Speaker Kit · Kara Steffen · Creator of the Optimal Horizon
Headshot & at a glance
Kara Steffen
Creator of the Optimal Horizon · Writer, speaker and facilitator
Kara Steffen is the creator of the Optimal Horizon, a framework that helps people and organizations reach their fullest potential one horizon at a time, and the founder of The Change Up Group.
- Speaks on
- The Optimal Horizon, for people and organizations; alignment; moving onward one horizon at a time
- Based in
- Southern California · Speaking and facilitating across the country
- Online
- theoptimalhorizon.com · LinkedIn
Bios
Three lengths, ready to copy.
Short for programs and social posts
Kara Steffen is the creator of the Optimal Horizon, a framework that helps people and organizations reach their fullest potential one horizon at a time, and the founder of The Change Up Group.
Medium for event pages
Kara Steffen is the creator of the Optimal Horizon, a framework that helps people and organizations reach their fullest potential one horizon at a time, and the founder of The Change Up Group. For nearly a decade she has partnered with organizations across the nonprofit and private sectors, from emerging ventures to established enterprises managing nine-figure budgets, helping them build the clarity, capacity, and infrastructure to realize their ambitions. She writes, speaks, and leads Optimal Horizon Workshops across the country.
Long for press and printed materials
Kara Steffen is the creator of the Optimal Horizon, a framework that helps people and organizations reach their fullest potential one horizon at a time, and the founder of The Change Up Group, which serves purpose-led businesses, nonprofits, foundations and complex organizations.
For nearly a decade, Kara has partnered with organizations across the nonprofit and private sectors, from emerging ventures to established enterprises managing nine-figure budgets. Her experience spans organizational strategy, revenue, technology, data, finance, and implementation, which lets her connect big-picture vision with operational reality.
Kara is particularly drawn to moments of evolution, when what once worked is no longer enough. Through her writing, talks, and Optimal Horizon Workshops, she helps leaders and teams take an honest look at where they stand, agree on where they’re going, and keep moving onward. She is based in Southern California and speaks and facilitates across the country.
Introduction
To read aloud before I speak.
Our next speaker believes that every organization has an Optimal Horizon, and so does every person. Kara Steffen is the creator of the Optimal Horizon and the founder of The Change Up Group. For nearly a decade she has helped organizations, from emerging ventures to enterprises managing nine-figure budgets, build the clarity and capacity to realize their ambitions. Today she’ll show us how to find our next horizon, and how to keep moving toward it. Please welcome Kara Steffen.
About 30 seconds.
Talks
Session descriptions.
Each works as a keynote or as a longer working session with exercises from the Optimal Horizon Reflection Workbook, and each is shaped to the audience.
Onward: Reaching Your Optimal Horizon, One Horizon at a Time
Every organization has an Optimal Horizon, and so does every person. Why we rarely arrive at one permanent end state, and how to keep moving toward our fullest potential anyway.
Attendees leave with: A shared language for where you, and your organization, are going; Assess, Align, Build, Strengthen, for work and for life; Your own next horizon, named before you leave the room.
Why Good People and Good Organizations Lose Alignment
Growth, transition and new challenges pull organizations, and lives, out of step. How to recognize the signs early, and where they usually start.
Attendees leave with: The common signs that you’ve outgrown the structures that got you here; Why problems show up in one place and start in another; Where to look first.
The Horizons in Between
The Optimal Horizon provides the direction; the intermediate horizons provide the path. How to choose the next horizon and agree on the order.
Attendees leave with: What makes a good intermediate horizon; How to sequence competing priorities; Turning a plan into commitments.
Audiences
Where these talks fit.
- Conferences for leaders of purpose-led businesses, nonprofits, foundations and complex organizations
- Boards and board retreats
- Leadership team offsites and all-staff gatherings
- Associations, networks and funder convenings
- Leadership development programs and personal growth events
- Podcasts, panels and webinars
Logistics
Planning details.
Every event is different, so I keep the details flexible and shape them with you. Here is what to expect.
- Length
- Anything from a short keynote to a half-day or full-day working session, fitted to your agenda.
- Format
- Keynote, conversation, panel, or interactive session. In person anywhere in the country; virtual options can be discussed.
- Content
- Each talk is tailored to your audience and theme. We start with a short planning call so it fits the room.
- Room & equipment
- I work with what your venue has. A microphone and a screen are helpful; interactive sessions benefit from tables and space to write.
- Materials
- Interactive sessions can include exercises from the Optimal Horizon Reflection Workbook, adapted to your group.
- Travel
- Arranged together for each event.
- Fees
- Depend on the format, length and travel. I’m glad to talk through what works for your event and budget.
- Recording & promotion
- Happy to discuss recording, sharing slides, and helping promote the session.
Invite Kara to speak.
Email Ksteffen@thechangeupgroup.com with your event, audience, date and location, or use the form at theoptimalhorizon.com/contact.