Sunny Bonnell

Founder & CEO, Motto® • Top Global Brand & Visionary Leadership Expert • Bestselling Author, Rare Breed • Co-Founder, VisionCamp® • GDUSA Top People to Watch • Top 30 GlobalGurus in Brand • High-Octane Keynote Speaker

Sunny Bonnell is the co-founder and CEO of Motto®, a strategy and innovation firm, and Thinkers50 Radar, which, in partnership with Deloitte, awards the brightest minds in the world. 

Named a ‘Visionary Brand Icon’ by SWAGGER, she is a Top 30 Global Gurus in Brand, GDUSA's Top 25 People to Watch, and a WEBBY Award winner. The WEBBY Awards described Sunny as “Setting the standard for innovation and creativity.”

Sunny works with executive leadership teams to set visions, create big ideas, and inspire their culture to take action on that vision. 

Clients include:

Minnesota Vikings
Virgin
Google
Microsoft
Klaviyo
NFL
Hershey’s
Legendary Digital
Disney
Twentieth Century Fox
Choice Hotels
NCM
Andela
Goodnotes

Sunny is an internationally acclaimed keynote speaker for organizations like MasterCard, Microsoft, Dale Carnegie, Fast Company Innovation Festival, Inc., and Inspiring Workplaces. 

She's been featured in every major publication, including Forbes, Entrepreneur, and The Wall Street Journal. She has appeared on Closing Bell on the NY Stock Exchange, The Breakfast Club, and Yahoo Finance. She writes a popular and provocative leadership column for Fast Company with her Co-founder and partner in crime, Ashleigh Hansberger.

Sunny and Ashleigh are the authors of Rare Breed: A Guide to Success for the Defiant, Dangerous, and Different (Harper Collins, 2019) which flips the script on business as usual and carves a path for unconventional success.

“The top 5 career books of all time.” — New York Post
"Brazen and a ruckus to make things better.” — Seth Godin
“An entire windstorm of original thinking.” — USA Today

Sunny's work is focused on dismantling status-quo practices and inspiring others to do big things.

Founder, speaker, author, vision leader.

👉 wearemotto.com
👉 sunnybonnell.com

Co-Founder & CEO

Motto® is a vision-partner and strategic brand transformation company. We believe in the power of big ideas to clarify vision, rally people, and inspire action.

We guide CEOs, founders, and teams through times of growth and transition to unlock their Idea Worth Rallying Around®— the signature idea that sits at the heart of the business and makes it famous.

Internally: Our work drives the culture strategy for how you do things—by aligning leadership around vision and purpose, codifying values, creating plans to evolve, inspiring employees with a strategic narrative, and weaving brand-building behaviors and mindsets into your company DNA.

Externally: Our work drives the brand strategy for how you're positioned—by creating competitive difference, establishing key narratives, casting creative direction, and activating the brand across touchpoints.

Since 2005, we’ve collaborated with the brightest minds to solve their toughest strategic challenges. Leaders seek us out to clearly communicate what their company is about. Our unique advisory approach helps your brand and culture work together so your company thrives.

CLIENTS
Virgin
Google
Microsoft
Hershey
Andela
Goodnotes
Earnest
ServiceTitan
Brooklyn Brewery
Disney
Ninjas in Pyjamas

Founders. CEOs. Brand leaders. Creatives. 👋 How do you stay relevant when speed is messy, and sameness is a prompt away? 

Motto® Future of Brand Report 2026 is now LIVE.

And yes, it’s free.

We built it for leaders navigating the most accelerated era in modern business.

→ AI is turning output into a commodity. 
→ Culture is shifting faster than playbooks can keep up. 
→ Differentiation is harder to hold onto.
→ The brands that win will build meaning that scales and alignment that sticks.

Here’s what you’ll get:

→ Fieldnotes: sharp signals across tech, design, culture, and leadership
→ Forces: the big shifts reshaping how companies create value
→ Questions: prompts to pressure-test strategy and spark better decisions

This is a decision tool to help you think, build, and lead in the year ahead. 

Read it, share it, debate it.

