Chelsea Peitz, a true powerhouse in the world of real estate, mortgage and title insurance social media marketing, video content creation & personal branding. With over two decades of experience, Chelsea's expertise is unrivaled. Named Inman's Most Influential Marketers in Residential Real Estate 2023 and Inman’s 2024 Marketing All-Stars. A influential keynote speaker, Chelsea is one of the foremost industry experts in the captivating "science of the screen-to-screen" connection. Her exceptional ability to convey the intricacies of neuroscience and its impact on building trust, affinity, and connections through social media videos is truly remarkable. Within just one session, she leaves a lasting impact, transforming mindsets and resonating with audiences. Her first book, "Talking in Pictures," revolutionizes the way we communicate through the powerful combination of cameras and real-time social media apps like Snapchat and Instagram Stories. It sheds light on how personal content and video have transformed online communities, making Chelsea an authority in this field. In addition, her second book, "What to Post: How to Create Engaging Social Media Content That Builds Your Brand and Gets Results (for Real Estate!)," has soared to become a bestseller across six Amazon categories. Chelsea's expertise shines through as she provides readers with clear step-by-step guidance, ensuring their success in the world of social media. As an award-nominated podcast creator and host, Chelsea shines in the audio realm as well. With her highly acclaimed show, the Chelsea Peitz Podcast, boasting hundreds of thought-provoking episodes, she continues to inspire and empower her audience. Chelsea Peitz is a true visionary, combining expertise, experience, and a genuine passion for empowering others to thrive. With her guidance, you too can harness the power of social media, build a compelling personal brand, and achieve outstanding results.

Unlock the Secrets of the Human Mind with Joel Pearson – a leading AI and Neuroscience Speaker.

Are you ready to push the boundaries of what's possible for your organisation? Prepare to embark on an extraordinary journey into the depths of human intuition, imagination, and the psychological impacts of artificial intelligence. Joel is a rare breed-aneuroscientist, psychologist, and author who can translate cutting-edge research into practical, actionable strategies that will transform the way you think, create, and make decisions–optimising your life and workplace. Before pursuing his Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Joel studied Art and Filmmaking, allowing him to blend creativity with scientific rigour. 

With a captivating blend of expertise and entertainment, Joel takes audiences on a wildride through the innermost workings of the brain. His dynamic presentations are equal parts enlightening and exhilarating, shattering preconceived notions and igniting a new found appreciation for the limitless potential of the human mind.

As the world's foremost expert on harnessing human intuition and imagination in the age of AI, Joel is on a mission to improve as many lives as possible. He empowers audiences with invaluable tools to enhance creativity, optimize decision-making processes, and embrace the AI revolution with confidence and enthusiasm.

From mind-blowing insights into neuroscience to practical strategies for thriving in the uncertainty of an AI-driven world, Joel's keynotes and fireside chats will leave your team inspired, engaged, and equipped to conquer any challenge.

Don't just take our word for it–industry giants like Pixar, Google, KPMG, Macquarie Group, Lexus and Toyota have already experienced the transformative power of Joel's captivating presentations.

Joel hosted the popular ABC Sydney radio show "The Brain Box," blowing people's minds about their minds. He is the founder and director of the Future Minds Lab at the University of New South Wales and a Professor in the School of Psychology.

Joel's latest book, "The Intuition Toolkit: The New Science of Knowing What Without Knowing Why" has been hailed as a breakthrough, truly forging a new science and culture around intuition and its powerful applications. "Inspiring and deeply original"–Ed Catmull, Co-founder of Pixar and former president of Disney studios.

Ignite your organisation's potential with Joel–the ultimate guide to unlocking the boundless capabilities of the human mind in the era of artificial intelligence.

How can we improve our relationships, performance, and well being by harnessing our personal power and taking control of our own thoughts, feelings, and actions?

Dr. Amy Cuddy is a social psychologist, bestselling author, and keynote speaker. Her writing, research, teaching, and speaking focus on presence and performance under stress, the causes and outcomes of feeling powerful vs. powerless, prejudice and stereotyping, nonverbal behavior, the delicate balance of projecting trustworthiness and strength, and most recently, the psychology of bullying, bystanding, and social bravery.

