The Keynote Curators Podcast

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 5,500 new friendships. Wanting to live life purposefully and believing that every human interaction can change a life, Rob set out to create 10,000 intentional relationships. As he shares, we increase our sense of belonging, expand our perspectives, and open the door to new opportunities through exposure to people outside of our circles. Listen in as he shares his philosophy about human curiosity and connection and explains how to use the simple ‘FORD’ framework when meeting someone new. A remarkable storyteller and motivational speaker who has delivered inspiring keynotes to companies including Amazon, Shell, KPMG, and MPI, Rob reveals what influences our perception of the world, why intentional connection matters, and how you can create belonging through understanding each other’s backstories. #humanconnection #networking #relationships #connection #powerofconnection #intentionalrelationships #storyteller #communication #engagement #perspective #curiosity #belonging #robs10kfriends #peopleperson #personaldevelopment #professionaldevelopment #motivationalspeaker #inspirationalspeaker #keynotespeaker #eventplanner #meetingplanner #eventplanning

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 business, taking those insights on the road to audiences from every industry, educating them on how to confront disruption and use it as a means toward growth. A brilliant panel moderator, emcee, and interviewer whose subjects have included Madeleine Albright, Ben Bernanke, and Bill Gates, Geoff is one of business journalism’s sharpest and most respected commentators on topics ranging from leadership, human performance, and globalization to competition, the economy, and the infotech revolution. Whether your company is looking to create value in new ways, invest in human interaction, or keep pace with change, Geoff Colvin delivers timely advice to knowledge-hungry audiences and shares fascinating stories about companies like Candy Crush and Chipotle that have proven how profitable adaptability and innovation can be. #strategy #innovation #voiceofexperience #thoughtleader #optimism #leadership #humanperformance #competition #infotech #AI #financialexpert #economicoutlook #globaleconomy #useconomy #insights #keynotespeaker #emcee #commentator #panelmoderator #eventplanner #meetingplanner #eventplanning

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 and second Gulf Wars and 9-11 help others excel and lead teams through crisis, challenge, and change. For over 25 years, she has taught and trained more than 40,000 military and civilian personnel. The author of more than 10 books on business growth, leadership, and today’s economy, Mary has worked with hundreds of organizations and companies to help audiences navigate successfully through change and crisis, succession planning, and economic uncertainty. Her insights as a  leader are inspiring year-round, but especially so during this month of celebration. #WomensMonth #empoweredwomen #womenleaders #womeninleadership #leadership #militaryleadership #leadingthroughcrisis #leadingthroughchange #disruption #management #business #businessleadership #motivationalspeaker #inspirationalspeaker #keynote #keynotespeaker #events #eventmanagement #eventplanner #meetingplanner

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 1985, and the first president of the Association for Women in Sports Media (AWSM). Listen to my conversation with this award-winning journalist, national sports columnist and commentator, bestselling author, and unwavering advocate of Title IX, which forever changed the landscape for girls and women in sports. A nationally known speaker, Christine has been a leading voice on some of the most controversial and important issues in sports over the past four decades. Never afraid to take a stand on an issue in sports, she was named one of the country's top 10 sports columnists three times by the Associated Press Sports Editors and was the winner of the prestigious Red Smith Award in 2020 for her "major contributions to sports journalism." Christine will capture your attention, offering narratives that helped define her career, including the Russian judging scandal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and the Russian doping scandal at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. She also shares insights about the essential life lessons young girls learn from participation in sports. #womensmonth #womenleaders #breakingbarriers #sportsjournalist #womeninsports #girlsinsports #womeninsports #titleIX #inspirationalspeaker #keynotespeaker #eventplanner #meetingplanner #eventplanning #professionalwomen #futureleaders

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 author. As a journalist, he’s enjoyed a window into the thought process of some of the biggest business titans and most powerful world leaders and has been one of the most trusted sources of financial news and advice. Listen to my podcast with Ron Insana as he talks about his decorated career as a journalist and financial expert, the three speakers who most influenced his career as a keynote speaker today, and his thoughts on the current state of the global economy. Adaptability and patience will serve event professionals well as we continue into 2023. A fascinating storyteller who favors the Q&A portion of his keynotes, Ron translates market signals and political maneuvers into actionable information that his audiences can use to navigate change, protect what they have, and spot fresh opportunities. #financialexpert #economicoutlook #globaleconomy #USeconomy #insights #financialwellbeing #keynotespeaker #eventplanner #meetingplanner #eventplanning

“Once you commit to big goals and live with intention, life opens up with unending possibilities.” – Ben Nemtin Driving a Fiat across Italy. Playing basketball with President Obama. Delivering a baby. Earning a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. To most, these seem like impossible undertakings. Especially fitting four grown men into a Fiat. Ben Nemtin and his three college friends did it though, along with 96 other seemingly implausible tasks on their ultimate bucket list of 100 things to do before you die. Don’t miss my inspiring and fascinating podcast with Ben Nemtin. Ranked 3rd Best Motivational Speaker in the World and World’s Top Organizational Culture Thought Leaders by Global Gurus in 2022, Ben has shared his message of radical possibility in major media, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Today Show, CNN, NBC, FOX, ABC, CBS, and more. An organizational culture expert, he’s also the best-selling author of What Do You Want to Do Before You Die? and star of the MTV show The Buried Life. While searching for purpose in college ten years ago, Ben Nemtin started on an epic journey with three college friends, armed with the world’s greatest bucket list of things they wanted to do before they died. Their quest has inspired millions of people worldwide to make the impossible possible. Listen in as Ben talks about letting go of regret, looking backward to propel forward, learning from mistakes, and taking chances. A remarkable master storyteller who has delivered over 500 keynotes to household brands and Fortune 100 companies, Ben will help you pave the way forward to personal and professional fulfillment, move you to cross things off your bucket list, and start living your best life. #bucketlist #livetheimpossible #failforward #noregrets #takechances #mindset #followyourdreams #ownyourlife #personaldevelopment #professionaldevelopment #motivationalspeaker #inspirationalspeaker #keynotespeaker #eventplanner #meetingplanner #eventplanning

