Penny Zenker
Penny knows how to create a powerful experience and make it stick beyond the event.
"From start to finish, Penny delivered an impactful experience that resonated deeply with our leadership and employees, helping us shift our perspectives on productivity, resilience, and mindset management." Angel Arkward, Shipley Energy
Virtual | Hybrid | In-Person Keynotes and Training Available
Penny combines her broad business development and leadership experience with strong storytelling, memorable metaphors, and interactive exercises to create an experience that people talk about and actually use long after the event.
Penny Zenker helps organizations and leaders avoid burnout, change fatigue, and overwhelm—while boosting engagement, innovation, and sustainable performance in hybrid environments and through times of disruption and uncertainty.
Known as The Focusologist, Penny teaches leaders how to reset their mindset, refocus their energy, and lead with greater clarity, resilience, and impact—even when everything feels out of control. Her Reset Mindset framework empowers high-performing teams to stay grounded, think more strategically, and create meaningful results without sacrificing their well-being or culture.
Penny’s insights aren’t just professional—they’re personal. After turning around a multimillion-dollar division, she faced a wave of unexpected change: the division was sold- making her redundant, her marriage ended, and her savings were lost to a Ponzi scheme. With a one- and three-year-old at home, Penny discovered that in life's most overwhelming moments, it isn’t hard work or willpower that saves us—it’s the small Reset Moments that create stability, focus, and strength.
That experience, among others, reshaped her life and leadership philosophy that drives her mission today: helping others lead and live with intention, resilience, and courage.
A former international C-suite executive for a top-five global research company, Penny has built and sold multiple multimillion-dollar businesses, coached CEOs and leadership teams around the world with Tony Robbins' Business Breakthroughs, and led global teams through complex turnarounds and cultural transformations. She lived and worked abroad for 16 years in Zurich, giving her a broad global perspective on leadership, communication, and change.
Known for her dynamic, interactive style, Penny brings her keynotes to life through powerful storytelling, memorable metaphors, and lively exercises—often using the Rubik’s Cube as a metaphor for simplifying complexity. Audiences describe her programs as “transformational,” “eye-opening,” “powerful,” “extremely valuable,” and “immediately actionable.”
She has worked with leading organizations including Deloitte, Pfizer, SAP, Samsung, and NASA, and her insights have been featured on NBC News, ESPN, Forbes, Inc., and Success Magazine, where she was recognized as a Top 10 Business Book author. Her TEDx talk, The Energy of Thought,has surpassed one million views, and her podcast, Take Back Time, ranks in the top 3% globally.
In addition to being a two-time #1 bestselling, award-winning author and sought-after keynote speaker, Penny is an executive producer of the independent film Wish Man. When she's not speaking, she’s embracing life’s adventures—racing mountain bikes in the Swiss Alps, glacier walking, deep sea fishing, and skydiving—because for Penny, true success isn't just about work; it's about living fully and intentionally.
If you're looking for a keynote speaker who is credible, relatable, proven, and personal—book Penny Zenker to help your teams reset, refocus, and thrive in times of change.
TOPICS INCLUDE:
Penny has various topics under the Reset Mindset umbrella (sales, leadership, communication, change management, customer service, team building, resilience, and personal productivity). See my programs for more details
YOUR EVENT EXPERIENCE:
Penny is committed to adding value at every stage of the event process.
PRE-EVENT
• Penny will meet with you and your team to answer any questions. She will ask you your top 3 objectives for this audience so she understands your goals and the audience. Her goal is to tailor her message to your theme and audience challenges.
• Penny will film a customized video to send to your attendees before the event, along with a relevant quiz or survey to start the engagement before they arrive. The buzz helps increase registration and primes people for the event.
DURING THE EVENT
• Penny arrives the evening before the event to participate in any pre-event parties or VIP activities and to meet the audience before she hits the stage. Attendees LOVE being able to connect with the keynote speaker before and after she speaks.
• Penny will make herself available at the event in a designated place for pictures, autographs, and book signings when desired.
• Have VIP's? Top performers? Auction or charity ? Give them the additional perk of being seated with Penny at a meal, or special meet and greet time during the event, or a special Reset gift box..
POST-EVENT
After the event, interaction and follow-up are critical to attendees getting the highest value from the event.
• Penny provides after-the-event resources (quizzes, videos, overviews, and worksheets) to help people continue to engage with the content.
• Post-event Feedback. Penny is available to meet with you after the event to discuss and debrief from the event.
• Penny has post-event programming and a support call if desired to ensure you are supporting your attendees to make it stick long after the event is over.
