Kelly Merbler

At a recent conference, we hired Kelly Merbler to deliver her keynote, “Leading the Way: Building Leadership that Draws Teams to Excellence.” Kelly’s message was a refreshing reminder that great leadership is built on vulnerability, compassion, and the courage to evolve. She shared four essential principles that guide leaders through challenges, offered practical steps to inspire rather than manage, and introduced the powerful idea of integrating love into leadership. Her authenticity and energy were contagious—and her insights left a lasting impact. If you're looking to build a culture of excellence rooted in empathy and purpose, Kelly is a speaker you have to experience.

Kelly has the gift of connection. She can walk into a room full of strangers and come out with a hand-full of new best friends. We booked Kelly as the Keynote Speaker at our Annual Space Coast HR Conference where she absolutely delivered. Kelly engaged our audience even before the event started through social media and you could feel the connection. She was not a stranger on the stage. Her message was strong, and she left us with practical applications we can use. I highly recommend her for your next conference.

She walked into our first-ever Mayor & Commission Leadership Retreat and gave us more than a facilitation — she gave us a historic moment. She connected elected officials, directors, and staff across roles, egos, and agendas. That’s rare. She asked the right questions, created the space, and then got out of the way. That takes skill — and trust. We left stronger, clearer, and more aligned. If your city or team is ready to move beyond titles and into truth — Kelly’s your partner.

We asked the very talented Kelly Merbler to assist us with a staff team building event that included a diverse group of professionals that needed assistance with managing burnout or in this session named "Energy Gaps'. We have had Kelly speak to our entire staff multiple times all on different topics and I cannot praise her enough for always hitting the mark. She delivered an uplifting team development event that everyone felt really spoke to them personally. Thank you so much Kelly!

Had an amazing experience working with Kelly Merbler! Our Company, Tower Hill Insurance Group, recently went through the Strengths-Based Leadership development program, and it made a profound impact on how I lead and manage the team I oversee. The course work was packed with insightful materials, thoughtful exercises and left me with valuable tools to continue using in the future. I was also fortunate enough to attend one of her Live2Lead events and the energy she brings as a speaker is unparalleled. If you are looking to challenge yourself as an organization, grow your leaders, or have her speak at one of your conferences, I strongly recommend The Kelly Merbler Company as a top choice! Thank you, Kelly, for all that you do and I sincerely appreciate your leadership

Kelly was the closing keynote speaker at our Space Coast HR Conference in April 2025 (I was the Conference Chair). Hiring Kelly was a no-brainer. I had seen her speak at large conferences previously and spent a little time with her in-between sessions. She is a great speaker and a wonderful human. Once again, Kelly was spot-on! She engaged the audience, supported other speakers, and helped promote our conference before, during and even after. I was so glad when Kelly agreed to speak at the conference and could not have been happier with the presentation. She made us all look good! I highly recommend Kelly for your speaking event. Can't wait to see you next time Kelly! #SCHRC

I had the pleasure of hosting our HR Virginia SHRM Leadership conference, where Kelly delivered an absolutely incredible keynote session on leadership. Her insights were not just enlightening but truly inspirational. Kelly's session, titled " Recharge, Refresh, and Reenergize!" was a game-changer and resonated with our volunteer leaders. She introduced the concept of "leadershifts," emphasizing the need for continual adaptation to positively impact engagement and chapter growth. Her ability to weave real-world examples into her talk made the content relatable and actionable. The interactive nature of the session was a highlight, with attendees actively participating in discussions and self-reflection. Kelly's energy and enthusiasm were contagious, creating an atmosphere where everyone was ready to "Recharge, Refresh, and Reenergize."

Kelly came onsite for our Annual All Employee Meeting, and employees are still talking about it! As it was our first meeting truly being all together since COVID-19, Kelly really brought a great energy that not only got our team excited about the season ahead of us, but they left there feeling positive, good about themselves, and good about their role within Sailfish Point and their importance to the organization. The format was excellent. It really felt like everyone was having a one-on-one conversation with Kelly; they were not just being talked at. I highly recommend Kelly for team speaking engagements and also plan on reaching out to her for leadership development programs for our management team.

