culture. She is especially valuable when an organization wants to improve how its people earn trust in everyday interactions.
Book Barb when your audience needs to:
- Build relationships that lead to referrals and repeat business
- Earn trust through more intentional communication
- Strengthen client loyalty and retention
- Lead teams through connection and credibility
- Show up with greater confidence and authenticity
- Preserve human connection as technology changes how people work
Audience Takeaways
Attendees will leave:
- Ready to take practical steps to strengthen important relationships
- Better able to make clients and colleagues feel seen and understood
- Clearer on how trust grows through consistency and follow-through
- Equipped to approach sales conversations with more curiosity
- Motivated to turn connection into a daily business practice
Keynote Programs
The Relationship Advantage
Barb explains how intentional, trust-based relationships can create stronger leadership, client loyalty, referrals, and long-term growth. Ideal for audiences whose success depends on working well with people.
Unstoppable Sales Success
Barb shows sales teams how authentic connection helps them earn trust, deepen client relationships, and generate repeat business and referrals. Ideal for sales kickoffs and client-facing professionals.
The Relationship That Changes Everything
Barb addresses the self-doubt that can make authentic connection difficult. She helps audiences build confidence in who they are and bring that confidence to sales, leadership, and everyday interactions. Ideal for women’s leadership and personal development events.
The Connected Leader
Barb shows leaders how everyday communication and consistent actions build credibility and help people feel valued. Ideal for management conferences and organizations seeking stronger team engagement.
Human Connection in the Age of AI
Barb explores how leaders and teams can use technology while protecting the empathy, trust, and personal relationships that sustain loyalty and growth. Ideal for organizations adapting their customer or employee experience.
Why Contact The Sweeney Agency Now?
Tell us where stronger relationships would make the greatest difference for your audience: sales, leadership, client loyalty, or culture. We can help select the right keynote, discuss customization, and confirm Barb’s availability and current fee.
Is Barb Right for Your Event?
Tell us about your audience, the relationships it needs to strengthen, and what you want people to do differently afterward. We’ll help you assess Barb’s fit and plan the next step.
To check availability and fee of this speaker, call 1-866-727-7555 or email [email protected].
Book Your Next Great Speaker in 5 Easy Steps
5 Tips to Book your Next Great Speaker
About
Did last year's speaker knock your socks off? Not sure where to go next? Let our team of experienced professionals help you find your next great speaker.
Here's a quick guide to help you get started:
Find A Theme
Decide on a theme or topic for your event.
Going through a period of transition? Looking to shake up your creative? Building trust within your teams? We have great speakers on all of those topics.
Having trouble? Check out our IDEA GENERATOR for inspiration.
Get in Touch
Get in touch with your Event Date & Theme.
We will ask you some key questions to find the perfect speaker for your live or virtual event.
We pride ourselves on our personal touch. We are small team of dedicated professionals with over 20 years experience. When you call us, you speak to us directly... and quickly.
Shortlist
By now, we have a great idea of what you are looking for and will send you a shortlist of exceptional speakers.
Each speaker will be vetted with YOUR event in mind, along with our personal thoughts on how that speaker can inspire your attendees.
Let's talk
From the shortlist, you've narrowed it down to two great speakers. Let's discuss your needs to help make the final decision.
With over 20 years experience, you can trust us to provide all of the information you need to choose the right speaker.
We work with you to find the best format for your presentation, including live streams, Q&A sessions and even follow up programs to ensure maximum engagement for your key stakeholders.
The Details
We will facilitate a call with your leadership team & our speaker to do a deep dive into your business to make sure their presentation really hits home.
As trusted experts, you can rest easy knowing our experience will guide you every step of the way.
get in touch
Get in touch to book your next great speaker.
Anthony Bourke
Former F-16 Fighter Pilot, Popular Speaker on Peak Performance, Leadership, Communication & Sales
About
Anthony “AB” Bourke: Former F-16 Fighter Pilot | Business Leader | Speaker on Execution, Leadership and Peak Performance
Turn a Strong Plan Into Strong Execution
What helps a team stay aligned, communicate honestly, and improve when the stakes are high and conditions keep changing?
Anthony “AB” Bourke draws on his experience as an F-16 fighter pilot and business leader to answer that question. He shows audiences how the habits of high-performing flight teams—clear preparation, precise execution, and regular debriefing—can help organizations work better together.
Why Book Anthony Bourke?
Anthony makes the difference between strategy and execution easy to see. Using stories from the cockpit, he explains how teams establish a shared plan, communicate during demanding work, and learn from what happened afterward.
He also brings business experience to the stage, connecting those lessons to leadership, sales, and organizational performance. Audiences leave with ideas they can use to improve the way their own teams prepare and follow through.
What Makes Anthony Different?
- Experience flying F-16 tactical missions
- Business leadership and sales experience beyond the cockpit
- A practical model of briefing, execution, and debriefing
- Strong examples of alignment and communication under pressure
- Interactive presentations that connect aviation lessons to workplace challenges
Why Is Anthony Right for Your Audience?
Anthony is a strong fit for leadership conferences, sales meetings, management retreats, and company events focused on performance. He is especially valuable when an organization has a capable team and a sound strategy but needs more consistent execution.
Book Anthony when your audience needs to:
- Align around a plan before acting
- Communicate more openly about what is working
- Close gaps between strategy and execution
- Learn from results without turning feedback into blame
- Lead teams through fast-changing conditions
- Build habits that support continuous improvement
Audience Takeaways
Attendees will leave:
- Clearer on how preparation improves team execution
- Better equipped to give and receive useful feedback
- Ready to use debriefs to learn from both successes and setbacks
- More aware of how each person contributes to a shared mission
- Motivated to make small, repeatable improvements in performance
Keynote Programs
Executing at Mach 2
Anthony shows how fighter squadrons align their people and plans so they can perform under pressure. Ideal for teams that need to turn good strategy into dependable results.
Communicating at Mach 2
Anthony explores how honest feedback helps high-performing teams identify problems early and improve. Ideal for organizations seeking more candid communication and stronger collaboration.
Leading at Mach 2
Anthony draws on fighter-pilot leadership practices to discuss preparation, developing people, and improving as a team. Ideal for managers and executives responsible for performance in demanding environments.
Selling at Mach 2
Anthony connects the discipline of fighter-pilot training with the preparation and execution required in sales. Ideal for sales kickoffs and teams working to build more consistent performance.
The Feedback Loop: Fighter Pilot Lessons for Continuous Improvement
Anthony explains the value of regular briefing and debriefing: set expectations, carry out the plan, examine the result, and make the next effort stronger. Ideal for teams that want a practical way to learn and adapt together.
Why Contact The Sweeney Agency Now?
Tell us where execution breaks down for your audience: alignment, communication, feedback, leadership, or sales. We can help choose the most relevant program, discuss customization, and confirm Anthony’s availability and current fee.
Is Anthony Right for Your Event?
Tell us about your audience, its performance goals, and what you want people to do differently afterward. We’ll help you assess Anthony’s fit and plan the next step.
