Kristen Hadeed

Founder of Student Maid, Author of 'Permission to Screw Up'

  • Creator of the Human Leadership Program
  • Featured in TIME, Forbes, NBC, and PBS
  • 2x TEDx Speaker

Discover Kristen Hadeed’s biography of published work below.

Permission To Screw Up, book cover
Permission To Screw Up

When Kristen Hadeed is booked for events, they are known to discuss the following speaking topics:

Ignite Human Leadership: Build the Culture of the Future
Courageous Conversations: Deliver & Accept Feedback Effectively
Build Meaningful Relationships: Strengthen Trust & Inspire Belonging
Permission to Screw Up: Reframe Your Relationship with Failure
You’ve Got This: Grow Resilience and Beat Burnout

Kristen Hadeed is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, author, and leadership expert renowned for her work in creating human-centred leadership cultures. With a powerful blend of authenticity, vulnerability, and empathy, she inspires audiences worldwide to rethink traditional leadership paradigms. As the founder of Student Maid, Kristen has built an impressive reputation as a dynamic speaker who encourages leaders to embrace their flaws and use them as a springboard for growth.

Kristen’s entrepreneurial journey began at the age of 19 when she founded Student Maid, a cleaning business that employed fellow college students. Initially a side hustle to afford basic college necessities, the business soon grew, and Kristen found herself managing a team of 60 students. However, she faced a major challenge when 75% of her employees quit within the first few days, leading her to explore the deeper aspects of leadership. This experience ignited her passion for developing strong, effective leaders and shaping a company culture built on trust and engagement. It was through these early challenges that Kristen learned the importance of empathetic leadership, which would become the cornerstone of her career.

In recent years, Kristen has become a prominent advocate for leadership development. After selling Student Maid in 2021, she shifted her focus entirely to leadership consulting and speaking. She launched the Human Leadership Program, a global initiative dedicated to promoting compassionate and courageous leadership across organisations. Kristen is also the author of ‘Permission to Screw Up: How I Learned to Lead by Doing (Almost) Everything Wrong’, a book that has sold over 50,000 copies worldwide, further cementing her credibility as a thought leader in the leadership space.

Kristen’s approach to leadership is why she is hired by companies, institutions, and organisations looking to cultivate strong, resilient leaders. Her unique blend of personal experience, vulnerability, and practical insight makes her a compelling speaker, transforming the way businesses view leadership and empowering individuals to lead with authenticity and heart.

Official Testimonials

Kristen Hadeed is regularly booked to engage audiences at events, read their latest feedback below:

“Kristen is, without question, one of the most inspiring, genuine, and authentic leaders I have ever met. She is truly a treasure chest of creative ideas and has a unique ability to provide and inspire with unconventional wisdom that helps drive a forward-thinking, progressive culture. Kristen’s work with leaders at Whitmor has had a meaningful impact on those individuals, adding fuel to the speed in which we continue to build upon our strong people-first culture. Above all else, I feel very blessed to be able to call Kristen a friend – I’m a stronger leader and person because of it”

Scott, CEO, Whitmor

“Kristen has become one of Cardinal’s top external thought leaders. She brings the rare combination of amazing storytelling skills coupled with a powerful vision of the future of leadership. If you are looking to motivate a team or your entire company, there is no greater option available today than Kristen Hadeed”

Peter, Chief People Officer, Cardinal Group Companies

“The world had unique needs for inspiration this year following the uncertainty that was 2020. Kristen was the answer for our team: She transformed 90 people in 90 minutes. She packed in empathy, permission, inspiration, tears, laughter and hope. If optimism has a face, it is Kristen Hadeed”

Shannon, VP of Sales, Keratase and Shu Uemura L'Oreal

“Looking for a leadership expert and speaker who will wow your audience and help them laugh, learn, and lead? Well then Kristen Hadeed is your answer! I had the privilege of creating a custom digital program with Kristen for our Women’s Leadership Group in the Summer of 2020. We received such tremendous feedback from the session that we partnered with Kristen to develop a 4-part custom deep-dive series this past year. Kristen’s energy is incredible and her ability to keep people engaged is electric. I can’t wait to work with her on more upcoming projects”

Courtney, VP of Member Learning and Experience, Finesca

“Kristen has become one of Cardinal’s top external thought leaders. She brings the rare combination of amazing storytelling skills coupled with a powerful vision of the future of leadership. If you are looking to motivate a team or your entire company, there is no greater option available today than Kristen Hadeed”

Peter, Chief People Officer, Cardinal Group Companies

“Kristen has a gift unlike anyone that I’ve ever met. She has the ability to lead and develop people and businesses from students to CEOs. The influence and impact she is making with people across the country is unmatched. She is changing how we lead our teams. She is challenging how we think about development. She is teaching us and others how we bring humanity into the workplace – and our lives. Personally, working with Kristen at Whitmor has continued to enhance our Be Human culture. She challenges the way we think, has taught us how to have tough conversations with kindness, how to build trust amongst one another and how to remain people-first in some of the most challenging times we’ve faced both personally and professionally. Knowing Kristen is a joy and a blessing without a doubt. She exhibits true authenticity in everything she does. I can’t speak for others but I can speak for myself and what I’ve seen in our teams – we are all better leaders and people because of Kristen”

Rachel, Head of People, Whitmor

“Kristen Hadeed’s work with our college faculty, staff, and students over the last two years has been beyond what any of us could have imagined. Every time she sets foot on our campus, she exceeds our expectations, leaving us with a feeling of rejuvenation and a renewed sense of purpose. Each and every engagement is informative, interactive, creatively delivered, and meaningful. We are so thrilled that we found Kristen and that she decided to work with us”

Miguel, President, St. Francis College

“Kristen is a natural speaker and leader. She brings energy and enthusiasm to her audience and she relays tales about business, entrepreneurism, team building, and life. Her compassion for people shine, along with a sense of humour that engages and makes for a very enjoyable learning experience”

Taysa, Keller Williams Realtor

To enquire about Kristen Hadeed for your event or corporate function, simply contact us via agent@high-performance-speakers.com or call a booking agent on 0203 0070 319.