"Working with Shawna transformed how our entire team thinks about our customers. The insights she shared were immediately applicable and deeply impactful."
Sarah M. · VP of Marketing · National Association
Keynote Speaking
high-energy, immersive
KEYNOTE EXPERIENCE
Shawna delivers dynamic, interactive and insight-packed keynotes that help small businesses recognize their strategic advantage and use it to compete, stand out, and win.
the buyer has changed.
have you?
"Today's customers don't want to be sold to. They want to be understood."
We are living in a trust-starved, noise-saturated world. Consumers have developed a finely tuned filter for overproduced hype and canned pitches. Being the loudest no longer wins. Being the most human does.
Modern buyers are exhausted. They're navigating economic fear, digital overwhelm, and decision fatigue. Price and convenience aren't enough anymore. In today's reality, polished slogans fall flat, transactional tactics are resented, and generic messaging blends into what Shawna calls the 'Blandscape.'
The businesses that break through are the ones who shift from hype to humanity. From one big pitch to a mosaic of authentic stories. From feature-selling to trust-building. From scripts to real conversations.
it's whether you have.
"As a speaker she is dynamic, capturing, and relatable. She inspires attendees and leaves the audience with ideas that make one take action."
— MCKENZIE KAUFELD COUNTS, CMP | Senior Marketing & Event Manager
Shawna doesn't just study buyers, she was one. For over 15 years, she sat on the decision-making side of the table, reviewing thousands of pitches and deciding who earned the business. That's why she's known as THE BUYER INSIDER™.
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The only keynote experience delivered from the CUSTOMER'S POINT OF VIEW.
THE BUYER INSIDER™
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Shawna spent over 15 years as the buyer — sitting across the table, reviewing thousands of pitches, and deciding who earned the business. The Buyer Insider™ experience flips the script entirely, giving your audience an unprecedented look at every sale, pitch, and marketing message through the eyes of the customer they're trying to win.
This isn't a lecture about sales tactics or buyer psychology. It's a full-immersion experience where your audience participates from the buyer's side and walks away with strategies they can use the next day.
This is where the lecture ends and the transformation begins.
Secret Small Business Superpowers!
How Any Size Business Can Start Winning More Today
Small — [smawl] / smôl — noun — A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE disguised as a company size, capable of out-humaning competitors with ten times the budget.
Big brands are shouting. Consumers are tuning out. This insight-packed keynote reveals why today's trust crisis gives underdogs the advantage — and how small businesses can leverage their size, authenticity, and community ties to out-human competitors with ten times the budget.
Shawna draws on real buyer psychology, current consumer behavior research, and her 15+ years inside corporate buying rooms to show your audience exactly how to turn their size into a strategic weapon — not something to apologize for.
YOUR AUDIENCE WILL LEAVE WITH:
- Practical tools and frameworks they can use the next day
- A new understanding of how their buyers make decisions
- A competitive strategy uniquely suited to their size
- Specific tactics to out-human big-brand competitors
- Clarity on what makes them genuinely different — and how to say it
- Renewed confidence that small is not just fine — it's an advantage
THIS IS PERFECT FOR:
- Associations serving small business owners
- Corporate events focused on sales and marketing
- Small business conferences and trade shows
- Chamber of commerce annual events
- Credit union and financial institution events
- Real estate and service-industry conferences
Available as:
45-min keynote · 60-min keynote · 90-min workshop · half-day intensive
"HER FUN, INTERACTIVE STYLE, AND DEEP EXPERTISE ARE A WINNING COMBINATION. HIRE SHAWNA, YOU WILL BE GLAD YOU DID."
If you haven't experienced the genius of Shawna, fix that.
NEEN JAMES, MBS, CSP
Client Experience Expert
THESE BRANDS
TRUST SHAWNA
TO HELP THEM COMPETE BETTER
What Clients & Audiences ARE SAYING
Real words from leaders who witnessed Shawna's spark on stage
"Shawna's presentation was the most talked-about session of our entire conference. Attendees were still discussing her ideas three days later — that never happens."
James T. · Conference Chair · Regional Trade Group
"I've attended hundreds of conferences. Shawna's keynote is the one I still reference in meetings two years later. She doesn't just speak — she changes how you think."
Linda K. · CEO · Small Business Alliance
let's do this!
Bring The Buyer Insider™ Experience to Your Audience
3 simple steps to deliver a transformational experience your attendees will talk about for years.
01
START
Share your event vision, audience challenges, and desired outcomes. Shawna will explore how her immersive format can best serve your goals and align with your theme.
02
SHAPE
Collaborate on session focus, audience engagement strategy, and key takeaways to ensure the experience drives real impact — not just applause.
03
SPARK
Shawna delivers a high-energy, participatory keynote designed to challenge thinking, activate leadership, and create lasting momentum beyond the event.