DAVID ATKINS

Retired NY State Police Captain & Ground Zero First Responder | Million-Dollar Entrepreneur | Creator of the “One Decision Away” Philosophy | #1 Best-Selling Author | Ultramarathoner | High-Performance Leadership Expert | International Keynote Speaker

New York

ABOUT DAVID ATKINS

David Atkins is a retired New York State Police Captain, an award-winning entrepreneur, and a trusted keynote speaker for conferences and events across industries. His mission is to empower leaders, teams, and organizations to break through fear, adversity, and excuses, unlocking their potential to achieve at the highest level. As the architect of the “One Decision Away” philosophy, David distills his real-world leadership, resilience, and entrepreneurial success into an actionable blueprint for transformation.

His new book, The One Decision Away Philosophy, empowers readers to break through barriers, providing practical tools and mindset shifts that unlock personal and professional growth, one decisive step at a time. David’s journey is a blueprint for overcoming adversity and achieving excellence. As the first in his family to pay his own way through college, he worked multiple jobs and launched entrepreneurial ventures at just 12 years old, demonstrating initiative and self-reliance from the outset. His relentless work ethic and refusal to settle for “Plan B” set the stage for a remarkable career.

For 22 years, David served with distinction in the New York State Police, rising to the rank of Captain and commanding all operations for Westchester County, a jurisdiction handling over 400,000 emergency calls annually. He led over 100 officers through life-or-death situations, earning recognition as New York State Trooper of the Year (2003) and Investigator of the Year (2007). David’s leadership was tested at Ground Zero following the 9/11 attacks, where he spent weeks as a first responder, supporting recovery efforts and demonstrating courage under pressure.

Beyond law enforcement, David built a million-dollar international direct sales business with Beachbody, leading a diverse team of 1,400 people to success in a highly competitive, female-dominated industry. His ability to inspire and motivate others has made him a trusted keynote speaker for business gatherings, team-building sessions, and leadership conferences. David has presented to audiences ranging from a few hundred to over 20,000 at high-profile venues such as the NFL Super Dome in New Orleans.

David is the author of The Leveled-Up Life and authored two books including #1 Best Selling “One Decision Away”, which distills his most powerful lessons into actionable strategies for personal and professional transformation. He is also the host of the Personal Perseverance Project Podcast, where he shares real-world stories and practical tools for building resilience and leadership.

An ultramarathoner who has conquered the Black Canyon mountains and trained through harsh New York winters, David embodies the physical and mental resilience he teaches. Most importantly, he is a husband and father of three daughters. His personal story of perseverance, leadership, and service is a powerful reminder that success is not defined by circumstances, but by the decisions we make and the actions we take.

Through his authentic, direct, and high-energy presentations, David Atkins leaves event professionals, planners, and conference organizers inspired, motivated, and equipped with the tools to overcome adversity, build resilient teams, and achieve breakthrough results, empowering them to play a bigger game in business and life.

SPEAKING TOPICS

Leadership Under Pressure | The One Decision Away Mindset | Building Mental Toughness | Turning Fear into Focus | Creating High-Performance Cultures | From Excuses to Execution | Resilient Teams That Win

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:

Step 1- Assess the Opportunity

Most people overthink and overwhelm themselves by worrying about everything at once. Assessing the opportunity helps your team identify the one decision that matters most right now. Clarity creates momentum.

Step 2- Address the Obstacles

Obstacles are guaranteed on every meaningful path. David teaches audiences to expect adversity, trust the process, and continue moving forward even when it is uncomfortable. This is how resilient, high performing people are built.

Step 3- Take Action

Urgency creates results. Tomorrow is never guaranteed and success is never convenient. David helps your team act today with intention and confidence, turning good intentions into real outcomes. Action is the catalyst for growth.

TESTIMONIALS

“David’s One Decision Away keynote ranks among the best I have heard in my 35+ years at NYL. Authentic, high energy, and deeply relatable, his message left a lasting impact on our team.”

John DiRago, Vice President, New York Life

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

Laci Buzzelli, Senior Vice President, ADP

“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!”

Gregory Scott – VP of Sales, Whelen Engineering Company

“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.”

Jessica Davis, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Acentria Insurance & Foundation Risk Partners

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

Craig Bargfrede – CEO, Winter Operations Administrator, Iowa DOT

“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!”

Joseph Wetmore – CEO, President, ClearBridge Techonology Group

“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!”

Moira Manning, Commissioner, Albany County Department For Children Youth and Families

“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.”

Christopher Herbst, Business Development Manager, Pearson VUE

“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.”

Nick Rhoad, CEO, ARELLO (Association of Real Estate License Law Officials)

“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.”

Tom Severson, Marketing Manager. GROWMARK Retail Division

“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!”

Doug Klares, NY Staffing, CEO Infinity Consulting Solutions

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