When the stakes are high, the unknowns are threatening, and the problems seem insurmountable, you need a superhero — which means you need Ozan Varol.
—DANIEL H. PINK
New York Times bestselling author of WHEN, DRIVE, and A WHOLE NEW MIND
SPEAKING
Ozan is a literal rocket scientist turned award-winning professor, #1 bestselling author, and internationally acclaimed speaker. He is one of the world’s foremost experts in creativity, innovation, and critical thinking. Ozan helps organizations reimagine the status quo and launch ideas into orbits of their own.
Ozan has been called a “true original” by Adam Grant and dubbed a “superhero” by Dan Pink. His work has been described as “must read” by Susan Cain and featured in the Wall Street Journal, Time, BBC, CNN, Washington Post, Fast Company, and more, igniting sparks of inspiration for millions worldwide.
Audiences frequently call Varol the best speaker they’ve ever seen on stage. Varol doesn’t just speak; he ignites minds, transforming complex ideas into unforgettable “a ha!” moments. He has the rare ability to get people to drop their phones and tune in, leaving his audiences with practical insights they can implement right away to make giant leaps in work and life.
Varol’s transformative journey—from arriving in the United States alone at 17 to becoming a globally celebrated thought leader—enables him to resonate deeply with varied audiences. His unique talent for weaving together a narrative of inspiration with actionable insights makes him a sought-after voice for those aiming to redefine the boundaries of possibility. He is trusted by leading institutions like Microsoft, Accenture, lululemon, Deloitte, Salesforce, General Electric, and Google X.
His books, Awaken Your Genius and Think Like a Rocket Scientist, aren’t just global bestsellers—they’re touchstones in the world of innovative thought. The books have been translated into 25 foreign languages and received numerous accolades, including being selected as:
One of Inc.com’s “6 Business Books You Need to Read This Year (according to Bill Gates, Satya Nadella, and Adam Grant)”
One of Amazon’s Top 20 business books of the year
Adam Grant’s # 1 pick of his top 20 leadership books of the year
One of 6 Groundbreaking Books of Spring 2020 (according to Malcolm Gladwell, Susan Cain, Dan Pink, and Adam Grant).
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WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING
I felt like I was watching a live TED talk.
—MARK WHALEN
VP for Shickel Corporation
Ozan's presentation rocked the house and got rave reviews from the attendees. Many called it the 'highlight of the conference.'
—JESS McMAHON
Senior Events & Creative Producer, Avvo
Ozan is well on his way to becoming a household name. He is incredibly bright, professional, easy to work with, responsive and kind. He speaks with ease and keeps his audience intrigued and engaged. His stories are fantastic. For all he has accomplished, he’s incredibly humble. Book him. You won’t regret it.
—ANIKA HEDSTROM
I am in my 40th year in this company, with 20+ years of executive conferences, and this was one of the best guest speaker segments I experienced. (Hillary Clinton was the other "best"). Practical, relevant, topical, and applicable—your points and presentation style was spot on.
—Sharon C
Telecommunications Company
An exceptional keynote speaker—who’s also gracious, humble, and enjoyable to work with. Speaking at our Annual Meeting, he delivered an insightful message that resonated with the civic, political, and business leadership of our community. A former Mayor referred to him as “the most on-point speaker we’ve had in 30 years.”
—Katie Douglass
Executive Vice President of Marketing, Fort Worth Chamber
I've seen countless keynote speakers in action. Ozan was among the top 3 speakers I've ever encountered in my life. His keynote — full of relatable and engaging anecdotes — gave me practical tools I could implement right away to make a meaningful difference in my professional life as CEO.
—Katherine Cohen
PhD, Founder & CEO, IvyWise
Ozan was a runaway hit at our annual conference. Many attendees called him "the best keynote speaker" they had ever seen. His book, Think Like a Rocket Scientist, is one of my favorite business reads, and it was made even better by hearing Ozan personally speak about reimagining the status quo. A rising "star" himself, Ozan Varol is the real deal - so book him!
—Heather Hoerle
CEO, The Enrollment Management Association
Ozan's speech to our team was insightful, thought-provoking, and most importantly, actionable. Each member of our team walked away energized to tackle challenges using different methods—and have already started to see meaningful results from doing so. If you want to help your team open their minds to new possibilities—and not only dream about moonshots but also find ways to successfully land them—Ozan will deliver above expectations.
—Kristen Sieffert
President, Finance of America Reverse
Ozan spoke at our internal company kick-off events and was a revelation for many in the audience. His talk was inspirational, thought-provoking, and energizing. Ozan’s talk resonated with our employees so well that people continually referenced Ozan and “moonshots” for not only days but weeks afterwards! Highly recommend him a speaker.
—Kevin Mullins
Vice President of Global Communications, Workhuman
SPEAKING TOPICS
select a topic to explore:
Moonshot Thinking: From Status Quo to Breakthrough
The biggest risk facing your organization isn't disruption, competition, or uncertainty. It's what's happening on the inside—the gap between ambition and execution, where the best ideas, the best people, and the biggest opportunities quietly disappear.
Ozan Varol—bestselling author of Think Like a Rocket Scientist (called "dazzling" by Adam Grant)—has spent years studying what separates the organizations that lead from the ones that get left behind. In this keynote, he shares his moonshot thinking system: a practical framework for generating bold ideas and turning them into action, especially when certainty is low and stakes are high.
Your audience will learn why the most expensive decision is the one you're not making, how invisible assumptions and cultural friction silently kill ambition, how the best organizations use uncertainty as the fuel that propels them forward, and how to build a leadership mindset that moves—without waiting for a guarantee.
Moonshot Thinking Keynote
Let Go: The End Is Where You Begin
Everyone talks about what it takes to build something great. Nobody talks about what it takes to walk away from it.
The leader who can't let go of the strategy that made them successful five years ago. The team still running a playbook that stopped working two quarters ago. The organization that keeps pouring resources into something it's outgrown because shutting it down feels like admitting failure.
Letting go isn't giving up. It's making room.
Ozan Varol has built his life around this principle—walking away from rocket science, from law, from a tenured professorship—each time letting go of what was working to build what was next. In this keynote, drawn from his forthcoming book Let Go, Ozan shares why endings aren't the opposite of progress—they're the prerequisite for it.
Your audience will learn why the biggest obstacle to what's next is usually what's now, how to build a culture where letting go is treated as leadership, not failure, how to navigate the identity crisis that comes with every meaningful transition, and why the most transformational leaders aren't the ones who hold on the longest—they're the ones brave enough to begin again.
Let Go Keynote
Awaken Your Genius: Escape Conformity, Unleash Original Thinking
Most organizations invest in teaching people how to do their jobs better. Very few help people discover what makes them extraordinary in the first place.
We've built workplaces that reward conformity—copying best practices, following the playbook, fitting in. And it works, until it doesn't. Because the moment everyone is thinking the same way, no one is really thinking at all.
Ozan Varol—Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Awaken Your Genius—has spent years studying what separates people who do remarkable work from those who simply do the work. The difference isn't talent or effort. It's the willingness to stop borrowing from everyone else and start building from something original inside themselves.
In this keynote, Ozan shares practical strategies for helping individuals tap into their unique creative intelligence—the thing no competitor can replicate and no AI can replace.
Your audience will learn how to discover their unique edge—the qualities that put them in a league of their own, why the biggest barrier to original thinking isn't a lack of ideas but a habit of self-censorship, and why the organizations that unlock individual genius attract and retain the best people.
Awaken Your Genius Keynote
