Chicago's Trusted Motivational Speaker for Financial Services, Professional Services and Association Events
Specifically, delivering results driven keynotes for Chicago area organizations at properties including the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, The Westin Chicago North Shore, and Loews Chicago Hotel. Overall, over 2,000 keynotes delivered worldwide.
Why Chicago Organizations Book a Motivational Speaker With Proven Local Results
As a Chicago motivational speaker, Dr. Rick Goodman works with some of the country's most demanding professional services and financial services conferences. Specifically, when meeting planners here need a motivational speaker who delivers beyond the stage, they call him.
Notably, Dr. Rick Goodman holds the Certified Speaking Professional designation and has been recognized as a Top 30 Global Leadership Guru multiple consecutive years. In addition, he has delivered over 2,000 keynotes across all 50 states and 32 countries.
Chicago organizations rely on Rick because he does not just inspire an audience. Instead, he gives them tools they use the week after the event. For example, when CICPAC, a national accounting and consulting association, brought Rick in to keynote their 34th Annual Conference at the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, attendee Kathleen Baldwin called the experience outstanding from start to finish, noting that Rick took the time to understand the audience and goals in a way that came through clearly in a customized, highly relevant presentation.
Similarly, Rick has delivered a keynote for Mowery and Schoenfeld's Leadership Summit at The Westin Chicago North Shore in Wheeling. There, Thomas R. Keenan, Assurance Services Partner at Mowery and Schoenfeld, confirmed the event was a great success with very positive feedback from attendees. In addition, Rick led a workshop for Quest Diagnostics at the Loews Chicago Hotel, where Matt Hamlin, VP and GM of the Midwest Region, said the workshops far exceeded expectations based on attendee response cards.
Furthermore, Rick has been recognized by Global Gurus as a Top 30 Leadership Expert worldwide, placing him among the most respected motivational speakers on the international stage.
Chicago Audiences Have Seen Every Kind of Leadership Speaker. They Know the Difference.
Chicago's conference circuit draws experienced, professional audiences. Consequently, attendees can tell within the first five minutes whether a speaker did the pre-event work or showed up with a recycled program dressed up in new slides.
That is why Dr. Rick Goodman conducts a discovery call before every engagement. First, he researches your industry. Then, he learns your organization's current challenges, and finally customizes language, stories, and content specifically to your audience. Kathleen Baldwin described this directly, saying Rick was fully engaged and genuinely interested in understanding the audience and goals through several planning calls, and even volunteered to record a personalized promo video that boosted registrations ahead of the event.
Keynote Programs Available for Chicago Events
The Solutions Oriented Leader®
Specifically, this program is built for organizations where reactive leadership, blame culture, and communication breakdowns are costing performance. As a result, leaders leave with a practical framework for building accountability, clarity, and measurable results.
Learn MoreLiving a Championship Life
A high-energy keynote built around the mindset, habits, and leadership principles that separate good teams from great ones. In fact, it is the go-to choice for Chicago annual conferences and leadership summits that need a powerful opening or closing keynote.
Learn MoreThe Hidden ROI of Belonging
A data-driven keynote on how belonging and psychological safety directly impact retention, engagement, and organizational performance. Specifically, it is ideal for Chicago HR conferences and people-focused leadership events.
Learn MoreThe Adaptability Zone®
Ultimately, this covers how leaders and organizations thrive through disruption and rapid change. Above all, it is built for Chicago industries navigating transformation and teams that need to stay agile without losing strategic alignment.
Learn MoreWhere Chicago's Motivational Speaker Events Happen: Premier Conference Properties
Overall, Dr. Rick Goodman has delivered keynotes at the venues where Chicago organizations gather for their most important annual events.
InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile
Chicago, IL
The Westin Chicago North Shore
Wheeling, IL
Loews Chicago Hotel
Chicago, IL
Who Books Dr. Rick Goodman for Chicago Events
Financial Services and Accounting Firms
For example, national conferences for accounting and consulting associations, where leadership and communication skills directly impact client relationships and firm growth.