To check availability and fee of this speaker, call 1-866-727-7555 or email [email protected]
Peter Bregman
Best-selling Author and Top-ranked Global Speaker on Leadership & Personal Growth
About
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Peter teaches leaders how to lead with emotional courage by increasing their confidence, ability to connect with others and embrace change
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Audiences leave with the tools to engage on with their teams on an emotional level to guide change and support performance
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Peter is an author and contributor to more than 16 books, and a regular contributor to Bloomberg Business Week, Forbes, Fast Company and The Financial Times
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Past clients include: Allianz, American Express, Brunswick Group, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan Chase, FEI, GE Capital, Merck, Clear Channel, Nike, and UNICEF
Peter Bregman is recognized as the #1 executive coach in the world by Leading Global Coaches. Peter coaches CEOs and senior leaders in many of the world’s premier organizations. Having started his career teaching leadership on wilderness and mountaineering expeditions, Peter is CEO of Bregman Partners - an executive coaching company that helps successful people become exceptional leaders and stellar human beings.
Peter is ranked as a top 30 thought leader by Thinkers 50 Radar - and selected as one of the top 8 thought leaders in leadership. He is the award-winning, best-selling author and contributor of 16 books - including, most recently, Leading with Emotional Courage: How to Have Hard Conversations, Create Accountability, and Inspire Action on Your Most Important Work. His book, 18 Minutes: Find Your Focus, Master Distraction, and Get the Right Things Done, was a Wall Street Journal best-seller, winner of the Gold medal from the Axiom Business Book awards, named the best business book of the year by NPR - and selected by Publisher’s Weekly and the New York Post as a top ten business book. He is also the author of Four Seconds: All the Time You Need to Replace Counter-Productive Habits with Ones That Really Work, a New York Post "Top Pick for Your Career" in 2015, and Point B: A Short Guide to Leading a Big Change.
Peter is the host of the Bregman Leadership Podcast, which offers insightful conversations with industry thought leaders - on how to become more powerful, courageous leaders. He is also a regular contributor to the Harvard Business Review, and his articles and commentary appear frequently in Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Fast Company, Psychology Today, Forbes, The Financial Times , PBS, ABC, CNN, NPR, and FOX Business News.
Peter created and leads the Bregman Leadership Intensive, a four-day program that transforms the way people lead - by increasing their confidence in themselves, their ability to connect with others, their commitment to what’s most important, and their emotional courage.
Peter designed the Bregman Partners proven, proprietary Big Arrow process - to align people to work together to accomplish an organization’s most important work. The Bregman Arrow Measurement tool (BAM)©tm - quantifies the leadership and organizational gaps that block successful execution.
He has implemented his proprietary solutions with CEOs and senior leaders in many of the world’s premier organizations, including Allianz, American Express, Brunswick Group, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan Chase, FEI, GE Capital, Merck, Clear Channel, Nike, UNICEF, among others.
Peter earned his B.A. from Princeton University and his M.B.A. from Columbia University.
About
As a renowned author, speaker, television and radio personality, Les Brown has risen to national prominence by inspiring others to shake off mediocrity and live up to their full potential. With no formal education beyond high school, Les has distinguished himself as an international authority on harnessing human potential.
Born a twin in low-income Liberty City in Miami, Florida, Les and his twin brother were adopted when they were six weeks old by Miss Mamie Brown. As a single woman with a big heart, Miss Brown had very little education or financial means. With young Les' inattention to school work, his restless energy, and the failure of his teachers to recognize his potential, Les was misdiagnosed as educable mentally retarded. Suffering for years by the label and the stigma, Les was nevertheless driven by his passion to learn and his hunger to achieve his goal as a radio disc jockey.
In a humorous twist of fate and cunning, Les rose from a hip-talkin' morning DJ to a broadcast manager; from voracious reader to author; from community activist to community leader; from political commentator to three-term state legislator; from a banquet and nightclub emcee to a premier keynote speaker for Fortune 100 companies.
In 1986, Les entered the public speaking arena on a full-time basis and formed his own company, Les Brown Enterprises Inc., aimed at individuals and organizations, the company provides motivational products, personal development programs, speaker development workshops, keynote presentations and interactive business trainings.
In 1989, Les received the National Speakers Association's highest honor: The Council of Peers Award for Excellence (CPAE). In addition, he was selected one of the World's Top Five Speakers in 1992 by Toastmasters International and became the recipient of the Golden Gavel Award.
Commencing in 1990 and recording the first in a series of six PBS specials, Les launched You Deserve which was awarded a Chicago-area Emmy. It became the leading fundraiser for pledges to PBS stations nationwide.
In 1993, Les became the host of his own nationally syndicated daily television talk show, The Les Brown Show, in which he focused on solutions to the day's challenges rather than the problems.
Recognized internationally, Les is the author of three bestselling books: Up Thoughts for Down Times, Live Your Dreams, and It's Not Over Until You Win. With his Sunday morning radio talk show, Chicago Speaks with Les Brown, Les' outreach embraces the homeless and the world's most powerful leaders.
A leading authority in understanding and stimulating human potential, Les' electric and powerful delivery, stage presence and personal insights have built his international brand of "What's Possible". Les' customized presentation is driven by his approach to each unique audience. Before he gives a speech, he builds a speech. The end result is that Les teaches and inspires each audience to new levels of awareness and achievement.
About
David Brownlee: Customer Experience Expert | Bestselling Author | Speaker on Rockstar Customer Service
Why Book David Brownlee?
David pairs those tools with an energetic, approachable style and years of experience coaching business owners and executives. His presentations make customer experience everyone’s responsibility, with ideas that teams can put to work in their next interaction.
Why Is David Brownlee Right for Your Audience?
David is a strong fit for customer service conferences, sales meetings, franchise events, and company gatherings. He is especially valuable when an organization wants a more consistent customer experience across locations, teams, or channels.
Book David when your audience needs to:
- Build rapport quickly with new customers
- Handle complaints with greater confidence and empathy
- Turn difficult interactions into opportunities to earn trust
- Strengthen customer loyalty and repeat business
- Generate more referrals through better service
- Give front-line teams practical habits they can use immediately
Audience Takeaways
Attendees will leave:
- Ready to make a stronger first impression with customers
- Equipped to listen and respond more effectively when someone is upset
- Clearer on how everyday service choices influence loyalty
- Able to identify ways to improve their organization’s customer experience
- Motivated to create interactions customers remember and recommend
Keynote Programs
Rockstar Customer Service
David asks audiences to consider how they would treat a favorite celebrity as a customer—and how to bring that same attention and care to every interaction. He shares practical ways to build rapport, use empathy, and create a more memorable service experience. Ideal for front-line, sales, and customer-facing teams.
Customer Service Success: The 6 Keys to Deliver a World-Class Experience
David presents a straightforward approach to improving service, resolving customer issues, and encouraging customers to return and recommend the business. Ideal for leaders and teams seeking a shared approach to customer experience.
Is David Brownlee Right for Your Event?
Tell us about your audience, the customer interactions you want to improve, and what you want people to do differently after the event. We can help choose David’s most relevant keynote, discuss customization, and confirm his availability and fee.
