The #1 Leadership Expert and Best Selling Author

John C. Maxwell is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, speaker, coach, and leadership expert whose work has transformed millions. He has sold over 34 million books, published in more than 50 languages, and authored over 70 titles, including The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership and The 5 Levels of Leadership. His books are regarded as essential resources for personal growth and leadership development.

He is the founder of Maxwell Leadership®, which encompasses The John Maxwell Company, The John Maxwell Team, EQUIP, and the John Maxwell Leadership Foundation. Through these organizations, Maxwell has trained tens of millions of leaders across the globe. He has been recognized as the #1 leadership expert by the American Management Association and named the “most influential leadership expert” by Inc. and Business Insider.

John’s influence extends to Fortune 500 CEOs, government officials, nonprofit leaders, entrepreneurs, and emerging leaders worldwide. With over five decades of experience, he has built one of the most comprehensive leadership development platforms, with more than 6 million certified leaders trained through his programs.

His bestselling books, including Developing the Leader Within You, The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, and Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn, have made a profound impact on leaders and organizations at all levels. These books are celebrated for offering practical advice on leadership, self-awareness, and personal growth.

John continues to speak at events around the world, hosts the annual Live2Lead conference, and leads initiatives that promote leadership across various sectors. He believes that leadership is about influence, not titles or positions, and is focused on making a positive, lasting impact on others.

Recognized globally for his practical and inspirational style, John C. Maxwell remains one of the most trusted voices in leadership today. His work continues to inspire leaders to grow, serve, and make meaningful contributions to their communities and organizations

Kelly Merbler will be your host for Live2Lead South Florida 2025, bringing her signature energy, insight, and authenticity to guide you through a powerful day of leadership, connection, and inspiration.

With over 20 years of hands-on leadership experience as a senior executive in the staffing industry, Kelly knows what it’s like to lead large teams, navigate tough conversations, and keep people engaged in fast-paced, high-pressure environments. She’s been in the trenches—and now she helps leaders rise above them.

Kelly is an award-winning speaker, executive coach, and Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach who specializes in employee engagement, culture transformation, and leadership development. She’s also the founder of Coffee with Kelly, a global leadership community built on connection, conversation, and caffeine.

Speaking of caffeine… She's proudly addicted to coffee, so trust her—there will be great coffee in the room. And don’t be surprised if you meet her two boys, Evan and Cole, who often work the Kelly Merbler Company booth and bring their own spark to the event.

Known for her heartfelt storytelling, contagious energy, and practical strategies, Kelly doesn’t just inspire—she equips. Whether on stage or in a coaching session, she creates breakthrough moments that help people lead with courage, connect with purpose, and create teams that thrive.

A Top 50 Business Thinker in the World

Tiffani Bova is a two-time Wall Street Journal bestselling author and one of today’s most sought-after thought leaders on business growth, innovation, and customer experience. She has spent over two decades guiding Fortune 500 companies and high-growth startups through the complex challenges of driving top-line results while keeping customers and employees at the center.

Most recently, she served as the Global Growth & Innovation Evangelist at Salesforce, helping shape success for one of the world’s largest tech ecosystems. Prior to that, she was a Distinguished Analyst and Research Fellow at Gartner, advising companies like Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, Cisco, and HP—work that earned her Gartner’s prestigious Thought Leadership Award.

Tiffani has been named to the Thinkers50 list of top management thinkers three times and recognized as a Top 50 Marketing Thought Leader. Her insights have appeared in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Fast Company, and MIT Sloan Management Review. In 2023, the San Francisco Examiner listed her among the Ten Most Sought After Brand Evangelists, and Forbes praised her for reshaping how we think about growth.

Tiffani hosts the award-winning podcast What’s Next!, where she’s interviewed thought leaders like Arianna Huffington, Seth Godin, Guy Kawasaki, and Daniel Pink. Her books, Growth IQ and The Experience Mindset, have become go-to guides for executives looking to lead with both strategy and heart.

She has delivered more than 1,000 keynote presentations across six continents, energizing rooms and offering real-world strategies that leaders can act on immediately. Tiffani is also a regular guest lecturer at Columbia, Wharton, and USC.

In her keynote at Live2Lead, you can expect actionable insights on how employee experience (EX) impacts customer experience (CX), implementing people-centered growth strategies, and leveraging technology and data to future-proof business operations.