Professional Services Firms
Because of this, Chicago's dense concentration of professional services firms needs leaders who can build accountability and culture across distributed teams and client engagements.
National and Regional Associations
Above all, association executives planning Chicago conferences need a speaker who delivers practical takeaways that justify member attendance, not just a feel-good hour on stage.
Corporate Leadership Summits
In particular, companies hosting annual leadership summits and strategic planning events at Chicago's downtown hotel and conference properties.
Results That Speak for Themselves
"Working with Dr. Rick Goodman was an outstanding experience from start to finish. He was responsive, professional, and collaborative throughout the planning process, making everything seamless. Rick took the time to understand our audience and goals, which really came through in his customized and highly relevant presentation. His energy, authenticity, and professionalism made him a standout not only on stage but behind the scenes as well."
CICPAC, 34th Annual Conference
"Dr. Rick Goodman was a phenomenal keynote speaker for our event. His presentation on leadership was insightful, engaging, and highly relevant. He was a pleasure to work with throughout the planning process and connected exceptionally well with our audience. Our attendees gave Dr. Rick's presentation the highest rating on our session evaluations."
CICPAC, 34th Annual Conference
"Excellent topics to relate with clients and coworkers. Help with setting goals, building connections, and communicating better and more effectively."
Blue and Co., LLC, CICPAC 34th Annual Conference
"I received your voicemail messages regarding our summit last week. I would say that the event was a great success, and all the feedback that I received was very positive."
Assurance Services Partner, Mowery and Schoenfeld
"His workshops far exceeded our expectations as proved by our attendee response cards. He knocked it out of the park!"
VP and GM, Midwest Region, Quest Diagnostics
Conference Keynote
Generally, this runs 45 to 90 minutes, fully customized to your audience, industry, and event theme. Additionally, it is available as either an opening or closing keynote for any size Chicago event.
Leadership Workshop
Typically, this runs as a half-day or full-day format. As a result, participants leave with a concrete action plan they can implement within 30 days of returning to work.
Executive Retreat
Specifically, this multi-session format is built for C-suite and senior leadership teams, combining keynote content with facilitated strategy work.
Ready to Book a Chicago Motivational Speaker for Your Next Event?
Above all, Dr. Rick Goodman is available for financial services, professional services, and association events in Chicago. Therefore, check availability now or download the speaker one-sheet.
Call 954-218-5325 | rick@rickgoodman.com
Booking a Chicago Motivational Speaker
Have a question that is not covered here? Simply call 954-218-5325 or email rick@rickgoodman.com, and Dr. Rick Goodman's team will get back to you directly.
Yes. Specifically, Dr. Rick Goodman has delivered keynotes and workshops for organizations in the Chicago area, including CICPAC's 34th Annual Conference at the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, the Mowery and Schoenfeld Leadership Summit at The Westin Chicago North Shore, and a Quest Diagnostics workshop at the Loews Chicago Hotel.
Overall, fees vary based on the level of customization, travel requirements, and program format. Therefore, reach out to his team directly with your event details and they will put together a quote that fits your budget.
Typically, organizations lock in a date three to six months ahead of their event, and some secure Rick up to a year in advance for a preferred slot. However, if your timeline is shorter, his team will work with you to see what is possible.
First, every engagement starts with a discovery call so Dr. Rick Goodman can learn your industry, the specific challenges your organization is facing, and what you want attendees to walk away with. As a result, the stories, language, and examples in the presentation are built around that conversation rather than pulled from a stock deck.
Yes, and in addition to a standard 45 to 90 minute conference keynote, he offers half-day and full-day leadership workshops and multi-session executive retreats designed for C-suite and senior leadership teams.
Yes, virtual and hybrid formats are available. That said, most clients still prefer a live, in-person keynote when their event allows for it, since the energy in the room is difficult to fully replicate on a screen.
Specifically, The Solutions Oriented Leader and Living a Championship Life are his two most requested programs, followed by The Hidden ROI of Belonging and The Adaptability Zone. Together, they cover leadership accountability, team culture, workplace belonging, and navigating change.