Contact The Sweeney Agency 1-866-727-7555 or [email protected] for more information on this speaker.
Colette Carlson
Author & Motivational Speaker on Human Behaviour and Communications
About
Colette Carlson: Human Behavior Expert | CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame | Leadership & Communication Expert | Creator of The Human Edge™
The Human Edge™
Colette Carlson helps leaders and teams strengthen the human skills technology can't replicate—trust, empathy, presence, resilience and influence.
A Human Behavior Expert and CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame inductee, Colette combines research, humor, storytelling and highly interactive experiences to help people communicate more effectively, collaborate more deeply and perform at their best.
Why Book Colette Carlson?
Colette addresses one of today's biggest workplace challenges: people are more connected technologically, yet often more disconnected personally.
She shows leaders, teams and sales professionals how stronger human connection translates into greater trust, engagement, collaboration and performance.
Her presentations are energetic, funny and highly practical. Audiences don't simply listen—they participate, connect and leave with strategies they can immediately put into action.
What Makes Colette Different?
- CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame inductee
- Certified Speaking Professional (CSP)
- Master's Degree in Human Behavior
- More than 20 years working with organizations worldwide
- Trusted by organizations including Microsoft, FedEx, Costco, Procter & Gamble and Fidelity
- Combines humor, storytelling, research and audience interaction
- Conducts extensive pre-event research and audience interviews
- Deeply customizes her presentation to the organization, audience and event objectives
Why Is Colette Right for Your Audience?
Colette is an excellent choice when organizations need people to communicate better, build trust and strengthen the relationships that drive results.
She is particularly effective for leadership conferences, sales meetings, corporate events, association conferences and organizations experiencing change.
Book Colette when your audience needs to:
- Build stronger relationships and trust
- Communicate with greater influence
- Collaborate more effectively across teams and silos
- Strengthen resilience during change
- Create greater engagement and belonging
- Connect across different generations and working styles
- Protect the human advantage in an increasingly AI-driven workplace
Audience Takeaways
Attendees will leave:
- Better equipped to build trust quickly
- More intentional about how they communicate and connect
- Ready to strengthen collaboration across teams
- Better able to navigate difficult conversations
- More resilient when facing change and uncertainty
- Equipped with practical strategies they can immediately apply
- Energized to bring greater humanity to the way they lead and work
Keynote Programs
The Human Edge™ Because Influence Begins With Connection, Not Code
In a world increasingly shaped by technology and AI, Colette shows audiences why human connection has become a critical competitive advantage.
She explores how trust, empathy, presence and emotional intelligence strengthen leadership, teamwork and performance—and gives audiences practical ways to put those skills into action.
Ideal for leadership conferences, corporate meetings and organizations navigating the future of work.
Impactful Leadership
Great leadership isn't simply about communicating information. It's about creating the trust and connection that inspire people to act.
Colette helps leaders communicate with greater clarity, listen more effectively, strengthen relationships and create cultures where people feel seen, valued and motivated to contribute.
Ideal for leadership meetings, management conferences and organizations focused on culture and engagement.
Sales Success
Customers have more information, more choices and more technology than ever before. What still differentiates great salespeople is their ability to create genuine human connection.
Colette shows sales professionals how to build trust, listen more effectively, strengthen relationships and communicate in ways that create greater influence.
Ideal for sales kickoffs, national sales meetings and customer-facing teams.
Why Contact The Sweeney Agency Now?
The right keynote needs to do more than entertain your audience. It needs to connect directly to the challenges they are facing.
Colette is particularly committed to customization, conducting discovery conversations and audience interviews so her presentation feels relevant to the people in the room.
Contact us to:
- Confirm Colette's availability and current fee
- Identify the keynote that best supports your objectives
- Discuss customization around your audience and organization
- Explore keynote, workshop and interactive formats
- Receive comparable recommendations if another speaker may be a stronger fit
Contact The Sweeney Agency to discuss booking Colette Carlson.
Dr. Robert Cialdini
Expert in the fields of communication, compliance, and negotiation. Author of acclaimed book Influence: Science & Practice.
About
Dr. Robert Cialdini, thought leader in the field of Influence, has spent his entire career conducting, testing, analyzing, and publishing peer-reviewed scientific research on what causes people to say “Yes” to requests. The results of his research, his ensuing articles, and his New York Times bestselling books have earned him an acclaimed reputation as a respected scientist and engaging storyteller. Robert Cialdini’s books, including his New York Times Bestselling Influence and Pre-Suasion, have sold more than seven-million copies in 45 different languages.
Robert is known globally as the foundational expert in the science of influence and how to apply it ethically in business. His Principles of Persuasion have become a cornerstone for any organization serious about effectively and ethically increasing their influence.
Dr Cialdini is Regents’ Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University. Dr. Cialdini received his PhD from University of North Carolina and post doctoral training from Columbia University. He holds honorary doctoral degrees (Doctor Honoris Causa) from Georgetown University, University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Wroclaw, Poland and University of Basil in Switzerland. He has held Visiting Scholar appointments at Ohio State University, the University of California, the Annenberg School of Communications, and the Graduate School of Business of Stanford University.
In acknowledgement of his outstanding research achievements and important contributions to world knowledge , Dr. Cialdini has been elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences.
As a keynote speaker, Dr. Cialdini has earned a world-wide reputation for his ability to translate the science through valuable and memorable stories. These on-stage stories are both dramatic and indelible leading to long-term applications.
Because of this, Robert Cialdini is frequently regarded as “The Godfather of Influence”.
About
Click Here to Receive Your Customized List of Speaker Ideas
Virtual Events can:
- Reach a wider audience
- Offer a great experience at a much lower cost
- Create long term impact with recorded elements that allow for content to be watched over a period of time
- Have an increased impact over time, as viewers re-watch, discuss and connect over social media and other channels
And, most importantly: offer the ability for inspiring and impactful presentations to connect in a one-on-one way, directly to the attendee.
WHO is your audience?
Who are your virtual event attendees? Are they across a specific group within your organization, or are you serving clients across a wide range of levels? Determining who you are speaking to will help you determine a format for your event that will captivate your audience.
WHAT is your key message?
Are you focusing on change? Innovation? Leadership?
Creating a single focus or mission will allow you to hone in on the type of speaker(s) you need to engage your audience and help event producers to format the event into a dynamic program that balances inspiration with information and audience interaction.
WHAT type of event suits your audience?
- Virtual Conference
- Webinar
- Hybrid Event
Virtual event technology has come a long way over the last few months, offering a huge range of different options from pre-recorded webinars, to multi-day virtual conferences, to hybrid events with some attendees in the audience while the event is live streamed.
OUR ADVICE
A COMBINATION of live and pre-recorded elements will allow your virtual event to run smoothly and stay on time.
Many of our clients are also opting for multi-day virtual conferences with shorter segments spaced over a few days.
This allows some flexibility for attendees in different time zones and accommodates different teleworking situations for attendees, allowing them to tune in when it is convenient.
