The Culture Strategy
The Culture You Carry:
Who You Are Matters More Than Where You Sit.
In today’s workplace, culture is too often treated like a brand campaign... defined in boardrooms, printed on posters, and forgotten by lunchtime but culture isn’t created in mission statements. It’s built in moments.
The truth is, you don’t need a title to lead, you just need to understand the culture you carry and how it impacts others.
Abagail McKiernan, founder of two impact-driven organizations and a national voice for community-centered leadership, shares how one person, at any level, can shape a culture that people want to be part of. Through real stories, relatable insight, and just the right amount of humor, she reminds us that the strongest organizations aren’t defined by where people sit, but by how they show up.
Abby is unassuming, positive, genuine, approachable, and incredibly likeable. She has a way of making a difficult topic feel comfortable and manageable.
SHRM Event
Abby connects the human side of helping employees with the business case for doing so, providing data that demonstrates the ROI of leading with HEART.
Company Event
HR professionals balance heart and business every day, and we are often the people trying to facilitate help for employees who need it, sometimes with very limited resources, time, or options. Abby understands that reality.
HR Event
Customizable Keynotes
Every keynote is tailored around your industry, goals, and what you want your audience experience to be like.
Lead From Any Seat
Lead From Any Seat is a story-driven keynote based on Abagail “Abby” McKiernan’s Amazon #1 bestselling book, The Culture We Carry: Lead from Any Seat. With humor, heart, and practical tools, Abby shows that culture isn’t built by titles—it’s built in everyday moments and conversations. Audiences leave empowered to lead right where they are, using clearer communication and stronger connection to make their corner of the world better, brighter, and more aligned.
What the audience will walk away with
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A simple framework to communicate with clarity and empathy in the moments that matter most
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A reframe of your “too muchness” into a leadership edge you can train instead of hide
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A practical plan for one real conversation you can have in the next 7 days to build trust and create ripple effects
Who it's for
Women’s groups, inspirational events, corporate keynotes, and culture-building gatherings—anywhere people need to leave feeling empowered to lead, communicate better, and create positive change from any seat.
A Walk in Their Shoes
A Walk in Their Shoes is a practical, human-centered talk complete with an interactive game, that helps leaders and teams understand what “life stuff” really looks like for employees and why small, everyday emergencies (transportation, childcare gaps, utility shutoffs, housing instability) quickly become attendance issues, performance drops, and turnover.
Instead of treating these moments like personal problems employees should “handle,” this session reframes them as predictable barriers to work that organizations can design for without sacrificing accountability, privacy, or dignity.
What audiences will walk away with:
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A clearer, more empathetic understanding of the real-world constraints many employees navigate (especially hourly and frontline teams)
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A simple framework for responding to employee emergencies with speed, consistency, and respect
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Practical guardrails leaders can use to avoid favoritism, chaos, or “manager-as-savior” dynamics
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A repeatable approach to building trust during high-pressure moments—when culture is actually tested
Who it’s for
HR leaders, people managers, operators, and executive teams—especially in environments where attendance, retention, and morale are directly tied to day-to-day stability (manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, and other frontline-heavy workplaces).
A Walk in Their Shoes
A Walk in Their Shoes is a practical, human-centered talk complete with an interactive game, that helps leaders and teams understand what “life stuff” really looks like for employees and why small, everyday emergencies (transportation, childcare gaps, utility shutoffs, housing instability) quickly become attendance issues, performance drops, and turnover.
Instead of treating these moments like personal problems employees should “handle,” this session reframes them as predictable barriers to work that organizations can design for without sacrificing accountability, privacy, or dignity.
What audiences will walk away with:
-
A clearer, more empathetic understanding of the real-world constraints many employees navigate (especially hourly and frontline teams)
-
A simple framework for responding to employee emergencies with speed, consistency, and respect
-
Practical guardrails leaders can use to avoid favoritism, chaos, or “manager-as-savior” dynamics
-
A repeatable approach to building trust during high-pressure moments—when culture is actually tested
Who it’s for
HR leaders, people managers, operators, and executive teams—especially in environments where attendance, retention, and morale are directly tied to day-to-day stability (manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, and other frontline-heavy workplaces).
Philanthropy in Action
Philanthropy in Action is a practical, values-driven talk that helps companies make their giving more effective by “staying in their lane” and aligning charitable support with what the business actually does well. Instead of treating philanthropy like a marketing opportunity (name on every event, T-shirt, and billboard), this session reframes giving as a culture strategy: a way to strengthen your community and build trust, pride, and belonging inside your organization.
Leaders learn how to move from reactive, one-off donations to a consistent approach that employees can believe in, nonprofits can rely on, and customers can respect, without burning out teams or saying yes to every ask.
What audiences will walk away with
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A clearer definition of aligned giving (what it means to “stay in your lane” and why it creates better outcomes)
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A simple decision filter for evaluating requests quickly and consistently
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Practical guardrails that prevent performative giving, favoritism, and “whoever asks loudest wins” dynamics
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A repeatable approach to building company culture through generosity employees are proud of
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Stronger community partnerships that create measurable impact over time
Who it’s for
HR leaders, executives, and community-facing teams who want a clear, consistent approach to giving. Especially organizations that receive frequent donation requests and want their philanthropy to strengthen both community impact and company culture.
A Few Trusted Partners:
Meet Abby
4 Part Series For Purchase
This four-part marketing series is designed to help businesses of all sizes attract more customers, build brand loyalty, and position themselves for long-term success. Each session provides actionable strategies, real-world examples, and practical tools to elevate marketing efforts—whether you're a small business preparing for peak season, a mid-sized company looking to strengthen brand loyalty, or a large organization focused on recruitment and retention. Available as a series of in-person presentations or a virtual course to implement at your convenience.
Perfect For:
✅ Entrepreneurs & small business owners
✅ Marketing professionals & business leaders
✅ HR teams & large companies looking to strengthen employer branding
✅ Chambers of Commerce looking for valuable programming for their members
Smart Marketing Strategies to Kickstart Your Best Year Yet
✅ Build your marketing strategy
✅ Learn how to align marketing efforts with business goals for measurable success.
✅ Create a simple yet effective content plan that engages and converts.
From Invisible to Irresistible: How to Stand Out in a Crowded Market
✅ Maximize social media advertising on a budget
✅ Utilize cause-based marketing to increase brand loyalty.
✅ Explore out-of-the-box marketing ideas and free tools to simplify your efforts.
From Seasonal to Sustainable: Brand Loyalty Beyond the Busy Season
✅ Convert seasonal customers into repeat buyers
✅ Learn storytelling to keep customers engaged.
✅ Leverage loyalty programs and email marketing to maintain brand visibility.
Employer Branding for Recruitment:
Attract & Retain Talent
✅ Market your company culture to attract top talent.
✅ Build an employee-focused brand that improves recruitment
& retention.
✅ Discover how corporate social responsibility enhances brand trust.
