Mike Abrashoff Former Commander of USS Benfold | Author of It’s Your Ship | Leadership and Accountability Speaker

It’s Your Ship

Mike Abrashoff faced that challenge as commander of USS Benfold. By listening to his sailors, earning their trust, and giving them ownership of the ship’s success, he helped turn an underperforming crew into one of the Navy’s best. His story gives business audiences a memorable way to think about leadership, culture, and results. The Sweeney Agency

Why Book Mike Abrashoff?

Mike makes accountability feel achievable. His message starts with what leaders and team members can influence today: how they listen, make decisions, solve problems, and support one another.

Audiences hear the story behind It’s Your Ship and leave with practical ideas for building trust, empowering people closest to the work, and improving performance without waiting for perfect conditions.

What Makes Mike Different?

• A real turnaround story led by the same crew under intense operational demands
• A message that gives people at every level responsibility for results
• Leadership lessons grounded in listening, trust, and ownership
• Practical ideas for teamwork, change, and execution
• A keynote he can tailor to the audience’s priorities The Sweeney Agency

Why Is Mike Right for Your Audience?

Mike is a strong choice for leadership meetings, company conferences, sales kickoffs, and organizations that want people to take greater ownership of outcomes. His story speaks to executives and frontline teams alike because everyone has a role in improving how the team works.

Book Mike when your audience needs to:

• Build a culture of trust and accountability
• Give people more ownership over decisions and results
• Improve engagement
• Work together more effectively under pressure
• Focus on changes within their control
• Raise expectations of what the team can achieve

Audience Takeaways

Attendees will leave:

• Ready to ask better questions and listen to people closest to the work
• More willing to take responsibility for solving problems
• Equipped to recognize and use their team’s ideas
• Clearer on how trust and ownership support execution
• Motivated to improve results with the team they already have

Keynote Programs

It’s Your Ship: Achieving Breakthrough Performance

Mike shares how trust, engagement, and shared ownership helped transform USS Benfold. Audiences consider what they can change in their own teams to improve performance. Ideal for leadership, culture, accountability, and teamwork events.

No Limits: Don’t Let Goals Become Limitations

Mike challenges audiences to look beyond merely reaching an assigned target and question the limits they have placed on their own performance. Ideal for sales kickoffs and teams ready to raise their ambitions.

Go Deeper with the Leadership Roadmap

For groups that want to put the keynote into practice, half-day and full-day programs explore the habits of high-performing leaders, teams, and organizations. Ask about the format and facilitator for your event. The Sweeney Agency

Why Contact The Sweeney Agency Now?

Tell us what you want people to do differently after the event, and we’ll help you assess whether Mike’s message is the right fit. We can confirm his availability and current fee, discuss the best program and format, and help plan a presentation around your audience.

Is Mike Right for Your Event?

Tell us about your audience, the results you want to improve, and the leadership behaviour you want to encourage. We’ll help you assess the fit and plan the next step.

To check availability and fee of this speaker, call 1-866-727-7555 or email [email protected].

Shawn Achor: Keynote Speaker on Happiness, Positive Psychology & Human Potential | Bestselling Author | Harvard-Trained Researcher

What if one of the biggest opportunities to improve performance, engagement and resilience is changing the way people think about happiness?

Shawn Achor is a bestselling author and internationally recognized keynote speaker on happiness, positive psychology, leadership and human potential.

Known for bringing positive psychology research to life with humor, memorable stories and practical strategies, Shawn challenges the traditional belief that we have to become successful before we can be happy. Instead, he shows audiences how cultivating a more positive mindset can help people improve performance, strengthen resilience and bring greater energy to their work.

Why Book Shawn Achor?

Shawn takes a topic everyone understands—happiness—and connects it directly to the challenges organizations care about: performance, engagement, resilience, leadership and change.

His approach isn't simply about encouraging people to “think positively.” Shawn translates research in positive psychology into practical behaviors people can incorporate into their everyday lives.

The result is a keynote that is funny, thought-provoking and highly actionable—giving audiences a fresh perspective on how they approach work, relationships, challenges and success.

What Makes Shawn Achor Different?

• Leading voice in positive psychology — helped bring the science of happiness into the business world
• Bestselling author — known for books including The Happiness Advantage and Big Potential
• Research-based message — connects positive psychology with workplace performance
• Exceptionally entertaining — combines research with humor and memorable storytelling
• Immediately actionable — practical habits audiences can begin using right away
• Broad audience appeal — relevant to leaders, sales teams and employees across an organization
• Positive and energizing — leaves audiences thinking differently about success and their own potential

Why Is Shawn Right for Your Audience?

Shawn is an excellent choice when you want your audience to leave energized, optimistic and equipped with practical strategies for improving their performance and wellbeing.

He is particularly effective for leadership conferences, corporate meetings, sales kickoffs, association conferences, employee events and organizations focused on engagement, resilience and workplace culture.

Book Shawn when your audience needs to:

• Increase engagement and motivation
• Build greater resilience during challenging periods
• Improve performance without simply increasing pressure
• Create more positive and productive workplace relationships
• Strengthen optimism during uncertainty and change
• Improve collaboration and social connection
• Develop practical habits that support wellbeing
• Recognize how individual behavior can influence team performance

Audience Takeaways

Attendees will leave:

• Understanding the relationship between mindset, happiness and performance
• Equipped with practical positive-psychology strategies they can use immediately
• Better prepared to maintain optimism during challenges
• More aware of how their behavior influences colleagues and teams
• Ready to strengthen relationships and social connection
• Motivated to create habits that support sustainable performance
• Inspired to rethink the traditional relationship between happiness and success

Shawn Achor Keynote Programs

The Happiness Advantage: What if happiness doesn't follow success—but actually helps create it?

Shawn challenges the conventional formula that says we'll be happy once we become more successful.

Drawing on positive psychology research, he shows audiences how developing a more positive mindset can influence motivation, creativity, resilience and performance.

Audiences leave with practical strategies for creating positive habits and bringing greater energy and optimism to both work and life.

Ideal for: Corporate conferences, leadership events, sales kickoffs, employee meetings and workplace wellbeing programs.

Big Potential: Our greatest potential isn't achieved alone. It's influenced by the people around us.

Shawn explores how individuals and organizations can move beyond focusing exclusively on individual achievement and instead create environments where people help one another perform at a higher level.

He demonstrates how stronger relationships, collaboration and positive influence can help teams unlock greater collective potential.

Ideal for: Leadership, teamwork, culture, collaboration and employee-engagement events.

Positive Leadership Through Change: During uncertainty, a leader's mindset doesn't affect only the leader—it can influence the entire team.

Shawn shows leaders how optimism, connection and positive behaviors can help teams remain engaged and resilient when circumstances are difficult or changing.

Audiences gain practical strategies for creating environments where people can continue learning, collaborating and performing despite uncertainty.

Ideal for: Executive meetings, leadership development, transformation initiatives and organizations navigating change.

Why Book Shawn Achor Through The Sweeney Agency?

