1. Home
  2. Our Speakers
  3. Steve Rizzo

Steve Rizzo

  • The Attitude Adjuster
  • Authority on Personal Growth Strategies
  • Showtime Comedy All-Star
  • Comedian

Add to my speaker list

A personal development expert, comedian, Speakers Hall of Fame motivational speaker, and author, Steve Rizzo is the Attitude Adjuster. After being saddled with the dubious high school honor of "Least Likely to Succeed," Steve Rizzo was able to do what many people dream of—proving them all wrong. Now he helps his audiences around the world do the same thing. He is the author of the bestselling book, Get Your SHIFT Together and is often called upon as the “go-to” guy on the topic of personal development for many network, cable and radio media outlets. His immensely popular PBS special revealed why he’s an expert on attitude, humor and the power of positive thinking.

Steve left his promising career as a headline comedian where he shared the stage with Jerry Seinfeld, Rodney Dangerfield and Ellen DeGeneres, to become a professional speaker who teaches people how to be happy and successful no matter what their circumstances are.

 

Steve Rizzo headshot
Steve Rizzo photo 3
Steve Rizzo photo 2
Past Hosts Include:
  • Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association
  • Re/Max
  • Marriott
  • Institute of Real Estate Management
  • Fleet Enterprises
  • State Farm
  • American Express
  • SunTrust Mortgage, Inc
  • Lincoln Financial
  • Coldwell Banker
Rave Reviews About Steve Rizzo
“
The world has many motivational speakers who make us feel better for a little while, but few who offer a simple and easy tool that can truly improve people’s quality of life. Thanks for being among that small number who make a difference.

”
More rave reviews

"For the remainder of the conference, everyone talked about Steve Rizzo."

-Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association

"Your presentation was absolutely thought provoking. Steve you truly helped to make this event something that everyone will fondly remember."

-Re/Max

"You brought the crowd back from the dead and you had them screaming for more. Your humor was hilarious and you message hit home."

-Marriott

"Your combination of humor and “common sense success strategies” left everyone feeling optimistic about the challenges they face every day."

-Institute of Real Estate Management

"Steve Rizzo delivered what he promised when we hired him, i.e., to be the best keynote speaker we’ve ever had!"

-Fleet Enterprises

"Your performance was greater than anything we could have anticipated. Your delivery provided a very strong message in a thought provoking and stimulating manner."

-State Farm

"You knocked it out of the park! Your Success Strategies and Humor resonated with the young, old and in between!"

-American Express

"WOW! Salespeople are a tough crowd and you absolutely nailed it! I can’t thank you enough for the purpose and passion you brought to the conference. You have a talent for drawing in a crowd and reminding them what business and life are all about! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

-SunTrust Mortgage, Inc

"You are by far one of the top inspirational speakers I have heard over the past 10 years."

-Lincoln Financial

"You Knocked it out of the Park! Your Success Strategies and Humor resonated with the Young, Old and In-between!"

-American Express

"Our client said Steve Rizzo was a major home run - and they are not easily impressed. He was hilarious, engaging, great to work with and, most importantly, was on target with our client’s message and objectives for this audience. It was clear that he really listened to our input and created a completely custom presentation for us. They will definitely consider him for general sessions in the future, either at this meeting or at one of the many others they have throughout the year. Thank you!"

-Lisa Stevens, Managing Partner August Jackson

"What are we working on? I know we had to move some stuff around. I said, yeah, you got to get Steven Rizzo's stuff Friday under control so we had to move the Pope and the President of the United States and I had a ten-million dollar donor I had to tell him sit outside and wait for god's sake Steve Rizzo is on the line. Well, priorities are priorities, Nido. That's right!"

-Nido Qubein, President, High Point University

"Well still today - I mean two years later - probably a month or two doesn't go by where somebody doesn't make some reference to when you appeared for us up there are the Ritz Carlton you know just making a comment about the humor being or some of those things so I mean you made a lasting impression on people and we will, in this organization we are going to have you back at some point in time in this organization."