Attention, event professionals! Don’t miss my interview with Jessie States, Vice President of Meeting Professionals International’s MPI Academy, as she offers a glimpse into her world and shares valuable insights about the future of events. In this ‘new normal’ world, where change is the only guarantee, Jessie shares her thoughts on reframing challenges as opportunities and reimagining what in-person experiences can be. Meetings of the future are never going to look like 2019 again. Shifting our focus toward the future is where it’s at. Whether exploring new ways to connect in an increasingly digital world, developing engagement opportunities to foster more meaningful connections, or looking at other industries for innovation inspiration, Jessie is always quenching her thirst for knowledge. Professionally, she leads and advances the association’s professional development strategy, developing and managing MPI’s diverse portfolio of educational products for its vast global community of meeting and event professionals. Get the inside scoop from a leading voice and trendsetter in the industry! #mpiacademy #mpi #meetingprofessionalsinternational #meetingprofessionals #successfulmeetings #professionaldevelopment #meetingsandevents #keynotespeaker #eventplanner #meetingplanner #events #eventmanagement

Karen Allen believes that we don't grow by accident but by design. Following her husband's unexpected and tragic death, Karen decided that if she was going to move forward in life, she needed to tame the chaos in her mind. She recalls thinking, "Every single thing that I do, even if I could only take it one breath at a time, everything I do is going to create a ripple effect beyond this moment." Don't miss this inspiring conversation with Karen Allen, a growth mindset thought leader, TEDx speaker, and founder of 100% Human. You'll hear why she's passionate about equipping people with the tools and resources to feel better, live better, and achieve their goals with a healthy mindset. Since 2014, she has studied the human mind, positive psychology, and post-traumatic growth. Her mission? To empower highly motivated individuals and business leaders to harness the power of their mindset and develop the self-awareness necessary to overcome challenges and achieve their full potential. If you're looking to keep your head in the game when the pressure is on, build resilience, use hardships as launching pads for growth, shed negative thought cycles, and move to more productive, positive thinking, this podcast is for you! #growthmindset #healthymindset #mindset #selfawareness #mentalstrength #resilience #transformation #personalgrowth #professionalgrowth #motivationalspeaker #inspirationalspeaker #keynote #keynotespeaker #events #eventmanagement #eventplanner #meetingplanner

Plastics will lead to human extinction? As you go about your day, it may not seem like the end of the world is near, but trust me, the countdown has begun. It’s no surprise that chemicals make up the myriad of plastics we use – and consume – daily. Two of them, bisphenols and phthalates, work in tandem, softening plastic and hardening it. But like the evil twins on The Shining, their potency is much more dangerous than we’ve been led to believe, threatening sperm counts, changing male and female reproductive development, and jeopardizing the future of humanity. You won’t want to miss this informative podcast with Dr. Shanna Swan, one of the world’s leading environmental and reproductive epidemiologists, as she shares shocking statistics about the hidden and dangerous effects of plastics on our health. For more than two decades, Dr. Swan has studied the rise of human infertility, her work garnering worldwide attention in 2017. She’s been featured in The New York Times, on the Plastic Pollution Coalition website, and on 60 Minutes. Her latest book, Count Down, is a stark and startling warning to humanity that it needs to wake up, shake up the plastics industry, and demand better for our bodies and those of future generations. #healthnottoxics #fertility #infertility #endocrinedisruptors #reproductivehealth #menshealth #womenshealth #plasticpollution #noplastic #sustainableliving #breakfreefromplastic #plasticfreeliving #plasticpollutes #keynotespeaker #eventplanner #meetingplanner #events #eventmanagement

You may earn a decent salary, but does compensation equal job satisfaction? For most people, that answer is no. It’s hard to love what you do if there’s no passion behind your work. As Former Commander of the USS Benfold and Bestselling Author of It’s Your Ship, Mike Abrashoff shares in our podcast, job enrichment comes from far more than money. It’s not even at the top of the list for most employees. Job enrichment and employee retention are what go hand in hand. Without the first, the latter will be losing battle — a battle this former Commander took into his own hands and won when he took command of the near-worst performing ship for the US Navy. Twelve months later, the USS Benfold was the best ship in the entire Navy — using the same crew. His story of that ship’s stunning transformation has lessons for every organization: leadership matters and culture is everything. Research and studies have shown that people are truly motivated when they’re enabled and allowed to satisfy actual motivators — achievement, advancement, development — which deliver a far more profound feeling of meaning and fulfillment than money ever could. Listen in to hear the five essential questions every employer should be asking their employees.