Harris and his work is trusted by leaders at:
ABC Family
Adobe
Chick Fil A
Dreamworks
TEDx
Graceland
IBM
Bobcat
Salesforce
Cargill
North Point
HCA
Marriot
Microsoft
Oracle
Willow Creek
NASA
Pepperdine
Catalyst
Saddleback
Based on the latest research and neuroscience as showcased in his bestselling book, The Wonder Switch, Harris will take your audience on an unforgettable journey back to a state where truly anything is possible––the state of child-like wonder. In a culture of rapid and unprecedented change, he'll help your audience understand that worry is a misuse of their imagination, and how every member of every team has the capacity to create, innovate, and solve big problems by starting with wow.
This is more than just another talk by just another speaker––it’s a transformative experience of magic, storytelling, insights, and ideas that will capture both the minds and hearts of your audience, all while offering a new, narrative-shifting paradigm that leaves them never seeing themselves, or their work, the same again.
What do innovative organizations like Apple, Google, Disney, Meta, Nike, NASA and more have in common? They all send leaders to Harris to learn how to leverage the power of awe and wonder to shift narratives and create the future. Inquire now, and discover why hundreds of event planners and attendees have said, “This keynote is the best presentation I’ve ever experienced.”
Every problem is a storytelling problem.
With narrative as the operating system of your brain, everything you and your team experience, from innovation and creativity, to hustle and burnout, is shaped by a story. A narrative subscribed to, and influenced by, everything. And with constant influencing, it’s up to you to start with “Wow”, so you can finally experience the desired outcomes you're looking for.
The latest neuroscience shows that simply changing your narrative doesn’t happen easily – it requires what researches refer to as a positive awe state. Change isn't just assisted by awe and wonder, it requires it. Only a state of wonder releases your brain from the paralyzing fear of the unknown, and empowers a willingness to embrace a new story.
“Harris was great! Absolutely phenomenal...I was blown away.”
John Maxwell
Legendary Leadership Expert
Big problems can't be solved with small solutions.
This is not about a people problem, or finding balance between in-person vs. remote employees, or exhaustion from constant disruption, change and pressure. You have a storytelling problem rooted in some broken and unhealthy narratives, many of which have permeated your culture. If you want to solve big problems, you're going to need some new stories, combined with a Wonder Mindset that gets you back on track.
Instead of misusing imagination on worry, fear and anxiety about the future, it's time to kickstart breakthrough innovation and creative thinking to discover creative solutions and out-of-the-box ideation that helps you lead in the marketplace and experience growth. Not growth that's throttled to incremental percentages, but exponential, compounded 10-100x growth that helps you stand out and win.
I’ve seen multiple presentations by Harris in multiple settings, and every one of them has left me in awe. He’s one of the most talented people I’ve ever experienced. He is an incredible storyteller, communicator, and performer, and his unique ability to reawaken wonder and speak to the role that wonder plays in our life and work is a game-changer for you and those you lead!
Jon Acuff
New York Times Bestselling Author
If you are seeking a dynamic and memorable speaker, I would highly recommend Harris for your next event. Harris leverages his masterful storytelling and illusionist skills to invoke wonder which allows the audience to tap into their imagination and help them to dream bigger. He is able to enchant audiences and provide insights and story that aligns with your target messaging. I’ve seen Harris on stage at several events and I can remember each one. That’s something I can’t say for most speakers.
Louis Richardson
Chief Storyteller, Watson Customer Engagement at IBM
I am such a big fan of Harris III. In my 20+ years with DreamWorks Animation, the stories that lasted weren't just about box office - they resonated on a personal level. Harris understands this intuitively. Not only is he a talented illusionist, Harris knows the power of Story to grab the heart. I always clear my calendar when Harris is in town, because I know I will come away changed for the better.
Rick Rekedal
Executive Vice President, Breyer Horses
Harris III has a powerful way of connecting with his audiences to really make you think, wonder and be moved. His storytelling skills are unlike any other speaker I’ve seen throughout the years - he’s genuine, sincere and truly magical. You could see the awe in our leaders’ faces as he spoke to them and could feel the excitement each leader had after listening to him. I was moved to tears and will always remember Harris and his message. What more can you ask for from a speaker?
John McKibbon
Chairman, McKibbon Hospitality & M3 Enterprises
I just led a conference where Harris was asked to open and close so that the group would start and end with the same message. It was my first time as the leader and visionary of this 30-year conference and wanted to ensure that I impressed. Harris made me look like a rock star by following through on the message we wanted pulled through, all while authentically connecting emotionally with the audience. Our peers and partners go to a lot of meetings each year but they all expressed they had never seen anything like him. It was a “wonderful" way to make our mark.
Angela S. Kuzma
VP of Global Operations, R+B Marriott International
Magicians know what it takes to harness wonder.
For Harris, "start with wow" isn't just a catchy phrase, it's the way of life that has served as a foundation for a long, successful career that started at a young age, and led to winning awards, headlining prestigious venues, and receiving titles like "Most Influential Young Leader."
At age 9, Harris got his first magic set, performing for a small group at the Ladies Club in St. Louis at just 11 years old. Since that first spattering of applause, he was hooked, spending the next 25 years learning, innovating, failing, and unlocking wonder for a desperate world.
Harris has gone on to speak in front of over 2 million people, live, in over 40 countries. He has started and run several 6 and 7-figure brands, including STORY, an immersive global gathering for creative entrepreneurs and Fortune 100 brands.