Shawn Achor's combination of research, humor and practical positive psychology makes him an engaging choice for a wide range of audiences—but the real value comes from connecting his message directly to what you want your people to think, feel and do differently.

The Sweeney Agency can help you:

• Confirm Shawn Achor's availability and current speaking fee
• Determine which Shawn Achor keynote best fits your audience
• Discuss customization around your organization's objectives
• Coordinate format, timing and event logistics
• Compare Shawn with other leading motivational, leadership and workplace-culture speakers

Is Shawn Achor Right for Your Event?

Tell us what you want to improve—performance, engagement, resilience, leadership or workplace culture.

We'll help you determine whether Shawn is the right fit, confirm availability and fees, and make the booking process simple.

Planning a leadership conference, sales kickoff or corporate event? Contact The Sweeney Agency today [email protected] to discuss booking Shawn Achor as your keynote speaker.

David Allen is an author, consultant, international speaker, Founder and Chairman of the David Allen Company. He is widely recognized as the world's leading authority on personal and organizational productivity. His thirty years of pioneering research, motivation and education of some of the world's highest-performing professionals, corporations and institutions - has earned him Forbes' recognition as one of the top five executive coaches in the United States, and as one of the Top 100 thought leaders by Leadership magazine. Fast Company hailed David Allen One of the world's most influential thinkers in the arena of personal productivity, for his outstanding programs and writing on time and stress management, the power of aligned focus and vision in the face of change - and his groundbreaking methodologies in management and executive peak performance. Time Magazine labeled his first book, Getting Things Done, as the defining self-help business book of the decade.

David Allen is the author of three books; the international best-seller, Getting Things Done: the Art of Stress-Free Productivity (GTD - as the method is popularly known), Ready for Anything, and Making It All Work: Winning at the Game of Work and Business of Life. Getting Things Done has been a perennial business best-seller since it's publication in 2001, and is now published in 28 languages.

Getting Things Done has spawned an international movement of devoted adopters from executives, techies, soldiers, entrepreneurs, university professors, musicians, students and the clergy. It has given rise to a thriving GTD industry of web sites, blogs and software applications. Internet searches bring up tens of millions of references. David Allen is a rarity in the twitter world - as one of the few non-celebrities with over a million followers hanging on his wit and inspiration.

Piloting a productivity seminar for a thousand managers at Lockheed in 1983, David has continued to test and refine the techniques and principles we now know as GTD - a powerful method to manage commitments, information, and communication. This pioneering and proven system is the result of those twenty plus years of David's consulting, private coaching and organizational programs with over a half million people internationally. GTD has well earned its recognition as the gold standard in personal management and productivity for many of the world's best and brightest people and companies.

Sophisticated without being confining, the subtle effectiveness of GTD lies in its radically common sense notion that with a complete and current inventory of all your commitments , organized and reviewed in a systematic way, you can focus clearly, view your world from optimal angles and make trusted choices about what to do (and not do) at any moment. GTD embodies an easy, step-by-step and highly efficient method for achieving this relaxed, productive state. It includes:

• Capturing anything and everything that has your attention
• Defining actionable things discretely into outcomes and concrete next steps
• Organizing reminders and information in the most streamlined way, in appropriate categories, based on how and when you need to access them
• Keeping current and on your game with appropriately frequent reviews of the six horizons of your commitments - purpose, vision, goals, areas of focus, projects, and actions

Implementing GTD alleviates the feeling of being overwhelmed, instills confidence - and releases a flood of creative energy. It provides structure without constraint and managing details with maximum flexibility. The system rigorously adheres to the core principles of productivity - while allowing tremendous freedom in the how. The only right way to do GTD is getting meaningful things done with truly the least amount of invested attention and energy. Coaching thousands of people, where they work, about their work - has informed the GTD method with the best practices
of how to work (and live), in that most efficient and productive way. GTDs simplicity, flexibility, and immediacy are its attraction. Its ability to enliven, enlighten, and empower is its magic. What, indeed, is GTD? More than meets the eye...

Lior Arussy: Customer Experience Strategist | Founder of Strativity Group | Speaker on Change and Employee Engagement

Make Change Matter to Customers and Employees

Lior Arussy helps leaders close that gap. As the founder of Strativity Group, he connects customer strategy to the actions employees take and the value customers experience. The Sweeney Agency

Why Book Lior Arussy?

Lior brings a practitioner’s view of change. He has worked with organizations on customer experience and employee engagement, and he shows audiences why a new strategy succeeds only when people can make it real in their work.

His keynotes challenge leaders to look beyond slogans and technology investments. Lior focuses on what customers value and how employees can deliver it consistently.

What Makes Lior Different?

• Experience helping organizations change customer and employee experiences
• A direct connection between culture, execution, and business results
• A human perspective on how AI is changing customer expectations
• Ideas that speak to leaders and customer-facing teams
• An emphasis on making change visible in everyday behaviour

Why Is Lior Right for Your Audience?

Lior is a strong fit for leadership conferences, customer experience events, sales and service meetings, and organizations working through transformation. He is particularly relevant when a team has an ambitious customer strategy but needs greater commitment and consistency across the organization.

Book Lior when your audience needs to:

• Build more valuable, lasting customer relationships
• Connect employee engagement to customer experience
• Respond to changing expectations in the AI era
• Turn a customer strategy into daily decisions and actions
• Strengthen adaptability during ongoing change
• Create a culture that supports exceptional performance

Audience Takeaways

Attendees will leave:

• Clearer about what makes a customer experience valuable
• Ready to identify gaps between their promise and their delivery
• Better able to involve employees in making change work
• Equipped to examine where digital tools help or hinder human connection
• Motivated to take ownership of the experience they create

Keynote Programs

The One and Only: The Gen AI-Empowered Customer

Lior explores how generative AI is changing customer expectations and the ways people engage with brands. He asks organizations to reconsider how they create relevant value for customers who expect more individual attention and choice.

Customer Experience as an Engine for Growth

Lior examines how organizations can make customer relationships a source of lasting business value. Drawing on successes and setbacks from real organizations, he connects customer strategy to execution and growth.

Change Resilience: The New Core Competence

Lior focuses on the human side of transformation and how organizations can become more capable of adapting as change continues. Ideal for teams facing a major strategic shift or repeated disruption. The Sweeney Agency

Why Contact The Sweeney Agency Now?

Tell us about the gap between your organization’s customer promise and what people experience. We’ll help you assess which of Lior’s programs fits your event, discuss customization, and confirm his availability and current fee.

Is Lior Right for Your Event?

Tell us about your audience, the change you are trying to make, and the customer or employee outcome you want. We’ll help you assess Lior’s fit and plan the next step.

To check availability and fee of this speaker, call 1-866-727-7555 or email [email protected].

Sarah Aviram: Change and Motivation Speaker | Former Fortune 500 HR Leader | Author of Remotivation

Help People Find Momentum During Change

Sarah Aviram helps leaders and teams find that momentum. Drawing on her HR leadership experience and her time working across 12 countries in 12 months, she shows audiences how to reconnect with what drives them and take ownership of their next steps. The Sweeney Agency

Why Book Sarah Aviram?