Just don’t ignore it.

If you want to win at business and brand in 2026...

Like this post and drop FUTURE OF BRAND in the comments, and I’ll send it your way.

#brand

Kiikstart

I recently created this LinkedIn group for Leaders, across all functions and industry, who want L & D to reach its potential and impact. 

And want positively different conversations and learnings than what's on offer elsewhere. 

The future of L & D depends on being strategic in its approach and to be seen as a key part of business development. 

Not a reactionary after thought. 

PURPOSE OF THE GROUP 

•Create a voice and space for those Leaders who have the vision and passion to see L & D as a strategic driver for business. 

Not a passive cost centre. 

•Have robust conversations and debates on emerging topics not found elsewhere. Real stuff, no fluff is the motto. 

•To share insights and wisdom from real world L & D experimentation. This includes the wins but also mistakes and near misses. 

What are the lessons learnt and how can we do different as Leaders cross all functions and industries. 

•Create a space to be a sounding board / ask questions/ pose challenges. 

•To be a creative and strategic source of inspiration for one another by sharing relevant research and industry insights. 

•To bring together different minds and experiences to explore/debate/solve some of our most pressing issues as an industry.

•To raise awareness and find solutions to gaps, threats and risks both current, emerging and potential by building AQ in ourselves and others (Adversity Intelligence)

If you'd like to be part of this community, and not take the trip alone, please join me and other smart, kind people by using the link below 👇

https://lnkd.in/gpeCpVzt

Creator of Skills, Development and Impact - Making L & D A Strategic Business Driver 

I partner with Leaders & teams to solve brain by creating spaces where human growth and business development happens simultaneously. 

This is achieved by capturing lessons learnt and repurposing team wisdom back into daily operations via  ROS (return on skills) & just in time learning. 

I'm paid to deliver measurable results not "training". 

Purpose Led Leaders partner with Kiikstart to build the capability needed to own the approach to solve their own challenges and problems. 

Rather than continually bring in external consultants. 

The reality is Leaders and Teams can solve many of the challenges and problems faced in the workplace when given the right skills, support, conditions and environments to deliver durable outcomes and impacts. 

Key areas brands solve by partnering with Kiikstart:

✳ Shorter timeframes required to apply new skills and see measurable outcomes + impacts. 
✳ Fractured learning and growth cultures, resources & support leading to disjointed learning + lack of succession planning. 
✳ Disconnect between bigger strategic goals and the role of L & D in driving commercial outcomes and impacts. 

Since 2008, over 98% of Leaders and teams have consistently achieved key project outcomes and impact by the agreed milestones by adopting The Circular Workplace approach.

The approach is defined by five key parts:

- strategy development 
- skill development  
- process & resource design 
- trial and experimentation via role & project delivery
- sharing lessons learnt, debriefing mistakes and repurposing wisdom

Leaders wanting to solve organizational brain drain, please:

1.Follow me Ali Uren and subscribe to my newsletter- The Experiment * Original wisdom + strategies proven in the real world. See activity section.

2. Take a complimentary tour of The Circular Workplace. Book on my profile section. 

3. Join the community Skills, Development and Impact– Making L & D a Strategic Driver. 

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14729095/

Kiikstart Founder and Designer of the Circular Workplace ♻️

Women Shaping AI

Women Shaping AI (WSAI) exists to equip women with the knowledge, influence, and networks to shape the future of AI. Learn more and join us at womenshapingai.com

Founding Member

Switch Tasmania

"Ali isn't intimidated by large or complex problems and is comfortable working with individuals and organisations at all levels. I enjoyed working with Ali because she has clear ideas but is willing to take advice and make course changes where there's value"

Karl Rolfe - Switch Tasmania Project Contractor 

Heading up this project I successfully led the business through a complex and rapid period of state wide change. 

Key responsibilities included

• Leading a team of contractors to deliver services across Tasmania. Included establishing and managing the state project budget for three providers.

• Working with a small team and board to shape and positively change the strategic direction based on needs, future trends and identified gaps, threats and risks. 

• Creating communications that responded positively to feedback and insights provided by internal and community stakeholders. 

