Free Business Topics in Chicago

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3: Browse for a topic, Click the orange request button, Fill out the contact form.
Now the speaker will contact you in the next few days to coordinate details.

• 

  Innovating Earned PR in an Evolving Media Environment

  Jennifer Fortney, Founder, Cascade Communications

  While the media world continues to shift and change, companies of all sizes are still hungry for the valuable earned media mentions and features that bring an unparalleled credibility. So, what are they to do? Jennifer shares that today, PR is much more than just earned media. It's more than the newspaper story on a plaque on the wall. MORE >

  It's search, reviews, how you use a story to gain even more traction and create content campaigns around it and best utilize the psychology of marketing and story telling to boost sales and donations.

  Request This Free Speech
• 

  The Attraction Principle: How to Shift from Working to Get Clients to Attracting Them Effortlessly

  Tom Kelly, Business Coach, Potential In Motion

  If you are looking to dramatically increase your sales, make more money with less effort, and build a sales system that produces predictable results, then this presentation is for you! In this presentation, Master Certified Business Coach Tom Kelly covers the 5 shifts that you need to make in how you approach your business so that you can attract what you want, as opposed to chasing it. MORE >

  Request This Free Speech
• 

  The Power of Storytelling to Your Organizations Culture, Growth and Innovation

  Jennifer Fortney, Founder, Cascade Communications

  The way you tell the story of your business or organization is all that matters to your customer. Today, customers want to be more engaged with the companies in which they do business and organizations' they support. The story is the reason they buy or donate. It is what they will share with friends and family when asked about where they purchased or what causes to do they support. MORE >

  The trick is that not everyone knows how to tell their story well across all platforms. This is where Jennifer comes in to walk you through finding your story and telling it appropriately and consistently for brand building.

  Request This Free Speech
• 

  You Never Said Anything: Why High Performers Get Passed Over

  Rosie Zilinskas, Keynote Speaker | Certified High-Performance Coach, No Woman Left Behind

  High-performing women in corporate roles deliver real results every day. And yet, many of them are still not being recognized and rewarded at the level they have earned. MORE >

  It is not because they lack talent. It is not because they lack confidence. It is because of the Articulation Gap: the distance between the impact they create and the impact leadership recognizes and rewards.

  In this keynote, Rosie Zilinskas reveals why strong work alone does not lead to advancement, and what high-performing women can do about it. Drawing from over 30 years of corporate leadership experience, including Executive Vice President at AIG Private Client Group, Rosie delivers a practical, story-driven talk that resonates with women across industries and leadership levels.

  Her structured approach is built on three pillars:
  ~ Clarity: knowing your impact in measurable terms
  ~ Composure: delivering your impact when the pressure is on
  ~ Conviction: directing your impact to the people who make decisions about your career

  What attendees will walk away with:
  ~ A name for the invisible problem that has been stalling their careers
  ~ The ability to translate task language into impact language that leadership responds to
  ~ A clear, repeatable structure for articulating their value in performance reviews, leadership conversations, and interviews
  ~ The knowledge that they were never behind. They simply had not been taught how to say what they do in the language that gets recognized and rewarded

  Ideal for:
  ~ Mid-level to senior women in corporate roles (Director, VP, Senior Manager)
  ~ High-performing women in finance, insurance, and structured performance-driven organizations
  ~ Women's leadership summits and ERG events
  ~ Corporate learning series and leadership development programs
  ~ Association meetings and industry conferences

  Rosie Zilinskas is a keynote speaker, Certified High Performance Coach, and StoryBrand Certified Guide. She is the Incoming President of the NSA Illinois Chapter (July 2026) and host of the No Woman Left Behind podcast.

  Request This Free Speech
• 

  The Hidden Value Driver: How Business Credit Builds Company Worth

  Mark Knaack, Business Development Director, Guardian Chamber

  Most business owners think of credit only as a way to borrow money, but the truth is, strong business credit is a hidden driver of company value. When banks, investors, and even potential buyers look at your business, they’re not just reviewing your financial statements — they’re evaluating your ability to access and manage capital without leaning on personal guarantees. MORE >

  A business with established credit is seen as more fundable, less risky, and ultimately more valuable. At Guardian Chamber, we show owners how building credit isn’t just about getting loans — it’s about creating leverage, increasing valuation, and giving you more control over your company’s growth and future.

