Meet a Member: Rachel Druckenmiller, UNMUTED

Rachel Druckenmiller, president of UNMUTED, is a national thought leader in well-being and employee engagement. She delivers interactive learning experiences as a keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and leadership trainer for an array of national and international organizations. A member of the PAR community since 2021, she spoke at the RevUP Summit and won a GOAT Award. Here, Druckenmiller shares her latest lesson in overcoming negative feedback, how to not just motivate but activate your team, and her keys to earning referrals and repeat business.

Burning Questions

PAR: What’s a recent project or initiative you're especially proud of? 

Druckenmiller: I'm proud of a keynote I delivered in Arizona for 500 insurance, HR, and executive leaders after getting tough feedback three days earlier. I was coming off an event that didn't go the way I'd hoped, and the client feedback confirmed that. Because that rarely happens, I'm particularly hard on myself when it does. I only had two days to rework Thursday's keynote after Monday's feedback. I got curious. How could I sharpen my message and the structure to elevate the experience and have the kind of impact I know I'm capable of?

Hours after getting the news, I took a walk around my neighborhood and asked for a sign that would reassure me. I came upon a Japanese maple tree, took a picture, and asked Claude if there was a connection between Japanese maples and resilience, and what I got back moved me to tears: "Don't judge a maple by one season. Wait until next spring before making a final judgment."

I learned that Japanese maples tend to have strong rebounds after looking rough for an entire season. That's the perspective shift I needed. I realized I shouldn't judge my career or capability based on one moment, one flop, one less-than-stellar performance. It was up to me to learn what I could from what didn't go right and apply it the next time.

I simplified the structure, tightened some of the stories, and thought about what that room needed to hear. It wasn't about resilience. It was about the questions every leader should be asking themselves that AI can't answer, the questions that help connect us to purpose, identity, possibility, and legacy. That was what I was meant to talk about. The tears, laughter, standing ovation, client testimonial, and post-event buzz on social media told me I nailed it.

PAR: What’s in your secret sauce for success?

Druckenmiller: At the core, my secret sauce is helping people feel seen and helping them see more in themselves. And I believe that leaders can only take people as far as they’ve gone themselves, so, to that end, I do all that I can to be the embodiment of my message. 

Beyond that, my secret sauce is a combination of deep preparation, genuine curiosity, and creating experiences that go beyond motivation and into conviction and activation (which makes people more likely to change). I take the time to learn about an audience before I step on stage, often integrating their stories, so the experience feels less like a keynote and more like a tailored and highly relevant conversation. 

I blend storytelling, purposeful interaction, and thought-provoking questions that often get people to think, interact, and show up differently for themselves and the people around them. As someone who knows the struggle and pain of feeling held back and muted, I now help people stop sitting in the audience of their own lives and start participating more fully in their work, leadership, and life.

What is your company’s revenue superpower?

Druckenmiller: My revenue superpower is creating value beyond my main offering (the keynote itself):

• Before an event, I interview some of the attendees so I can elevate their stories and challenges from the stage, which makes the content more relevant and memorable. 
• During the keynote, I gather real-time audience insights that I package into a report clients can use for marketing, strategic planning, and future programming. I also immerse myself in the event experience (whether that's a reception, dance party, or karaoke night) because relationships are built beyond the stage and in the moments before and after a conference. 
• After the event, I'm intentional about debrief calls, collecting testimonials, and asking for introductions to other associations who might benefit from my message.