Karel Murray Speaker Biography
Karel Murray brings meaning to mayhem with her “nothing but the truth” approach to business and life. An accomplished author and humorist, Karel has made radio and tv appearances and she enjoys local, regional, and national publication of her articles. In addition to her first book Straight Talk: Getting Off the Curb, Karel is a featured author in Extreme Excellence: Dynamic Interviews with America’s Top 10 Performance Experts, and publishes a monthly newsletter—Think Forward!— to nearly 5,000 subscribers. Karel produces a weekly interview series called "Just for a Moment." She is author of both The Profitability Blueprint Series and the CPR for Managers Series.
Karel holds a BA in Human Resources and has earned numerous designations and certifications, including the prestigious Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) from the National Speakers Association and the Distinguished Real Estate Instructor (DREI) from the national Real Estate Educators Association. Her resume includes experience as a human resources regional executive of a large commercial insurance firm, as an award winning sales person, as a manager of a top producing real estate office, and now as owner of Our Branch, Inc. and national and international speaking and training company.
She has received several awards for her community service, including the Blue Springs Missouri Chamber of Commerce Award, and once taught a pig named Nelson to jump rope . . . but that’s another story. She is a member of the National Speakers Association, Meeting Professionals International, and has as a Director and Officer on the national Board for the Real Estate Educators Association.
As a professional speaker, Karel has had the pleasure of connecting with audiences for 250 clients throughout the US and abroad.
Straight Talk: Getting off the Curb:
What lessons about life can a big ballerina, a Fabio fantasy gone awry, and a masseuse armed with hot rocks possibly convey? Find out with some Straight Talk, Karel’s most requested keynote. Laugh till it hurts and smile with recognition as Karel brings the ordinary to life in extraordinary ways. From trusting your gut reaction to ceasing to be a victim of circumstance, rediscover the intrinsic value of you and your experiences through the magic of laughter. Based on her book Straight Talk: Getting off the Curb (coauthored with K.C. Lundberg, Arnica Publishing) Karel delivers witty, straightforward advice in stories that will captivate you and give your inner ballerina a boost!
“Karel is a great presenter with lots of compassion and very sincere in her presentation. She makes her audiences feel involved, inspired and sets an excellent role model. She has a way of bringing people together from age 20 to 75. Karel is terrific and awesome.” Janice Nielsen, Head Start
The Great and Powerful ‘Ah’: Think Forward and Get Remarkable:
Regain perspective and forego fear with Karel as your guide. Rapidly shifting attitudes, loyalties, and expectations have made clarity of purpose more important than ever. Gather memorable insights from stories of Cowboy Bob and Anita the Waitress to the world of bagel shops, reality tv, and “living large.” It’s about finding the The Great and Powerful ‘Ah’ moment in your life and acting on it. There’s never been a better time to:
- Feel Good about yourself and the work you do
- Think Forward about your ability to meet new business realities
- Laugh until your face hurts
“An enjoyable, fast paced, fun and powerful presentation filled with thought provoking ideas . . . it was remarkable! Thank you!” Melanie Hoffner
“Karel gave me the motivation to stop feeling sorry and stressed about the difficulties in my life and move on and step out of my comfort zone to accomplish something remarkable!” Deanne Ubben, UNI
Get a Grip! Finding Your Balance Without Losing It:
Stop pleading insanity and Get a Grip! This fast paced, content packed presentation identifies the internal and external influences that create chaos and stress in our daily lives. Get real life suggestions on establishing balance. Examine change, motivation, personal accountability, stress survival, time management, and how to diagnose your “stumbling blocks.”
“Karel was so entertaining, that I forgot I was at a workshop. I left her presentation with a smile on my face and a renewed zest for life. Her stories and message are universal. I would highly recommend her for any conference no matter what your profession!” Michelle Bahr
“Karel’s ability to use real life experiences to encapsulate the situations we see in the workplace, made these situations easier to understand and more in our span of control.” Amanda Young, Community State Bank
Corporate Training Topics:
- Effective Communication / Negotiation
- Leadership and Management Skills Training
- Strategic Planning
- Facilitation Ethics
