John “Gucci” Foley is a former lead solo pilot for the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, Stanford Sloan Fellow, bestselling author, and in‑demand keynote that blends elite aviation insight with gratitude‑driven leadership. Through his Glad to Be Here® ethos and Diamond Performance® framework, he equips teams to harness trust, precision, and mindset for breakthroughs in both execution and culture.
John Gucci Foley is not your typical keynote speaker. With a career marked by exceptional achievements and a commitment to excellence, he stands out as a beacon of inspiration for those seeking to unlock their highest potential. From his days as the lead solo pilot of the renowned Blue Angels to his role as a Sloan Fellow at Stanford School of Business, John has continually pushed the boundaries of what is possible, both in the air and in the world of business leadership.
As a former lead solo pilot of the Blue Angels, John Gucci Foley knows a thing or two about high performance and teamwork. Flying at speeds exceeding 500 miles per hour and maintaining formations with a separation as narrow as 18 inches, he operated in an environment where split-second decisions and unwavering trust were not optional, but essential for survival. This experience taught him invaluable lessons about leadership, resilience, and the power of gratitude.
After his illustrious career with the Blue Angels, John pursued further education at Stanford School of Business, where he became a Sloan Fellow. This prestigious program is designed for experienced leaders who are poised to take on greater challenges and make a significant impact in their respective fields. John’s time at Stanford equipped him with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate complex business environments and lead with vision and purpose.
Today, John Gucci Foley is renowned as a top-rated leadership keynote speaker, gratitude guru, and expert in building high-performance teams. His captivating presentations combine riveting storytelling with practical insights drawn from his diverse experiences. Whether addressing audiences at Microsoft, Mercedes-Benz, or McDonald’s, John’s message resonates deeply, inspiring individuals and organizations to strive for greatness.
What sets John Gucci Foley apart as a keynote speaker is his ability to translate the lessons learned in the high-stakes world of aviation into actionable strategies for success in any endeavor. His presentations are not just motivational pep talks; they are immersive experiences that challenge audiences to rethink their approach to leadership, teamwork, and personal growth. By sharing his journey and insights, John empowers others to overcome obstacles, embrace change, and pursue their goals with unwavering determination.
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A powerful call to unlock elite performance through trust, gratitude, and daily mindset shifts in the space between where you are and where you want to be.
In this high‑energy keynote moment, John “Gucci” Foley pulls us into what he calls “the High Performance Zone.” It’s the gap between your current state and your goals. He establishes credibility by reminding us that only a rare fraction of pilots, just six ever earn the honor to wear the elite helmet, emphasizing how exclusive this mindset is.
Foley shares that the principles he’s about to deliver are repeatable, transferable, and effective, then challenges the audience: “How good do you want to be?”
He describes a breathtaking maneuver, the “knife edge pass” jets flying at over 1,000 mph, just a wingspan apart—and draws a clear parallel: trust precedes flawless execution.
Foley then shifts to mindset: the number one trait of self‑assessed happy people is gratitude. The Glad to Be Here® ethos transcends being a phrase it’s a way of life. When gratitude fuses with operational excellence, the result is breakthrough performance.
He riffs on neuroscience “neurons that fire together wire together” urging the audience to practice happier, more conscious thoughts. He signs off with his signature farewell: “Glad to be here. Gucci out.”
00:00 – 00:15 — Introduction: Defining “The High Performance Zone”—the gap between now and your goals.
00:15 – 00:30 — Establishing elite credibility: only six pilots have ever worn that helmet.
00:30 – 00:45 — The promise: principles are repeatable, transferable, and work. Challenge posed: “How good do you want to be?”
00:45 – 01:00 — The knife edge pass maneuver: trust leads to execution.
01:00 – 01:20 — Gratitude as the top quality of genuinely happy people; introduction of the Glad to Be Here® ethos.
01:20 – 01:35 — Fusion of excellence and gratitude: breakthrough performance.
01:35 – 01:50 — Neuroscience insight: “neurons that fire together wire together,” actionable mindset shift.
01:50 – End — Closing: “Glad to be here. Gucci out.”
An adrenaline‑charged recount of elite flight sharing the precise mindset and performance leap needed to fly inches from afterburners at 1,000 mph.
John “Gucci” Foley delivers a thrilling narrative from his days as a Blue Angels pilot. He vividly describes the raw force of afterburners splitting the sky, the aircraft hurtling past at 100+ miles per hour, followed by a violent left-roll to duck under the wingtip of the lead jet. Suddenly, they’re nestled directly beneath “the boss,” with thunderous engines roaring overhead, flames visible, metal shaking all around.
Foley recalls the surreal, physical intensity eyes wide, adrenaline surging and the pressing question that flashes through his mind: “How am I going to do this?” This moment encapsulates the Blue Angels’ ethos: to even participate, you must elevate your performance by 300 percent.
He transitions to mindset instruction: the techniques behind elite performance are repeatable, transferable, and effective. The real question remains: how good do you want to be?
00:00 – 00:15 — Engagement begins: afterburners ignite, jet thrusts pilots into their seats.
00:15 – 00:30 — Violent maneuver: left roll and dive beneath the wingtip of the number‑two jet.
00:30 – 00:45 — Positioned under “the boss”: roaring engines, flames, and vivid physical chaos.
00:45 – 01:00 — Internal reaction: intense focus, realization of the challenge—“How am I going to do this?”
01:00 – 01:15 — Core message: to play in this game, you need to raise your performance by 300 percent.
01:15 – 01:30 — Mindset mastery: elite performance tools are repeatable, transferable, and work.
01:30 – End — Closing challenge to the audience: “How good do you want to be?”
A powerful lesson on why the phrase “Glad to be here” transforms from ritual into a mindset of gratitude, purpose, and excellence.
In this short but meaningful clip, John “Gucci” Foley reflects on the deeper power of the Blue Angels’ ritual closing phrase: “Glad to be here.”
He reminds the audience that, at times, it literally meant surviving dangerous flights—being grateful to still be alive. Yet most often, it meant something richer: gratitude for belonging to an organization that cared deeply, made a difference, and demanded greatness.
Foley highlights the importance of being surrounded by teammates who insisted “good is not enough.” Instead, they pursued excellence, growth, and continuous improvement. The phrase “Glad to be here” became a collective ethos—a reminder that gratitude and high standards are not mutually exclusive but mutually reinforcing.
The lesson: by intentionally expressing gratitude in every debrief and interaction, leaders and teams can build stronger connections, unlock higher performance, and align around a shared commitment to always get better.
00:00 – 00:20 — Introduction: the last statement in every debrief was “Glad to be here.”
00:20 – 00:40 — Sometimes the phrase meant simply being grateful to be alive after dangerous flights.
00:40 – 01:10 — More often, it meant pride in being part of an organization that cared and made a difference.
01:10 – End — Gratitude for teammates who demanded greatness: good was never enough; the pursuit was always to be better.
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