• Identifying new partnerships to grow the service and working with stakeholders across Tasmania to review past relationships.

• Working with project partners to implement servicing across Tasmania that bought substantial changes to an existing program. 

This required stablishing trust efficiently while meeting ambitious targets in finite timeframes.

• Leading a small team of internal contractors to respond to significant, continual changes in delivery. 

This included:

- Communicating changes to the team in real time and being truthful and respectful to gain buy in and commitment. 

- Briefing internal IT teams on project changes and working together to devise a strategic plan that would achieve KPI’s within a reduced budget. 

- Working with the internal marketing and communications team to evolve the messaging so that it reflected new services. 

- Proactively working with community stakeholders to create new relationships.

- Working with the external marketing/creative team to evolve the Switch Tasmania brand in market and tell a different narrative.

Special Project - In Partnership with Switch Tasmania and The Australian Government 

Flinders New Venture Institute

"I chose to work with Kiikstart team specifically for Ali’s attention to building a values-based relationship with myself and the altruistic values of the service I deliver to my clients.  She places an emphasis on curating and co-designing programs that are fit for the purpose and values of the community we are trying to create, with bravery and authenticity.

It’s a genuine holding-space for self-discovery – authenticity and generosity are two values Ali embodies in all of her work, so prepare to show up in all of your glory and be ready to reciprocate in good faith"

Dee Edwards 
Former Entrepreneurship Facilitator – regional SA 
Flinders University 
New Venture Institute

I partnered with Flinders University – New Venture Institute (NVI) to design and facilitate two projects over an 18 month period.  These projects were a series of workshops for entrepreneurs and early start-ups based in Regional Australia.
 
Key areas of learning included:
 
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝟭
Undertaking the Kiikstart Innovation Capability Review. This learning allows participants to identify skill gaps, threats, and risks and the actions needed to do different and innovate.
 
It’s a holistic risk assessment on creative steroids.
 
It simplified the process of problem-solving and allowed participants to think differently about the gaps, threats and risks by providing both a practical and strategic response.
 

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝟮
Creating collaborative plans from end to end and understanding the internal challenges and external threats to make partnerships work – in the real world.
 
This allowed participants to gain an understanding of how ready they were to collaborate, and if not the detailed steps to get in a position to set up for successful partnerships.

Special Project | In Partnership with Flinders University – New Venture Institute (NVI) 

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners

"Ali was highly recommended to me as a potential learning and development partner for our employees impacted by the closure of our manufacturing plant.

My experience with Ali is that she is incredibly skilled at what she does. Ali took the time to understand our needs and really tailor an approach to maximize the benefits to our employees. 

Ali is very personable in her approach and took the extra time and care to create an experience that it totally unique, incredibly personalized and with a real focus on creativity and innovation.

I would certainly highly recommend Ali and I really thank her for the partnership” 

Simone Fletcher 
Former Head People and Culture 
Coca Cola 

I was invited to design and facilitate the 12-month on-site workforce transition project for the Executive Leadership and Production team following the announcement to close manufacturing in Adelaide, South Australia. 

This project was a move away from traditional job hunting approaches adopted by other international brands including GM Holden and Mitsubishi. 

Coca Cola wanted a proven, but more personalized, contemporary approach to building workforce capability in a changing, competitive market. 

Many of the team were long-term employees of Coca Cola and were being made redundant in a competitive market, with limited opportunities in the food and beverage space. It was time to get strategic and creative. 

Using a contemporary, entrepreneurial approach to career development and coaching, I achieved in excess of 93% plus the success rate of employees into employment by the time the factory closed. This successful outcome led to the project model being recognised as best practice by Coca Cola.

Achieving sustainable outcomes also involved 

- maintaining strong employee engagement
- positive brand reputation  
- consistently meeting production targets including expected quality standards 

Further insights into how the project delivered strong outcomes can be found on my featured section.

Special Project | Designer and Facilitator for Coca Cola Whole of Workforce Transformation 

University of Adelaide

"Our Australian E Challenge participants have had nothing but high praise for Ali. 