WHERE? It’s all about Tech.
Virtual meeting technology has exploded over the last few months as teleworking became the norm.
Consider your needs:
- Interactive elements like breakout rooms, polls & Q&A
- Seamless blend of live & pre-recorded elements
- Ability to replay segments
- Live tech support
If you plan for rain, it’s likely the sun will shine…
Tech isn’t perfect so don’t forget to test, rehearse and have a back up plan ready to go for your virtual event.
Pro Tip: Think of a virtual presentation like a podcast. Viewers can view the content multiple times and refer back to it.
WHEN? A Date… or Dates?
As we have all noticed, our attention spans for meeting in real life versus meeting online are a lot longer.
When deciding on a date, consider spreading your virtual event out over a few days, with a variety of speakers, interactive elements and information.
The benefits of a multi-day format:
- Viewers watch content fresh for a short period every day
- Allows attendees in different time zones to stay on top of the content
- Attendees can review & re-engage with content
Virtual Event Checklist:
Is your event?
- Interactive?
- Informative?
- Able to be rewatched?
WHY? Pandemic 2020
Just because you are online instead of in person, it doesn’t mean you are missing out on connection.
Using the technology that we have become so accustomed to over the last few months, our keynote speakers have the ability to connect to your viewers one-on-one, in a way that was impossible in live events.
FIND YOUR WHY…
What do you want the audience to leave thinking at the end of the presentation?
Apply this question to all the presentations and segments in your event to create a cohesive, impactful virtual event.
HOW? Virtual Event Checklist
To wrap it all up
- TECH: Find the right tech platform & don’t forget to test drive before your event
- AGENDA: Use a mix of live and pre-recorded segments, mixed with interactive elements, to ensure a smooth flow of events & audience engagement
- ANTICIPATION: Build up your event with emails, teasers and sneak peeks into what content will be offered
- NETWORKING: Create and encourage online chat functions, an event specific hashtag or even a dedicated event page to allow attendees to network virtually. Maximize the networking opportunities offered by your tech platform.
- EXTEND YOUR IMPACT: A dedicated social media page is a great place for attendees to connect after an event to discuss ideas and implement some of the learnings from the event.
Offer a password protected, limited time recording of keynote presentations to continue the conversation long after the virtual event has ended.
Continue the conversation with post-event touch points like emails or questions based on the key presentations.
To find a GREAT Speaker for your Virtual event, get in touch.
Quinn Conyers
Renowned Women in Leadership Keynote Speaker, Professional Event Emcee, and Corporate Communications Trainer
About
Quinn Conyers has established a reputation for transforming the speaking and communication abilities of diverse leaders/executives across multiple industries, giving them the courage to be powerful presenters, excel in their careers, and confidently address crowds internally and externally as clear, concise, and compelling communicators.
Quinn is a faculty and founding member of the Black Speakers Network (BSN) and has taught Speech Communications for 5 years at Coppin State University. In 2021 she was named one of 20 Black Women Entrepreneurs to Watch, a Distinguished Alumni from her high school and an AT&T Dream in Black Future Maker alongside Lebron James, Tabitha Brown and Sarah Jakes Roberts to name a few.
Quinn earned a Bachelor's Degree from West Chester University and a Master's from Howard University in Washington DC. Her experience as an entrepreneur, thought leader and business woman transitions well into her role as an Energetic Emcee. She has been serving and speaking for years making her the perfect partner to transform your next event into an EPIC experience.
As a result of Quinn’s business, Emcee and Speaking accomplishments she has been featured on the cover of two magazines, and in various radio, print, podcast and TV media outlets. She is often interviewed about how she is amplifying and illuminating the voices of other entrepreneurs and women in business as well as how she is using language to leave a legacy as a professional Event Emcee and Keynote Speaker.
About
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Leadership Keynote Speaker
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Former Senior VP of Sales Leadership at WaMu Investment Services and Washington Mutual
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Regular leadership contributor to Fast Company Magazine, and published in the Seattle Times, The Huffington Post, Reuters, CEO Magazine Great Britain, USA Today
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Past clients include: AIG, Crowe, Fidelity Savings, Microsoft National Bank, Shaw Communications, Yahoo!
For 25 years, Mark Crowley led nationwide teams to record-breaking success at one of America’s largest financial services companies—not through conventional management tactics, buy by tapping into the deepest source of human motivation there is: emotional connection. Entirely out of step with conventional management tactics—and with his peers—Mark proved when managers genuinely care about their employees, value them as individuals, and invest in their development, they inspire extraordinary commitment, loyalty and performance.
Recognizing that his leadership approach defied conventional wisdom, Mark set out to uncover the science that could validate it. His goal was to prove that the same profound results he experienced could be replicated by managers across industries and nations, confirming his philosophy was a measurable, repeatable driver of workplace excellence.
Mark spent two years on this quest, and the result was his groundbreaking book, Lead From The Heart: Transformational Leadership For The 21st Century—one that’s since been taught in 11 American universities.
When first published in 2011, many workplace managers were skeptical about bringing “heart” into leadership. They feared it was soft and weak. Now, in 2025, the science Mark introduced has been widely embraced by organizations worldwide. The cutting-edge discoveries that feelings and emotions drive up to 95% of human behavior—and that the human heart and brain work in tandem to shape motivation, behavior and productivity—challenges us to fundamentally rethink how we manage people.
What Mark proved is that no matter the industry, generation or education level, workers consistently excel; when they feel valued, safe, trusted and supported. Simply put. when leaders demonstrate to employees that they matter, they unlock levels of motivation and excellence common leadership methods will always struggle to achieve.
At its core, this approach has transformed the way leaders inspire performance. And, as the world of work continues to evolve—shaped by new expectations, remote collaboration, and shifting cultural priorities—the need for managers to adopt this approach has never been more urgent.
In September, 2025, Mark’s new book, The Power of Employee Well-Being: Move Beyond Commitment To Build Flourishing Teams, will advance this wisdom even further. It not only reinforces his core conclusions but unveils new and disruptive research that proves employee well-being isn’t a nice-to-have, it is a direct, consistent and powerful force for team and organizational success. Research from Oxford University and others proves that leaders who prioritize well-being create environments where employees not only thrive but outperform.
Dr. Amy Cuddy
Social Psychologist, Award-Winning Harvard Lecturer, and Bestselling Author
About
Dr. Amy Cuddy is a social psychologist, bestselling author, and keynote speaker. Her writing, research, teaching, and speaking focus on presence and performance under stress, the causes and outcomes of feeling powerful vs. powerless, prejudice and stereotyping, nonverbal behavior, the delicate balance of projecting trustworthiness and strength, and most recently, the psychology of bullying, bystanding, and social bravery.
After earning her Ph.D. at Princeton University, she was a professor at Harvard Business School (2008-2017) and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management (2006-2008). Throughout her academic career, she’s been honored with some of the highest commendations for both her teaching and her research, including the Excellence in Teaching Award from Harvard University (2018) and the Scientific Impact Award from the Society for Experimental Social Psychology (2022) for her extensive research on intergroup conflict. She continues to teach as a guest lecturer in Executive Education at Harvard Business School and at UCLAAnderson School of Management.
