Speakers

The people who made us late for work.

More than 120 speakers — serial entrepreneurs, NY Times best-selling authors, Miss America, Grammy-nominated entertainers, WWII and Vietnam heroes, politicians, educators, scientists, first responders and extreme hikers from three continents. Virginia’s current governor spoke to our largest crowd — more than 400 people — just days after her first election win.

Camille Schrier
Camille Schrier Winning With Science
Rep. Abigail Spanberger
Rep. Abigail Spanberger Can I Still Sell Thin Mints?
Gen. Robert B. Newman, Jr.
Gen. Robert B. Newman, Jr. Broken Links: The Battlefield of the Future
Bill Leighty
Bill Leighty Capitol Secrets
Kristen Cavallo
Kristen Cavallo Global & Local Leadership
James Murphy
James Murphy Bitcoin: Ready or Not, It's Here
Greg Gilligan
Greg Gilligan A Front Row Seat to Richmond's Business
Ed McLaughlin
Ed McLaughlin Leading VCU Athletics
Shawn Brixey
Shawn Brixey Brace for Impact!
Dr. Garret Westlake
Dr. Garret Westlake Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Academics
Desiree Roots
Desiree Roots Reimagining Live Music
James “Saxsmo” Gates
James “Saxsmo” Gates Reimagining Live Music
Hon. Daniel Carey, MD
Hon. Daniel Carey, MD COVID-19: Update & Lessons Learned
Eva DeVirgilis
Eva DeVirgilis Finding Connection Through Creativity
Dr. Bob Holsworth
Dr. Bob Holsworth The Local Impact of a Global Pandemic
Probodh Chiplunkar
Probodh Chiplunkar What's Good, Bad & Really Scary About 5G
Robin Traywick Williams
Robin Traywick Williams The Country Seinfeld
Dr. Peter Aiken
Dr. Peter Aiken Data: More Important Than You Think
Janine Bell
Janine Bell Kwanzaa & the Elegba Folklore Society
Susan Rickman
Susan Rickman Healing the World's Children
Lisa Schaffner
Lisa Schaffner UNOS: A Vital Link
Hon. Brian Moran
Hon. Brian Moran Technology & Public Safety
Ted Chandler
Ted Chandler Home Grown Capital
Karen Stanley
Karen Stanley An Entrepreneurial Non-Profit
Nate Marcus
Nate Marcus Richmond's Best Experiences
George Barbee
George Barbee The Creative & Innovative Genius in All of Us
Gail Johnson
Gail Johnson Exporting Education to China
Jeff Schapiro
Jeff Schapiro Virginia: Red, Blue or Purple?
Stan Joynes & Paul Kreckman
Stan Joynes & Paul Kreckman Virginia's Grape Rush
Leonard Sandridge
Leonard Sandridge Uncovering Our Personal Past
Claire Herring
Claire Herring Exercise for Your Brain
David Gee
David Gee A Lifetime of Ventures
Dr. Sarah Scarbrough
Dr. Sarah Scarbrough Applying Street Savvy to Real Life
Bryan Bostic
Bryan Bostic Taking Another Swing at It
Bruce Matson
Bruce Matson On the Road to Find Out

Hats off

120+ encorepreneurs who shared their stories

Names link to the breakfast where they spoke, when it’s in our archive.

Entrepreneurs 34

Nonprofits 19

Entertainers 5

Adventurers 5

Government & Politics 5

American Heroes 7

Special Issues 28

Speaking at encorepreneur!

We don’t book speakers. We choose partners.

We choose speakers who are inspiring, interesting and carry a message we want to bring to our community — which is why we think of them as partners.

The audience

Usually 125–175 attendees, depending on season, venue and topic — seasoned executives, founders and community leaders. Often a sold-out, theater-style room.

The format

About 30 minutes including Q&A. We plan the morning around you; the schedule below is a guide, not a rule.

A/V & stage

We visit a new venue almost every month, so equipment varies — we match the venue to the speaker and make sure your needs are met.

A typical in-person morning

  1. Venue opens; set-up begins
  2. Mic and A/V check if needed
  3. Guests begin to arrive
  4. Networking officially begins
  5. Seating begins
  6. Program begins
  7. Speaker introduced — ½ hour including Q&A
  8. Wrap-up

Suggest a speaker

Know someone with a story our community should hear — maybe you? Tell us about them.

Suggest a speaker