The Keynote Curators Podcast

Most optimism advice treats burnout like a personal failure. Keynote speaker Jess Ekstrom knows it’s the tax you pay when you’re chasing big goals the wrong way. Today, I’m talking with the author of Making It Without Losing It (out May 5!) and a go-to voice for Women’s History Month keynotes, about optimism as a strategy, resilience after fraud and failure, and how to “make it” without torching y...

When you think about brand conversations, you probably think of logos and taglines. You're not far off. But this conversation is about what your brand actually FEELS LIKE like to the people who touch it. Join me as I sit down with brand leadership expert Denise Lee Yohn to talk about brand identity, corporate culture, and purpose when everything around you keeps shifting. From the "five-w...

Most leadership talks worship strategy decks. This conversation is about what your people actually FEEL when they work for you. I'm sitting down with bestselling author and leadership + culture expert Adrian Gostick to talk about what really drives performance in 2026: culture and empathy, not just strategy decks and town halls. From recognition rituals to meeting design, we unpack how leaders...

If your leadership thinks events "just happen," this episode is your receipt. Because the most dangerous thing in this business… Is invisible work. Rachel Andrews is Global Head of Meetings & Events at Cvent and co-host of the Great Events Podcast —leading a 40-person team supporting ~800 events a year. She's refreshingly honest about what works, what breaks, and what planners ar...

🔥 If your 2026 agenda needs pioneers (not placeholders), meet Gaby Natale . Because "innovation" isn't a department. It's a decision—to see what everyone else missed and build what doesn't exist yet. Gaby Natale is a triple Emmy-winning journalist, bestselling author, and keynote speaker who's made a career out of awakening the Pioneer Spirit in people and organizations....

💬 If "communication" is your 2026 theme, Sarita Maybin is the cheat code. Because most teams don't have a strategy problem. They have a tone problem. In today's episode, Sarita breaks down how to say the hard thing without making it weird—or starting a slow-motion workplace fire. Here's what you'll steal and use immediately: ✅ The Kindness Check — "please" + "thank you" aren't manners. They're l...

🪄 What happens when a magician and 2x Pro Bowl NFL player teaches resilience without the usual clichés? Jon Dorenbos has lived through the kind of adversity most people can’t imagine—and turned it into a keynote that’s equal parts belly-laughs + gut-check + standing-ovation energy. In today's episode, Jon and I get into the real stuff: 👉 Talk to yourself. Don’t just listen. Write the script you...

Most "champions" talks are highlight reels. 🏆 This one gets into what your team does when the cameras are off. Keynote speaker Ross Bernstein has spent his career studying the habits, rituals, and mindsets of the world's greatest athletes and teams. He knows why some rosters become champions while others stay talented and average. In this episode, Ross and I talk about the real DNA...

"Teamwork" talks can be trust falls and buzzwords. But this one? This one was recorded by someone who's actually landed jets on a moving ship. At night. 🎖️ Combat-decorated Navy fighter pilot and leadership keynote speaker Jack Becker joins me to break down what real collaboration looks like when failure isn't a bad quarter but it's a fireball on the horizon. From life in the...

Your audience isn’t craving more content. They’re craving a story that feels like it’s about them. Hall of Fame speaker and brand guru Bruce Turkel breaks down why the right story, told the right way, is still the most powerful business tool you own. From harmonicas to high-stakes keynotes, Bruce shares how to turn personal moments into universal messages your audiences can’t stop talking about. W...

What if the most powerful performance tool on your agenda is two simple words of gratitude? “Thank you.” Transformational keynote speaker Chris Schembra has spent years helping leaders turn gratitude into a strategy. Instead of more talk about perks and performance metrics, this episode goes straight to the human side of leadership: chosen surrender, connection, and the art of practicing gratitude...

As we near the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Lt. Col. Robert J. Darling, USMC (Ret.) shares how he dealt with this crisis, taking us inside the White House bunker that day—with playbooks any leader can use. 🇺🇸 It was the day a country became a neighborhood. It’s a conversation about unity under pressure, calm in chaos, and how to turn hard days into durable readiness. 🇺🇸 American resilience, up close....

Most talks chase clicks. This one measures energy—and shows you how to manage it. From panic-attack to playbook, keynote speaker Erin King breaks down why your only real unfair advantage (in an AI world) is your energy—intuition, empathy, creativity, adaptability—and how to deploy it on purpose. Why this delivers impact for event & meeting planners: ✅ Energy > Time: Treat energy like a bud...

