Transform tough conversations into leadership opportunities.

Strong leaders aren’t afraid of difficult conversations—they know how to use them to drive
results. In this keynote, Fotini reframes negotiation as an essential leadership skill that
unlocks trust, efficiency, and alignment. Audiences discover how to turn moments of
conflict into opportunities for connection, collaboration, strategic communication, and
influence. Drawing from decades of experience in high-stakes environments, Fotini shares
how human-centered negotiation equips leaders reduce team friction, foster trust, and
increase engagement—skills critical in times of uncertainty and change.

Takeaways:

• Reframe negotiation as business-critical leadership capability
• Lead high-stakes conversations that increase trust and alignment
• Manage resistance without sacrificing relationships or profits
• Reduce friction and improve decision-making across teams
• Strengthen team engagement and retention through clear communication

Perfect for: Leadership teams, emerging & aspiring leaders, senior executives, and change
agents

Speak with purpose. Influence with impact.

When communication falters, productivity and morale suffer. In this high-impact keynote,
Fotini gives teams the tools to speak so others listen, understand, and act. Whether they’re
managing up, leading through change, or navigating competing priorities, attendees learn
how to gain buy-in, inspire action, and handle objections with confidence. With humor and
practical insight rooted in behavioral science and business reality, she shares frameworks
for navigating power dynamics, managing resistance, and influencing without authority.
Whether you're leading a team, pitching an idea, or championing change, this talk helps you
command the conversation with confidence and accelerate performance.

Takeaways:

• Influence decisions without relying on formal authority
• Cut through confusion and resistance with clear, adaptable messaging
• Increase alignment and action across departments
• Communicate confidently during change, uncertainty, and conflict
• Improve collaboration, trust, and team performance

Perfect for: Cross-functional teams, change leaders, people managers, HR & L&D
professionals, client-facing professionals, conference audiences

Set boundaries. Build buy-in. Lead with credibility.

Whether asking for resources, delivering feedback, or standing your ground, confident
communication is a game changer. In this energizing keynote, Fotini empowers audiences
to advocate for themselves, their ideas, and their teams without apology, in a way that
earns respect and produces results. Attendees learn the mindsets and practical tools that
unlock confidence, set boundaries, and generate buy-in from even the toughest
stakeholders. With real-world examples and strategies for underrepresented voices, this
session turns confidence into a measurable business asset: better decisions, faster
alignment, and stronger retention.

Takeaways:

• Speak with confidence and credibility in challenging conversations
• Set boundaries that build—not break—relationships
• Drive buy-in without over-explaining or apologizing
• Position ideas to earn respect and support
• Increase personal impact, team credibility, and organizational inclusion

Perfect for: Employee resource groups, women's leadership events, professional
development programs

Sell with trust. Influence without pressure.

When salespeople prioritize connection over pressure, they close more business. In this
results-driven keynote, Fotini teaches how to build trust, uncover what really matters to
clients, and guide conversations toward sustainable and more profitable outcomes. Sales
teams learn to overcome objections, read the room, and adapt their message without
sounding “salesy.” Grounded in behavioral psychology and real-world results, attendees
learn to create the conditions for maximum results, accountability and follow-through for
results beyond the handshake.

A playbook for increasing conversions, shortening sales cycles, and boosting long-term
loyalty.

Takeaways:

• Close more deals and better follow-through by building trust, not pressure
• Navigate and prevent objections with credibility instead of defensiveness
• Uncover hidden opportunities through better questions and framing
• Strengthen client relationships that drive referrals and renewals

Perfect for: Sales kickoffs, client-facing professionals, procurement professionals,
entrepreneurs, and sales leadership teams

Whether you are leading a company, a team or yourself, the power of negotiation is all about communicating persuasively. Today’s workforce follows leaders who are able to persuade and inspire them to go along with their ideas based on understanding and trust. So, how can you make your voice stand out as a leader? Become more influential day-to-day, and start achieving the results you want? Expert communicator Fotini Iconomopoulos shares the principles of persuasion and negotiation, and shows audiences how to use them to become the kind of leader that people want to follow.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Understand the power of pause
• Discover more options to get the results you want
• Gain new perspectives on the like-ability equation

Negotiations happen all around us. While the idea of negotiating stresses many people out, the reality is that negotiation is just a form of communication. Contrary to popular belief, effective negotiation isn’t about arguing; it’s a discussion aimed at reaching agreement. It’s a process of discovery that requires more listening than speaking. In this eye-opening keynote, communication expert Fotini Iconomopoulos will demonstrate how we are constantly negotiating with those around us in myriad ways, and it rarely looks like a pay-per-view main event. The more comfortable you can get with the idea of negotiation as a conversation, the more opportunities you will create for the kind of life you want.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Learn how to recognize different types of negotiation opportunities
• Understand subtle ways to communicate what you want more effectively
• Find out how negotiating a variety of life situations can lead to early retirement

Negotiation is a skill that can bring significant value for everyone, yet women are far less likely to engage in the practice. With good reason. Studies and anecdotes galore tell us that women are often penalized for negotiating. In 2001, only 7% of women negotiated their first salary compared to 57% of men. Labeled aggressive instead of assertive or attracting the dreaded b-word, they fear the process for fear of retaliation. Are women terrible negotiators? No. In fact, as expert communicator and negotiator Fotini Iconomopoulos shares, the opposite is true. Women’s superior trust and empathy skills make them ideal negotiators. Often they just need to work on their confidence and employ some subtle communication strategies to get what they want — without that dreaded label. Listen to Fotini share her negotiation war stories and how she overcame gender and age discrimination to go on to be the expert that Fortune 500 executives seek out for their high stakes scenarios. You’ll leave with the motivation and confidence and the knowledge to tackle your next negotiation with ease.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Learn why women are ideal negotiators
• Gain new skills for high-stakes conversations
• Discover new motivation and confidence for negotiating successfully