Earvin “Magic” Johnson
Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient | 5x NBA Champion | Chairman & CEO, Magic Johnson Enterprises | Owner, LA Dodgers & Washington Commanders
Molly Bloom
Bestselling Author of Molly's Game | One of Fortune's Most Powerful Women | Former U.S. Ski Team Member & Host of Podcast Torched
From U.S. Ski Team competitor to operator of the world's most exclusive underground poker empire to FBI target to Fortune's Most Powerful Women — Molly Bloom's story is unlike anyone else on the speaking circuit. The inspiration behind Aaron Sorkin's Oscar-nominated film, she brings audiences a masterclass in resilience, integrity under fire, and rebuilding after collapse. Her keynotes are consistently described as the most gripping and memorable sessions audiences have ever attended.
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Molly Bloom biography
Molly Bloom’s story should not be possible — and that is precisely why it captivates every room she enters. A former elite competitive skier who survived a career-threatening surgery at age twelve, rose to rank No. 3 in North America on the U.S. Ski Team moguls circuit, then walked away from the slopes to accidentally build the most exclusive and high-stakes underground poker empire in the world — before losing everything and rebuilding on her own terms. It is a journey of triumph, collapse, and reinvention that Aaron Sorkin adapted into the Oscar-nominated film Molly’s Game, starring Jessica Chastain, and that has made Bloom one of the most booked motivational speakers on the global circuit.
Motivational speaker Molly Bloom is best known for the sheer improbability of her arc: a small-town Colorado girl who moved to Los Angeles on a year-long sabbatical, stumbled into the role of personal assistant to a man running celebrity poker games, and within years was operating her own underground operation with no-limit stakes that could top $100 million per night — drawing players including Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck, Tobey Maguire, and Alex Rodriguez. At her peak she was earning up to $4 million a year. Then the FBI came. Rather than cooperate or name names, Bloom chose integrity over expediency — refusing publishers’ demands to expose her players in exchange for a book deal, and ultimately writing the memoir that became both a New York Times bestseller and a cultural phenomenon.
From Reinvention to Advocacy
What Bloom built after her fall is, in many ways, more remarkable than what preceded it. Named one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women, she has channeled her hard-won experience into a thriving career as a speaker, author, and entrepreneur. In 2020, she co-founded the One World Group alongside her husband, neuroscientist Devin Effinger — an online community dedicated to connecting and uplifting women facing adversity globally. She also hosts Torched, a two-time Gold Signal award-winning podcast that explores the untold controversies and human costs of elite competition, from Olympic stages to the Tour de France. Her work across these platforms reflects the same core conviction that defines her keynotes: that resilience is not a personality trait — it is a skill, and one that can be taught.
As a motivational speaker, Molly Bloom delivers what Aaron Sorkin himself called a “goosebump experience.” Her keynotes go far beyond the remarkable story — she extracts from her journey concrete frameworks on risk management, ethical decision-making, rebuilding after failure, and the performance psychology of elite competition. Whether addressing financial services firms, leadership summits, or women’s conferences, audiences leave not just inspired but equipped with mindset shifts they can apply immediately. Few speakers in the world combine this level of narrative intensity with this level of practical insight.
Molly Bloom Speaking Videos
Molly Bloom - Sizzle Reel
How Molly Bloom Ran Multimillion Dollar Underground Poker Games
Molly Bloom Keynote Topics
The inside story that the film could not fully tell. Bloom takes audiences through the defining moments of her extraordinary journey — from the back surgery that nearly ended her skiing career at twelve, to building a multi-million-dollar poker empire from scratch, to the moment the FBI came knocking — and extracts from each a concrete lesson in risk management, decision-making under pressure, and what integrity actually costs when the stakes are real. Raw, riveting, and deeply practical.
What separates the people who command any room they enter — whether a poker table, a boardroom, or a sales meeting — from those who are forgotten the moment they leave? Drawing on her years managing the world's most demanding and high-ego clientele, Bloom introduces the concept of Affective Presence: the science of how we make others feel, and how that emotional imprint determines trust, loyalty, and performance. An interactive session packed with practical tools for building genuine connection in professional and personal contexts.
Using the same psychological framework her father instilled in her as a young athlete — one that carried her back from spinal surgery to a national ranking, and later through federal prosecution to a thriving second career — Bloom teaches audiences how to design their own resilience architecture. This keynote covers managing risk intelligently, building courage as a practice, recovering from public failure without losing identity, and sustaining elite performance when circumstances are working against you.
Bloom has built and lost and built again — and each time she has done it on her own terms, without compromising her values. In this entrepreneurship-focused keynote she shares what she learned running a complex, high-pressure operation under constant scrutiny, what the poker table taught her about reading people and managing uncertainty, and how the principles that drove her sporting and business careers translate into a blueprint for building organizations — and lives — that are genuinely resilient.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Molly Bloom
Why Molly Bloom?
Booking Molly Bloom means bringing one of the most electrifying and genuinely unique stories on the global speaking circuit to your stage. There is no one else who has competed at the elite level of U.S. skiing, built and run the world's most exclusive underground poker operation, survived an FBI investigation, and then rebuilt into a bestselling author, Fortune-recognized entrepreneur, and award-winning podcast host — while maintaining her integrity every step of the way. Her keynotes are consistently described as among the most gripping and practically actionable audiences have ever experienced. Aaron Sorkin, one of Hollywood's most celebrated writers, called her a "goosebump experience" — and her corporate audiences agree. At Aurum Speakers Bureau, we book Molly Bloom for events where organizations want more than inspiration: they want a story of genuine resilience, ethical courage, and strategic reinvention that their people will remember for years.
Is Molly Bloom the real person behind the film Molly's Game?
Yes. Molly Bloom is the real person behind the Oscar-nominated 2017 film Molly's Game, written and directed by Aaron Sorkin. The film, starring Jessica Chastain as Bloom, tells the story of her journey from U.S. Ski Team member to operator of the world's most exclusive high-stakes underground poker games, and the FBI investigation that ended it. Sorkin received an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Chastain received a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal. Bloom's own memoir of the same name, which she insisted on writing without naming her celebrity players, preceded the film and became a New York Times bestseller.
What happened to Molly Bloom after the FBI investigation?
Following the FBI raid that shut down her poker operation and confiscated her earnings, Molly Bloom faced federal charges for running illegal gambling. Rather than cooperate to reduce her sentence, she refused to compromise the confidentiality of her players — a decision that defined her public reputation for integrity. She was ultimately sentenced to probation, fines, and community service, with no prison time. She then channeled the experience into her memoir, her speaking career, the One World Group, and her podcast Torched — building, by most measures, a far more impactful second act than her first.
What topics does motivational speaker Molly Bloom cover?
Molly Bloom speaks on resilience and bouncing back from failure, risk management and high-stakes decision-making, ethics and integrity under pressure, performance psychology and the mindset of elite athletes, entrepreneurship and building from scratch, and the science of human connection through her "Affective Presence" framework. Her talks resonate powerfully with audiences in financial services, sales and marketing, leadership development, and women's empowerment. To book Molly Bloom for your event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Molly Bloom as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Molly Bloom as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Molly Bloom's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Molly Bloom or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Molly Bloom speaking fee?
Molly Bloom speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Molly Bloom to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Molly Bloom.
How can I contact Molly Bloom?
We only work with Molly Bloom on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Molly Bloom and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Molly Bloom speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Molly Bloom for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Molly Bloom for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Molly Bloom is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Molly Bloom for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
