If you’re planning an event, meeting, or conference and need inspiration for a theme or are seeking top keynote speakers on the latest trends, this article is for you. We’re offering an exclusive look at our most-booked topics for Q1 2025. 

Here are the top themes that have been in high demand during the first quarter of 2025 and some of our top booked speakers who speak on those topics.

#1 Artificial Intelligence 

Artificial Intelligence is currently our most-booked topic. Organizations are eager to understand how AI can be integrated into their systems to drive efficiency, cut costs, spark innovation, and stay ahead in an increasingly competitive market. If your business isn’t yet leveraging AI, now is the time to learn how to prepare your company for the future and capitalize on the potential of this transformative technology.

Zack Kass:  Zack Kass is an advisor, futurist, and the former Head of GTM for OpenAI where he built its sales, partnerships, and solutions teams. His work as an Executive-in-Residence at the University of Virginia focuses on the socio-economic impact of the AI Revolution; and his global advisory firm helps Fortune 1,000 companies and governments effectively adapt to the rapidly changing environment. Zack’s mission is to demystify AI and help the world build a more beautiful future. 

Adam Cheyer: A pioneering visionary, inventor, thought leader, and technological innovator in the world of AI and computer human interfaces, Adam Cheyer is best known as a creator of Siri, later acquired by Apple. A serial entrepreneur, he has been a co-founder or founding member of five successful tech start-ups including Siri, Change.org, Viv Labs, Sentient, and GamePlanner.AI. Now transforming the AI experience at Airbnb, Adam holds 39 patents in the areas of AI, human computer interfaces, conversational assistants, machine learning, and more.

Sol Rashidi: With 10 patents, a best-selling author, and the first-ever ‘Chief Data & AI Officer’ appointed in 2016, Sol has been recognized as a “Top 100 Thought Leader in AI,” “Top 75 Innovators,” and “Forbes AI Maverick & Visionary of the 21st Century.” Featured in Forbes, CNBC, and MIT Review, Sol blends technical expertise with her storytelling capabilities to simplify complex ideas that deliver impactful business results. Sol is currently a Tech Executive and a former C-Suite for several Fortune 100’s such as Estee Lauder, Merck, Sony Music, and Royal Caribbean. Sol helped pioneer the Data & AI space when she first helped IBM launch Watson in 2011, the world’s first enterprise AI.

#2 Leadership

Leadership development continues to be a top priority for organizations aiming to thrive in today’s fast-paced, ever-changing business landscape.Top leadership experts provide strategies to cultivate leaders at every level, from entry-level to C-suite, helping to build a robust leadership pipeline within your company. Their guidance not only addresses team dysfunctions but also fosters a culture that embraces innovation, collaboration, and peak performance. By empowering leaders to navigate the complexities of today’s volatile global marketplace, these experts ensure that organizations not only survive but flourish amidst constant change.

Tiffani Bova: Consistently ranked as one of the world’s top business thinkers, two-time bestselling author Tiffani Bova is an acclaimed expert on all things top-line growth. She has helped hundreds of companies around the globe respond to changing market dynamics and customer expectations while developing a customer-centric go-to-market approach.  Her energizing presentations ignite teams to succeed and provide transformative frameworks to unleash unparalleled growth. Unique as both a practitioner, academic, author, and influencer, Tiffani provides the perfect combination of research and real-world experience gained as the global growth and innovation evangelist at Salesforce and as an advisor to tech leaders including Microsoft, Cisco, Amazon-AWS and others.

Gregory Robinson: Best-known as the turnaround leader of the James Webb Space Telescope (Webb), 33-year NASA veteran Gregory Robinson is credited with transforming a program that was billions over budget and years behind schedule into one of NASA’s greatest achievements of the 21st century. Robinson’s renowned leadership skills and soft-spoken management and communication style have earned him numerous awards and honors, including being named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2022 (alongside Apple CEO Tim Cook and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky) and receiving the TIME100 Impact Award, which credited Robinson’s leadership on Webb as bringing us closer to understanding the universe.

