Waldo Waldman

Lt Col/MBA/Motivational Speaker/Business Coach

The Wingman
Keynote speaker and leadership expert Waldo Waldman is the author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller Never Fly Solo®. He teaches tactics on how to build trusting, revenue producing relationships with employees, partners, and customers while sharing his experiences as a decorated fighter pilot and sales expert. A graduate of the Air Force Academy, he holds an MBA with a focus on Organizational Behavior and is a former top producing sales manager. He successfully led national sales efforts for several cutting edge technology and consulting firms before becoming a motivational speaker and leadership expert.

65 Combat Missions and 2,650 Flight Hours
Waldo is a retired Lt Col who overcame massive claustrophobia and a fear of heights to become a decorated fighter pilot with 65 combat missions and 2,650 flight hours. He’s deployed worldwide and led combat missions in Iraq, SE Asia, and Kosovo during Operation Allied Force.

Proud Father and Husband
Waldo’s greatest honor is being a father to his son Ace and a partner with his loving wife Dana. He is passionate about 80’s music, fitness, big dogs and Thai food. He shares his Atlanta home with his Great Dane “Willie” and two cats – Olive and Fig.
Waldo & Willie

Speaker Hall of Fame Inductee
Waldo has been inducted into the National Speaker’s Association Speaker Hall of Fame. Also known as the Council of Peers Award for Excellence (CPAE), the award honors those who have reached the top echelon of platform excellence. It has been bestowed on less than 200 speakers worldwide since 1977, including Colin Powell, Zig Ziglar, and Ronald Reagan. Waldo is also a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) – the highest earned designation recognized in the professional speaking industry. Only 7% of all professional speakers hold this exclusive designation.

Never Fly Solo!®
Waldo believes the key to building a culture of trust and performance lies with your wingmen – those who help you overcome obstacles, adapt to change, and achieve success. In business and life, you should never fly solo! The power to win lies in the ability of every wingman in your organization, regardless of their role, to support the team and be 100% accountable and committed to the mission.

PASSION FOR HELPING PEOPLE
Audiences connect with Waldo because of his energy, extensive business background and his infectious passion for helping people. Through his motivational keynotes and leadership seminars, he applies the same principles that guaranteed his success in the competitive world of aerial combat.
His message is simple – whether achieving victory as a fighter pilot or in business, the same qualities that ensure success apply: courage, accountability, preparation, integrity, teamwork, and a commitment to excellence!

Waldo In The News
A high energy motivational keynote speaker, Waldo Waldman was ranked one of the Top 40 under 40 Business Leaders in Georgia and has been featured on Fox & Friends, CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, The Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily, Entrepreneur Magazine, Success Magazine, Inc. Magazine, Business Week, and many other media outlets.
Waldo is also the founder and President of The Wingman Foundation, a 501(c)(3) whose mission is to raise funds and awareness for soldiers, veterans and their families in need.