Kristen Hadeed, Founder of Student Maid, has forged a reputable name in the world of business. Fondly known as an Optimist Instructor, Kristen prides herself on creating organisations that have humanity at their core. Kristen is passionate about helping people to become the best version of themselves, epitomising that in her keynote speeches covering topics such as working together to become stronger, weaknesses and helping workplaces to inspire their workforces.
Business has always been a keen passion of Kristen’s, first taking her steps into the world of industry as a sophomore studying at the University of Florida. After putting out an ad to clean houses, Kristen was recruited to clean a 4000 square-foot home and later went on to be hired to clean college apartments. Her workload soon became too great, thus hiring 60 other students to help her and founding Student Maid in the process. She relays her objective at Student Maid in her popular TEDx Talk "The Millennial Myth", which has amassed over 3 million views. She has also delivered TEDx Talk "How to Retire by 20" which highlights the importance of listening to one's heart and inner child in order to achieve their biggest aspirations.
Having previously worked with businesses from the health, retail, real estate, education and hospitality industries to name but a few, Kristen is a trusted advisor. Interviewed by Simon Sinek about millennials as employees, she has also partnered with Sinek's The Optimism Company, offering her valuable advice on leadership and employee development. Kristen is also a best-selling author of "Permission to Screw Up", which has since sold over 40,000 copies across the globe. The book suggests that leaders and organisations cannot learn how to lead just through thought, but instead through action. This approach leaves more space for leaders to make mistakes as they learn, something that Kristen deems necessary in an organisation's success. In 2022, Kristen was named one of the Top 100 HR Influencers by Engagedly - a testament to the change she has inspired.
Telling the story of her illustrious startup Student Maid, Kristen has also been sought to speak for various broadcasters, including the likes of TIME, Forbes, Fox and PBS. Passionate to create working environments that people of all ages are able to thrive in, Kristen covers teaching leaders to be more human, rebuilding trust, helping organisations to inspire their workforces, weaknesses and how to become stronger together. Providing audiences with actionable and practical tools, Kristen Hadeed is guaranteed to encourage workforces to better themselves professionally and allow them to take away a unique perspective on organisational culture.
Social Media
Books
Permission to Screw Up: How I Learned To Lead by Doing (Almost) Everything Wrong
Reviews
Kristen Hadeed has received a 4.5 star rating across 21 events in 2024.
Agent Recommendation
"Kristen Hadeed is a refreshing, authentic voice in leadership. She’s real, funny, and doesn’t just talk theory—she shares stories from the trenches that inspire and stick. Audiences walk away with practical insights and the confidence to lead with empathy and purpose. Kristen is truly unforgettable on stage."
How to hire Kristen Hadeed
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Kristen Hadeed for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
Kristen Hadeed's official speaking topics are listed below:
Ignite Human Leadership: Build the Culture of the Future
In this session, Kristen challenges traditional leadership approaches that are no longer working and shares critical ingredients for connected and engaged cultures.
Courageous Conversations: Deliver & Accept Feedback Effectively
In this session, Kristen will teach you how to face the conversations you’ve been putting off and help reframe feedback as a powerful opportunity to foster true connection.
Build Meaningful Relationships: Strengthen Trust & Inspire Belonging
In this session, Kristen will share the secret to how she built a business with an industry-leading retention rate—despite the fact that her people spent their days cleaning toilets. It wasn’t the work that kept everyone engaged; it was the focus on relationships that led to a culture of trust and belonging.
Permission to Screw Up: Reframe Your Relationship with Failure
In this session, you’ll learn how to create a culture where failure equates to growth, where people feel more empowered and psychologically safe, and where collaboration and innovation go hand-in-hand.
You've Got This: Grow Resilience and Beat Burnout
In this session, Kristen will help you tap into your inner resilience and recenter yourself around what is in your control: the impact you have on yourself and others. She’ll teach you how to prioritize your well-being, be more impactful with your time and energy, and set more “human” expectations.
