Shelley Paxton

Former Chief Marketing Officer of Harley-Davidson

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$15,000

Shelley Paxton
Biography

Shelley is a 26-year advertising and marketing veteran whose legacy is imprinted on iconic global brands like McDonald’s, Visa, and Harley-Davidson. At the pinnacle of her career, as Chief Marketing Officer of Harley-Davidson, she was shocked to find herself feeling success-empty instead of success-full. That awakening led her on a profound journey that became her mission, business, and bestselling book, Soulbbatical: A Corporate Rebel’s Guide to Finding Your Best Life.

Now Chief Soul Officer, she works with leaders and teams to redefine success and reshape cultures in ways that celebrate humanity, wellbeing, and soul. Her influential work is an empowering antidote to corporate burnout, attrition, and disengagement. It’s gained recognition on platforms like NBC, CBS, Forbes, Inc., and Thrive Global, making her a respected thought leader, advisor, and sought-after keynote speaker who’s been called “the next Brené Brown.” Her energizing and actionable keynotes are creating Ripples of Impact (ROI) in lives, businesses, and culture.

She’s also honored to be an Adjunct Lecturer at Northwestern University, Guest Faculty at Modern Elder Academy, and a longstanding Guide for c-suite female executives in Chief.

Shelley Paxton
Featured Video

Current: 2026 Speaking Reel

Time 03:49

Shelley Paxton
Featured Keynote Program

I Quit So You Don’t Have To

Flipping the Success Script from Burned Out to Badass

With burnout, attrition, and disengagement still dominating headlines and impacting bottom lines, Shelley’s talk is the essential roadmap for redefining success that’s more energizing, less exhausting, and ultimately advocating for a new ROI that fuels both human and organizational growth. She shares lessons from her own journey — from Chief Marketing Officer of Harley-Davidson to Chief Soul Officer on a mission to help more of us live success-FULL (not success-EMPTY). She is passionate about paying forward what she’s learned so every leader (at every level) can show up more powerfully for themselves, their people, and their work. Her provocative questions and actionable insights are inspiring audiences to champion change in their lives, companies, and the world.

Depending upon the audience, Shelley’s keynote title, subtitle, and content can be adapted for relevance. In addition to speaking about the leadership journey, she is also passionate about shifting organizational culture to drive enterprise growth (with “Ripples of Impact: Creating Cultures That Have Impact In the World, Not On Our Wellbeing”) and inspiring entrepreneurs on how to avoid burnout while building their dream (with “What Are You Rebelling For? A Rally Cry and Roadmap to Success-FULL”).

Audience Takeaways:

A fresh and energizing perspective on (re)defining success and (re)shaping cultures.

Empowering, experience-based language, concepts, and tools for showing up more bold, brave, and badass in life and leadership.

Actionable insights and commitments to help shift leaders into creating immediate impact in their lives, companies, and beyond.

Formats: All talks can be delivered as keynotes, workshops, or a custom curated combination of both. Live or virtual, of course. More details in the FAQ below.

Shelley Paxton
Featured Book

Soulbbatical: A Corporate Rebel's Guide to Finding Your Best Life

by Shelley Paxton

Part memoir, part manifesto, Soulbbatical is an invitation to become Chief Soul Officer of your own life—and to open up a whole new world of possibility.

“An honest, emotionally gut-wrenching, and ultimately soul-satisfying memoir.” —Kirkus Reviews

Former Harley-Davidson executive Shelley Paxton did just that. She walked away at the peak of her twenty-six-year marketing career and embarked on a profoundly personal journey to reconnect with her true purpose and deepest desires. She called it her “Soulbbatical,” and it not only changed her life, it became her calling.

Paxton had a wildly successful life by most definitions—iconic brands, executive titles, and a globe-trotting career that took her to over sixty countries. She had one of the coolest jobs in the world, yet couldn’t shake the feeling that she had lost herself along the way. Something was missing.

Here, she takes you on a sometimes harrowing, often hilarious journey through the illness, divorce, addiction, and tragedy that finally woke her up. Suddenly she was rebelling for her best life, and embracing a new mission: to encourage others to live their most authentic, courageous, and purposeful lives—today.

Soulbbatical is an unconventional, exhilarating, and totally badass road map to discovering what you really want—and getting it. Because no matter how far you’ve strayed from your soul’s true path, it’s never too late for transformation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to some of the most common questions about booking Shelley Paxton for your event.

How do I book Shelley Paxton for my event?

Booking Shelley Paxton with Premiere Speakers Bureau is a streamlined 4-step process:

Availability Check: Contact us with your event date and budget to verify if your desired speaker is available.
Hold Date: We place a temporary "hold" on the speaker's calendar while you finalize internal approval.
Contracting: We issue a contract outlining the fee, cancellation policy, and event expectations.
Logistics: Once signed, our event management team handles all travel booking, itinerary, and AV requirements.

Why should I partner with Premiere Speakers Bureau rather than contacting speakers directly?

Partnering with Premiere Speakers Bureau provides a comprehensive safety net for your event that direct booking cannot match. You get the same speaker for the same price, but with a dedicated team with over 30 years of event experience handling contracts, logistics, and are prepared for any emergency. We know what it takes to run an excellent event.

What makes Premiere Speakers Bureau unique compared to other agencies?

Premiere Speakers Bureau distinguishes itself by having over 30 years of experience while partnering with more than 35,000 events. PSB has also built a streamlined, fully online process that makes booking a speaker, handling travel and payments extremely easy for anyone looking to plan a speaker led event.

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How are speaker fees structured, and what is typically included?

A speaker's fee typically covers the keynote presentation, a pre-event planning call, and standard customization. Travel expenses are usually billed separately.

What are the standard policies for speaker travel and expenses?

Travel expenses are negotiated during contracting. We generally recommend a flat travel fee for simplicity, though we also offer line-by-line invoicing when preferred. PSB ensures these expenses adhere to professional standards, and our Event Portal allows for easy tracking and invoicing.