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Deborah Gardner Profile

  • CNN’s Top 75 Keynote Speakers Worldwide.

  • Two-Time National Swimming Champion.

  • Deborah Gardner helps companies achieve newfound success by delivering meaningful, real-life content that will impact everyone, from the back of the house to the boardroom.
  • Swimming champion and one of the first female sports broadcasters, Deborah Gardner is one of the world’s highest rated performance experts. She helps companies and organizations advance to new levels of success by generating and accelerating their professionals with a new competitive mentality.

    Deborah has a talent for identifying untapped potential by helping companies and organizations align strategies, goals, and objectives. Better known by many Fortune 500 companies as the “Pit Bull in a Skirt”, she is 1 of only 5 speakers worldwide to receive the Certified Meeting Professional credential which means she understands the back house logistics of her clients’ meetings and events. Furthermore, she is one of the top 5 most requested speakers according to Meeting Professional International.

    Deborah is Principal and Founder of two highly successful companies: A business consultant for DG INTERNATIONAL LLC and a speaker/trainer for COMPETE BETTER NOW! When it comes to her presentations, she brings nearly 3 decades of experience in the hospitality sales profession along with real-life stories and examples in a conversational interactive way that clicks with audiences and generates instant results.

    • View Extended/Alternate Bio

      A Marine Brat growing up in a small 16-foot trailer, a real-life wedding crasher to an Olympic Trial swimmer, a ground-breaking leader as one of the first female broadcasters with CBS Sports to a longtime hospitality veteran, Deborah Gardner knows how to transform people that want less resistance and more momentum while working and living in the fast lane.

      Better known by many Fortune 500 companies as The Pit Bull in a Skirt, Deborah is an in-demand global keynote speaker with an explosive high-energy, captivating, engaging and in your face sassy approach. Deborah’s real-world case studies and examples about taking action comes from her exclusive first-hand research which profiles her as the best when it comes to delivering her findings on the international stage.

      Deborah is also a popular virtual emcee and conference host, entrepreneur, bestselling author of five books, television personality, swimming champion and consultant advising numerous brands like Walmart, Nike, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Outdoor Industry Association, Mincron and more.

      As a Certified Meeting Professional, Deborah is an expert at teaching people how to achieve outstanding results by focusing on people. Whether it’s food and drink, lodging, transportation or event planning, Deborah’s talks stress the importance of the relationship between a guest and a host and the fundamental role hospitality plays in increasing the sales volume of an organization.

      Also, she is the founder and host for the top 15% in the podcast world, Hospitality Today Live weekly broadcast show while taking special pride in formulating the first-ever International Hospitality Women’s Day.

      Although Deborah wishes she was a mermaid, Arizona is her home with the hubby, Jerry and their rambunctious 4-leged her lover boy, Bear.

    Deborah Gardner Speaking Videos

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    Deborah Gardner's Speech Descriptions

    Competitive performance expert, Deborah Gardner illustrates how to be competitive from a refreshing and stimulating perspective that spurs audience members to get in touch with their talents, identity, and personal story while learning how to apply those factors to their jobs, lives, and dreams. Deborah uses infectious energy, warmth, fun, entertainment, and her captivating sassy presentation style to drive organizations and individuals to succeed through constant improvement, motivation, and action. Her vibrant presentations completely enthuse her audiences to implement the ideas even before leaving the room.

    Creating a Hospitality Culture of the Future, Trend Report

    Every organization wants to out-smart the competition. The goal is to own the space, not just take up space.

    As a leader, you need to adopt creative and disruptive tactics to outmaneuver the competition, establish a culture of people first, create evangelists, not just customers, and build a foundation for tomorrow.

    Key takeaways:

    - Explore influences that are already shaping the future of hospitality
    - Learn how to spot and act upon trends to stay ahead of the curve
    - Understand who the buyers of tomorrow will be and how they differ from the past
    - Know thyself and understand who you are as a brand
    - Learn how to lead from the front instead of playing catch-up

    The Heart of Hospitality

    Transformational leaders are big thinkers. Effective thinkers act as much with their hearts as they do with their minds.

    They won't settle for just good enough. Instead, they seek to create an all-inclusive environment. One in which people are the top priority. This includes both employees and the heart of every hospitality experience, the guest.

    Key takeaways:

    - Adopt the right mindset for attracting and retaining exceptional top talent, including; front or back of the house, management, human resources, and salespersons
    - Create opportunities even in a boom economy when talented employees have lots of employment options
    - Learn how investing time and resources make better hires and build stronger teams
    - Learn the true meaning of hospitality and how it applies to the industry today, more so than at any time in recent history
    - Learn how to successfully inspire employees and create happier guests

    Packaging You into a High Performance Marketable Product

    There are two key essentials that separate top producers from average producers.