Most leadership talks inspire. This one operationalizes purpose. From the control room of a U.S. nuclear submarine to the boardrooms of turnaround companies, Marc Koehler has learned that clarity and preparation—not charisma—keep teams alive and aligned. In this episode, Marc shares how elite leaders simplify complexity, act with courage, and keep both mission and morale on course. Why this delive...

Authenticity isn’t a vibe. It’s a wise strategy for event planners looking to book impactful keynote speakers. Today's guest, Anthony Scaramucci , drops a masterclass in real talk: why audiences smell spin, how keynote speakers earn trust under pressure, and why the right words reshape behavior (and business). 🎧 If you’re an event planner who cares about audience experience more than optics,...

Most keynotes inspire you to face adversity. This one dares you to choose which side of your vision you want to feed. Dr. Magie Cook went from orphaned and homeless to building a salsa company from $800—and selling it for $231 million. This week on The Keynote Curators Podcast , Magie shares how event professionals can turn adversity into a practical playbook—one that helps events spark real chang...

Most talks motivate. This one rebuilds people. Burned over 100% of his body as a child, keynote speaker John O’Leary chose purpose over pain—and turned adversity into a playbook for life, leadership, and audience experience that lasts far beyond the hour. 🎧 In today's podcast, John shares how family, choice, and community transform adversity into personal development and a true growth mindset...

From adversity to purpose: a keynote speaker who rows across oceans. 🚣‍♂️ Event planners and meeting planners: if you're in search of a keynote that elevates audience experience and sparks real personal development with your audience, Tez Steinberg is your blueprint for a growth mindset under impossible conditions. 🎧 Listen in to this podcast episode as we cover: ✅ Endurance through adversi...

Stop "should-ing" all over your calendar. Keynote speaker Shelley Paxton —former Harley-Davidson CMO turned corporate rebel—walked away from a “dream job” after a nightmare made her choose soul over should. Now she helps leaders bring soul into the boardroom and design cultures where people actually thrive. 🎧 In this episode of The Keynote Curators Podcast , listen in as Shelley shares:...

⚡️ Most events have content for the audience. The best ones bring them in and make them feel connected. Scott Bloom has spent decades proving that laughter isn’t fluff—it’s a business tool. He’s hosted shows for Fortune 500 brands like FedEx, Ford, PepsiCo, Pfizer, and IBM—turning cold rooms into connected ones, and curveballs into moments audiences remember. In this episode of The Keynote Curato...

🎙️ Adrenaline gets you through a moment. Mindset gets you through a career. This week on The Keynote Curators Podcast , I sit down with Theresa Payton —the first female White House CIO—on how rejection, imposter syndrome, and even the chase for adrenaline became fuel for her growth and leadership. Listen in as we chat about: ✅ How objections and rejection as a girl shaped her mindset for the futu...

🎙️How can we stay curious and creative in the age of AI? Are those technologies helping us, or hindering us in the long haul? 🎧 In this week’s episode of The Keynote Curators Podcast , I sit down with Ramy Nassar —AI strategist, innovator, and founder of 1000 Days Out—on demystifying emerging tech through storytelling. The future isn’t just built on algorithms. It’s built on the way we explain th...

🎙️ Everyone can become more relatable—whether you're an introvert or an extrovert. The key is how you make people feel. Happy makes people clap. Wonder makes them change. 🎧 In this week’s episode of The Keynote Curators Podcast , I sit down with Rachael DeAlto —a masterful storyteller who turns lived experience into lasting impact. We talk about: ✅ How raw, textured stories quiet a room and...

🎙️ Limits aren’t the problem. The stories we tell about them are. 🎧 In this week’s episode of The Keynote Curators Podcast , I sit down with Torsten Gross —entrepreneur, race car driver, and the world’s only quadriplegic rescue scuba diver—on racing, resilience, and redefining what’s possible. We talk about: ✅ Limit → leverage: turning “can’t” into a competitive edge ✅ Goal now, how next: set t...

🎙️ Breakthroughs in life aren’t luck. Nor do they only happen when everything goes right. They’re built through resilience when the plan falls apart. 🎧 In this week’s episode of The Keynote Curators Podcast , I sit down with Johnny Quinn —former pro football player, U.S. Olympian, and bestselling author of PUSH . Yes, his Olympic bathroom-door story is legendary, but the point isn’t the door, it’...