Speaking Topics
What Gary Speaks On
Built from real experience. Delivered for real results.
NO PLAN A™ is the flagship keynote, but Gary's core themes extend across six topic areas — each one drawn from the same lived experience that drives the keynote. Whether you need a full keynote, a breakout session, or a half-day workshop, Gary brings the same authenticity and practical application to every format.
When the Original Plan Stops Working
Resilience & Reinvention
The ability to adapt isn't a personality trait — it's a skill. Gary draws on his own reinventions (from the stage to the sales floor to the boardroom) to show audiences how to recognize when a plan has stopped serving the goal, how to pivot without losing momentum, and how to carry hard-won experience into a new chapter instead of starting from zero.
Ideal For
- Sales teams navigating market shifts
- Leaders managing organizational change
- Professionals in career transition
- Entrepreneurs rebuilding after setbacks
Key Takeaways
- How to separate the goal from the plan
- Why reinvention isn't defeat — it's strategy
- Practical frameworks for moving forward when the path disappears
- How to turn adversity into competitive advantage
Available Formats
Nothing Happens Until Somebody Moves
Sales & Business Development
Gary has built and led sales organizations across industries. He knows that the fundamentals of great selling — persistence, emotional intelligence, relationship-building, and the willingness to make the call — are the same fundamentals that make a great performer. This session connects those dots in a way that sticks.
Ideal For
- Sales teams and sales kickoffs
- Business development professionals
- Entrepreneurs building client relationships
- Anyone who needs to persuade, influence, or close
Key Takeaways
- Why persistence beats occasional brilliance
- How to read the room before you pitch
- The difference between rejection and failure
- Building relationships that generate referrals and repeat business
Available Formats
Build a Band, Not Just a Team
Leadership & Team Building
Great bands don't just play together — they listen to each other, cover for each other, and know when someone isn't right for the gig. Gary translates the dynamics of high-performing musical ensembles into practical leadership lessons for managers, executives, and team leads who want to build something that actually works.
Ideal For
- Managers and team leads
- Executive leadership teams
- HR and talent development professionals
- Organizations building or rebuilding culture
Key Takeaways
- How to build a team that performs under pressure
- The difference between a network and a band
- When to give someone a solo — and when to pull them off the stage
- Creating a culture where people show up before they feel ready
Available Formats
You've Never Started Over Empty-Handed
Entrepreneurship & Starting Over
Gary has launched multiple businesses — and rebuilt more than once. He speaks candidly about what it actually takes to start something from scratch, what most people get wrong about failure, and why every restart comes with more resources than the one before it — if you know how to recognize them.
Ideal For
- Entrepreneurs and founders
- Startup ecosystems and accelerators
- Corporate intrapreneurs
- Anyone considering a major career or business pivot
Key Takeaways
- Why most people overestimate what they're leaving behind
- How to inventory your transferable assets before you launch
- The mindset shift that separates serial entrepreneurs from one-time founders
- How to build momentum before you have proof of concept
Available Formats
When Somebody Changes the Chord
Adaptability & Change Management
Change is the only constant — and most people are still playing the wrong chord. Gary uses the musician's instinct for real-time adaptation to show audiences how to respond to disruption without losing the thread, how to stay oriented when the environment shifts, and how to lead others through uncertainty without pretending to have all the answers.
Ideal For
- Organizations navigating industry disruption
- Teams managing rapid growth or restructuring
- Leaders communicating change to their people
- Conferences focused on innovation and future readiness
Key Takeaways
- The three responses to unexpected change — and which one wins
- How to stay oriented when the map no longer matches the territory
- Leading through uncertainty without losing credibility
- Building organizational cultures that adapt faster than the competition
Available Formats
Play the Gig
Performance Under Pressure
Every performer knows the moment when the lights come on and it's time to deliver — ready or not. Gary's experience performing on stages across the country gives him a unique perspective on what it takes to show up, execute, and deliver results when the stakes are high and the conditions aren't ideal.
Ideal For
- High-performance sales teams
- Athletes and coaches
- Professionals in high-stakes environments
- Anyone preparing for a major presentation, pitch, or performance
Key Takeaways
- Why confidence comes from doing — not waiting until you're fearless
- How to perform at your best when circumstances aren't ideal
- Pre-performance routines that actually work
- How to recover quickly when something goes wrong mid-performance
Available Formats
Available Formats
Every Format. One Message.
Keynote
45–90 minutesThe full NO PLAN A™ experience — high-energy, story-driven, and built for large conference audiences.
Breakout Session
60–90 minutesA focused deep-dive on a single topic area, with more audience interaction and Q&A.
Workshop
Half-day or full-dayHands-on application of the NO PLAN A™ frameworks, designed for smaller groups and team settings.
Sales Kickoff
CustomA high-energy session built specifically for sales teams — motivational, practical, and built to launch a quarter.
Book the Keynote
Book Gary for Your Next Event
Conferences. Corporate Events. Sales Kickoffs.