Bobby Umar

In today’s fast-paced business world, trust, authenticity, and connection are the cornerstones of great leadership. Yet, many leaders and professionals struggle to communicate their experiences in a way that truly resonates. Storytelling is a powerful tool—but vulnerable storytelling is a game changer.

Most professionals understand the importance of storytelling, but vulnerable storytelling takes it a step further by creating real, human connections that inspire action and build lasting trust. By moving beyond polished, surface-level narratives, leaders who embrace vulnerability become more relatable, memorable, and impactful. This interactive session will help leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals harness the power of authentic, vulnerable storytelling to engage teams, influence stakeholders, and elevate their personal and corporate brand.

Why Businesses and Leaders Need This Workshop

• Build Stronger Connections – 92% of consumers and employees say they want brands and leaders to be authentic (Harvard Business Review). Vulnerable storytelling fosters trust and makes leaders more relatable.
• Increase Engagement & Influence – According to research from Stanford University, stories are 22x more memorable than facts alone, but vulnerable stories specifically drive emotional investment and lasting impact.
• Why Vulnerability Changes the Game – While storytelling shares a message, vulnerable storytelling builds a movement. Research from the Center for Talent Innovation found that leaders who share their personal challenges are 4.5x more likely to be seen as trustworthy, leading to increased employee engagement and retention.
• Drive Business Growth & Brand Loyalty – 86% of customers are more likely to buy from a brand that is perceived as transparent and authentic (Label Insight). Vulnerable storytelling humanizes companies, differentiates leaders, and builds long-term relationships.

What Makes Vulnerable Storytelling Different?

• Traditional Storytelling: Focuses on achievements, outcomes, and key takeaways.
• Vulnerable Storytelling: Highlights struggles, failures, and pivotal moments that led to growth.
• Traditional Storytelling: Often polished and rehearsed to appear flawless.
• Vulnerable Storytelling: Embraces imperfection, making stories more relatable and engaging.
• Traditional Storytelling: Presents knowledge as expertise.
• Vulnerable Storytelling: Shares lessons through experience, increasing credibility and influence.

What Participants Will Learn

• The Science of Storytelling – Why vulnerability in leadership storytelling enhances trust and impact.
• Common Storytelling Mistakes – Learn the 4 biggest mistakes leaders make (and how to fix them).
• The Art of Story Stewardship – Inspired by Brené Brown’s research, discover how to share stories responsibly while fostering an inclusive and safe culture.
• Crafting Your Signature Story – A hands-on framework to create powerful narratives that resonate with audiences.
• Delivering Stories with Confidence – Techniques to present stories in a way that captivates and influences.
• Creating a Culture of Authenticity – Strategies to encourage vulnerable storytelling and embrace failing forward within teams and organizations.

Who Should Attend?

• C-suite executives and business leaders
• Entrepreneurs and business owners
• HR professionals and managers
• Sales and marketing professionals
• Public speakers and aspiring TEDx speakers
• Anyone looking to strengthen their storytelling skills for leadership and influence

Format
This session is available as a live, interactive keynote or workshop (in-person or virtual) and includes:

• Engaging presentations and case studies
• Hands-on storytelling exercises
• Small group discussions and feedback
• A personalized action plan to implement storytelling in leadership
  Storytelling makes you a good communicator. Vulnerable storytelling makes you unforgettable.

BONUSES
Every attendee will also receive a FREE copy of “5 Core Strategies to Better Storytelling” video training and my White Paper on “How to Grow Your Social Media Presence with Personal Branding”.

What is your relationship with LinkedIn? Are you bored, intimidated or simply overwhelmed? I get it. 93% of LinkedIn users are in the same boat as you.

With over a billion users, you realize the huge LinkedIn potential for businesses, organizations and individuals building their brands online, but you have no clue where to start.

You need someone who gets it—a pro who ditches the fluff, keeps it real, and hands you strategies that actually work. No jargon, no eye-glazing theory—just straight-up, actionable moves to boost your business, your brand, and your influence. The best part? You won’t have to waste precious hours (or your sanity) fumbling through trial and error. And forget the cringeworthy tactics—because attracting dream clients shouldn’t make you want to crawl under a rock. It can and should be fun!

Well that’s me. On LinkedIn, I am an official Top Voice (Blue Badge), an influencer (50k+ followers) and I’ve been teaching strategies for over a decade.

