Cody Byrns

Keynote Speech

Juggling our daily tasks and adapting to our new reality is one act that every industry is adjusting to in this ‘new normal’. Regaining our composure after a global pandemic and dealing with social and economic issues has set the stage to be intimidating as we must handle each job intricately and professionally, while also adjusting to new changes. Research tells us that humans are hardwired to resist change, both psychological and physiological, leaving us in a position where we must also practice self as a cornerstone of adaptation. Cody Byrns, in this program, will show how audience members can juggle these ‘new normal’ situations by sharing a journey that forever shaped his future and perspective on change. Cody Byrns, a professional juggler, who can juggle up to eight objects, had a life-changing accident in 2013. A life-changing hurdle that would leave him severely burned over 40% of his body, including both of his hands. This life-altering experience left him in a place where he had no choice but to adapt to his new reality and relearn how to juggle and function in life once again. Through this experience, Cody discovered strategies that can be practiced by working professionals to help them juggle tasks, improve work performance, and adapt to the ever-changing ‘new normal’.

Learning Objectives

• Explore methods to help cope and prepare for the new workforce changes.
• Obtain steps on how to properly position yourself for daily success.
• Learn methods on how to better balance your work life and personal life.

Keynote Speech

Effective communication is arguably the most important tool that we have as humans. The workplace is no exception to this premise. Outstanding communication can land a person their next sale, acquire a client, raise a round of funding, or just building a new relationship. Humor, one of the most popular forms of communication, is not often paraded around the workplace, but it should be from its unexpected slew of benefits. According to Harvard Business Review, every chuckle brings with it a host of business benefits, such as accelerated rapport building, decreased stress levels, and increased levels in productivity. Cody Byrns has spent over a decade entertaining thousands of people countrywide, from elementary school students to live television crews. During this journey, he learned that communication, in just about any form, works better when there is humor. This program will explore ways on how people can do simple things to add that extra chuckle to drive home an essential point. Anyone can be funny, it’s just knowing how.

Learning Objectives

• Learn what makes something funny and why other things fall flat.
• Discover how to better connect with co-workers and clients.
• Explore the different ways on how to integrate humor into boring presentations.

Keynote Speech

As many of us understand, life is truly a roller coaster ride. We all face our highs and lows, and some of us encounter unexpected turns. We sometimes find ourselves getting burned by life’s difficulties, and these burning moments can often leave us scarred. Cody Byrns shares his personal experience of how his life suddenly changed while he was stopped at a red light and rear-ended; he was severely burned and almost left for dead. He speaks on his life-altering experience, on the importance of focusing, and on what really matters in life. Through his story, Cody gives analogies of the fires that life’s challenges bring – whether in our personal lives or our careers – and how that same fire can temper our lives to make us stronger. Prepare to experience an engaging presentation that will uplift and propel you to live your life to its fullest potential.

Learning Objectives

• Learn a 4-step formula that will help anyone pivot from hardships.
• Gain a deeper understanding of physical and emotional scars and how they can give hope to others.
• Foster unity by understanding and accepting diverse perspectives.

Keynote Speech

Often, leaders focus on clarity, execution and effective communication to become a great leader. However, they overlook the commitment to lead courageously. Usually, this can be seen where a corporate leader is vocalizing an idea, yet, the project fails to come to fruition. No one rallies behind their project, deadlines are missed, and people are put onto performance review. The unfortunate reality is that the leader often misses the fundamental proponent of driving the team – The Why behind the vision. Before anything can be accomplished, a motivated leader must have a clear vision of where they are headed and what it is that they are seeking to accomplish. Cody has spent the past 15 years leveraging Vision Driven Leadership to give people hope, from youth to professionals working in the corporate world. From this journey, he learned that no matter what the vision is, we must keep in mind that there will be unexpected disruptions, obstacles, and rapid changes to which we must adapt as we move forward. Ultimately, what keeps him moving forward, and what leaders can use is their ‘why’, the core behind Vision Driven Leadership.

Learning Objectives

• Steps to identify the strong why behind a vision that can stimulate execution.
• How to roll out a ‘why’ into a tangible plan that encourages full team participation.
• 3 Pillars to creating a strong Vision Driven Leadership message.

Keynote Speech

In May of 2013, Cody stopped at a red light on the highway and was rear-ended by a box truck causing a fire to break out leading to severe burns on almost 40% of Cody’s body. After months of both a physical and spiritual recovery, his journey led him to see the powerful impact that today’s medical professionals deliver to those they care for. Many medical professionals are very overburdened with heavy workloads and long shifts, and too often, people take them for granted. During this dark point in his life, Cody and his family witnessed firsthand the heart behind the caregivers who led to his shift recovery. Together, they shared laughter and tears, but through it all, these bonding moments created heartfelt connections that greatly stood out to him and forever changed the way he saw the caregiving industry. This talk will remind caretakers of the difference they are making in the world, and why they have one of the best occupations in the world.

Learning Objectives

• How the small things they do make a big difference.
• Steps on effective self-care to better serve. “C.P.R. Acronym”
• Ways to uplift your emotions during troublesome times.

Our team had a wonderful experience working with Cody to help kick off our Winter Conference. He spoke in front of an audience of studious healthcare professionals, and Cody was able to break folks out of their shell, inspire them with his story, and keep audience participation high. His team was punctual, responsive and a pleasure to work with. Several attendees told us how enjoyable his session was, even calling it a highlight of their week!

As the Executive Director of GA Technology Student Association, one of my tasks is to provide a quality keynote speaker for our Fall Leadership Conference. I have established a solid rotation of five speakers, but decided to try a new speaker this year for our opening session. I researched and found two that I thought might have a connection with our members. Cody was our choice. He is an entertainer with a message. It was obvious he had our audience of over 1800 in the palm of his hands, using his juggling expertise as the hook. His presentation was entertaining while making his life message stick. Rarely do you see modern middle and high school students spontaneously start chanting a speaker’s name. But that’s how much they enjoyed him. He also spoke to kids the next morning in packed Leadership Sessions. Without hesitation, I recommend Cody!

Cody’s talk was a refreshing, motivational, and entertaining performance that truly stuck out to every young person around me. Everything from the beginning was clearly a thoughtful and masterfully crafted talk that I wish I could watch for the first time again.

Cody, I just want to say Thank You again for coming to speak to the Indiana ENA today! I just can’t say how much we enjoyed it, and of course, the message was phenomenal. I feel like you and I will be lifelong friends!!