-Mike Kruse, Vice President, Heidtman Steel Products

"You're one of my heroes and I tell you this too on a personal note, your brother remains one of my heroes. Wow. I cannot listen to that story without choking up and this is three or four years later. Wow. One of the most impassable stories I've ever heard and you tell it so well. Wow. I've never met the man but obviously you're related by blood, you guys are my heroes as well. Thank you for saying that but you know I have to tell you I really don't have a brother, I made that whole story up. I thank you so much, he is the biggest inspiration of my life. It's just such a great story and I mean I wish I... and I'm so glad you take it places because it needs to be bottled up, people need to have that image of that finger raising up from the hospital bed because that itself is life, that is... You're right, you're right - he epitomizes the power of choice, the power of thoughts, the power of attitude, the power of humor, how all these things can help you to overcome the most the most extreme adverse times in your life. And if anybody has not read that story or heard you tell it they owe it to themselves to make sure that they do as soon as possible."

-Joe Fusco, Vice President, Casella Waste Systems

"Your speech was not only outstanding but it captured everyone's interest from the inception of the presentation right through to the end. You were funny, you brought some actual true-life points that were, that you experienced in your own personal life to a reality. And you just had the audience captivated from inception to completion of that presentation. So, out of all the events that I have put together on behalf of the Hartford For This Association, that evening in September based on your presentation was the most successful that we've ever had. So, my hat goes off to you for an outstanding presentation and your book is outstanding, I've read it and you were just you were right on and you captured everyones interest from the beginning to the end and I'm still getting rave reviews from some of our clients that that was the most enjoyable evening that they've attended on behalf of The Hartford, so thank you."

-Wayne Carpenter, Director of Client Relationships, Hartford Life Insurance
Collapse rave reviews

Steve Rizzo Speaker Demo [10:38] - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with Steve Rizzo
Expand all >

MOTIVATE THIS! How to Start Each Day with an UNSTOPPABLE ATTITUDE TO SUCCEED Regardless of Your Circumstances

The word THIS in the title refers to you. How motivated are you on any given day? One of the biggest challenges we face today in business and in life is staying optimistic and motivated to be at our best for more than just a few days. This one-of-a-kind presentation introduces common sense success s ...

The word THIS in the title refers to you. How motivated are you on any given day? One of the biggest challenges we face today in business and in life is staying optimistic and motivated to be at our best for more than just a few days. This one-of-a-kind presentation introduces common sense success strategies that will lead to Increased Productivity, Greater Enthusiasm and New Levels of Success. We go through the course of our lives and allow circumstances, events, situations and people to suck the energy right out of us. With the right strategies, all of us have the ability to bounce back, take control and forge ahead. This presentation is filled with Steve Rizzo’s distinctive brand of humor, insightful stories and mind-altering strategies that can elevate your overall degree of motivation, regardless of your circumstances. It’s an indispensable tool for maximizing your personal and professional success and happiness.

Key Takeaways:
You Will Learn…

  • The key to leaving a bad attitude at home
  • The significance of finding IT and fixing IT
  • The spark that ignites passion and enthusiasm
  • The fuel that drives motivation
  • The importance of developing a set of “feel good” habits

MOTIVATE THIS! (For Sales and Sales Management)

The biggest challenge people in sales face today is staying optimistic and motivated to be at their best for more than just a few days. “Nothing keeps salespeople from being productive and achieving their sales goals more than harboring negative feelings or having a bad attitude during the process.” ...

The biggest challenge people in sales face today is staying optimistic and motivated to be at their best for more than just a few days.