Thomas Kolditz: Brigadier General (Ret.) Thomas Kolditz, PhD, is a renowned leadership expert with over 30 years of experience. He led Yale’s Leader Development Program, founded West Point’s Leadership Center, and launched Rice University’s Doerr Institute for New Leaders. A recipient of the Army’s Distinguished Service Medal, he specializes in crisis leadership and authored In Extremis Leadership, based on combat interviews in Iraq. With insights from a career spanning four continents, he delivers compelling stories and actionable takeaways that empower leaders to excel under pressure.

#3 Inspiration 

Molly Bloom: Legendary for running the world’s most exclusive high stakes poker game frequented by A-List Hollywood celebrities and sports figures, Molly Bloom is a top-booked inspirational speaker and one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women. She shares a life journey of triumph, ruin, and reinvention—from Olympic dreams crushed by a career-ending accident to seeing her multi-million-dollar business threatened by organized crime and shut down by the FBI. Her story of grit, resilience and self-determination has been called a “goosebump experience,” inspiring corporate audiences and winning stellar reviews.

Eric O’Neill: Eric O’Neill’s career began in the FBI’s counterintelligence trenches as an undercover operative. His work brought down Robert Hanssen, the most notorious and damaging spy in United States history. Since then, Eric has spent decades as a national security attorney, corporate investigator, and national cybersecurity strategist. His story became the Hollywood thriller Breach, starring Ryan Phillippe as O’Neill, his own bestselling book, Gray Day, and now, engaging keynotes with jaw-dropping stories and teachable moments. He speaks to thousands each year across the globe, inspiring audiences to protect themselves and giving them actionable tools to do so.

Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour: Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour is a top inspirational speaker, America’s first African-American female combat pilot, and the author of Zero to Breakthrough. FlyGirl’s fresh, edgy style, high, contagious energy and unique, gutsy essence jump off the stage, page, and screen and moves people to action.

#4 Motivation 

James Clear: James Clear is a top personal development keynote speaker and the author of the #1 New York Times Bestseller Atomic Habits, which has sold over 20 million copies worldwide and was the #1 bestselling book of the year on Amazon in 2023 and 2021. His thought leadership regularly appears in the New York Times, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, Medium, and Time. He is a regular guest on CBS This Morning and a MasterClass instructor. His entertaining talks teach audiences about small habits, decision-making, and continuous improvement.

Robyn Benincasa: Robyn Benincasa is a top leadership and teamwork keynote speaker, author, and Adventure Racing World Champion. One of the highest-rated, female motivational speakers in the world, she regularly shares the stage with world leaders and business icons, her customers include many Fortune companies like Starbucks, Deloitte, Aflac, Boeing, and more.

Earvin “Magic” Johnson: Magic Johnson is a top business keynote speaker, former NBA great, and Chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises. Still a commanding presence in popular culture, Johnson made history in 2012 when he became co-owner of MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers. He also co-owns the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Football Club, and eSports franchise Team Liquid.

#5 Business 

Kevin O’Leary: Famous as “Mr. Wonderful” on ABC’s multi-award-winning Shark Tank, Kevin O’Leary is a serial entrepreneur, respected investor, and bestselling author. A frequent guest on CNBC, Fox Business, and CNN, he is a go-to expert on business topics and financial markets. O’Leary is the founder of O’Leary Financial Group; Chairman of O’Leary Ventures, Beanstox, and O’Shares Investments; and a Strategic Investor in WonderFi. A self-made multi-millionaire who has launched and invested in more than 80 companies in the U.S. and his native Canada, O’Leary is passionate about helping people from all walks of life gain the freedom that comes from achieving their financial and entrepreneurial dreams.

Sophia Amoruso: Sophia Amoruso is a bad-ass business speaker, founder, VC investor, and bestselling author who has been called one of the ‘Most Creative People in Business.’ Her bestselling memoir #GIRLBOSS was turned into a Netflix series, and she has been featured in Fortune “40 under 40,” Forbes “30 under 30,” and Inc. “30 under 30. She is a sought-after keynote speaker who tells the real stories of how businesses are created, built, succeed, and fail.