Sarah addresses a challenge leaders recognize: people may understand a change and still struggle to commit to it. Her Remotivation Method focuses on the internal drivers behind engagement, helping audiences identify what motivates them and what they can do when circumstances are uncertain.

Her sessions combine relatable stories with reflection and practical exercises. Audiences leave with a way to discuss motivation more openly and take useful action.

What Makes Sarah Different?

• Experience leading HR and talent development work in large organizations
• A practical framework focused on the drivers of motivation
• A personal story shaped by working across 12 countries in one year
• Interactive sessions that help attendees apply ideas during the event
• A message that speaks to leaders and individual contributors alike

Why Is Sarah Right for Your Audience?

Sarah is a strong fit for leadership conferences, employee meetings, HR events, and organizations navigating restructuring, new technology, or shifting ways of working. She is especially relevant when people feel change happening around them and need to see where they still have agency.

Book Sarah when your audience needs to:

• Rebuild motivation during uncertainty
• Take greater ownership of choices and actions
• Help teams move from hesitation to commitment
• Understand what drives engagement and fulfillment
• Lead change with more empathy and clarity
• Create momentum without waiting for circumstances to settle

Audience Takeaways

Attendees will leave:

• Clearer on the factors that motivate them at work
• Able to recognize where they have influence during change
• Equipped to use Sarah’s six-driver Remotivation Method
• Ready to take a practical step toward renewed momentum
• Better prepared to support colleagues through transitions

Keynote Programs

Get Remotivated: Navigate Change from the Inside Out

Sarah shows audiences how to activate personal agency and reconnect with the internal drivers that support commitment and performance. Ideal for teams facing transformation, disruption, or a demanding new chapter. Available as an interactive keynote or virtual presentation.

Get Remotivated: Team Activation Workshop

This hands-on follow-up gives teams time to apply the keynote’s ideas to their own challenges through exercises and discussion. Ideal for groups that want to turn insight into shared actions. Sarah Aviram

Why Contact The Sweeney Agency Now?

Tell us what changes your people are experiencing and what you want them to do afterward. We’ll help you assess whether Sarah’s approach fits, choose the right format, and confirm her availability and current fee.

Is Sarah Right for Your Event?

Tell us about your audience, the change it is facing, and where motivation or engagement needs support. We’ll help you assess Sarah’s fit and plan the next step.

To check availability and fee of this speaker, call 1-866-727-7555 or email [email protected].

Chris Barton: Keynote Speaker on Innovation, AI & Disruptive Thinking | Founder & First CEO of Shazam | Inventor | Tech Entrepreneur

Bring Impossible Ideas to Life. What if the idea everyone says is impossible is actually your biggest opportunity?

When Chris conceived the idea for Shazam, experts told him it couldn't be done. He refused to accept the assumptions defining what was possible. The result became one of the world's most recognizable technology platforms, with more than 2 billion downloads before being acquired by Apple.

Today, Chris shows organizations how to challenge conventional thinking, break through barriers and turn seemingly impossible ideas into reality.

Why Book Chris Barton?

Chris doesn't simply talk about innovation. He built something the experts said couldn't be built.

Shazam was conceived before smartphones and app stores existed. Creating it required Chris and his team to solve enormous technological, commercial and operational challenges while repeatedly finding ways around obstacles that could have ended the company.

Those experiences shaped Chris's “Start from Zero” approach to innovation—a way of challenging assumptions and returning to basic truths instead of automatically accepting how things have always been done.

His keynote combines a remarkable entrepreneurial story with practical thinking audiences can use to challenge the status quo and create breakthrough ideas of their own.

What Makes Chris Barton Different?

• Founder & first CEO of Shazam — created one of the world's most recognizable technology platforms
• AI pioneer — Shazam was an early mass-consumer application of artificial intelligence
• 2+ billion downloads — transformed an impossible-sounding idea into a global product
• Apple acquisition — Shazam was acquired by Apple in 2018
• 12 patents — inventor across Shazam, Google and Dropbox
• Google experience — was Google's first employee focused on mobile partnerships
• Dropbox experience — joined when it was still a rapidly growing startup
• Start from Zero thinking — gives audiences a practical framework for challenging assumptions
• Creative Persistence — demonstrates how imagination and tenacity combine to overcome barriers

Why Is Chris Right for Your Audience?

Chris is an outstanding choice when you want your audience to challenge conventional thinking, become more innovative and stop allowing assumptions to determine what's possible.

He is particularly effective for leadership conferences, AI and technology events, innovation summits, sales kickoffs and organizations navigating disruption.

Book Chris when your audience needs to:

• Challenge assumptions and conventional thinking
• Generate more innovative ideas
• Understand the possibilities created by AI and technology
• Turn ambitious ideas into action
• Overcome barriers without compromising the original vision
• Develop greater creative persistence
• Eliminate friction for customers and employees
• Become more comfortable pursuing ideas others don't immediately understand

Audience Takeaways

Attendees will leave:

• Thinking differently about what is possible
• Better equipped to challenge assumptions
• Understanding how first-principles thinking can unlock innovation
• More willing to pursue unconventional ideas
• Better prepared to creatively overcome obstacles
• Recognizing how unnecessary friction limits growth
• Inspired to combine persistence with imagination
• Ready to bring their own “impossible” ideas to life

Chris Barton Keynote Programs

Bring Impossible Ideas to Life. How do you create something that experts insist can't be done?

Technology and AI are rapidly changing the boundaries of what's possible. Chris takes audiences inside the remarkable creation of Shazam and the challenges involved in developing an idea years ahead of the technology ecosystem required to support it.

He shows audiences how questioning assumptions, thinking from basic truths and approaching obstacles differently can unlock entirely new possibilities.

Ideal for: AI conferences, innovation summits, leadership meetings and organizations pursuing breakthrough ideas.

Overcome Obstacles with Imagination. Persistence matters—but simply trying the same thing harder isn't enough.

Chris calls his approach Creative Persistence: combining determination with the imagination required to find another path when the obvious route is blocked.

Using extraordinary stories from Shazam's journey, he shows audiences how to challenge barriers, question conventional solutions and keep moving toward ambitious goals.

Ideal for: Leadership conferences, sales kickoffs, entrepreneurial events and organizations navigating difficult challenges.

Eliminate Effort to Unlock Explosive Growth. Where is unnecessary friction making it harder for customers, employees or partners to say yes?

Shazam succeeded by making something incredibly complex feel effortless: hear a song, press a button and discover what it is.

Drawing on his experiences with Shazam, Google and Dropbox, Chris shows audiences how identifying and removing friction can create dramatically better customer and employee experiences.

Ideal for: Customer experience, sales, innovation, technology and growth-focused events.

Build the Vision You See, But Others Don't. What do you see that others can't see yet?

Breakthrough ideas often face resistance precisely because they're unfamiliar.

Chris shares the entrepreneurial lessons behind transforming Shazam from an idea many considered impossible into a product used by billions of people.

