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Steve Fredlund - Breakthrough Expert
- North Branch, MN
- Motivational Speaker
- Travels nationwide
- $10,000, exceptions possible
Overview
Change is inevitable, but growth is intentional. The future belongs to those who change on purpose.
Steve Fredlund is an award-winning keynote speaker and best-selling author of Do the Unright Thing: Memoir of a People Pleaser. With a rich background spanning three decades as an actuary, nonprofit founder, entrepreneur, and leader of African safaris, Steve is no stranger to navigating complex paths.
After years of doing what was expected, he realized that pursuing the extraordinary unlocked a deeper sense of purpose, fulfillment, and impact. Now, he shares his insights through empowering talks that inspire audiences to Expect the Extraordinary, guiding them toward breakthrough.
11 Reviews
Working with Steve was a great experience from the very start of the process! As the event planner, he made it easy to work with him, from the planning to the day of the event. His presentation, The Right Peeps in Your Jeeps, was engaging and he connected with our members as the topic was super relevant and spot on. We heard from many members that Steve was the best speaker we’ve had! We will be recommending Steve to other affiliates in our association and 10/10 recommend!
Business Motivational Speaker
Response from Steve Fredlund - Breakthrough Expert:
Hey Lisa...Your words are so kind. I had a great time with your entire group. It would be an honor to serve others who could benefit. Thank you for your amazing coordination and energy; you made a greet event!
Steve was amazing. His down to earth message held the attention of all 300 employees. From new hire hourly employees to 35+ year salary managers. The Black Rhino Living message was well received. I received several complements and was thanked several times for hiring Steve. We will hire again for future corporate events.
Business Motivational Speaker
Response from Steve Fredlund - Breakthrough Expert:
Bill, thank you for your kind words. It was an honor to share with your team and would welcome any opportunities to be with you all again. I did receive a few emails from your staff thanking me directly. You have a great thing going there and I'm glad to have been part of your annual celebration.
Steve has certainly changed my life and its purpose. He is the rare individual who navigates complex topics with ease… who can impart groundbreaking ideas with charm and subtlety, allowing participants to remain open to his unique message. I’ve personally witnessed a “cold room” become charged with purpose, due in no small part to delivery as well as sheer force of personality. I’ve observed Steve in front of hundreds of strangers, in formal rounds and in small peer groups and noticed in each a man who masters the resonant art of communication with an unparalleled grace.
—Shaun Johnson, The Big Band Experience & Tonic Sol-fa
Leadership/Success Speaker
Response from Steve Fredlund - Breakthrough Expert:
Thanks for your kind words Shaun; you are one of my favorite people to be with and I can only hope we have many more opportunities in our future.
We were looking for a keynote speaker for a work function that included some very important guests and we really needed someone who would deliver their own message yet would align with our message for that day.
Steve nailed it. He was an absolute professional through the whole process. Responsive, timely, engaged, and really listed to us and what our goals were for our event.
I was confident he would tie our message in with his, based on him taking the time to meet with us ahead of time. What exceeded my expectation was how his own message and keynote had the entire room engaged. It was a work event, and normally you’ve got some people on their phones or laptops, but as I looked around, each person was tuned in. His message and delivery were great, and he wove in humor and personal stories along the way.
We had several attendees come up to us throughout the rest of the day and tell us how much they enjoyed Steve’s message. I would recommend him in a heartbeat for a thought-provoking inspirational start to your day, while keeping it light enough to meet attendees where they are individually.
Motivational Speaker, Business Motivational Speaker
Response from Steve Fredlund - Breakthrough Expert:
Bethany, thank you for your encouraging review. I loved getting to know you and the team as well as finding out about the organization and your key partners. It was so fun to have you theme around safari and to be part of what was a very important event for you and your partners. Thanks for all the work you did and for inviting me to be a part of it. Here’s hoping we stay in touch
Steve was very organized, punctual, flexible, personable (yet still professional) throughout the whole process of booking, planning, structuring and delivering his talk to our group. I appreciated his time very much!
