Keynote speaker and conference speaker

When I Walk Into a Room, the Thinking Changes.

Culture Keynote Speaker for HR Conferences, Leadership Summits, and Company Events
High energy, deeply prepared, and built on thirty years of real operator and consulting experience, my keynotes do not just inspire. They rewire how leaders see the challenge in front of them. I am a master storyteller who brings strategy and culture to life through the stories of the leaders, organizations, and moments that shaped my thinking. Audiences leave with sharper thinking, a clearer frame, and the conviction that what I described is actually possible for them.
Topics
Built around ideas that actually cha​nge how lea​ders think.
Fla​gship key​note: Cul​ture by Com​mitment
Why cul​ture cha​nge fails and how to build a high per​formance cul​ture fast. This is the talk that cha​nges how lea​ders think about cul​ture permanently. Most cul​ture cha​nge pro​grams start with val​ues. That is why most of them fail. Cul​ture is not a val​ues pro​blem. It is a lan​guage pro​blem. This key​note walks aud​iences through why con​ventional cul​ture cha​nge does not work, what cul​ture actually is, and how to build a high per​formance cul​ture through lan​guage, com​mitments, and dom​ain con​centration. Lea​ders leave with a completely new fra​me for cul​ture and a clear path to cha​nge it.
Additional topics
Bus​iness str​ategy and str​ategic thi​nking
McK​insey pro​blem sol​ving for bus​iness lea​ders
Lea​dership eff​ectiveness
Bus​iness mod​el des​ign and inn​ovation
Who books Joe
HR conferences, leadership summits, and company events.
I speak at HR conferences and leadership summits for audiences of HR professionals, CHROs, and people leaders who are responsible for building great cultures and developing exceptional leaders. I speak at company all-hands and leadership events for organizations that want to shift how their people think about culture, strategy, or leadership. And I speak at industry conferences where senior leaders gather to learn, connect, and get sharper on the challenges in front of them.
What the aud​ience gets
Not ins​piration theater. A genuine shift in thi​nking.
My key​notes are not ins​piration theater. I do not tell people to believe in themselves and send them back to their desks feeling good for an hour. I give aud​iences a genuinely new way of thi​nking about the cha​llenge in front of them. A sharper fra​me. A clearer mod​el. And the specific ins​ight that makes the abs​tract feel act​ionable. The best key​notes cha​nge how a room thinks about something permanently. That is the sta​ndard I hold myself to every time I take the sta​ge.
Why Joe
Operator credibility. Master storyteller. Built to move a room.
I bring something most speakers cannot. Thirty years of real experience as a McKinsey consultant, as a CEO, COO, CFO, and CMO running real organizations, and as an executive coach working with senior leaders across every type and size of company. I have lived the challenges I speak about. That operator credibility is what makes the stories land and the insights feel real rather than theoretical. Combined with high energy, deep preparation, and a natural ability to read and connect with a room, the result is a keynote that people are still talking about long after the event is over.
About Joe
Joe Newsum
McK​insey alum, ope​rator, exe​cutive coa​ch, and founder of Stratechi.com with over three million users worldwide. I have spent thirty years at the intersection of str​ategy, cul​ture, and lea​dership. Con​sulting, ope​rating, and coa​ching. Every key​note is built on that dep​th of real world exp​erience.
McK​insey & Com​pany
and Oli​ver Wym​an con​sulting bac​kground
Sta​nford
BS Sci​ence, Tec​hnology & Soc​iety with CS
Tuck MBA
High Dis​tinction, top 3% of cla​ss
3M+
Str​atechi.com use​rs wor​ldwide
30+
Yea​rs in str​ategy, coa​ching and ope​rations
Cul​ture by Com​mitment
Pro​prietary cul​ture tra​nsformation met​hodology
Let’s talk about your eve​nt.
Whether you are pla​nning a con​ference, a company all-hands, or a lea​dership eve​nt, let’s talk about whether I am the right fit for your aud​ience and your moment. Pick a time below, or email me at joe@stratechi.com.
Frequently asked questions
What topics do you speak on?
My flagship keynote is Culture by Commitment. Why culture change fails and how to build a high performance culture fast through language, commitments, and domain concentration. I also speak on business strategy and strategic thinking, McKinsey problem solving, leadership effectiveness, and business model design and innovation.
How long are your keynotes?
Typically 30 to 45 minutes for a conference keynote. I can also do longer sessions of 60 to 90 minutes for company events that want more depth, or half day workshops for organizations that want to go even deeper.
Do you customize the talk for each event?
Always. I spend time understanding your audience, your event theme, and what you need people to walk away with. Every talk is tailored to the specific moment and the specific room.
What size audiences do you speak to?
I have spoken to audiences from twenty to several thousand. The energy and approach adapt to the room.
Are you available for virtual events?
I strongly prefer in person. The energy, connection, and impact are categorically different. That said I am open to discussing virtual for the right event.
What do you charge?
Speaking fees vary based on the event, format, and travel. Book a session or email me and we will have a direct conversation about what makes sense.
How do we get started?
Book a free 30-minute session below, or email me at joe@stratechi.com with a brief description of your event, your audience, and what you are hoping to accomplish. We will take it from there.
Grab a time that works for you
Thirty minutes, no charge. Tell me about the event, the audience, and the date.