You don’t need “more” to thrive.
Change doesn’t usually fail because people won’t adapt.
It fails because they don’t know what to let go of.
I’m Shawn Ellis—a keynote speaker, author, and leadership guide who helps leaders and teams navigate constant change with clarity, steadiness, and intention.
My work centers on a simple but often overlooked truth:
Before progress can begin, something has to end.
What I Do
I help organizations move through moments of pressure, uncertainty, and transition—without burning out their people or diluting their purpose.
Through keynotes and leadership experiences built around Radical Adaptability, I teach leaders how to:
• Stay calm under pressure
• Make clear decisions in uncertainty
• End what’s no longer working
• Lead change without losing their people
This work is practical, grounded, and designed for real-world leadership.
Why This Work Is Different
I don’t shout about change.
I help people meet it with intention.
With more than two decades in the speaking industry and a background in business leadership and neuroscience-informed practices, I bring a steady presence to conversations that often feel overwhelming.
Audiences don’t leave energized for a day.
They leave clearer about what matters—and what doesn’t.
A Little More Context (the Human Part)
If I’m honest, I spent many years holding on.
To business models that were past their prime.
To control and perfectionism.
To stories about who I was supposed to be.
It wasn’t until I lost nearly everything—financially, professionally, and personally—that I learned what real growth requires:
An ending.
Letting go isn’t failure.
It’s leadership.
It’s the beginning of freedom.
That experience reshaped not just my life, but my work.
Professional Highlights
- Delivered keynotes to audiences from 50 to 5,000+
- Named one of the “Top Keynote Speakers to Help You Navigate Change” by Gotham Artists
- Author of Mastering the Moments: A Journey of Endings, Beginnings, and the Space in Between
- 20+ years of entrepreneurial and advisory experience
- Advanced training in Neuroscience for Business (MIT Sloan), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (Vanderbilt), Self-Regulation for Stress/Anxiety (HeartMath Institute), Strategic Intervention Coaching (Robbins-Madanes Training)
Guiding Beliefs
- Endings Create Beginnings: Change only sticks when we release what’s no longer aligned.
- This Moment Matters: Your future is created not in massive shifts, but in the micro-decisions you make right now.
- Connection Over Perfection: The real work of leadership is relational, not just operational.
- Presence Is Power: Clarity and confidence emerge when we slow down enough to listen within.
What Shapes My Perspective Today
As a husband and parent in a neurodivergent household, I’m reminded daily that presence matters more than pressure—and that surrender is often more powerful than force.
These experiences inform the way I show up on stage and with clients.
My work blends:
• Science — neuroscience, psychology, stress physiology
• Strategy — practical frameworks leaders and professionals can use immediately
• Story — lived moments people recognize themselves in
This work isn’t theoretical.
It’s lived.
If You’re Here, You’re Probably Asking…
- What needs to end so we can move forward?
- How do we lead through change without exhausting our people?
- How do we stay grounded when everything keeps shifting?
Those are the right questions.
And they’re the ones I help leaders answer—one clear decision at a time.
Shawn is the consummate storyteller philosopher. He brings his life lessons together in a way that makes them so relatable to his audience. While he entertains, you learn from his experiences. 90 minutes went by like 10. I could have spent the whole day listening to him.