Keynote speaker · Updated November 2026
Talks that leave the room with something they use Monday morning.
Founder of Rightsline, the rights platform behind Netflix, Disney+ and Hulu. President of Media Temple, a GoDaddy company, then CEO of OVHcloud US, Infrascale, Netrix Global and XTIUM. YPO member since 2008.
Russ Reeder is a keynote speaker on AI strategy, execution, and leadership for CEO audiences. Thirty years in technology, the last twenty running companies, distilled into keynotes on AI, execution, and leading when the stakes are real. Not a circuit speaker: an operator still in the chair.
Author of Heroes Don't Scale: Build a Business That Grows Without You, publishing early 2027.
- 30+years
- 9PE-backed companies
- 6exits led or supported
- 37+Forbes Technology Council articles
- AuthorHeroes Don't Scale (early 2027)
Past stages
James Madison University commencementHarvard Business SchoolYPOXTIUM EdgeMSP SummitCloudFestVMworld
On air and on podcasts
Forbes Technology CouncilFox NewsCNBCMSNBCUnscripted podcastLife Fulfilled podcast
Three talks
Keynotes on AI strategy and execution, drawn from the chair.
- The signature talk
Heroes Don't Scale: Build a Business That Grows Without You
If this person quit tomorrow, would this still work? Most leadership teams answer no and keep scaling on heroes anyway. Russ takes the room through the Hero Test, then VOOCS, the five questions that turn heroes into systems: what you are saying no to, what done looks like, who owns it, what forces closure, and what runs without a hero.
- Format
- 45 to 60 minutes, workshop-style
- Audience
- CEOs, founders and leadership teams; YPO, EO and Vistage chapters
- The AI version
The Pilot Graveyard: Why AI Works in the Demo and Dies in Production
Most AI pilots impress in the demo and quietly die before production. The model is rarely the reason. The operating model is: no owner, no definition of done, no commitment to scale. Russ shows leaders how to spot a pilot headed for the graveyard and applies Commitments Before Scale: an executive owner, an adoption path, a funding rule and a pre-agreed consequence, all before the pilot starts.
- Format
- 45 to 60 minutes, workshop-style
- Audience
- CEOs, boards, CIOs and PE operating partners
- The leadership-team version
Decisions Before Data: How Leadership Teams Execute in an AI-Accelerated World
AI made answers cheap. Decisions are still expensive, and most stalls hide behind a request for more data. Russ shows leadership teams how to name the decision before building the dashboard, put one owner on every commitment, and run a weekly cadence that closes decisions instead of reopening them. Speed is a feature. Slow is usually nobody owning the decision.
- Format
- 45 to 60 minutes, workshop-style
- Audience
- Leadership teams, executive offsites and board retreats
Publishing early 2027
Heroes Don't Scale.
Build a Business That Grows Without You. An operator's playbook for turning strategy into coordinated execution, publishing early 2027.
The twenty years I helped run nine PE-backed technology companies across six continents, pulled together. The VOOCS operating system, the HEAR leadership philosophy, and the stories I learned the hard way. Bookers and event planners: get in touch for keynotes timed to the launch.
Formats
- Keynote
- Book-launch keynote + signing
- Workshop
- Offsite facilitation
- Panel / Fireside
- Podcast / Media
Ideal audiences
- C-suite and CEO peer groups (YPO, Vistage)
- PE operating partners and portfolio CEOs
- Industry conferences and summits
- Corporate leadership offsites
- Board retreats
Russ is a YPO member himself. For YPO, Vistage, and CEO peer groups, that means a peer in the room, not a vendor on a stage.
Have a date and an audience in mind?
On stage and on air
Real stages. Real audiences.
More talks and interviews
- Life Fulfilled Podcast: The Proven Success Strategy Is Helping Others SucceedListen →
- Full keynote: From AI Hype to Business ClarityWatch →
- MSP Summit 2025: Scaling Smart, Leadership & LegacyWatch →
- How to Scale Your Business During a CrisisWatch →
- How XTIUM Climbed to #9 on the MSP 501Watch →
- Why We Need Net NeutralityWatch →
For organizers
Everything you need to say yes.
Stage introduction, read it as written
Russ Reeder has spent thirty years in technology companies, the last twenty running them: nine PE-backed companies, six continents, more than fifty acquisitions, and six exits. He founded Rightsline, the rights platform behind Netflix, Disney+ and Hulu, and today he leads KeyDelta, his advisory firm. He created the VOOCS execution framework, writes for the Forbes Technology Council, and his book, Heroes Don't Scale: Build a Business That Grows Without You, publishes in early 2027. Please welcome Russ Reeder.
Downloads
What to include in your inquiry
- Date and city, or virtual
- Audience profile and size
- Format: keynote, workshop, offsite, panel, media
- What you want the room to walk out with
For bookers
Quick answers for event planners and booking teams.
How does Russ tailor a keynote to my audience?
Every keynote is shaped to the audience and the stage. Share the audience profile, the stakes, the outcome you want the room to walk out with, and the venue (boardroom, ballroom, livestream, conference plenary). Russ reads your context and rebuilds the talk around it. The stories change. The framework holds.
What formats does Russ offer?
Three titled talks, each 45 to 60 minutes and run workshop-style: Heroes Don't Scale, The Pilot Graveyard, and Decisions Before Data. Also: keynote (30 to 60 minutes), book-launch keynote and signing, half- or full-day workshop, leadership offsite facilitation (half-day to multi-day), panel or fireside chat (30 to 45 minutes), and podcast or broadcast media. In person or virtual.
What audiences does Russ speak for?
C-suite and CEO peer groups (YPO, Vistage), PE operating partners and portfolio CEOs, corporate leadership offsites, board retreats, and industry conferences and summits. Past stages include the James Madison University commencement, Harvard Business School, YPO and XTIUM Edge, with media on Fox News, CNBC and MSNBC. Upcoming: The AI Summit New York (December 2026) and the AGB National Conference on Trusteeship (March 2027).
Can Russ keynote a book-launch event?
Yes. With Heroes Don't Scale: Build a Business That Grows Without You publishing early 2027, Russ is booking launch-tour keynotes and signings for booksellers, conference organizers, corporate events, and PE summits. Pair the launch keynote with a private leadership session or a fireside chat with the host.
How far in advance should I book Russ?
Sooner is better, especially in the book-launch window. Use the Book Russ form at russreeder.com/speaking with the date, audience, and format.
Where is Russ based, and will he travel?
Russ is based in the Washington, DC area and travels worldwide. He has operated on six continents and is open to international keynotes. Logistics and lead time depend on the date.
Where can I download a speaker one-sheet and watch a talk?
Download the one-sheet at russreeder.com/russ-reeder-speaker-one-sheet.pdf. Watch a full keynote and more talks at russreeder.com/speaking.
Is Russ a paid speaker, and what is the fee?
The fee depends on the format, the audience and the travel. What matters most to Russ is the room: who is in it and what they need to walk out with. Use the Book Russ form at russreeder.com/speaking to describe the audience and share your budget range, even if it is limited, and Russ will reply directly with what is possible.
What does Russ need from us before the event?
A prep call and your audience context: who is in the room, what they are wrestling with, and what you want them to walk out with. AV needs are standard. Russ arrives early, stays for the hallway conversations, and is easy to work with on logistics.
Book Russ
Book Russ to speak.
Keynotes, workshops, leadership offsites, panels, media, book-launch events and bulk book orders. Tell me who will be in the room. That matters as much as the date, and I'll tailor the talk to it.
Download the one-sheet →