Her 2012 TED Talk, “Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are,” is the second-most popular of all time, with more than 70 million views. Her NYT bestseller, Presence, described in the NYT Sunday Book Review as “…concrete and inspiring, simple but ambitious - above all, truly powerful,” has sold more than half a million copies and been published in 35 languages. In 2025, she will publish her next book, Bullies, Bystanders, & Bravehearts (HarperCollins), on the psychology of bullying among adults — and how we find the courage and tools to stop it. She’s also an avid roller skater and skier, live-music lover (actually, a devoted Deadhead!), adventuring partner to her husband Paul, and hype mom to her son, Jonah, a guitarist, producer, songwriter, and student at Berklee College of Music. She lives in Venice, California.
Daryl Davis
About Daryl Davis – Musician, Author, Compelling Unifier, Klan Whisperer, and Award-winning Conflict Navigator
About
Daryl Davis is committed to helping people ignite positive change –using conversation to build bridges. His jaw-dropping experiences speak for themselves. For nearly 40 years, he’s engaged leaders of the KKK and White supremacist groups face to face to find the answer to a question: “How can you hate me when you don’t even know me?” That question stemmed from his first encounter with racism at age ten when he was pelted with rocks, bottles, and soda cans by a handful of White spectators while marching in aparade.
Seeking to understand, not to change minds, Daryl met their hatred with civility, patience, and listening. Those conversations spawned genuine and lasting friendships with many who changed their ownminds and disavowed hateful beliefs. Some even gave Daryl their robes and hoods when they did. As a speaker, Daryl is an extraordinary storyteller who inspires and empowers audiences with tools they can use to make better workplaces, communities, and relations with family and friends. Daryl’s work is chronicled in his book Klan-Destine Relationshipsand the documentary Accidental Courtesy. Daryl’s TEDx talk has over 12 million views.
Daryl graduated from Howard University with his Bachelor of Music Degree. He also holdsanHonorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Post University for the unique work he has done in the field of race relations. He has performed extensively with Chuck Berry, The Legendary Blues Band (formerly The Muddy Waters Blues Band), and many others. While music is his profession, improving race relations is his obsession. He is known to many as “The Rock'n'Roll Race Reconciliator.”
It started during a break between performances with a band at a bar one night. A man approached Daryl and remarked that this was the first time he had ever seen a Black man play piano like Jerry Lee Lewis. Daryl explained that both he and Lewis were influenced by Black Blues & Boogie-Woogie pianists, from which Rock'n'Roll and Rockabilly evolved. The man did not believe in the Black origin of Daryl’s piano style even after he said that Lewis was a friend who had shared this news with him. The man then shared news with Daryl –he was a member of the Ku Klux Klan.
This meeting, and those that followed, would lead Daryl on a journey all over America, meeting and interviewing leaders and members from KKK, neo-Nazi and Alt-Right groups at both his and their homes as well as their rallies. With his highly acclaimed, nonfiction book, Klan-Destine Relationships, Daryl become the first Black author to write a book on the Klan from in-person interviews. The award-winning documentary, Accidental Courtesy, details his journey and has been shown frequently on PBS. Daryl, who has been to 57 countries on 6 continents, is often selected by the U.S. State Department as a highly respected expert on race relations and conflict, to present programs in various countries around the world dealing with similar situations. His next book, The Klan Whisperer,is anticipated to be released in 2022.
Daryl has been doing this work since 1983 and has become the recipient of numerous Klan robes & hoods and other racist symbols, given to himby people who once hated him when they didn't even know him. Now many of them have become his friends and supporters of his work. On the other side of spectrum, for his work in bridging race relations he is the recipient of numerous awards such as the American Ethical Union's prestigious Elliott-Black Award, Carnegie-Mellon's Carl Sagan Award & Prize, Tribeca Disruption Innovation Award, MLK Award, Search for Common Ground Award, Washington Ethical Society Bridge-Builder Award, among many others. He is often sought for commentary by CNN, MSNBC, ABC News, Newsweek, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, People magazine, and many other media sources.
In Daryl’s words,“Ever since I graduated from college in 1980 with my degree in music, I’ve been a full-time musician, traveling and performing all over America and around the world. What I’ve come to find to be the greatest, most effective, and successful weapon we can use to combat ignorance, racism, hatred, and violence, is also the least expensive weapon –and the one that is least used by Americans. That weapon is called communication. We can communicate with people in space but many of us have difficulty talking to the person who lives next door because of the color of their skin, their ethnicity, their religion, their orientation, their politics, etc. We are living with 21stcentury technology in Space Age times, but there are still too many of us with Stone Age minds.”
Daryl has come in closer contact with more members of the Ku Klux Klan than most White people, and certainly most Blacks, short of being on the wrong end of a rope. What's more surprising? He intentionally continues to do so because as he says, “Ignorance breeds fear. If you do not keep that fear in check, that fear will breed hatred. Becausewe hate those things that frighten us. If you do not keep that hatred in check, that hatred in turn will breed destruction because we want to destroy those things that we hate. Why? Because they frighten us.”
When he speaks, Daryl Davis’s impact on an audience is sobering yet inspirational. More than a few members in every audience remember and ask him about the fictional character in Dave Chappelle’s comedic skit in which he plays a blind Klansman who didn't know he was Black and attends Klan rallies. Daryl shares stories that would be comical, if he weren’t putting his life on the line for a purpose. Truth is indeed stranger than fiction might ever be in Daryl’s case. People will also point out how courageous Daryl was to actually turn up at Klan rallies himself. Inevitably they bring up Spike Lee’s film BlacKkKlansman. That film depicts a Black police officer who infiltrated the KKK over the telephone and would send a White subordinate officer to Klan rallies in his place to gather damning intelligence against the Klan. The difference is not lost on the audience. Daryl had his feet on the ground in the lion's den and tells the story first-hand.
Through his work, Daryl has discovered a successful method of transforming enemies into friends. His stories of his encounters with –and transformations of –White supremacists have inspired people all over the U.S. and abroad.
His audiences leave his presentations empowered to:
- Overcome Their Fears
- Confront Their Prejudices
- Recognize Similarities
- Appreciate Differences
- Navigate Diversity
- Improve Relationships with Others
- Better Their Lives While Creating a Positive Impact on Others
In addition to his career as a performing musician, Daryl is the owner of Lyrad Music, a music publishing and licensing business. He is also an actor of stage and screen and has appeared in HBO's highly acclaimed series The Wire.
Click Here to Watch Daryl's Virtual Invitation
Alisha De Lorenzo
Human Connection Expert, High Performance Coach, and Positive Disruptor
About
Over 15 years ago, working in public education, Alisha De Lorenzo was charged with helping her failing school district improve culture and performance. A challenge that would pave the way for her to guide industries, organizations and individuals to solve seemingly intractable problems through a deceptively simple approach - Positive Deviance, which stands on one belief, in every organization there are people whose outlier practices are generating remarkable outcomes despite facing the same barriers and obstacles as everyone else. With their innovative ways living outside of the conditioned, cultural norms of the community, their solutions remain hidden in plain sight.