Official Feedback from In-Person & Virtual Events
Feedback from In-Person Events:
"Kristen is, without question, one of the most inspiring, genuine, and authentic leaders I have ever met. She is truly a treasure chest of creative ideas and has a unique ability to provide and inspire with unconventional wisdom that helps drive a forward-thinking, progressive culture. Kristen’s work with leaders at Whitmor has had a meaningful impact on those individuals, adding fuel to the speed in which we continue to build upon our strong people-first culture. Above all else, I feel very blessed to be able to call Kristen a friend - I’m a stronger leader and person because of it" - Scott, CEO, Whitmor
"The world had unique needs for inspiration this year following the uncertainty that was 2020. Kristen was the answer for our team: She transformed 90 people in 90 minutes. She packed in empathy, permission, inspiration, tears, laughter and hope. If optimism has a face, it is Kristen Hadeed" - Shannon, VP of Sales, Keratase and Shu Uemura L'Oreal
"Kristen has become one of Cardinal's top external thought leaders. She brings the rare combination of amazing storytelling skills coupled with a powerful vision of the future of leadership. If you are looking to motivate a team or your entire company, there is no greater option available today than Kristen Hadeed" - Peter, Chief People Officer, Cardinal Group Companies
"Looking for a leadership expert and speaker who will wow your audience and help them laugh, learn, and lead? Well then Kristen Hadeed is your answer! I had the privilege of creating a custom digital program with Kristen for our Women’s Leadership Group in the Summer of 2020. We received such tremendous feedback from the session that we partnered with Kristen to develop a 4-part custom deep-dive series this past year. Kristen’s energy is incredible and her ability to keep people engaged is electric. I can’t wait to work with her on more upcoming projects" - Courtney, VP of Member Learning and Experience, Finesca
"Kristen has a gift unlike anyone that I've ever met. She has the ability to lead and develop people and businesses from students to CEOs. The influence and impact she is making with people across the country is unmatched. She is changing how we lead our teams. She is challenging how we think about development. She is teaching us and others how we bring humanity into the workplace - and our lives. Personally, working with Kristen at Whitmor has continued to enhance our Be Human culture. She challenges the way we think, has taught us how to have tough conversations with kindness, how to build trust amongst one another and how to remain people-first in some of the most challenging times we've faced both personally and professionally. Knowing Kristen is a joy and a blessing without a doubt. She exhibits true authenticity in everything she does. I can't speak for others but I can speak for myself and what I've seen in our teams - we are all better leaders and people because of Kristen" - Rachel, Head of People, Whitmor
"Of all the speakers we have heard on the topic of today’s changing workforce, Kristen’s message connected best with our senior leadership. It was a rare treat to have an executive who’s technically in the millennial demographic not only talking very objectively and plainly about the characteristics of her generation, but also bringing to the table real, tangible ideas and action items. So much of today’s conversation around generational difference results in divisiveness. To have Kristen come in with a unifying and energizing perspective is a breath of fresh air" - Mike, COO, Parkway
"Kristen Hadeed’s work with our college faculty, staff, and students over the last two years has been beyond what any of us could have imagined. Every time she sets foot on our campus, she exceeds our expectations, leaving us with a feeling of rejuvenation and a renewed sense of purpose. Each and every engagement is informative, interactive, creatively delivered, and meaningful. We are so thrilled that we found Kristen and that she decided to work with us" - Miguel, President, St. Francis College
"Kristen is a natural speaker and leader. She brings energy and enthusiasm to her audience and she relays tales about business, entrepreneurism, team building, and life. Her compassion for people shine, along with a sense of humour that engages and makes for a very enjoyable learning experience"- Taysa, Keller Williams Realtor
- 2024 - Partnered with Simon Sinek's The Optimism Company
- 2022 - Named as one of the Top 100 HR Influencers by Engagedly
- 2022 - Named as one of the World's Top 10 CEOs
- 2017 - Author of "Permission To Screw Up: How I Learned to Lead by Doing (Almost) Everything Wrong"
- 2009 - Founder of Student Maid
