What if the right speaker could shift not only your mindset but your entire path forward? In a world hungry for authentic voices and actionable insights, the right words at the right moment can spark lasting transformation.
That’s why we’ve curated this list of the Top 10 Leading Speakers to Follow in 2025—a collection of visionaries, motivators, and thought leaders who aren’t just filling stages, but reshaping conversations across industries. From resilience and self-leadership to innovation, emotional intelligence, and peak performance, these speakers are delivering real impact.
Whether you’re an event planner, business leader, or lifelong learner, this lineup will introduce you to experts who are inspiring global audiences and changing lives—one keynote at a time.
Let’s explore more about them.
Dr. Charles Redd is a transformational leadership expert, speaker, and executive coach whose mission is to inspire people to live with purpose and lead with impact. As the founder of Go Tell It Ministries and host of over 180 podcast episodes. Dr. Charles empowers individuals through practical leadership strategies rooted in simplicity, authenticity, and self-discovery. With a Doctorate in Transformational Leadership, certifications from the International Coaching Federation and John Maxwell Leadership Team, and decades of experience in both corporate America and personal development, he bridges theory and real-world practice.
In 2019, Dr. Charles released his first book, “Don’t Stop Now,” finding purpose and passion in your career and personal journey. In 2025, Dr. Charles is working on his second book, “5 Keys to Living a Life of Significance,” and delivering keynote speeches like “Never Give Up on Your Dreams.” His work continues to ignite confidence, growth, and a lasting ripple effect of significance in communities worldwide. Dr. Charles is inspired by the belief that everyone has unique gifts to share with the world.
Sue Kohn-Taylor is an award-winning self-leadership specialist, keynote speaker, and mentor whose mission is to spark a ripple effect of positive change in individuals, organizations, and communities. Drawing from both her corporate background—building four successful businesses—and her powerful personal journey of resilience following a life-changing car accident, Sue equips audiences with practical, research-backed tools to help them reclaim their personal power and navigate the pressures of today’s volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world, leading NOT falling into the trap of following, because it’s easier.
Known for her warm, relatable style and interactive delivery, Sue seamlessly blends neuroscience, human behavior, and lived experience to create lasting breakthroughs that extend well beyond the keynote. Her work doesn’t just inspire—it transforms. Sue invites people to lead from within, reconnect to their purpose, and lead themselves every day through their plan, choices, and actions. Whether in a boardroom, at a summit, webinar, or through her soon-to-launch digital courses and book, she delivers real-world tools that enable people to bounce forward through challenges, have clarity, and achieve authentic success. Sue’s impact is felt long after the applause, creating empowered, self-led leaders who ripple positive change wherever they go.
Greg Mester, Jr., founder of Idea Communication Networks, Inc., is a dynamic speaker, coach, and creator of the #5amMesterScrum program. With over 1,250 short-form shows and 14 million views on YouTube, Greg’s mission is to help professionals balance work and life while maximizing business value. A firm believer in leading by example, he launched the #67dayChallenge to inspire personal and professional growth. His expertise spans agile methodologies, leadership, and career development, drawing from his diverse experience across 80+ industries. In 2025, Greg is set to publish Get to the Next Level and embark on a nationwide book tour, continuing his mission to empower individuals and businesses with actionable strategies for success. Organizations, large and small, interested in booking Greg for speaking engagements in 2025 can connect with IdeaCommNets/speakers
Randy Phares, founder of Dr. Box Consulting, Inc., is a seasoned speaker, executive coach, and transformational business leader. With over 30 years of experience, he has led global award award-winning turnarounds, including a historic financial transformation for a Fortune 1000 company on Forbes Most Admired Companies list and industry launches in Afghanistan. From Fortune 500 and international association stages to foreign governments, Randy inspires audiences with his journey from a general laborer to CEO, overcoming Tourette’s Syndrome and ADHD to achieve extraordinary success. His upcoming book, The Ultimate Interview Guide, equips professionals with strategies to fast-track their careers. Whether leading executive coaching programs, consulting, or delivering keynote speeches, Randy blends storytelling with breakthrough business strategies to drive real impact and lasting change.