“Nothing keeps salespeople from being productive and achieving their sales goals more than harboring negative feelings or having a bad attitude during the process.” – Steve Rizzo

Studies have shown that our brain has a negative bias. We tend to fixate on what isn’t working in life rather than focusing on the positive factors. Motivate THIS! is a guide to shifting your sales team’s thought process so they are programmed for success – regardless of their circumstances. It provides them with a foundation to stand on when the nuts and bolts fail and the ratio of “Nos” outweighs the “Yeses.”

Steve’s Common Sense Success Strategies will enable your sales team to transform their perspective so they can view challenges and setbacks through a more positive lens.

 

STEVE WILL SHOW YOUR GROUP HOW TO…

SHIFT their way of thinking to get the results they want.

Train themselves to feel good, be resilient and stay motivated throughout the day. Every day!

Develop skills that will eliminate the Curse of Negative Self-Talk.

Improve their focus and commitment to achieving their sales goals.

Enjoy the journey toward their goals.

GET YOUR SHIFT TOGETHER! How to Think, Laugh and Enjoy Your Way to Success in Business and in Life

This entertaining and content-rich program reveals the secrets of how to SHIFT your focus and way of thinking to create permanent change and a lasting positive attitude. Only the optimistic persevere, and Steve delivers the strategies necessary for tapping into the positive reserves that enable us n ...

This entertaining and content-rich program reveals the secrets of how to SHIFT your focus and way of thinking to create permanent change and a lasting positive attitude. Only the optimistic persevere, and Steve delivers the strategies necessary for tapping into the positive reserves that enable us not only to achieve our goals, but to enjoy the journey of life, both personally and professionally. Learn why Steve is affectionately known as the “Attitude Adjuster.”

 

In GET YOUR SHIFT TOGETHER, Steve will show your group how to…

· SHIFT their way of thinking to get the results they want.

· Maintain emotional stability and eliminate stress.

· Enjoy themselves during the process of achieving their goals.

· Create lifelong habits for success and happiness in business and in life.

· Unleash the Power of their Humor Being on a daily basis.

DON’T JUST ACCEPT CHANGE, EMBRACE IT!

Many people have a difficult time with it, but in its inevitable process are the seeds of great growth. You just have to stop resisting long enough to plant them. Steve will show your group how to embrace one of the biggest challenges in both the workplace and in our personal lives…CHANGE. Discover ...

Many people have a difficult time with it, but in its inevitable process are the seeds of great growth. You just have to stop resisting long enough to plant them. Steve will show your group how to embrace one of the biggest challenges in both the workplace and in our personal lives…CHANGE. Discover the essential steps to surmounting change and achieving the success that lies on the other side.

 

In DON’T JUST ACCEPT CHANGE, EMBRACE IT!, you will learn the secrets of…

● Being optimistic and eliminating negative self-talk.

● Enjoying yourself during the process of change.

● Overcoming the stress and fear associated with change.

● Using your “Humor Being” as a strategy to grow with change.

● Shifting your attitude to get the results you want.

LEADERSHIP SECRETS

True leaders inspire, motivate and lead the charge to success boldly, regardless of their circumstances. In this lively, engaging program, Steve shares inspiring stories of extraordinary people and the intangible secrets that define them as true leaders. This program is based on Steve’s exclusive in ...

True leaders inspire, motivate and lead the charge to success boldly, regardless of their circumstances. In this lively, engaging program, Steve shares inspiring stories of extraordinary people and the intangible secrets that define them as true leaders. This program is based on Steve’s exclusive interviews with C-level executives, industry leaders and everyday achievers. Laugh along with Steve while you learn how to lead so others will follow you anywhere.

 

In RIZZO’S LEADERSHIP SECRETS, you will learn the secrets of…

● Extraordinary leaders that inspire, intrigue and exhilarate.

● How to start each day with an unstoppable attitude to succeed.

● Winning ways of thinking that change obstacles into opportunities.

● Seeing the brighter alternative to a potentially negative situation.

● What true leaders know that 99% of ordinary people don’t.

TAKE THIS JOB & LOVE IT!

