Mind of a Champion Speaking for Students
Creating Champion Leaders of the Future, Today
LOOKING TO INSPIRE YOUR STUDENTS TO TRANSFORM CHALLENGES INTO LEADERSHIP BREAKTHROUGHS?
Today’s students are living in a time of overwhelming pressure, digital noise, and uncertainty about their future. Many are searching for a deeper sense of direction, purpose, and confidence to lead themselves and others.
As an 8th Degree Black Belt, former U.S. National Taekwondo Champion, and transformational speaker, Chris Natzke equips student leaders with a practical and empowering framework — the Champion’s Mindset — to overcome adversity and lead from the inside out.
Chris’s keynotes and workshops are built around four powerful principles that directly address today’s student leadership challenges:
Purposeful Vision
Challenge: “I don’t know what I want or who I want to be.”
In a world full of distractions and external pressure, students often struggle with clarity around their identity and direction.
Chris’s Message:
“When students know their ‘why,’ they lead with clarity and confidence.”
Chris guides students to define a personal vision that aligns with their values and goals — helping them lead authentically, make intentional choices, and stay focused on what truly matters.
Conscious Persistence
Challenge: “I’m scared of messing up, so I don’t even try.”
The fear of failure and perfectionism can cause students to hold back or quit when faced with difficulty.
Chris’s Message:
“Champions persist with awareness — learning and growing with each step.”
Students learn how to embrace setbacks as part of the growth process — developing resilience, emotional maturity, and the discipline to move forward even when things are tough.
Compassionate Service
Challenge: “I feel like I don’t belong or make a difference.”
Many students struggle to feel connected or significant in their communities.
Chris’s Message:
“The best leaders serve others — not from obligation, but from heart.”
Chris inspires students to lead by lifting others — creating a culture of belonging, kindness, and impact through service-oriented leadership.
Inspired Action
Challenge: “I don’t feel ready — or good enough — to lead.”
Even when students have potential, doubt can keep them from taking initiative.
Chris’s Message:
“Leadership is about taking bold, intentional steps — even when you’re nervous.”
Chris empowers students to act courageously and lead from within. Through small, intentional decisions, they gain confidence, build momentum, and inspire others to follow.
What Students, Teachers and Adminstrators Are Saying
"Chris has a flare for keeping the audience engaged and energized. They were moving, connecting, and participating in several activities that he designed to help them truly understand the finer points of what leaders do to succeed. Students were up on stage supporting his talk, and afterward, wanted to continue to meet with him and learn from him. He made all the time they needed to connect, and seemed to genuinely enjoy the process. "
Lindsay Andreotti
Executive Director, Washington State Future Business Leaders of America
"If you are looking for a dynamic speaker who will not only entertain but challenge your students to reach for higher levels of excellence, then look no further than Chris Natzke. I believe his message is one that all students should hear before they graduate and highly recommend him for your next conference. "
Deborah J. Coffin
University of Colorado - Boulder Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
"Chris is a must-have RYLA speaker for the future. His evaluations from the students were all very highly scored, with several notable comments. • Chris would be excellent each Sunday night for future RYLA’s. • 10/10, so good! • Loved Chris’ real world thinking. • Chris was great! • Best guest speaker I’ve ever heard"
Marc Solnet
Chairperson, Rocky Mountain Rotary Youth Leadership Awards
"Chris's energetic, interactive style succeeds in engaging audience and moving them to be their best selves. He connects exceptionally well with students, not only by sharing his personal story, but by building their trust and inspiring them to become leaders. I highly recommend him."
Chuck Gross
Executive Director, Adams County (Colorado) Educational Consortium
"He connected amazingly well with a big group of students who are generally a tough audience, challenging them to connect with the leaders within themselves, and take action to make their personal impact on the world...Many stated that his talk was the highlight of our leadership retreat days. "
Rachel Adkins
Leadership Program Manager, Aspen Academy - Greenwood Village, CO
Inspire Your Students
Contact Chris Natzke today to schedule an appointment to discuss the various ways he can inspire the students of your school to discover their own Inner Champions.
