Erin Hatzikostas is a corporate turnaround CEO turned authenticity expert. She is a highly sought-after global keynote speaker, bestselling author of You Do You(ish) and The 50% Rule, and the co-host of the podcast b Cause Work Doesn’t Have to Suck. Her TEDx Talk was among the top 20 most-watched globally in 2021, and she has spoken for organizations including CVS Health, Yale University, Mastercard, the American Dental Association, 3M, and The Hartford.

Erin Hatzikostas teaches authenticity as a strategic workplace tool, not a fluffy “be yourself” concept. She references the Greek root word, Authentikos, which means to be genuine, original, and authoritative. Erin defines authenticity as exposing who you are, when people least expect it, in the service of others. Her approach emphasizes action, differentiation, and psychological impact rather than transparency or personality.

Erin’s message resonates across nearly every industry. She has spoken to healthcare, financial services, HVACR, nuclear submarines, special military operations, petroleum equipment, insurance, and legal communities, among many others.

Erin frequently speaks at leadership events, women’s conferences, sales kickoffs (SKOs), company-wide meetings, and industry association conferences. Her content resonates whether the audience is executive-level, emerging leaders, women in business, or customer-facing teams.

Erin speaks about authenticity as a strategy to create greater human connection, build trust faster, and differentiate yourself and your company from others. For leaders, she highlights how authenticity strengthens culture, engagement, and business growth. For women, she shows how authenticity enables them to take on bigger roles without sacrificing who they are. For sales teams, she teaches how authenticity accelerates the know-like-trust factor and creates differentiation. She also speaks on The 50% Rule as an innovation and motivation strategy for individuals and organizations.

Erin’s most requested keynote titles include: “How to Make Authenticity Your Strategic Advantage,” “Less Polish, More Power: How Authenticity Can Propel Your Career,” and “The 50% Rule: Stop Comparing & Start Competing in a League of Your Own.

Erin is one of the rare keynote speakers who has led a major corporate turnaround as CEO and is also a dynamic, funny, high-energy communicator. She also brings proprietary research on authenticity’s measurable impact, real-world leadership lessons, and a practical framework—the 6 Principles of Strategic Authenticity (H.U.M.A.N.S.)—that gives audiences immediate next steps.

Yes. Erin was selected as one of only six showcase speakers at the 2025 International Association of Speakers Bureaus annual conference. Her book You Do You(ish) has won four literary awards, and her TEDx Talk is one of the top 20 most-viewed globally in 2021.

Erin provides tangible, next-day actions—not theory. She teaches audiences how to rewrite their LinkedIn profiles, rework sales presentations, create more engaging value propositions, and use authenticity in everyday communication. Many events see speakers or panelists immediately apply her strategies on stage.

Event planners can fill out a short form on Erin’s website, and either she or her speaking manager, Danielle Sweeney, will follow-up within hours. Her manager can also be contacted directly at danielle@thekeynoteco.com or 647-980-1177.

Yes. Erin extensively researches each client’s industry and tailors every keynote with custom stories, examples, language, and references so the talk feels uniquely created for that audience. Although she's spoken to and her message resonates with every industry - from chemical distributors to dance studios - some of Erin's most frequently spoken to audiences include healthcare, financial services, and women's leadership events.

Yes. Erin leads virtual keynotes, half-day and multi-day workshops, and experiential sessions that dive deeper into her H.U.M.A.N.S. framework. She also consults on brand positioning, messaging, proposals, and Intriguing Identities, and she provides 1:1 and team coaching for executives and sales professionals.

Erin spent 22 years at Aetna, ultimately becoming CEO of its health payments subsidiary, PayFlex. Under her leadership, the company tripled earnings in three years and increased employee engagement by 15%. Recognizing that authenticity had been the key to her leadership success, she left corporate to research and teach authenticity full-time.

Authenticity in the workplace is exposing who you are, when people least expect it, in the service of others. Erin’s research shows that organizations with more authentic cultures have 6x higher trust and more than 2x higher retention, along with increased performance and improved employee happiness.

Authenticity is not “being yourself,” oversharing, or bringing your whole self to work. The Greek root, Authentikos, means genuine, original, and authoritative. Authenticity is action-driven—behaviors that create trust and connection by showing that you’re real, imperfect, and intentional.

Yes. Erin has spoken in the U.S. and Canada in person and has reached global audiences virtually. She welcomes international travel for keynotes, workshops, and events.

Erin’s in-person keynote fee ranges from $12,000 to $15,000. Her virtual keynote fee is $10,000.

Erin’s keynote programs typically run 45 to 90 minutes, depending on event needs.

