All 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.
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Hire What You Can’t Change
Tim Reynolds, Co-Founder, Clover Lane Partners, LLC
TOPIC CATEGORY: Business
Request This Free SpeechIf you are struggling with high turnover, you are not alone. Research shows that the main cause for this seemingly endless problem is not a mystery. A Harvard Business Review Survey found that 80% of turnover is due to poor hiring decisions. The new hires simply are the wrong fit for the job and are doomed to fail or leave from the start. MORE >
It does not have to be this way. You can create a culture of loyalty and high performance and cut your hiring mistakes by focusing on the first day unchangeable core qualities required for the position and building a culture where people feel welcomed, empowered and valuable.This practical, hands on presentation/workshop will help you build a clear profile of who you are looking for, offer interview strategies to gather information related to that profile and examine how to process that information gathered and the ultimate question of whether they will thrive in the job and culture or not.
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Hard Conversations for Avoiders
Tim Reynolds, Co-Founder, Clover Lane Partners, LLC
TOPIC CATEGORY: Business
Request This Free SpeechMost of us dislike confrontation. As a result, we often feel a primal urge to avoid it at almost any cost. But there are real costs to be paid. Avoidance damages relationships, hurts productivity, and undermines leadership authority and the ability to develop and mentor others. And avoidance is all too common and often ends up in terminations that go horribly wrong or broken relationships leaving all involved dispirited. MORE >
This practical, hands on workshop will provide both the training on how to overcome avoidance and the how to have an effective difficult conversation that will benefit everyone involved. -
Cash Flow is King: Why Profit Doesn’t Always Mean You’re in Control
Mark Knaack, Business Development Director, Guardian Chamber
TOPIC CATEGORY: Business
Request This Free SpeechEvery 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. -
The Hidden Value Driver: How Business Credit Builds Company Worth
Mark Knaack, Business Development Director, Guardian Chamber
TOPIC CATEGORY: Business
Request This Free SpeechMost 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. -
Step Into Your Power
Eva M. Kennedy, CPCC, Transformational Life Coach, Author, Eva M Kennedy Coaching
Request This Free SpeechKeynote: Step Into Your Power
Eva M. Kennedy inspires women and teams to overcome fear, embrace authenticity, and take bold, intentional steps toward the life they desire. Through her 4Cs framework—Clarity, Courage, Commitment, and Community—she shares practical strategies for transforming obstacles into opportunities. Ideal for keynotes, conferences, and professional development events, this empowering talk motivates audiences to step into their power with confidence and purpose. MORE > -
Witness the Most Powerful YOU: Five Principles to Reclaim Your Voice, Vision & Power
Eva M. Kennedy, CPCC, Transformational Life Coach, Author, Eva M Kennedy Coaching
Request This Free SpeechThis interactive workshop is based on Eva’s foundational 5 Principles—Awareness, Clarity, Courage, Commitment, and Community—which launched her own journey into coaching and empowerment speaking. Participants engage in reflective exercises and hands-on practices to uncover limiting beliefs, define a vision for their future, and take intentional steps toward transformation. Perfect for retreats, breakout sessions, and leadership development programs, this immersive experience empowers attendees to witness—and fully embody—the most powerful version of themselves. MORE >
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Early Childhood Literacy Will Save A Child from a Later Life of Poverty and Crime
Richard Rosen, Rotarian and Literacy Chair, Rotary District 6440
TOPIC CATEGORY: Educational
Request This Free SpeechThere is a clear cause to effect relationship between literacy versus crime and poverty. No matter what income level those who can read at 4th grade reading levels upon entering 5th grade, over 90% will graduate high school, many go onto college and end up as productive members in our community. On the other hand statistics show that 2/3 of those who cannot read at 4th grade levels will end up in poverty and/or crime. MORE >
This presentation focuses on lower income families located within many of our communities. With program ideas, this presentation will show how you can directly make a difference and impact these households who lack books and to parents who lack the know how to teach their child essential literacy skills before entering kindergarten. -
Solutions to Climate Change that benefit you and the Environment
Dorelle Ackermann, Activist, Pachamama Alliance: Chicagoland Co-Hearts
TOPIC CATEGORY: Climate
Request This Free SpeechEvery presentation is created to address the specific interests of your group. This presentation highlights 4 solutions that can benefit individuals while contributing to healing our planet. Food waste is the first solution discussed. One third of the world’s food is never eaten and is responsible for 8 percent of global warming emissions. Learn how you can reduce food waste, save money and at the same time create a more environmentally sustainable future. MORE >
Reducing meat intake is the second solution. If everyone in the U.S.skipped red meat just one day per week for a year, it would be the equivalent of taking 7.6 million cars off the road.The third solution highlighted is home energy use. Did you know that ComEd will give homeowners a free energy assessment, install low flow faucets and LED lights without cost? Save money and save the planet!
The final solution discussed is transportation. Consider your options when traveling and quick trips to the store. Small behavioral changes can make a difference. Finally, in addition to individual solutions, the presentation will touch on our power to influence companies and government (especially local government) to move us to a more sustainable way of life.
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Stories that Connect: Building Empathy Through Personal Narrative
Leilani Garrett, Principal Storyteller / Founder, Be More Human
TOPIC CATEGORY: Business
Request This Free SpeechIn 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. -
Building Collective Success: Empathy. Storytelling. & Change.
Leilani Garrett, Principal Storyteller / Founder, Be More Human
TOPIC CATEGORY: Business
Request This Free SpeechIn a time when workplace connection is at an all-time low and culture-building feels more buzzword than blueprint, Leilani offers something different: a keynote that makes people feel—and think. Her signature talk, Building Collective Success: Empathy. Storytelling. & Change, challenges audiences to rethink the way we define leadership, performance, and culture. MORE >
Through personal narrative, pop culture references, humor, and hard data, Leilani shows how story-driven empathy isn't just a “nice-to-have”—it’s a business imperative. Expect aha moments, audience participation, and a masterclass in communication that sticks long after the standing ovation.