After years of experiencing burnout and the isolation that comes from challenging conventional thinking, Alisha recalls the feelings of hope and aliveness that came from being given the agency to discover and scale the solutions that mattered most. This changed EVERYTHING about how she viewed problems, their solutions and how to engage people in a way that brings them alive.
While Alisha’s efforts went on to transform the system of education across NJ, her influence began to spread across industries. In 2019 she was invited to speak to corporate audiences to help address the toxic work cultures, escalating mental health issues, disengagement, siloed innovation, resistance to change and ineffective leadership strategies that were plaguing companies.
Leaning on more than 20 years of combined experience as a speaker, high-performance coach, educator and therapist, Alisha shares a proven framework to help leaders uncover and scale positive disruption.
Her riveting keynote speeches and workshops provide the tools and frameworks to help teams infuse aliveness back into their work, revolutionize corporate culture and amplify the solutions.
About
Mark DeVolder is the Change Specialist and a pioneer in the field of transition management. Unique in the industry, DeVolder is one of the few speakers who teaches leaders how to change. He is a frequent presenter at top management meetings around the world, both live and virtual … from coaching NASA rocket scientists how to re-create themselves to the cultural transformation of a $42 billion merger; from pivoting to a safety-first culture in Qatar’s oil industry to preparing Egypt’s largest company to restructure itself. Mark teaches leaders about Perpetual Pivot, the process of adapting to continuous change through reinvention, innovation and anticipation.
In addition to cutting-edge content, Mark brings high-energy, humor and audience interaction to all his presentations. He uses his skill as a master storyteller to draw people into the essence of his message. Whether live or on a virtual stage, Mark has the ability to connect deeply with people: “Mark kept us glued to our screen” and “Mark was inspiring and kept the audience charged.”
Across five continents and in over 25 countries, Mark has worked with a myriad of impressive and diverse organizations, large and small, including NASA, McDonald’s, GE, Autodesk, Coca-Cola, Marriott, Siemens, Medtronic, PepsiCo, Bristol-Myers Squibb, PWC, HILTI, Verizon, Orascom Construction and Monsanto. Mark has engaged and delighted audiences from Monaco to Dubai, from Singapore to London and from Istanbul to Barcelona.
As a researcher, consultant and author, Mark has written the multi-disciplinary book on managing change, entitled, Perpetual Pivot: How the Best Leaders Adapt to Exponential Change. His second book, Get Engaged, is a practical guide for improving employee engagement. Mark’s first publication was his doctoral dissertation which studied the elements of diversity, inclusion and teambuilding, entitled Unity in Diversity Through Synergy.
Click Here to Watch Dr. DeVolder's Virtual Presentation
About
Erica Dhawan: Keynote Speaker on Leadership, Collaboration & Connection | Bestselling Author | Workplace Communication Expert
Turn Better Communication Into Better Performance
In a world of hybrid teams, nonstop messages and constant change, how do you make sure people truly connect, collaborate and get things done?
Erica Dhawan is a bestselling author and internationally recognized keynote speaker on leadership, collaboration and workplace communication who helps organizations transform the way their people work together.
Why Book Erica Dhawan?
Erica addresses one of today's biggest workplace challenges: we have more ways to communicate than ever before, yet connection and collaboration are often harder than ever.
She gives audiences practical strategies to reduce communication friction, strengthen relationships and create the kind of collaboration that drives performance.
Her keynotes are energetic, highly relevant and actionable—giving audiences ideas they can immediately apply to meetings, emails, virtual communication and everyday teamwork.
What Makes Erica Dhawan Different?
- Leading authority on modern collaboration — practical insights for today's connected workplace
- Immediately actionable — strategies audiences can use the moment they return to work
- Highly relevant — addresses hybrid work, digital communication, trust and teamwork
- Research-driven — combines behavioral science with real-world business examples
- Broad audience appeal — valuable for executives, managers and employees
- Customizable — Erica can connect her message directly to your organization's priorities
Why Is Erica Right for Your Audience?
Erica is an excellent choice when you want your people to communicate more clearly, collaborate across silos and build stronger working relationships.
She is particularly effective for leadership conferences, corporate meetings, sales kickoffs, association events and organizations navigating hybrid work, transformation or rapid growth.
Book Erica when your audience needs to:
- Communicate more effectively across teams and functions
- Strengthen trust in hybrid and digital workplaces
- Break down organizational silos
- Improve collaboration and teamwork
- Reduce misunderstandings and communication overload
- Build stronger relationships across generations
- Turn better communication into better business results
Audience Takeaways
Attendees will leave:
- Better equipped to communicate with clarity and intention
- Able to recognize digital behaviors that create unnecessary friction
- Ready to build greater trust across teams
- Equipped with practical strategies for stronger collaboration
- More confident communicating across different working styles
- Prepared to create more productive and connected workplaces
Erica Dhawan Keynote Programs
Digital Body Language: How do you build trust when much of today's communication happens through a screen?
Based on Erica's bestselling book Digital Body Language, this keynote reveals how emails, texts, video meetings and digital interactions send powerful signals about trust, respect and inclusion.
Erica gives audiences practical strategies for communicating clearly, reducing misunderstandings and building stronger relationships in a digital-first workplace.
Ideal for: Leadership conferences, hybrid workplaces, corporate meetings and organizations focused on communication and culture.
Get Big Things Done: The biggest opportunities rarely happen because of one person—they happen when the right people connect and collaborate.
Erica shows audiences how to unlock the power of relationships and networks to solve problems, generate ideas and achieve results that individuals and isolated teams cannot accomplish alone.
Ideal for: Leadership, innovation, teamwork, transformation and collaboration events.
Leading Through Connection
Today's leaders must do more than communicate information. They need to create clarity, trust and connection across increasingly complex organizations.
Erica gives leaders practical tools for strengthening communication, breaking down silos and creating teams that collaborate more effectively—even when people work across different locations, functions and generations.
Ideal for: Executive meetings, leadership development programs and organizations navigating change.
Why Book Erica Dhawan Through The Sweeney Agency?
Finding the right keynote speaker isn't simply about choosing an impressive name. It's about finding the speaker whose message fits your audience, your business challenges and what you want people to do differently after the event.
The Sweeney Agency can help you:
- Confirm Erica Dhawan's availability and current speaking fee
- Determine which Erica Dhawan keynote best fits your audience
- Discuss customization around your organization's objectives
- Coordinate format, timing and event logistics
- Compare Erica with other leading leadership, communication and collaboration speakers
Connie Dieken
Best-selling Author and Thought Leader on The Art of Influence
About
For nearly 12 years, Connie Dieken has been the trusted executive coach and advisor to many leaders who run the world's most recognizable brands. She has become the most respected and in-demand executive coach, keynote speaker, author and authority - on learning the skills needed to become an influential personality in all forms of leadership and communication.
