Paul Epstein

Speaking topics

Presentations listed below include in-person and virtual keynotes, as well as workshops, fireside chats, and other presentation formats.

• 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 — for confidently pursuing and achieving meaningful goals and breakthrough performance — while everyone else is sheltering in place?

  This is exactly what Paul Epstein delivers in his flagship keynote inspired by 15 years of leading teams in the NFL and 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 five-pillar playing offense framework, curated for universal insights and actionable takeaways to implement in any industry or organization.

  Keynote learning outcomes include how to:

  • Identify the keys to attracting, engaging, and retaining talent with confidence.
  • Inspire your team to leverage purpose as a driver of commitment and performance.
  • 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 behaviours 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 Epstein reveals the streamlined, three-step process he’s used to turn around major sports franchises — from the locker room to the boardroom. Learn how to 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 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.

  Key learning outcomes include how to:

  • 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.
  • Implement 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 authenticity drives alignment and belonging.

  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 Epstein 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.

  Key learning outcomes:

  • From organizational to individual purpose, learn how to align and connect both.
  • 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, behaviours, and actions.
  • Understand how to scale purpose across teams, organizations, and micro-cultures.
  • Learn how purpose can elevate the mental, social, and emotional well-being 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 Epstein 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 2^nd.

  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.

  Key learning outcomes include:

  • The best practices of elite performers and how they separate from the pack.
  • The confidence gaps that get in the way of optimal and sustainable performance.
  • The habits and rituals required for daily growth and success.
  • The secrets and tactics of overcoming adversity and navigating uncertainty.
  • The process to unlock mindset, lead with authenticity, and drive purposeful action.
  • A toolkit to drive greater passion, impact, and results to “win Monday” and beyond.