Playing Offense in Defensive Environments

KEYNOTE TOPIC #1

How to Lead with Courage and Inspire Confidence

Paul is an expert at inspiring audiences to life impacting and purposeful change, starting by Winning Monday.  
Knowing the economic winter we’re in, how do we lead with confidence and courage to play offense in highly defensive environments? How do we make better decisions faster to overcome the stress and anxiety at our most paralyzing forks in the road?  How do shift our WHY from a distantNorth into a 365 operating system that creates camaraderie and connectionwithin any team?  ‍
WARNING: No sugar highs allowed. Keynotes are merely the starting point. Expect a 365 action plan to follow.

15 Year NFL & NBA Executive, Paul speaks to high performance LEADERS, SALES teams, and CULTURE champions seeking to drive GROWTH, navigate CHANGE with confidence, and develop an ACTIONABLE game plan to WIN MONDAY and beyond.

Trusted by the World's Best Teams & Leaders

Most Requested Keynote Topics

Playing Offense in
Defensive Environments

Most Requested by Leaders and Sales

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How to Make Better
Decisions Faster

Most Requested by Executives and Entrepreneurs

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Purpose in Action: Scaling
Championship Culture

Most Requested by Associations and HR Leaders

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Closing the Confidence
Gap in Sales

Most Requested by Sales Leaders and Teams

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“When I speak to 1,000 people and 20 wait to talk after, I love all 1,000…I do it for the 20.”
- Paul epstein

The Power of Playing Offense in Defensive Environments

How to Lead with Courage while Navigating Uncertainty

Global upheaval, unrelenting change, and economic uncertainty have us all playing defense.

The result: confidence gaps that drive defensive mindsets and actions at organizations all over the world. But what if you had a playbook for playing offense — CONFIDENTLY pursuing and achieving meaningful goals and breakthrough performance — while everyone else is sheltering in place?

This is exactly what Paul delivers in this flagship keynote inspired by 15 years of leading teams in the NFL/NBA and his bestselling book, The Power of Playing Offense: a Leaders Playbook for Personal and Team Transformation.  

Every audience member will walk away with a 5-pillar Playing Offense framework, curated for universal insights and actionable takeaways to implement in any industry or organization.

Keynote Outcomes

  • Identify the keys to attracting, engaging, and retaining talent with confidence

  • Inspire your team to leverage purpose as a driver of commitment and performance

  • Learn to build an environment of intrinsic motivation, no carrots or sticks required

  • Cultivate a culture of grit and resilience to endure any climate

  • Understand the best and ‘next practices’ of trust building, empathy, and belonging

  • Know what the greatest leaders do, and how to scale these behaviors across organizations

How to Make Better Decisions Faster

Unshakable Confidence when you Need it Most

Even the most elite performers can rush to bad judgements, become paralyzed by indecision, or get worn down by decision fatigue.

In this keynote, Paul reveals the streamlined three-step process he’s used to turn around major sports franchises — from the locker room to the boardroom. Avoid decision traps, move forward clear and CONFIDENT, and make the best out of your MVDs: Most Valuable Decisions.

Discover the secrets to always making the right call when it comes to:

🚥 Picking Strategy A or Strategy B
🚥 Choosing who (and when) to hire, fire, or promote
🚥 Deciding whether to spend your time on X, Y, or Z
🚥 Moving forward with a deal or hitting the eject button

The secret? The Head-Heart-Hands equation: a simple and repeatable process that taps into the power of our three most basic human tools for making better decisions faster.

Keynote Outcomes

  • Flip fear and uncertainty into clarity and confidence

  • Empower leaders and talent to become highly decisive, aware, and intentional in their actions

  • Acquire an operating framework designed for speed, efficiency, and winning time back

  • Learn a simple, holistic method to promote personal and professional well-being

  • Build high-trust teams through heightened authenticity and collaboration

  • Leave with a playbook where everybody knows what to say “yes” to and what to say “no” to

Purpose in Action: Scaling Championship Culture

How to Apply North Stars on Monday Morning

Every company has a purpose.  The challenge is not in identifying it, it’s in bringing it to life…through daily action, that scales. This keynote exists to ensure that your team’s collective and individual purpose is the cultural foundation of everything you do.  It represents who you are, what you stand for, and how you show up—all in one.

Once optimized for action, purpose can be the strongest unifier we have, a 365 driver of performance and engagement, a magnet for recruiting, the glue of retention, the soul of leadership, and the DNA of WHY we do what we do.  Ultimately, it’s how we scale championship culture - with CONFIDENCE.

Paul is an expert at putting purpose in action, once known as the “WHY Coach” of the San Francisco 49ers and now senior advisor for the WHY Institute, he became fixated on not allowing a WHY or purpose to stay a distant North Star.  Instead, he got obsessed with applying it on Monday morning, one decision and action at a time.