From Nike to NASA, Amazon to Chick-Fil-A, he has consulted and challenged teams and leaders to embrace the power of narrative intelligence and child-like wonder so that they, too, can start with wow and scale their impact.
Examples of Additional Keynote Topics
In this innovative talk, Harris will help you reimagine everything you know about leadership. What if everything you’ve been taught about leadership and culture is true and helpful, but there was one single secret that the world’s best leaders knew that could take everything you know to a whole new level? Harris has the unique ability to reawaken wonder in others through his communication and his craft, and will help you discover that the ultimate role of a great leader is to awaken the wonder within and stir the imagination of the organization and the people you lead.
What if the real secret to unlimited creativity and innovation had everything to do with how you use your imagination? It’s a common myth that imagination is something every child readily uses, then stops using as we grow up. But what if that wasn’t the case? In this transformative speech, Harris will make you aware of the dark side of your imagination, how it’s being misused and wasted, and how to develop a Wonder Mindset, so you and those you lead can tap into an unlimited potential to create and innovate like never before.
Since the beginning of time human beings have told stories. Stories are how we make sense of everything, because story is the operating system of the human brain. But often, organizations fail to communicate clearly as a result of losing the art of telling stories, and even those who do engage in storytelling rarely make use of its most powerful tool: Wonder. In this educational and inspirational talk, learn how to invoke wonder, curiosity and imagination in the stories you tell, how to use those stories to communicate
powerful ideas, and discover why teams of people from companies like Apple, Disney, Google, Nike, Amazon and more pay to attend STORY, the annual conference-style gathering produced by Harris and his team.
One of Harris’s greatest strengths is his unique ability to highly-customize presentations for organizations and the themes they wish to present. Contact us now to schedule a call with Harris to discuss some ideas about how he can best serve your event.
Our entire staff along with the entire audience of 11,000 people were in awe of his performance – we are still receiving great feedback. Harris is a true professional to work with, and I couldn’t recommend him higher!
Catalyst Conference
Harris’s magic is breathtaking, and perhaps only trumped by his deep character and hopeful spirit. His enthusiasm for wonder is contagious.
Scott Harrison
Founder of Charity: Water
Harris made Christmas more than magical here at Graceland! Amazing job!
Kevin Kern
Elvis Presley Enterprises
Top 10 Reasons to Work with Harris
1. Unforgettable
Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what they heard you say, and they will forget what they see you do, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” Harris approaches every single event with this idea in mind. Audiences will forget what speakers say, and they forget what they watched happen in the room, but if you can make them feel something, what was seen and heard will be unforgettable. Harris has a unique ability to resonate and help audiences feel things that many people say they haven’t felt in years. Let Harris help you make your event truly unforgettable.
2. Transcendent
There’s something about experiencing the magic that Harris brings to every event that is transcendent and difficult to put into words. It’s part of what sets him apart and makes his presentations so special. Let him help you reawaken child-like wonder, and leave you in awe of the world around you and the role you play in it.
3. Custom-Crafted
Every audience is different. Every organization is different. Why should every presentation be the same? Harris custom tailors his work for every event, every audience and each venue. The difference is tangible.
4. Easy to Work With
Unlike many other presenters with a background in the entertainment industry, Harris is showing up to your event to serve you, not to be served by you. No outrageous requests. No green M&M’s. We repeatedly hear, “Harris was the easiest person we’ve ever worked with.” We’re confident you’ll say the same.
5. High Impact
Producing a live event is hard work. Why go to all of that effort if your audience isn’t truly impacted by their experience? Harris knows how to connect with your audience on a heart level, and impact their lives and work in a way that will leave them thinking about their experience for weeks, months and years to come.
6. Excellence
“Harris is quite simply the best I’ve ever seen or heard.” We hear that on a regular basis, which means you can count on getting nothing short of excellence from Harris and his team. His 20+ years of experience can lead to a stress-free event. Choose excellence.
7. Unique
While everyone who partners with Harris continually raves about his presentations, many event planners have struggled to put their experience with him and his uniqueness into words. His approach to creating live experiences is unlike any other. In a world where so many try to be the same, why not work with someone who stands out as unique among the rest?
8. Entertaining
Ever sat through a boring speaker or a bad performance? A speaker who may have even had some incredible things to say, but none of it connected because it wasn’t entertaining? With a 20-year history as an award-winning entertainer, it’s no wonder Harris is one of the most entertaining speakers in the country. In fact, Harris’s path to becoming a communicator was largely in part to opening for other speakers who after the event said, “They should have just hired you to give the talk. That was hard to follow.”
9. Relatable
Harris grew up on a farm in East TN in a poor community. By 21-years-old he had made a million dollars. By 22, he was bankrupt because of foolishness and debt. Now in his mid-30’s, he is leading and has grown a successful organization on solid leadership, positive character, and a lot of perspective gained from an experience-rich life and career entertaining in over 30 countries on 5 continents. Through it all, Harris has a unique ability to relate to everyone in the room, as if he is speaking directly to them.
10. Integrity
Maybe it’s old-fashioned, but we still believe in integrity and common sense. Harris and our entire team work hard to serve you, and will do so with gratitude and integrity. Join us in our efforts of valuing long-term partnerships instead of short-term gains by working with someone you can trust.
Book Harris
Are you interested in crafting a compelling live experience that makes your event unforgettable?
Let Harris help you engage and inspire your audience.