Kelly was a great motivator during our employee season kick-off event, and our staff was extremely thankful and engaged. We recommend Kelly for your next motivational event. We were able to launch our core values, mission, and vision in an educational, motivational, and encouraging way. Thank you, Kelly!

For the first time in 36 years of business, Boca Woods Country Club rallied its entire staff for a day of education and Cultural renewal. The Club was blessed to have Kelly Merbler partner as our Key-Note speaker. Kelly demonstrated a deep insight into the Club industry and reached our team, at every level, with a passionate deep dive into what makes a culture special. She helped bring months of strategic planning in the development of vision, mission, guiding principles, and values statements to life! Would strongly recommend her support for future team development projects… a true champion of the servant leader philosophy, and that every voice matters!

“The first word that comes to mind when I think of Kelly is AWESOME. Kelly goes above and beyond in everything that she does, and that was apparent during her keynote presentation. She explained the inner workings of her company and leadership perfectly. In doing so, she truly inspired the students to reach their full potential. Following the presentation, many students shared virtual thank-you notes for Kelly. One of the notes read, "You have helped me realize that there are times when I need to put myself first and learn to love myself more. Thank you for coming. You are such an inspiration!" Kelly's presentation was engaging and truly inspiring. Thank you so much, Kelly! You played an integral part in making our Global Entrepreneurship Week a huge success.”

Kelly Merbler is an outstanding, truth-telling leader! As a keynote speaker our annual HR Summit, Kelly challenged 100+ HR professionals to find their WHY. To reconnect to mission and define purpose, both professional and personal. What an incredible day! Months later, we are still reflecting and putting into action all pearls of wisdom shared by Kelly. She is an authentic & inspirational leader! Thank you Kelly.

Kelly spoke at the HR Florida Leadership Conference in 2022. She connected with her audience and spoke directly to their most pressing challenges. Her enthusiasm ignited a passion in our volunteer chapter leaders and sent them out with a commitment to be their best.

For the first time in 36 years of business, Boca Woods Country Club rallied its entire staff for a day of education and Cultural renewal. The Club was blessed to have Kelly Merbler partner as our Key-Note speaker. Kelly demonstrated a deep insight into the Club industry and reached our team, at every level, with a passionate deep dive into what makes a culture special. She helped bring months of strategic planning in the development of vision, mission, guiding principles and values statements to life! Would strongly recommend her support for future team development projects… a true champion of the servant leader philosophy, and that every voice matters!

"Kelly was an inspiration to all at our annual leadership conference and brought such high energy to her keynote. Everyone was in awww."

"It is my pleasure to recommend Kelly Merbler since she is an amazing speaker, leader, and coach. Her enthusiasm is completely contagious. She acts as a courageous pioneer - setting an example for all of us on how to do what you love and love what you do."

"Impactful keynote message that connected with the audience and brought a standing ovation. From beginning to end, Kelly was compelled to get it right. She wasn't compelled for her own recognition; she was compelled to get it right for the most impact on the audience. It really mattered to her that she was able to give the audience something of meaning and she did."

"I recently retainer Kelly Merbler to work with me to enhance my team's leadership development. She delivered by administering The John Maxwell Leadership Game during a half-day presentation. In short, it was one of the most impactful team building exercises I have ever attended. Kelly is skilled in engaging teams, providing personalized information in a helpful manner, and in delivering team leaders with the specific direction for improvement opportunities. My team members came away from the experience with a whole new level of confidence. As a result of Kelly's training, our team is looking forward to the new challenging season ahead as we manage through the pandemic. I highly recommend Kelly as a keynote speaker and leadership consultant."

