BORING BOOKS
DON'T BUILD BRANDS.
ONES DO.
— VALERIE JEANNIS
bold
bold presence. magnetic delivery. proven impact.
"built for bold
stages. booked for
bold results."
built for bold stages. booked for bold results.
SPEAKING & MEDIA
As an author turned creative director, Valerie Jeannis designs immersive, interactive experiences that activate audiences and drive bold action.
Known for her sharp strategic insight, commanding stage presence, and ability to make even the most discerning rooms lean in, Valerie Jeannis blends creative direction, publishing strategy, and cultural intelligence into an experience that connects and activates.
Whether she’s unpacking how words shape our worlds, helping a room of leaders and creators identify their bold next move, people listen.
Her work sits at the intersection of books, branding and cultural influence. Her words don’t just resonate, they move people to action.
Available for keynotes, panel moderation and discussions, workshops, brand intensives, and podcast interviews.
“
THERE WAS something ABOUT her voice AND THE WAY SHE spoke THAT MADE US ALL lean in.
— Samantha, New York University Student
A clearer path for extending a message beyond the page into a platform
A practical framework for evaluating their own ideas more strategically
Clear insight into how creative choices compound into visibility and cultural presence
Not all books are created equal. Some get published and disappear. Others become platforms and shift culture. What makes the difference?
Drawing from her work in publishing and creative strategy, Valerie Jeannis examines real-world books that evolved into recognizable brands. From titles and covers to positioning, launches, and audience engagement, she reveals how seemingly small creative decisions compound into cultural presence.
Unlike traditional publishing or branding sessions, this talk provides audience members with creative intelligence and a sharper lens to evaluate their own ideas more strategically, strengthen how they show up in the marketplace and extend their message beyond the page—transforming a single release into a platform with lasting influence.
HOW TO JUDGE A BOOK: The Creative Decisions Behind Cultural Influence
Signature Topics
AUDIENCE TAKEAWAYS
Rebuild trust in their own timing, instincts, and decision-making
Recognize the hesitation patterns that keep them waiting, overthinking, or self-negotiating
Define their Bold Next — a decision they need to make
AUDIENCE TAKEAWAYS
You already know you’ve outgrown where you are.
Your Bold Next begins the moment you stop negotiating with that truth.
This is Valerie Jeannis’s signature women-forward keynote for leaders, creators, and visionaries standing at the edge of reinvention. Rooted in women’s growth and leadership, the message resonates with anyone who knows the old version no longer fits and is ready to move forward with intention.
This interactive, activation-driven keynote blends guided reflection, immersive audience participation, and decision-focused moments that move the room in real time. Valerie leads participants through identifying what’s next, naming the hesitation patterns that stall momentum, and committing to one clear Bold Next move, on purpose and in the room.
Because the next chapter doesn’t respond to motivation.
It responds to decision.
YOUR BOLD NEXT:
The Language of Decision, Permission and Action
if you want:
An interactive experience that activates real change
Strategic insight grounded in real-world examples
Practical takeaways and praise from the audience
SPEAKER BIO
I’m Valerie Jeannis — author turned creative director + founder of Unapologetic Press.
Over the years, I’ve come to believe a few things deeply.
First: Boring doesn’t build brands.
Safe ideas don’t move people.
Second: Your words shape your world.
From the written word, to the spoken word, to the action words that guide our decisions and direction. Language isn’t neutral. It's formative.
Third: Design is strategy.
How an idea is presented shapes how it’s perceived and remembered.
Fourth: Show and tell.
Why just tell someone about something when you can create something they can experience for themselves.
That’s why my talks are interactive by design and built to move people from inspired to in action.
And yes, I do love an element of surprise. Turns out, the audience does too.