For more than 20 years, Connie Dieken dedicated herself to journalism as a television news anchorwoman, reporter, broadcast personality, and talk show host - including co-hosting The Morning Exchange, America's longest running television talk show. She is a multiple Emmy® award-winning and Telly® award-winning journalist - and her excellence has led to her induction to the Radio/Television Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
Connie has represented more than 50 companies as their spokesperson, including Intel, Sealy, GE, American Greetings, Ernst and Young and Goodyear.
Connie spent her career with the most successful and influential people in business and entertainment and recognized a pattern to their success. After years of research, she learned the common traits each of these people shared - and discovered people could learn how to be influential with the right training. Armed with unique insight into the power that influence has over each of us, she developed a proven methodology to transform any leader or executive into an influencer. In 2000, she founded onPoint Communication to train leaders and emerging leaders in critical influential leadership, communication, media and presentation skills.
Connie is the author and co-author of five books, dedicated to teaching individuals influential leadership, communication and presentation techniques. Her most recent best-selling book, Talk Less, Say More: 3 Habits to Influence Others and Make Things Happen - takes Connie's knowledge, research and experience coaching high-powered leaders and condenses it into a fast-paced, no-nonsense guide to teach anyone to be an influential communicator with anyone, anywhere.
Connie's work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, CNBC, The Los Angeles Times, Crain's Business, The Chicago Tribune, Women's Day, and many more nationwide.
Carly Fiorina
First Women CEO of a Fortune 50 company, Best-selling Author, Keynote Speaker on Effective Leadership
About
Former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, Carly Fiorina is a true leader and seasoned problem-solver. She passionately advocates for problem-solving, innovation, and effective leadership. Her mission is to inspire, equip, and connect individuals and teams to seize opportunities, face challenges, and accelerate impact in their communities and workplaces. She believes everyone has more potential than they realize and that those closest to the problem understand it best. Leading to unlock potential in others can result in progress and joy.
Carly’s experience spans from secretary to CEO, public to private, and for-profit to non-profit. She started as a secretary for a nine-person real-estate business and became the first woman to lead a Fortune 50 company. When Carly led Hewlett Packard (HP) in 1999, the industry faced the worst technology recession in 25 years. Under her leadership, revenue grew, innovation tripled, growth quadrupled, and HP became the 11th largest U.S. company.
During her tenure at HP, the company received numerous civic recognitions, including being named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by Business Ethics Magazine, one of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers by Working Mother Magazine, receiving a 100% rating by The Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index, and being named one of the World’s Most Respected Companies by The Financial Times and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
After leaving HP, Carly focused on giving back. Before Unlocking Potential, she served as Chairman of Good360, the world’s largest product philanthropy organization, and Chairman of Opportunity International, a Christian-based organization lifting millions out of poverty through micro-finance. She also founded the One Woman Initiative with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to empower women in Pakistan, Egypt, India, and the Philippines through increased economic opportunity.
Carly was appointed by President Bush and CIA Director Michael Hayden to serve as Chairman of the External Advisory Board of the CIA after 9/11. She held the highest clearances available to a civilian and focused on CIA recruitment policies, information technology capabilities, and organizational integration.
Carly is also a best-selling author. Her titles include Tough Choices and Rising to the Challenge. Her third book, Find Your Way, is out now.
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About
Vinh Giang: Award-Winning Magician | Entrepreneur | Speaker on Communication and Influence
Why Book Vinh Giang?
The magic draws people in; the lesson gives them something to use. Vinh connects performance with practical ideas about voice, body language, perspective, and influence. His sessions give audiences a chance to examine how they communicate and leave with renewed confidence to make a stronger connection.
Why Is Vinh Giang Right for Your Audience?
Vinh is a strong fit for leadership conferences, sales kickoffs, company meetings, and events that need an engaging opening or closing keynote. He is especially valuable when a team wants to strengthen communication while giving attendees an experience they will remember and discuss afterward.
Book Vinh when your audience needs to:
- Communicate with more confidence and presence
- Build stronger connections with colleagues and clients
- Recognize how voice and body language affect a message
- Challenge assumptions that limit new ideas
- Influence others with greater intention
- Learn practical skills through an interactive experience
Audience Takeaways
Attendees will leave:
- More aware of how their communication style affects others
- Ready to use voice and body language more deliberately
- Better able to adapt their approach to different people
- Encouraged to question the perspective they bring to a challenge
- Motivated to practise the communication skills that build relationships
Keynote Programs
The Leader’s Instrument – Amplify the Best Parts of You
Vinh invites audiences to treat their ability to communicate as an instrument they can learn to use more effectively. He explores verbal and nonverbal skills, communication styles, and the confidence needed to connect with others. Ideal for leaders and teams whose success depends on strong relationships.
The Psychology of Illusion
Through magic and storytelling, Vinh shows how perspective, influence, and beliefs shape what people see as possible. He encourages audiences to rethink assumptions, collaborate, and take deliberate action toward their goals. Ideal for broad conference audiences seeking an entertaining message about mindset and change.
Creating Communication Magic — Breakout Session
This interactive session gives participants more time to work on how they speak and connect. Vinh explores techniques for greater clarity, confidence, and presence in everyday conversations. Ideal as a companion to a keynote for teams that want to practise the ideas together.
Is Vinh Giang Right for Your Event?
Tell us about your audience, the communication skills you want to strengthen, and the experience you want the event to create. We can help select Vinh’s most relevant program, discuss customization, and confirm his availability and fee.
Contact The Sweeney Agency 1-866-727-7555 or [email protected] for more information on this speaker.
Michelle Gielan
Founder of the Institute for Applied Positive Research and Positive Communication Expert
About
Michelle Gielan, founder of the Institute for Applied Positive Research, researches the science of positive communication and how to use it to fuel success. She works with Fortune 500 companies and schools to raise employee engagement, productivity and happiness at work. Michelle is a partner at GoodThink, a positive psychology consulting firm, and she holds a Master of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.
Michelle is an Executive Producer of “The Happiness Advantage” Special on PBS, and she formerly served as the anchor of two national newscasts at CBS News. Her research and advice have received attention from Forbes, USA Today, CNN, FOX and NPR.
About
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Libby talks about what followers want – and deserve – from their leadership, and how to create, communicate and thrive in change.
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Audiences leave with inspirational blend of leadership strategies and secrets to success.
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Libby is a bestselling author, keynote speaker on Leadership and regular guest on the CBS Early Show, CNN, Inside Edition, NPR, the Today Show, and in BusinessWeek, Time, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and many more.
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Past clients include: Abbott Medical, ADP, Disney, Ernst & Young, Facebook, First American Insurance, Hyundai, Microsoft, Sony, Sutter Health, Viacom, Warner Bros., and Wells Fargo.
Libby Gill knows change. She grew up on two continents and went to eight different schools before putting herself through college waiting tables. Starting her career as an assistant at Embassy Communications, a television company founded by the legendary Norman Lear, Libby survived three mergers to emerge as head of publicity, advertising, and promotion for Sony’s worldwide television group in just five years.
