What Makes Groups Work: The ManifestoSo I bring what a great speaker should bring: energy, timing, and a room that stays with me. And I bring what operators want: big ideas that challenge foundational assumptions, practical tools you can use immediately, and an honest conversation instead of a performance.
And a lot of jokes. Because everyone likes jokes. (Except my kids.)
The advantage now belongs to groups that can coordinate, decide, and stay aligned under pressure.
Every keynote below is built from that single body of work. Pick the one closest to your event's situation.
The actual talk gets built for your room — not recycled from the last one.
Four talks built from 500+ stages, each one designed to shift how your audience thinks about working together.
What Matters When AI Levels Everything Else
AI tools everywhere. Adoption stalls below half. The gap is human. This keynote gives leaders an honest read on what AI actually changes — and the specific communication shifts that close the adoption gap.
Leadership, Presence, and the Forces That Shape Every Outcome
Everyone's in the meeting. Nobody's in the meeting. This keynote reframes how leaders think about presence — and why expertise becomes a liability under pressure.
What Makes Groups Hold When Everything Makes It Easier to Leave
Talent's there. Strategy's sound. Room underperforms. This keynote maps the forces pulling groups apart — and what separates the ones that hold.
What Actually Earns Focus When Everything Competes for It
120+ emails a day. Meetings run long, land short. The highest-energy keynote in the lineup. Curt has ADHD and wrote the book on attention — the irony is not lost.
You already have a conference theme or an internal situation no one is naming. Same body of work maps onto what your people face. Talk built for the room, not recycled.
Sometimes the need is bigger than one talk.
Most events book 3–6 months ahead. Some book 12+. Earlier is better, but good work has happened on short timelines.
Both. This material hits harder in person. Virtual works when it needs to.
Always. The ideas are the same. The examples and language are built for your world.
Twenty minutes. You tell me what’s going on. I tell you honestly whether it’s the right fit. No pitch.
Premiere, Keppler, APB, Gotham Artists, and others. If one referred you, mention them on the first call.
Depends on format, duration, and scope. Reach out and we’ll talk specifics.
Planning an event and need content people will still be talking about after it ends?