She mentored and guided both our domestic and international students, helping them navigate the stressful and anxious path inherent in any start-up journey. 

Ali is practical, makes participants accountable for their actions, and really helps them focus their attention on productive outcomes. 

Our participants appreciate her honest and down to earth approach, and value her unique and individual attention"

Julia Miller – Australian E Challenge Coordinator 
Entrepreneurship, Commercialisation and Innovation Centre (ECIC)
The University of Adelaide

As part of the University of Adelaide's E- Challenge program I mentored and developed a range of diverse teams to compete for investment across a series of industries. 

Teams were comprised of university students and professionals from outside. 

This required supporting teams from concept of product through to the pitching of ideas to a panel upon program completion. 

Complete end to end guidance, mentoring and facilitating was provided to ensure that identified skill gaps, threats and risks were resolved as a team. 

While being part of the program I had the benefit of developing competing teams across Deakin University and Charles Sturt University who were focused on new products for Australian Wool Innovation. Many of these teams were International Students studying Masters of Engineering and were taking on some of the wool industry's most wicked problems 

In my final year as a Program Mentor and Facilitator my teams won 9 out of the 12 available categories.

Special Project | E Challenge Facilitator and Team Mentor

Creating Leaders + Managers + Teams that Solve OD Problems On Demand By Thinking Like Entrepreneurs 🔗 Growth From Gaps + Threats + Risks 🔗 Making Organizational Development Equitable 🔗 Founder - Kiikstart

What if you developed your people and achieve commercial goals. Simultaneously. 

How? 

Through a proven, proprietary approach The Circular Workplace.

Made for ambitious Leaders & teams it 

1️⃣

Ensures hard earnt wisdom and skill aren't lost when people leave.

2️⃣

Makes L & D a robust strategic & business driver via Return on Skills (ROS). 

Not a reactionary cost center.

3️⃣

Creates teams who solve their own problems by building Adversity Intelligence (AQ) - not rely on external experts ongoing. 

CHALLENGES LEADERS SOLVE WITH KIIKSTART

✳ Build capability cross teams so gaps, threats + risks become sources of human & commercial growth. 

✳ Make skill development a key driver in achieving individual, team and bigger organizational goals. 

✳ Stop wasting wisdom and repurpose it back into business in real time. 

HOW THIS IS ACHIEVED 

Via an approach that is supported and facilitated using original, proven IP delivering in four key areas:

1️⃣

Live Role & Project Roadmaps co-created between Leaders + Managers +Teams.

2️⃣

Building Adversity Intelligence + Entrepreneurial capability as part of daily delivery. 

3️⃣
 
Designing space for teams to experiment with new skills and lessons learnt as part of continuous development. 

4️⃣

Leveraging lessons learnt from skill experimentation and creating new channels to leverage back into teams and organization as part of ongoing business development. 

SNAPSHOT OF KEY OUTCOMES

Successfully partnered with over 200 purpose led brands. Consistently achieved 98% plus outcome/impact delivery rate by project end.

Developed 2000 + people utilizing The Circular Workplace and Just in Time approach. Consistently achieved identified outcomes and impacts in personalized L & D plans in excess of 97%. 

HOW WE PARTNER TOGETHER

The Circular Workplace approach is an end-to-end facilitated experience delivered onsite and/or Remote.

Kiikstart works alongside Leaders + teams to learn, implement and own the approach. 

Co-designing specific, measurable outcomes + impacts aligned to roles, teams and broader organizational objectives. 

Giving teams the ability to connect the dots.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Follow me + subscribe to my LinkedIn newsletter - The Experiment* Original strategies + wisdom tested in the field.
 
+ 
Take a complimentary, personalized tour of The Circular Workplace. See profile page to make an appointment. 

+
Join Skills, Development and Impact– Making L & D a Strategic Business Driver. https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14729095/


PS I am also open to global opportunities so please DM to discuss further.

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The Battle

Sunny Bonnell

Ali Uren

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taplio

The Battle

Sunny Bonnell

Ali Uren

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Sunny Bonnell's LinkedIn Performance

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