Todd Bertsch - Life Coach & Speaker

🎤 I'm looking forward to speaking at the upcoming Western Reserve SHRM Chapter meeting on July 14 in Warren, Ohio!⚡

The workplace has never changed faster. Burnout, disengagement, uncertainty, and constant change have become the norm. The question is:

How do we choose growth instead of comfort when the pressure is on?

That's exactly what we'll explore in my keynote:
Ignite Your Spark: Choosing Growth Over Comfort in Times of Change

We'll discuss practical strategies to:
✨ Build resilience during uncertainty
✨ Strengthen your mindset under pressure
✨ Recognize the "smoke signals" before burnout takes hold
✨ Reignite your spark so you can help others do the same

If you're an HR professional, leader, or someone passionate about helping people thrive, I'd love to see you there!

https://wrc-shrm.mightevent.com/events/event-Details.cfm?eventKey=8425

🗓 Tuesday, July 14, 2026
🕦 Registration & Networking: 11:30 AM
🎤 Program: 12:00–1:00 PM
📍 Warren-Trumbull Library | Warren, OH

Thank you to the WESTERN RESERVE CHAPTER SHRM and Michael "Brett" Powell for the opportunity. I can't wait to connect with everyone!

#𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

⚡Upcoming Speaking Engagement 🎤

The second half of 2026 is shaping up to be an exciting one, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to share the stage with so many incredible HR, leadership, and business professionals.

Upcoming speaking engagements:
📍 July – Western Reserve SHRM
https://wrc-shrm.mightevent.com/events/event-Details.cfm?eventKey=8425

📍 August – DisruptHR Columbus
https://disrupthr.co/city/columbus/

📍 August – Kentucky SHRM State Conference
https://kyshrmconference.com/

📍 September – NOHRA Chapter Meeting
https://toledoshrm.org/index.cfm

📍 September – National Leadership Development Day
https://nldd.org/

📍 October – MISHRM State Conference
https://mishrmconference.org/

Every stage is an opportunity to help leaders and teams navigate change, strengthen mindset, and reignite their spark.

If you'll be attending any of these events, I'd love to connect.⚡

A taxi driver named Carlton taught me a leadership lesson I'll never forget.

He didn't have a luxury vehicle. He wasn't trying to impress anyone.

He simply showed up every day with kindness, consistency, and genuine care.

By the end of our vacation, my entire family agreed on one thing:

Carlton stood out.

Not because he was flashy. Because he was authentic.

This week's newsletter explores what Carlton and my recent conversation with Jason A. Zygadlo taught me about breaking through the sea of sameness.

Your uniqueness is your greatest competitive advantage.

Read the full newsletter here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/world-sameness-carlton-todd-bertsch-ablje/

I got the BEST Father's Day gift today. Spending time with my Son in Tampa in the morning, then flying back to Ohio to spend time with my daughter. QUALITY TIME - THE BEST GIFT!

💖 Happy Father's Day to all the dads, grandfathers, stepdads, mentors, and father figures in my network.

🔥 SHRM26 National Conference Wrap-Up 🔥

My first time attending the "HR Super Bowl," and it definitely lived up to the hype.

I came with two goals:
✅ Attend as many speaker sessions as possible
✅ Make meaningful connections within the HR community
Mission accomplished.

The speaker lineup was incredible, including Simon Sinek and Oprah Winfrey. That's hard to top. My favorite talk was by Steve Browne, SHRM-SCP! This was a master class in audience engagement.

But the real highlight was the people.

I had the chance to reconnect with many HR friends (John Bernatovicz, Susie Kalal, Zaria Moore, Greg Modd, William Tincup) strengthen existing relationships, and make dozens of new connections (Steve Browne, Tim Sackett, Alison C. Jones, Gabby Popowitz, Celine Belew, Sara Cohick, Marcus Smith, Thaddeus Wells, Jamie Knox, Hilary Dunn, Cindy Murphy, Brian D'Amico, Robert Palmer Jr.,) with passionate professionals who care deeply about people, culture, and the future of work.

I'm leaving inspired, grateful, and completely exhausted. My feet are begging for a break, and my own bed has never sounded so good.

Until next year...

And who knows? Maybe Chicago 2027 is where I'll get the opportunity to take the stage and share my "Ignite your Spark" message with this amazing community.

⚡What makes someone stand out in a world where everyone seems to be saying and doing the same thing? Listen/Watch now: https://bit.ly/3S7JQbN

In this new episode of The BOLT Podcast, I sit down with Jason A. Zygadlo, author, entrepreneur, cancer survivor, and founder of Build Your Own Brand, to discuss why your uniqueness is your greatest competitive advantage.

After nearly 20 years in medical device sales, Jason walked away from a successful career to build something of his own. Along the way, he faced cancer, personal loss, career setbacks, and the challenge of reinventing himself.

In this conversation, we explore:
• Why comfort is the enemy of growth
• How to break out of the sea of sameness
• What personal branding really means
• Practical ways to stand out in your career
• The power of intentionality and human connection
• How adversity can become your greatest opportunity

🤜 One of my favorite quotes from the episode:
"Attention is the new currency."

If you're feeling stuck, overlooked, or ready for your next level of growth, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and powerful shifts in perspective.

Listen or watch now and discover how to stand out, create opportunity, and build a life that reflects who you truly are.

🎧 Listen on the web - https://bit.ly/3S7JQbN
🎧 Listen on Apple - https://apple.co/4eqnUQw
🎧 Listen on Spotify - https://bit.ly/44j07gA
📹 Watch on YouTube - https://bit.ly/3SNF1V6

⚡Hope #566⚡

I didn't buy many souvenirs during our trip to the Virgin Islands, but this bracelet came home with me.

It simply says: Hope #566

At first, I thought it was a cool bracelet. But I knew there had to be more to the story, so I got curious and asked the woman selling them to share the bracelet's story with me. And I was sold.

Since 2007, the team at My Brother's Workshop (MBW) has been helping at-risk youth in the Virgin Islands rise above their circumstances by providing hope, healing, purpose, and opportunity. https://mybrothersworkshop.org/

Each word on these bracelets represents a real student whose life has been impacted by the program.

Mine represents Jamoi, Student #566, whose word is Hope.

I don't know Jamoi's story.
But I know the power of hope.

Hope is often the spark that helps us believe a better future is possible.

A simple bracelet and a powerful reminder. And proof that sometimes the best thing you bring home from a trip isn't a souvenir.

It's a story. And I LOVE the story of this nonprofit.❤️

☀️🌴A week in St. Thomas with family was exactly what I needed.

Somewhere between the sunshine, the ocean views, and embracing a little "island time," I was reminded of something I teach in my coaching:

It's okay to slow down. To unplug. To be present. To simply enjoy the moment. In fact, it's required.

We spend so much of our lives focused on what's next that we forget to appreciate what's right in front of us. It was time to practice what I preach!

Grateful for the reset, the perspective, and the time together. 🌴❤️