Maxady

06/29/2026

Announcing the two keynotes for the Easthampton Chamber of Commerce this year!
will be opening the conference with Change the Room Before You Run It and Wood will be closing with Why People Stay Silent—and How We Change That!
Stay tuned for announcements of the breakouts and panels.

06/25/2026

One of the questions I'm asked most often is: "How do you get selected to speak at so many conferences?"

The answer isn't luck.

It's understanding how to craft a proposal that speaks directly to the needs of conference planners and attendees.

In our next speaker mastermind, I'll pull back the curtain on the strategies that have helped me achieve an 80%+ acceptance rate for conference proposals.

Whether you're a new speaker trying to land your first conference or an experienced presenter looking to increase your success rate, you'll leave with practical tools you can use immediately.

Ready to get more "yes" responses to your submissions? Join us on July 20th! Comment below and I'll send you the link to register for free.

04/16/2026

This morning I did a virtual keynote....

Tell me I'm not the only one who is dressed professional from the waist up most days! It's going to be in the high 80's here today and I just couldn't put on work pants this morning!

02/27/2026

26 words on the 26th: February edition

This month I've been talking with leaders a lot about change and how to help their teams move through change.

Three questions that I find can be helpful when you are struggling with getting your team to move through change:

1. Ask yourself, have I actually listened? Or have I just explained?
2. Change will fail if trust is not there. Have you built trust on your team?
3. Have you asked your team any real questions about the change you’re leading and how they feel about it?

02/17/2026

It's February vacation week here in the northeast. Which means many parents are leading Zoom meetings while also managing snack requests and screen time negotiations.

This is where Great Leaders Eat Lunch becomes more than my keynote title.

If someone logs off because their kids asked "Do you want to build a snowman"…
If a meeting includes "How far I'll go" blaring in the background…
If productivity feels a more like “Just keep swimming”…

This is where we choose how we lead.
Are we rewarding hustle and constant visibility?
Or are we trusting adults to deliver results, even when the week looks different?

February break is short.

But the culture you build this week, the grace you extend, the flexibility you model, the trust you show, that lasts.

Great leaders don’t just talk about balance. They demonstrate it.

02/09/2026

Last week I had 3 companies book my Great Leaders Eat Lunch keynote. THREE in one week.

What does this tell me?
Teams and leaders are struggling. So often burnout is worn like a badge of honor. And this needs to change now.

How can we teach these leadership skills and make sure everyone understands that sustainable leadership drives better outcomes?

02/08/2026

What’s one goal you still care about achieving in 2026.....but haven’t made progress towards?

That’s the kind of goal we work with inside the Squiggle Huddles.

You don’t need a bigger plan.
You need space to think and people to support you.

In one hour each month you will:
1️⃣ Reflect on what you accomplished
2️⃣ Name what got in the way
3️⃣ Identify 3–5 small actions that feel possible now

02/08/2026

If your progress looks messy lately, you’re not doing it wrong.

Life interrupts.
Energy shifts.
Priorities change.

In the Squiggle Huddles, we don’t pretend those things aren’t happening—we plan with them in mind.

Progress doesn’t require perfection.
It requires honesty and support.

The Squiggle Huddle is a monthly accountability cohort designed for people who care deeply about their goals—but don’t want to chase them alone. Each month, we meet on Zoom to reflect on progress, troubleshoot what got in the way, and identify 3–5 realistic actions to focus on next. No hustle....

02/05/2026

It's February 5th. How are you feeling about your goals for this year?

If you don't feel like you made progress or are ready to dump a goal already, you’re not alone.

Most goal-setting advice assumes unlimited time, energy, and focus. And that is definitely not reality for me. It’s why so many smart, capable people set goals that don't fit with their lifestyle and they feel stuck.

So I started the Embrace the Squiggle Huddles. These are for people who care deeply about their goals and want a way to pursue them without burning out.

Two huddles have already sold out for the year. I have one left that occurs on the 4th Wednesday of the month from 9-10am ET. Could you use some help with your goals this year?

02/01/2026

Good news for me this year, I just set my goals on January 30th during my Embrace Your 2026 Squiggle workshop. So when Quitters Day arrived on January 10th, I had nothing to quit!

How are your 2026 goals going so far? Have you adjusted them / right-sized them for success yet?