Keynote Speakers for Change, Leadership & Events

START WITH THE OUTCOME

Your event doesn’t need another forgettable hour.

The right keynote can help people understand what is changing, see their role in what comes next, and leave ready to act. The wrong one can sound impressive and still miss the moment.

Before recommending anyone, we start with three questions:

What is happening in your organization right now?
What does this audience need to think, feel, or do differently?
What kind of voice will connect with these people?

That is how we help you choose a speaker—not simply fill a slot.

Tell Us What You’re Planning

FEATURED KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Shawn Ellis helps people move forward when change asks them to let go.

Shawn Ellis is a keynote speaker, strategist, and creator of the Choose Your Ending Method™. Drawing on more than two decades advising event leaders—and his own experience turning disruption into a new beginning—he gives audiences a practical, human way to meet uncertainty with greater calm, clarity, courage, confidence, and community.

His keynotes are especially well suited for organizations facing transformation, AI-driven disruption, changing markets, leadership transitions, sales pressure, or a future that no longer looks like the plan.

Why organizations choose Shawn

20+ years inside the speaking and events business
Highly customized for the audience and moment
Practical tools people can use after the applause
Authentic storytelling that connects across roles and generations

Explore Shawn’s Keynotes Ask About Shawn’s Availability →

WHEN SHAWN IS THE RIGHT FIT

A keynote for the human side of change.

Radical Adaptability™

Help people move from resistance and overwhelm to readiness—without pretending change is easy. Audiences learn how to steady themselves, release what no longer serves them, and take the next meaningful step.

Best for: Transformation, AI adoption, leadership meetings, sales kickoffs, culture initiatives, and organizations navigating sustained uncertainty.

Choose Your Ending™

Every new beginning asks us to end something first: an assumption, a habit, a story, or a way of working. Shawn shows audiences how to choose those endings intentionally so they can move forward with purpose.

Best for: Moments of transition, reinvention, resilience, personal leadership, and conferences built around growth or possibility.

Compare Shawn’s Keynotes

WHAT EVENT LEADERS SAY

A genuine message, built for the people in the room.

“Shawn’s keynote was a hit and a great way to kick off our event! His message resonated and I was impressed by how much time he spent getting to know his audience ahead of time. A genuine and powerful speaker.”

— Toastmasters International

“Your discussion set the perfect tone for the rest of our time together. You have a real gift for connecting with people in a very authentic way.”

— Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education

“Shawn brings his life lessons together in a way that makes them so relatable. While he entertains, you learn from his experiences.”

— Howard Behar, retired president, Starbucks Coffee

NEED A DIFFERENT KIND OF SPEAKER?

If Shawn isn’t the right fit, we’ll tell you.

Sometimes an event calls for a futurist, economist, celebrity, technical expert, industry insider, or a voice with a very different lived experience. The Speakers Group is not a giant directory. We make selective referrals based on your audience, objectives, budget, and date.

Tell us what is happening and what you want the keynote to accomplish. We’ll recommend people we would genuinely consider for the event—including Shawn only when the fit is real.

Request Speaker Recommendations

Curated by people with more than 20 years in the speaking business.

A SIMPLER SPEAKER SEARCH

Three steps to a confident decision.

Tell us about the moment

Share the audience, date, budget, organizational context, and the outcome you want.

Get a thoughtful recommendation

We’ll assess whether Shawn fits and, when helpful, identify other credible options.

Plan a keynote that lands

Once you choose a speaker, we help make sure the message connects with the people in the room.

Start With Your Event

Find the right speaker for the moment you’re in.