He challenges entrepreneurs and innovators to strengthen their conviction, prioritize what matters and find creative ways to turn vision into reality.

Ideal for: Entrepreneurs, founders, innovation teams and organizations building new products or businesses.

Why Book Chris Barton Through The Sweeney Agency?

Chris Barton combines an extraordinary entrepreneurial success story with practical frameworks for innovation, AI and breakthrough thinking—but the real value comes from connecting those lessons to the barriers and opportunities facing your organization.

The Sweeney Agency can help you:

• Confirm Chris Barton's availability and current speaking fee
• Determine which Chris Barton keynote best fits your audience
• Discuss customization around your industry and event objectives
• Coordinate format, timing and event logistics
• Compare Chris with other leading innovation, AI and technology keynote speakers

Is Chris Barton Right for Your Event?

Tell us the impossible idea, stubborn barrier or innovation challenge your organization is facing.

We'll help you determine whether Chris is the right fit, confirm availability and fees, and make the booking process simple.

Planning an innovation summit, AI conference, leadership meeting or corporate event? Contact The Sweeney Agency today [email protected] to discuss booking Chris Barton as your keynote speaker.

Robyn Benincasa: World Champion Adventure Racer | New York Times Bestselling Author | Firefighter | Extreme Teamwork Expert

Make Winning Inevitable

Robyn Benincasa shows audiences how to become that kind of team. A World Champion adventure racer, veteran San Diego firefighter, bestselling author and founder of the Project Athena Foundation, she combines gripping stories, dramatic footage and practical strategies that help people collaborate, embrace change and perform under pressure.

Why Book Robyn Benincasa?

Robyn gives audiences more than temporary inspiration. She provides a memorable operating system for achieving difficult goals together.

Her lessons come from 17 years of expedition adventure racing, where every teammate had to reach the finish line together, and more than 23 years as a firefighter. Her energetic multimedia presentations make teamwork, resilience and leadership real, relevant and immediately useful.

What Makes Robyn Different?

• Extraordinary real-world credibility and a powerful stage presence
• Unforgettable stories that make business lessons easy to remember
• Practical habits audiences can apply immediately
• A message that connects departments, generations and leadership levels
• Customization around the organization’s challenges and objectives

Why Is Robyn Right for Your Audience?

Robyn is an excellent choice when an organization needs people to move beyond individual achievement and perform as one team. She is particularly effective for leadership conferences, sales kickoffs, association events and organizations navigating change.

Audience Takeaways

Attendees will leave:

• Ready to shift from “me thinking” to “we thinking”
• Equipped with practical habits for strengthening teamwork and trust
• Better prepared to turn pressure and setbacks into momentum
• Focused on the team’s most important finish line
• Inspired to lead with greater courage, empathy and determination

Keynote Programs

Adapt, Overcome and Win as One

Robyn shows teams how to move decisively through disruption, create stability in uncertain conditions and turn change into opportunity. Ideal for transformation, restructuring, rapid growth, AI adoption and competitive pressure.

Extreme T.E.A.M.W.O.R.K.

Audiences discover how trust, shared ownership and commitment to one another turn talented individuals into an exceptional team. Ideal for strengthening culture, collaboration and collective performance.

Why Winners Win

Created for sales and high-performance audiences, this keynote demonstrates how top performers can share knowledge, combine strengths and compete as one. Ideal for sales kickoffs, revenue teams and ambitious growth initiatives.

Inspiring Greatness Through G.R.I.T.

Robyn reveals how sustainable resilience grows from connection—to the mission, to teammates and to the leader we choose to become. Ideal for audiences facing setbacks, prolonged uncertainty or depleted morale.

Why Contact The Sweeney Agency Now?

The right speaker must do more than impress. They must fit your audience, address the challenge behind the event and support the outcome you want to achieve.

Contact us to:

• Confirm Robyn’s availability and current fee
• Identify the best keynote for your objectives
• Discuss customization, format and event logistics
• Receive comparable recommendations if another speaker may be a stronger fit

Is Robyn Right for Your Event?

Tell us about your audience, their challenges and what you want them to think, feel or do differently. We will provide an honest assessment of Robyn’s fit, confirm availability and fees, and help you move forward with confidence.

Contact The Sweeney Agency to discuss booking Robyn Benincasa.

• CLICK HERE TO CHECK ROBYN BENINCASA'S AVAILABILITY NOW

Eric Boles: Leadership & Performance Expert | President, The Game Changers, Inc. | Former NFL Player | Author of Moving to Great

Turn Potential Into Performance

Eric Boles helps leaders and teams close that gap.

President of The Game Changers, Inc. and a former NFL player, Eric combines powerful storytelling, high energy and practical strategies to help people strengthen accountability, embrace change and perform at a higher level.

Why Book Eric Boles?

Eric doesn't simply motivate people to do better. He challenges them to take greater ownership of how they think, lead and perform.

For more than two decades, Eric has worked with organizations including Starbucks, FedEx, Meta, Mayo Clinic, IBM, PwC, Alaska Airlines and the U.S. Air Force.

His message is straightforward: sustainable performance comes from clarity, accountability and consistent execution—not good intentions.

What Makes Eric Different?

• Former NFL player who understands high-performance environments
• More than two decades working with leaders and organizations
• Powerful combination of energy, humor and practical business insight
• Expertise in leadership, accountability, change and peak performance
• Challenges audiences without talking down to them
• Creates urgency around turning ideas into action
• Customizes his message around the organization's goals and challenges

Why Is Eric Right for Your Audience?

Eric is an excellent choice when an organization needs people to raise their game, embrace accountability and execute at a higher level.

He is particularly effective for sales kickoffs, leadership conferences, corporate meetings, team events and organizations navigating significant change.

Book Eric when your audience needs to:

• Take greater ownership of results
• Move from intention to execution
• Raise expectations for themselves and others
• Navigate change with greater confidence
• Break through complacency and self-imposed limitations
• Strengthen teamwork and accountability
• Perform effectively under pressure

Audience Takeaways

Attendees will leave:

• Motivated to take greater ownership of their performance
• Better equipped to turn good intentions into action
• Ready to challenge habits that may be limiting results
• More confident navigating change and uncertainty
• Clearer about the role accountability plays in high performance
• Energized to raise their personal and professional expectations

Keynote Programs

Performance Catalyst™ Align, Elevate and Accelerate Performance

Eric challenges audiences to examine the behaviors that separate potential from sustainable performance.

He helps leaders strengthen alignment, accountability and execution while creating greater urgency around the actions required to achieve organizational goals.

Ideal for leadership conferences, executive meetings, sales kickoffs and organizations focused on accelerating performance.

Moving to Great: Unleash Your Best More of the Time

What keeps talented people from consistently performing at their best?

Eric helps audiences recognize the fears, habits and self-imposed limitations that can hold them back—and provides practical strategies for moving beyond them.

The result is a highly motivational presentation with a strong business message about personal responsibility, growth and performance.

Ideal for sales meetings, corporate conferences, recognition events and organizations looking to re-energize their people.

