Molly Bloom Profile Picture

Keynote SpeakerMolly Bloom

Top Booked Inspirational Speaker, Subject of the Oscar-nominated film, “Molly’s Game”, Bestselling Author, U.S. Ski Team Alum, and Host of Award-Winning Podcast, “Torched”

A luminary in the world of inspirational keynote speakers, Molly Bloom is an entrepreneur, bestselling author, former member of the U.S. Ski Team, one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women, and host of the two-time Gold Signal award-winning podcast, “Torched,” featuring the inspiring stories of world-class competitive athletes. She achieved fame... Read more

Biography

A luminary in the world of inspirational keynote speakers, Molly Bloom is an entrepreneur, bestselling author, former member of the U.S. Ski Team, one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women, and host of the two-time Gold Signal award-winning podcast, “Torched,” featuring the inspiring stories of world-class competitive athletes. She achieved fame as the subject of Aaron Sorkin’s Oscar-nominated film, Molly’s Game, based on her bestselling memoir. Molly’s Game chronicles Bloom’s journey from college student and former Olympic skiing hopeful to LA waitress to head of the most exclusive high-stakes poker game in the world. With no-limit stakes that could top $100 million and celebrity players such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck, A-Rod and Tobey Maguire, “Molly’s Game,” was a Hollywood-worthy achievement for a 25-year-old small town Colorado girl.

Bloom’s first career was as a world-class skier, an achievement that defied the dire prognosis of medical experts. At age 12, she had been diagnosed with severe scoliosis, undergoing spinal fusion surgery that doctors said would prevent her from ever competing again. Defiant and determined, Bloom was back on the slopes in a year. At 19, she made the U.S. Ski Team. At 20, she was ranked #3 in North America in the moguls. At 21, Bloom was firmly on the path to the Olympics. In her qualifying run, a frozen pine bough caused one of her skis to release, leading to a devastating crash and a forced retirement from the sport she loved.

Bloom finished her political science degree at the University of Colorado and was applying to elite law schools when she decided to take a year-long sabbatical and move to LA. She found work as a waitress and personal assistant to a man who ran a high-stakes poker game frequented by celebrities. Teaching herself the business and forging important relationships, Bloom took the risk of going out on her own. “Molly’s Game” was born. Over the next six years, she went from running a multi-million-dollar business to being raided by the FBI. Even in the face of extreme adversity, she always maintained her integrity.

With her millions gone and life in ruins, Bloom set her mind to writing a book. Publishers were interested, but only if she named names. Keeping to her promise to never again compromise her integrity or lower her moral standards, Bloom persevered until she found a publisher that would work with her on her terms. Molly’s Game became a bestselling memoir, one that she convinced Oscar-winning screenwriter and director, Aaron Sorkin, to turn into an Academy Award-winning movie.

Today, Molly Bloom is a top-booked speaker, podcast host, mother, mentor to other women, and advocate. She has appeared on Ellen, Vice, NPR, Vulture and in The Los Angeles Times and Forbes. In 2020, at the height of the COVID pandemic, she founded the One World Group with her husband, neuroscientist Devin Effinger. The online group seeks to connect people around the world, especially women facing challenges. In 2022, Bloom launched, “Torched,” a podcast exploring Olympic controversies and the heat of competition. As host, she shares stories about the cost of greatness, both on and off the Olympic stage — from the Tour de France to Title IX to the World Cup.

“Please thank Molly for generously sharing her time, wisdom, and experiences with us. Her presentation was not only informative but also engaging, creating a lasting impression that will undoubtedly influence our guests. We appreciate the dedication and effort she put into delivering such a memorable talk. Molly's insights have sparked new ideas and perspectives within me and every guest of the event.” Event Team Lead, CPA.Club International Forum
“Molly is absolutely unreal. I was obsessed with her before but am even more obsessed with her now – and so are every single one of our attendees. She is so kind, hilarious and engaging. I got to spend some one on one time with her and it was amazing. I cannot say enough good things about her. She will be the top keynote – mark my word! And, I was a bit nervous about our 85% male audience that all have really high expectations and let me tell you they LOVED her.” Event Marketing Manager, IQmetrix
“Molly Bloom was FANTASTIC. Great story, message and delivery. And on a personal level, she's wonderful to work with. A great experience all around.” Ron, NetOne
“In my 15 years here, she’s one of the best speakers we’ve ever had. Her authenticity and connection made all the difference.” Kevin, Pharmaceutical Company
"Molly hit every note. She held the attention of the entire room for the whole hour as our players were in complete silence and full attention." Meg, PhD , Toronto Maple Leafs Hockey Club
"Molly is awesome! Period. I have heard many private speakers and she set the bar very high for future events. Our event exceeded expectations on every level. The only negative: no one wanted to leave. Every single attendee, without exception, called or emailed me the next day with sincere and genuine praise for Molly. Her insights from how to deal with adversity to optimizing risk management blew everyone away." Ron, CEO, Teramo Advisors

Popular Talks by Molly Bloom

  • Molly's Game: True Story of The Woman Behind the Most Exclusive, High-Stakes Underground Poker Game in the World
    What’s it like to run an exclusive poker game for the rich and famous? Molly Bloom went from Olympic-level skier who didn’t know a thing about poker or Hollywood to building and operating the largest and most notorious private poker game in the world. In this motivational talk, Bloom will...
  • Engage, Connect and Level Up With Affective Presence
    In an age where technology often overshadows genuine connection, it’s increasingly more important to connect and engage effectively with people for work, family and in everyday life. Affective Presence is a groundbreaking science that has the power to transform our interactions. This isn’t about mastering complex social cues or changing...
  • Defying the Odds: Molly Bloom's Odyssey of Adversity, Reinvention, and Triumph
    Molly Bloom is a testament to unwavering resilience and transformative reinvention. From her early days as a competitive skier facing a life-altering diagnosis at age 12, to her defiance of medical advice to pursue her Olympic dreams, Molly’s journey embodies the essence of overcoming adversity. Venturing into uncharted territory during...
  • Make Every Customer Feel like a High Roller
    Molly Bloom didn’t know a thing about running a poker business when she was asked to set up the most exclusive high stakes poker game in Hollywood. She was faced with the daunting question: how do you create an experience that will keep the rich and famous coming back when...