After earning her Ph.D. at Princeton University, she was a professor at Harvard Business School (2008-2017) and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management (2006-2008). Throughout her academic career, she’s been honored with some of the highest commendations for both her teaching and her research, including the Excellence in Teaching Award from Harvard University (2018) and the Scientific Impact Award from the Society for Experimental Social Psychology (2022) for her extensive research on intergroup conflict. She continues to teach as a guest lecturer in Executive Education at Harvard Business School and at UCLA-Anderson School of Management.

Her 2012 TED Talk, “Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are,” is the second-most popular of all time, with more than 70 million views. Her NYT bestseller, Presence, described in the NYT Sunday Book Review as “...concrete and inspiring, simple but ambitious-above all, truly powerful,” has sold more than half a million copies and been published in 35 languages. In 2025, she will publish her next book, Bullies, Bystanders, & Bravehearts (HarperCollins), on the psychology of bullying among adults—and how wefind the courage and tools to stop it. She’s also an avid roller skater and skier, live-music lover (actually, a devoted Deadhead!), adventuring partner to her husband Paul, and hype mom to her son, Jonah, a guitarist, producer, songwriter, and student at Berklee College of Music. She lives in Venice, California.

When the world first met Emmy Award-winning multi-platinum artist, singer, songwriter, Rachel Platten, it came in the form of a proclamation of self. An anthem for those who needed it and those who didn’t even know they needed it alike, “Fight Song” became a global sensation, an inescapable battle cry that’s now been streamed more than a billion times and is as inextricable to modern culture as any one song could be.

But “Fight Song” was just one song, oneself, and Rachel Platten had so much more to say, and so many more selves to show. These days, if you dive head first into Rachel’s rich and growing catalogue, your odds are as strong to land on a thundering anthem like her biggest hit as they are to hit a soul-searching, scar-bearing, lyrically textured stunner about motherhood, guilt, mourning, expectations, rebirth, mental health, and the support systems we all need to guide us through life’s most earth-shaking curveballs.

You’ll find all that and so much more on Rachel Platten’s upcoming studio album I Am Rachel Platten, a body of work over five years in the making. I Am Rachel Platten is an artistic journey through life’s peaks and valleys. It’s a record about grief as much as it is using darkness to help better shape and contextualize the light. “For so long, I wasn’t dealing with what was underneath the surface,” Rachel says. “I wasn’t in touch with the darkness. I hadn’t gone to therapy. I’d achieved my dreams but inside, I was dealing with anxiety and depression that I didn't know or acknowledge was there."

With songs written during sharply defined periods of her life–including the pregnancy and ensuing postpartum depression following the birth of her first daughter, Violet; as ways of searching for answers, relief, and hope throughout a prolonged mental health struggle during the pandemic; in response to her partner’s own fight to stay afloat while she was pregnant with their second daughter, Sophie; and, finally, on the other side of all that turmoil, with some clarity and hindsight to help her pick up all her pieces–Rachel felt ready to follow up 2017’s Waves with an unflinching and honest album that told her story truthfully and transparently, no matter how frightening that felt in the process of making it. “I started therapy and I startedl ooking at myself and realizing how much I was spiritually bypassing,” she says. “The world has only seen this one side of me, this strength–empowering, positive, loving, warm, everything's okay,–and it wasn't fake by any means, but it was just only one part of me.”

Emotions like rage and exhaustion bubbled to the surface; old wounds and new alike rose up,catching Rachel’s breath in her throat, surprising her in their intensity and insistence on beingheard and turned into lyrics. “For a while I’d gotten so used to dimming my light for other people, but on this album, I got to heal by using music as my outlet,” she says. Some nights–her hardest nights–lyrics would hit her like a ton of bricks; she’d run to the piano in her home studio and seek relief in songwriting. The process yielded “Mercy,” one of the album’s rawest and emotion-baring moments, a song that “proved there’s a purpose for your pain,” Rachel 
says. “There is always a purpose for what you're going through. It showed me I can make meaning out of it.”

“When I first moved into this house," she adds, twirling her camera around the room, “I was laying out in the backyard looking up at these massive sycamore trees, and I was like, ‘ I wonder what I'm going to write next.’ And I heard this voice, which I took to be my higher self, say, ‘Oh,you're going to write the most powerful music of your life.’”

You’ll find special spiritual meaning made throughout I Am Rachel Platten. “Alot of this music was me developing my relationship with my creator and with God,” she says. Tracks like “ I Know” and “Mercy” and “Surrender” make up an “unintentional” holy trilogy of faith-seeking and healing songs, “a hero's journey of someone wrestling with their demons,” as she puts it. Her voice and pen became a conduit, Rachel says, a vessel for the lyrics and messages handed down to her from a higher place.

