John Garrett

What's Your "And"?: Unlocking the person within the professional.

Expert on

  • Teamwork / Teambuilding
  • Corporate Culture
  • Master of Ceremonies / Emcee
  • Entertainment
  • Personal Development
  • Employees / Workforce
  • Leadership

Fee Range

$10,000–$20,000

Travels from

CO, US

Biography

John Garrett—award-winning author and people-centric leadership speaker—is on a mission to create better workplaces. What the two-time Emmy nominee may do best is champion the human side of professionals, consulting with organizations to develop more productive cultures while shining a light on their people’s rich lives outside of work. Delivering inspiring keynotes about his research and recording over 600 podcast episodes of What’s Your “And”? landed him on Accounting Today’s list of the top 100 most influential people in the profession. 

John received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, where he earned a letterman jacket as a trombone player in the marching band. He went on to pass the CPA exam and received his certified public accountant certificate while working at PwC and performing stand-up comedy as a hobby. 

Since then, he’s been on stage over 2,000 times and tracks from his debut album, Outside the Box, can be heard on several channels on SiriusXM Satellite Radio and Pandora. He’s also been on The Bob & Tom Show, featured in the New York Times, opened for Louie Anderson at resort casinos, opened for the band Train, and has been invited to perform at several comedy festivals. 

John currently lives in Colorado and enjoys watching college football and eating cookie dough ice cream—especially at the same time.  

Speaker Videos

What’s Your “And”?: A People-Centric Approach to Leadership

With his refreshing blend of corporate insight, comedic wit, and people-centric advocacy, John Garrett truly stands at the intersection of professionalism and passion, reshaping the way we perceive organizational culture while championing a new understanding of corporate leadership. Prepare to think differently about your organization’s culture, and the value of the individual within it. Drawing inspiration from his own experiences and years of research, John explores the ways organizations can prioritize employee well-being, foster open communication, and tap into the hidden talents and diverse interests of their workforce. With humor, anecdotes, and insights, he challenges traditional notions of professionalism, encouraging attendees to embrace their “Ands” – the outside-of-work passions and hobbies that make them human – and to create a work environment where everyone can thrive. His one-of-a-kind keynote invites leaders to consider the power of human connection and personal authenticity in the workplace, ultimately advocating for a more inclusive and fulfilling professional culture.   

 

EXCEPTIONAL EMCEE

Protect your investment. You’ve spent a lot of time and money planning a conference or Town Hall Meeting, so why not hire a professional to partner with you to make sure the entire event runs smoothly?

As a former CPA, John was in the audience for more conferences and meetings than he’d like to admit so he knows exactly how to help ensure your event is fun, productive, and memorable. And if you would like, he can easily incorporate a game show or keynote presentation while he is there.

What You Can Expect from John

– Peace of Mind: Perhaps the greatest benefit John provides is damage-control capabilities. If one of your speakers is late or can’t perform, he can always help to fill in the gaps of the convention with his own material so that your audience never knows there is a problem. Should a speaker run a little long, John can quickly transition to the next speaker so the overall event stays on schedule.

– Energy: John will provide much needed breaks between presenters by giving the audience plenty of comic relief to get them through the day. This is especially helpful for a day of Continuing Professional Education, where John can deliver the same comedy that has been heard regularly on SiriusXM Satellite Radio and Pandora. By researching your organization prior to the event, John is able to also incorporate plenty of customized material as well.

– Laughs: This is an often overlooked skill of a great Master of Ceremonies. In addition to the other benefits mentioned, John can liven up any series of speakers with customized introductions and witty, off the cuff humor. This helps your attendees most because research suggests that humor produces psychological and physiological benefits that help people learn