  Request This Free Speech
• 

  Is Your Business A “Digital Disaster”

  Jody Jankovsky, Founder and Managing Member, Black|Line Consulting

  Black|Line's "Digital Disaster" presentation explains how many businesses are failing to create and maintain some of their most valuable assets, their digital ones. Mr. Jankovsky explores what "Digital Assets" are, why they are important to a business/organization and how to avoid becoming a "Digital Disaster". The presentation can be made to fit a 30-60 minute format and can be tailored for your organization or business. MORE >

  Request This Free Speech
• 

  Cash Flow is King: Why Profit Doesn’t Always Mean You’re in Control

  Mark Knaack, Business Development Director, Guardian Chamber

  Every business owner has heard the phrase “cash is king,” but too many discover the truth the hard way — when they run out of cash even though their business looks profitable on paper. Profit is an accounting result, but cash flow is what keeps the doors open, employees paid, and opportunities funded. MORE >

  At Guardian Chamber, we teach owners how to take control of their financial story by understanding where their money really goes, building systems to smooth out cash flow, and using credit as a safety net—not a crutch. Because when you have clarity on your cash, you gain both control and the confidence to scale.

  Request This Free Speech
• 

  Is the Culture of Your Business by Choice or Chance? – Culture matters and leaving it to chance invites trouble.

  Mark James, Founder & President, Performance Advisors Group, Inc.

  A culture by chance is the welcome mat which invites variation into a business, hurting performance and results. On the other hand, a culture guided by choice helps prevent variation that hurt results. Get insights on how to make sure your organization’s culture enhances your value proposition and the customer experience instead of eroding them. Including a close look at the specific actions and behavior leaders must contribute to create the right culture. MORE >

  Attendee Takeaways
  -What defines company culture
  -Why culture matters
  -Which culture archetype describes your organization’s culture?
  -Key culture influencers
  -Actions to achieve culture by choice
  -Signs of an ideal culture

  Request This Free Speech
• 

  Avoid Business Failure By Enabling 3 Essentials In Your Marketing Strategy

  Troy Sandidge, Keynote Speaker • Emcee • Fractional CMO • Podcaster • Author, Strategy Hackers

  Synopsis: 65% of businesses fail because of three things - complexity, confusion, and chaos. To avoid failure, modern day success requires businesses to relinquish expired “best practices” and embrace modern marketing and sales frameworks while leveraging fundamentals to succeed. MORE >

  Breakdown:
  • The 3 Cs Causing Marketing Strategies to Fail & How to Avoid Them
  • Improve MarketingOps Using the D.A.R.T. Marketing Methodology™
  • 5-Point Customer Success Journey Blueprint for Better Conversions
  • Apply the E.A.S.T. Framework to Operate Marketing Campaigns Efficiently
  • How to Increase Sales Velocity Using the L.E.A.D.S. Generator Blueprint™

  Intentional Themes That Will Be Amplified:
  • Business Growth Strategies
  • Customer Success Journeys
  • MarCom + MarTech Integration
  • Marketing Optimization
  • Sales Velocity Tactics

  Actionable Takeaways:
  • Activate Blueprints to Increase Customer Success & Sales Velocity
  • Apply Strategies to Obtain & Maintain Clarity to Stay in Alignment with Goals
  • Clarity. Refocus. Realignment. Revitalization of Passion & Action

  Request This Free Speech
• 

  Games Prospects and Buyers Play

  Bryan McDonald, Partner/Owner, onPurpose Growth

  Old ways don't open new doors. We hear two things consistently these days: everybody sells or everybody is in sales. Nobody wants be sold. The question we ask ourselves is how do these two things coexist? The traditional way of selling leaves your prospects wanting something different and you, wanting more prospects! In The Games Buyers & Prospects Play session, we will have a roundtable discussion that includes the underlying psychology driving your buyer's and prospect's behavior. MORE >

  We will present how the elite sales professionals and entrepreneurs, across industries, change the rules of the game and thus change the behaviors to improve the outcomes of their sales efforts.

  If you struggle with:

  ✦Having prospects that you thought sounded positive but never respond to follow up
  ✦Prospects that meet with you regularly and never pay for your service aka free advice
  ✦If you have ever said “I wish I just have smarter clients”
  ✦Frankly, if you are just tired of doing the same old tactics that never feel right nor, get you where you want to be, The Games Buyers & Prospects Play may just open the door to new possibilities for you.

  Join us and we will discuss a way to change your results!

  You will walk away with:

  ✦Understanding the commonly accepted selling steps
  ✦Learn about what is driving your prospects/buyers reactions
  ✦Discover the inherent conflict between the 2 above, that stops/slows down your sales
  ✦Be introduced to some key concepts that break the old model

  Request This Free Speech