This year’s event is made possible (and free) by Cars.com, our parent company that believes in refueling our employees and communities.
REFUEL 2020 NOW STREAMING
If you missed REFUEL live on December 16th, you can now stream the entire event for free so you can stay refreshed in 2021.
HELP REFUEL FAMILIES IN NEED
IS MATCHING $25,000 Â IN DONATIONS TO HELP END HUNGER
In addition to covering everyone’s tickets, Cars.com will also be matching up to $25,000 in donations to Loaves & Fishes, a local Chicagoland food pantry working hard to safely serve nearly 200 new families a week due to the pandemic. Any donation you can make, no matter how big or small, will go directly to grocery assistance for families in need this winter. Thank you đź’™
We are thrilled to have a diverse lineup of amazing speakers that will bring new perspectives and inspiration to the stage. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet them and hear their stories.
Tony Hawk
PRO SKATEBOARDER & ENTREPRENEUR
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Mirna Valerio
ULTRAMARATHON RUNNER & INSPIRING BLOGGER
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Jesse Itzler
ENTREPRENEUR, AUTHOR & RAPPER
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In-Q
MULTI-PLATINUM SONGWRITER & AWARD-WINNING POET
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Jane McGonigal
GAME DESIGNER & WELLNESS LEADER
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Tony Hawk
PRO SKATEBOARDER & ENTREPRENEUR
Tony is the most recognizable athlete of any kind in the United States. In 1999, he teamed up with Activision to create the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater video game. His life would never be the same. In a stroke of good timing, at the X Games that same year, Tony became the first skateboarder to ever land a 900, the holy grail of vert skateboarding. Today, his business skills have helped create a Tony Hawk brand that includes a billion-dollar video game franchise, successful businesses such as Birdhouse Skateboards, Hawk Clothing, and the Tony Hawk Signature Series sporting goods and toys. His speaking engagements draw huge crowds, inspiring everyone from media savvy millennials to corporate veterans and tech conferences.
Mirna Valerio
ULTRAMARATHON RUNNER & INSPIRING BLOGGER
Although Mirna Valerio began running in high school, she recommitted to the sport after a health scare in 2008. It was then that her love for running and all its attendant benefits were reignited. She soon started her blog Fatgirlrunning, about her experiences as a larger woman in a world of thinner athletes. Mirna’s athletic story was featured in the WSJ, Runner’s World, on the NBC Nightly News, CNN, on the CW Network, and in the viral REI-produced documentary short, The Mirnavator.
Jesse Itzler
ENTREPRENEUR, AUTHOR & RAPPER
Jesse Itzler is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Living with a Seal: 31 Days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet and co-founder of Marquis Jet, the world’s largest private jet card company. He and his partner sold their company to Berkshire Hathaway/NetJets. Jesse then partnered with Zico coconut water, which he and his partner sold to The Coca-Cola Company. He also wrote Living with the Monks: What Turning Off My Phone Taught Me about Happiness, Gratitude, and Focus. This former MTV rapper brings his “live life out of the box” approach to the stage and uses the wisdom and humor of his books to illustrate the importance of increasing your mental-toughness meter.
In-Q
MULTI-PLATINUM SONGWRITER & AWARD-WINNING POET
Credited with carving a niche for performance poetry in pop culture, IN-Q is a multi-platinum songwriter and National Poetry Slam Champion. His poetry videos on YouTube have a combined 50 million views while his live performances have sold out venues and attracted distinguished audience members like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Quincy Jones. IN-Q has been brought in by companies like Google, Facebook, and Nike to reinvigorate morale, jumpstart creativity, and bring teams closer together via his one-of-a-kind creative workshops.
Jane McGonigal
GAME DESIGNER & WELLNESS LEADER
Jane McGonigal asks: Why doesn’t the real world work more like an online game? In the best-designed games, our human experience is optimized: We have important work to do, we’re surrounded by potential collaborators, and we learn quickly and in a low-risk environment. In her work as a game designer, she creates games that use mobile and digital technologies to turn everyday spaces into playing fields, and everyday people into teammates. Her game-world insights can explain–and improve–the way we learn, work, solve problems, and lead our real lives.
REFUEL ALUMNI
This year’s speakers will be joining an amazing group of alumni that have inspired us these past four years
Dan Harris
ABC News Anchor, Author of 10% Happier
Mel Robbins
TV Personality, Author, Motivational Speaker
David Goggins
Navy SEAL & Ultramarathon Runner
Cedric King
U.S. Army Master Sgt. & Motivational Speaker
Maysoon Zayid
Actress, Comedian, Disability Rights Activist
Chris Gardner
Real-Life Inspiration For The Pursuit of Happyness
Russ Rausch
NFL Performance Mindset Coach
Jeremy Cowart
Photographer, Artist, & Entrepreneur
Doug Collins
Former NBA Player & Coach
ON-DEMAND WORKSHOPS
HOW ELSE CAN I REFUEL?
In addition to our speaker lineup, we’ve brought in experts in meditation, nutrition, and creative relaxation to guide you through this year’s (virtual) workshops!
What started as a DEALER INSPIRE company event to give back to our employees has become a shared community experience to unplug, gain new perspectives, and get inspired to be our best selves. This can’t-miss day will help you refuel after a challenging year, and reimagine your goals for a healthier and stronger 2021.