When you want people to not only be inspired by a great experience but also walk away with immediately actionable tools.
Schedule your appointment with Penny now. :
https://calendly.com/pennyskeynote/upcomingevent
WHAT EVENTS CAN YOU HIRE PENNY FOR?
• Opening Keynote Speaker - Get your audience primed, energized, and thinking about how they can make the most of the conference
• Closing Keynote Speaking - Close with a powerful message and experience of taking the lessons beyond your event
• Association Conferences and Conventions – Penny can reach audiences of all generations, learning styles, and levels. She will create an unforgettable experience.
• Leadership conferences and Leadership Team Meetings – Penny's stories resonate deeply, her exercises challenge people to think differently, and her simple framework for leadership is valuable for leaders at all levels and especially during times of change.
• Sales Conventions - Sales Incentive Trips, Sales Kick-Off Meetings – Penny will pump up your sales team to think big and go for it. She will help your sales team create the mindset, focus and connection that boosts revenue and sales.
• Safety Events - Physical and psychological safety is a part of everyone's job. Penny will highlight the great importance today of attention, focus, and breaking the addiction to distraction to create a culture of safety, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Off-Site Retreats - Penny is great with both small and large groups. She loves to facilitate based on your objectives. Interactive learning is her specialty.
• Business Seminars – Pennys ' extensive business background makes her immediately relatable as she has been in the trenches. She supports business leaders with strategies for leadership development, process improvement and business innovation, and growth
• Women's Conferences – Overcoming obstacles and empowering women is a soft spot for Penny, who has worked in several male-dominated environments and speaks from experience.
• College Conferences, Youth Assemblies, Alumni Events: Benefit from Penny's humor, stories, and powerful Mindset shifts to create clarity, direction, and adaptability in any circumstance.
Virtual | Hybrid | In-Person Keynotes and Training Available
Penny combines her broad business development and leadership experience with strong storytelling, memorable metaphors, and interactive exercises to create an experience that people talk about and actually use long after the event.
Penny Zenker helps organizations and leaders avoid burnout, change fatigue, and overwhelm—while boosting engagement, innovation, and sustainable performance in hybrid environments and through times of disruption and uncertainty.
Known as The Focusologist, Penny teaches leaders how to reset their mindset, refocus their energy, and lead with greater clarity, resilience, and impact—even when everything feels out of control. Her Reset Mindset framework empowers high-performing teams to stay grounded, think more strategically, and create meaningful results without sacrificing their well-being or culture.
Penny’s insights aren’t just professional—they’re personal. After turning around a multimillion-dollar division, she faced a wave of unexpected change: the division was sold- making her redundant, her marriage ended, and her savings were lost to a Ponzi scheme. With a one- and three-year-old at home, Penny discovered that in life's most overwhelming moments, it isn’t hard work or willpower that saves us—it’s the small Reset Moments that create stability, focus, and strength.
That experience, among others, reshaped her life and leadership philosophy that drives her mission today: helping others lead and live with intention, resilience, and courage.
A former international C-suite executive for a top-five global research company, Penny has built and sold multiple multimillion-dollar businesses, coached CEOs and leadership teams around the world with Tony Robbins' Business Breakthroughs, and led global teams through complex turnarounds and cultural transformations. She lived and worked abroad for 16 years in Zurich, giving her a broad global perspective on leadership, communication, and change.
Known for her dynamic, interactive style, Penny brings her keynotes to life through powerful storytelling, memorable metaphors, and lively exercises—often using the Rubik’s Cube as a metaphor for simplifying complexity. Audiences describe her programs as “transformational,” “eye-opening,” “powerful,” “extremely valuable,” and “immediately actionable.”
She has worked with leading organizations including Deloitte, Pfizer, SAP, Samsung, and NASA, and her insights have been featured on NBC News, ESPN, Forbes, Inc., and Success Magazine, where she was recognized as a Top 10 Business Book author. Her TEDx talk, The Energy of Thought,has surpassed one million views, and her podcast, Take Back Time, ranks in the top 3% globally.
In addition to being a two-time #1 bestselling, award-winning author and sought-after keynote speaker, Penny is an executive producer of the independent film Wish Man. When she's not speaking, she’s embracing life’s adventures—racing mountain bikes in the Swiss Alps, glacier walking, deep sea fishing, and skydiving—because for Penny, true success isn't just about work; it's about living fully and intentionally.
If you're looking for a keynote speaker who is credible, relatable, proven, and personal—book Penny Zenker to help your teams reset, refocus, and thrive in times of change.
