JOEL HILCHEY
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MEET JOEL

He's smarter than he looks.


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Hi! Nice to meet you!

             Let's start with the basics.
(But you can flip the balls to learn a bit more.)
See?
I'm a keynote speaker.
(I share useful stuff, but I also do ridiculous stunts on stage.)
And I write.
(Books and stuff...)
Basically, I remind people of something fairly simple...
(...simple, but rarely-practiced)
Having FUN
​gets more stuff DONE.
Seriously.
​Fun at work (done right) makes people more productive!
(& creative & collaborative & courageous & ...
​the list goes on...)
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My story?

I studied engineering.
​So I got good at solving problems.
Engineering Physics.
(lots of math)

​Then a Master's in Environmental Engineering.
(less math-y,
​more people-y)
But I wanted to solve problems to help people.
I was influenced by Engineers Without Borders (& other folks) who were inspired to tackle BIG problems.
I was curious.
Why are some organizations so inspired & inspiring?
(And why do some SEEMINGLY amazing teams struggle?)
So I researched creativity, collaboration, & culture...
(well, I still do...)
Spoiler alert:
Culture matters a lot.
​Productivity...
Talent...
Innovation...
And there's LOTS of room for improvement.
And, I was an entertainer.
A juggler, mostly, but a student of "all-things-entertaining".
And I was an educator.
They even let me teach at a university...
​A whole decade!
So I put it all together...
(combining odd skills and interests is actually how many people find unique careers...)
And now I help leaders create awesome culture.
More fun...
More meaningful...
​It's good stuff.

(Amazing, eh?! People can actually LEARN to make things more fun!
​And that makes basically everything else better too.)
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My Official "I still want to know more" Bio
Joel is an ideas guy. His gift seems to stem from a strange combination of observation, ​insight, and blatant disregard for conventional thinking.

He's also a juggler (literally and figuratively). In addition to leading the Beanstalk Creative team as Executive Producer & CEO, he maintains a busy schedule as a keynote speaker, creating unforgettable spectacles on stage. 

He's the father of 3 kids, 2 of whom co-habitated a uterus, and he attempts to be a good husband. Joel has authored 3 books, (2 of them with Brandon Love), and he taught engineering for over a decade at McMaster University, where he was named one of the Top 150+ Alumni. 
​
He’s a seasoned barbershop quartet singer, he formerly chaired the board of the world-renowned Hamilton Children’s Choir, and he's a semi-competitive joggler (that's right... juggling whilst jogging).
​
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Stats & Fancy Letters

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Certified Speaking Professional
​
(CSP™)
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Proud Member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS)
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Top 150+ McMaster Engineering Alumni
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2000+ Presentations
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