Travels from San Francisco, California, USA
Jenn Lim's speaking fee falls within range: $30,000 to $50,000
One of the original pioneers of workplace happiness, Jenn Lim is cofounder of the company Delivering Happiness alongside Zappos legend Tony Hsieh. Lim has 20+ years of experience in building long-term sustainable brands via happiness as a business model. Her methods are driven by data plus her successful track record working with 350+ companies worldwide.
Lim got her start as a cultivator of workplace happiness when she was brought on as a consultant for Zappos in 2003 during its start-up days. She was the creator of the original Zappos’ Culture Book, which unintentionally became a tool of choice for companies looking to measure and improve employee happiness. Following the original edition’s publication in 2005, Lim wrote and edited annual updated copies for several years.
After Zappos and Tony became international names, Lim oversaw the marketing of Tony’s blockbuster book Delivering Happiness. She was also the major force behind getting the book translated into 17 different languages. The book’s sensational success (including 27 weeks on the New York Time’s Best-Sellers List) led to the creation of Delivering Happiness, “the world’s first culture coach|sulting™ company.”
Lim has served as the company’s CEO and CHO (chief happiness officer) since the company’s foundation. She is on a mission to create a happier world by helping leaders create happier employees. An accomplished presenter, some of her past events include keynotes at Twitter, Pixar, Stanford, UCLA, the Entrepreneurs’ Organization, NAWBO, and the American Marketing Association.
Jenn Lim is the CEO and CHO (Chief Happiness Officer) of Delivering Happiness (DH), a company she and Tony Hsieh (CEO of Zappos.com) co-founded to inspire science-based happiness, passion and purpose at work, home and in everyday life.
Jenn has been a consultant with Zappos from its start-up days in 2003 to the $2B business it is today. She created the Zappos Culture Book, an embodiment of how companies can use happiness as a business model to increase productivity and profitability.
Jenn’s experience with Zappos, combined with her development of scientific frameworks for workplace happiness, created the evidence that happier employees = happier customers = successful companies (and meaningful lives).
Jenn has traveled to over 30 countries to speak on this equation and most importantly, share the practical ways of HOW this equation works.
Upon the discovery that every organization can have similar results, DH evolved into the culture coach-sulting company it is today…to help businesses, hospitals and governments actualize their own sustainable culture for positive ROI.
She has helped over 350 organizations and has devoted her career to cultivate meaningful happiness in companies, communities, and cities around the world. In 2017, Jenn was selected to be on the Global Happiness Council of Work and Wellbeing with the charter to scale the impact she’s made in even more sustainable ways. You can find Jenn speaking at events around the globe, interviewing culture champions on the Delivering Happiness podcast, or starting spontaneous dance parties with her friends and family.
Today, Jenn is dedicated to growing DH to inspire people, companies and communities to change their world, so together, we can change the world.
Workplace happiness guru, Jenn Lim gives us a glimpse of the research-based formulas and strategies the happiest companies in the world use to maintain vibrant positive cultures. Not only are these organizations repeatedly rated among “the best companies to work for”, they’ve also outperformed the S&P 500 consistently over the past decade.
“We know that we have happier employees, happier customers, and actually a more successful and sustainable business,” Lim reports.
How then do you go about creating happier employees? While Lim says there are several lessons companies can learn, she outlines a major piece of advice in this introductory video. “Imagine if we were all being true to our weird authentic selves,” she challenges us. “Imagine if we were living our passion, purpose, and values on a regular basis, and then, imagine if we were living, prioritizing happiness first.”
Everyone can use more happiness. Jenn Lim gives you a thorough understanding of what drives workplace happiness along with actionable next steps you can take to make happiness your company’s business model. Lim’s work with over 350 companies will inspire you to examine your own organization’s happiness ROI and ways you can ignite your team with passion and purpose.
Happiness as a Business Model Making dollars and sense of why an investment in happiness will increase your productivity, profitability and sustainability as a company. Culture as a Competitive Advantage Over a decade of research shows that a culture of happiness is becoming one of the biggest competitive advantages in today’s economy. Happy employees who work with passion and purpose perform at consistently high levels, multiplying their effectiveness and raising business outcomes. Living with Passion and Purpose Jenn’s personal life lessons and discoveries through her own journey with Delivering Happiness, Zappos and her passion and purpose to inspire happier companies and communities, that together, create a happier world for all. The Story of CEO Tony Hsieh and Zappos Building an enduring brand through WOW customer service and a values-based company culture – from selling shoes to delivering happiness! Starting, Scaling and Sustaining Culture Key learnings and insights from working with over 250 companies in various stages of culture evolution, all towards creating a distinct culture of values that can be scaled and sustained for long-term growth.
