Keynote Speaking by Wally Marx

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"Insurmountable Opportunity: Turning Massive Challenges into Defining Wins" 

Insurmountable Opportunity is Wally Marx Jr.’s signature keynote — a high-energy blend of storytelling, hard-earned lessons, and practical takeaways from his fifteen-year journey helping grow ServiceNow from a little-known startup into a multi-billion-dollar global leader. 

Through vivid, behind-the-scenes stories, Wally reveals what it takes to navigate business transformation, lead through uncertainty, and turn obstacles into catalysts for leadership and innovation. This isn’t just about business strategy — it’s about the human side of doing something extraordinary. 

Whether you’re scaling a business, leading a team through change, or simply looking for a spark to push past your own limits, Insurmountable Opportunity delivers a potent mix of inspiration and actionable ideas you can apply immediately. 

Key Themes 

Finding opportunity inside the obstacle — why the biggest challenges can be your greatest advantage. 

Culture as your multiplier — how shared values drive performance in high-pressure environments. 

From idea to reality — the messy, essential steps that turn vision into impact. 

Leading when the outcome is uncertain — keeping teams aligned and inspired in uncharted territory. 

Ideal Audiences 

Leaders facing high-stakes challenges 

Teams in growth, transformation, or turnaround situations 

Entrepreneurs and innovators looking for a mindset edge 

Business conferences seeking an inspiring, story-driven keynote

"Fifteen from ServiceNow: Culture, Strategy, and Business Transformation in the Hypergrowth Trenches" 

In 2009, ServiceNow was a scrappy startup with a handful of customers. Fifteen years later, it’s evolved into a multi-billion-dollar global leader. Wally Marx Jr. was there for the entire journey — from chaotic early days to enterprise scale — and he distilled what he learned into 15 hard-earned lessons on leadership and business transformation. 

In this keynote, Wally shares insider stories, the principles behind them, and the practical takeaways that leaders can implement immediately. It provides a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how culture, strategy, and transformation intersect in a company experiencing insurmountable opportunity at breakneck speed. 

Key Takeaways: 

- Culture is your operating system — build it intentionally or it will build itself. 

- Speed without alignment is chaos — learn how to move fast while staying on the same page. 

- Transformation is messy — the human side of change is as crucial as the technical side. 

- Ideas don’t win on their own — they require champions, iteration, and persistence. 

- Proactive beats reactive — the most valuable leaders anticipate rather than merely respond. 

Ideal Audiences: 

- Executive teams preparing for growth or transformation 

- Leaders navigating rapid scaling or M&A 

- Culture and strategy off-sites 

- Tech and innovation conferences