The Lavin Agency

The Lavin Agency A speakers bureau that represents the best original thinkers, writers, and doers. Making the world a smarter place since 1989.

The Lavin Agency is the world’s largest intellectual talent agency, representing leading thinkers, writers, and doers for speaking engagements, personal appearances, consulting, and endorsements.

Jared Diamond’s new book, Profits, Prophets, Coaches, and Kings: (When) Do Leaders Matter?, is out next week!This Lavin ...
08/25/2026

Jared Diamond’s new book, Profits, Prophets, Coaches, and Kings: (When) Do Leaders Matter?, is out next week!

This Lavin Exclusive Speaker is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Guns, Germs, and Steel and one of the world’s Top 10 Public Intellectuals (Foreign Policy). Across his bestselling books, he has spent decades examining the forces that make societies rise, fall, and change. Now he turns that sweeping lens on leadership to investigate whether exceptional leaders actually change history—or whether larger forces like culture, technology, geography, and circumstance determine what happens.

Nobel Prize-winning economist Daron Acemoglu calls the book “erudite, engaging and thought-provoking,” while Peter Turchin (author of End Times) calls it “a must-read from the grand master of analytic history.” Kirkus praises Jared’s “nimble, irreverent approach and insatiable curiosity.”

The Lavin Agency is proud to exclusively represent Jared Diamond for keynotes, conferences, events, and fireside chats. In incisive, evidence-based talks, Jared draws on leaders from Rachel Carson to legendary UCLA coach John Wooden to reveal when individuals really can change outcomes—and when circumstances matter more. Audiences leave with a sharper framework for choosing leaders, developing them, and creating the conditions in which the right person can make a genuine difference.

Learn more about Jared and his new book on our website at the link in bio!

Angela Duckworth’s new book, Situated: Find the People and Places That Bring Out Your Best, is out next week!This Lavin ...
08/25/2026

Angela Duckworth’s new book, Situated: Find the People and Places That Bring Out Your Best, is out next week!

This Lavin Exclusive Speaker is a MacArthur Fellow, University of Pennsylvania professor, and the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Grit, which has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide. In Grit, Angela showed that passion and perseverance are crucial to achievement. In Situated, she reveals the other half of the equation: grit matters, but the people, places, objects, and environments around us can make success much easier—or much harder.

Rather than simply trying to make the best of your situation, Angela argues that you should make your situation better first. Drawing on surprising science and examples from Taylor Swift, Michael Phelps, Jerry Seinfeld, and her own life, she shows how to shape your surroundings so they bring out your best.

Adam Grant (Think Again) calls Situated “the ultimate guide to changing your circumstances.” Mel Robbins (The Let Them Theory) says, “If you read one book this year to level up your life, make it this one.”

The Lavin Agency is proud to exclusively represent Angela Duckworth for keynotes, conferences, events, and fireside chats. In deeply researched, practical, and candid talks, Angela helps audiences how small changes to your environments, relationships, and routines can make difficult goals easier to reach.

Learn more about Angela and her new book on our website at the link in bio!

Daron Acemoglu’s new book, What Happened to Liberal Democracy?, is out today!This Lavin Exclusive Speaker is a Nobel Pri...
08/11/2026

Daron Acemoglu’s new book, What Happened to Liberal Democracy?, is out today!

This Lavin Exclusive Speaker is a Nobel Prize-winning economist and the bestselling coauthor of Why Nations Fail. In his new book—his first since the Nobel—Daron offers fresh insight into why our democracy is in crisis, and shows us how liberal democracy can thrive again: by rebuilding economic opportunity, empowering communities, and ensuring that technology serves us all. New York Times bestselling author Thomas Piketty calls it “a very important work and a must-read.”

In his keynotes, Daron helps audiences understand how decisions about AI, innovation, institutions, and power can avoid deepening inequality and instead usher in a new era of prosperity, for everyone.

Lavin is proud to exclusively represent Daron for speaking engagements and events. Learn more about him on our website at the link in bio, and get in touch with us to invite him to speak at your event.

Congratulations, Daron!

Congratulations to Lavin Exclusive Speaker Daron Acemoglu, whose new book, What Happened to Liberal Democracy?, is out n...
08/05/2026

Congratulations to Lavin Exclusive Speaker Daron Acemoglu, whose new book, What Happened to Liberal Democracy?, is out next week!

A Nobel laureate in economics and bestselling coauthor of Why Nations Fail, Daron is one of the world’s leading thinkers on institutions, AI, the economy, and progress. In What Happened to Liberal Democracy?, Daron offers a unique view into the crisis that democracy finds itself in, and a hopeful way out. He argues that liberal democracy flourished when it delivered on its core promises: shared prosperity, democratic governance, and the free pursuit of knowledge. And the path forward is “working-class liberalism”: a new politics that empowers workers and communities, accommodates a wider range of values, and directs technology toward the public good.

New York Times bestselling author Thomas Piketty calls the book “a very important work and a must-read,” while Nobel laureate Angus Deaton describes it as “both necessary and inspiring.” Ro Khanna (author of Progressive Capitalism) calls Daron “arguably the greatest economist of our generation.”

The Lavin Agency is proud to exclusively represent Daron Acemoglu for keynotes, conferences, events, and fireside chats. In clear, ambitious talks, he reveals how our choices about technology, power, and economic policy shape the future of work and democracy. Audiences leave better equipped to build institutions and innovations that deliver shared prosperity.

Learn more about Daron and his book on our website at the link in bio!

07/27/2026

We treat creativity as something mysterious: a flash of inspiration, a special talent, or a way of thinking that only belongs in art, music, or poetry. George Newman offers a more useful definition. Creativity is the process of improvement—and it’s part of every job, every field, and every attempt to find a better solution.

