Shantell Thomas Speaking Topics

• KEYNOTES

  The Confidence Code

  Clothing is more than just fabric

  • it’s a tool for empowerment. This talk explores the behavioral and professional impact of clothing, offering insights on how to harness fashion as a confidence booster in the workplace.

  The Smartest Person in the Room

  You are a part of something really big

  • a world. You are one of 7.5 billion people in this world (at last count), but none quite like you or with the same talents and gifts. But what really determines how smart you are?

  "The smartest person in the room is never as smart as all the people in the room"

  • John C. Maxwell, American author

  Will the Seeds you're Planting Bear Fruit?

  In order for a product to move from the workforce to the workplace to the marketplace, it takes people. People are germane to the output. About 2% of the population are lucky enough to have a high IQ so, Shantell Thomas shares the basics needed for another Quotient – PQ, the People Quotient.

  Power of Partnerships (POP)

  POP reframes partnership as a strategic growth lever, positioning it as the often-missing “fifth P” that expands market reach, increases mindshare, and accelerates business outcomes through intentional relationships. The presentation equips businesses with clear partnership models, decision frameworks, and real-world examples to identify, build, and activate partnerships that drive sustainable growth.

  Mission: Inclusion

  Inclusion isn’t an add-on—it’s a mission-critical mindset. This workshop explores the foundational “why” behind inclusive cultures and how each person, regardless of role or background, contributes to a more equitable and impactful organization.

• BREAKOUTS

  Virtuous Cycle of Inclusion

  Evidence on the impact of purpose on performance is growing. Companies with authentic purpose embedded in their core business activities have been shown to achieve more. Let’s begin with purpose as we explore how people, product and profit are all integrated.

  Intentionally Inclusive

  Discover practical ways your organization can implement inclusion intentionally.

  “If you do not intentionally include, you unintentionally exclude”

  • Joe Gerstandt

  A Case Study: Reverse Mentoring

  Reverse Mentoring was first popularized by former GE Chairman Jack Welsh in the ‘90s to raise awareness among senior executives. Learn how you can do it for your organization.

  Beyond Employee Survey Tools (BEST) Framework

  This session reframes burnout, disengagement, and turnover as signals of broken listening systems and introduces a practical, repeatable approach for capturing and acting on employee voice beyond traditional surveys. Participants learn a system-based listening framework that transforms feedback into trust-building action, equipping leaders to create cultures where people feel seen, supported, and connected to the mission.

• EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS

  Our Ancestor’s Wildest Dream

  Our roots are a bridge from the past to our present. Are you using your families' story to (1) Survive (2) Adapt (3) Recover or (4) Thrive? If you are here, your ancestors were resilient like Shantell Thomas's.

  Bridging the Gap Between Ambition & Achievement

  Achievement is defined as

  • a thing done successfully, typically by effort, courage, or skill. So often we evaluate our ambitions AGAINST the achievement. Based on the size of the ambition we opt-in or opt-out of the courage it takes to achieve. Shantell Thomas's message is that if you dream it, you can do it

  • you just have to be SMART about it!

  F.E.E.D. Your Children

  A framework for nurturing children’s potential by enabling a supportive village, staying open to the unexpected, and following children’s natural interests to lay a strong foundation for their success. By dreaming with children and surrounding them with engaged adults, the presentation emphasizes belief, collaboration, and intentional support as key ingredients for growth.

• WOMEN

  Oppression Olympics

  Some gender stereotypes erode your own confidence. How about those that we bestow on each other? Oppression Olympics confronts the idea that the most oppressed are centered and instead should be the genesis of allyship.

  The Journey Begins Here

  As an organization and as an individual. It takes commitment and competency to know where you are to make a roadmap for where you're going. Embrace your space at every stage of the journey.

  My Plate: Differences are the Common Denominator

  Difference is the key to achieving healthy outcomes in more than just your diet. If there is difference, there is diversity and that creates healthier outcomes.

  “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”

  • Ruth Joan Bader Ginsburg

• STUDENTS

  Dogged Determination

  Show success is built at the intersection of story, serendipity, ideas, material, and readiness—showing that progress happens when preparation meets opportunity. Through real-world marketing examples and career lessons, this presentation illustrates how staying persistent, curious, and ready enables students to capitalize on moments that can change everything.

  Dreams are for Dreamers

  Traces my nonlinear journey across multiple careers to show how passion, persistence, and calculated risk-taking can evolve into purpose-driven success. Through personal storytelling, entrepreneurship lessons, and creative exploration, the presentation encourages audiences to embrace networking, integrity, and continuous learning as they turn dreams into sustainable realities.

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