

Meet Sunny Bonnell
Sunny Bonnell is an American author, award-winning entrepreneur, dynamic big-picture thinker, and gifted storyteller. As co-founder and CEO, she has led Motto® to become a nationally-recognized force and standout innovator in branding.
In her debut book, Rare Breed: A Guide to Success for the Defiant, Dangerous, and Different (HarperCollins), coauthored with Ashleigh Hansberger, Sunny shows high-achievers how to unleash and leverage what makes them different to achieve incredible feats.
She has proved this through her work with Motto’s clients—from prominent brands like Virgin, Google, Twentieth Century Fox, Legendary Digital, NFL, USA Today, and Hershey’s to rule-breakers and wave-makers in sectors from high-tech and fashion to food and beverage brands.
Growing up in the South, Sunny learned the ropes of entrepreneurship. After following a winding career path—from street musician and actor to veterinarian, then designer—she completed her BA and MFA at the prestigious Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) while running Motto® at the same time. She became a notable bluegrass player and performer by the age of eleven and, inspired by observing her entrepreneurial-minded parents, learned the power of vision.
Named one of GDUSA’s Top 25 People to Watch, Sunny has been featured in Inc., Forbes, Entrepreneur, AMEX, The Wall Street Journal, and Chicago Tribune, among many notable publications. She writes a popular leadership column for Fast Company and gives keynotes around the world.
Sunny is a certified Visionary Leadership Coach and studied under Oleg Konovalov, the world’s leading expert on Vision, and is actively mentored by Garry Ridge, former CEO of WD-40 and renowned leadership expert.












Work with Sunny
- Align your leadership team
- Articulate your strategic vision to your company
- Find your company’s Big Idea Worth Rallying Around™
- Reposition, redefine, or pivot your business
- Define your purpose, vision, mission
- Learn to recruit brilliant talent with a brand that inspires
- Facilitate and lead high-energy workshops
Recent press
Hire Sunny to speak at your next event.