The Keynote Curators Podcast

The Fascinating World of Shared Human Values 🌍 🎙️ Today's podcast guest is an authority on shared values that unite humans. 🌟 David Allison is a human values expert, bestselling author, founder of The Valuegraphics Project , and a storyteller who rocks the main stage. He's found a way to take what he says is the most powerful force on earth – shared human values that resonate deep within...

🌟 Cheryl Trinidad is a true Renaissance woman. With her refined taste in food, passion for music, and insatiable wanderlust, she brings a unique blend of expertise to the world of event planning. And we're privileged to have her join us on today's podcast. 🤝 Cheryl, a dear friend and business partner of mine for over 15 years, is a true veteran in the industry. With an impressive 25 year...

🌟 Do you use artificial intelligence yet at work? If not, it's time to get ahead of the curve. 🧚💫 Known as the Fairy Godmother of AI for making complex concepts digestible, Hailey Wilson loves creating spaces where information-hungry professionals can exchange ideas, grow, and innovate together–– no magic wand required (although she does have one). 👩‍💼✨ Following a 15+ year career in cri...

🌱 Earthing, Chia Seeds in Your Water, and Deep Breaths in Your Belly. Is jet-set health possible? Wondering if you can prioritize your health and maintain your well-being with travel commitments across the globe? 💫 We're all guilty of it. Business travel pops up, and we let our health routines be "excused" because we're on the road. We feel guiltless skipping workouts at the ho...

Disengaged, disconnected, and thriving. Yes, you read that right. You can be all three. But how on earth, you might be asking yourself, can an event professional avoid burnout – never mind, thrive! – when constantly engaged, connected to technology, wearing multiple hats, and not getting the recommended hours of sleep per night? You won’t want to miss my conversation with Nicole Brusewitz , with w...

Sharon Gai is an incredible figure, and I was honored to sit down with her recently to talk about her culturally diverse journey to becoming a sought-after B2C retail expert. Priding herself as a woman of color, Sharon brings to the stage diversity, international experience, and unique stories of innovation from an e-commerce and retail perspective in China. An expert on artificial intelligence ,...

Today, we're celebrating our 50th podcast (whoop whoop!) with the incredibly intelligent (and humble) Gene Marks , trusted business advisor to small and mid-sized businesses, acclaimed author, and featured columnist to publications including Forbes and Entrepreneur. Gene will tell you that as a small business owner, he's "suffering through all the same sh$t as every business owner.&qu...

Jim Carroll is one of the world's leading global futurists – a trends, transformation, and innovation expert. He helps leaders achieve their goals by sharing industry-specific insights about trends that matter and aligning them with a disruptive, fast-paced future. For 35 years, he's presented to audiences including The World Bank, NASA, Deloitte, and Pfizer, and he has no desire to slow d...

If you ask a professional photographer what the best camera is, chances are they'll tell you, "The one you have in your hand at the moment you want to capture a shot." After all, the carpenter, not the hammer, creates the masterpiece. Photos can provide a powerful stimulus and tell a story without using spoken or written words. We say, "A picture is worth a thousand words,"...

The world is changing at the speed of ChatGPT. It took 75 years for the telephone to reach 150 million users. ChatGPT? About two months. Companies that crave expert guidance to navigate the quickly changing digital landscape turn to Terry Jones . “The last 25 years have been about who can build things the cheapest. The next 25 years will be about who can build things the smartest.” A disruption ex...

🎧 Event professionals, have we got a treat for you! ⚡️ This week’s podcast guest, Julius Solaris , has been described as one of the most influential people in the events industry in the past decade and was recently named a “Meetings Industry Influencer” by  Meetings and Conventions  magazine. 🤩 Founder of the popular blog EventMB , one of the most trusted resources in the events industry before...

Today’s special guest on The Keynote Curators Podcast is Karith Foster , a diversity engagement specialist, and CEO at Inversity™ Solutions. We sat down recently to discuss diversity, inclusion, and equity and why the DEI conversation needs to go beyond sexuality, gender, and ethnicity.  Terrified of not addressing the topic within your organization? Or saying the wrong thing if you do? Diversity...

