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David Atkins

Retired NY State Police Captain and award-winning entrepreneur David Atkins inspires organizations to conquer fear, build resilience, and achieve breakthrough results with his “One Decision Away” philosophy.

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5 of 5

“Absolutely incredible! So motivational, and every lesson is something you can apply to your life.”

Laci Buzzelli

Senior Vice President, ADP

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Why book David Atkins for your next event

  • As a retired New York State Police Captain, David Atkins commanded over 100 officers in high-stakes, life-or-death situations. His keynote distills these frontline leadership lessons into actionable strategies that help organizations lead with confidence, clarity, and resilience, no matter the challenge.
  • Twice honored as New York State Trooper of the Year and Investigator of the Year, David embodies the highest standards of performance and accountability. His keynote empowers organizations to raise the bar, instilling a culture of excellence and results-driven action across all levels.
  • As a Ground Zero first responder after the 9/11 attacks, David’s courage and perseverance were tested at the deepest level. Today, he translates those experiences into powerful lessons on resilience and adaptability, giving organizations the tools to thrive under pressure and bounce back stronger from adversity.

Non-binding request for David Atkins

From Adversity to Advantage: Leading Through Life’s Toughest Challenges

A retired NY State Police Captain, bestselling author, and award-winning entrepreneur, this keynote speaker empowers leaders and teams to break through fear, excuses, and adversity. With his proven “One Decision Away” philosophy, he delivers high-energy strategies that build resilience, inspire decisive leadership, and equip organizations to achieve breakthrough results in today’s toughest business challenges.

Keynote Speaker David Atkins is a powerful voice on leadership, resilience, and peak performance. A retired New York State Police Captain and award-winning entrepreneur, he brings a unique combination of frontline leadership experience, business acumen, and personal perseverance to every stage. His mission is simple yet profound: to help leaders, teams, and organizations break through fear, excuses, and adversity to achieve their highest potential.

During his 22-year career in law enforcement, David rose to the rank of Captain, commanding over 100 officers in high-stakes operations and serving courageously at Ground Zero following the 9/11 attacks. Beyond his decorated police career, he built a million-dollar international business, leading a diverse team of more than 1,400 people to success. His bestselling book, One Decision Away, and his signature philosophy offer organizations a practical blueprint for transformation through mindset shifts and decisive action.

When you book David Atkins for your event, you gain more than an inspiring keynote, you gain actionable tools and strategies that resonate long after the applause ends. His authentic, high-energy presentations empower audiences to embrace change, build resilient cultures, and unlock growth in even the toughest environments.

Trusted by organizations across industries and stages ranging from intimate leadership retreats to arenas of 20,000 people, David delivers lasting impact. Whether your goal is to strengthen leadership, inspire your teams, or foster a culture of resilience, Keynote Speaker David Atkins provides the clarity, motivation, and proven frameworks to make it happen.

Book David Atkins for your event and equip your organization to turn challenges into opportunities and decisions into lasting success.

Customer Reviews

5 of 5

“Absolutely incredible! So motivational, and every lesson is something you can apply to your life.”

Senior Vice President, ADP

David Atkins

5 of 5

“David not only did not disappoint but he absolutely crushed it. While bringing his very moving true-life experiences into his presentation, his message of taking ownership of yourself and looking within yourself, while not looking for reasons you can't succeed, definitely resonated with all of us! It was exactly what we all needed to be reminded of and hear as we head into another record-breaking sales year!”

Whelen Engineering Company

David Atkins

5 of 5

“I plan several events each year for my organization across the country and have worked with numerous motivational speakers, speakers bureaus and agencies. Working with David Atkins was a magical experience in itself. The entire process, from our initial conversations to his keynote speech itself was phenomenal. He took the time to learn about our company, our mission, overall objective of our meeting and more. He then tailored his dynamic message specifically to our audience to where you felt he was a part of your company. Our attendees were mesmerized and hung onto his every word. He was relevant, empathetic, motivational and really connected with our audience. He made himself available to our group the entire time he was with us even serving as a guest judge for our team building event. If you are looking for an exceptional speaker to work with who will impact your organization, leave a lasting impression and who is also great to work with, look no further than David Atkins… there is NO EXCUSE.”

Acentria Insurance & Foundation Risk Partners

David Atkins

5 of 5

“David brought a very meaningful message that resonated with our staff members. His excitement and enthusiasm made his presentation the highlight of our conference.”

Iowa DOT

David Atkins

5 of 5

“We had David speak at our annual kick-off meeting this past January 2023. He was outstanding and provides real-life stories that correlate with success in the business world. He is captivating when he speaks and knows how to hold an audience’s attention. I especially liked how the themes that are important to us, were incorporated into his presentation. I highly recommend using David at your next corporate event!”

ClearBridge Techonology Group

David Atkins

5 of 5

“David’s presentation was spectacular! The stories really hit a cord with our workforce. This was truly the morale booster the Department needed. Our work matters and we have to bring our best self every day! Thank you and we want to have you back next year!”

Albany County Department For Children Youth and Families

David Atkins

5 of 5

“Captain Atkins possesses a keen ability to connect with and captivate an audience. He commands any room with his energy and ability to tell a story.”