    Empathy, the ability to feel as the other person does and the need to conquer. Whether selling, negotiating or leading a team, discover new techniques and self-motivation drivers to become a high performance, marketable product and win customers for life.

    Key takeaways:

    - Learn the difference between having empathy and being sympathetic
    - How to use failure to trigger motivation toward increased efforts
    - Learn how to benefit from understanding a customer's reactions and needs
    - Learn strategies to increase your sales, negotiate better and lead a winning team
    - Investigate basic sales dynamics which allow a person to successfully sell, regardless of the product or service

    Women in Leadership

    Did you know women hold roughly 5% to 12% of top-level executive positions?

    Unfortunately, this applies to the hospitality and tourism industry too. Learn how to overcome key stumbling blocks and obstacles that prevent women from leadership positions as well as tactics for fostering a balanced lifestyle as a leader.

    Key takeaways:

    - Identify the skills necessary to confidently take on leadership roles
    - Learn from real-life case studies of women and the decisions they made that enabled them to become leaders
    - Discover where confidence comes from and how to get it when needed most
    - Learn how men and women do business differently and how to bridge the gap for a powerful working partnership
    - Explore best practices and create an action plan for a successful leadership career

    What People are Saying about Seeing Deborah Speak

    Rating Entries

    “The results are contagious!”

    – Anne Lentini, Henkel Company

    “A talented orator that has a phenomenal humorous message and delivery style.”

    – Donna Masiulewicz, Timeline Meetings & Events, LLC

    “Amazing high-content speaker with a strong message who is motivational in style and tone.”

    – Jean Caldwell, Elite Ideas

    “Thank you for that fantastic keynote presentation! You most certainly are a ‘pit bull in a skirt’ speaker that delivers what you promised. Thank you again for kicking off what turned out to be a great Educational Day.”

    – Irma Weaver, VP, Walmart Stores, Inc.

    “What great energy and understanding of our group’s needs. WOW! Deborah’s message is very clear, direct and engaging and brings people into the discussion without making anyone feel like they are spoken to but rather in the room with her for an exchange of ideas. Everyone MUST consider Deborah for their next meeting.”

    – Scott J. Cipinko, JD, AIRC, Exec. VP & COO, Consumer Credit Industry Association

    “It’s been a year since your presentation at PCMA and people are still talking about it” Thank you for making our job easy.”

    – Ann Johnson/PCMA Associate Director, Programs

    “Deborah is a fresh voice that inspires me to keep coming back to her programs! It’s amazing how fast Deborah turned around every problem I needed to solve. Her interactive presentation is like a laser of inspiration that keeps the audience involved and entertained. I would highly recommend her to any company or organization!”
    – Suzanne Ayers/Director of Events, Mastro’s City Hall Steakhouse

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    Books by Deborah Gardner:

    LIFE IN THE FAST LANE: 52 Tips for Women To Get Off The Block And GO

    As the world continues to move at high speeds, it’s hard to keep up. More and more it feels like our lives have turned into a grueling race toward a finish line we never reach. No matter how fast we go, there never seems to be enough time to accomplish our purpose in life. And, whether working in a male-dominated industry, a full time mom, a student, an entrepreneurial, a business owner or employee, you most likely want to find a way to make life in the fast lane easier. The truth is, there is no secret sauce or shiny penny that will make things easier. So, what’s a woman to do? If you don’t want a mediocre life, but instead, dream of serving what is important to you, then something needs to change. To conquer that mystery, we gathered and condensed hundreds of successful women, from all walks of life, to contribute their straight up advice. Plus, there is an added splash of my own experiences working in the corporate world to swimming competitively in the fast lane. High achievers understand that the foundation of success is about what you do now then later. And, sometimes, you just need to dive in and swim. So, what are you waiting for? Read this book, get off the block and GO!




    How to Sell to Men

    How to Sell to Men Without Wearing a Low-Cut Dress
    SEX SELLS! That’s How You Have to Compete in a Man’s World Or is it?

    As a sales woman in business today, you might find the sales process cruel and frustrating when pitching products or services to men. You do have options when pressured to do “whatever it takes” to impress them. Blunt discussions and tell-it-straight tactics in How to Sell to Men Without Wearing a Low-Cut Dress reveal how you can subtract the sexual sizzle and still advance your sales career.

    You will discover:

      • Common mistakes women make selling to male buyers
      • Tactics for selling to men that will not ever involve baring skin
      • Basic motivators men require when purchasing from a woman
      • Safe, not sexy, ways to communicate with men in sales situations
      • The essential role of confidence-do not leave home without it

    Drop the worn-out strategies and learn how to conduct business that will enhance both your self-esteem and your bank account. This book bares it all.

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