Overcoming Adversity Speakers
There’s nothing more uplifting and motivational for an audience than a leading adversity speaker sharing their experiences of overcoming adversity. Teaching key lessons everyone can apply to both their business and personal lives, now more important than ever as teams adjust to the ‘new normal’.
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Total results: 124
E E: £2k-£5k Kate Philp, the first British female to lose a limb in combat, is a decorated military leader, inspiring speaker, coach, and author, known for her resilience and leadership expertise.
C C: £10k-£15k Katie Piper is a best-selling international author, inspirational speaker, TV presenter and charity campaigner who rebuilt her life after surviving a brutal sulphuric acid attack in 2008.
E E: £2k-£5k Dr Kehinde Andrews is Professor of Black Studies at Birmingham City University whose research focuses on resistance racism, racism and movements for social change. He advised a number of corporations on equality and diversity issues. Kehinde is founder of the Harambee Organisation of Black Unity; editor-in-chief of Make it Plain.
E E: £2k-£5k Olympic & Paralympic athletics coach Keith Antoine’s focus is on performance improvement, of individuals and teams. He was a personal coach Paralympic gold and silver medalists in London 2012 and Rio 2016.
E E: £2k-£5k Kellie has enjoyed a successful career managing boxers and has become an inspirational transgender figure since her reassignment surgery in 2014. Her story of resilience and sincerity makes her a perfect motivational speaker.
B B: £15k- £25k Mental health advocate and World, Commonwealth, European medals and Double Olympic Gold winner Dame Kelly Holmes is one of Britain’s most recognisable and admired athletes.
D D: £5k-£10k Kenton Cool is acknowledged as one of the World's great high altitude leaders and has summited Mount Everest on 15 occasions and climbed extensively all over the world.
D D: £5k-£10k Dr Kevin Fong OBE has worked as a doctor with NASA and currently flies as part of a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) crew in the UK. As of March 2020, Kevin was seconded to NHS England COVID-19 Emergency Preparedness Resilience & Response team.
E E: £2k-£5k Laura Hearn is a BBC journalist and TV News producer, and regularly speaks about her experience of recovery from mental ill health, and how she learnt to heal from an eating disorder.
E E: £2k-£5k Being young and blind has not hindered business lady extraordinaire, Liz Jackson, achieving great success with her company Great Guns Marketing.
E E: £2k-£5k Liz Johnson is a former Team GB Paralympic gold medallist with a charismatic personality and a truly inspiring story to boot. Since she retired from the swimming team, Liz has become a prominent speaker on the corporate circuit and is co-founder of The Ability People, an employment agency staffed exclusively by people with impairments.
D D: £5k-£10k Lord Chris Holmes, one of Britain’s greatest Paralympic swimmers, has won nine gold, five silver and two bronze medals across four Games, and served as Director of Paralympic Integration at London 2012.
E E: £2k-£5k Maajid Nawaz is a prominent counter-extremism consultant and a regular writer, debater and public commentator.
E E: £2k-£5k Maggie Alphonsi, celebrated international women’s rugby player and media professional, has become a trailblazing figure in sports and diversity, achieving significant milestones in both her athletic and post-retirement careers.
E E: £2k-£5k Following the amputation of his left leg, competitive swimmer Marc Woods got back in the pool and went on to win a raft of Paralympic, World and Euro Championships medals.
D D: £5k-£10k Mental health expert Mark Henick helps audiences better understand subjects around mental illness and suicide.
E E: £2k-£5k Martine Wright lost both legs in the 7/7 London bombings, yet she considers herself lucky. She was honoured with the BBC Helen Rollason Award Sports Personality of the Year 2012 award.
E E: £2k-£5k Martyn Dawes, founder of Coffee Nation and entrepreneur was always destined to do things his own way. As a keynote speaker he is inspirational and charismatic.
C C: £10k-£15k As the first non-Japanese head of the century-old camera manufacturer Olympus, Michael Woodford’s unearthing of significant financial irregularities led to the termination of his post, and to an international scandal.
D D: £5k-£10k A gifted and motivated speaker, Michel Chikwanine has experienced civil war, political upheaval & poverty having been forced to leave his home country at the age of 11 as a refugee.
E E: £2k-£5k Digital content creator and motivational speaker Milly Pickles fired herself to internet superstardom at the start of the pandemic after posting videos on TikTok documenting life as a disabled athlete and amputee.
E E: £2k-£5k Mohsin Zaidi is a criminal barrister, an advocate for LGBT rights, BAME representation and social mobility and is on the board of Stonewall. His memoir, 'A Dutiful Boy', has been named a Guardian, GQ and New Statesman Book of the Year.
D D: £5k-£10k Natalia Cohen was part of the first all-female team to row unsupported across the Pacific Ocean.
E E: £2k-£5k Nicolas Hamilton is a keynote speaker with the prime example of ‘you can do anything if you put your mind to it’.
Overcoming Adversity Speakers blogs
Sharing profound journeys of overcoming hardship, adversity speakers transform struggle into strength and purpose. In our blog, meet ten top adversity speakers whose stories tackle loss, illness, and personal setbacks. Their insights drive resilience, mental wellbeing, and team empowerment - perfect for events aiming to inspire and uplift through real-life triumph.
Book inspiring female speaker to motivate your team
DEI speakers amplify important voices, share powerful narratives, and equip audiences with tools to create inclusive cultures. Our list of ten keynote speakers for Black History Month bring stories of heritage, resilience, and leadership - offering insight, inspiration, and practical strategies to honour Black history and promote equity in organisations.
Diversity and inclusion speakers are specialists who empower teams by sharing lived experiences, practical tools, and strategies to foster equity and belonging. These 10 diversity and inclusion speakers offer transformative insights on bias awareness, inclusive leadership, and cultural intelligence - helping organisations unlock their full potential through understanding and unity.
Adversity speakers share powerful stories of resilience and growth, making them a compelling choice for events that aim to inspire and uplift. In our blog on coping with adversity in the workplace, we explore how these voices can help teams navigate challenges and build lasting strength.
Paralympic champion Liz Johnson turned her record‑breaking career into a powerful message on disability, inclusion and resilience. Her journey with adversity offers fresh perspectives on overcoming problems and creating inclusive workplaces that value talent, determination and difference.
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