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Zack Friedman    

Bestselling Author, Entrepreneur, Revolutionary CFO of the Year

Millions of people rely on inspirational thought leader Zack Friedman for advice, including more than 20 million in 125 countries who have read his powerful insights in Forbes. Friedman is the bestselling author of the blockbuster book, "The Lemonade Life," which debuted as the #1 new business audiobook on Apple’s bestseller chart. Apple also named "The Lemonade Life" audiobook, which Friedman narrates, a Must Listen.

Zack combines his deep experience as an entrepreneur, CEO, investor, and author to deliver inspiring, motivational, and actionable keynotes that drive results. Through engaging storytelling and real-world examples, Zack isolates the habits and behaviors that significantly drive innovation, creativity, and energy for every audience. His thought-provoking leadership lessons have been informed by his extensive travels to all 50 states and 30 countries and interactions with a diverse range of leaders including presidents and CEOs. He has also been recognized for his significant contributions to finance and leadership, being named the “Revolutionary CFO of the Year” in the Middle East.

A Wharton MBA and Harvard alum, Friedman’s insights on leadership, happiness, and performance are sought after globally. He regularly appears on national television and radio, including CNN, NPR, and ABC, sharing his expertise. Zack is the Founder & CEO of Make Lemonade, a leading technology-driven personal finance company that empowers you to live a better financial life. Previously, he was CFO of an international energy company, was a hedge fund investor, and worked at Blackstone, Morgan Stanley, and The White House. He holds degrees from Harvard, Wharton, Columbia, and Johns Hopkins, and has served as a board director for several energy and healthcare companies, and as a lecturer at Columbia Law School.

Speech Topics

Think Like A Start-Up: How To Compete In A Tech-Driven World

No matter your organization’s size or industry, there is a young, hungry start-up planning and plotting to drive disruption and innovation. In a transformative, technology-driven world, every organization must transform to address this reality. In this motivational keynote, you will learn:

  • How to think like a revolutionary start-up
  • How to position your organization to embrace a start-up philosophy to drive innovation and disruption
  • How to apply 5 winning habits of successful entrepreneurs and avoid the 5 pitfalls of start-up mentality
  • The 3 ways that Daring Disruptors disrupt the competition

The Secrets To Happiness At Work

During our career, we spend up to 70,000 hours or more at work. We want our team members to be happy at work so they can thrive, be active participants in your organization’s mission and serve customers and clients. How do we inspire more greatness at work? How do we lead with purpose? How do we develop a culture of transparency to increase trust?

In this motivational keynote and call to action, Zack shares the secrets to improve your organization’s culture, increase productivity and drive results. You will learn how to:

  • Create purpose and possibility in your organization so that every team member feels valued.
  • Foster a culture of excellence driven by transparency, trust and cooperation.
  • Use the power of happiness to become the bedrock principle for organizational and team member success.
  • Leverage the teachings of a 14th century monk to revolutionize the way you think about your organization.
  • Teach your team members the surprising reason why it can be more important to have a “can’t do” attitude than a “can do” one.

How To Lead The Lemonade Life

Every day, we all make a fundamental choice to lead one of two lives: the Lemon Life or the Lemonade Life. The Lemon Life is about excuses, blame and settling for less than your best self. The Lemonade Life is leading life with purpose and possibility. These lessons apply to individuals and organizations alike. In this inspiring keynote based on Zack’s bestselling book, The Lemonade Life, you will learn central tenets of positive psychology and leadership, including:

  • The 5 “switches” that will change your life and business
  • How leaders transform into Daring Disruptors
  • How organizations can lead The Lemonade Life
  • How organizations can think and act like a startup
  • The greatest lessons from the most successful Lemonade Lifers (from Warren Buffett and Jack Ma to Sam Walton and Ray Kroc and more)

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