Johnny Crowder
Mental Health, Resilience, and Company Culture Expert; Founder & CEO of Cope Notes
Mental health CEO and entrepreneur Johnny Crowder tackles one of the most pressing strategic concerns in business today—employee wellbeing—and reveals keys to creating a better sense of belonging, headspace, and heartspace in the workplace.
The founder and CEO of the globally-utilized, positive psychology startup Cope Notes, Johnny Crowder gives audiences practical self-care tools and mental health strategies that people can start using now to improve their emotional health and wellbeing. With infectious positivity, humor and authenticity, this trauma survivor and Certified Recovery Peer Specialist shows audiences why talking about mental health topics is key to coping, and why the most resilient organizational cultures proudly prioritize and support mental health for all.
Whether he’s discussing ordinary, everyday struggles or challenges like anxiety, depression, addiction, burnout and compassion fatigue, Johnny Crowder confronts the myths that keep people stuck. As he explains in the TEDx talk that garnered over one million views and brought him to the public’s attention, good mental health is like physical health—quick fixes and miracle cures don’t work. Instead, Johnny gives audiences a toolkit of self-care and wellness practices they can start using immediately to re-wire the brain for greater equilibrium and positivity over time, together with a blueprint for prioritizing wellbeing in the workplace.
Johnny’s own personal experiences of poverty, childhood abuse and trauma, his deep knowledge of psychology, and his remarkable ability to explain complex topics in an easy-to-understand way make for presentations that are both powerful and practical. His refreshingly vulnerable and candid perspective has attracted praise from hundreds of outlets, including Upworthy, CNN, and Forbes. Even when commanding a virtual stage or touring with his metal band, Prison, his firsthand experiences with OCD and other diagnoses as well as his infectious positivity, humor and authenticity never fail to resonate and inspire.
BEYOND COPING: A CANDID CONVERSATION ABOUT RESILIENCE, CONNECTION, AND HAPPINESS IN THE WORKPLACE
Crippling burnout. Chronic absenteeism. Rampant resignations. The multi-headed monster of compassion fatigue, longer working days and employee isolation are damming up the rivers of productivity at thousands of companies, and employers are concerned. Leveraging insights from his own decade-long mental health journey, Johnny Crowder shows audiences why talking about mental health should be as straightforward as talking about physical health, even in the workplace. And he shares the hard-won strategies for emotional wellbeing that led to the creation of his science-based breakthrough mental and emotional support app, Cope Notes, which is now in use in more than 90 countries. His fast-paced and actionable keynote program delivers proven steps to:
- Build work cultures that proudly prioritize and support mental health for all
- Rethink and reframe challenges as they arise
- Process mental and emotional distress in a way that builds relationships, confidence and happiness
LESSONS FROM A MENTAL HEALTH ENTREPRENEUR: UNLOCKING THE KEY MINDSETS BEHIND SUCCESS IN ANY BUSINESS
By embarking on any entrepreneurial journey, you are likely signing up to fail – at least, that’s what the statistics say. So what do you actually need to beat the odds? Outside capital? Industry know-how? Friends in high places? If that were the case, today’s Fortune 100 companies couldn’t tout the famous garage-to-NASDAQ stories that inspire scrappy self-starters to pursue innovative new ideas. Johnny Crowder built a global mental health company without a business degree, a business plan, or even a desire to build a business in the first place. So how did Cope Notes® become a worldwide force for good? In this relatable and tactical presentation, Johnny peels back the startup veil to teach your audience how to:
- Differentiate between the nice-to-haves and the essentials for a successful venture
- Identify and foster the types of mental strength that entrepreneurship demands
- Apply self-care, focus, and resilience strategies that build stamina and sustainable success
THE SURPRISING PRODUCTIVITY OF SELF-CARE: USING MINDFULNESS TO COMBAT BURNOUT AND COMPASSION FATIGUE
48% of the U.S. workforce struggles with compassion fatigue. The result? Burnout, absenteeism, mental and emotional distress, poor sleep, unhealthy diets, and high turnover, particularly in caring professions. Empathetic and compassionate people are invaluable on any team. But when compassion makes it feel as if the weight of the world is on your shoulders, genuine empathy can devolve into unhappiness, unproductivity, and an inability to help the very people you care about in the first place. Mindfulness is one of the simplest and most practical tools for self-care, and Johnny shows audiences how to gradually make it an important part of anyone’s daily routine. Your audience will learn how to:
- Identify the sources and symptoms of compassion fatigue
- Rethink the assumptions that trigger impostor syndrome and guilt
- Implement self-care strategies that drive a renewed sense of energy and purpose in the workplace and beyond
We loved having you talk to us last week. You are as engaging and warm as I thought you’d be! Colleagues kept reaching out telling me how much they enjoyed it. Thank you, Johnny!
Lauren McKay - Senior Corporate Paralegal
It was both a privilege and a profound experience to have Johnny Crowder as our keynote speaker at our annual meeting. Johnny sparked crucial conversations on mental health and the importance of active participation in overcoming workplace challenges. His strategies for building a strong work culture and fostering a sense of belonging among team members were transformative.
His ability to balance entrepreneurial endeavors with his roles as a touring musician and speaker showcases remarkable resilience and contribution. Johnny’s story is a powerful reminder of the importance of stepping forward and challenging the bystander effect in our actions as well as the strength it takes for personal growth.