Early songs like “I Know” (written during the pandemic’s earliest and most uncertain moments as a message of peace to herself) and “I’ll Be Her” (a premonition of a stronger Rachel yet to come) broke the dam. With the songs beginning to flow through her––she knew she needed producing partners who could help her holistically complete the project from start to finish. One-off pairings wouldn’t work for this record, she says; it needed to be one vision, aligned with hers, who she could walk down the road with hand-in-hand. Thus,it was fate, she says,that after an impromptu set at the famed Los Angeles venue The Hotel Café in 2022, Rachel’s longtime friend and producer Jason Evigan joined her backstage with fellow producer Gian Stone; they asked her to produce “Mercy,” a song from I Am Rachel Platten which she’d debuted live as part of her set. 

“I countered with, 'No, but you can produce the whole album,’” she remembers with a grin. Though the pair turned down the offer, a month later, they called her with a pitch. “I remember they sounded so excited, and they told me they had the whole thing mapped out: a studio in Nashville, all these studio musicians they’d hand-selected–people who’d worked on albums like Kacey Musgraves’s Golden Hour–and a timeframe. They said they believed in me, they believed in the album, and they wanted to plunge into it headfirst with me.” 

Over the course of two separate marathon sessions in Nashville, Rachel and her producers and session players crafted a body of material as sonically rich, enveloping, and impactful as it is lyrically tender, personal, and intimate. I Am Rachel Platten could only exist in its mastery because “I know myself now,” she says,a fire glowing in her eyes. “I am a mother. I am 42. I am fully in touch with myself. I've integrated the dark and the light in me. Now I can hold space for all of what the fuck I’m feeling now. It was too much for me before–I was just a kid. But now I have the maturity and the wisdom and my own connection to now invite my listeners in to feel their own connection, whatever that looks like, not what I think it should look like. I call it God. You can call it whatever you want, whatever is you getting back to your identity. I feel why I'm on this earth is reconnecting people to their identity, their truth, to their purpose, to their power."

Ranked as the #1 Realtor in San Francisco and a Top 10 Team at Sotheby’s International Realty with over $2.5B in sales, Gregg Lynn and his dynamic team of 11 realtors & marketing professionals deliver gold-standard service and powerful results to their clients. 

Described as "equal parts seasoned professional, engaging raconteur, and savvy negotiator," for more than two decades Gregg has represented clients in over 1,000 transactions and enjoys a social media reach of 2+ million. With a deep, local expertise and the global reach of Sotheby’s International Realty, he provides bold strategic insight, unparalleled marketing exposure, and value at every price point–ensuring a white-glove experience with every transaction.

Gregg’s clients–including founders and executives of the world’s leading finance and technology companies–benefit from his unwavering optimism, 24/7accessibility, discretion, and meticulous attention to detail.

Beth Heard-Laffey brings 28 years of international real estate experience at Sotheby’s International Realty. She previously served for 18 years as Director, Auction Liaison, for Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC in New York, NY. In this role, she managed the relationship between Sotheby’s auction house and over 880 offices affiliated with the Sotheby’s International Realty® brand globally. Heard-Laffey led realty client service for preferred auction clients, managed real estate and fine art referrals, and produced co-marketing events in New York, London, and Hong Kong.

Before her real estate career, Heard-Laffey worked at Sotheby’s auction house in the Client Service department. She provided exceptional service to high-profile clients, ensuring their needs were met with professionalism and efficiency. Her role involved coordinating with various departments within the auction house to facilitate smooth transactions and enhance client satisfaction.

After contributing to the growth of Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty as the Director of International Initiatives, she transitioned into the role of a Licensed Realtor. In this capacity, she leveraged her extensive knowledge and network to assist clients in buying and selling properties, providing personalized and strategic guidance throughout the process.

Since 2021, she has been serving as the Global Referral Manager. Heard-Laffey works closely with a network of global referral contacts. She also develops and implements programs and strategies to enhance the referral process, fostering strong relationships with agents, clients and referral contacts alike. Her extensive experience and deep understanding of the markets enable her to provide valuable insights and guidance.