Change signifies something scary for many, a risky departure from the familiar into the unknown. For Mark Schulman – world-renowned drummer, author, motivator, and captivating storyteller – change symbolizes growth and opportunity.  🤩 A believer that “creativity and sustainable solutions cannot be cultivated in an environment of fear and pessimism,” Mark Schulman knows that to be creative, you mu...

How customers complain about your business has changed. The “guest relations” philosophy has shifted dramatically with the rise of social media. If customers aren’t happy, they won’t tell 10 people – they’ll tell millions – and the imprint online will be permanent. Today’s podcast guest, David Avrin , is a highly sought-after customer experience expert and bestselling author who’s helped organizat...

Elizabeth Sage and I go way back. At three companies, we've collaborated on events of all shapes and sizes. Today, I had the privilege of hosting her on The Keynote Curators Podcast . We caught up on everything from her 20-year career in event planning and strategy to our awkward experience with a hypnotist on stage. Creating memorable event experiences that transform audiences and change beha...

There’s no pulling the wool over Traci Brown ’s eyes. That’s because the body can’t lie. One of the nation’s top deception detection experts, according to TIME magazine, Traci Brown is the preeminent fraud-busting body language expert. Major networks like NBC, CBS, and FOX have interviewed her to reveal secrets hidden in plain sight, and she’s here to help your team reveal the secrets your clients...

Jaime Theresa Smith, CMP exudes passion for everything event related. What began as an interest in theater in college later blossomed into a ‘tech wizard’ consultancy for a non-profit, eventually leading her to a passion project delivering extraordinary event experiences. As the national account manager for ChoiceLIVE!, a leading event technology company, Jaime partners with innovative, forward-th...

Chris Barton is a master of disruptive thinking to drive game-changing innovation. And he loves taking selfies with his audiences, too. 🔊 The mastermind behind everyone’s favorite music app that allows their phone to “name that tune,” Chris is the founder and creator of Shazam, an entrepreneur, inventor, and tech investor who holds 12 patents and played key roles in the early days of Google and D...

Ken Schmidt knows a thing or two about making a memorable brand impression. As the former head of communications for the iconic brand Harley-Davidson , he earned praise for helping the company recover from a dismal place in its business history through a change of mindset and by turning customers into advocates. Don't miss my in-depth conversation with Ken Schmidt , customer loyalty and leader...

Glenna Fulks is on an upward trajectory when it comes to creating tailored unforgettable experiences for clients. As the owner of Kite Meeting Management , she’s whisked clients away by Venetian gondola and designed spectacular dinners in the Palace of Versailles. Constantly pursuing perfection, Glenna applies her 25 years of industry experience to expert hands-on planning, operational over-site,...

Rob Lawless is a man on a mission who believes the journey, not the destination, delivers genuine fulfillment. After graduating summa cum laude from Penn State University in 2013 and enjoying a brief career with consulting and software firms, he set off to meet 10,000 new people and spend at least one hour getting to know their story. What started as a project in 2015 has blossomed into more than...

Labor shortages, the real ROI of in-person events, advancing technologies, and their effects on jobs – Geoff Colvin taps into these topics and more during our podcast this week. Don’t miss this fascinating conversation with Senior Editor-at-Large Geoff Colvin , the voice of experience for four decades at Fortune . He’s covered economic, political, technological, and competitive forces that disrupt...

From her days as a naval intelligence officer to her role as one of today’s most influential economists, Dr. Mary Kelly has carved out an impressive career in leadership. Listen to my conversation with high-energy keynote speaker Mary Kelly , leadership speaker, US Naval Officer and Commander (Ret.), author, Ph. D., and business professor, as she shares how her Navy experiences during the first an...

Christine Brennan is no stranger to breaking barriers on a predominantly male playing field. She'll also tell you that her secret to success is "working harder than everyone else." A true trailblazer for young girls and women everywhere, Christine was the first woman sportswriter at The Miami Herald in 1981, the first woman to cover Washington's NFL team as a staff writer at The Washington Post in...

What’s a characteristic that many of the most successful, influential people in the world have in common? Insatiable curiosity. For almost 40 years, Ron Insana has enjoyed a unique vantage point of – and an insatiable curiosity himself for ­– the economic and business world as a respected financial journalist, senior analyst and commentator for CNBC, former hedge fund manager, and bestselling auth...