Be inspired to take action and live your best life.

Powerful connections. Standing ovations. In-person and virtual.

Through emotional storytelling, humor, and original music, Tom motivates audiences to get busy living – to go from surviving to thriving, to live every moment to the fullest, and to accomplish things they never dreamed possible.

When Tom turned thirty years old, life was good. Then a cancer diagnosis changed his life forever.

Tom spent an agonizing year battling the disease as it spread through his body. Facing his own mortality at an early age changed his perspective about time, and since then he hasn’t wasted a minute. He has become an award-winning technology innovator, an accomplished musician and playwright, a successful educator and TEDx speaker, an author, and a marathon and ultramarathon runner.

Now Tom shares the lessons he learned and inspires us all to get busy living our best lives.

Videos

Tom Willner Speaker Reel

Tom’s Speaker Showcase - “No Time Like Now”

Tom’s TEDx - “Transforming Learning through Stories and Music”

Media - “Atlanta Man Turns Battle With Cancer Into Musical”

Industries & Audiences Tom Serves

Tom customizes each keynote to meet the goals of your audience—whether it’s leadership teams seeking alignment, healthcare workers needing renewed empathy, or fitness communities pursuing peak performance. While his message resonates universally, his experience makes him particularly impactful in these industries:

  • Executive Leadership and Teams

    Tom brings decades of leadership experience and a unique perspective rooted in empathy and performance. He helps leaders build high-performing teams that communicate, innovate, and continuously improve.

  • Healthcare

    Through Turning Thirty: The Musical and his story as a cancer survivor, Tom helps healthcare professionals connect deeply with the patient experience—building empathy, reducing burnout, and improving outcomes.

  • Technology

    With a CIO 100 Award and a history of leading innovative digital transformation, Tom delivers actionable insights on leading teams, staying agile, and turning tech vision into results.

  • Music & Creativity

    A published songwriter, performer, and playwright, Tom shows audiences how creative expression can drive purpose, focus, and achievement—even in business or personal growth.

  • Education

    A first-generation college graduate and Global Top 50 Government Innovator, Tom helps institutions transform learning through creativity and connection, as showcased in his TEDx talk with over 100,000 views.

  • Health, Fitness & Running

    Tom’s journey from cancer patient to ultramarathon runner is proof that small, consistent steps can lead to incredible change. He motivates audiences to take action, stay consistent, and reach their goals.

Signature Keynotes & Performances

Whether speaking or performing, in-person or virtual, Tom blends music, storytelling, and lived experience to spark action and inspire lasting change.

No Time Like Now

Format: 45–60 minute keynote

Based on Tom’s life-altering experience with cancer, this program challenges audiences to rethink their relationship with time. With compelling personal stories, original music, and heartfelt humor, Tom encourages individuals to pause, reflect, and recommit to what truly matters—before it's too late.

Whether navigating a personal crisis or an organizational transformation, Tom reminds us that every moment counts. Audiences leave not only inspired, but with a renewed sense of urgency and clarity about how they want to live, work, and lead.

This program is perfect for:

  • Employees or leaders experiencing burnout or feeling overwhelmed

  • Organizations navigating change or reevaluating priorities

The audience will leave with:

  • A deeper understanding of how to live and lead with intention

  • The inspiration to take meaningful action—now, not later

You Can Accomplish Anything

Format: 45–60 minute keynote

From cancer patient to ultramarathon runner, Tom Willner’s journey proves that anything is possible when intention meets action. Through gripping storytelling, original music, and hard-earned lessons from the trail, Tom helps audiences break through self-doubt and move beyond perceived limits. His message inspires not just hope, but forward motion—one step at a time.

This program is perfect for:

  • Employees or teams overcoming adversity or burnout

  • Organizations looking to inspire goal-setting and perseverance

The audience will leave with:

  • A renewed belief in their ability to achieve bold personal and professional goals

  • Practical tools for building resilience and mental strength

Time. Talent. Team.

Format: 60-minute keynote or 90-minute workshop

Based on Tom’s leadership in technology and creative industries, this keynote breaks down how three powerful forces—time, talent, and team—can be aligned for sustainable success. Combining strategic insight, compelling stories, and original music, Tom shows how intentional leadership and values-based decision-making can drive engagement and results.

