Kristen Hadeed

Building trust and connection in the workplace becomes difficult when leaders struggle to embrace authentic, people-first approaches that truly engage their teams. Kristen Hadeed is a leadership speaker, author, and entrepreneur who learned this lesson firsthand when 75% of her team quit her cleaning business within days of a major contract. That defining moment sparked a 14-year journey transforming Student Maid into a globally celebrated company known for its culture of belonging, earning her recognition from Inc. as one of the "World's Top 10 CEOs". Through her bestselling book Permission to Screw Up, her TEDx talk with over three million views, and her work with organisations like Microsoft, Google, and Apple, Kristen helps leaders turn failure into growth and create workplaces where humanity, resilience, and collaboration drive lasting success.

Leading teams through uncertainty and change requires more than process and strategy: it demands the courage to lead from the heart. Kristen Hadeed is a leadership expert, author, and entrepreneur who helps organisations embrace authentic, human-centred leadership to build cultures where trust, connection, and engagement thrive. Her work addresses a challenge many leaders face: how to create environments where people feel genuinely valued, not just as employees, but as whole human beings.

At just 19, Kristen founded Student Maid as a way to earn money during college. When a major contract required her to lead a team of 60, she quickly discovered the cost of inexperience: within days, 75% of her team quit. That painful moment became the catalyst for a 14-year journey of building a company celebrated globally for its culture of belonging and its mission to develop future leaders. Her insights have reached audiences at Microsoft, Google, Apple, JetBlue, and L'Oréal, and she was recognised by Inc. as one of the "World's Top 10 CEOs." Her book, Permission to Screw Up, has sold more than 40,000 copies worldwide, and her TED Talk has been viewed over three million times. Kristen is also working on her second book and was selected to headline the 2025 Lessons in Leadership series at Heidelberg University, where she will share her expertise with students, professionals, and community leaders.

Kristen's keynotes, workshops, and ongoing culture change programmes give leaders practical tools to turn failure into forward momentum, foster resilience in the face of uncertainty, and build collaboration across teams. Her approach is grounded in real experience and delivered with warmth, humour, and authenticity. Audiences leave with actionable strategies to cultivate empathy, have courageous conversations, and lead in ways that inspire lasting engagement. Whether speaking to a corporate audience or guiding long-term transformation, Kristen's mission remains clear: to spark the kind of leadership that creates not only stronger organisations, but a better world through compassionate, people-first cultures.