CEO Speaker Info & Bio

Steve Lomas, Founder & CEO of The Roster, helps founders and creative leaders build high-performing teams by combining modern in-house talent and trusted freelancers. He does this while navigating the cultural impact of AI and the realities of delivery: timelines, budgets, and quality.

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What Steve Talks About

Steve doesn't speak in trends or theory. His work is grounded in a simple reality:
Most teams don't have a talent problem.
They have a capacity problem.

His talks focus on how modern teams actually deliver:

Why creative capacity ≠ headcount
Why Al increases output, but judgment becomes the bottleneck
Why freelancers fail without a clear operating model
Why unrealistic expectations quietly destroy quality

Below are a few core talks based on previous speaking engagements. Each can be tailored for executive audiences, creative/marketing teams, product/engineering teams, or mixed groups.

Core Talks

Clever Founder Syndrome

Why trying to do it all costs more than you think

Founders are often the most capable people in the room, which can quietly turn them into the bottleneck. This talk helps founders see where "being the hero" is hurting the business, the team, and, ultimately, the work.

Key Takeaways

How to identify when you're the constraint (and what to do instead)
A decision framework for what the founder should keep vs. delegate
How to use fractional talent to increase speed without chaos
Language to reset expectations with your team and stakeholders

The Freelance Social Contract (Employers)

How to build trust, accountability, and outcomes with flexible talent

Most companies want the benefits of freelancers—speed, specialization, flexibility—without the friction. The problem is that many organizations manage freelancers with assumptions that only work for employees.

This talk introduces a practical “social contract” for working with independent talent.

Key Takeaways

How to set expectations that reduce rework and protect relationships
What “good onboarding” looks like for a freelancer (and why it’s different)
How to balance autonomy and accountability without micromanaging
Simple practices that improve quality and continuity

The AI Social Contract

The cultural impact of AI on creative teams and how leaders respond

AI is changing creative work quickly. However, the biggest risks aren't technical; they're cultural: trust, standards, transparency, and how teams value expertise. This talk is about leading people through AI transformation without breaking morale or integrity.

Key Takeaways

How to define what AI should do vs. what humans must protect
How to keep quality high when production gets faster and cheaper
How to talk about AI use with clients and internal stakeholders
How to build adoption without creating fear or resentment

Cost, Quality, and Speed (When More Is Less)

Making honest tradeoffs instead of expensive wishful thinking

Leaders often feel pressured to get more for less, and faster, too. This talk offers a clear way to make tradeoffs explicit, prevent hidden costs, and structure work so quality doesn't collapse under unrealistic demands.

Key Takeaways

A simple model for negotiating constraints without conflict
How to avoid "cheap now, expensive later" decisions
How to staff work intelligently with a bench/roster approach
How to protect teams from chronic urgency

About Steve Lomas

Bio2x Steve Lomas
Founder and CEO of The Roster

Steve Lomas is the founder and CEO of The Roster Agency, a Nashville-based Creative Talent staffing company. He is a former Fortune 500 and EdTech executive and has founded multiple startups, including MojoMediaPros, a digital marketing agency founded in 2003.

An early pioneer in interactive media, Lomas is known as a passionate entrepreneur (and sometimes intrapreneur). He has successfully championed for emerging technologies to create, promote, and market innovative products and services.

Writing about the birth of their industry, New Media Magazine explained: “They are the pioneers like Bert Monroy, David Biedny, Mike Saenz, Pepe Moreno, Marc Canter, Bill Appleton, Steve Lomas, Apple Computer and IBM. They were working on this stuff before most of the world knew it existed.”

Lomas has led product development efforts for clients ranging from Xerox, Dreamworks and Panasonic to Sesame Learning, EA Games and the Southern Poverty Law Center. Drawing on approaches honed while working in the Los Angeles film and television industry, Lomas continues to build a deep bench of freelance expertise for The Roster Agency and its clients.

Long before the gig economy became a buzzword for the millennial generation, Lomas was an advocate for the freelance economy. He has managed hundreds of team members over his career, the vast majority of whom have been freelancers. As a talent acquisition consultant for lynda.com, he sought out and interviewed the best web talent in the industry, successfully signing some of the educational platform’s most influential and prolific authors.

Lomas is a graduate of Art Center College of Design, where he later served as an adjunct faculty member for 12 years. He is an active member and volunteer mentor at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, where he has coached more than 100 early-stage startups. He is also an Advisor on the Nossi Art College Graphic Design Advisory Board.

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FAQ

What does it cost to bring Steve in?

Fees vary depending on format, level of customization, travel, and preparation required.
Typical formats include:

Keynotes (30–60 minutes)
Workshops / Breakouts (60–180 minutes)
Executive Sessions / Offsites
Virtual Talks

Fee: $10,000

For larger engagements, multi-session events, or custom workshops, pricing is scoped based on your specific needs.

Also open to discussing needs for:

Mission-aligned organizations
Student groups or educational settings
Select communities or strategic events

Travel coverage and recording terms are handled case-by-case for these opportunities.

Can the talk be recorded?

Yes. Recording is allowed. Steve requests a copy of the final recording for his own use.

Is Steve available for dinners or informal sessions?

Yes, depending on the schedule. If you’re planning a dinner, panel, or smaller group conversation alongside the main event, include those details when reaching out. Steve will confirm availability.

What are the AV/technical requirements?

Steve presents from his own laptop. Therefore: