Insightful. Entertaining. Actionable.
Shawn Vanderhoven doesn't do forgettable. As a keynote speaker, author of Pause, and Partner at The Wiseman Group, Shawn has spent years studying how top leaders sustain focus in the world's most demanding organizations. Whether he's in front of 20 executives or 1,000 managers, audiences leave with something rare: strategies they'll actually use on Monday morning.
What companies are saying
“We needed a presentation that was interesting, relevant, and practical. He nailed it on all three counts.”
•••
“Shawn’s session was inspiring, engaging, actionable. 10 out of 10!”
•••
“Shawn’s ability to get to the root of things made a massive impact.”
•••
“Shawn is one of the best speakers we’ve had. GREAT content; LOVED the session!”
•••
“We keep having him back because he keeps knocking it out of the park!”
•••
“He’s funny, engaging, inspiring. What else could you ask for?”
•••
Custom Built for Your Audience
We get that you’re not just filling time in a program, you’re crafting a moment that needs to land. That’s why we design the session specifically for your situation. Every story, every insight, every laugh is engineered to reinforce your message. When we co-design the session with you, we will explore:
1. What problems are we solving for?
Together we’ll pinpoint the specific obstacles your managers face—the ones they complain about in the hallways but rarely solve.
2. What priorities do we need to support?
We’ll connect every example to your current business priorities so the session feels like internal strategy, not external entertainment.
3. What new leadership practices do we want to see?
We’ll equip them with micro-behaviors they can test the following morning (but without requiring a personality transplant).
The Keynote: Lead Brilliant Work in a Busy World
60-90 Minutes
Don't just attend another forgettable leadership talk—experience a transformative session that introduces the principles of Pause to revolutionize how your team focuses on what matters most. Led by Pause author and keynote speaker Shawn Vanderhoven, this is the talk for any leader navigating an environment where the pressure to go faster and do more is pushing their team toward burnout.
What Makes the Pause Keynote Unique:
Personal stories and original research from over 150 major companies—from Amazon to Google to Tesla—to bring concepts to life
A proven framework to magnify what matters, buffer out busy, and mind the gaps hijacking your team's attention
Audiences leave entertained, recharged, and equipped with actionable exercises to increase their team's focus on top priorities by 3x
For small groups or audiences of 1,000+
Available virtually or in-person
The Workshop: Go Faster with The Pause Habit
2-4 hours
Stop hoping your team will find focus on their own—be intentional about making it happen with a Pause workshop. Spend an afternoon using design thinking to identify what's fragmenting your team's attention and how to invest more energy in the projects that promise the greatest return. Our immersive virtual and in-person workshops turn concepts into skills, giving your team a battle-tested framework to cut through the noise and do their best work.
What Makes the Pause Workshop Unique:
Design thinking exercises tailored to your team's real-world distractions
An actionable framework proven in the world's most demanding and distracting environments
Immediate application of Pause principles participants can put to work the next day
Perfect for leaders and teams of all sizes
Virtual and in-person options
FAQS
-
The keynote runs 60–90 minutes and is available both in-person and virtually. It's designed to fit naturally into a conference program, leadership summit, or company all-hands without feeling like filler.
-
Shawn speaks on leadership focus, beating burnout, cutting through busyness, and helping managers do their best work on what matters most. Every session is rooted in original research from 150+ top companies and the principles in his book, Pause.
-
Shawn has spoken for senior executives, mid-level managers, HR and L&D teams, and high-potential leadership cohorts across tech, consulting, finance, and beyond. If your audience is smart, busy, and drowning in competing priorities — this is for them.
-
Yes, and we actually insist on it. Before every engagement, Shawn works with you to understand the specific obstacles your team faces, your current business priorities, and the behaviors you want to see stick. The result feels like internal strategy, not a keynote someone dusted off from last year.
-
Hit the Book Event button on this page. Tell us your event date, audience size, and what you're trying to accomplish — and we'll take it from there.
-
$25,000+ (In-Person US)
$35,000+ (In-Person International)
$12,500+ (Virtual)