Bill Burke, Speaker | Executive, Creator, Optimism

Bill Burke

Speaker, Executive, Creator, Optimism Expert

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New York

Inspire your team with an optimistic vision of the world and its future — while ensuring a solid ROI — with Bill Burke, speaker, executive, creator, and optimism expert.

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Bill Burke | Speaker Biography

Founder of The Optimism Institute and podcast in 2022

Co-author of Ted Turner's autobiography "Call Me Ted"

Former CEO of The Weather Channel Companies

Bill Burke founded The Optimism Institute in 2022 after an extensive media and sports career as an executive, writer, and producer. Bill served as CEO of The Weather Channel Companies after several years at Time Warner/Turner Broadcasting System, where he was the founding general manager of Turner Classic Movies before becoming president of TBS Superstation. Additionally, for fifteen years, he was the co-owner and chairman of the Portland Sea Dogs, the double-A Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. In 2022, Bill was a Fellow of Harvard’s Advanced Leadership Institute. As a writer, Bill co-authored Ted Turner’s top-10 New York Times Best-Selling autobiography Call Me Ted and later co-wrote/produced/directed “Live Another Day,” an award-winning feature-length documentary on the bailout of the U.S. auto industry. Bill is a lifelong optimist (he has to be—as a Detroit Lions fan). He launched The Optimism Institute and podcast to inspire people with an optimistic vision of the world and its future.

Why Should You Book Bill Burke?

Bill brings a wealth of experience from his successful careers in media, sports, and leadership, offering unique insights into building resilient and optimistic teams. His journey from executive roles to founding The Optimism Institute showcases his ability to innovate and inspire positive change. Booking Bill as a speaker will provide your team or business with actionable strategies for fostering an optimistic culture that drives success.

Featured Sessions

How To Be A Modern Optimist

Bill Burke says that a paradox of modern life is that while there has arguably never been a better time to be alive in all of human history; there has also never been an era when we face so many challenges to remaining optimistic. Today’s culture bombards us with feeds, alerts, cable news shout-fests, and other steady streams of negativity that draw our attention away from the incredible progress that the human race continues to make.

Optimism Is A Force Multiplier

Bill Burke will teach your team the value of optimism in the workplace and the home front. The late Gen. Colin Powell had “Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier” as one of his leadership principles because he knew that people respond to leaders and colleagues who remain positive in the face of obstacles and quickly adopt a solutions-oriented mindset when faced with a challenge. Anyone who questions the value of optimism in leadership should be challenged to produce a list of history’s great pessimists! In Social and family settings, emphasizing and looking for positives brings people together. Optimists are generally more likeable, and research shows many health benefits to maintaining a positive mindset, including a 15-30% increase in longevity.

ROI: Return On Integrity

Bill Burke's talk, "ROI: Return On Integrity," explores how prioritizing integrity in business practices leads to sustainable success and a positive impact on organizational culture and profitability.

Featured Projects