He’s since been training these principles to organizations worldwide, all in the spirit of WINNING MONDAY with purpose, on purpose.

Keynote Outcomes

  • From organizational to individual purpose, learn how to align and connect both

  • Hear the latest research on the ROI of Purpose and how it ties to confidence and performance

  • Engage with activities to apply purpose to daily decisions, behaviors, and actions

  • Understand how to scale purpose across teams, organizations, and micro-cultures

  • Learn how purpose can elevate the mental, social, and emotional wellbeing of your team

  • Leave with the habits and rituals required to make purpose in action ‘stick’

Closing the Confidence Gap in Sales

The Mindset and Game Plan Required to WIN

Sales is the lifeblood of every organization.  Without it, there is no business to operate.  No people to employ.  No purpose to fulfill.  No impact to ignite in the market.  

CONFIDENCE is what makes it all possible.

Paul realized how confidence can be the ultimate separator and competitive advantage needed to win as a sales leader in the NFL and NBA, breaking the all-time Super Bowl revenue record, surpassing billion-dollar goals while opening new NFL stadiums, and transforming cellar-dwelling NBA teams from 28th in league revenue to 2nd.

This keynote unpacks exactly how he and his teams did it.  The lessons and insights are industry agnostic and universally applicable.

It’s the perfect blend of sales mindset and winning psychology, coupled with tactical toolkits to maximize confidence and achieve breakthrough performance…immediately.

Keynote Outcomes

  • Learn the best practices of elite performers and how they separate from the pack

  • Identify the confidence gaps that get in the way of optimal and sustainable performance

  • Discover the habits and rituals required for daily growth and success

  • Understand the secrets and tactics of overcoming adversity and navigating uncertainty

  • Acquire a process to unlock your mindset, lead with authenticity, and drive purposeful action

  • Leave with a toolkit to drive greater passion, impact, and results to Win Monday, and beyond

Interested in More In-Depth Training?

Learn More

Each keynote has customized follow-on workshops.

"Paul’s keynote exceeded all my expectations and my team was profoundly moved by his authenticity and heart-based storytelling. He helped Amazon understand the core values at the center of leadership such as compassion, character, and trust.  Point blank, Paul’s the best speaker we’ve ever had!"

Oumar Diagne
Oumar Diagne, Amazon, Finance Director

"Ever since Paul Epstein's keynote to our commercial sales team, the PLAYING OFFENSE mindset and 5-pillar game plan has had infinite impact in the field and beyond. Our team was inspired with purpose, became more resilient, built more trusting relationships, and our culture is that much stronger thanks to Paul.  Couldn't recommend him more!"

Linda Gordon
Commercial Marketing Leader, Johnson & Johnson

"Paul was born to inspire and help others grow into their full potential. He has a unique passion for life, and for people, bringing a special energy to his talks that inevitably becomes a catalyst for positive change. As great as he is in the boardroom, he’s even better in life."

Greg Holmes
Zoom Video Communications, Former Head of Sales & Corporate Strategy

Speakers Bureau & Meeting Planner Resources

#1 resource to share with clients and decision making committees

bio, photos, stage intro, A/V requirements, testimonials, and more

Impact Begins Pre-Stage
Transformation Continues Post-Stage

Paul’s deliverables include much more than a keynote. You’ll also receive a pre-engagement plan and post-engagement follow-up customized to your needs for maximum impact.

What’s included:

Pre Engagement

From pre-calls to build relationships and partnership, to co-promoting your event, to tailored action items specific to your goals, he’s ALL IN.

Event Date

Paul’s keynote will inspire, educate, and transform, providing transformational mindset shifts and tactical ways to Win Monday and beyond.

Within Days Post Event

Event attendees will receive custom action items so key takeaways are implemented. Includes a personalized Confidence Quiz and Toolkit.

Within a Month Post Event

Debriefing call on best practices to maintain momentum, community, and engagement for the 365 days to come.

Ready to find out more?

BOOK PAUL

"Paul’s keynote touched our head, heart, and hands. The mindset shifts were transformational, our hearts are now our competitive difference, and our hands are inspired to action.  His ability to teach others to win one day, one decision, and one action at a time drives IMMEDIATE ROI in a way that's unparalleled in our industry!"

Greg Kish
Head of Revenue, SoFi Stadium

"Incredibly impactful message! Our goal was to motivate our elite sales people during a critical quarter at ADP - Paul's keynote accomplished that tenfold."

Amy Cordes
Director Continuous Sales Learning & Development, ADP

"Paul places the power of purpose at the forefront of your business model by sharing tactics to help leaders across the business ecosystem build a people-centered playbook to attract, engage, and retain the very best."