Motivational Speaker
Steve came and spoke at our small Unitarian Universalist congregation on Jan 20. His presentation was very well received as I received multiple compliments from those in attendance. Steve tied in our monthly theme of "possibility" into his personal spiritual journey when questions of his faith were tested. I highly recommend Steve for other groups interested in delving into deeper theist discussions. He connects with the audience at a very intimate level and left our group with a feeling of fulfillment and possibilities around individual spiritual experiences to contemplate. I fully expect to contact him again in the future for another speaking engagement for our group. A+
Christian Speaker
Response from Steve Fredlund - Breakthrough Expert:
Thank you Dan for trusting me to bring something that your group could chew in individually and collectively, no matter what their “Black Rhino” is. Your group is special and has such a cool vibe in the people and location. Having the deer walk by on cue was a nice touch! Thanks again, I had a great time.
It has been my pleasure to know and work with Steve for many years on a personal and professional level. Beyond demonstrating the highest levels of professional competency and integrity, Steve’s leadership skills and lifelong learning commitment are apparent. He has consistently demonstrated the unique ability to serve strategically with a true spirit of service to others. The proven result is consistent long term organizational success with each endeavor. I have the highest regard for Steve in all respects.
—Greg Carlson, Executive Director at Presbyterian Homes & Services
Business Motivational Speaker, Leadership/Success Speaker
Response from Steve Fredlund - Breakthrough Expert:
Thank you Greg; I have enjoyed every single encounter you and I have ever had.
My experience working with Steve Fredlund has always been positive. Steve combines the analytical, the practical and even the humorous in a masterful way. He is about acurate data points, answering the deep why questions, as well as sharing practical application. Steve has a great public speaking style that takes systems thinking and complicated processes and makes them digestible for the listener. I highly recommend considering Steve Fredlund for your organizations analytical needs.
Leadership/Success Speaker
Response from Steve Fredlund - Breakthrough Expert:
Thanks so much Greta; I appreciate your kind words and taking the time to do the review.
I have had the privilege of working with Steve Fredlund in many settings – large groups, small groups, cross-cultural settings and one on one. Steve constantly brings excellent content. His warm, friendly style engages with audiences of all ages. He’s comfortable talking with a group of national leaders in Rwanda, Africa or training a group of Our Response volunteers in East Central Minnesota. With natural leadership and an easy smile he makes the necessary inroads required for passing along important information. If you are looking for a speaker who knows how to deliver, Steve is someone to seriously consider!
—Mark Coughlin, Immanuel Church
Christian Speaker
Response from Steve Fredlund - Breakthrough Expert:
Thanks Mark.... you are the inspiration; always have been and always will. Keep doing your thing and changing the world.
Steve has a unique ability to take complex issues with many layers, drill down to the core, and walk people through a step by step plan to reach their objective. Steve’s gift for analytics allows him to take large concepts with an overwhelming amount of data and find meaning at the core. His charisma and sense of humor make him interesting and fun to follow as he helps you find meaning in the sea of data. Steve has a likable personality people are drawn to.
—Stacey Nelson, St. Francis School District
Christian Speaker, Leadership/Success Speaker
Response from Steve Fredlund - Breakthrough Expert:
Thank you Stacey... appreciate your kind words more than you realize.
Steve is a charismatic visionary who has an amazing ability to listen, question and utilize his great sense of humor to lead others to new perspectives and positive results. I have known Steve for more than 25 years, he is a natural collaborator, who consistently ensures that each individual feels their frame of reference is respected and valuable. He knows how to share his intelligence, love of learning, analytical and strategic skills in an interesting and fun manner. There is a Chinese proverb that immediately brings Steve to my mind, “When the winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills.” Steve is a builder of “windmills”, a builder of ideas and actions that transform minds, people, and produce results. I strongly recommend Steve to any organization that needs assistance with ensuring positive transformation, change and innovation.
Business Motivational Speaker, Leadership/Success Speaker
Response from Steve Fredlund - Breakthrough Expert:
Laura, thank you so much for the great review and kind words. I love that proverb and to be mentioned in the same breath, is truly a humbling honor. Thanks...
Booking Info
Price Range: $10,000, exceptions possible
Gig Length: 20 - 180 minutes
Languages: English
Insurance: $1,000,000 - General Liability
What to Expect
“Working with Steve was a great experience from the very start of the process! As the event planner, he made it easy to work with him, from the planning to the day of the event. His presentation, The Right Peeps in Your Jeeps, was engaging and he connected with our members as the topic was super relevant and spot on. We heard from many members that Steve was the best speaker we’ve had! We will be recommending Steve to other affiliates in our association and 10/10 recommend!”