Ryan A. Secrist: A Real Estate Visionary

With nearly two decades of real estate expertise, Ryan A. Secrist has built an extraordinary career spanning major markets, including Phoenix, Los Angeles, Denver, San Diego, the Bay Area, and now, Southern Utah. Over the past 20 years, he has orchestrated and overseen nearly $3.5 billion in global sales, representing elite private clients and professional athletes. Unlike most coaches and trainers, Ryan continues to actively sell, making him a relevant, in-the-trenches leader who truly understands the ever-evolving market.

Combining a background in high-level consulting with a degree in marketing and business management, Ryan approaches real estate with the precision of a trusted advisor. His cutting-edge marketing and technology expertise ensures maximum exposure and exceptional results. Known for his strategic, fast-paced mind he has developed a proven system that seamlessly guides clients to their next chapter—exceeding expectations every time.

Beyond his personal real estate success, Ryan is an internationally recognized trainer and coach. His exclusive coaching network includes the top 1%–5% of agents across the U.S. and Canada, and he is a sought-after advisor to leading brokerages. His three-dimensional coaching model prevents burnout, fuels peak performance, and drives record-breaking results. In 2024, when many agents struggled, his clients thrived—achieving their best year yet.

Proudly calling St. George, Utah home, Ryan embraces the adventurous spirit of the region. Outside of work, he is a dedicated family man who prioritizes health, exploration, and personal growth. Whether off-the-grid backpacking with his family and German Shorthair Pointer, Ryder, trail running, mountain biking, hitting the gym, or exploring National Parks, Ryan is always pushing the limits—both professionally and personally.

By every account, Nik Kulikov got into the real estate business at the worst possible time. The great recession had wiped out the optimism and security that homeownership had once seemingly guaranteed. But while many were rushing for the exit doors, Nik saw a chance to help people. Leveraging his background as a residential contractor, Nik began guiding clients toward renewed confidence and big dreams. Both buyers and sellers discovered an agent who was passionate about restoring a personalized, full-service approach to empowering people throughout the real estate process. Nik’s unwavering devotion, innovation, and guidance opened up life-changing possibilities and pathways for his clients.

After building my real estate career in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, I've enjoyed serving clients in fast paced markets.  My goal has always been to help them find more than just a house, but a true sense of home and community through a deep local knowledge and commitment to the area. 

I bring my background as an attorney, developer, and real estate investor to every transaction I work on. My clients trust me to be their greatest advocate, whether I'm keeping them safe from the fine print or aggressively negotiating on their behalf.

I love working closely with clients to create individualized strategies to achieve their goals. As busy professionals, my clients need an informed partner to help them through the process. My experience makes it possible to advise on a wide range of topics from landlord-tenant issues, to the possibilities and the potential of a home.

Since 2005, Kaedi Knepshield has been a trusted real estate advisor in Pittsburgh, PA, dedicated to helping her clients live extraordinary lives through an exceptional real estate experience. Known for her client-first philosophy, Kaedi measures her success by her ability to meet each client’s unique needs — a commitment reflected in the hundreds of families and individuals she has guided through major life transitions.

With nearly two decades of experience, Kaedi brings a deep well of knowledge to residential home sales, the luxury market and new construction. She also leverages a degree in media and professional communications from the University of Pittsburgh, along with a certificate in digital media, to create highly effective marketing strategies that drive results for her clients.

Beyond her real estate career, Kaedi is passionate about personal development and inspiring others to pursue lives filled with purpose and meaning. Her own journey, including her commitment to sobriety and personal growth, fuels her mission to help others navigate change, build resilience, and create extraordinary outcomes in their own lives. Whether advising clients or speaking to audiences, Kaedi leads with authenticity, responsibility, and encouragement.

Kaedi’s commitment to excellence is evident in her ongoing study of the latest marketing tools, negotiation techniques, local market trends, and industry best practices. She maintains the highest standards of professionalism and consistently delivers proven results, earning her a reputation built on trust, integrity, deep knowledge, and genuine care for her clients' success.

At home in Pittsburgh, Kaedi cherishes time with her husband, two young daughters, and their beloved dog, Martie. She has a passion for food, loves exploring new restaurants and creating home-cooked meals, and finds joy in traveling and discovering new places. Long walks — both around her neighborhood and on her travels — are her favorite way to reflect, recharge, and stay grounded. A lifelong learner, she also enjoys reading books on self-improvement and personal growth, always seeking new ways to expand her impact both personally and professionally.

