Walk The Walk. Talk The Talk.
I’ve likely walked in your participants’ shoes – or close enough to relate. If I haven’t, I’m probably not the speaker you’re looking for. So, what insights can I share with your audience as a kid from Buffalo who has seen peak performance, lifted up millions, struggled with my own mental health while burying loved ones who came face to face with it, and ultimately made it big?
From competing in 3 Olympics, failing, then helping Team USA win its first bobsled Gold in 62 years; to consulting Fortune 500 companies, to founding and scaling an organization that’s raised over $60M in capital and reached 5 million students, then passing the reins; to 8 years on the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee Board, tackling gymnastics abuse scandals, meetings on Capitol Hill, reforming governance, and chairing executive-level committees.
I’ve buried teammates, survived depression, flown in an F-16, and taught my 6-year-old to ski double blacks. Through it all, I’ve learned that life is extraordinary, leadership is isolating, anxieties are manageable, and achieving big goals takes time, intentionality, and grit. And in a world driven by algorithms, we all have the power to rewrite our own – to overcome challenges, set bold targets, and succeed in ways that truly matter.
When Steve Speaks, You Get Solid Gold (Literally!)
Hi all – Steve here
To be honest, I’m not a regular motivational speaker. I don’t give canned speeches and I’m not someone who became famous by telling people what to do. My mission is to help people, and myself, find their ‘better’ – and, in my view, that comes from sharing stories, skills and experiences through speaking.
I believe my experiences are unique, while also believing in capturing the experiences of other successful people along with the research and evidence behind the stories we all tell. So, when I’m on stage, I’m not providing a rehearsed, memorized speech – but rather spending time with the audience in what feels like, to them and me, a friendly conversation with their engagement.
Every style and topic is sure to bring in inspiring and wild Olympic stories, and come complete with the Olympic Gold Medal for your audience to pass around, take pictures with, and make a memory for a lifetime. Let’s go!
Most-Requested Speaking Topics
Steve delivers high-impact, customized talks designed to meet the unique goals of your event, workshop, or leadership series. While these are his most in-demand topics, every engagement is tailored—ensuring the stories, strategies, and takeaways align with your audience’s needs.
From refining key messaging to helping teams clarify their event objectives, Steve collaborates with organizers and leadership to craft a session that’s not just engaging—but truly impactful.
Success isn’t about working harder—it’s about knowing when to push, when to pivot, and understanding how to lead with urgency and clarity.
Success isn’t just about working hard—it’s about working right. It’s about knowing which details matter, when to push, and how to lead with urgency and clarity.
Steve has spent a lifetime in environments where every second counts—and in this talk, he’ll show you how to apply the same high-performance mindset to your leadership, decision-making, and team dynamics.
This is more than inspiration—it’s an interactive, high-energy session designed to challenge how you think, operate, and execute. You’ll walk away with practical strategies to sharpen your edge, perform under pressure, and lead with the discipline of a world-class athlete.
Your biggest moments won’t wait. Are you ready?
Burnout is real. Pressure is constant. Leaders who sustain peak performance build resilience—not just for themselves, but for their teams.
The pressure never stops. The demands are constant. And in today’s world, burnout, stress, and mental fatigue are quietly eroding performance—not just for you, but for the people you lead.
Steve understands this firsthand. He’s been at the top of his game and still struggled in silence. He knows that pushing through isn’t leadership—building a system for mental resilience is.
This talk breaks down practical strategies for managing stress, sustaining performance, and leading teams in a way that prioritizes both success and well-being. Expect real-world insights, science-backed tools, and a mindset shift that helps you support yourself and those around you.
Because the best leaders don’t just perform under pressure—they know how to help others do the same. Let’s build a system that works.
Hugely adaptable to any team, situation, or event, this powerful topic is the focus of the majority of Steve’s speaking engagements. Your Life Algorithm is the connection between performance, goals, physical and mental health, and decision making - and how you can sync them to climb out of depression, live your regular days with purpose, and access peak performance when you want or need to.