Leading Through Change

Change creates uncertainty—but it also creates an opportunity for stronger leadership.

Eric helps leaders understand how their mindset, communication and behavior influence the way people respond to change. He challenges audiences to move beyond fear, have difficult conversations, make decisions and create positive momentum.

Ideal for organizations experiencing transformation, growth or significant disruption.

Why Contact The Sweeney Agency Now?

A high-energy keynote can create excitement. The right keynote can turn that excitement into action.

Contact us to:

• Confirm Eric's availability and current fee
• Determine which presentation best supports your objectives
• Discuss customization around your business challenges
• Explore keynote, breakout and leadership-development options
• Receive comparable recommendations if another speaker may be a stronger fit

Click Here to Watch Eric's Virtual Presentation

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. 

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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.

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Get in touch with your Event Date & Theme.

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Each speaker will be vetted with YOUR event in mind, along with our personal thoughts on how that speaker can inspire your attendees.

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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.

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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.

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Dr. Travis Bradberry: Bestselling Author | Emotional Intelligence Expert | Speaker on Leadership and Performance

Make Emotional Intelligence a Daily Skill

Dr. Travis Bradberry helps audiences develop emotional intelligence they can use in real situations. Co-author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and author of The New Emotional Intelligence, he translates psychology into practical ways to improve self-awareness, manage reactions, read a room, and work more effectively with others.

Why Book Dr. Travis Bradberry?

Travis gives leaders and teams a clear path from understanding emotional intelligence to practicing it. Rather than treating EQ as a fixed trait, he shows how people can strengthen specific skills through attention and repeated action.

His message is especially useful for organizations where difficult conversations, rapid change, or the pressures of leadership make it important to respond thoughtfully instead of reacting automatically.

What Makes Travis Different?

• Co-author of the bestselling Emotional Intelligence 2.0
• Author of The New Emotional Intelligence
• A background in clinical and industrial-organizational psychology
• Experience helping organizations apply EQ to workplace behavior
• Practical strategies organized around four core emotional intelligence skills

Why Is Travis Right for Your Audience?

Travis is a strong fit for leadership conferences, management development programs, HR events, and company meetings. He is particularly relevant when people need better communication and judgment in demanding situations.

Book Travis when your audience needs to:

• Recognize emotional triggers before they shape a response
• Stay more composed during pressure or uncertainty
• Understand how others experience their communication
• Handle difficult conversations with greater awareness
• Strengthen trust and working relationships
• Apply EQ skills to everyday leadership decisions

Audience Takeaways

Attendees will leave:

• Clearer on the four core skills of emotional intelligence
• Better able to notice how emotions affect behavior at work
• Equipped with steps for improving self-management
• More attentive to the needs and reactions of others
• Ready to practice EQ in conversations and team interactions

Keynote Programs

Emotional Intelligence 2.0: Taking Your Game to the Next Level

Travis explains what EQ is, why it matters at work, and how people can develop it through a step-by-step process. Ideal for leadership audiences and teams seeking a practical introduction to emotional intelligence.

Potential Focus: The New Emotional Intelligence

Drawing on his newer book, Travis can explore self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management, with attention to the habits that strengthen each skill. Ask us about shaping this focus for your audience.

Potential Focus: Emotional Intelligence in Leadership and Change

For leadership events, the discussion can focus on how managers use EQ when giving feedback, responding to pressure, and guiding people through change. Ask us about tailoring the session to your organization’s challenges.

Why Contact The Sweeney Agency Now?

Tell us where stronger emotional intelligence would help your audience most: leadership, communication, change, or team relationships. We can discuss the right focus and format, then confirm Travis’s availability and current fee.

Is Travis Right for Your Event?

Tell us about your audience, the situations its members find challenging, and what you want them to handle differently afterward. We’ll help you assess Travis’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. Gary Bradt: Keynote Speaker on Change, Leadership & Resilience | Clinical Psychologist | Bestselling Author | Business Transformation Expert

Turn Change Into Opportunity.  Change is inevitable. How your people respond to it isn't.

Gary helps leaders and employees navigate uncertainty, let go of what they can't control and focus their energy on the actions that move them forward. Combining psychology, compelling stories, humor and practical strategies, he turns the often-overwhelming subject of change into something audiences can understand—and act on.

Why Book Dr. Gary Bradt?

Gary doesn't simply tell people they need to embrace change. He helps them understand why change can be so difficult and gives them practical strategies for responding more effectively.

His background as a clinical psychologist gives Gary a distinctive perspective on the human side of organizational change—how people react when familiar routines disappear, expectations shift and uncertainty increases.

His presentations are engaging, relatable and highly practical, helping audiences move beyond resistance and focus on what they can control, what they can influence and what they can do next.

What Makes Gary Bradt Different?

• Clinical psychologist — brings a deep understanding of how people respond to change
• Bestselling author — recognized for his practical insights on change and resilience
• Change expertise — helps organizations address the human side of transformation
• Immediately actionable — practical strategies audiences can apply at work and in life
• Leadership focused — gives leaders tools for helping others navigate uncertainty
• Engaging and relatable — combines psychology, humor and real-world stories
• Business relevant — connects individual behavior directly to organizational performance

Why Is Gary Right for Your Audience?

Gary is an excellent choice when your organization needs people to stop fighting what they can't control and start taking ownership of what they can.

He is particularly effective for leadership conferences, corporate meetings, association events and organizations navigating restructuring, transformation, growth or significant workplace change.

Book Gary when your audience needs to:

• Adapt more effectively to organizational change
• Build greater resilience during uncertainty
• Focus on what they can control and influence
• Move beyond resistance and take productive action
• Maintain performance during periods of disruption
• Lead others confidently through change
• Strengthen personal accountability
• Approach uncertainty with greater optimism and perspective

Audience Takeaways

Attendees will leave:

• Better prepared to navigate uncertainty and change
• Understanding why people naturally resist disruption
• Equipped with practical strategies for responding more productively
• More focused on the actions within their control
• Better able to maintain perspective when circumstances become difficult
• Ready to take greater ownership of their response to change
• More confident helping others move forward

Dr. Gary Bradt Keynote Programs

Navigating Change: When circumstances change, you may not control what happens—but you can control how you respond.

Gary helps audiences understand the psychological realities of change and why uncertainty can trigger resistance, frustration and fear.

He then provides practical strategies for moving beyond those reactions, adapting more quickly and focusing energy on the choices and behaviors that create forward momentum.

Ideal for: Organizational transformation, corporate meetings, leadership conferences and organizations navigating significant change.

Leading Through Change: A leader's job isn't simply to announce change. It's to help people successfully move through it.

Gary gives leaders practical insights into how people experience change and what they need from leadership during periods of uncertainty.

Audiences learn how to communicate more effectively, maintain trust, encourage accountability and help teams stay focused on what comes next.

Ideal for: Executive meetings, leadership development, management conferences and transformation initiatives.

Resilience: Moving Forward When Things Don't Go as Planned: Resilience isn't about pretending everything is fine. It's about choosing a productive response when it isn't.