After her first career heading communications at media giants Sony, Universal, and Turner Broadcasting, Libby founded LA-based Libby Gill & Company, a leadership consulting and executive coaching firm. She guides individuals and organizations to lead through change, challenge, and chaos by deeply engaging employees in a shared future-focused vision of success.
In her consulting, coaching, and keynotes Libby helps her clients:
- Reframe change as an opportunity for massive growth
- Re-energize your best performers to reach their full potential
- Reinvent your corporate culture to embrace ambiguity
Her clients include Abbott Medical, ADP, Disney, Ernst & Young, Facebook, First American Insurance, Hyundai, Microsoft, Sony, Sutter Health, Viacom, Warner Bros., Wells Fargo, as well as non-profits and small businesses. A global speaker, Libby has delivered keynote presentations on three continents and in 36 U.S. states for organizations including Acura, ADP, Bank of America, Capital One, Cisco, Disney, Honda, Intel, Kellogg’s, Marriott International, Medtronic, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, United Healthcare, Vanguard, and many more.
Libby is the author of five books, including the award-winning You Unstuck, Capture the Mindshare and the Market Share Will Follow, and Traveling Hopefully. Her latest book is The Hope-Driven Leader: Harness the Power of Positivity at Work. A former columnist for the Dallas Morning News, Libby has published book chapters and peer-reviewed articles for numerous journals and trade publications. Business leaders including Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh, Stephen M.R. Covey, Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, and Dr. Ken Blanchard have endorsed her work. Currently, she is co-authoring a book about Rice University’s Doerr Institute for New Leaders with former Brigadier General and Director of the Institute Thomas Kolditz, Ph.D.
A frequent media guest, Libby has appeared on the CBS Early Show, CNN, Inside Edition, NPR, the Today Show, and in BusinessWeek, Time, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and many more. Libby lives with her husband in Los Angeles and is the proud mother of two millennial sons.
Jodi Glickman
Leadership & Communication Keynote Speaker, CEO of Great on the Job, Bestselling Author
About
Jodi Glickman is passionate about developing leaders— both seasoned executives and next generation talent.
As the CEO and founder of Great on the Job, Jodi and her team have reached hundreds of thousands of the brightest minds across corporate America and academia—working with many of the most influential organizations and iconic brands—counting LinkedIn, JP Morgan, Abbott, and Harvard Business School among their longest standing clients.
Jodi has appeared on the TEDx stage (Why You Should Stop Looking for Work You Love), she is the author of the critically acclaimed book Great on the Job, What to Say, How to Say It, The Secrets of Getting Ahead (St. Martin’s Press), and she is a writer for the Harvard Business Review.
Jodi regularly contributes to media outlets and her career advice hasbeen featured in the New York Times, USA Today, US News & World Report, Business Week, Fortune, Forbes, WSJ finance, CNN Money, Glamour, Shape, Real Simple, Chicago Tribune, Huffington Post, and many more.
Jodi is a former Peace Corps volunteer (Southern Chile) turned investment banker (Goldman Sachs) turned communication expert. She received her MBA from the Johnson School at Cornell where she was a Park Leadership Fellow and received a full-ride scholarship to business school.
Before turning to the world of finance, Jodi was a policy analyst at the U.S. EPA and did stints at the White House and Governor’s Office of Illinois. She has a B.S. in Social Policy, Magna Cum Laude, from Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy. She is a former member of the Northwestern University Council of 100, and a former board member of Readworks.org and Trustee of the Brooklyn Children’s Museum.
Jodi lives in Chicago, IL with her husband and three children. She enjoys hiking, biking and eating hot fudge sundaes, not necessarily in that order.
Amanda Gore
CEO of The Joy Project, Communication & Performance Expert, Author and Huffington Post Columnist
About
Amanda Gore is an Australian living in the USA. An author, USA Hall of Fame speaker, business woman, CEO of The Joy Project and a Huffington Post Columnist, she has won many awards, including Educator of the Year and Keynote Speaker of the Year from the National Speakers Association.
She works with organizations of different sizes to help boost engagement of teams, create cultures of joy and joyful people, manage change fatigue and bring humanity back into leadership and work.
With the rise of mental health issues, Amanda believes that joy is the antidote to burnout and has been shown to increase productivity, sales, and well-being. In her presentations, she blends humor, science, and life experience to teach practical tools and skills for personal and organizational growth. She focuses on helping people feel good about themselves which leads to positive changes in all areas.
Originally a physical therapist with a major in psychology, Amanda blends research in neuroscience, epigenetics, positive psychology, quantum physics and emotional intelligence with funny stories to help organizations achieve better performance by aligning with values and mission and creating joyful workplaces and people. Through her funny, interactive and engaging presentations, Amanda breaks down barriers, opens hearts and minds, and inspires people to action.
Her presentations are funny, energetic, entertaining, and engaging, and she is dedicated to inspiring and facilitating lasting change while people laugh and learn.
Click Here to Watch Amanda's Virtual Presentation
Risha Grant
Diversity & Inclusion Expert, Corporate BS Finder, International Speaker, Author and Consultant
About
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An award-winning diversity consulting and communications speaker
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Talks about: Diversity & Inclusion, Building an Inclusive Culture
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Featured in Forbes, The Financial Times, Off Script, Bloomberg Media, Black Enterprise, Engage Magazine, Radioactive Radio, Take the Lead Radio
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Past clients include: Discove, Samsung, Cox Communications, Wells Fargo, USAA Diversified Financial Group, Boy Scouts of America, U.S. Airforce, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder, University of Oklahoma
Motivated by her passion to correct societal “isms” like racism, sexism, classism and plain old stupidism, it is Risha Grant’s personal mission to expose the subtleties and values of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion while shining a light on the impacts they create. From her race, gender and lifestyle choices, to growing a small business and tackling economic, moral, and business issues, every area of her life intersects diversity.
Founder & CEO of Risha Grant LLC, an award-winning diversity consulting, communications and speaking firm, as well as an edgy, educational and motivational speaker, author Risha Grant uses honest, humorous, and vulnerable storytelling to motivate audiences to embrace the inner tough work of Radical Acceptance while honoring diversity, equity, and inclusion without evoking feelings of judgement or assigning blame.
These audiences have included Google, Levi Strauss, Nestle Purina, Xerox, YouTube, Procter & Gamble, Discover Card Financial Services, Samsung Electronics America, U.S. Airforce, U.S. Navy, Intuit, and Harvard University, to name a few. She’s also been featured in Forbes, Harvard Business Review, HR News, The Financial Times, Glamour magazine UK, Bloomberg Media, and Black Enterprise among others.
Risha has received numerous honors such as being named one of the Top 10 Most Powerful Women Leaders in HR by PeopleHum in 2021, 40 Top Women Keynote Speakers by Real Leaders, the NBA OKC Thunder Changemaker Award in 2020 among others.
In her no-holds-barred style, renowned diversity and inclusion thought leader Risha Grant teaches and empowers attendees about unconscious bias, micro-aggressions and other actions that perpetuate discrimination and inequality. Audiences leave with easily applied principles for finding respect, understanding and inclusion both personally & professionally.
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