Gila Kurtz built a multi-seven-figure national brand and then realized the biggest thing she'd ever scale wasn't a company. It was a mindset.
As co-founder of Dog is Good and founder of The BOLO Project, Gila has spent over a decade studying what separates leaders who plateau from those who break through. Her answer? It's never the strategy. It's always the subconscious identity of the leader calling the shots.
Gila brings neuroscience, hard-won entrepreneurial experience, and a framework for identity transformation that produces results audiences feel long after they leave the room. An international best-selling author, Top 25 Women of Influence in the pet industry, and seasoned serial entrepreneur — Gila is the speaker your "next level" requires.
The greatest obstacle in your business isn't your market, your team, or your strategy… it's the subconscious identity running on autopilot beneath all three.
Gila is a #1 international bestselling author, serial entrepreneur, and the co-founder of Dog is Good — the award-winning, highly recognizable lifestyle brand for dog lovers she and her husband took from startup to a seven-figure company. She has been recognized as one of the Top 25 Women of Influence in the pet industry, named Woman of the Year by the Women in the Pet Industry Network, and featured in Success Magazine, Forbes Magazine, and on the Grow Wire Show.
Today she's the founder of The BOLO Project, a transformational nonprofit empowering teens through leadership, neuroscience, emotional resilience, and the healing power of dogs — and a coach to seven-figure business owners.
"Empowering people to unleash their potential, lead with impact, and master their mindset."
Gila exposes the hidden operating system behind CEO decision-making, reveals where it quietly caps your growth, and delivers a proven framework for upgrading the identity required to reach your next level. Expect neuroscience, radical self-honesty, and a room that will never see leadership the same way again.
Gila helps CEOs and founders break through the noise of success to articulate a vision so clear and so authentic it becomes the new north star for their business and their life. Audiences leave with a vision so specific it becomes impossible to ignore.
In this high-energy, deeply personal keynote, Gila uses the surprisingly profound world of dogs to help audiences break free from the life they've been living by default and start building the one they actually want. Part wake-up call, part roadmap. Gila shifts every person from passive to purposeful — from chasing every stick life throws to choosing exactly what they're going after.
Every pack has a leader. So does every company. Using the primal, instinct-driven world of dog behavior, Gila reveals what no MBA program will teach you. With humor, hard truths, and a memorable framework, audiences leave with a visceral, personal answer to the question every leader has to face: Are you a leader worth following?
"Gila is one of the most dynamic keynote speakers I have heard. She is always heartfelt and sincere. Her messages speak to you, not at you — motivating, entertaining, and thought-provoking."
Mona StraubStraub Design Group
"When Gila stepped up to the microphone, her firmly grounded and energetic essence captured the room instantaneously. She spoke from a well-seasoned foundation of passion and many lessons learned."
Whanadi-Ann SobrevillaAffinity for Wellness Movement
"Before working with Gila Kurtz, I spent so much time focused on building the business that I never truly stopped to ask what I was building it for. Through her guidance around vision, she helped me shift from simply operating my business to intentionally designing a life that actually aligns with who I want to become. That change in perspective brought a level of clarity, excitement, and purpose that has completely transformed the way I lead, make decisions, and think about growth. Gila has helped me realize that business is not the destination — it's the vehicle to create impact, freedom, and a meaningful life. The work she is doing has genuinely changed the trajectory of both my business and my personal life."
Matt ChandlerSeven Peaks Fence and Barn
"At barely five feet tall, Gila Kurtz is a veritable giant. I've had the good fortune of attending several of her talks on the importance of crafting a true and authentic vision for your life. What makes Gila so extraordinary is her ability to blend the practical and the profound. She teaches the granular, tactical side of vision creation while simultaneously bringing a spiritual depth and sense of ease to the process that I, as a business owner, have rarely experienced. To say she has stage presence is an understatement. She has presence. Period. Her vivacious, life-giving energy radiates from every pore and transforms the people in the room in a way that is difficult to describe but unmistakable when you witness it firsthand. Gila Kurtz doesn't just challenge you to envision a bigger life. She makes you believe you are capable of living it."
Faizun KamalThe Franchise Pros
"I have known Gila Kurtz for about two years now. She has led a unique program at Pinnacle Global Network about personal transformation. She clearly and inspiringly lays out the path to growth, fulfillment, and personal and professional success. Smartly, her multi-pronged approach appeals to listeners on an emotional, spiritual and intellectual level, thereby ensuring that her powerful messages gets across to every single participant. On a personal note, the work that I have done with Gila has totally transformed my life. It has opened me up to new ways of thinking about what I want, (and how to get it), the power I possess, (that I didn't know I had) and getting in touch with feelings that promote growth and well being. I have often thought the world would be a better place if Gila's work could be shared with children just starting out in school. Her approach is sensible, inspiring and aspirational. I can see the very real changes of the colleagues in my group and I can easily say she is beloved by our community. The through line of Gila's work is gratitude and I often acknowledge her and the work I am doing in my journaling. I assure you, you will be left with nothing but gratitude should you have the pleasure and honor to have her speak at your event."
Stephen BernsteinPrincipal of CBB Lighting Design
Every pack has a leader. So does every company. Using the primal world of dog behavior, Gila reveals what no MBA program teaches — the five practices of a leader worth following.
Gila's nonprofit equips teens with leadership, neuroscience, and emotional resilience — using the unmatched healing power of dogs to help them author lives worth living.
Gila is a sought-after speaker for teens, schools, and youth-focused organizations — delivering high-energy, age-appropriate keynotes on identity, resilience, and leadership.
Bring an unforgettable keynote experience to your stage. Let's create a moment your audience will be talking about for years.