Kathryn Winterton, both of Las Vegas and Summit Sotheby’s International Realty, is known for her energy, expertise, and approachable style. With a background spanning real estate, customer service, corporate training, and motivational speaking, Kathryn has consistently ranked in the top 1% of agents in the Las Vegas Valley, earning recognition from America’s Top Real Estate Agents, Las Vegas Life Magazine and Deluxe Version Magazine. She holds licenses in both Nevada and Utah and is a proud graduate of Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Management. Kathryn is also a trainer and member of RYSE Platinum Partners, a nationwide network of elite agents committed to collaboration and excellence. She serves on the board of the Inspiring Children Foundation, helping to further its mission of empowering young people through mental health programs, mentorship, and education. Beyond real estate, Kathryn brings a unique background in public speaking, vocal performance, and musical theater, having recorded on four published albums. She is also a certified judge for the Miss America Organization. A passionate leader and mentor, Kathryn has coached high school cheer, founded two children’s performing groups, and traveled the country training audiences in the Color Code personality system and personal development. Based in Henderson, Nevada, Kathryn and her husband are the proud parents of four children. She is a lifelong learner and enthusiastic traveler who loves exploring new places and collecting meaningful quotes. 

Jennifer Schumacher is a highly accomplished real estate professional ranked among the Top 50 Realtors in Scottsdale and the Top 1% of agents in Arizona. With over 25 years of expertise in Sales & Marketing, she brings a strategic, results-driven approach to every transaction, ensuring a seamless, professional experience for clients and fellow agents alike.

Jennifer’s excellence has been recognized throughout her career. She has received six consecutive Lyon Elite awards, was named Rookie of the Year in 2016, and earned the title of Real Producers Magazine Rising Star in 2017. Known for her generosity, integrity, and attention to detail, she consistently creates win-win outcomes for all parties involved. Whether working with first-time buyers, experienced investors, or luxury sellers, Jennifer delivers exceptional serviceand outstanding results with every transaction.

As a dedicated referral partner, Jennifer values clear communication, professionalism, and efficiency. She understands that strong industry relationships are essential to success and is committed to working with like-minded agents who prioritize excellence and client satisfaction.

Jennifer’s strong work ethic was instilled early, growing up on a family farm in North Dakota. She attended UNC in Colorado, where her passion for fitness and wellness led to a successful 21-year career in the fitness industry—including personal training, consulting, and business ownership. This background strengthened her problem-solving skills, business acumen, and commitment to excellence.

When Jennifer moved to Arizona in 2015, she built her business from the ground up, closing 12 transactions in her first year despite knowing just one person locally. Her ability to build lasting relationships and deliver consistent results has made her a top-performing agent in Arizona.

Beyond real estate, Jennifer is passionate about fitness, travel, and adventure. At the heart of everything she does is her dedication to family and the values of hard work, perseverance, and service.

When you work with Jennifer, you’re working with one of the best. If you’re looking for a highly skilled, professional, and results-oriented agent to collaborate with, she is the trusted partner you want by your side.

Daniel Heider is Washington D.C.’s consummate real estate innovator; he and his team are widely regarded as the Capital Region’s authority on white-glove service and upper-bracket real estate sales.

His team has been ranked #1 in Sales Company-wide at TTR Sotheby’s for 5 consecutive years. 

His work is frequently highlighted in national news publications, and HEIDER was ranked the #1 Small Team by Sales Volume in the Capital Region by Real Trends and advertised in The Wall Street Journal. Recognized as a Washington Business Journal’s Broker of the Year (2023), Daniel is also the youngest Executive Vice President in his firm’s history.

As a fifth-generation Washingtonian and resident of Cleveland Park, Daniel is personally invested in the city he loves. In addition to serving on the board of the National Symphony Orchestra, he actively supports N Street Village, SMYAL, DC Central Kitchen, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, and many other local and national causes.

The HEIDER Company is the #1 followed real estate practice group in the world across all social media platforms - with a growing audience of over 4.2 million followers. Daniel and his team of curated experts are leading the charge in modern real estate evolution by aiming to add unrivaled value and spearhead innovative marketing strategies for his clients.

Ranked as the #1 Realtor in San Francisco and a Top 10 Team at Sotheby’s International Realty with over $2.5B in sales, Gregg Lynn and his dynamic team of 11 realtors & marketing professionals deliver gold-standard service and powerful results to their clients. 