– For Education Groups – After being told by a guidance counselor that he didn’t have the intelligence to make it through college and then being saddled with the dubious high school honor of “Least Likely to Succeed,” Steve Rizzo didn’t give himself much of a chance to emerge as anything special, mu ...

– For Education Groups –

After being told by a guidance counselor that he didn’t have the intelligence to make it through college and then being saddled with the dubious high school honor of “Least Likely to Succeed,” Steve Rizzo didn’t give himself much of a chance to emerge as anything special, much less an honors college graduate, a teacher, a counselor for students with behavioral problems, a national headline comedian, an author and a Hall of Fame Speaker.

Steve teaches educators how to acquire the attitude they need to achieve their goals in and out of the classroom while actually enjoying the process! “Enjoyment is the spark that ignites passion and enthusiasm,” Steve says. “Teaching without passion and enthusiasm is merely going through the motions. Passion and enthusiasm give you the strength to go the extra mile that could make a difference in a young person’s life.”

Let Steve show your group how to perform and deliver far beyond their expectations, individually and as a team.

 

YOUR GROUP WILL LEARN HOW TO…

● Start each day with an unstoppable attitude to succeed.

● Have fun and enjoy the process.

● Create new ways of thinking that will turn obstacles into opportunities.

● Shift their focus to see a brighter alternative to a negative situation.

Facebook  LinkedIn  X  YouTube 
(-)
Books by Steve Rizzo
Motivate This!

Motivate This!

Get Your SHIFT Together: How to Think, Laugh, and Enjoy Your Way to Success in Business and in Life

Get Your SHIFT Together: How to Think, Laugh, and Enjoy Your Way to Success in Business and in Life

Becoming A Humor Being: The Power To Choose A Better Way

Becoming A Humor Being: The Power To Choose A Better Way

(-)
Biography

Whether you need to motivate your sales & service team, improve employee morale, instill strong leadership skills, deal with stress, or embrace change- then Steve Rizzo’s “Common Sense Success Strategies” will take your audience to the next level. As one of his clients said, “Never has my group learned so much and laughed so hard in one sitting!”

Once upon a time, Steve Rizzo was told by a guidance counselor that he didn’t have the intelligence for college. A few years later he was saddled with the dubious high school honor of being voted “Least Likely to Succeed.”

Steve went on to surprise everyone, including himself, by excelling with honors at the university and postgraduate levels. Eventually, Steve even taught English at his old high school and was a counselor for students with behavioral problems, proving once and for all that guidance counselors are not fortune-tellers.

Steve would go on to stellar success as a national headline comedian, and starred in his very own Showtime comedy special, earning him honors as a Showtime Comedy All-Star.

But the surprises didn’t stop there.

At the pinnacle his stand-up career, Steve walked away from comedy to pursue his true purpose and passion—to show people how to shift their focus and way of thinking, to discover more joy and enthusiasm, increased productivity and greater levels of success.

Steve offers more than the usual nuts and bolts on how to succeed. He stresses the importance of enjoying yourself during the process of achieving your goals and building a solid foundation to stand on when all else fails because he absolutely knows that no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, attitude is everything.

When Steve Rizzo shares his blueprint for success with Fortune 500 companies and associations across the globe, he delivers a powerful message for living an extraordinary life, because he lives the “Common Sense Success Strategies” that has made him a member of prestigious Speakers Hall of Fame—an honor bestowed on fewer than 300 speakers worldwide since 1977.

Steve is the author of the bestselling books Motivate THIS! and Get Your SHIFT Together. He is also a regular contributor for SUCCESS magazine and often called upon as the “go-to” guy on the topic of personal and professional development for many network, cable and radio media outlets.

More ideas that might interest you:
Artists & Entertainers
Change & Growth
Comedians & Humorists
Customer Relations, Communications & Negotiation
Entertainment & Humor
Execution & Strategy
Leadership & Strategic Management
Personal Growth & Inspiration
Sales