Marc Randolph: Marc Randolph is a veteran Silicon Valley entrepreneur, advisor, and investor, whose career as an entrepreneur spans four decades. In addition to being the co-founder and first CEO of Netflix, Marc has founded or co-founded six other successful startups, mentored hundreds of early-stage entrepreneurs, and as an investor has helped seed dozens of successful tech ventures (and even more unsuccessful ones). He is the author of the internationally best-selling memoir, That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and The Amazing Life of an Idea. He lives in Santa Cruz, California.

#6 Culture 

Marcus Collins: Marcus studies culture and its influence and impact on behavioral adoption. Just as coaches help individuals unlock their potential to realize the best version of themselves, Marcus helps companies and organizations realize the best versions of themselves by unlocking the power of culture. Author of the best-selling book, For the Culture: The Power Behind What We Buy, What We Do, and Who We Want to Be, Dr. Marcus Collins is the recognized authority on leveraging the power of culture to influence behavior, inspire collective change, get people to share your vision, and most importantly, move them to take action. Dr. Collins is a professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, former Chief Strategy Officer at Wieden + Kennedy, New York, and a regular contributor to Forbes.

Wema Hoover: Unlocking Innovation Through Inclusion: Female keynote speaker, author, global leader and executive coach, Wema Hoover, is an innovation and culture expert who specializes in integrating inclusion, mental health and leadership practices to drive organizational growth and performance.  Her talks center around equity driven strategies to foster transformative innovation in businesses, teams and products.  With deep global experience across public and private multinational organizations and advanced cultural fluency shaped by living and working internationally, her work enables organizations to ignite the best in their people, define their purpose and advance performance in any environment to achieve sustainable results.

Bill Benjamin: Bill Benjamin has a degree in Mathematics and takes a very practical and inspiring approach to the topics of Last 8% Culture, leadership, and emotional Intelligence. He contributed to the New York Times bestseller, Performing Under Pressure. He has worked with discerning audiences including the U.S. Marines, NASA engineers and Surgeons, as well as leadership teams at Amazon, the Federal Reserve and Microsoft.

#7 Change Management 

Cassandra Worthy: Cassandra Worthy is a top change and transformation keynote speaker and Founder & CEO of Change Enthusiasm® Global, a well-respected Growth Enablement firm serving its client base through keynote speaking, training, and consulting. She is a former Fortune 100 Innovation Leader, highly dynamic speaker & presenter, chemical engineer, but above all else the world’s leading expert on Change Enthusiasm®.

JP Pawliw-Fry: Dr. JP Pawliw-Fry is a respected and award-winning visionary when it comes to building high-performing teams and cultures, and co-author of the New York Times bestseller, Performing Under Pressure. His work with leaders from Fortune 100 companies, U.S. Marines, Olympic athletes, NBA, and NFL teams has provided him with considerable opportunities to test his science-based tools in environments of high pressure.

April Rinne: April Rinne is a change navigator: she helps individuals and organizations rethink and reshape their relationships with change, uncertainty, and a world in flux. She’s a trusted advisor, speaker, investor, lawyer, global development executive, adventurer (100+ countries) and insatiable handstander. She is ranked one of the 50 leading female futurists in the world and is a Harvard Law School graduate, a Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum, a member of the Silicon Guild and Thinkers50 Radar, and author of the international bestseller Flux: 8 Superpowers for Thriving in Constant Change.

#8 Adversity/Resilience 

Chaunté Lowe: Chaunté Lowe is the story of determination, perseverance, and strength. Not only is Lowe a mother of 3, a wife, and a business owner; she is also a professional athlete, an American Record Holder, a 4-time Olympian, a 3-Time World Championship medalist, and 12 times US National Champion. She has been in high demand since she decided to train for the Tokyo 2021 Olympics while undergoing chemotherapy and a double mastectomy for breast cancer. Chaunté Lowe’s resilience is impactful in her own life, and to those who hear her speak.

Jia Jiang: One of the most-viewed TED speakers of all time, bestselling author and entrepreneur Jia Jiang has made becoming rejection-proof the ultimate superpower for success-seeking Fortune 500 audiences. His inspiring, research-based keynotes are known for laugh-out-loud stories from his fascinating life and professional journey, motivating all of us to become fearless in pursuit of our goals and dreams. And now, drawing upon his upcoming book, The Art of Achieving Ambitious Things (Simon & Schuster, May 2026), Jia reveals a breakthrough system for amplifying performance and making any objective attainable.