Tiffani will explore how organizations can achieve sustainable growth by harmonizing employee and customer experiences. Drawing from her book The Experience Mindset, she will address the tension between internal employee satisfaction and external customer service excellence.

Former NFL Player, American Ninja Warrior, Identity Shift Coach

Anthony Trucks is a former foster child, NFL football player, competitor on American Ninja Warrior, author, and Identity Shift Coach. From foster care to the NFL and successful business ownership, Anthony has accomplished what statistics would say is impossible.

At the age of three, Anthony was placed into the foster care system where he remained until age 14, when he was adopted by a poor, all-white family. In high school, he set the goal of making the varsity football team. Through hard work and determination, he not only made the team but was offered a full-ride scholarship to the University of Oregon and eventually went pro in the NFL.

A fluke shoulder injury ended his NFL career as quickly as it began. Drawing on lessons from his childhood, Anthony realized that to succeed, he would need to pivot.

With a degree in kinesiology, Anthony opened his own gym, but soon found himself struggling both personally and professionally. A conversation with a friend reminded him that others saw him as an inspiration because, despite the odds, he always overcame. It was then that Anthony realized the gap between his current situation and his goals wasn’t about methods or strategies—it was about the internal shift he needed to make.

Anthony spent years rewiring his brain on a deep psychological level, learning the work required to become the person he wanted to be. Over time, he became a “shift-making machine.” Now, as the founder of “Dark Work” and creator of the “Dark Work Experience,” Anthony teaches others how to access their inner power, tap into their full potential, and Make Shift Happen!

Anthony Trucks will deliver a keynote centered on his transformative concept of the “Dark Work Experience.” He will explore how embracing unseen, intentional efforts can lead to peak performance. In his keynote, you’ll learn how to unlock your full potential by understanding the “dark work” behind true success, navigating identity shifts, and accessing the power of identity to tap into your full potential through dark work.

Owner of the Savannah Bananas, Creator of Banana Ball

Jesse Cole, also known as “the guy in the yellow tuxedo,” is the founder of Fans First Entertainment and the owner of the world-famous Savannah Bananas, as well as the Party Animals, Firefighters, and Texas Tailgaters. With the mantra “Fans First. Entertain Always,” the Bananas are on a mission to Make Baseball Fun by creating the Greatest Show in Sports.

The team has sold out every game since their inaugural season in Savannah and has since grown a ticket waitlist of more than 3 million fans from around the world. With over 20 million social media followers and features on major outlets like The Today Show, CBS Sunday Morning, HBO Real Sports, and Access Hollywood — alongside Bananaland, a five-part ESPN+ documentary — the Bananas’ momentum shows no signs of slowing.

Jesse is the proud inventor of Banana Ball — the fastest and most entertaining version of baseball — with game-changing rules like a two-hour time limit, no walks, no bunting, and if a fan catches a foul ball, it’s an out. He’s also the not-so-proud promoter of the Grandma Beauty Pageant, the Human Horse Race, the Living Pinata, and Flatulence Fun Night.

In addition to Banana Ball, Jesse has built a movement around fan-centric innovation as the best-selling author of Fans First and Find Your Yellow Tux, and as a sought-after keynote speaker for global brands and organizations.

At Live2Lead, Jesse will deliver a keynote focused on creating unforgettable customer experiences and building raving fans through bold innovation and relentless entertainment. You can expect to learn how to design a customer journey that transforms casual buyers into loyal advocates, infuse fun and creativity into everyday business practices, build a culture that prioritizes people over products, and leverage storytelling and surprise to drive word-of-mouth growth.

Most of all, Jesse is a raving fan of his wife, Emily, his three kids, and peerless promoters like Walt Disney and P.T. Barnum.

Founder of Life.Church, Bestselling Author, and Leadership Podcast Host

Craig Groeschel is the founding and senior pastor of Life.Church, an innovative multi-site church and creators of the free YouVersion Family of Bible Apps. He’s a New York Times bestselling author and has written 20 books, including his most recent, The Benefit of Doubt: How Confronting Your Deepest Questions Can Lead to a Richer Faith (February 2025). Through the top-ranking Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast, he prompts innovative thinking in leaders at every level within a diverse spectrum of organizations. Under his leadership, Life.Church is also a three-time recipient of the Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award, which is based on employee-submitted data and recognizes the most engaged workplace cultures in the world. Craig and his wife, Amy, live in Oklahoma and have six married children and seven grandchildren.  

We are always excited and honored to have YOU here with us as our honored guest.