TOPICS INCLUDE:
Penny has various topics under the Reset Mindset umbrella (sales, leadership, communication, change management, customer service, team building, resilience, and personal productivity). See my programs for more details
YOUR EVENT EXPERIENCE:
Penny is committed to adding value at every stage of the event process.
PRE-EVENT
• Penny will meet with you and your team to answer any questions. She will ask you your top 3 objectives for this audience so she understands your goals and the audience. Her goal is to tailor her message to your theme and audience challenges.
• Penny will film a customized video to send to your attendees before the event, along with a relevant quiz or survey to start the engagement before they arrive. The buzz helps increase registration and primes people for the event.
DURING THE EVENT
• Penny arrives the evening before the event to participate in any pre-event parties or VIP activities and to meet the audience before she hits the stage. Attendees LOVE being able to connect with the keynote speaker before and after she speaks.
• Penny will make herself available at the event in a designated place for pictures, autographs, and book signings when desired.
• Have VIP's? Top performers? Auction or charity ? Give them the additional perk of being seated with Penny at a meal, or special meet and greet time during the event, or a special Reset gift box..
POST-EVENT
After the event, interaction and follow-up are critical to attendees getting the highest value from the event.
• Penny provides after-the-event resources (quizzes, videos, overviews, and worksheets) to help people continue to engage with the content.
• Post-event Feedback. Penny is available to meet with you after the event to discuss and debrief from the event.
• Penny has post-event programming and a support call if desired to ensure you are supporting your attendees to make it stick long after the event is over.
When you want people to not only be inspired by a great experience but also walk away with immediately actionable tools.
Schedule your appointment with Penny now. :
https://calendly.com/pennyskeynote/upcomingevent
WHAT EVENTS CAN YOU HIRE PENNY FOR?
• Opening Keynote Speaker - Get your audience primed, energized, and thinking about how they can make the most of the conference
• Closing Keynote Speaking - Close with a powerful message and experience of taking the lessons beyond your event
• Association Conferences and Conventions – Penny can reach audiences of all generations, learning styles, and levels. She will create an unforgettable experience.
• Leadership conferences and Leadership Team Meetings – Penny's stories resonate deeply, her exercises challenge people to think differently, and her simple framework for leadership is valuable for leaders at all levels and especially during times of change.
• Sales Conventions - Sales Incentive Trips, Sales Kick-Off Meetings – Penny will pump up your sales team to think big and go for it. She will help your sales team create the mindset, focus and connection that boosts revenue and sales.
• Safety Events - Physical and psychological safety is a part of everyone's job. Penny will highlight the great importance today of attention, focus, and breaking the addiction to distraction to create a culture of safety, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Off-Site Retreats - Penny is great with both small and large groups. She loves to facilitate based on your objectives. Interactive learning is her specialty.
• Business Seminars – Pennys ' extensive business background makes her immediately relatable as she has been in the trenches. She supports business leaders with strategies for leadership development, process improvement and business innovation, and growth
• Women's Conferences – Overcoming obstacles and empowering women is a soft spot for Penny, who has worked in several male-dominated environments and speaks from experience.
• College Conferences, Youth Assemblies, Alumni Events: Benefit from Penny's humor, stories, and powerful Mindset shifts to create clarity, direction, and adaptability in any circumstance.
The Reset Mindset : The Next Generation of the Growth Mindset
This session will help you slow down to speed up by embracing what Penny calls “Reset Moments,” purposeful pauses to rethink, recharge, reconnect, and be more intentional. To be more focused, more creative, and more productive, we have to simplify, clarify, and prioritize.
Penny will help you escape the scarcity cycle of doing more, always on, fear of missing out, or struggling to please others. For leaders, the benefits also include creating with greater employee...
Own Your Focus: Break the Addiction to Distraction
Managing the various demands and distractions of modern life is a constant challenge, where firefighting often feels like second nature. With competing priorities pulling you in multiple directions, focus has shifted from being the norm to a rare luxury. The real challenge isn’t just managing time—it’s leveraging it effectively to work and lead with clarity, drive continuous improvement, and create lasting impact.
Leadership today is more than setting clear goals—it’s about...
Resiliency l Burnout -The Energy of Thought: Leadership Starts and Ends with Mindset
Emotional intelligence is about how you reset your perspective when emotions cloud your view.
Our thoughts shape our reality. In every moment, our mindset influences how we perceive challenges, make decisions, and take action. But too often, we let emotions dictate our responses—reacting impulsively rather than responding intentionally. What if you could reset in the moment to shift from reactive to resourceful?
Penny Zenker,...