Erin is based in Connecticut and is a short drive to the Hartford/Springfield airport. She can also easily drive to deliver keynotes in the Northeastern U.S., including New York City, Boston, and several other locations within the New England area. She offers discounted fees for events located in Connecticut.

If you’re looking for a rags-to-riches story or a speaker who hands out a rapid-fire stream of feel-good, “you’ve got this!” one-liners… Erin’s probably not your person. Yes, she brings energy, humor, and what some might call “Midwest nice.” But she also brings a little edge. Expect a sassy, tough-love style (it’s her love language), backed by real stories, real data, and ideas your audience can actually use—sometimes before they’re fully ready for them. If you want polite applause and instant forgettability, there are plenty of safer options. If you want people thinking, laughing, and maybe shifting how they show up at work the very next day, you’re in the right place.

Erin Hatzikostas is a corporate turnaround CEO turned authenticity expert. She is a highly sought-after global keynote speaker, bestselling author of You Do You(ish) and The 50% Rule, and the co-host of the podcast b Cause Work Doesn’t Have to Suck. Her TEDx Talk was among the top 20 most-watched globally in 2021, and she has spoken for organizations including CVS Health, Yale University, Mastercard, the American Dental Association, 3M, and The Hartford.

Erin Hatzikostas teaches authenticity as a strategic workplace tool, not a fluffy “be yourself” concept. She references the Greek root word, Authentikos, which means to be genuine, original, and authoritative. Erin defines authenticity as exposing who you are, when people least expect it, in the service of others. Her approach emphasizes action, differentiation, and psychological impact rather than transparency or personality.

Erin’s message resonates across nearly every industry. She has spoken to healthcare, financial services, HVACR, nuclear submarines, special military operations, petroleum equipment, insurance, and legal communities, among many others.

Erin frequently speaks at leadership events, women’s conferences, sales kickoffs (SKOs), company-wide meetings, and industry association conferences. Her keynotes have this perfect blend of self development meets leadership and business growth, so everyone takes something different from her talks. Her keynotes resonate with people at all levels in their career, including executives, emerging leaders, women in business, or customer-facing teams.

Erin speaks about authenticity as a strategy to create greater human connection, build trust faster, and differentiate yourself and your company from others. For leaders, she highlights how authenticity strengthens culture, engagement, and business growth. For women, she shows how authenticity enables them to take on bigger roles without sacrificing who they are. For sales teams, she teaches how authenticity accelerates the know-like-trust factor and creates differentiation. She also speaks on The 50% Rule as an innovation and motivation strategy for individuals and organizations.

Erin’s most requested keynote titles include: “The Authenticity Advantage: How to Make Authenticity Your Business Competitive Advantage,” “Less Polish, More Power: How to Activate Authenticity to Transform Your Leadership, Culture, and Career” and “The 50% Rule: Do Half to Get More Creativity, Motivation, & Results."

Erin is one of the rare keynote speakers who has led a major corporate turnaround as CEO and is also a dynamic, funny, high-energy speaker. She also brings proprietary research on authenticity’s measurable impact, real-world leadership lessons, and a practical framework—the 6 Principles of Strategic Authenticity (H.U.M.A.N.S.)—that gives audiences immediate action steps.

Erin isn't a motivational speaker. She is a business speaker who motivates. Erin is the perfect fit for event planners and audiences who are tired of speakers who give a great big "shot-in-the-arm" on stage but aren't necessarily that relatable or don't leave the audience with actionable, tangible strategies to apply at work immediately. Erin is engaging, energetic, and impactful AND because she spent 22 years working in the corporate business world, and for one of the largest companies in the world, she is extremely relatable. She understands the frustrations and reality of most of her audience members. Her talks offer a perfect mix of energy, inspiration, unique insights, stories, practical strategies, humor, and (most importantly) sincere passion for what she talks about.

Yes. Erin was selected as one of only six showcase speakers at the 2025 International Association of Speakers Bureaus annual conference. Her book "You Do You(ish)" has won four literary awards, and her TEDx Talk was one of the top 20 most-viewed globally in 2021.

Erin provides tangible, next-day actions—not theory. She teaches audiences how to rewrite their LinkedIn profiles, rework sales presentations, create more engaging value propositions, and use authenticity in everyday communication. Many events see speakers or panelists immediately apply her strategies on stage.

Event planners can fill out a short form on Erin’s website, and either she or her speaking manager, Danielle Sweeney, will follow-up within hours. Her manager can also be contacted directly at danielle@thekeynoteco.com or 647-980-1177.

Erin is based in Connecticut and is a short drive to the Hartford/Springfield airport. She can also easily drive to deliver keynotes in the Northeastern U.S., including New York City, Boston, and several other locations within the New England area. She offers discounted fees for events located in Connecticut.

