The Sioux Falls Leadership Summit is a signature event for SME and features speakers, networking, and other opportunities to inspire and teach local business owners, leaders, entrepreneurs, and sales and marketing executives. The Summit launched in 2021 with development leader, author, and coach John C. Maxwell as its keynote speaker. This event aims to bring the best trainers in the world to Sioux Falls to inspire and transform business cultures, both large and small.

This year’s event welcomes keynote speaker Juan Bendana. Juan Bendana is the best-selling author of “Confident By Choice” and an advisor to Olympic athletes, Grammy-winning artists, CEOs, and Fortune 100 executives. With over a decade of experience, his insights have been featured in Harvard Business Review, Rolling Stone, and Inc Magazine, and translated into four languages. Known for his energetic and humorous style, Bendana uses science-based strategies to help individuals build confidence and excel in personal and professional settings.

Thursday, November 5, 2026
Sioux Falls Convention Center

Event Schedule:
11:00 Doors Open, Lunch Available
11:30 Welcome/Opening Speaker
12:30 Breakout Session #1
1:10 Networking Break
1:30 Breakout Session #2
2:10 Networking Break
2:30 Awards
3:00 Keynote: Juan Bendana – Lead Through Change
4:15 Networking and Social

Lead Through Change

Change is constant, but how we respond to it can define what comes next.

In a time of rapid innovation, evolving expectations and continued uncertainty, today’s leaders are being asked to make decisions, inspire others and move forward without always having every answer. Juan Bendana’s Lead Through Change keynote explores how confidence can become a powerful tool for navigating those moments.

Backed by research with more than 250,000 leaders, Juan will share practical strategies to help attendees break through uncertainty, approach change with greater clarity and courage, and turn disruption into momentum.

Attendees will walk away ready to: