Keynotes
That Land
Story-driven, behavior-focused talks that challenge the most common myths in leadership & leave your audience with something they'll actually use.
Looking for a keynote that actually lands? Let's design a talk your audience will still be talking about on the way home.
Five Talks.
One Through Line.
Every Little Birdie keynote is rooted in the same belief: great leadership feels like great hospitality. Each talk approaches that idea from a different angle; built for HR conferences, leadership summits, association events, and corporate all-hands.
01.
No, Really, You’re Creative.
5 Leadership Moves That Unlock It
Interactive · 45–75 min · HR & L&D audiences
The most persistent myth in leadership development is that creativity is something you either have or you don't. This keynote dismantles that idea completely and replaces it with five concrete, immediately applicable leadership moves that prove every leader in the room is more creative than they think.
High-energy, interactive, and grounded in 20 years of experience designing extraordinary human experiences. Audiences leave with a new relationship to their own creativity and a language to take it back to their teams.
Audience Takeaways
Why creativity is a behavior, not a talent and what that changes
The quiet ways organizations accidentally shut creativity down
Five leadership moves that unlock creative thinking in any team
Confidence to model curiosity and experimentation
Permission to try things, even when you're not sure they'll work
02.
The Best Leaders I Know Felt Like Great Hosts
Lecture · 45–60 min · All leadership audiences
Borrowing lessons from hospitality, theme park entertainment, and experience design, this keynote invites leaders to think differently about how people feel inside their organizations. Because culture isn't what you say, it's what people experience every day.
The most in-demand talk in the Little Birdie portfolio. Resonates deeply with HR, people operations, and leadership audiences across every industry.
Audience Takeaways
How moments shape memory, loyalty, and trust
Why experience design belongs in every leadership conversation
Small, intentional changes that make a lasting impact
How to lead with presence, not just authority
A fresh way to think about employee and client experience
03.
Joy Is a Strategy
Building Cultures Where People Actually Want to Show Up
Interactive · 45–75 min · Culture & engagement audiences
Joy at work isn't about ping-pong tables or forced fun. It's about meaning, connection, and energy. This keynote challenges outdated views of professionalism and shows how joy can be a powerful driver of performance, retention, and resilience.
A talk that hits differently in a room full of people who are tired. Because it gives them permission to build something better — and shows them exactly how.
Audience Takeaways
The difference between performative fun and sustainable joy
How joy improves engagement, creativity, and retention
Practical ways to design moments that matter
Why leaders set the emotional tone, whether they mean to or not
A new lens for building culture with intention
04.
Lead with Heart
Reimagining Leadership Through Humanity, Curiosity & Care
Lecture · 45–60 min · All leadership audiences
In a world obsessed with performance metrics and productivity hacks, this keynote reframes leadership as a deeply human practice. Drawing from real-world experiences across high-pressure environments, this talk invites leaders to reconnect with empathy, curiosity, and presence.
Leading with heart isn't soft. It's strategic. And this keynote proves it.
Audience Takeaways
A new definition of leadership rooted in humanity, not hierarchy
Practical ways to build trust and psychological safety
How curiosity fuels better decision-making and innovation
Tools to lead through uncertainty without burning people out
Permission to be real and lead more effectively because of it
05.
The Power of Permission
Why the Best Leaders Create Space, Not Control
Lecture · 45–60 min · Leadership & culture audiences
Great leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about creating space for others to step into theirs. This keynote explores the idea of permission: permission to speak up, to try, to fail, to rest, and to lead differently. A deeply human talk with tangible, lasting impact.
Audience Takeaways
How permission unlocks ownership, engagement, and accountability
The subtle ways leaders unintentionally withhold permission
Language shifts that invite trust and initiative
How permission supports inclusion and belonging
A renewed sense of agency as a leader and teammate
Ryan Allen
Founder, Little Birdie Consulting
Ryan spent 20 years designing large-scale experiences and leading teams across some of the most guest-focused organizations in the world. He has served as a spokesperson, a host, a director, and a creative director. And through all of it, he kept noticing the same thing: the leaders who built the best cultures led the way great hosts serve.
That observation became Little Birdie Consulting, a keynote speaking and leadership development practice rooted in the belief that great leadership feels like great hospitality.
Disney · Holland America Line · Carowinds
What to expect when you book Ryan.
Format
Keynote · Workshop · Breakout session · Closing general session
Length
45 minutes · 60 minutes · 75 minutes · Half-day workshop
Audiences
HR professionals · L&D teams · Leadership conferences · Association events · Corporate all-hands · Chamber summits
Customization
Every talk is tailored to your audience, theme, and goals. Ryan will connect with your team before the event to make sure every word earns its place.
What's included
Pre-event consultation · Customized talk · Audience Q&A (if desired) · Post-event follow-up resources
Ready To Book?
Speaking fees are based on event type, audience size, and location - virtual and in-person rates are both available. Every talk is customized for your audience, your theme, and your goals, so the conversation starts before the contract does.
If you have a date, a budget, or just a question, reach out. I'll get back to you within 48 hours.