Free Business Topics in Chicago

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Now the speaker will contact you in the next few days to coordinate details.

SORT: MOST RECENT | A - Z

  • Power of Stories for Business

    Valerie Fuson, Author & Certified Speaking Coach, Empowered Speaking

    Whether you are a CEO, entrepreneur, sales professional or business expert, your story is the deciding factor of why people will do business with you. Valerie’s talk shows how to bring your stories to life to attract the ideal client and increase profits.

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  • Optimizing Your Job Search with AI

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

    AI can speed up your job search when you know how to use it strategically. This session goes beyond the resume and covers how to use free AI tools across every stage of the job search process, from applications to networking to interview preparation. You will learn prompts that save time while keeping your unique voice, and how to build a system that creates momentum without burning you out. MORE >

    What attendees will walk away with:
    ~ How to strengthen a LinkedIn profile, headline, and job descriptions with AI-generated improvements
    ~ How to write authentic outreach and networking messages that start real conversations
    ~ How to use AI to research companies, identify roles, and explore new career paths
    ~ How to build a Story Vault of accomplishments using the Problem-Action-Solution format
    ~ A simple weekly checklist and workflow to stay consistent and organized throughout the search
    ~ Ready-to-use ChatGPT prompts for every step

    Ideal for:
    ~ Active job seekers who want to work smarter, not harder
    ~ Professionals navigating a career transition or unexpected layoff
    ~ Anyone overwhelmed by the volume and complexity of a modern job search
    ~ People curious about AI who want a practical, hands-on introduction
    ~ Libraries, workforce development programs, community organizations, and professional associations

    Presented by Rosie Zilinskas, a Certified High Performance Coach, keynote speaker, and former Executive Vice President with over 30 years of corporate leadership experience.

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  • Fail, Pivot, Rise: The Real Story Behind a 7-Figure Comeback

    Amanda Wittenborn, Owner, Amanda Creation Inc.

    What if losing everything was the best thing that ever happened to you?
    After being banned from Etsy and watching her thriving business collapse during COVID, Amanda Wittenborn could’ve quit. Instead, she rebuilt—twice—each time stronger and more aligned than before. MORE >

    In this raw, inspiring keynote, Amanda shares the real behind-the-scenes of losing, pivoting, and rising again to build a multi-million-dollar brand.
    You’ll learn how to:

    Turn failure into fuel for growth

    Recognize the signs it’s time to pivot

    Rebuild your confidence (and your business) when everything crumbles

    Audiences leave fired up, hopeful, and ready to turn any challenge into a comeback story of their own.

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  • 5 Secrets of Businesses That Actually Thrive (Not Just Survive)

    Amanda Wittenborn, Owner, Amanda Creation Inc.

    Why do some businesses seem to grow with ease while others constantly struggle to stay afloat?
    In this uplifting and practical keynote, Amanda Wittenborn, founder of a multi-million-dollar creative brand, reveals the five hidden factors that separate thriving entrepreneurs from the ones just trying to get by. MORE >

    After losing her business twice—and rebuilding stronger each time—Amanda discovered that lasting success isn’t about luck, trends, or working harder. It’s about mastering five timeless principles that every thriving business has in common.

    With her signature blend of real-world honesty and contagious optimism, Amanda helps audiences uncover what’s really holding them back and shows them how to create momentum, confidence, and clarity in their business again.

    Attendees will learn how to:
    ✅ Identify and focus on the work that actually drives growth
    ✅ Harness mindset and energy as tools for strategic success
    ✅ Build simple systems that support (not suffocate) creativity
    ✅ Stay grounded and resilient when plans fall apart
    ✅ Lead with purpose, authenticity, and joy

    Whether you’re an entrepreneur, creative, or leader in transition, this talk will inspire you to stop surviving—and start truly thriving.

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  • Master Networking for your business

    Dan Gelfond, Former Steven Spielberg Project Interviewers, Personal History Interviews

    Join Dan Gelfond, a master networker with 28+ years of experience building his business almost entirely through networking. As moderator of the Northbrook Chamber’s “First Friday” networking meeting for the past 25 years (averaging 110 attendees monthly), Dan brings proven, practical strategies you can use immediately.
    What you’ll learn:
    Clear, actionable do’s — and even more important don’ts — for effective networking
    How to craft and perfect a compelling elevator pitch MORE >

    Practical tips to maximize your ROI from every networking opportunity
    Format:
    Fun, interactive seminar tailored for companies or organizations with sales staffs.
    Hands-on exercises, real-world examples, and time for Q&A.

    For companies with sales staff in multiple locations, seminar can be conducted via Zoom.

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  • A Diverse Workforce is Smart Business

    Pamela Bozeman-Evans, Founder & Senior Consultant, ProPlanProject

    Workplace diversity impacts your bottom line. Pamela discusses best practices in recruitment, retention, target marketing, and product/service innovation. She provides valuable insights that will empower your team and impress your client base. Learn more about customized presentations, tailored to diverse stakeholders, including sales teams, C-Suites, boards, and investors.

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  • Non-Profit Business Strategies

    Lea Ann Skogsberg, Founder, Dollars and Sense

    With 30 years experience, Lea Ann offers customized talks on using social media, blogging, endowment, creating access for middle income donors, fundraising, new business models, grantwriting and trends across sectors.

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  • Six Sigma and Finance Intersections

    Diane Davidson, Finance Transformation Leader, Clever Fox, LLC

    As a practitioner with a Six Sigma Green Belt, I am seeing demand for Six Sigma principles being used in the Finance industry. Six Sigma is typically viewed as a tool only used for Supply Chain, Logistics or Operations. Finance organizations are using Six Sigma principles such as Value Stream Mapping and Kaizen Events to bring standardization and efficiencies to their business processes. MORE >

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  • The Culture Shift Starts Within: Tackling the Hidden Barriers to Collaboration

    Anthony Bolden and Charles Cammack, Co-founders, BridgeWork LLC

    Dr. Shirzad Chamine’s groundbreaking research introduces the concept of “Saboteurs”—internal voices that once helped us navigate real and perceived threats in childhood. While these mental patterns originally served as protection, they often persist into adulthood, operating as unseen forces that shape how we think, feel, and respond. MORE >

    Over time, these Saboteurs become embedded in our neural pathways, creating automatic reactions that can “hijack” our behavior in moments of stress or challenge.

    In this session, your team will learn to recognize and understand these patterns, identify their own Saboteurs, and develop practical strategies to build greater self-awareness. The goal is simple but powerful: to help individuals show up as assets rather than obstacles to their teams and the broader mission.

    By equipping your people with this insight, your organization takes a meaningful step toward becoming more people-centered—grounded in self-awareness, stronger collaboration, and more intentional impact.

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  • Stories that Connect: Building Empathy Through Personal Narrative

    Leilani Garrett, Principal Storyteller / Founder, Be More Human

    In this 90-minute interactive experience, Leilani guides participants through the process of writing and sharing their personal stories. The result? Deeper trust, increased empathy, and real connection between colleagues who usually only talk in metrics. Ideal for leadership retreats, ERG activations, or culture-building experiences, this workshop makes space for brave reflection and meaningful dialogue—and leaves teams more human than they were before. MORE >

    This is more than a workshop—it’s a reset.
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