Here’s how I can support you, your company, or your community:

Standard In-Person Workshop (half-day): A half-day in-person training for companies wanting their teams to get active on LinkedIn.

These are my favourite to deliver, and get the best results. The content is similar to online training, but we have more time to explore questions and ideas, without the distractions of buzzing phones and pinging emails.

Standard Virtual Training (2 hours): A 2-hour Zoom session for companies wanting their teams to get active on LinkedIn.
Standard Keynote (60-90 min): A one-hour in-person or online session to get your team/community kickstarted into building their brands & growing a powerful professional presence on LinkedIn.

These are designed for people who are not sure where to start, or have made a start but are feeling (understandably) overwhelmed, intimidated, or just a bit clueless about how to make it work effectively for them.

TOPICS WE CAN COVER

• Build a profile that stands out, enhances employee’s personal brand and your business brand
• Understand and leverage the algorithm so that content gets seen, and avoid bad habits that hurt content reach
• Find, engage with, connect and start conversations with your ideal clients or contacts
• Shifting your LinkedIn experience so your people don’t dread using LinkedIn and have more fun
• Create content easily, confidently and efficiently without struggling for ideas and inspiration
• Form an ongoing strategy to stay consistent, with minimal effort
• We can customize anything extra or different that you need for your audience

BONUSES
Every attendee will also receive a FREE copy of “5 Core Strategies to Better Storytelling” video training, my White Paper on “How to Grow Your Social Media Presence with Personal Branding”, and a 1-hour training module from my Network Mastery program called “How to Build a Winning Mindset”.

These sessions are recorded for you to keep, and for any future team members to watch.

***NOTE: For the more traditional organizations and conferences

Do you know what it takes to be a thought leader? Amplify your voice to create a lasting impact by becoming a thought leader—a person of influence in your field or area of interest. Thought leadership is a key differentiator between those brands who are driving the conversation forward versus simply engaging in it. Learn top-tier networking and relationship building techniques, content creation strategies, and speaking skills that will make you extraordinary.

Companies must differentiate themselves to compete in the digital marketplace. Across all sectors, whether B2C, B2B or non-profit, organizations must challenge themselves to reach new customers or supporters, while retaining a loyal following. Digital marketing and social media are powerful tools to connect with customers in a way that feels personal and relatable. Bobby provides useful tips on how to cut through the clutter, share your voice, make valuable connections and build community, including tactical advice on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter and yes even Facebook. Promote your company brand online in a way that is unique and authentic, using storytelling, community building, video and more. This presentation can be customized for your company or industry and speak to your corporate business development goals.

When companies support the self-discovery process of their employees in house, they are investing in their productivity, retention and leadership development. Companies consistently find that sales are significantly boosted when employees develop personal brand statements that align with their company’s brand. A personal brand is an individual’s promise to deliver to every person they encounter. It is their reputation, integrity and what their audience expects of them, whether they are their team, network or customers. By refining the areas where your employees can find alignment, focus their skills and create an impact, they will discover their own unique traits that will contribute to your team, organization, and world.

In an era where remote work, digital overload, and burnout are becoming the norm, organizations are seeking more than just productivity — they’re craving meaningful connection, genuine community, and a culture that actually feels human. This keynote takes your audience on an inspiring and practical journey to build stronger bonds within teams, ignite the spirit of community, and create a thriving culture that retains talent, sparks innovation, and drives real results. Drawing on 25 years of leadership experience and the viral success of The 5Cs of Connection, Bobby shares powerful stories, engaging strategies, and actionable tools to help leaders and teams:

Cultivate authentic human connection — whether in-person, remote, or hybrid
Tap into the strength of your community — your team, your org, your clients
Build a culture where people feel seen, heard, and empowered to lead

Whether you’re building a team from the ground up, navigating a cultural shift, or simply want to create more trust and engagement — this keynote is your spark.

Every leader, entrepreneur, and changemaker has a story — but not everyone knows how to tell it in a way that moves people, closes deals, or sparks action.
In this high-impact keynote (with optional workshop), Bobby unveils the art and science behind unforgettable presentations and storytelling that actually stick. Whether you’re pitching a vision, leading a team, or delivering a keynote of your own — you’ll learn how to show up with confidence, clarity, and charisma. Perfect for seasoned speakers who want to level up, or for beginners who are tired of hiding behind the slides.