Change Leadership: Things Work Until They Don't
The pace of change in how we work, operate, and compete is accelerating faster than ever. Market demands are shifting, industries are being disrupted, and what worked yesterday may not work tomorrow. The challenge for leaders is no longer just keeping up—it’s staying ahead.
Complexity is the new normal, and organizations that fail to adapt and reassess in real time risk being lost or...
Focus Driven Leadership: How to Make the Complex Simple
Today’s leaders are navigating an increasingly complex landscape—where shifting priorities, competing stakeholder demands, limited resources, and operational pressures create constant challenges. In an environment of accelerating change, maintaining clarity and focus isn’t just difficult—it’s critical. The real challenge isn’t managing tasks—it’s simplifying complexity, directing focus, and aligning teams to drive ownership, trust, and real...
Building Leaders That Think Outside the Box: Practicing Strategic, Innovative, and Unconventional Thinking
Today’s managers face a familiar challenge: they’re too busy executing tasks to think, let alone lead. In fact, research shows that 97% of managers operate tactically because they lack the time, space, and often the structured skills to think strategically. Yet innovation, growth, and competitive edge come from leaders who can step outside of day-to-day thinking and approach challenges from fresh, unconventional angles.
Thinking outside the box isn’t just a...
The Ownership Advantage: Fueling Growth Through Feedback, Focus, and Stewardship
The workplace has changed—and so must leadership. Today’s employees aren’t motivated by command-and-control tactics (if they ever were). They thrive in environments where they’re trusted, empowered, and inspired to take ownership, not just held accountable. To lead effectively now, leaders must move beyond rigid management into dynamic leadership, where psychological safety, clear priorities, autonomy, and continuous feedback fuel creativity, growth, and competitive advantage.
In...
16 recommend Penny
Post your own verified review when you hire this speaker through eSpeakers.
Prince William County
On-Site
D.C.W.C., Deputy Chief Transformation Officer, Prince William County
VerifiedPenny was the keynote speaker for our Prince William County Extended Leadership Summit in October 2024. Her high energy and insights on adopting a reset mindset, trusting the process, and gaining perspective truly recharged our team and our approach to leadership. We are excited continue building on her strategies during our book club centered on her book The Reset Mindset starting in December!
Dennis Paper and Food Service
On-Site
S.G.H., HR DIrector, Dennis Paper and Food Service
VerifiedI had the pleasure of attending an on-site training session led by Penny Zenker. Her insights around people, processes, and profits sparked new levels of creativity within the team. Penny's approach left a lasting impact, providing us with clear, practical tools that have helped drive greater efficiency and collaboration. I highly recommend her to any business leader looking to create meaningful change.
Brady Ware
On-Site
B.C., Columbus Managing Director, Brady Ware
VerifiedBetty Collins,CPA Betty Collins,CPA Betty Collins,CPA · 1stFirst degree connection Women's Advocate | Helping Small Businesses Thrive | Business Solutions Group DirectorWomen's Advocate | Helping Small Businesses Thrive | Business Solutions Group Director July 25, 2024, Penny was Betty’s clientJuly 25, 2024, Penny was Betty’s client All LinkedIn membersShow Betty Collins,CPA recommendation to All LinkedIn members We had the immense pleasure of having Penny Zenker as our keynote speaker at the Women's Leadership Conference. Penny's insights on the "reset mindset" and time management were both enlightening and actionable. She captivated our audience with her energy, engaging storytelling, and practical strategies for personal and professional growth. The feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive. If you're looking for a speaker who can deliver high-impact content with great energy, we highly recommend Penny Zenker for any event focused on productivity and leadership.
Texas Department of Transportation
On-Site
D.M., Program Manager, Texas Department of Transportation
VerifiedPenny Zenker was an amazing Key Note speaker for the Texas Department of Transportation Project Delivery Conference in Austin, Texas. She was energetic and engaging in speaking to over 400 people. Her Reset Moments made a big impact and we are still using her 1:3:5 Daily Planning Tool.
