Entrepreneur Keynote Speaker for Business Owners Selling candy at the beach at eight, 30+ businesses since
Tony DiSilvestro is an entrepreneur keynote speaker who started selling bulk candy at the beach when he was eight and went on to launch and scale more than 30 businesses. He speaks to founders and small business owners about growth constraints, delegation, and the difference between a business owner and an entrepreneur.
An Entrepreneur Long Before He Was a Speaker
Owners want to know the person on stage has done what he is asking them to do. Scroll through the record Tony brings to an entrepreneur audience.
- Age 8
Bulk Candy at the Beach
Tony's first business was selling bulk candy at the beach, and he helped his mother sell Mexican pottery. That early work taught him service, connection, clarity, and consistency.
- 30 Years
More Than 30 Businesses
Over three decades Tony has launched and scaled more than 30 companies across multiple industries, and his stage examples for owners come from those companies.
- 450+
People Led
Growing past the founder means building a team. Tony has led more than 450 people across his companies, and the delegation lessons in his keynotes come from those teams.
- Hospitality
The Ynot Restaurant Group
Tony owns the Ynot Italian restaurant group, one of the companies his examples for owners draw on. Owners in the audience hear from someone who still owns a restaurant business.
- Recognition
Best Home in the World
Tony received the 2020 Best Home in the World Award and was nationally recognized for building the Best ICF Home in the Nation. Both honors recognize a home he built, outside his speaking work.
- Peer
Entrepreneurs' Organization
Tony is a member of Entrepreneurs' Organization, the peer network for business owners. EO chapters and similar founder groups can book a speaker who belongs to the same network.
- Media
Host of Tony D Talks
On his interview show Tony has talked business with Horst Schulze, co-founder of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, and with John Lee Dumas and David Meltzer.
Why Founders Tune Out Most Keynotes
An audience of entrepreneurs is a hard room to hold. Everyone in it signs the front of a paycheck, and most of them left a business running without them to be there. They want a speaker who has carried the same responsibilities they have.
The trouble with most talks at founder events is altitude. Big-company strategy does little for an owner who is still the head of sales, the bookkeeper, and the last person to lock up at night. Inspiration with no next step does little either. Owners want to walk out knowing which decision to make on Monday.
Tony has spent 30 years launching, running, and scaling more than 30 companies and leading more than 450 people. As a small business keynote speaker he talks to owners as a peer, with examples from his own companies, including the Ynot Italian restaurant group.
Read Tony's full story →
Three Keynote Themes Written for Owners
Tony's entrepreneur keynote is built from three themes in his speaker kit. Tell Tony's team which one matters most to your attendees. If most of the room manages teams rather than owning companies, Tony's work as a leadership keynote speaker may fit the room better.
Brand Vision and a Name Without the Committee
Plenty of founders stall before they start, stuck on a company name, a logo, or a mission statement that goes through round after round of drafts. Tony shows owners how to define what the business stands for and what to call it without a complicated process, then get back to serving customers.
Business Owner or Entrepreneur
An owner works in the business. An entrepreneur builds a business that works without them. Tony walks through the growth constraints that keep owners stuck, starting with the work they refuse to hand off, and explains how to start delegating it.
Going Back to Day One of the Business
Every company collects habits, costs, and assumptions nobody chose on purpose. Tony asks owners to look at the business as if they were starting it tomorrow: which customers, which offers, which people, which processes. The answers give the company a fresh direction to scale from.
Events Built for People Who Own the Business
Tony's entrepreneur keynote works best where the people in the seats own a company or are about to start one. That includes entrepreneur conferences and founder summits, small business expos and awards luncheons, chamber of commerce annual meetings, and programs that small business development organizations run for the owners they serve.
EO-style forums and owner roundtables that want more time than a keynote slot can book Tony for a 90-minute interactive breakout or a half-day workshop.
Chambers and trade groups whose members include staff, suppliers, and owners in the same audience can see how Tony builds a session for that mix as an association keynote speaker.
- Founders in their first years in business
- Owners who have outgrown doing everything themselves
- Partners and family members running a company together
- Staff of the organizations that support small businesses
Match the Format to How Owners Spend the Day
Every hour at an event is an hour away from the business, so choose the length that fits your program. For online summits, Tony also delivers virtual keynotes.
30‑Minute Main‑Stage Keynote
For the opening or closing slot of an entrepreneur conference or a chamber annual meeting.
60‑Minute Expanded Session
For programs with a full hour to give an entrepreneur keynote.
90‑Minute Interactive Breakout
An interactive format for founder summits and small business development programs.
Half‑Day Workshop for Peer Groups
For EO-style peer groups, accelerator cohorts, and owner roundtables that can set aside half a day.
The Business Scaling Blueprint
Tony wrote the book for the same people who fill an entrepreneur event. It helps entrepreneurs avoid costly mistakes, build strong foundations, and put the systems in place that drive sustainable growth.
A Next Step Owners Can Take the Same Day
Owners who want a starting point after the keynote can take the free Business Scaling Scorecard.
Judge Him the Way Your Owners Will
Founders decide quickly whether a speaker is worth their afternoon. Start with the Tony D Benchmark monologue, then watch 3 Most Important Words.
The full sizzle reel plays from the Watch Tony Speak button at the top of this page. The speaker reel page collects every clip in one place for your selection committee.
Full Speaker Reel Page →
He brings abundant energy, positivity, and knowledge to the small business community.
Entrepreneur Keynote Booking Questions
Answers for chambers, founder summits, and small business programs weighing Tony for their owners.
What does an entrepreneur keynote cover that a general business talk does not?
It speaks to the person who owns the company. Tony's three themes for these audiences are defining brand vision and a company name without a complicated process, the difference between a business owner and an entrepreneur, and going back to day one to rethink the fundamentals. Each is built around decisions only an owner can make.
Is Tony a fit for very small businesses, or only for larger companies?
Both. The themes Tony brings as a small business keynote speaker apply at either end, because a three-person shop and a company with several locations tend to hit the same wall: too much of the business runs through one person. Tony has led more than 450 people across his own companies, so he speaks to owners from experience at several sizes.
Can the keynote be tailored for a chamber, a small business development program, or a peer group?
Yes. Let Tony's team know whether your attendees are new founders, established owners, or the staff who support them, and which of the three themes matters most to them. Tony will fit the keynote to that group.
What session lengths are available?
Tony delivers 30-minute main-stage keynotes, 60-minute expanded sessions, 90-minute interactive breakouts, and half-day workshops. For online events, Tony also delivers virtual keynotes.
How far in advance should we book?
Three to nine months out is Tony's team's recommendation. Chamber annual meetings and founder summits often set their programs early, so send your date through the form below even if the agenda is not final.
Bring Tony to Your Chamber, Summit, or Founder Program
Send your chamber, summit, or program details below. Tony's team will confirm whether your date is open and which format suits your owners.
- The date and city of your event
- Whether attendees are founders, established owners, or support staff
- Which of the three themes matters most to them
- Keynote, breakout, or half-day workshop
Loading the booking form
Prefer to reach out another way? Contact Tony's team →