Scott O'Neil
CEO, Merlin Entertainments; Former CEO, Philadelphia 76ers And New Jersey Devils; President, Madison Square Garden

8 Reasons to Book Paul

#1: ENDORSED BY TOP TEAMS AND BRANDS
#2: CAPTIVATING STAGE PRESENCE
#3: WHERE PASSION AND PROCESS MEET
#4: IMPACT TODAY. A FOUNDATION FOR TOMORROW
#5: FOCUS ON INDIVIDUAL GROWTH
#6: PROVEN EFFECTIVENESS
#7: POWERFUL STORYTELLING
#8: INSTANT PARADIGM SHIFTS

Is it a Green Light?


Paul’s message is all about finding the moment where your head (mindset), your heart (passion), and your hands (action) meet.

When all three are in alignment, it’s like a green light telling you to go.

Does Paul’s mindset align with your vision?

Does his passion mirror your own?

Are you ready to take action?

If the answer’s yes, it’s time to follow that green light.

To have Paul speak to your team or organization, fill out the form below or schedule a call.

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This keynote is for you if...

You are growing weary of the never-ending battles of finding, engaging, and retaining talent.  Learn the keys to create an environment where people know they belong, can thrive, and will stay, because they matter.

Learning Outcomes

  • Reconnect fragmented and hybrid workforces to rally around a spirit of camaraderie, empathy, and trust

  • Elevate the level of adaptability and agility so your culture can persevere and endure any climate

  • Learn how purpose can galvanize your organization to greater passion, positivity, and happiness in the day-to-day

  • From partners to tourists to prisoners, learn to lead challenging teams through highly volatile times

Most Requested Topics

This keynote is for you if...

You are driven to compete in today’s relentless market.  Grit, agility, and a resilient mindset are the table stakes. Learn from a 15-year NBA and NFL sales leader, who has walked through the same fires.

Learning Outcomes

  • Discover how purpose can be the igniter of performance, productivity, and courage

  • Grow customer relationships from transactional to transformational, through one simple rule

  • Acquire a framework to build trust and earn loyalty from your team, clients, and key stakeholders

  • From firefighting to FIRED UP – energize your locker room to show up committed to a standard of excellence

This keynote is for you if...

You believe elite performance happens when people don’t need to be held accountable, they hold themselves accountable.  That’s the power of intrinsic motivation, carrots and sticks no longer required.

Learning Outcomes

  • Learn the four cornerstones of intrinsically motivated teams, a case study from the San Francisco 49ers Academy, where you will be challenged by four critical questions:

    • Does your team believe deeply in the game they’re playing?

    • Are their fingerprints on the blueprint you’re asking them to execute?

    • Are people better when they go home than when they showed up that day?

    • Are people making a difference, that matters to them?

  • The answer to these questions should be HELL YES.  This keynote will deliver just that.

Customized For YOU

These keynotes are just the starting point.  
To maximize the impact, let’s customize your experience TOGETHER!

We'll talk through...

  • Biggest challenges and pain points

  • Most sought-after goals

  • Current state to future state shifts and transformations

  • How you want every audience member to think, feel, and do

  • What an 11 out of 10 looks like

Ready to meet Paul at the 50?

Most Requested Topics

This keynote is for you if...

You believe decisions and actions dictate the quality of our results.  What if you had a fail-proof equation that leads to more clear, confident, consistent, and purposeful outcomes?  This is it.

Learning Outcomes

  • Learn the business and life benefits of conquering our mindset and igniting our passion so we can achieve inner success

  • Discover how you and your team can get unstuck and drive toward greater levels of happiness and fulfillment

  • Understand how you can leverage green, yellow, and red lights at every critical decision-making juncture

  • Walk away with a proven playbook of core values to lead the business, career, and life you want, ON PURPOSE

This keynote is for you if...

You subscribe to the platinum rule where you treat others as they want to be treated by speaking to their WHY.  The impact: an organization where people get clear, stand out, and play bigger—at scale.

Learning Outcomes

  • Drive greater awareness so you and your team appreciate how you think and WHY each of you do what you do

  • Learn to communicate WHY to WHY to enhance the identity, empathy, and relationships within your team

  • Through the power of WHY, you can most effectively leverage each person’s strengths, gifts and talents

  • Construct a holistic game plan where your collective WHY’s provide clarity on how the entire team puzzle of purpose and impact fit together

Customized For YOU

These keynotes are just the starting point.  
To maximize the impact, let’s customize your experience TOGETHER!

We'll talk through...

  • Biggest challenges and pain points

  • Most sought-after goals

  • Current state to future state shifts and transformations

  • How you want every audience member to think, feel, and do

  • What an 11 out of 10 looks like

Ready to meet Paul at the 50?