Shipley Energy
On-Site
A.A., Customer Relations Leader, Shipley Energy
Our organization recently had the pleasure of reading The Reset Mindset by Penny Zenker and inviting her to speak to our leadership team. From start to finish, Penny delivered an impactful experience that resonated deeply with our employees, helping us shift our perspectives on productivity, resilience, and mindset management. Her book, The Reset Mindset, is a powerful guide to reframing challenges, managing stress, and optimizing efficiency by taking control of our thoughts and reactions. It offers actionable strategies that help professionals and teams improve focus, energy, and performance by making intentional mindset shifts. As a speaker, Penny brought incredible energy and expertise to our organization. She engaged our team with practical insights, real-world examples, and interactive discussions that challenged us to rethink our approach to problem-solving and personal effectiveness. Her ability to connect with audiences, simplify complex concepts, and provide tangible takeaways made a lasting impact. We highly recommend Penny Zenker’s services for any organization looking to enhance productivity, leadership development, and team dynamics. Whether through her book or keynote speaking, she offers invaluable strategies for fostering a high-performance culture. If you’re looking to reset your mindset and maximize both personal and professional success, The Reset Mindset is a must-read, and Penny Zenker is an outstanding speaker and thought leader to bring into your organization.
OHLA
On-Site
M.M., Director of Event Strategy, OHLA
VerifiedPenny recently spoke as the Keynote of our 2023 Ohio Stars of the Industry Gala & Annual Conference. She captured the audience with her presentation "Mastering Reset Moments." As hotels are a 24/7 industry the concept of finding small moments throughout the day to refocus is important. Penny helped our audience see how simple this action can be if it is worked on regularly. Feedback from the audience was overwhelmingly positive. From a planning perspective Penny was very easy to coordinate with and the process was painless. This is much appreciated coming from a planner coordinating 25+ speakers for an event. Thank you, Penny!
Samsung
On-Site
C.A., Talent Acquisition, Samsung
Penny's workshop was inspiring, freeing and engaging
Walgreen Co
On-Site
S.J., Manager, Diversity Strategic Partner Development - Diversity & Inclusion (Center of Expertise), Walgreen Co
Verified @walgreens.comHer professionalism and "can do" attitude made it a wonderful experience where I look forward working with her in the near future. Thank you for all of your support and the ability to be engaging to our attendees.
Institute of Management Accountants Professional Development Conference
On-Site
A.N., Adjunkt professor, Institute of Management Accountants Professional Development Conference
Verified @wcupa.eduPenny Zenker is an outstanding speaker with a critically important message to share with professionals who are time constrained. She takes you through a step by step approach to re-gain control of your time.
Basler AG
On-Site
R.S., Director of Sales-Americas, Basler AG
Verified @baslerweb.comPenny is a pleasure to work with, motivational, thought provoking and professional. Prior to her speaking engagments with our company (there have been two) she worked with us to understand our business, our challenges and to fully understand what we were looking for her to teach and accomplish during her talks in our meetings. She did an outstanding job in all areas. During her talks she used real-world examples to drive home key points, interactive activities to keep the audience engaged and also challenged us to make changes where needed. Her talks were very helpful and productive. I highly recommend Penny for corporate events.
Pitcairn
On-Site
G.A., Employee Experience Manager, Pitcairn
Verified @pitcairn.comPenny developed a custom presentation for my staff as part of our learning and development initiatives. Her content was engaging and energizing. My employees really enjoyed participating in her activities to help them think outside the box. I really liked that there were participatory elements within her presentation, as this has not been the norm for us. It reinforced why we brought her into our organization in the first place, to get people to think differently. I highly recommend Penny for any organization that needs re-energizing.
Deloitt
On-Site
B.S., Senior Manager, Deloitt
Verified @yahoo.comPenny did a great job yesterday running an interactive presentation about the challenges we face with staying productive in work/life. It was great to hear Penny's thought provoking theories and methods on how to stay positive, proactive and take full control over time. With all the environmental, physical and mental distractions we face on a daily basis, participants of this session are now better equipped to manage their time and prioritize their work.
Element Music
On-Site
B.H., Sr. VP of Operations & Development, Element Music
Verified @elementmusic.comPenny was hired to kick off our company retreat this year and did a fantastic job! Not only was she motivating and inspiring, but really brought us together as a team! We all left with great focus and really positive energy! We look forward to having her again!
Cecil County Health Department
On-Site
L.H., Cecil County Health Department
Our staff found her engaging and energetic. Her unique activities drew participation from the audience and provided 'ah-ha' moments. Staff continue to reference her tools.
Pfizer
On-Site
T.S., Director, Pfizer
Verified @pfizer.comPenny's way of cutting through the clutter, to get to the heart of the issue, is what makes her so unique. The changes in behavior that she suggests are easy to implement aPenny is able to give tangible advice to make that happen and truly impact lives.
Claimify
On-Site
B.A., CEO, Claimify
Verified @claimify.comPenny conducted a stimulating and refreshing team-building session for our company during our recent summer outing. Each and every team member commented how practical Penny's strategies were and have already started to implement them into their daily work.
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