Book Deb to Your Stage.
The Research. The Experience. The Shift.
With more than four decades of executive leadership as a CEO, CIO, Senior Partner, and strategic advisor to Fortune 500 companies, Deb Smallwood brings something rare to the stage: experience and research that names what your audience already feels but has never had words for.
Drawing on 62 narrative interviews with senior leaders (52 women and 10 men) across industries and generations, Deb's keynotes give high-achieving women the language, the framework, and the clarity of the InnerShift: from external proving to internal choosing, from endurance to alignment.
And these keynotes also give organizations the insight to see and elevate the leadership already in their ranks.
This is not inspiration. This is recognition. And recognition is where the shift begins.
Looking for a specific topic or a customized angle for your audience? Let's talk.
Fill out the booking form below or email d[email protected]
Book Deb
for Your Event
Bring original research and a framework your audience will not forget to your next event.
Fill out the form and Deb's team will be in touch within 48 hours.
For more information: email us at [email protected]
or fill out the form and click the "Book Deb" button to set up a call.
Why book Deb?
Deb brings to every stage what most speakers cannot, a body of original research, executive experience, and a framework built from the lived stories. Her audiences do not just feel inspired. They feel seen. And they leave with something they can use.
Proven Expertise
More than four decades as a senior executive: CEO, CIO, Senior Partner, and Fortune 500 strategic advisor across insurance, technology, and professional services.
High-Impact Speaker
Keynotes and workshops delivered at Fortune 500 companies, industry conferences, and women leadership summits across the United States including EmpowerHER, Women in Leader and Women in Technology.
Research-Driven Insights
62 narrative interviews with senior leaders (52 women and 10 men across industries and generations). The research behind the book SelfPowerment and the white paper "What No One Talks About—But Women Know".
Transformational Framework
Author of SelfPowerment: The Inner Shift for High-Achieving Women Who Want More Than Just Success with foreword by Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Karen Anderson. The SelfPowerment framework includes four Principles, eight Strategies, and an Inner Shift Map.
Customized for Your Audience
Every keynote is tailored to your audience, your industry, and your event objectives, whether you are serving women leaders, organizational decision-makers, or both. Corporate workshops available for teams and leadership programs.
Watch. Learn. Transform.
Explore Deb's collection of keynote presentations and masterclass replays designed to inspire growth, spark new perspectives, and equip you with practical strategies for personal and professional success. Whether you're discovering these teachings for the first time or revisiting a favorite session, you'll find valuable insights, actionable wisdom, and transformative ideas you can apply immediately.
SelfPowerment Shorts
SelfPowerment Keynotes & MasterClasses
AltaWorld Women in Tech 2024
The SelfPowerment Journey
EmpowerHer 2025
Ignite the Future of Insurance
SelfPowerment MasterClass
The Innershift that Changes Everything
SelfPowerment MasterClass
The Invisible Advancement Cycle
SelfPowerment MasterClass
The InnerShift for Women Navigating Change
Big Stage
Signature
KeyNotes
Every keynote Deb delivers is built on original research, four decades of executive experience, and the SelfPowerment Framework.
These are not motivational talks. They are research-grounded conversations that speak to what your audience has been living, and show them a new path forward.
Flagship
The InnerShift to
SelfPowered Success
One talk, three moments: the system that stalls her, the success that costs her, and the shift that frees her. Drawing on 62 narrative interviews with senior leaders, Deb names the moment external achievement stops being enough, then walks the room through the InnerShift, from "Will they choose me?" to "Do I choose this?"
Audiences leave with the four Gifts (Confidence, Clarity, Choice, and Strategic Boundaries) and a first practice they can take with them, the moment they walk out.
And More Ways to Tailor the InnerShift Keynote to Your Audience
Beyond the flagship, Deb offers a portfolio of keynotes drawn from the research and the SelfPowerment Framework, each shaped to your audience, industry, and event:
The Success Trap. When everything you worked for arrives, and something is still missing.
The Hidden System. Why high-achieving women deliver the most and advance the least.
In Transition. Choosing your next chapter from alignment, not fear.
The Principles Series. A talk for each of the four Principles: Acknowledge Your Humanness. Awaken Your Inner Being. Accept the Moment. Align Your Doing.
Every talk is available as a keynote, breakout session, or workshop. You can sample the content in the masterclasses below. To find the right fit for your event, reach out and let's talk.
THE FLAGSHIP
The InnerShift to SelfPowered Success
Bringing the being back to your doing and leading from the being inside out.
"I did everything right. So why does it feel like I lost myself?"
Description: Deb names the moment so many high-achieving women feel but cannot explain: external achievement stops feeling like enough, and the very behaviors that built the career (the over-delivering, the endless yes, the constant proving) succeed her into exhaustion and a slow disconnection from who she is.
Drawing on 62 narrative interviews with senior leaders and four decades in the C-suite, Deb introduces the SelfPowerment framework and its central truth: you are a human being, not a human doing.
She walks the room through the InnerShift, from "Will they choose me?" to "Do I choose this?", and from external proving to internal choosing.
Audiences leave seen, named, and holding the four Gifts (Confidence, Clarity, Choice, and Strategic Boundaries) and a first practice they can use the moment they walk out.
Best for: Women's leadership conferences, executive retreats, corporate off-sites, annual leadership summits, and organizations investing in women's advancement at the senior level.
Ideal for keynote and closing-session slots; this talk lands best as the moment that reframes everything the audience has heard throughout the event.
All keynotes are tailored to your audience, your industry, and your event objectives.
Corporate workshops and half-day programs available.
Thought-provoking Author
Inspiring Speaker
Creating Confidence!
There's more...
Leadership
Inspiring women to step into their desired career and life!
Delivering the system of resilience!
Winning with Convergence!
Women in Insurance Leadership
Fueling ambition and igniting action!
Where I Am Speaking
I love partnering with organizations that invest in leadership, growth, and meaningful conversations.
Here's where you'll find me next.
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