This season on our podcast, Lavin Voices, we sat down with cognitive scientist George Newman, author of How Great Ideas Happen and Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour at the University of Toronto. In this clip, he explains why great ideas come from discovery, collaboration, feedback, and trial and error, and why hitting a creative block is often a sign that you need to look outward, not deeper within yourself.

George is a Lavin Exclusive Speaker whose research reframes creativity as a universal, learnable capacity. In practical, research-backed keynotes, he helps audiences find better ideas, solve harder problems, and approach innovation with greater confidence.

Enjoyed this clip? Watch the full episode and learn more about George at the link in bio.

07/25/2026

Most of us start our creative process by brainstorming. One expert says that’s the exact wrong thing to do.

Before archaeologists dig, they study the terrain: where discoveries have been made, what belongs where, and what clues to look for. Creativity works the same way.

This season on our podcast, Lavin Voices, we sat down with cognitive scientist George Newman, author of How Great Ideas Happen and Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour at the University of Toronto. In this clip, he explains why strong ideas begin with orientation—not invention—and how developing a deeper understanding of your field helps you notice opportunities that everyone else misses.

George is a Lavin Exclusive Speaker whose research reframes creativity as a process of discovery. In practical, research-backed keynotes, he gives audiences a repeatable method for finding better ideas, solving harder problems, and approaching innovation with greater confidence.

Enjoyed this clip? Watch the full episode and learn more about George at the link in bio!

07/25/2026

Algorithms figure out what already works. That’s why they miss the next big thing.

Seinfeld was unpopular at first. Focus groups found it boring, and audiences didn’t immediately know what to make of it. But one NBC executive championed the show anyway—and it went on to shape the comedy we know today.

This week on our podcast, Lavin Voices, we sat down with Lavin Exclusive Speaker Carissa Véliz, an Oxford professor of philosophy and author of Prophecy: Prediction, Power, and the Fight for the Future, from Ancient Oracles to AI. In this clip, she explains how algorithms can inadvertently quash creative thinking: “there are no databases about the future.”

Carissa is a leading expert on AI ethics, privacy, and technology. In brilliant, accessible keynotes, she helps leaders leverage uncertainty, defy the odds, and benefit from technology without surrendering human judgment.

Enjoyed this clip? The full episode is out now! Watch it and learn more about Carissa at the link in bio.

07/24/2026

AI tries to minimize uncertainty by giving us perfect predictions about our future. What if we embraced uncertainty instead?

AI expert Carissa Véliz argues that uncertainty is good news: it means the future is still unwritten, and we still have the power to shape it.

This week on our podcast, Lavin Voices, we sat down with Lavin Exclusive Speaker Carissa Véliz, an Oxford professor of philosophy and author of Prophecy: Prediction, Power, and the Fight for the Future, from Ancient Oracles to AI. In this clip, she explains why the blank page can feel frightening—and why embracing it is essential to living freely and building a future of our own.

Carissa is a leading expert on AI ethics, privacy, and technology. In brilliant, accessible keynotes, she helps leaders leverage uncertainty, defy the odds, and benefit from technology without surrendering human judgment.

Enjoyed this clip? The full episode is out now! Watch it and learn more about Carissa at the link in bio.

We're proud to welcome Chrystia Freeland, former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, to The Lavin Agency!In a moment of int...
07/15/2026

We're proud to welcome Chrystia Freeland, former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, to The Lavin Agency!

In a moment of international uncertainty, how can we not only strengthen our democracies but make them work for working people? Chrystia Freeland knows. CEO of The Rhodes Trust and Canada's former Foreign Minister and Minister of Finance, Chrystia has spent her career fighting for democracy—and in her forthcoming book, Unreliable Boyfriend (out Oct 13), she takes us behind the scenes of alliances with world leaders, economic coalitions, and the chaos that has gripped the world in the last few years.

The Lavin Agency is proud to exclusively represent Chrystia for talks and fireside chats, in which she offers her unique, honest, sometimes funny, and always insightful perspective on how to find stability and prosperity at home and abroad. Learn more on our website at the link in bio, and get in touch to book her to speak at your event!

Congratulations to Lavin Exclusive Speaker Dana Suskind, whose new book, Human Raised: Nurturing Connection, Curiosity, ...
07/14/2026

Congratulations to Lavin Exclusive Speaker Dana Suskind, whose new book, Human Raised: Nurturing Connection, Curiosity, & Lifelong Learning in the Age of AI, is out today!

A New York Times bestselling author, surgeon, and professor at the University of Chicago, Dana has dedicated her career to enhancing the pivotal role that caregivers play in building healthy young brains that are wired to learn, adapt, and connect.

Now, AI is entering nurseries, playrooms, and classrooms at extraordinary speed: from smart cribs to cry-decoding monitors to interactive companions for toddlers. In Human Raised, Dana asks a question that every parent, educator, and policymaker will soon have to answer: How can we benefit from new technologies without allowing them to replace the human relationships that children need most?

In her book, as well as urgent and practical talks, Dana offers her unique HOPE framework for raising children alongside AI:

Human connection is irreplaceable
Own your imperfections
Protect the early years
Enhance—don’t replace—connection

Bestselling author Adam Grant calls Human Raised “a stunning book about how to protect our children—and our humanity—in the age of AI.” Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt calls the book “indispensable for parents in the AI era.”

The Lavin Agency is proud to exclusively represent Dana Suskind for keynotes, conferences, events, and fireside chats. Drawing on neuroscience, medicine, and her work with families, Dana gives audiences a practical framework for making smarter decisions about AI in childhood. Her talks help parents, educators, leaders, and policymakers embrace innovation while protecting the imperfect human connection that is most vital for raising healthy, curious, hopeful children.

Learn more about Dana and her new book on our website at the link in bio!

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