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Meridith Elliott Powell

Meridith Elliott Powell

Hall of Fame Speaker, Business Growth Strategist & Expert in Thriving in Uncertainty

Meridith Elliott Powell

Hall of Fame Speaker, Business Growth Strategist & Expert in Thriving in Uncertainty

Biography

Meridith Elliott Powell is a Hall of Fame Speaker, Million Dollar Speaker, award-winning author, and former C Suite executive who knows firsthand what it takes to turn disruption into opportunity. With more than 25 years of business leadership experience, Meridith has built her career on helping organizations and leaders learn to thrive in uncertainty. 

Her obsession with one word — change — inspired her groundbreaking research and her proven system, ASK for CHANGE, a methodology designed to turn fear into fuel and uncertainty into competitive advantage.

A methodology that consistently leads to:

  • Consistent 30–40% sales growth
  • Stronger, deeper leadership pipelines
  • Clear, defendable competitive advantage 

Through her work, Meridith uncovered a powerful truth: the most successful companies and leaders don’t resist change—they Ask for it. They adapt their perspective, focus on people, and commit to process. It’s a system that delivers measurable results—driving consistent growth, building stronger teams, and creating cultures built for the pace of today’s disruption. 

Having led through economic downturns, industry shakeups, and corporate transformations, Meridith brings the perfect blend of real-world business acumen and inspiring stage presence. She’s been recognized by her peers as one of the most in-demand speakers in the world and worked with some of the most trusted brands in the world  to help their teams navigate change and grow through it.

Today, through her ASK for CHANGE methodology, Meridith helps leaders and organizations worldwide embrace change, inspire innovation, and turn uncertainty into their greatest strategic advantage.

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Speech Topics

THRIVE: TURNING UNCERTAINTY TO COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

These are unprecedented times! A marketplace where disruption is happening on steroids. One where there is more change building outside of your organization than in it. And a relentless pace of uncertainty that can radically impact your ability to grow your organization and keep your team motivated.

The only guarantee you have is this: more change is coming. And if you’re not prepared — if you don’t have a plan — then research proves this level of uncertainty will negatively impact your ability to drive innovation, attract top talent and achieve bottom-line results.

While uncertainty can seem daunting, the truth is uncertainty has an upside — it always has an upside. In fact, it can be your greatest asset to thrive, grow and turn disruption into opportunity. But you need a plan, a strategy, and the research that shows the precise path you must follow to turn disruption into opportunity.

Join business growth strategist and award-winning author, Meridith Elliott Powell in this high powered keynote where she reveals the research, the stories and the methodology.

This keynote has it all — energy, engagement, and a personal plan of action for every attendee.

Key Takeaways:

  • Quantitative Research – Learn what more than 800 of your fellow CEOS think, feel and are confidently doing in the face of uncertainty. This keynote starts with the powerful benchmark study that gives you insights into how today’s leaders are dealing with and solving today’s toughest challenges.
  • Qualitative Research – We follow-up with the commanding stories of 9 companies that have stood the test of time by thriving in business for more than 250 years. You’ll hear their overwhelming obstacles, their ingenious strategies for success, and the proven methodology they used to thrive through every crisis.
  • The PROVEN Methodology – Then we share the code, secret, plan, so that you know the exact path you need to follow to put you in the driver’s seat — and in control in the face of uncertainty (so you can THRIVE!).
  • You’ll Gain The Secrets to staying highly flexible and focused to strike the delicate balance of maintaining progress and seizing opportunity.
  • Your Personal Plan of action for thriving in uncertainty.

EVERY attendee receives a FREE copy of Meridith’s groundbreaking research study revealing the concerns, ideas and innovative solutions of more than 800 CEOs.

ASK for Change: Agility, Focus, Growth

In today’s fast-paced, constantly shifting marketplace, managing change is no longer enough—it’s outdated, it fails more than 70% of the time, and it leaves leaders, teams, and organizations frustrated and worst of all stuck.

It's Time To Do Something Different - It's Time To ASK for CHANGE.

In this high-energy, research-backed keynote, Hall of Fame Speaker and Business Growth Strategist Meridith Elliott Powell reveals her bold, innovative system designed to help leaders, sales professionals, and individuals not just survive disruption—but use it to fuel growth, engagement, and gain serious competitive advantage.

Built on a simple and actionable three-part framework, ASK for CHANGE gives you the mindset, strategies, and tools you need to turn fear to fuel!

  • Adapt Your Perspective – Shift how you think, feel, act about change
  • Focus on People – Learn how relationships holds the key to profitability and growth
  • Commit to Process – Discover the secret to being highly focused while remaining incredibly agile

This isn’t another “change management” talk. This is a proven playbook for accelerating through uncertainty and building a team that thrives in change.

BUILT TO WIN: Mentally Fit, Powerfully Resilient, Competitively Strong

Let’s face it—burnout is the new pandemic.

One in four employees are struggling with mental strength. The pace of change is relentless. Disruption is the norm. And all these challenges are squeezing your margins and driving down results.

Resilience is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s your competitive advantage.

This high-energy, research-backed keynote delivers real-world strategies to build mental fitness, boost resilience, and fuel performance. It’s designed for leaders who want to do more than just cope—they want to win.

In this powerhouse program you will learn exactly how to become the kind of leader and team that rises in chaos, adapts under pressure, and turns stress into strength.

This isn’t just inspiration. It’s transformation—with ROI.

Whether you’re leading a team, driving sales, or managing frontline operations, this keynote will give you the tools to shift mindsets, energize performance, and future-proof your organization.

