Robyn O’brien

Renowned Speaker & Best Selling Author Who Took On the FDA

“Erin Brockovich” of the US Food System

Teaches Audiences How to Answer the Question “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?”

Robyn O’Brien’s life and the lives of thousands of others were dramatically changed one morning as her family sat down to enjoy their frozen waffles. Robyn’s daughter had a sudden and severe reaction to an ingredient in her breakfast waffles that almost took her life. She began on a life changing journey after the harrowing experience of rushing her daughter to the hospital and helplessly watching the staff work to slow her daughter’s swelling and shorted breathing to save her life. All from simply eating a frozen waffle that many Americans have in their freezers.

Robyn’s commitment to helping her daughter and other families put her on a journey she never anticipated. She started documenting everything she discovered and eventually approached some of the highest level Executives and Government Organizations with her findings. Robyn faced incredibly hateful pushback against not just against her, but her entire family as she began to confront the giants in the Food industry. 

But she didn’t back down, because she believed in what she was doing and knew change was necessary in order to save lives. Eventually, Robyn was asked to give a TEDxtalk that went viral and has been viewed by millions. Her award winning book, The Unhealthy Truth, How Our Food Is Making Us Sick and What We Can Do About It has translated into dozens of languages. 

TESTIMONIALS

  • “I do not know of an author who has a broader vision when it comes to connecting the systemic breakdowns we are witnessing and who can reconnect us to techniques and pathways that restore our love for each other and our home, the planet.”

    — Paul Hawken, American environmentalist, entrepreneur, author, economist, and activist

  • “Robyn O’Brien’s wise and infallible moral compass always points us toward a better world. I’ll go anywhere she leads.”

    —Katherine Center, New York Times Bestselling Author

  • “Robyn’s personal journey, her wisdom acquired though years of wanting to be the change she wanted to see is reflected in Seeding Innovation. It’s both holistic in its eloquent framing of the macro business environment in poly crisis world (Planetary Boundaries, Economic, Political and Social). It explains why ESG, DE&I and personal work is central to building a resilient, profitable businesses. Seeding Innovation presents both sober and practical tools for entrepreneurs and leaders wanting to create lasting value for people and planet”

    — Erik Bruun Bindslev, Global Impact Leader and Entrepreneur

Brands robyn has worked with

Keynote topics

Today Robyn is considered the original whistleblower and true “Erin Brockovich” of our food system. She literally wrote the book on it, The Unhealthy Truth How Our Food is Making Us Sick and What We Can Do About It and has the life experience to show for it. Robyn never intended to go on this journey or change the world in this way, but she is honored to have walked this road. Her research and tenacity has led her to change the food landscape for all of us, as evidenced bythe recent elimination of red dyes in foods and so much more. 

Robyn’s superpower is using authenticity as a tool to engage audiences and speak directly to the hearts of others. She believes, based on her own life experiences, that we are all far more capable and powerful than we’ve been led to believe.

Robyn is passionate about vulnerably sharing her story in order to encourage and inspire others to live boldly and answer the defining question in all of our lives, What would you do if you weren’t afraid?

  • “When your purpose calls, will you be ready?”

    Within each of us lies a moment—a calling—that can change everything. Will you be ready when it arrives? Will your heart, your mindset, and your circle of support be strong enough to carry you forward? In this powerful talk, discover how to prepare when life’s greatest opportunities knock, how to build your personal inventory and supportive scaffolding so that you are resilient and ready so when your purpose calls, you don’t hesitate to walk in it.

  • We’ve all had it, that little voice in your head that tears you down. The one asking, “Who are you to do this?” Tackling imposter syndrome and the naysayer in your mind is a key part of success. So how do you get a hold of it? How can you quiet the impact of naysayers? In this session, you will learn the STOP Protocol, and tools to help you deal with your biggest critics!

  • Are you ready for change? From AI to robotics, to gender, equity and inclusion, the rate of change is accelerating, presenting both challenges and opportunities to organizations and leaders. Learn how to take a personal inventory assessment, how to build a strong team and governing board, so that you can avoid blind spots and paradigm blindness.

  • What happens when $30 trillion dollars changes hands, and women acquire wealth equivalent in size to the GDP of the United States? We are about to see a change in the financial system unlike anything we’ve seen before. It will impact everything from financial advisors to education, health care and food systems. What steps do you need to take, as this materializes? And what happens when women control $30 trillion in wealth, a number equal in size to the US GDP?

  • In order to drive revenue and performance, you can’t be blindsided by the unexpected. Learn how to build a resilient team, board and mindset to ensure that your organization is positioned for opportunity in the 21st century. Inspired by data and changing demographics, you can capture market share and consumer hearts, when you lead with authenticity and purpose.

speaking video clips

BOOK robyn o’brien as a Speaker for your next event!

Robyn has spoken for some of the most powerful brands in the world, such as Google, Morgan Stanley, Bloomberg, General Mills, Danone, Rabobank and more. She’s been a featured speaker at global conferences in Brazil, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and around the world.

When she’s not taking the stage, she’s working as a partner at Montcalm, an impact investment firm, aligning capital with purpose and driving returns for clients.

books by robyn

More from robyn

Previous

David Rendall
Next

Matt McFadyen