Biography

Holly Hoffman was the last remaining member of the Espada Tribe and the last woman standing on Season 21 of Survivor Nicaragua on CBS. Through that experience, and others throughout her life, Holly was inspired to share her message of positivity, determination and confidence.

A professional speaker and the author of Your Winner Within and Write Yourself a Note, Holly acknowledges that life is made up of challenges, and we are often faced with situations that seem insurmountable. She inspires her audience to focus their thoughts, emotions, and energy towards success and shares the knowledge, tools, and discipline to achieve it.

A lifelong resident of America’s heartland, Holly graduated from her hometown high school in Eureka, South Dakota, and then attended Northern State University. Holly is the proud mother of three wonderful children and six grandchildren. 

In 2019, Holly earned the CSP® (Certified Speaking Professional™) designation from the National Speakers Association. She travels across the country speaking to a wide variety of corporations, associations, universities, schools and women’s organizations.

Holly’s message not only offers encouragement and optimism but a roadmap for self-discovery and spiritual enlightenment. Her methods are intuitive, honest, and adaptable to nearly any situation. Her audience is guaranteed to walk away inspired and motivated to succeed.

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The Survivor Way

As we survive life’s challenges, we come face-to-face with fear and uncertainty.
Challenges may allow us to step out of our comfort zone and push ourselves above and beyond our own selflimitations. It is how we choose to overcome challenges that make us who we are in life. It is our strength in times of difficulty that prove our character and self-worth.

As I share my experience of being on a reality show, I encourage you to think about how you decide to survive on a daily basis. Also, I will encourage you to think about six words to develop your survival skills. With my six simple words, you can take on any challenge with which you are faced.

Adversity is not so much contending with problems as it is learning more about who you really are and what is inside of you. Join me and explore your true survival skills.

Lead Simply

Model. Connect. Involve.

Leadership is not complex. Leadership at its core, is simple, but not always easy. A simple leadership framework consists of three words:
• model
• connect
• involve

True leadership is not just words, it’s action. We must model the behavior we want to see, connect with the people you lead, and involve them as much as possible.

During this presentation you will identify and discover what you want to see more and less of in your leadership skills to create that special team of people.
“Great leaders don’t tell you what to do, they show you how it’s done.” — Unknown

Write Yourself a Note

Be confident. Be great. Be you.

At the end of the day, unless we make a conscious effort to bring ourselves back to center and refocus, we begin to lose ourselves. It’s never too late to find purpose.

This presentation offers encouragement, optimism, and a roadmap for self-discovery. You will be inspired to work towards a successful and fulfilling life for yourself.

Discover a simple tool to refocus and reprioritize you. As you “write yourself a note” you will begin to discover if you are where you want to be. You will encourage yourself to find purpose. No matter what stage of life you’re in, we all need purpose.

Testimonials

Holly Hoffman delivered a fantastic keynote address to the 150+ women in the audience. She included so many strong messages that resonated with everyone and provided an inspiring message to not let fear hold you back, to believe in yourself and go for it!
– Liz Wilson, CAE, Washington Bankers Association
Holly was a joy to work with and she truly listened to our needs. She received four standing ovations at our conference for women bankers and her message to new leaders was inspiring.
– Cris Goncalves, New Jersey Bankers Association
Holly has such an incredible warmth and authenticity about her that allows her to instantly make connections with all kinds of people. As she reveals her personal journey, both in writing and speaking, you can’t help but be drawn in. I wish everyone could hear her story!
– Lauren Balleweg, Omaha, Nebraska
Thank you Holly for reminding us that we can grow and learn throughout our lives and that it’s never too late to realize how strong and capable and resilient we have the potential to be!
– Linda Scott, Maine Credit Union League
I was so blessed to watch Holly’s virtual presentation and oh my goodness, it was SPECTACULAR! I already knew what a great presentation Holly gives, but to bring it virtually with such power, personableness, expressiveness and expert delivery without the dynamics of a live audience was absolutely masterful. I felt she was embracing each one of us with caring and authenticity. The background, lighting, sound and DELIVERY were perfect…Holly knocked it out of the park!
– Norm B., SpeakFluence
Holly nailed it! The audience rated her 4.84 out of 5. She was a delight to work with, incorporated our convention goals and personalized the presentation. She’s low-maintenance and a crowd-pleaser; an incredible value. Fully self-aware that someone who spent a month on a reality TV show doesn’t automatically have the expertise to serve as a life coach, Holly crafted an interesting and engaging story for fans and non-fans of Survivor, and connected her life lessons to our industry.
– Clint R. Armistead, Director of Training & Events, Heartland Credit Union Association

Booksby Holly Hoffman

Your Winner Within

Write Yourself a Note

Blog Posts

An Astronaut’s Guide on Leadership and Innovation Lessons on Earth

Explore how former NASA astronaut Dr. Leroy Chiao’s experiences in space unlock insights on leadership, innovation, and resilience for teams on Earth.

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The Future of Event Keynotes: Personalization, AI, and Interactive Storytelling

Find out how event personalization, AI-driven insights, and interactive storytelling are revolutionizing keynote speeches with business futurist Greg Verdino.

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The Power of Play: Why Entertainment Is Essential for Engagement

“Entertainment is the emotional glue that connects people to ideas.”—Robert McKee, storytelling expert There’s a shift that happens the moment someone laughs. Shoulders loosen. The room lightens. The noise of the outside world fades just...

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Designing Events That Spark Lasting Connections

Discover Wendy Porter’s proven WPE Planning Process for crafting live, virtual, and hybrid events that foster genuine connections, boost engagement, and drive ROI.

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The Best Diversity and Inclusion Speakers

Why are diversity and inclusion speakers some of the most transformative voices on stage? Because inclusion is no longer a box to check; it’s a culture to create. From boardrooms to classrooms, arenas to virtual...

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AI, Brain Science, and Resilience with Sarah Baldeo

Expand your mind on how AI, neuroscience, and emotional intelligence converge to rewire resilience and drive growth with TED speaker Sarah Baldeo.

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Blog Posts

 

An Astronaut’s Guide on Leadership and Innovation Lessons on Earth

In the boundless vacuum of space, leaders face challenges that dwarf anything encountered on Earth....

Read More

The Future of Event Keynotes: Personalization, AI, and Interactive Storytelling

Imagine a keynote at your next event that feels designed just for your audience—where every...

Read More

The Power of Play: Why Entertainment Is Essential for Engagement

“Entertainment is the emotional glue that connects people to ideas.”—Robert McKee, storytelling expert There’s a...

Read More

Designing Events That Spark Lasting Connections

Imagine stepping into an event where every detail is designed to foster genuine human connection—from...

Read More

The Best Diversity and Inclusion Speakers

Why are diversity and inclusion speakers some of the most transformative voices on stage? Because...

Read More

AI, Brain Science, and Resilience with Sarah Baldeo

Imagine harnessing the power of AI (artificial intelligence) together with cutting-edge insights from technology and...

Read More