Drawing on psychology and decades of experience helping individuals and organizations navigate difficult transitions, Gary shows audiences how to regain perspective, manage uncertainty and continue moving forward.

Ideal for: Leadership, resilience, workplace wellbeing and high-performance events.

Why Book Dr. Gary Bradt Through The Sweeney Agency?

Gary Bradt's background in psychology and organizational change gives him a powerful perspective on transformation—but the real value comes from connecting his message directly to the change your people are experiencing.

The Sweeney Agency can help you:

• Confirm Dr. Gary Bradt's availability and current speaking fee
• Determine which Gary Bradt keynote best fits your audience
• Discuss customization around your organization's specific change or challenge
• Coordinate format, timing and event logistics
• Compare Gary with other leading change, leadership and resilience speakers

Is Gary Bradt Right for Your Event?

Tell us what's changing in your organization—and how you need your people to respond.

We'll help you determine whether Gary is the right fit, confirm availability and fees, and make the booking process simple.

Planning a leadership conference, transformation event or corporate meeting? Contact The Sweeney Agency today [email protected] to discuss booking Dr. Gary Bradt as your keynote speaker.

Scott Burrows is a top inspirational speaker and bestselling author who is a living testament to the power of perseverance, determination, and adaptability in the face of adversity. His unwavering belief in our ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges has touched countless lives and continues to inspire transformation on a global scale.

An accomplished athlete who excelled in both football and martial arts, Scott was just 19-years-old when his life took a tragic turn. Paralyzed from the chest down after a devastating car accident, doctors diagnosed him with quadriplegia and told him he would spend the rest of his life confined to a wheelchair. Despite this, Scott became relentless in pursuit of his goal to stand again.

Drawing on his athletic background and a profound desire to overcome, he found a way to rebuild his life and defy the odds. To help him navigate his challenges, he focused on three foundational principles: Vision, Mindset, and Grit. Along the way, he proved that no circumstances can ever destroy the power of the human spirit.

Today, Scott uses his personal journey to inspire audiences all over the world to take charge when presented with unexpected obstacles. A captivating storyteller, he shares actionable strategies to help audiences embrace change, build resilience, and push past their perceived limitations to achieve remarkable success.

In a world where setbacks are inevitable, Scott stands as an embodiment of the possibilities that emerge when we choose to reshape our perspectives. His bestselling book, Vision Mindset Grit, chronicles his unforgettable journey and serves as a reminder of the incredible strength that resides within us all. With determination, adaptability, and a positive mindset, we CAN stand up to any challenge.

Click Here to Receive Your Customized List of Speaker Ideas

Virtual Events can:

1. Reach a wider audience
2. Offer a great experience at a much lower cost
3. Create long term impact with recorded elements that allow for content to be watched over a period of time
4. 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.

Daryl Conner is chairman of Conner Partners, an advisory firm that specializes in strategy execution. Daryl and the firm have a steadfast focus: they help clients deliver the promised benefits for the most difficult type of strategic change - change that transforms the business. As an internationally recognized leader in organizational change, Daryl serves as an advisor and mentor to senior executives around the globe.

Over his extensive career, Daryl has worked with many of the most successful organizations in the world, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and nonprofit institutions, to help them achieve the full intent of their most urgent and critically important initiatives. A dynamic and engaging public speaker, he has addressed thousands of executives in corporate settings, national conferences, and public programs.

Daryl grounds his work on a strong foundation of research and extensive consulting. He has authored two books Managing at the Speed of Change (Random House, 1993) and Leading at the Edge of Chaos (John Wiley & Sons, 1998) and more than 250 publications, including journal and magazine articles, monographs, book chapters, and videos. Daryl's blog, Change Thinking, is written for change management professionals who want to raise the level of their game and that of the field of change execution.

Throughout his career, Daryl has documented the actions leaders take that lead to successful and unsuccessful implementation of strategic change. The patterns of successful execution are known, reliable, and replicable. Daryl provides candid guidance and focus around these patterns of success to executives responsible for strategic initiatives and to the teams that support them.

One common thread connects all of Daryl's work: helping businesses operate more effectively in a turbulent world by applying fundamental principles about change.

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

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

Click Here To Book Erica Dhawan

Cliff Eala uses behavioural and data sciences to drive positive behaviour change among customers and employees as CEO of BS Works. His work directly impacts revenues and workplace productivity.

Cliff built and sold a software company in 2007, built and grew an intelligent lighting and IOT company across 10 countries in Asia, and was board director at Magenic Manila from inception until its 2021 acquisition by NASDAQ-listed Cognizant. He is board director at UnionDigital Bank and several other finance and technology firms.

He authored the book Sh*tty Places & Selfish People, 7 Rules of Engagement.

​Cliff has a Master's in Behavioural Science (with Distinction) from the London School of Economics, an MBA, and a Master's in Philosophy from the University of Navarre (Spain). He has two undergraduate degrees in Socio-Legal Sciences and Philosophy (with Distinction).

He has conducted a large scale randomised controlled experiment across 74,000 electric utility customers for his dissertation on Behavioural Nudging for Prompt Payments.

• Jenny talks about the connection between the daily grind of life and the chemistry of the brain and body and how to build resilience every day.

• Audiences leave with actionable micro-strategies that individuals and teams can implement immediately to start building their resilience and stress-proof their brains.

• Jenny Evans is a speaker, author, and on-air expert on physiology and chemistry, as it relates to resiliency, confidence and performance. She is also the author of The Resiliency rEvolution, TEDx speaker and regular contributor to The Huffington Post.

• Past clients include: Microsoft, Cisco, Nestle Purina, Johnson & Johnson, Blue Shield, US Bank, Aveda, Clinique, Estee Lauder and MGM Resorts.

Keith Ferrazzi is a renowned executive team coach, keynote speaker, influential thought leader and founder of Ferrazzi Greenlight, where he has spent more than 20 years coaching Fortune 500 companies, unicorn startups, and even governments. Keith leads the Greenlight Research Institute, which is focused on team transformation. He is a business coach who challenges the way teams work to achieve breakthrough results through more connection and collaboration across silos, with a revolutionary shift from leadership to teamship. His Radical Innovators Collaborative brings together Fortune 500 CIOs and CHROs for peer-to-peer interaction and ongoing best practice sharing.

Keith’s columns are regularly published in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Fast Company, and Inc. Magazine. Ferrazzi is also a #1 New York Times Bestselling author with familiar titles like Never Eat Alone, Who’s Got Your Back, Leading Without Authority, and Competing in the New World of Work. His latest book, Never Lead Alone: 10 Shifts from Leadership to Teamship, draws on two decades of team coaching experience and research insights from 3,000+ diagnostic assessments with leading organizations. He is a 2024 recipient of the Coaches 50 Award, which recognizes the world’s most influential executive coaches. Ferrazzi is also a philanthropist and strategic investor, where he is committed to making a positive impact on society.

• Tom Flick helps develop leaders, lead change effectively, seize opportunities for growth, and increase teamwork and organizational performance.

