Tom Krieglstein

Husband, Step-Father, Speaker, & Professional Hugger

Forum

Training

Building World-Class Mastermind Programs for Organizations Since 2010.

Professional

Speaking

Creating a Culture of Connection™ where everyone feels welcomed, connected, and engaged.

Speech

Coaching

Training leaders to find their voice and become world-class speakers on any stage.

Coming Soon

Hi I’m Tom Krieglstein!

In 2004, Tom founded Swift Kick and has since trained over half a million leaders around the US and the world including England, South Korea, Indonesia, and Bermuda on how to build a Culture of Connection™ within their organization.

Tom has spoken to leaders at some of the largest companies in the world such as Coca Cola, Pfizer, Disney, US Navy, and Nike. Through his speaking, he holds an unprecedented 7 National Speaking Titles. He is a TEDx speaker, attempted a Guinness World Record, and sat on the board of the NYC Entrepreneurs’ Organization for five years and the National Speakers’ Association NYC Chapter board for two years.

In his “free time,” Tom leads Forums for the Entrepreneurs’ Organization, YPO, TED, and OffTheRecord. He’s an Executive Accountability Coach for business owners, and he co-authored two Amazon.com bestselling books.

On a personal note, Tom has been featured in almost every major publication from USA Today, Fast Company, NY Times, MTV, and the Chicago Tribune. He lives in New York City, is an avid runner, was named after a cat, and loves peanut butter.

TOM ON YOUTUBE

The most underrated skill in public speaking isn't the speech itself, it's surviving the slide order five minutes before you go on stage.

#KeynoteSpeaker, #SpeakerLife, #StageLife, #BehindTheScenes, #Timelapse, #SlidePrep, #PublicSpeaking, #KeynotePrep, #KeynoteSpeaking, #Speaker, #ConferenceLife, #EventProfs, #SpeakerLifestyle, #BackstageLife, #PreShowRitual, #SpeakingCareer, #LeadershipTraining, #ProfessionalSpeaker, #StagePresence, #SpeakerHQ

Flipping through my slides one more time before my keynote.

Tom Krieglstein August 31, 2026 3:27 pm

The five minutes before a big moment are either for prayer or for spinning in an office chair, there's no in between.

#SpeakerLife, #Backstage, #KeynoteSpeaker, #BeforeShowtime, #StageLife, #PublicSpeaking, #BehindTheScenes, #Keynote, #ProfessionalSpeaker, #GreenRoom, #PreShowRituals, #ConferenceLife, #EventLife, #SpeakingCareer, #StageReady, #WheelieChair, #OfficeChairFun, #SpeakerDiaries, #NervousEnergy, #Speaker

Speaker life: playing around backstage before starting my keynote.

Tom Krieglstein August 31, 2026 2:38 am

Speaking at UW-Whitewater to 1500 students on their first day on campus.

When 1500 students are locked in for your speech

Tom Krieglstein August 30, 2026 8:49 pm

Turns out the last payphone in America wasn't obsolete, it was just waiting around for someone to remind us connection never goes out of service.

#FreeHugs, #Kindness, #RandomActsOfKindness, #RestStop, #RoadTrip, #TravelsWithTom, #HumanConnection, #CultureOfConnection, #PayPhone, #NewJersey, #TravelFinds, #SpreadKindness, #Positivity, #ConnectAndEngage, #HumanInteraction, #RoadsideFind, #TravelDiscovery, #TeamHuman, #SpeakerLife, #SmallActsBigImpact

Free Hugs Sticker Found at NJ Rest Stop Phone Booth

Tom Krieglstein August 30, 2026 12:52 pm

There's a specific kind of hope in a room before anyone's spoken yet, when 1500 strangers still believe the next hour might change something.

#KeynoteSpeaker, #CollegeLife, #StudentLife, #BeforeTheShow, #BehindTheScenes, #SpeakerLife, #CampusEvents, #FreshmanOrientation, #CollegeSpeaker, #BigCrowd, #StageReady, #PublicSpeaking, #CollegeCampus, #AudienceEnergy, #CampusLife, #Leadership, #TeamBuilding, #CultureOfConnection, #EngageYourPeople, #TeamHuman

Speaker life: watching 1500 students take their seats prior to my keynote

Tom Krieglstein August 28, 2026 3:31 pm

Dusk in the mountains has a way of making a rental car feel like the best seat in the house.

#Adirondacks, #MountainDrive, #Dusk, #ScenicDrive, #RoadTrip, #TravelLife, #GoldenHour, #NatureLovers, #MountainViews, #Wanderlust, #SpeakerLife, #TravelsWithTom, #OnTheRoad, #SlowDown, #MountainSunset, #TravelDiaries, #DanceFloorTheory, #CultureOfConnection, #EngageYourPeople, #TeamHuman

Driving through the Adirondack mountains at dusk

Tom Krieglstein August 27, 2026 6:57 pm

The best ideas rarely stay inside the lines of a notebook, sometimes they end up on a paper plate.

#PaperPlateNotes, #StudentLeaders, #SUNYPotsdam, #VisualNotes, #Sketchnotes, #CreativeNotes, #NoteTaking, #StudentLeadership, #CampusLife, #CollegeLeadership, #StudentEngagement, #LeaderTraining, #Speaker, #TeamBuilding, #DanceFloorTheory, #CultureOfConnection, #EngageYourPeople, #TeamHuman, #LearningOutLoud, #IdeasOnPaper

Student Leadership Notes Get Creative at SUNY Potsdam

Tom Krieglstein August 26, 2026 11:53 pm

There's nothing like watching a thousand strangers decide, in real time, whether they trust you enough to put their phones down.

#KeynoteSpeaker, #CollegeOrientation, #FreshmanYear, #PublicSpeaking, #StageLife, #SpeakerLife, #HigherEd, #CampusLife, #StudentEngagement, #Motivation, #Leadership, #TeamBuilding, #CultureOfConnection, #DanceFloorTheory, #EngageYourPeople, #TeamHuman, #CollegeLife, #NewStudents, #OrientationWeek, #Speaker

Speaking to the freshman class at UW-Whitewater

Tom Krieglstein August 26, 2026 12:31 am

Having a million followers and zero real connections isn't loneliness going viral, it's the whole problem in a nutshell.

#CultureOfConnection #Loneliness #InfluencerCulture #ParasocialRelationships #SocialMedia #Authenticity #HumanConnection #OnlineVsReal #Belonging #Solitude #TeamHuman #EngageYourPeople #DanceFloorTheory #Community #MentalHealth #Followers #RealConnection #DigitalLife #Isolation #SocialPsychology

The difference between in person and online connections

Tom Krieglstein August 25, 2026 1:10 am

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TOM IN ACTION

“Tom not only provides the tools and skills to make any team a success, but they also create a warm environment that makes you pause, think, reflect, think again, and naturally want to open your mind to overcoming challenges personally and professionally.”

Kessie Bratko VPGlobal Program Management BCD Travel

“You have to experience it to believe it!“

Brent BeringerManager, Aramark

“Need a presenter/speaker to give your employees a kick in the pants? No seriously -- Tom presents sessions that inspire, motivate and teach, all with humor.”

Perry LungmusVP of Luxury Travel at Travel Leaders Network, LLC