Steve weaves in stories like failing before winning the Olympics as a team, building a world-class organization with $60M in funding, burying teammates and struggling with mental health before coming back stronger than ever, the trials and tribulations of leading on the most powerful board of directors in sports, and bringing in the stories of world-class executives, athletes, and musicians he’s coached.
Steve will happily meet with your event organizer at least twice to customize the focus of the algorithm on the challenges your team, company, or conference-goers are trying to solve and the potential they’re looking to reach.
Olympic champions don’t rely on massive overhauls—they master small, strategic improvements. What’s your 3% that will redefine how you lead?
What does it take to win the Olympics? Not perfection. Not a massive overhaul. Just 3% improvement.
At the highest level, it wasn’t about working harder—it was about refining the tiny details that compounded into game-changing results. A one-inch adjustment in posture, a fraction-of-a-second shift in reaction time—these small moves added up to an Olympic gold medal.
But in business and leadership, the margins for success aren’t measured in milliseconds—they’re measured in decisions. In how you show up, how you lead, and how you create a culture where small improvements turn into massive wins.
This talk will challenge you to find your 3%—the high-impact shifts that sharpen your leadership, elevate your team, and drive real, measurable success. Big wins don’t come from waiting for the perfect moment. They come from refining, replicating, and executing on the details that matter most.
Ready to find your edge?
The best leaders don’t just build businesses—they create lasting impact. Strategic community engagement fuels culture, leadership, and long-term success.
The best leaders and organizations don’t just chase success—they create lasting impact. In a world that often prioritizes the bottom line, the most forward-thinking companies and leaders are realizing that strategic community involvement isn’t just good for society—it’s good for business.
Steve Mesler knows this firsthand. As an Olympic gold medalist turned social impact leader, he co-founded Classroom Champions, an award-winning nonprofit that has driven international-level change, impacting over 1 million students across North America. Recognized by the IOC, U.S. Olympic Committee, and beyond, Steve has partnered with dozens of Fortune 500 companies to help them design authentic, strategic, and high-impact community initiatives that strengthen their teams, culture, and brand.
This talk isn’t about checking a corporate responsibility box—it’s about aligning leadership, purpose, and action to create meaningful change for both your organization and the communities you serve. Expect real insights, proven strategies, and an engaging session that will challenge you to think bigger about your role in shaping the future.
Because the strongest leaders—and companies—aren’t just measured by what they achieve, but by who they lift up along the way.
Typical Speaking Engagements
For every talk, panel or workshop I provide, we start with the end in mind – what do you want your audience to walk away feeling, thinking or doing – and find the right presentation style and focus for your goals. I also commit to spending the needed time, hours if necessary, to ensure everyone who wants to talk with me after, and wear the medal, can do so.
Keynotes
A more ‘typical’ talk where I’m the keynote – but I’m not providing a memorized speech. I won’t stand behind a podium and read from a script – I’ll be sharing inspiring and wild stories while interacting with, and often going out into, the audience – even when it’s in the thousands.
Fireside Chats
A popular style in today’s less formal leadership retreat and conference environment. I sit on stage speaking with a senior leader from the company to exchange stories, and focus on the organization’s unique challenges and opportunities.
Inverse Panels
A special event where 3-4 Subject Matter Experts from your company are on stage with me for a panel discussion – except I’m not the moderator, the attendees are. They’re the experts and we exchange ideas, stories, and opportunities to improve in a friendly and engaging way.
Workshops
We spend a half or full day together, opening with a keynote, fireside chat, or inverse panel, then diving into 2-3 leadership topics with applicable on-the-job takeaways, strategies, and follow-up opportunities. Includes breakout rooms for larger groups.
Steve Mesler’s Newsletter
I write about "getting better at getting better" for work, life, health, and performance. Delivered just twice-monthly to thousands of Leaders, Educators, Olympians, & soon, I hope, YOU.
