Shabnam Mogharabi

Biography

Shabnam Mogharabi is an entertainment entrepreneur, author, and journalist with more than 15 years of leadership experience in media and storytelling. She is a lifelong student of positive psychology, a freelance documentary film producer, and an expert on how to create socially impactful and entertaining content.

With actor Rainn Wilson, Shabnam co-founded SoulPancake, the inspiring entertainment company behind beloved video series such as Kid President and My Last Days. Under her tenure, SoulPancake amassed 10M social media fans and nearly 1B video views on its daily positive videos about human connection. The company eventually had a successful exit to social impact film studio Participant.

It was in espousing the values of SoulPancake that she personally believes in – the importance of joy, hope, purpose, and gratitude – that Shabnam found a calling as a public speaker. Today, she shares her uplifting, vulnerable message on how to harness the power of joy at dozens of conferences and events a year.

Prior to SoulPancake, Shabnam was an award-winning journalist and editor and one of the youngest winners of the Jesse H. Neal Aard (the Pulitzer Prize of B2B journalism). She has worked as a contributing writer, editor, and stringer for a number of publications, including People, Pool & Spa News, Sunset, and HuffPost. She is a New York Times bestselling author with SoulPancake: Chew on Life’s Big Questions.

Shabnam is a Henry Crown Fellow and member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. She is on the advisory board of Seed & Spark; an industry advisor for USC’s Digital Media program, and on the board of directors for of the national nonprofit Tahirih Justice Center.

Shabnam received her B.A. in journalism and business administration from the University of Southern California and her Master’s in media from Northwestern University. She resides in Los Angeles with her husband and son.

Videos

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Testimonials

Thank you for leaving us all at XYPNLive on a high that Purpose, Joy and Giving matters and that's brings true happiness. Your talk touched the heartstrings and our network of financial planners can't stop sharing pearls of wisdom that touched a nerve cord.

– upa Pereira, Director of Strategic Initiatives, XY Planning Network

Shabnam Mogharabi was an absolute pleasure to work with, and her commitment to creating a high- quality keynote made our first-ever virtual conference a true standout. She did her homework on ASQ’s membership to ensure her remark offered relevant, valuable food for thought. Shabnam’s personal, down-to-earth delivery immediately connected the audience to her message—they can’t stop raving about her! She has my highest endorsement for anyone seeking an unforgettable, engaging, impactful speaker.

– Wendy Dietzler, Senior Conference Producer, American Society for Quality

You were fantastic. Our attendees LOVED your session, and many of our executives were saying that you were one of the best keynotes we have ever had.

– Sara Gorlick, VP Events, Rakuten Americas & Rakuten Advertising

This morning’s meeting was GREAT! We’re getting THE BEST feedback! Honestly, everyone is stopping me in the halls to tell me how much they loved her presentation! I believe her ripple will last long after today.

– Nicole Turchin, Director of Inspiration, BNG

On behalf of the NRF, I would like to thank you for your time, effort, and expertise. Your presentation was such a 'joy' for our audience. And you made me cry.

– Eric Olson, VP of Education Strategies, National Retail Federation

Shabnam was wonderful! People are RAVING about her!

– Sara Gorlick, VP Events, Rakuten Americas & Rakuten Advertising

Booksby Shabnam Mogharabi

SoulPancake: Chew on Life’s Big Questions

For Meeting Planners

Photos

Speaker Documents

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Blog Posts

Stop Stressing! Find Your Perfect Stress Management Style

✨ Eliz Greene addresses the complexities of stress management, highlighting the importance of recognizing and...

Why Do People Get Harley-Davidson Tattoos? Building Unwavering Brand Loyalty

🏍️ In a world where brand loyalty can seem fleeting, Ken Schmidt, former Director of...

Achieving 3 Daily Wins: Leadership Lessons with Lt. Col. Waldo Waldman

🎧 Tune in my conversation with Lt. Col. Waldo Waldman to become the person that...

Train Like You Fight: How To Take Pride in Your Preparation

How to handle unexpected challenges during high-stakes situations? Mistakes can be costly, but meticulous preparation...

Honoring Memorial Day and Inspirational Veteran Speakers

🎖️ In this week's newsletter, we honor those who sacrificed and those who continue to...

MPI’s World Education Congress (WEC) in Louisville, KY

🤩 The Keynote Curators was thrilled to participate in Meeting Professionals International World Education Congress...

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Reviews & Ratings

     Excellent  
     Based on 56 reviews 
    
 
 
   
 
 
        
   Waldo Waldman 
 May 19, 2024
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I’ve been Speaking professionally for 21 years and work with the largest agencies in the world. I’m a Hall of Fame keynote speaker and a New York Times best selling Author. I have can honestly say in full confidence that Seth Dechtman and his team at Keynote Curator is the best agency I have been honored to work with.
I’ve witnessed Seth’s client focused relationship skills On multiple occasions. His clients love him and he’s detail oriented and has great communication skillls.
But most importantly, I’ve been on the receiving side of his servant, focused leadership style. He treats me like a valued partner and emulates everything a wingman is.
  
 
       
   David Allison 
 May 17, 2024
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Seth and the Keynote Curators team are tenacious and determined to do right by their clients and their speakers. I appreciate our relationship so much, and highly reccomend this group to anyone looking to book a speaker for an event.
  
 
       
   Meir Statman 
 May 10, 2024
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. It is wonderful to join Seth in helping people reflect on their financial and life well-being and enhance them.
  
 
       
   Trevor Wilde 
 April 24, 2024
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. This was an amazing experience. the Keynote Speaker we had was perfect for our event and will definitely be having another for our next one!
  
 
       
   Sandro Forte 
 March 22, 2024
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Brilliantly hosted, with great content. An absolute ‘must add’ to any podcast list!
  
 
       
   Jon VanDeventer 
 November 18, 2023
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I've been working with Seth at The Keynote Curators for over 3 years. I always look forward to our meetings because of both his professional expertise and his enjoyable, engaging personality. We have fun during our virtual meetings while developing innovative strategies and accomplishing goals. It's obvious from working with Seth over a number of years that he is always making event planning and booking services an easy process and providing responsiveness that sets him apart. He's an excellent partner who gets invested in your business and collaborates through every step of a process that can sometimes feel overwhelming.
  
 
       
   Jason Galaska 
 November 7, 2023
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Seth and his team were fantastic to work with in 2023 and we look forward to working with Keynote Curators to find potential speaker matches for our events in the future.  Thank you, Seth, for your professionalism!
  
 
       
   Hailey Wilson 
 October 23, 2023
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. A Treasure Trove for Anyone Involved in Speaker Selection!

As someone deeply involved in the intersection of marketing and technology at AImpact, I find the process of selecting the right keynote speaker to be a critical part of any successful event. Seth Dechtman's "The Keynote Curators" podcast is nothing short of a godsend for anyone facing the challenges and opportunities that come with this task.

Seth brings an almost poetic understanding to the power of words, acknowledging that a speech isn't just a scheduled event but a transformative experience that can change the dynamics of an entire room. His enthusiasm for the craft is contagious, making each episode a joy to listen to.
  
 
       
   Nicole 
 September 14, 2023
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Seth is super knowledgeable about the needs of meeting planners to have a successful event and partners with you to find just that right fit!
  
 
       
   Duncan Sigurdsson 
 August 28, 2023
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Working with Seth Dechtman and The Keynote Curators is always true partnership.  In the three plus years that we have been involved in various projects, I can tell you that they always deliver.  We have done some really cool stuff together.  Any meeting professional, conference planner or event producer will greatly benefit from partnering with The Keynote Curators.  High praise to Seth and his team.