• Audiences leave with an understanding of how to lead with heart, navigate change and accelerate personal, team, and organizational performance.

• Tom spent seven seasons as an NFL quarterback and has been teaching leaders around the world how to lead with heart.

• Clients include: Microsoft, Starbucks, Google, Boeing, American Express, Amazon, NASA, Mercedes-Benz and the Pentagon

Tom Flick is a dynamic and highly sought-after, leadership expert who has delivered over 3,000 presentations to a "who's-who" list of clients that includes Microsoft, Starbucks, Google, Boeing, American Express, Amazon, NASA, Mercedes-Benz and the Pentagon. Mr. Flick addresses more than 100,000 men and women each year and has garnered a reputation around the world as an authority on leadership, helping organizations develop leaders, lead effective change and accelerate personal, team and organizational performance.

Mr. Flick’s passion for raising more effective leaders is achieved by his unique gift to connect with the listener's heart as well as their head. Understanding that people, not programs, help organizations change and grow. Tom draws on his leadership experience as a former NFL quarterback for seven seasons, his extensive work in corporate America, and his alliance with leadership guru, Dr. John Kotter, to provide actionable solutions around developing leaders, leading change, motivating and driving performance.

Mentored by leadership and change experts Dennis Goin, Executive Vice President of Kotter International, and Dr. John Kotter, Konosuke Matsushita Professor of Leadership, Emeritus at the Harvard School of Business, Flick uses his exceptional talent as a deft storyteller to inspire audiences to lead change, seize opportunities for growth, and to implement the power of leadership, whether in the role of executive, manager, salesperson, or front-line employee.

Mr. Flick customizes every engaging presentation based on each organization's needs and desired outcomes, collaborating directly with the client to ensure measurable takeaways for their organization. Tom’s exceptional ability to communicate clear business solutions with humor, wit and razor-sharp insight is why he is in such high demand.

Get Your Customized List of Speaker Ideas

Simply fill out the form below and we will be in touch with a customized list of ideas for your event.

It's that simple.

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.

• Libby talks about what followers want – and deserve – from their leadership, and how to create, communicate and thrive in change.  

• Audiences leave with inspirational blend of leadership strategies and  secrets to success.

• 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.

• 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.

• Leading Speaker on Growth and Change Management

• Talks about 5 Practices to Unlock Unstoppable Growth and Hunting Discomfort

• Featured contributor in Forbes, Fast Company, The New York Times and Inc. Magazine

• Past clients include: Energizer, Intel, Samsung, United, XPrize, Duracell, Amex, Fortune Brands, NACS

Sterling Hawkins is an author, investor, entrepreneur, and keynote speaker who is globally recognized as a thought leader in organizational culture. Founder of the No Matter What Movement, he shows people how to practice trust to achieve the results they want regardless of obstacles.

Sterling developed his trust-powered success system to learn from the painful collapse of his multibillion dollar startup involvement. He's since combined his business background, research, study and practice to come back and launch, invest in and grow more than 100 companies. He's taken that experience to work with C-level teams and leaders and speak on stages around the world. He's been featured in magazines like Forbes, Fast Company, The New York Times and Inc.

He believes that the depth of your trust determines the extent of your growth and success in life and business. Getting results requires being brave, declaring big goals and stepping outside your comfort zone. To inspire people to unlock their own inherent potential, he shares five practices that help us push beyond our perceived limits to make a difference for our companies, communities and families. When he's not at home in Colorado, he may be out skydiving, swimming with sharks or adventuring with the No Matter What Movement.

Click Here to Watch Sterling's Virtual Presentation

Phil M. Jones: Bestselling Author of Exactly What to Say® | Speaker on Sales, Influence and Persuasive Communication

Why Book Phil M. Jones?

Phil makes his ideas immediately useful. He works through language audiences can apply in sales conversations, leadership meetings, customer interactions, and follow-ups. His presentations can be tailored to the situations your audience faces every day.

Why Is Phil M. Jones Right for Your Audience?

Phil is a strong fit for sales kickoffs, leadership conferences, customer-facing teams, and company events where important conversations affect performance. He is especially valuable when talented people know their products or goals but need more confidence and precision in what they say next.

Book Phil when your audience needs to:

• Ask questions that open productive conversations
• Respond more effectively to hesitation and objections
• Explain value without overwhelming a customer
• Guide discussions toward a clear next step
• Give feedback and create buy-in with greater care
• Make everyday communication more intentional

Audience Takeaways

Attendees will leave:

• More aware of how small word choices affect a conversation
• Equipped with phrases and questions they can adapt to their work
• Better prepared for common sales or leadership objections
• Ready to make requests and next steps clearer
• Focused on improving the conversations that matter most to their results

Keynote Programs

Exactly What to Say® – The Magic Words for Influence and Impact
Phil’s signature keynote explores how the words people choose can change the direction of a conversation. He applies examples from his bestselling book to the audience’s business situations, helping participants approach important discussions with greater confidence and purpose. Ideal for sales, leadership, and broad business audiences.

Exactly What to Say® When Your Customer Is More Informed Than Ever
Today’s customers arrive with research, comparisons, and questions. Phil helps sales and client-facing professionals use language that acknowledges that knowledge, builds trust, and guides a decision without sounding pushy. Ideal for sales and customer success events.

Lead With Language: Exactly What to Say® to Inspire Action
Phil focuses on the conversations leaders use to create clarity, ownership, and momentum. He offers practical ways to frame feedback, address resistance, and invite people into action. Ideal for management and leadership conferences.

Is Phil M. Jones Right for Your Event?

Tell us which conversations your audience finds most challenging and what outcomes you want to improve. We can help choose Phil’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.

Nataly Kogan is a keynote speaker, bestselling author, former tech CEO, and artist who helps leaders and organizations turn change into their catalyst to grow and create their next.

She is the creator of REINVENT•ABILITY™, a framework grounded in neuroscience and psychology that helps people thrive through change, reframe the beliefs that hold them back, and take bold action before they feel ready. Nataly built her expertise from the inside out. She came to the United States at 13 as a refugee from the Soviet Union with no English and no money, starting over in the projects outside Detroit. She learned to speak English by watching Who’s The Boss? on TV.

She went on to build a career spanning McKinsey, Microsoft, venture capital, and five tech startups, including Happier, one of the world's first gratitude platforms, which helped hundreds of thousands of people around the world lead happier lives. But at the peak of her success, Nataly burned out. That burnout became the catalyst for her most important reinvention, and for the REINVENT•ABILITY™ Framework she now brings to leaders and organizations navigating change.

Today, Nataly delivers keynotes and leadership experiences for organizations including Google, Disney, Dell, Capital One, and Intuit, helping their people grow and reinvent through change.
She works closely with leaders, founders, and creators at the threshold of something new. She guides people to see what is truly possible, release the beliefs holding them back, and build the path to bring that possibility into reality. Nataly has helped spark more businesses, books, podcasts, and reinventions than she can count.

Nataly’s work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and hundreds of other publications. She is the best-selling author of Happier Now, The Awesome Human Project, and The Awesome Human Journal, and hosts the Dare Yourself podcast.

