Shelley Paxton

Former Chief Marketing Officer of Harley-Davidson, Founder of Soulbbatical, Certified Professional Coach, Corporate Trailblazer Turned Soulful Rebel

Topics: Attitude, Best Selling Author, Business Leadership, Change, Communication, Corporate Culture, Creativity, Emotional Intelligence, Employee Engagement, Empowerment, Health & Well-Being, Inspirational & Motivational, Leadership, Personal Development, Professional Development, Resilience, TED Speakers, Thought Leadership, Women Leaders

Contact us for Shelley Paxton speaking fees and availability

Biography

Former Chief Marketing Officer of Harley-Davidson and 26-year global advertising, media, and marketing veteran, Shelley Paxton, is now on a mission to help leaders and organizations reimagine success and reshape culture in ways that celebrate our humanity, wellbeing, and soul. She’s a badass advisor, bestselling author of Soulbbatical: A Corporate Rebel’s Guide to Finding Your Best Life, and sought-after keynote speaker who’s been called “the next Brené Brown.” Her inspiring work has been featured on NBC, CBS, Forbes, Inc., Thrive Global, Business Insider, and the TEDx stage. She’s even become a regular contributor on CBS Chicago’s Mental Health Minute segment.

Shelley Paxton is also honored to be an Adjunct Professor at Northwestern University, Guest Faculty at MEA (Modern Elder Academy), and a longstanding Guide to senior female executives in Chief.

At her core, Shelley’s a fierce advocate for mental health, lover of the color orange, and an unabashed rebel soul.

Contact us for Shelley Paxton fees and availability

Videos

Speech TopicsExpand each topic to learn more

I Quit So You Don’t Have To!

In a post-pandemic world dominated by burnout, attrition, and an urgent search for greater meaning, my signature I Quit So You Don’t Have To! keynote is the essential roadmap for redefining success in a way that feels more energizing and less exhausting. I share insights from my own journey – from Chief Marketing Officer of Harley-Davidson to Chief Soul Officer on a mission to help more of us live success-FULL (not success- EMPTY). My actionable S.O.U.L. principles are energizing leaders to champion change in their lives, companies, and the world.

If you’ve heard one too many that-was-super-inspiring-but-how-the-hell-do-I-apply-to-my-life keynotes, then look no further. My talk is a trailblazing mix of inspiration and interactivity from the main stage to ensure that the audience walks away uplifted and in motion.

Let’s create Ripples of Impact (ROI) together.

PSST… I Quit So You Don’t Have To! can be delivered as a keynote, a workshop, or a custom curated combination. Live or virtual, of course.

Ripples of Impact: Creating Cultures That Have Impact IN The World, Not ON Our Wellbeing

Imagine a bolder, braver, more badass world.
Where success isn’t measured by busy-ness and burnout,
But by wellbeing and soul.
Where leaders can thrive without sacrificing their humanity.
And organizations embody the belief that ROI is not only Return on Investment,
But also Ripples of Impact.
The kind of ripples that can only radiate from cultures filled with energized, inspired, and healthy humans.
This radical reimagining of our work cultures isn’t just possible – it’s essential.
It’s the empowering antidote to burnout, disengagement, and attrition.
It’s an invitation to quit defining success in a way that no longer serves people or profit.
The real future of work is a celebration of our humanity, wellbeing, and soul.
We’re being called to create it together.
And Shelley is here to help your organization blaze the trail.

Testimonials

She has that rare ability to get everyone leaning in, even on the most challenging of topics.

– Stacey Watson, SVP of Life Events, Fidelity Investments

Shelley is a force of nature. She just spoke to the members of The Outlier Project and as soon as it was over my phone blew up which was no surprise. The value she delivered was off the charts and her passion, authenticity and energy are all next level. Shelley is funny, brilliant, engaging and a beautiful soul.

– Scott MacGregor, Founder + CEO of SomethingNew LLC, Founder of The Outlier Project, Record 8x winner of the American Business Award for Innovation

Every time I invite Shelley to speak, I feel like we’re listening to the next Brené Brown. And my community agrees.

– Chip Conley, Rebel hospitality entrepreneur and New York Times bestselling author

Her work should be mandatory in universities and companies.

– Bob Schwartz, Chief Transformation + Innovation Officer at Mount Mary University and former VP, Global Design + UX at GE Healthcare

Shelley speaks powerfully from the soul. Her passion, charisma, and content never fail to engage and inspire. I’ve seen her light up thousands of women from the stage. I can’t wait to have her back.

– Cheryle Jackson, CEO, Founder of Grit and Grace with Cheryle, g2coach

Shelley’s authenticity and relatability as a former c-suite executive are so refreshing. And her genuine, soul-led passion for helping leaders at every level to show up more powerfully in their lives and work is viscerally experienced in every insight and idea she shares. We recently had her on a thought leadership panel and she left an incredible impression yet again on so many within our community. Our global community left feeling energized and empowered to define their own path toward success-FULL. We’ll definitely invite her back.

– Danny Cohen, President of Roc Search USA and Co-Chair 50/50 Women on Boards

Booksby Shelley Paxton

Soulbbatical: A Corporate Rebel's Guide to Finding Your Best Life

Insights from Shelley Paxton

Watch our full conversation here: Find Your Soul's Purpose for Success

"Leadership and culture and wellbeing. If you can imagine the intersection of those three things, that's where I live because I don't believe that those three things live separate from each other."

- Shelley Paxton

"Successful is really defining success on our own terms and in a way that makes us feel more alive and more energized and more fulfilled from the inside out."

- Shelley Paxton

"I believe success is actually a feeling. I don't believe success is this checklist that we've been taught from a very, very young age."

- Shelley Paxton

"A lot of us are stuck, are trapped by the shackles of should, so you know the, well, I should do that because if I don't do it, no one else is going to do it."

- Shelley Paxton

"What truly makes an exceptional experience is that you can feel the humanity. That is a part of it, right? That it's not some formulaic approach."

- Shelley Paxton

"What do I need to give myself permission to do, not do, and/or feel, in order to show up as my most badass or my most powerful self?"

- Shelley Paxton