SPEAKING.COM: What do you want people to learn / take away from your presentations?
LIM: That happiness as a business model can apply to your business too, whatever size or industry it falls under.
SPEAKING.COM: What kind of special prep work do you do prior to an event? How to you prepare for your speaking engagements?
LIM: I like to really understand who the audience is – whether they’re managers, entrepreneurs, or thought leaders, etc. – as well as how happiness at work could affect their day-to-day life. Also I like to add in case studies and real-life examples that speak closely to the pain points of that audience or to their industry.
SPEAKING.COM: Have you had any particularly memorable speaking engagements / unusual situations arise while on the road?
LIM: There’s so many, but two stand out in my mind. First was when I had to speak after Kyle Maynard, a quadriplegic that climbed Mt. Kili. I also have a story about climbing the same mountain in my talk…backstage I thought to myself, “Well my story is lame compared to that (hahah).”
The second time was when I had to follow Bernice King (Martin Luther King’s youngest daughter) at another event. Tears were flowing in both talks before me, but I just tried to breath and do my best. After the talks, I shared that with them both and we laughed. It was a reminder of no matter who we are and what we do in life, we can always Inspire and Be Inspired (DHs Core Value #5).
Another moment after a talk, I randomly bumped into someone in Las Vegas who told me that my message helped push him to quit his job, find a new one that he loves, and take a risk to move his family. In the end, he said it all paid off.
SPEAKING.COM: What types of audiences would most benefit from your message?
LIM: Anyone who wants to use their role at work as a way to bring more happiness to others and themselves.
SPEAKING.COM: Which of your keynote speaking topics are your favorites and why?
LIM: When I share stories of how DH has globally impacted clients and people. It becomes more universal and accessible at the same time. It’s not just another “inspirational talk” — it hits home because it’s real and it applies to them, with ways they can readily apply.
When people come chat with me afterwards whether it’s a big hug or tears in their eyes or just a “Hm…I’ll challenge that but will think about it”, that means I connected with them in some way. As human beings, we’re programmed for connection and that fuels me and fulfills my own personal purpose in life.
SPEAKING.COM: What inspired you to start doing speaking engagements?
LIM: Hah, truth be told I was never inspired to do this in my life! My dad was an amazing public speaker and I never understood how someone would opt for that. You’ve probably heard that the top fears in life include death, financials and public speaking.
But I did it because of a moment I had in a class at UC Berkeley. A stranger came up to me and said, “I like this line of your poem.” As a shy person, I realized words (written and spoken) are more powerful than we know.
Speaking is an extension of that. I can’t wait to connect with someone else with my talks, in the same way I can’t wait to hear their own story.
SPEAKING.COM: How much do case studies, personal stories and or humor factor into your keynote speech content?
LIM: They probably make up at least 80% of my content because I use storytelling as a way to engage the audience throughout my keynote. You can have compelling evidence of what you’re talking about, but connecting the heart and the head to the message is what really resonates. A few good laughs and humbling anecdotes make it relatable at any level.
SPEAKING.COM: What are some of the successes you’ve helped clients make?
LIM: We’ve helped our clients transform their cultures into living, breathing systems that have impacted not only their bottom line but their lives and the lives of their employees. Some of our clients have seen results like higher engagement, improved retention, and record sales years.
“Jenn really connected well with the audience early, used humor effectively, and utilized an AMC personal experience in her speech. Jenn’s PowerPoint presentation was terrific: highly stylized, smart, and fun.” AMC Theaters Annual Leadership Conference
“Jenn was wonderful. She was engaging and educating and really just an all-around great person. The clients were very happy.” Genentech Leadership Fall Summit
“Thank you for speaking at Toyota. I loved your presentation and messaging. You touched on so many topics that I know we can use immediately. You’ve inspired me to leave a legacy that makes a difference in my organization. You are truly an inspiration to all of us, thank you!” Janet Fujimoto, Talent Management Officer, Toyota
“I wanted to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to speak at the Patient Experience Conference at the Cleveland Clinic. You were the highest rated speaker of the event and I believe that it is a testament to your skill as a speaker, but more importantly a validation of your message!” Jim Merlino, Chief Experience Officer, Cleveland Clinic
“Jenn – You are an absolute delight. It was such a joy watching you hold that crowd spellbound. You have a beautiful story, a beautiful countenance, a beautiful mission – and we were very very grateful you shared it with us. Would be fun to think with you at some point about how to get your vision more embedded in the fabric of how care is delivered in the US…we could all use more happiness.” TEDMed, Health 2.0 Conference
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