At 40, she picked up a paintbrush for the first time. At 50, she had her first international solo show in Mexico City.

Nataly does not believe patience is a virtue, loves bold colors, and proudly holds the title of funniest person in her family, a distinction her husband and daughter have never once disputed. (This is obviously a joke.)

In a world awash in profound change and at a time when everything is on the table, Polly LaBarre helps leaders make sense of and creatively respond to the forces buffeting their organizations. A bestselling author, speaker, and thinker who’s advised top global organizations, Polly’s mission for the past 20 years has been to make every kind of organization fundamentally more resilient, innovative and inspiring. Her insights embolden and equip leaders at every level to make a meaningful impact. Polly is an inspiring and provocative voice on the big ideas and important questions that will shape the future of organizations, work, and collective progress.

Polly’s work is driven by three core questions: 1) How do we support human flourishing? 2) How do we cultivate the audacity of imagination required to tackle our most intractable problems? 3) And, how do organizations and individuals change how they change to become endlessly resilient?

To make genuine progress on those questions, Polly studies and works with progressive organizations, creates curriculum, and runs experiments for unleashing creativity, expanding collaboration, and accelerating change.

As cofounder of the Management Lab(with Gary Hamel and Michele Zanini), Polly spent the last decade working to develop a methodology, platform and practical tools for building organizational capability and accelerating change. Polly and her colleagues deployed that pioneering approach to collaborative innovation in a range of large-scale experiments in “hacking management” inside leading companies and across a global community of some 35,000 management innovators.

Polly is the coauthor of the bestselling book Mavericks at Work: Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win(which The Economist named a “Book of the Year” and called “a pivotal work in the tradition of In Search of Excellence and Good to Great”). She was a member of the original team of Fast Company magazine, where she played a central role in the remarkable success of a magazine that recast the conventional wisdom on working, leading, and winning.

A sought-after speaker, moderator, and interviewer, Polly has delivered hundreds of keynote addresses around the world and developed and hosted numerous events. Her writing has appeared in a variety of publications, including Fast Company, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Fortune.com, the McKinsey Quarterly, and The Huffington Post. In addition to frequent television appearances on CNBC, PBS’s Nightly Business Report, Good Morning America, and the Today Show, Polly has also been a business and innovation correspondent for CNN where she produced regular segments on big ideas and best practices from the world of business and beyond.

Polly is a passionate (and experimental) gardener, an ardent cook, and a devoted yogi. She serves on the board of CitySeed, a nonprofit working to build a just and healthy food system and economic opportunity in New Haven, CT. A graduate of Yale University, Polly lives with her family in New Haven.

Dr. Janet Lapp: Keynote Speaker on Change, Leadership & Resilience | Psychologist | Author | Workplace Transformation Expert

Change Your Thinking. Change What's Possible: When change is constant, how do you keep people positive, adaptable and focused on moving forward?

Combining behavioral science, powerful storytelling, humor and practical strategies, Janet helps people rethink how they respond to uncertainty. Her high-energy presentations show audiences how to move beyond resistance, take ownership of their response and approach change with greater confidence and optimism.

Why Book Dr. Janet Lapp?

Janet understands that successful change isn't just about strategy. It's about people.

Even the best transformation plan can struggle when employees feel overwhelmed, uncertain or resistant to what's happening around them. Janet helps audiences understand the attitudes and behaviors that can hold them back—and what they can do differently.

Her presentations are positive, energetic and practical, giving audiences tools to shift their thinking, increase adaptability and become active participants in creating what's next.

What Makes Janet Lapp Different?

• Psychology-based approach — helps audiences understand the human response to change
• Change expertise — extensive experience helping organizations navigate transformation
• High-energy delivery — engaging, optimistic and entertaining on stage
• Immediately actionable — practical strategies audiences can use right away
• Personal accountability — encourages people to focus on what they can influence
• Broad audience appeal — relevant to leaders, managers and employees
• Global perspective — a message designed to connect across industries and cultures

Why Is Janet Right for Your Audience?

Janet is an excellent choice when your organization needs people to move beyond resistance, become more adaptable and take greater ownership of change.

She is particularly effective for leadership conferences, corporate meetings, association events and organizations experiencing transformation, restructuring, growth or cultural change.

Book Janet when your audience needs to:

• Adapt more positively to organizational change
• Build resilience during uncertainty
• Move beyond negativity and resistance
• Take greater ownership of their response to change
• Maintain energy and performance during disruption
• Develop a more adaptable mindset
• Improve attitudes toward new initiatives
• See opportunities within changing circumstances

Audience Takeaways

Attendees will leave:

• Better prepared to respond positively to change
• More aware of how mindset influences behavior and performance
• Equipped with practical strategies for navigating uncertainty
• Ready to focus energy on what they can control and influence
• More resilient when circumstances don't go according to plan
• Motivated to take greater personal responsibility
• Prepared to become active participants in organizational change

Dr. Janet Lapp Keynote Programs

Dancing With Tigers: How to Embrace Change and Thrive. Change can feel threatening—but it can also create extraordinary opportunities for growth.

Janet helps audiences understand why people resist change and how they can consciously choose a more productive response.

Using psychology, humor and practical strategies, she shows people how to move beyond fear and uncertainty, become more adaptable and approach changing circumstances with greater confidence.

Ideal for: Organizational transformation, corporate meetings, leadership conferences and organizations navigating significant change.

The Psychology of Change: Organizations don't change until people do.

Janet explores the attitudes, behaviors and thought patterns that influence how individuals respond to disruption.

Audiences learn how to recognize unproductive reactions, shift their mindset and take greater ownership of their role in creating successful change.

Ideal for: Leadership, culture, transformation and employee-engagement events.

Leading Positively Through Change: During uncertainty, people look to their leaders for more than information—they look for confidence, clarity and direction.

Janet gives leaders practical strategies for helping teams remain focused, optimistic and productive when circumstances are changing.

Leaders learn how their own attitudes and behaviors can influence engagement, resilience and the willingness of others to move forward.

Ideal for: Executive meetings, leadership development and organizations undergoing transformation.

Why Book Dr. Janet Lapp Through The Sweeney Agency?

Janet Lapp's combination of psychology, energy and practical change strategies makes her particularly effective for organizations navigating transformation—but the right fit depends on what your people are experiencing and what you need them to do differently.

The Sweeney Agency can help you:

• Confirm Dr. Janet Lapp's availability and current speaking fee
• Determine which Janet Lapp keynote best fits your audience
• Discuss customization around your organization's change initiative
• Coordinate format, timing and event logistics
• Compare Janet with other leading change, leadership and resilience speakers

Is Janet Lapp Right for Your Event?

Tell us what's changing in your organization—and how you want your people to respond.

We'll help you determine whether Janet is the right fit, confirm availability and fees, and make the booking process simple.

Planning a leadership conference, transformation event or corporate meeting? Contact The Sweeney Agency today [email protected] to discuss booking Dr. Janet Lapp as your keynote speaker.