Speaking
I never fulfilled my early 20s dream of becoming an actor, but it’s pretty cool that I can channel my love of the stage into keynote speaking. I’ve given dozens of talks to crowds all over the world, from New York to Lima to Stockholm to Zoom, and every time I’m blown away at the magic audiences and I create together.
If you’re interested in booking me to speak, reach out at bree@breegroff.com.
I should note that in order to keep speaking a source of joy AND be one of many in my life, I’m a bit selective about the engagements I take on.
Testimonials
"The audience feedback alone is a testament to how well Bree did. Bree has a knack for making a group feel comfortable with being vulnerable, which creates such a welcoming and collaborative environment. Having planned many events, I know how important this part is, how often it's overlooked by most, and how difficult it is to get right. She’s great at it!"
"Bree is the future. Best talk I’ve seen in a decade."
"Bree has a gift of getting to the core of human emotions that drive change and inspiring teams to create a culture of inclusivity, transparency and innovation."
"Bree has an outstanding delivery on stage – she is able to convince even the most skeptical executive about the value of having a fluid culture within their organization!"
"Bree spoke at one event and I have been talking about it for months. Bree is simply amazing!!!!"
"Our conference audience of over 200 HR professionals raved about Bree’s talk. She offered quality content that was of interest to each and every attendee regardless of company size and industry. Working with Bree has been such a pleasure and we sincerely hope to partner with her again on future events."
"I heard Bree addressing a media & creative business audience in London and was immediately bowled over! She spoke about defining and meeting your own “North Star”. Rather than discuss the destination or end-goal, Bree spoke about the journey and how to tackle the ups, downs and changes of direction on any business or personal journey you take. Her openness, honesty, and understanding of the challenges and ambiguities along the way were truly refreshing."
"Bree is a fabulous leader, and we continue to invite Bree to our 4A’s events to share her wisdom and insights. Bree is always one of the favorite speakers based on the knowledge she conveys and the approach she takes discussing subjects. Often, Bree discusses change- a scary word for most. She understands how to express the concepts of change and organizational design in a safe and accessible way allowing the audience to engage and embrace her guidance."
"Bree was a delight to work with through Opus. She lifted the day with her bright, humorous and human approach. The audience loved her, and even those on our AV team - who watch speakers day in and day out - commented that her delivery was one of the best they’d ever seen!"
"After Bree’s session, I felt as though she was a part of our company, rather than a speaker tasked with “teaching” our team about leadership."
"Bree was definitely the most in-demand speaker. We had people pushing their way in, standing in the back and sitting on the floor just so they could join. She killed it!"
"Bree is a modern-day renaissance woman, a real pioneer for businesses, for people and society. Bree rewires the world’s largest businesses, their teams and skeptical minds of their leaders by practically showing them how a company could be run in a soulful, purposeful, authentic, collaborative and human way - what we all deeply long for! - while consistently producing tremendous performance. While others talk or write about transformation, Bree is one of the few in the world who has cracked the code in delivering next generation workplaces people simply love being part of. At several of our events around the world (London, San Diego, Stockholm), Bree was the most praised and inspiring speaker. Her speeches bring about immediate action. If there is one individual on this planet you need in your business now, it is Bree. She will make it better in every (un)thinkable way! "
"Bree was by far the most engaging and polished speaker of the day. So engaging, thought provoking, and perfectly weaved in client examples to make big ideas come to life."
"Bree’s ability to bring a group of senior leaders together and get them to focus is very impressive. She intimately understands the needs and challenges of teams undergoing change and inspires actionable and meaningful next steps."
"I first saw Bree share her insights on leadership at a conference and among all the speakers, takeaways, and networking, her session was the one that really stuck with me. My company has recently announced some big changes so when it came time to build out the program for our senior leadership team offsite, I knew I wanted to invite Bree to speak. Bree took the time to understand our team, our culture, and our concerns beforehand to deliver a custom workshop that really rang true to our team. Not only did we have some great discussions, but we also walked away with concrete tactics and tools we could immediately put to use. And, on top of all that, Bree is a kind and genuine person who is awesome to work with. I couldn't recommend her highly enough."
"Bree spoke at our yearly retreat and led an effective conversation with over 200 people, from the founders to the newest joiners. She set the scene for how agreeing on a small number of principles can result in significant behavioural change at the organisational level, an important tool we continue to rely on."
"Bree was excellent - I loved her content. It was tangible, relatable and relevant to so many organizations."
"You brought real honesty and humility to our conversation about leadership, which made a mark on us all."
"Bree is refreshingly different and brilliant."
Some of my wonderful past clients
Topic 1
Today Was Fun: Designing work as a source of joy
I’ve got the Sunday Scaries.
Ugh, Mondays are the worst.
Is it only Wednesday?
TGIF!
It’s a refrain so common we don’t bother to question it. Kids don’t make it to 2nd grade without picking up the tune. But why should it be that way? Why should we wish away 5/7ths of our lives until we retire?
We don’t need to continue working as we have been. We don’t need to make “good enough” work because we’re too busy and tired to actually think. We don’t need to dress up in suits and business masks, pretending and performing and dreading the thing that should fulfill us.
I don’t like it! Perhaps you don’t either? In this interactive keynote filled with client examples, research, and props, I share seven rules for better days at work (and in life):
Most work, most days, should be fun.
Your brain works whether you’re wearing a suit or stretchy pants.
Shoveling shit is fun if you like your co-shovelers.
Make brilliant work. Don’t let busyness and normalness sabotage you.
Keep it cool. We’re all in it together.
You are the defender of date nights, crossword puzzles, and your health.
Get good at life, not just work.
You will walk away feeling lighter, more human, more hopeful, and with tools you can use in your own work and with your team today.
After all, you deserve to love your days—even Monday to Friday.
Note: I customize the talk depending on if the audience is primarily a) leaders, b) employees, c) People/HR professionals, or d) other, focusing on the rules that will create the most impact. I’m happy to learn more about your audience!
Topic 2
How to Lead Change:
What wine corks teach us about resistance, loss, and transformation
Organizational change is just individual change at scale. And so to transform a company, an industry, or the world, we must first understand change at the human level.
In this interactive keynote, I explore resistance to change, as illustrated by real client stories and case studies from the wine industry. I share the six types of loss employees experience during change and offer a framework for leading teams through authentic transformation to successful change.
Videos
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#portfoliolife—because #iworkandcomehomelife just isn't as fun
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The magic of a Do Nothing Day at work