A Proven Strategic Architect
Chuck helps leaders figure things out.
The Penultimate Step Keynote
Chuck Allen, Student-Athlete - Kansas State University
The Penultimate Step is the dip before the jump, the drop that generates the power to rise.
In life, those dips look like grief, burnout, or failure. What feels like a setback may actually be the setup.
The track meet at UCLA was the moment everything unraveled; it was the first of three devastating injuries. He was depressed and suicidal, then came the turnaround, his penultimate step.
This was Chuck’s penultimate step: The dip before the rise.
Embrace a different perspective
turn things around
Life is 10 % what happens to you and 90% how you react.
Chuck Swindoll
How Chuck Turned Self-Doubt Into His Penultimate Launching Pad
What felt like hesitation and fear became another penultimate step—the dip before the rise. Out of that moment of self-doubt, Chuck launched the Urban Scholastic Center, an organization that continues to impact thousands today.
How Chuck Turned Self-Doubt Into His Penultimate Launching Pad
What felt like hesitation and fear became another penultimate step—the dip before the rise. Out of that moment of self-doubt, Chuck launched the Urban Scholastic Center, an organization that continues to impact thousands today.
"Our students lit up when they knew he was coming."
"In nearly 20 years of working with youth, Chuck was the best teacher I ever partnered with. He’s engaging, deeply genuine, and has a rare gift for helping teens think for themselves."
Megan Fountain
Cross-Cultural Educator, Youthfront
"Chuck's passion for people and for Christ is evident in all he does."
"His calling extends beyond a classroom. Through his lived experiences and deep faith, he inspires individuals across diverse walks of life and impacts communities in truly transformative ways.
Cynthia Moore-Hollinshed
Executive Leadership Coach and 30-Year Educator
More Than A Speaker Chuck Allen
Chuck can move an audience with his words, but he’s more than a speaker. He’s a strategic architect who has built organizations from the ground up. Carrying the leadership scars to prove he’s been through the ringer, Chuck now uses them as blueprints to help leaders build stronger, healthier foundations—by assessing challenges, uncovering root issues, and designing lasting solutions to turn things around before it’s too late.