This program is perfect for:

  • Leaders building high-performing, values-driven teams

  • Organizations looking to improve alignment, communication, and productivity

The audience will leave with:

  • A practical framework to better align people, time, and purpose

  • Strategies to enhance team performance and reduce burnout

Transforming Learning Through Stories and Music

Format: 45–60 minute keynote or 90-minute workshop

Based on his TEDx talk with over 100,000 views, Tom explores how storytelling and music can unlock deeper understanding and long-term retention. Drawing from both research and real-life experience, Tom delivers a unique, engaging session that shows how emotion, rhythm, and story drive learning at every level—from classrooms to boardrooms.

This program is perfect for:

  • Educators, facilitators, and leaders looking to increase engagement

  • Trainers and teams seeking innovative ways to improve learning and retention

The audience will leave with:

  • Creative tools to enhance learning through story and music

  • A renewed connection to the emotional power of narrative in education and leadership

Turning Thirty: The Musical

Format: 60–90 minute live performance keynote

This one-of-a-kind program features live performances from Tom’s original musical, written during his treatment for cancer. With raw honesty, music, and humor, Tom brings audiences inside the emotional world of a patient navigating diagnosis, treatment, and identity. Designed especially for healthcare audiences but powerful for all, this program blends education, empathy, and performance to create a lasting emotional connection—and a renewed sense of purpose.

This program is perfect for:

  • Healthcare professionals seeking deeper empathy and insight into the patient experience

  • Audiences looking for an emotionally powerful, artistic presentation on adversity and healing

The audience will leave with:

  • A moving understanding of the human side of healthcare and illness

  • Inspiration through the healing power of music, story, and humor

Consulting

Tom Willner partners with you and your teams to drive success through continuous improvement that delivers innovative, award-winning solutions. With a track record of creating impactful results, Tom brings expertise gained from designing solutions recognized by a CIO 100 Award from CIO Magazine and an Atlanta Mobile Award for a mobile app that generated over $10 million in its first two years. His projects at Georgia State University have been highlighted in Politico magazine, earned a Virtual Innovation Award, and secured his distinction as a member of the Global Top 50: Government Innovators.

Through consulting engagements, Tom translates these experiences into actionable strategies tailored to your goals. His approach combines deep technical knowledge, a focus on long-term improvement, and insights from real-world success, empowering teams to overcome challenges, drive revenue, and stay agile in evolving landscapes. Whether improving existing processes or building new solutions, Tom is committed to helping you achieve sustainable growth and measurable outcomes.

Tom’s Book

In addition to writing a musical about his experience with cancer, Tom wrote a book about how this creative pursuit became his muse and catharsis through the experience and ultimately transformed his life. 

Having A Ball At Thirty: How I Got Through Cancer by Writing a Musical

Having A Ball At Thirty is a behind the scenes look at what Tom was going through at the time. Each chapter chronicles what led up to the creation of each song and includes a full-color insert with photos, including original journal entries and performances of the musical.

By sharing his experience, Tom shows how you can navigate life’s darkest moments with resilience, creativity, and strength, leaving readers feeling empowered to face their own challenges. It is available for purchase and provides a powerful takeaway that reinforces Tom’s message: adversity can be a catalyst for personal growth and transformation.  

Testimonials

“Tom’s use of his musical is truly wonderful and unique and brings his experience to life in a way that is both impactful and unforgettable. I, along with the rest of the audience, was spellbound. People were crying and laughing, sometimes both at once.”

- Pamela Peters, Medscape Education

“Tom delivered a truly creative learning experience for my students, and enabled them to internalize the experience in a way that traditional learning could not.”

- Linelle Blais, Emory University

“Tom shared his personal journey, struggle and overcoming for us to realize the value of each minute we have, just as he has. We don’t have to have such a challenging experience to begin to value our life as it is right now.”

— Pam Leinmiller, Vertical Vision

“Tom tells a story to be treasured, reliving his journey with humor, kindness and grace. A sure comfort for patients, loved ones, and healthcare providers alike.”

- Dr. Muta Issa, Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center