"Kelly is a passionate, dynamic speaker who brings energy and inspiration to every interaction with her clients. Recently I was fortunate to have Kelly speak at my advisory board of directors meeting, and she did a fantastic job sharing key insights on leading yourself and others through challenging times. Put simply, she was the right person and the right time to share that message. I would strong recommend Kelly to anyone looking for a corporate speaker."

"This year we were fortunate enough to have Kelly as one of our keynote speakers for our 2021 annual conference. If you have never had the pleasure of meeting Kelly, I highly encourage you to do so. You can feel Kelly's energy when she enters the room, and our conference attendees loved her keynote "Unleash Your Passion and Entrepreneurial Spirit." Kelly is passionate about lifting up those around her and building leaders out of everyone she meets."

The Florida Association of Colleges and Employers (FloridaACE) had the pleasure of having Kelly serve as the opening keynote speaker for our 2022 Annual Conference. Kelly did an outstanding job and addressed all of the points that we wanted her to touch upon. She was able to pose thoughtful questions to the group and also able to relate her background to our attendees. I was truly inspired and motivated and felt energized for the rest of our conference. She was able to use our conference theme as well throughout the presentation which was fantastic. I would highly recommend Kelly as a keynote speaker or Clifton Strengths Facilitator as she will continue to excel in her work!

Kelly was our "virtual" keynote speaker at a WM inclusion, equity, and diversity event in February 2022. Her presentation, "The Power Within," was absolutely spot-on with our focus on professional development! We received a tremendous amount of positive feedback from our employees and it was very clear that her presentation resonated very well with them. She tailored her presentation to fit exactly the focus of our group. I wholeheartedly recommend Kelly Merbler to any organization looking for a dynamic, relatable, personable speaker that will energize your group!

I recently participated with colleagues in a full-day session that Kelly led. She was able to achieve the desired outcomes and results of the day while simultaneously creating a very memorable experience for each participant. From the beginning of the session, Kelly skillfully connected with each person in the room. I then watched as she navigated through the room dynamics and conversations without losing focus of the desired end result. I like to think about leaders in terms of "head, heart, and hands". Do they connect with my head in terms of facts, logic, data, and reason. Do they connect with my heart in terms of emotion, inspiration, motivation, and passion. Do they connect with my hands in terms of practical tools, guidance, and application. I found Kelly to be one of the rare leaders who excels in all three areas. I would strongly recommend Kelly for any organization or team. She will add value and produce results...always.

Kelly recently presented as a Keynote Speaker for Palm Beach County SHRM at our Annual Conference. Not only is Kelly an amazing speaker, she's an amazing individual. Her inspirational leadership on passion and purpose was unforgettable. Our members attending Conference provided overwhelmingly positive feedback and Kelly's presentation on "Unleashing your Entrepreneurial Spirit", reinforced our theme. If you have the opportunity to engage Kelly as a keynote speaker, do it soon. Kelly has talent and she's building a great tribe of followers. She's headed for fame!

She lit up the room! I was in the room for Kelly's keynote "From Burnt Out to Fired Up" at the 2022 annual New York State SHRM annual conference and it did not disappoint. We needed someone who could inspire 400 Human Resources leaders and give them a great experience and also great takeaways for their organizations. Her passion to connect with the audience and deliver a message that needed to be heard was brilliant. You can feel her passion and how much she cares in her delivery, and she has the ability to tap into our emotions. If you are looking for a keynote speaker who will listen to your needs and inspire your audience, I highly recommend Kelly Merbler. -Jeanne Stewart

It was my great pleasure to be in attendance when Kelly was the Keynote Speaker at an internal gathering of caregivers with Alzheimer's Community Care. I had not met Kelly previously and I'm glad I had the opportunity that day. Her thoughtful, heartfelt, and completely engaging approach also contained a relevant personal family experience captured my (and the room's) full attention, while genuinely connecting on an emotional level. The next time one of my clients has a need for a featured speaker, Kelly will certainly be right at the top of my list to recommend.