Since founding the Leadership Difference in 1995, over 450,000 people have attended Dave’s “enter-TRAIN-ment” seminars on topics that include leadership, customer service, selling skills, and personal performance enhancement. His clients include Allstate Insurance, Bank of America, Universal Studios, Hilton Worldwide, Janssen/Johnson and Johnson, Novartis, Sub-Zero Wolf Appliances, Electrolux Appliances, Trek Bikes, Walt Disney World and the CIA. In July 2013, Meeting Professionals International selected as the Meeting Madness winner for Best Speaker of the Year at their World Education Congress in Las Vegas. In September 2015, Meetings and Conventions Magazine named Dave one of the Best Speakers of the Year.
He has a B.A. in Mass-Communications with an emphasis in Business Administration and M.Ed. in Global Human Resources Development. Dave spent 12 years as a corporate executive in human resources management, has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois. He is also a regular guest lecturer at Walla Walla University and Whitman College, is the chairman of the
business advisory board for Walla Walla Community College and is designated as a Certified Advanced Wine Sommelier by the International Wine Guild. He is also a founding shareholder of Pambrun Wines. Having failed to achieve his dream of playing professional baseball, he went on to a successful coaching career at the tee ball level.
Dave is the author of four books. Live and Learn or Die Stupid! focuses on personal contentment and performance excellence. His second book, The Power of Understanding People, was released in December 2013 by acclaimed publisher Wiley and was immediately named Best Business Book of the Month by Amazon. Dave’s third book, The Power of Understanding Yourself, was released on January 7, 2019 also by Wiley and was an Editor’s Pick by getAbstract and named Top Read by Training Magazine. His fourth book, Peak Performance Culture: The Five Metrics of Organizational Excellence, was released in September 2020 on Wiley.
Dave lives in the Walla Walla Valley wine country with his wife of 37 years, Lori; has two adult children, Brooklyn and Slade; three horses, and Miles and Mingus – the canine security system (and Jazz tribute).
This program explores the characteristics of happy, successful people. Using audience interaction, comedy and introspection, Dave and the audience discover what it takes to achieve self- contentment. Taken from Dave’s popular book of the same name!
“Dave was a delight to work with through the entire process. He more than delivered for our audience. Reviews were through the roof. Our agents really enjoyed his humor, wit and information.”
“Dave was fantastic and our group loved him. We laughed a lot! I could have listened to him all day! Very polished, yet so funny! He was also very pleasant to work with.”
“Dave Mitchell was really good at addressing his presentation to the theme that we had selected for our conference. He was very engaging with the audience and related well to them. He is an excellent speaker. We had him speak to our group a few years ago and would like to get him again in the future.”
“You gave me a number of speakers to select and I picked Dave Mitchell. Dave was here today and he was exceptional. He read his audience’s needs and delivered a presentation that made our CEO ask him back. Please know, that both you and Dave delivered quality today at ACUITY.”
“Book Dave today! His message was compelling, concise and well-received. He mixed humor with the undeniable truth, and he was able to extract that truth in 8 simple questions.”
“Phenomenal.. 100% recommendation.. Can mix with any group and provide a meaningful, entertaining event.”
“Dave is insightful, hilarious, and provides plenty of real life examples to drive home his points! Our group had very few people looking down at their phones during his 90 minute presentation, which today seems to be the marker of an engaging speaker. Our company highly recommends Dave Mitchell.”
“Dave Mitchell has the ability to engage audience members effectively with an enjoyable delivery.”
“Dave was GREAT! Pre-conference communication with Eagles Talent and Dave was wonderful. It made my job as a meeting planner much easier.”
“Dave was awesome… our group loved him, many said he was the best speaker we have had. He was engaging and entertaining as well as insightful. Many folks stood in line to buy his book, which is a strong indication of our team’s enthusiasm for Dave.”
“Dave’s understanding of human behavior is only outmatched by his personality, charm, wisdom and wit. His ability to connect with individuals, teams and organizations, while truly entertaining them, makes his concepts even more impactful. Dave cuts to the soul and spirit of the human experience in today’s complex business world and immediately connects with his audience. I highly recommend Dave as a speaker, as well as his books, for any individual or group looking to improve the results they aspire to achieve.”
“Investing in Dave Mitchell has been the best business decision I have ever made. He is the most entertaining speaker I have ever heard, which is why he is so effective getting his message across to the audience.”
“Through his training and writing, Dave Mitchell speaks practically and powerfully about the interior work of cultivating one’s best self. His offering, firmly grounded in social science, and his comedic approach makes the sometimes daunting work of personal development more accessible. Dave’s unique blend of storytelling and educating creates lasting benefits for individuals and organizations. When you work with Dave, you learn, you laugh and you’re inspired to do big work.”
“David Mitchell brings a “sense of excitement and passion” to all of his presentations. When an announcement is issued to the employees that David Mitchell will be the speaker at an upcoming event or training session, I can always count on a large and captivated audience. His personal warmth and style is always appreciated by our employees and they never leave without gleaning new and important information.
It is truly amazing when David takes an audience that may be discouraged by what is happening in their world and fills them with hope and excitement. His personality and sense of humor leaves the audience on the edge of their seats throughout the entire presentation.”
““As the President of Mercantile Mortgage, a full service Bank located in Winter Park Florida, I have had the opportunity over several years to work with David Mitchell and his team. As the head of the mortgage division, I have utilized David in various capacities, which would include training, motivational building and as a keynote speaker.”
“In closing, David Mitchell and “The Leadership Difference” will always be my first choice when considering and hiring a motivational speaker, educator or trainer. There are hundreds of speakers that offer their services across the country, but it is always hard to find one who is truly gifted in their field of endeavor.””
“His sessions are challenging, insightful and he keeps everyone engaged with his humor. He has the innate ability to see inside our organization. His message always carries a lasting impression for our team and it’s been a great investment for us. I would highly recommend Dave.””
“Dave has the ability to grab the audience attention the minute he starts speaking and keep them engaged until the end of the day. We have been working with Dave for over two years and continue to hear from our guests that his seminars are educational and even life-changing. His professionalism and willingness to understand our business reinforces his credibility and allows us to take the Sub-Zero/Wolf experience to the next level.”
“The conference would not have been the same if it weren’t for your outstanding ability to positively captivate an audience. You have a gift being able to set the vision and elaborate in the basics of obtaining a strong leadership for any type of company, while incorporating what I believe to be the key factor-FUN! Your presentations went above and beyond what I could have ever expected and we are all eternally grateful. I will be sure to contact you prior to our next year’s conference, in the hopes that you might again, be able to enlighten all of us with your positivity and optimism.”
“Dave is truly an amazing talent! I have heard him at least a dozen times, but yet I laugh at everything as if I have heard it for the first time! He is so engaging with a tremendous amount of content.”
“Dave is spot on his messaging and brings an entertaining approach to his presentations. Our audience was small to mid-sized business owners and
executives and Dave delivered.”
“Dave’s presentation, The Power of Understanding People, had our audience
completely engaged. It was both insightful and entertaining. I highly
recommend it to any association meeting planner for their future events.”
“Dave’s presentation was captivating and engaging. The humor he used kept everyone laughing. I think that everyone in the room could relate to some part of his presentation. We have had him speak for us twice with two very different groups and each time we had extremely positive feedback.”