Pearson VUE

David Atkins

5 of 5

“David Atkins was a tremendous asset to our Annual Conference! From our first conversation, David was responsive, easy to work with, and personable. In addition, Mr. Atkins took the time to learn more about our organization and its members even meeting with our leadership to deepen his understanding of his audience. During his presentation, David was personable and kept our interest the entire time. Our group left feeling motivated and energized and excuse free.”

ARELLO (Association of Real Estate License Law Officials)

David Atkins

5 of 5

“Each year we have an appreciation banquet for customers and their spouses. One of the highlights of the event is to have a featured speaker that brings meaningful insight to the audience. This year we had David Atkins speak and he knocked it out of the park. He shared his story about being with the New York State Police, and how that helped mold his perspective on life. The impact his message had on everyone was both inspiring and emotional. I have listened to many speakers throughout my career that were impressive, but David has a unique gift because he impacts the audience in a way that is truly life changing. It was an honor getting to know David. He definitely has the "Wow" factor.”

GROWMARK Retail Division

David Atkins

5 of 5

“I had the pleasure of hearing David speak at the New York Staffing Association Leadership and Growth Summit. All I can say is WOW. If you ever had any doubt about what is important in life and business, you must hear David. His personal experiences coupled with his energy makes you realize you can do anything!”

NY Staffing, CEO Infinity Consulting Solutions

David Atkins

5 of 5

“I had the pleasure of bringing David to the Massachusetts Staffing Association Annual Conference as our keynote speaker. He opened the day with a powerful presentation filled with passion, energy and emotion that everyone in the audience could feel. If you are looking for a speaker who can really engage with your audience, I would recommend connecting with David. His story really was just as unforgettable as his delivery!”

President Ardent Staffing Solutions

David Atkins

5 of 5

“As one with prior law enforcement experience and still connected to the First Responder community via Fund the First and the Fallen First Reserve, David is the real deal. Every once in a while someone touches your heart and soul, that someone was David Atkins. Last week, Acentria Insurance engaged David to be one of our key speakers at our annual sales event at the JW Marriott in Orlando, FL; we had approximately 500 team members at the conference and you could hear a pin drop within just a few moments of his presentation. Let me start by saying David is new to the speaking circuit, but you would never know it. Engaging us with meaningful words, while his stage presence was off-the-charts. You could not only hear David, you could feel the enormity of what he was saying and the meaning behind his experiences. There wasn’t a dry-eye around me, but more importantly, we all walked away feeling enlightened, knowing you just were a part of something special; David’s life story!”

Acentria Insurance, Partner

David Atkins

5 of 5

“We had David speak at our conference as our opening keynote. He was passionate and his story was so amazing for our members!!! Everyone left his session inspired and wanting to make a difference in their lives!!!”

California Staffing Professionals, President Amtec Inc

David Atkins

5 of 5

“Thoroughly enjoyed your presentation! Very engaging impactful! Thank you for doing what you do! Great job!”

CEO CSL Staffing

David Atkins

5 of 5

“Your speech was amazing, emotional and inspiring. Thank you for being authentic, vulnerable and true to yourself. You made a serious impact. I realized that I have to live today, work on my health and increase the time I spend with the ones I love!”

California Staffing Professionals Attendee, Operations Manager BBSI

David Atkins

Rated 5.00/5 based on 15 customer reviews

Keynotes

Keynote by David Atkins:

The One Decision Away Philosophy

Every team faces fear, adversity, and mindset hurdles, but only the most resilient leaders know how to turn pressure into performance. In this high-impact keynote, David Atkins shares the powerful One Decision Away philosophy that helped him lead through life-and-death situations in law enforcement and scale a multimillion-dollar business in a highly competitive market.

Drawing on his experiences as a New York State Police Captain, Ground Zero first responder, and award-winning entrepreneur, David delivers real-world leadership strategies designed to eliminate excuses, build mental toughness, and drive urgent action.

This keynote is ideal for organizations focused on resilience, culture, and high performance and for individuals ready to stop waiting and start leading.

Key Learning Objectives:

  • Vision — Clarify and commit to a focused internal vision that drives aligned, intentional action.
  • Mindset — Strengthen mental resilience to lead with confidence, clarity, and purpose.
  • Urgency — Move from hesitation to execution by acting on what matters most—starting today.

Ideal Audiences:

  • Corporate leaders and executives who need to ignite their team’s next-level performance
  • Sales teams looking to break through stagnation and take bold action
  • Organizations seeking momentum, accountability, and high-energy culture shifts
  • Entrepreneurs navigating pressure and plateaus in their business
  • First responders, law enforcement, and public service professionals building mental and emotional resilience

Audience Takeaways:

  • A renewed sense of personal responsibility and drive to achieve big goals
  • A clear, emotionally connected vision of what success looks and feels like
  • Tactical mindset shifts to stay positive and focused, even in high-stress environments
  • Immediate, no-excuse action steps to move forward with clarity and urgency
Request a quote: David Atkins The One Decision Away Philosophy

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