Described as "equal parts seasoned professional, engaging raconteur, and savvy negotiator," for more than two decades Gregg has represented clients in over 1,000 transactions and enjoys a social media reach of 2+ million. With a deep, local expertise and the global reach of Sotheby’s International Realty, he provides bold strategic insight, unparalleled marketing exposure, and value at every price point–ensuring a white-glove experience with every transaction.

Gregg’s clients–including founders and executives of the world’s leading finance and technology companies–benefit from his unwavering optimism, 24/7accessibility, discretion, and meticulous attention to detail.

When the world first met Emmy Award-winning multi-platinum artist, singer, songwriter, Rachel Platten, it came in the form of a proclamation of self. An anthem for those who needed it and those who didn’t even know they needed it alike, “Fight Song” became a global sensation, an inescapable battle cry that’s now been streamed more than a billion times and is as inextricable to modern culture as any one song could be.

But “Fight Song” was just one song, oneself, and Rachel Platten had so much more to say, and so many more selves to show. These days, if you dive head first into Rachel’s rich and growing catalogue, your odds are as strong to land on a thundering anthem like her biggest hit as they are to hit a soul-searching, scar-bearing, lyrically textured stunner about motherhood, guilt, mourning, expectations, rebirth, mental health, and the support systems we all need to guide us through life’s most earth-shaking curveballs.

You’ll find all that and so much more on Rachel Platten’s upcoming studio album I Am Rachel Platten, a body of work over five years in the making. I Am Rachel Platten is an artistic journey through life’s peaks and valleys. It’s a record about grief as much as it is using darkness to help better shape and contextualize the light. “For so long, I wasn’t dealing with what was underneath the surface,” Rachel says. “I wasn’t in touch with the darkness. I hadn’t gone to therapy. I’d achieved my dreams but inside, I was dealing with anxiety and depression that I didn't know or acknowledge was there."

With songs written during sharply defined periods of her life–including the pregnancy and ensuing postpartum depression following the birth of her first daughter, Violet; as ways of searching for answers, relief, and hope throughout a prolonged mental health struggle during the pandemic; in response to her partner’s own fight to stay afloat while she was pregnant with their second daughter, Sophie; and, finally, on the other side of all that turmoil, with some clarity and hindsight to help her pick up all her pieces–Rachel felt ready to follow up 2017’s Waves with an unflinching and honest album that told her story truthfully and transparently, no matter how frightening that felt in the process of making it. “I started therapy and I startedl ooking at myself and realizing how much I was spiritually bypassing,” she says. “The world has only seen this one side of me, this strength–empowering, positive, loving, warm, everything's okay,–and it wasn't fake by any means, but it was just only one part of me.”

Emotions like rage and exhaustion bubbled to the surface; old wounds and new alike rose up,catching Rachel’s breath in her throat, surprising her in their intensity and insistence on beingheard and turned into lyrics. “For a while I’d gotten so used to dimming my light for other people, but on this album, I got to heal by using music as my outlet,” she says. Some nights–her hardest nights–lyrics would hit her like a ton of bricks; she’d run to the piano in her home studio and seek relief in songwriting. The process yielded “Mercy,” one of the album’s rawest and emotion-baring moments, a song that “proved there’s a purpose for your pain,” Rachel 
says. “There is always a purpose for what you're going through. It showed me I can make meaning out of it.”

“When I first moved into this house," she adds, twirling her camera around the room, “I was laying out in the backyard looking up at these massive sycamore trees, and I was like, ‘ I wonder what I'm going to write next.’ And I heard this voice, which I took to be my higher self, say, ‘Oh,you're going to write the most powerful music of your life.’”

You’ll find special spiritual meaning made throughout I Am Rachel Platten. “Alot of this music was me developing my relationship with my creator and with God,” she says. Tracks like “ I Know” and “Mercy” and “Surrender” make up an “unintentional” holy trilogy of faith-seeking and healing songs, “a hero's journey of someone wrestling with their demons,” as she puts it. Her voice and pen became a conduit, Rachel says, a vessel for the lyrics and messages handed down to her from a higher place.

Early songs like “I Know” (written during the pandemic’s earliest and most uncertain moments as a message of peace to herself) and “I’ll Be Her” (a premonition of a stronger Rachel yet to come) broke the dam. With the songs beginning to flow through her––she knew she needed producing partners who could help her holistically complete the project from start to finish. One-off pairings wouldn’t work for this record, she says; it needed to be one vision, aligned with hers, who she could walk down the road with hand-in-hand. Thus,it was fate, she says,that after an impromptu set at the famed Los Angeles venue The Hotel Café in 2022, Rachel’s longtime friend and producer Jason Evigan joined her backstage with fellow producer Gian Stone; they asked her to produce “Mercy,” a song from I Am Rachel Platten which she’d debuted live as part of her set. 