Alice Shikina, founder of Shikina Negotiation Academy and Shikina Mediation and Arbitration, is a dynamic speaker, negotiation coach, and podcast host with a passion for transforming the way people communicate. With a BFA in acting, she brings polish, presence, and energy to every stage. Alice has spoken at major events like Toastmasters’ 100th International Convention and Southwest Showcase, delivering impactful talks that help audiences sharpen their communication and negotiation skills. She also hosts the podcast Negotiation with Alice and is currently writing her new book, Don’t Sleep on the Couch! Negotiating with Your Spouse. Alice believes that strong communication is essential for success in every part of life and is committed to helping people rediscover this powerful skill in a post-COVID world.
Wes Berry is a seasoned entrepreneur, bestselling author, and dynamic speaker known for turning real-world experience into powerful, actionable insights. Founder of the Wes Berry Group, Wes has written 16 books on business and success, hosted a nationally syndicated talk radio show, and built multiple businesses from the ground up. His speaking style blends compelling storytelling with practical tools that audiences can use immediately, helping leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers evolve, adapt, and lead with clarity. Wes’s journey began with a high school debate win and has since grown into a career defined by reinvention and relevance. In 2025, he’s unveiling a new keynote, Success Factors, alongside a book exploring the art of staying meaningful in a fast-changing world. Through keynotes, workshops, and his signature no-fluff approach, Wes Berry doesn’t just inspire — he equips.
Lei Comerford is a dynamic keynote speaker and leadership expert who equips leaders with the tools to navigate change, enhance cognitive diversity, and integrate AI-driven transformation into their work. With a background in executive coaching and organizational development, Lei has helped leaders across many industries embrace emotional intelligence, leadership agility, and purpose-driven communication. She is the creator of the ADVANCEMENT Leadership Development Training Program and a 2025 Top Coach in America. Whether speaking on cognitive diversity, AI transformation, or resilient leadership, Lei delivers immersive, high-impact experiences that spark real-world change.
Stacey Kauffman is an executive advisor, speaker, and founder of SK Collective. A fast-rising former executive in a billion-dollar media company, Stacey brings hard-won leadership experience to the stage, combining real-world results with the principles of leadership psychology. Known for her grounded and heart-centered approach, she delivers hard truths with clarity, kindness, and an unrelenting focus on results. Stacey equips audiences with practical frameworks they can apply immediately- not just inspiration, but transformation. Whether trusted behind closed doors as an executive advisor or commanding the stage as a speaker, Stacey supports leaders through the often unseen, heavy realities of leadership. She is the creator of The Rising, a suite of leadership communities and retreats designed to help leaders rise with clarity, purpose, and sustainable success.
Chaunté Lowe is a four-time Olympian, U.S. record holder, breast cancer survivor, and the founder of Boundless Resilience™. Known for her electrifying energy and raw authenticity, Chaunté transforms her journey—from Olympic podiums to a life-altering cancer diagnosis—into powerful lessons on hope, grit, and human potential. She equips audiences with more than motivation; she offers actionable tools to rise above adversity and reclaim their stories. Whether speaking to corporate leaders, healthcare teams, or communities in transition, Chaunté meets people where they are, reminding them that strength isn’t about avoiding setbacks—it’s about rising through them.
Ruth Pearce is the founder of Pearce Insights LLC and a powerhouse speaker who is reshaping how we talk about burnout, purpose, and leadership. A former project exec turned coach, she combines lived experience with deep expertise in positive psychology, neuroscience, and ethics to help leaders and teams move from barely coping to boldly thriving. Through storytelling, science, and a dose of iconoclast energy, Ruth delivers talks that challenge the status quo—on stage and online. She’s the force behind five LinkedIn Learning courses with 150,000+ learners, a published author, and a sought-after voice on topics ranging from mental health as a risk management imperative to the ethical integration of AI in coaching. Ruth doesn’t give keynotes—she sparks movements. Her audiences walk away with practical tools, mindset shifts, and something rare in today’s workplace: hope. Her mission is to make leadership more compassionate, to make workplaces more human, and to turn disconnection into direction.
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