Ted Ma
Ted Ma is a leadership strategist, author, and international keynote speaker who helps leaders create a culture that people never want to leave. As an elder millennial who has been coaching leaders for over 20 years, he brings a unique perspective to the stage.
He's not just another leadership expert. Ted has been in the trenches, building and leading an international sales force from scratch to over 6,000 independent agents. He combines this experience with the vibrancy and insights of his generation, offering a unique blend of wisdom and innovation in leadership development.
Through interactive speaking programs, Ted equips his audience with practical strategies to transition from outdated hierarchical management styles. Instead, he teaches a people-first approach that emphasizes employee engagement, leadership development, and career growth.
Most Requested Programs
Be the One: How Great Leaders Bring Out the Best in Their Teams
We all have someone who shaped our careers—a mentor who challenged us, opened our eyes to new possibilities, and helped us achieve more than we thought possible. Now, imagine becoming that person for your team. In every industry, being “the one” who inspires a team to excel and achieve remarkable results requires more than technical skills; it takes embracing a mentorship mindset and shifting how you lead.
This interactive program, based on insights from a groundbreaking national research study, will empower you to become a leader who inspires action and drives results. You’ll gain practical tools to rethink your approach to leadership, motivate others to do their best work, and create a culture that people never want to leave.
In this session, you will:
Identify the mental barriers that hold leaders back and understand how to overcome them
Explore how to shift from managing tasks to inspiring teams and creating meaningful change
Pinpoint the top traits of great mentors and learn how to integrate them into your daily work
Learn how to move beyond daily distractions to focus on purposeful, high-impact leadership
Mindset Shift: How to Close the Gap Between Potential and Performance
Everyone has untapped potential, but what sets top performers apart is their mindset. In our daily routines, it’s easy to stay within our comfort zones, but achieving true progress requires a shift—a bold step into our growth zone where we embrace new challenges and surround ourselves with people who inspire us to think and act differently.
This interactive program is ideal for professionals at all levels, from emerging talent to seasoned leaders, who are ready to elevate their effectiveness and unlock new levels of growth. Participants will gain the mental tools to bridge the gap between potential and high performance, equipping them to consistently perform at their best. Through engaging exercises and practical strategies, you will identify what is holding you back, how to expand your comfort zone, and perform at a higher level.
In this session, you will:
Explore strategies to move beyond your comfort zone and embrace new challenges
Learn how to seek and leverage feedback to accelerate your growth
Discover how an association audit can improve your performance
Identify methods to find mentors who will accelerate your growth
Mentor-Based Selling: What the Best Sales Professionals Do Differently
As a sales professional, the difference between your success and stagnation often lies in how you perceive and position yourself. Mentor-based selling transforms the conventional sales approach into a more meaningful and impactful method. Drawing on insights from a national research study, this session uncovers the power of mentorship in the sales process. This interactive program is designed to empower sales professionals to exceed their sales targets, enhance client relationships, and become Everyday Mentors in their daily interactions. Participants will learn to redefine their role from salesperson to invaluable resource, reshaping their personal brand and the way they connect with clients and colleagues.
In this session, you will:
Discover how to improve performance by integrating mentorship principles into your sales methodology
Explore how to transform client perceptions by positioning yourself as a mentor, rather than just a salesperson
Learn how shifting your approach to mentor-based selling enhances client engagement and loyalty
Develop strategies to elevate your impact and personal brand
Testimonials
We brought Ted Ma as our keynote speaker for our annual conference. We selected Ted based on some videos that we had seen in our selection process and really thought that he brought the enthusiasm and energy that we wanted to kick off our conference and set the tone for the event. One of the things that impressed me most about it was the amount of preparation that Ted did in advance of the program. He had contacted some of our membership to really get a feel for what we were trying to accomplish so we can customize and personalize the program for our group.
The feedback that I got across the board was very positive. Everyone at least one or two takeaways from the presentation that they can take back to their office and share with their teams. I thought that it was just a great way to kick off our conference and we would absolutely have him back again.
- Phil Thomas - Program Chair, Telecom Risk Management Association
We were thrilled to have Ted Ma here at our Executive Leadership Summit as the keynote speaker. As I was looking for the keynote, I was not only looking for the content, but the importance of connecting with our audience of executives, a very unique group. Ted did his homework and his keynote was right on. The feedback we've gotten from our attendees is that this was our best keynote speaker we’ve had to date. And why because Ted took the time to reach out, get to understand their stories, get to understand their problems, and connect his message to them so that they can leave today and become even more effective leaders. We're thrilled and we look forward to working with Ted again. -Judy Levinsohn - Director of Education, California Association of Community Managers
Every year, we have a managers meeting where we bring in all of our general managers and directors of sales from all of our hotels for an annual managers meeting. After taking a look at Ted's video, we decided to have him speak to all of our managers from all of our hotels. I can't tell you how pleased I am with how well his presentations went. I was talking to one of our general managers who said that Ted was one of the best speakers that we've had in the 17 years of doing these meetings, which I would agree with.
I was very impressed that Ted talked to several people within our organization and customized his presentation using what he learned from them. We really enjoyed his message and his delivery. He was great to work with from day one and I highly recommend him.
- Suzanne Murdoch - VP of Sales and Marketing, Pacific Hotel Management
We just recently had Ted Ma as our closing keynote speaker for our AGC summer convention and he was the perfect closing keynote speaker for our convention. Prior to our convention, he took the time to learn about our goals, our theme, and our industry so he could get to know a lot about who we are. He reached out to several of our attendees who are industry leaders to find out more about their issues, then he took all of that and applied it to his presentation. While Ted was giving his presentation, he brought attendees on stage and interacted with them which helped to keep every attendee in the room engaged.
Ted is not only a great speaker, but he does his homework and engages with the attendees. He makes them feel connected. He gives them information that they are able to apply immediately to their personal and professional lives. I look forward to working with him again in the future. If you're looking for a great leadership speaker, Ted Ma is the speaker for you.
- Christina Devlin - Director of Events, Associated General Contractors Oregon-Columbia
The wonderful thing about Ted's program is his ability to tailor it to our organization and to really focus on what our needs are. Less than 30 minutes after his keynote ended, I was approached by over two dozen people stating how valuable his training was. They didn't just comment on how they were going to apply the principles he taught to their work lives, but also how they could apply them to their personal lives.
It was a delight to work with Ted, especially because of his responsiveness. We had been planning this for several months, and you don’t know what to expect when you're working with somebody for the first time. There was no question with Ted. He was very responsive to emails to phone calls, and he reached out to me to help make sure everything stayed on track.
- Michelle Wolken - PR3, California Bureau of Automotive Repair