Rather than tell you what you can expect from me, I felt these words from Lisa Grabau of the North Central Chapter of the National Association of Credit Managers (NACM) summed it up best.
My role as speaker includes presenting an engaging, impactful talk that truly delivers on the goals of the event as clarified ahead of time with the meeting organizer. That is certainly a critical role, and the most obviously, but it is just a part of what you get when you work with me.
Being selected to speak at an event is an honor; it is a statement of confidence from the planning team that I can deliver what the audience needs to hear; or to create the environment the team is looking for as part of the overall goal of the event.
But I also see my role as far greater than that; I am now part of your team, willing to serve in any way I can to make your life at least a little bit easier. This includes being easy to work with throughout the entire process; and it also means promotion before-hand, helping however I can during, and celebrating together afterward. If I’m there, put me to work – if I can help, just say the word.
Many speakers will say this; I actually mean it. Check with past event organizers like Lisa an you will get the same message.
From an audience perspective, they will get a new paradigm for how to view their life, work and leadership; this will not only challenge their current beliefs but it will provide them hope that things can get better – that they can be happier.
The audience will feel a connection to me as a presenter, because I will truly be connected with them. I’m not a “talking head” – I’m someone who has thought deeply about what my audience is going through and structured my talk specifically to address where they are; by the time I hit the stage I know my audience – and I relate to them and empathize with them – and I am committed to sharing something that has the potential to create a positive shift for them.
The audience connects with me because I connect with them, which happens because I genuinely care about them and want to serve them through my talk.
About
Steve Fredlund is an award-winning keynote speaker and best-selling author of Do the Unright Thing: Memoir of a People Pleaser. With a rich background spanning three decades as an actuary, nonprofit founder, entrepreneur, and leader of African safaris, Steve is no stranger to navigating complex paths.
After years of doing what was expected, he realized that pursuing the extraordinary unlocked a deeper sense
of purpose, fulfillment, and impact. Now, he shares his transformative insights through empowering talks that inspire audiences to Expect the Extraordinary, guiding them toward breakthrough after breakthrough.
With an inspiring message brought to life through enthusiasm and laugh-out-loud stories, Steve brings fresh perspectives to the stage, helping audiences rethink life, work, and leadership. Known for his ability to simplify complex challenges into actionable insights, he empowers audiences to stop settling for the ordinary, break free from the expected, and have the courage to do The Unright Thing, increasing their chances of experiencing the extraordinary.
Additional Booking Notes
Prefer a lapel mic, but can work with a standard cordless. Will also need to be able to plug in my laptop to a projector or provide slides in advance.
A full rider is available upon request.
Services Offered
Past Booked Events
| September 10, 2024 • 9:00am - 10:00am | Corporate Event |
| September 22, 2022 • 9:00am - 10:00am | Nonprofit Event |
| August 21, 2021 • 3:00pm - 3:30pm | Wedding Ceremony |
| October 21, 2020 • 11:00am - 12:00pm | Corporate Event |
| April 05, 2020 • 5:00pm - 5:15pm | Wedding Ceremony |
| February 22, 2020 • 5:00pm - 7:00pm | Wedding Ceremony |
| October 05, 2019 • 7:30pm - 8:15pm | Corporate Event |
| October 05, 2019 • 3:30pm - 4:30pm | Wedding Ceremony |
| September 06, 2019 • 3:00pm - 3:30pm | Wedding Ceremony |
| August 07, 2019 • 1:30pm - 2:15pm | School Assembly |
| July 21, 2019 • 6:00pm - 6:45pm | Wedding Ceremony |
| April 29, 2019 • 7:00pm - 8:00pm | Nonprofit Event |
| January 20, 2019 • 10:30am - 12:00pm | Worship Service |
| May 22, 2018–May 23, 2018 • 8:00am - 5:00pm | People Analytics Conference (Chicago) |
| April 18, 2018–April 20, 2018 • 8:00am - 5:00pm | Innovative School Network National Conference |
| February 20, 2018–February 23, 2018 • 8:00am - 5:00pm | Center for Talent Reporting (Dallas) |
Influences & Inspiration
I am heavily influenced by the style and approach of Simon Sinek and Brene Brown.
Setup Requirements
Microphone