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.