We eagerly anticipate welcoming Johnny's inspiring presence and insights again in the near future.
Shaun McMahon, President and Founder
Amazing! The feedback was great. We would love to have him back next year.
Maria Molina, VP, People and Culture
Johnny was quite simply... fantastic! He really was a perfect fit for our team and he did a great job of balancing humor, seriousness, storytelling and group involvement. He was the highlight of our retreat and we hope we have the chance to work with him again in the future. I would be thrilled to be a reference / testimonial or support Johnny and your group in any way possible so please let me know if I can help there.
Cliff McDonald, Chief Growth Officer
You were SO right about Johnny Crowder!!
Thanks for the strong recommendation when I asked about potential speakers on Mental Health.Johnny is SO very real! From the moment I met him, he felt like a trusted friend. THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! He absolutely had a positive impact on more than 2000 of our employees today with extremely strong survey results with a score of 4.9/5 across key metrics!! -
Molly Sjostrom, Senior Manager, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
It was a great morning with Johnny Crowder at our September Hospitality Breakfast. We were honored to have Johnny provide an inspirational talk that surely left an indelible mark on all attendees. Johnny’s words were a powerful reminder of the importance of the health and wellbeing of our employees and ourselves!
Michelle Mazer, Senior Director, Events, Business Clubs of America, Philadelphia
ASHP staff monitoring the session agreed with most of our attendee comments in that this was an AMAZING keynote. Johnny, to say you brought it is an understatement. Your interaction with attendees was outstanding, especially in the virtual realm!
Bob Tremmel, Education Director, National Meetings
Johnny gave a thought-provoking Keynote at the 2022 ICMA Annual Conference that gave this audience of local government officials and ICMA employees the reality check about mental health that we all needed to hear. Johnny tailored his talk to speak to our audience in a way that created the most impact, and he even took the time to speak with many of them afterwards as they eagerly lined up to engage with him. It is refreshing to see a speaker of his caliber take the time to interact with attendees in such an authentic way. Johnny was personable, kind, relatable, and compassionate to each conference attendee and staff member he interacted with, and was definitely a key highlight of our event.
Jess Atchison, Marketing and Outreach Coordinator
Planning for an event that is geared towards youth to talk about their mental health, finding a dynamic relevant speaker wasn’t easy. Until we found Johnny. Throughout the planning, Johnny was extremely professional and responsive, and he even jumped in to promote the event with us on a local podcast. Johnny’s talk was very well received and the youth who attended the BRAVE Summit learned about acceptance, and that it is ok to not be ok from Johnny. The excitement has not quelled and the youth are still talking about the talk that Johnny gave and how he inspired them to take control of their mental health and seek help when needed. I would absolutely recommend Johnny to speak to ANY group.”
Jennifer Wills, Flagler Health
Johnny Crowder has been one of, if not the best speakers I have had the privilege of working with. His powerful story paired with his relatability allowed for the students at our event to really connect and have meaningful conversations around their mental health. We even had students wanting to take positive action in their own lives and seek treatment after hearing Johnny’s story! Johnny comes fully prepared to engage with the audience and tailors his talks to the specific population of your event. I cannot sing high enough praises about the impact he has had on our community! There are students still talking about what an impact his story had on them. We are so grateful to have such a fierce advocate for mental well-being like Johnny as a friend!
Paige Stanton, Care Connect+
I’ve never seen a speaker drive such positive, energetic engagement in a virtual setting. Halfway through Q&A, my inbox was flooded with encore requests from our staff. Due to the demand, we invited him back a second time, and unsurprisingly, it was another smash hit. The impact Johnny’s talk has made on our company culture is still talked about to this day. He truly became part of the UMA family!
Dr. Jenna Sage, Ultimate Medical Academy
Johnny was the keynote speaker at our recent dinner for philanthropic professionals and the response from the attendees was overwhelmingly positive! Attendees shared that they appreciated Johnny’s very personal presentation style and his willingness to engage with them. Johnny was very attentive during the two pre-session meetings we had in tailoring the session to best suit the needs of our audience. He took our input to heart and incorporated ideas and concepts seamlessly into his presentation without sacrificing any of his core messaging. The attention to timelines, deadlines, requests for additional information and session descriptions was impeccable and very much appreciated!
Geula Ferguson, Florida Philanthropic Network
Johnny was the Keynote speaker at the Pasco County Schools Mental Health Symposium. We were really struggling to figure out how to support three virtual sessions for our Symposium this school year. And Johnny was the perfect fit and partner for us throughout that journey. Personally, I could not be more grateful for his flexibility, communication, and participation across all three sessions. I honestly don’t know that we would have been able to manage that with another Keynote. Our experience with Johnny was fantastic!
Wendy Belfield, Pasco County School District
I cannot speak more highly of Johnny Crowder's ability to engage audiences. A lot of men were able to shed their masculinity and truly open up to their peers without the fear of being judged; that would not have been possible without Johnny's insight, humor and candidness. In sum, we would be more than happy to welcome Johnny back to Elon University for another talk. Many of those in attendance said that Johnny was the best speaker event they had ever attended and would love to hear more from him in the future.
Ethan Haqq, Event Coordinator