In a fast-moving world where customers are inundated with noise, stories cut through. Not just any stories — authentic, visually arresting, and emotionally resonant narratives that invite the audience into a shared experience. No one knows this better than Jon Carmichael, an astrophotographer who captured “history’s most amazing photograph” and changed the way many of us see the world. His famous image of the 2017 Great American Solar Eclipse from the view of a plane gave people the opportunity to view our world from a different perspective and see an entire universe of possibilities. From this image, the Eclipse Mindset was born.

In his signature keynote, Carmichael invites audiences beyond the lens of his camera and into a mindset that embraces uncertainty, breaks through perceived limitations, and transforms fleeting moments into powerful breakthroughs. If his earlier lessons emphasized the role of wonder and curiosity in fostering innovation, the Eclipse Mindset takes that foundation and zooms out. It’s about recognizing the rare opportunities hidden inside moments of chaos and change — opportunities that, like an eclipse, are both dramatic and short-lived.

So what does this mean for sales and marketing teams? It means shifting from transactional messaging to transformational storytelling. In today’s marketplace, buyers are less persuaded by features and more moved by feeling. Carmichael’s journey — of planning and coordinating a high-stakes photographic mission at 39,000 feet — demonstrates the power of bold thinking, intuition, and collaboration. His eclipse photo was the result of years of dreaming and days of turbulence, literally and figuratively. But the moment he captured that unforgettable view? It lasted just two minutes. That’s how short the window can be to make an impression.

Like an eclipse, your customers’ attention is fleeting. Sales and marketing professionals must be prepared not just to sell, but to seize the moment — with courage, creativity, and a story that resonates. Carmichael equips teams with a renewed perspective, the ability to reframe uncertainty as a catalyst for innovation, and the conviction to act decisively when the path ahead is unclear.

Audiences walk away from Carmichael’s keynote not just with inspiration, but with tools for action. They experience a powerful shift in perspective — learning how to eclipse self-doubt and outdated thinking. They gain strategies to turn ambiguity into a launchpad for innovation. And perhaps most importantly, they leave with the courage to take bold, decisive action even when the outcome is unclear. Carmichael reignites a sense of curiosity that opens the door to creativity, growth, and limitless possibility — critical traits for sales and marketing teams navigating rapid change and evolving customer expectations.

After a recent event, a member of the planning team from Summit Broadband shared, “Jon Carmichael was not only captivating, but he was truly a delight to work with! Every single person in the audience could resonate with various elements of his story and was completely intrigued while he spoke. His story perfectly tied into the overall message that we conveyed throughout our event and we couldn't have chosen a better keynote speaker that aligned with our theme.”

Another event planner from Iowa Hospital Association felt that, “he was absolutely perfect for our audience. Definitely someone others should be booking. Funny, vulnerable, inspiring. Everything we needed to close out the day. Ranks up there in my top five of all time speakers.”

Reignite Your Audience's Curiosity with an "Eclipse Mindset"

Carmichael’s authentic approach to telling his story resonates just as much as his famous photo did back in 2017. He’s helping audiences everywhere adopt an Eclipse Mindset to stop seeing limitations as endpoints and start treating them as creative prompts. Because in a world full of content, only the boldest stories create history.