“I countered with, 'No, but you can produce the whole album,’” she remembers with a grin. Though the pair turned down the offer, a month later, they called her with a pitch. “I remember they sounded so excited, and they told me they had the whole thing mapped out: a studio in Nashville, all these studio musicians they’d hand-selected–people who’d worked on albums like Kacey Musgraves’s Golden Hour–and a timeframe. They said they believed in me, they believed in the album, and they wanted to plunge into it headfirst with me.” 

Over the course of two separate marathon sessions in Nashville, Rachel and her producers and session players crafted a body of material as sonically rich, enveloping, and impactful as it is lyrically tender, personal, and intimate. I Am Rachel Platten could only exist in its mastery because “I know myself now,” she says,a fire glowing in her eyes. “I am a mother. I am 42. I am fully in touch with myself. I've integrated the dark and the light in me. Now I can hold space for all of what the fuck I’m feeling now. It was too much for me before–I was just a kid. But now I have the maturity and the wisdom and my own connection to now invite my listeners in to feel their own connection, whatever that looks like, not what I think it should look like. I call it God. You can call it whatever you want, whatever is you getting back to your identity. I feel why I'm on this earth is reconnecting people to their identity, their truth, to their purpose, to their power."

Jon Acuff is the New York Times bestselling author of ten books, including his most recent, All it Takes is aGoal. 

Published in dozens of languages, his work is both critically acclaimed and adored by readers. When he's notwriting, Acuff can be found on a stage, as one of INC's Top 100 Leadership Speakers. He's spoken to hundreds of thousands of people at conferences, colleges and companies around the world including FedEx, Range Rover, Microsoft, Chick-fil-A, and Comedy Central. Known for his insights wrapped in humor, Acuff shared the stage with an American Icon when he opened up for Dolly Parton at the Ryman Auditorium. 

Jon lives outside of Nashville, TN with his wife Jenny and two daughters.

One day, I was speaking to an audience about inner beliefs and personal drive. We discussed our self talk, our value and work, and our discipline and dreams. I shared stories of personal growth and ideas from successful people I know. Afterwards, people applauded and shook my hand. There were hugs and smiles. And then there was one moment that told me I was meant to be there that day: After everyone had left, a man walked over and whispered: "I almost didn't attend today. I was going to leave the business. I didn't want to do it anymore. But after your words, I'm committed to keep going. I'm going to make next year my best year ever!"

I looked into his eyes and believed him. And he gave me a hug. THAT is why I speak!

You might be surprised to learn...

I'm a two-time cancer survivor

I really do have a Degree in Philosophy and a Degree in Political Economics

I love to write, mostly mystery stories for fun

I typically travel 250,000+ miles a year

I speak three languages (and read Latin)

Some of my photographs have been auctioned for charity

I co-host a writer's retreat in Florence, Italy (I went to school in Bologna)

I've run a successful subscription newsletter on Substack- and have generated a few decent quotes

I'm the Dean of Innovation for Leading Real Estate Companies of the World

I'm a co-author and Faculty of Anywhere's Ascend: Executive Leadership Experience

My career has taken me to over 30 countries

I have an amazing wife

I live in Las Vegas

I have three cats

I'm a Rotarian

I shoot Nikon

A trip down memory lane...

1991: Started First Sales Training/Marketing Consulting Firm

1994: Regional VP, RE Educators Association

1997: Rhode Island Educator of the Year

1999: Reached 49 States teaching Marketing/Sales/Tech

2001: Launched National Help Desk Service

2003: Launched New England-Based Telecom

2005: Launched The Learning Network, LLC leadership

2012: Co-Authored "Ascend" and "Maestro" Leadership Development Coures

2013: Relocated Firm to Las Vegas, NV

2016: Became Co-Owner: Art of Writing Retreat, Florence, Italy

2017: Launched Resident Philosopher Mentor Program

2018: Co-Faculty/Author, Training Magazine Program of the Year Award Recipient

2018: Became Resident Philosopher for firms including LeadingRE, Engel & Volkers, MoxiWorks and Gibson Sotheby's International Realty