Yes. Erin extensively researches each client’s industry and tailors every keynote with custom stories, examples, language, and references so the talk feels uniquely created for that audience.

Yes. Erin leads virtual keynotes, half-day and multi-day workshops, and experiential sessions that dive deeper into her H.U.M.A.N.S. framework. She also consults on brand positioning, messaging, proposals, and Intriguing Identities, and she provides 1:1 and team coaching for executives and sales professionals.

Exploratory call.A real conversation about your event, your audience, and what success looks like. No pitch, just clarity. Diagnosis.Erin pinpoints the specific ways your business can benefit from her strategies — externally with clients and internally with culture — to find the most needed applications for strategic authenticity. Scope, format, and logistics.Once we’re aligned, you’ll know exactly what to expect and how we’ll rock together.

Deep-dive pre-event call A focused 60-ish minute session with your key stakeholders to understand your culture, your current challenges, and the outcome you actually need.2–3 leader and team interviews (optional) Erin can personally interview your leaders and frontline contributors to surface real stories and language she can weave into the keynote.Custom content build Erin puts all your input into her mental "flux capacitor" and creates a keynote tailored to your industry, your audience, and your specific challenges.Pre-event “warm-up” assets (optional) Short LinkedIn videos, a teaser podcast clip, or a one-page primer for attendees to help drive enrollment and excitement.Host briefing A pre-event call with your MC or executive sponsor to align on intros, transitions, and any surprises Erin should know about.

The keynote (45–90 minutes, virtual or in-person) Erin brings strategic authenticity to life with storytelling, proprietary data, videos, her H.U.M.A.N.S. Framework, real examples from your industry, and tangible “moves” your team can experiment with the next day. Live coaching moments Erin often builds in an interactive exercise that demonstrates authenticity in real time, plus moments of in-the-room coaching with audience members that bonds the group. Immediate, tangible takeaways Erin's talks are part inspiration, part action — Liber-action. Attendees leave with a lighter step in their feet + specific, actionable moves. Erin stays fully present Whenever possible, she stays for dinners, Q&As, breakout discussions, and book signings, modeling the authenticity and human connection she just taught.

Executive roundtable (60–90 min) A small-group strategy session with your top 8–12 leaders before or after the keynote. VIP fireside chat Erin moderated by your CEO, CHRO, or a customer — great for sales kickoffs and client events. Workshop add-on (half-day) An applied workshop the morning after the keynote, taking 20–40 leaders through one of the six H.U.M.A.N.S. principles in depth.

Authenticity PlaybookA practical guide to implement authenticity in their everyday work, with prompts, exercises, and “moves” the audience can use immediately. The Authenticity Challenge (12-week video course)Every attendee can be provided access to Erin’s on-demand course — 12 short videos and weekly experiments to take authentic reflection and action, long after their conference badge comes off. Custom 1-pager of takeawaysDesigned specifically for your audience and event, so leaders can share the message with their teams. 30-day debrief callA 30-minute call with Erin 30 days post-event to review progress, identify where momentum is building, and where it’s stalling. Book and podcast accessBulk-discount pricing on Erin’s books (You Do You(ish) and The 50% Rule) and access to the b Cause Work Doesn’t Have to Suck podcast, to offer options to your book-lovers and podcast junkies

H.U.M.A.N.S. Authentic Leadership Training  A 6-week virtual program or 2-day in-person training that takes leaders through each of the six Principles of Strategic Authenticity in a hands-on, experiential format. Walks them out ready to make impactful, authentic change. Group coaching (12 or 24 weeks) Bi-weekly group sessions where participants experiment, practice, and apply their authenticity “moves” to everything from team meetings to performance reviews — sharing wins and stuck points in real time. 1x1 Coach-sulting for top execs Part coaching, part consulting. Erin blends her 7+ years of experience as a coach with her experience as a former CEO to help executives slow down, reflect, make bold, authentic moves, make hard decisions, and ultimately leave a legacy.

Intriguing Identity Blueprint. A consulting engagement that produces a fresh, differentiated identity for your business — plus 8–10 low-cost initiatives and one Daring Differentiator to anchor it. Built for service-based B2B companies (40–300 employees) tired of sounding like the rest of their category. 50% Rule Innovation Session  A facilitated working session with a cross-functional team (product, marketing, tech, sales) using Erin’s 50% Rule framework to generate unique, in-market ideas — without a $5M IT project or a 2-year build cycle. Sales team enablement + live deal coaching Materials review, a virtual workshop to fire up the team, a Daring Differentiator built for your sales pitch, and hands-on coaching on 2–3 live opportunities. Refreshing Your Ass(ets) review  A fresh-eyes rewrite of your most critical sales and marketing assets — proposal summaries, one-sheets, sales decks — so they sound like the company your team is, not the company your competitor is.