James Lawrence: James Lawrence is a top motivational speaker, endurance world record holder, triathlete, and subject of the documentary The Iron Cowboy: The Story of the 50.50.50. Known to the world as The Iron Cowboy for wearing a cowboy hat during Ironman races, James completed the greatest feat of human endurance: 50 full distance triathlons, in 50 states, in 50 consecutive days (50.50.50). His combination of energy, humor, determination, and achievements captivates his audience and creates an inspirational and awakening phenomenon for all.

#9 Storytelling 

Matthew Luhn: Matthew Luhn is a master of the art, practice, and business applications of storytelling. A writer, animator, director, author, and sought-after speaker, he draws upon his 30-year career working on The Simpsons and Disney/Pixar blockbusters including Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3, Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, Cars, Up, and Ratatouille to help audiences sharpen their storytelling skills for business success [and embrace new technologies as a catalyst for innovation.] Matthew also works with Fortune 500 companies, entrepreneurs, and others to craft and tell stories that bridge the gap between business and heart—building stronger brands and more impactful business communications. 

Ken Schmidt: In a world where many products and services blend in, standing out is a choice. Ken Schmidt learned this firsthand during Harley-Davidson’s famous comeback, driven by a shift in mindset and three key questions. While times change, people still want the same things from businesses—connection and trust. In his energetic talks, Ken shows companies how to be unforgettable, not just for what they do, but for how they connect. He’s the author of Make Some Noise, host of Tailgating with Geniuses, and co-founder of Torque Sessions Leadership Training, helping businesses rethink engagement and achieve success.

Kindra Hall: Kindra Hall is a top storytelling keynote speaker, award-winning columnist, and the bestselling author of Stories That Stick. In her talks, Kindra teaches innovative brands and executives to close more sales, become better leaders, and blow up brands using the irresistible power of strategic storytelling.

#10 Innovation 

Tan Le: Recognized as one of the most influential women in technology, top business and innovation speaker Tan Le is the founder and CEO of Silicon Valley-based EMOTIV, the leader in EEG-Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technology. Her work focuses on non-invasive “brainwear” that allows humans to interface with computers. This technology will transform our work environments, promote mental health and wellbeing, create radically personalized consumer experiences, accelerate how we learn, and transform the lives of people with physical limitations and cognitive differences. A captivating and authoritative speaker on what she calls the “NeuroGeneration,” three-time TED speaker Le takes audiences on a fascinating journey into current and future technologies that will forever transform not only how we live and work, but what it means to be human.

Guy Kawasaki: A crowd-drawing name in the event world, Guy Kawasaki has served as chief evangelist of Apple, trustee of the Wikimedia foundation (Wikipedia), Mercedes-Benz brand ambassador, and special assistant to the Motorola Division of Google. He is currently chief evangelist of Canva, the $1.7B online graphics-design platform. The bestselling author of 16 books, Guy is currently on a mission to make people remarkable. He is the host/creator of the popular Guy Kawasaki’s Remarkable People podcast and its companion book, Think Remarkable: 9 Paths to Transform Your Life (2024) and Make a Difference, a guide to adopting a growth mindset, developing grit and resilience, and leading a more fulfilling life.

Jason Bevan: Jason was head of creative development at Warner Bros. Studios, working from London to create major international ideas that helped propel and market major films to stardom. Jason worked on most of the Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts Films, Joker, Aquaman, The Batman/Dark Knight films, through to Oscar winners like A Star Is Born, iconic comedies/animations and even chilling horror franchises with the IT and Conjuring films. He has worked directly with some of the world’s most legendary film-makers, storytellers, cast and film studios for 20 years and distills a number of their insider techniques into easy to use, yet powerful tips we can all employ immediately to improve our innovation, creativity and storytelling. All told with behind the scenes stories and iconic film content. Jason continues to work with the big Hollywood studios and on a wide variety of major movie releases with his production company.

Secure the best for your event with our most in-demand themes and speakers of 2025. Email info@bigspeak.com to inquire.