Key Takeaways:

  • Uncover the Real Cost of Mental Weakness: Learn what’s really draining productivity—and how to turn it around fast.
  • Lead with Strength, Empathy, and ROI: Discover the leadership traits that drive resilience, retention, and results.
  • Train for Mental Toughness: Walk away with a framework to build mental fitness into your team’s DNA.
  • Boost Performance Through Connection: Create a culture where people feel seen, supported, and motivated to deliver.
  • Outperform in Uncertainty: Build teams that thrive in volatility—and keep your organization moving forward.

Sales Redefined: Dominate, Differentiate, Deliver

Uncertainty changes everything — customers, competition, and decision-makers. It’s time to update your approach to sales — from how you get through the door — to how you get the deal to close.

It’s challenging out there: A challenge to get above the white noise. A challenge to get to the decision-makers. A challenge to stand out from the competition. And a challenge to stay motivated.

Why?

Because sales has gone through a major disruption. If you’re still using traditional techniques, then you’re making sales so much harder than it has to be. To succeed, you need to evolve.

You need to transform how you attract clients – build your reputation – engage with the marketplace – and get results. Join us for this high-energy, highly interactive, and high-powered keynote where business growth strategist and keynote speaker Meridith Elliott Powell shares the innovative techniques you need to dominate, differentiate and deliver!

Key Takeaways:

  • Deep understanding of how your marketplace has changed — and how those shifts are impacting decision making, pricing and sales strategy.
  • Innovative techniques that get the doors to open and put you in front of the right decision-makers.
  • Powerful ideas you need to master so you know how to ask the right questions that will shorten the sales cycle and increase your close ratio.
  • Cutting-edge strategies that help you quickly build credibility and trust — and help you maximize client-facing time.
  • Proven strategies to prominently position you in the marketplace making it easier for clients to choose you over the competition.
  • Your personal strategy to Dominate, Differentiate, and Deliver.

Thriving in the Uncertain World of Artificial Intelligence: Strategies to Change How You Lead, Sell, Compete, Grow

Artificial Intelligence is changing everything: How you sell. How you lead. How you compete. How you grow. It’s moving faster than strategy. Faster than culture. And faster than most leaders feel prepared for.

But the truth is - AI is NOT the biggest threat to your organization. Your reaction to it is.

Because the organizations that win in the age of AI won’t be the ones with the best technology. They’ll be the ones with the best strategy. The ones with the team MOST in shape for change.

Success today is not about AI -it is about designing a team that can adapt faster, think differently, and turn disruption into opportunity.

In this high-energy, research-driven keynote, Hall of Fame Speaker and Business Growth Strategist Meridith Elliott Powell reveals the proven framework to help leaders and organizations not just survive the age of AI—but THRIVE in it.

Based on her groundbreaking research Meridith shows audiences exactly how to:

  • Turn AI disruption into a strategic advantage instead of a competitive threat
  • Build teams that adapt faster, innovate more, and stop waiting for certainty
  • Replace fear of AI with clarity, confidence, and action
  • Leverage uncertainty to accelerate growth, innovation, and performance
  • Create a culture that doesn’t resist change—they drive it.

Because AI will change your business. But it doesn’t have to control your future.

The leaders that thrive won’t be the ones who wait for certainty. They’ll be the ones who lead through uncertainty.

And this keynote shows you how.

Leadership Redefined: Ownership, Engagement, Results!

In these highly shifting, constantly changing economic times the organization with the best talent is the team guaranteed to masterfully navigate change, exceed customer expectations, and leave the competition in the dust.

The fastest path to profitability and business growth is through the quality and engagement level of your team. In this powerful keynote, business growth strategist, Meridith Elliott Powell, shares the leadership development strategies you need to hire top talent in the most challenging times, build culture in a virtual world, create loyalty, and ignite passion in a time where turnover is the norm.

DEFY: Strategies To Succeed No Matter What This Economy Does

Introducing a game-changing program by motivational speaker Meridith Elliott Powell that will equip you with the business growth strategies and leadership development skills you need to dominate your market, build a team that thrives in change, and design a strategy that gets results — all while leaving your competition in the dust.

Don't let the economy dictate your success. Instead, take charge now! Book Meridith for an unforgettable live presentation, virtual keynote, live streaming event, or webinar, and transform your organization into a powerhouse that thrives in any economy.

Future Ready: Building a Deep Culture of Succession

The biggest threat facing business today, is not artificial intelligence or even the pace of change. The biggest threat facing business today is the missed opportunity to develop the next generation of leaders.

With more than 11,000 workers turning 65 every single day, and entry level rolls being eliminated at record rates. Companies are not only losing needed talent, and experience, they are destroying their leadership pipeline creating a massive succession gap.

It’s time to shift the focus and close the succession gap. Because the companies that succeed in today’s marketplace will be the organization focused on finding, developing and shaping their future workforce.

In The Succession GAP, Hall of Fame Speaker and business growth strategist Meridith Elliott Powell reveals why succession planning is no longer just about replacing the CEO — it is about protecting the future of the entire organization. From middle managers and top sales performers to technical experts and culture carriers, every company is vulnerable if it is not intentionally developing talent at every level.

Blending research, real-world stories, and practical strategies, this keynote shows leaders how to close the succession gap before it becomes a business crisis. Because in a world of uncertainty, the companies that thrive will not just have the best technology — they will have the strongest bench.

Success Redefined: Confidence, Hustle, Drive

In this powerful program, you'll learn the new tools for success in a highly shifting, constantly changing marketplace. Keynote speaker and business growth strategist Meridith Elliott Powell, will share the business growth strategies you need to dominate your market. Build a team that thrives in change. Design a strategy that gets results.

You'll learn the secrets to defy marketplace gravity and grow no matter the challenge or obstacles this market puts in your way. In this session, Meridith will share the innovative leadership development and sales strategies you need to navigate change and succeed no matter what this economy does.