How to Win
When the Game Keeps Changing

“In order to be a champion, you have to be resilient and flexible when the game, like business, keeps changing.”

-Penny Vilagos

About Penny

Penny is a performance expert, Olympic Medalist and speaker

Penny has been speaking to business and sales audiences since winning an Olympic medal in Barcelona ‘92, offering dynamic and customized keynote presentations and workshops. She loves sharing lessons on ‘How to Win When the Game Keeps Changing’, and helps her clients overcome the fear of change, pursue new opportunities, and harness and realize their true potential. Currently, Penny lives in Montreal, Canada, and is fluent in English and French.

“Once again, Penny, thanks for taking part in our National Sales and Revenue Conference. A few weeks have passed and we continue to hear great comments and positive feedback. Your enlightening presentation and personal stories on your Olympic success truly illustrated commitment to excellent and passion to give us that winning edge. You closed our conference in a lively manner, helping our Directors of Sales and Revenue Managers work towards that common vision to show that the power of a team is very much alive at CHIP Hospitality, and the entire team says thanks to you for ‘inspiring our team’! Looking forward to working with you again!”

Nathalie Jeghers

Regional Director Sales and Marketing, CHIP Hospitality

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Penny’s road from remedial gym to the Olympic podium was steep with many curves, including her unprecedented return to synchronized swimming after a 5-year absence where she discovered that everything had changed. Thanks to her coaches’ expert guidance and approach, the comeback and transformation were victorious and resulted in an Olympic Silver Medal. Penny later went from the highest high to the lowest low, being bedridden for years with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She used those strategies learned to successfully navigate change and she emerged from the fog, re-establishing a successful career and fulfilling personal life, including being a mom.

“With the timing of this year’s picnic – during the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece – our Canadian Space Agency “OlymPicnic” welcomed your experience, your support of teamwork and the perseverance that carried you and your sister to a silver medal in 1992. It is without hesitation that we, at the Canadian Space Agency, are able to draw parallels as we reach for our “gold medal” in space science and technology.”

Marc Garneau

Astronaut, President, Canadian Space Agency

While training 30 hours per week, Penny obtained a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University, with First Class Honors in Economics and Finance and was named University Scholar. She now has over 25 years of business experience, both in the corporate world and as an entrepreneur. Penny has worked extensively with the pharmaceutical industry, addressing their market research needs. In the world of finance and real estate, she has helped many clients fulfill their financial dreams and real estate aspirations in her roles as a financial planner, mortgage broker, and reputed real estate broker specializing in the luxury residential market.
She is a co-author of 9 books in English and French, including several in the Chicken Soup for the Soul® series. Penny has been a volunteer and spokesperson for many charities and non-profit groups, and 100% of royalties from two of her publications are donated to charities.

Penny has received the following awards:

2014 Inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
2013 Inducted into the McGill University Sports Hall of Fame
2005 Voted “Woman of Distinction” (Women’s Y Foundation) for community contribution
2004 Inducted into the Quebec Sports Hall of Fame
2002 Inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame
1992 Olympic Silver Medal, Duet Synchronized Swimming
1982 World Champion Gold Medal, Team Synchronized Swimming
1980 First synchronized swimming duet in the world to receive a perfect mark of ‘10’
1980-1985 #1 Synchronized Swimming Team in the World

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