Speaking
Are your team ready for the challenges ahead?
Challenges are inevitable: being defeated is optional.
Alex Staniforth is an inspirational and keynote speaker on resilience, overcoming adversity and mental well-being.
Trusted by global companies including Rolls-Royce, Samsung and Bank of America, he helps teams, leaders and students build the resilience, motivation and well-being to overcome challenges, embrace change and achieve against the odds.
By 19 years old Alex had already overcome and achieved more than many will in a lifetime. As a teenager he survived the two most significant disasters in Mount Everest history, in two consecutive years. However, his biggest mountains have been much closer to home: epilepsy, bullying, mental ill health and a stammer since childhood.
Alex never allowed this to become his identity – only his experience. Re-framing adversity as an opportunity for growth has given him a unique drive to help others achieve their own ‘Everest’.
This is not your typical success story of reaching the summit. Alex takes his audiences on an emotional journey of resilience, courage, adaptability, teamwork and triumph over adversity. Combining lessons from adventure and ultra-endurance with a relatable vulnerability, he shares his Resilience Rucksack toolkit that anyone can apply to their own goals and challenges.
"The universal feedback from all delegates was that the session was inspirational, stunning, awesome and engaging delivered by a stand-out speaker" - SASCAL Conference
Alex's most popular keynotes:
Resilience through Adversity
How to embrace the unexpected
Challenges and change are inevitable; being defeated is optional. Resilience isn’t simply about bouncing back or enduring to breaking point: it’s how we recharge, prepare and move forward – even when we can’t see the top of the mountain.
Drawing lessons and insight from extreme adventures and ultra-endurance, Alex will share the tools in his ‘Resilience Rucksack’ for anyone to adapt and achieve in the face of setbacks, failure, uncertainty and pressure – when the whole team depends on it.
The Adventure Mindset
Why staying at Base Camp kills our potential
We all have our own ‘Everest’ to climb. However, fear of failure often prevents us from taking the first step and achieving our full potential – and staying at Base Camp might be the biggest risk of all.
Two near-death experiences on Everest will re-define our idea of success and failure, and why adversity is an opportunity to win. Growth mindset is a skill we can all develop, and Alex will share his process for goalsetting and building motivation so we can achieve our own vision of success. Why settle for Base Camp?
Mountains in the Mind
Why mental fitness matters
High performance isn’t sustainable without training our well-being too. With a refreshing vulnerability, Alex openly shares his own mental health journey as a young man to encourage open conversations about mental health, whilst challenging the myths and stigma that costs thousands of lives each year. For leaders, supporting the team often starts by putting our hand up first.
Drawing from his ultra-endurance challenges and lived experience, Alex shares tools to build our mental fitness so we can manage stress, spot the warning signs and avoid burnout – one small step at a time.
Transform Challenges into Triumphs through Resilience, Motivation, and Well-being
Alex will work tirelessly with your brief to identify what success looks like, and how your audience will think, feel and act as a result.
His key topics include:
- Mental Resilience – build the tools to thrive during setbacks, change & pressure
- Overcoming Adversity – turn adversity into opportunity with a growth mindset
- Motivation & Goalsetting – overcome fear of failure to achieve the extraordinary
- Mental Well-being – prevent burnout and open conversations about mental health
- Managing Change – maintain focus and performance when the goalposts are shifting
What goals and challenges are your team facing?
Let Alex help them take the first step.
How can Alex help you?
Keynote Talks
With a relatable and authentic style, Alex’s story is a powerful addition to team meetings, conferences, leadership programmes, awareness days, off-sites, award events and more. He carefully combines personal anecdotes with practical tools as a certified Gazing Red2Blue coach to perform under pressure.
Virtual & Hybrid
Whether on a stage, virtually or hybrid, Alex’s home studio delivers the same high engagement and impact; from 10 to 2,000+ people.
Bring Alex’s story to your team, wherever they are in the world.
Immersive Workshops
Alex has partnered with The Audax Generation, to create a series of tailored keynotes and workshops which blend his real-life stories with coaching, innovative games and metaphors – designed to inspire, energise, and galvanise your team to be audacious for whatever challenges they face.
It was an absolute pleasure co-ordinating and speaking with Alex. From our first online meeting to regular email communication we knew Alex would be the perfect fit for our students. His presentation was inspiring and the students were mesmerized.
— Clare Dixon-Clarke, Intercommunity School, Zurich
His ability to quickly grasp the messages specific to our team and then weave this into his delivery was impressive. His authentic and humble articulation enabled there to be something in the messaging for everyone”
– Jonathan Ford, Off Trade Director, Heineken UK
Thanks so much for coming down to talk with the team. You absolutely hit the brief – everyone has been talking about it ever since”
– Gas Contract Manager, National Grid
Your presentation was riveting, engaging and inspirational. We have received such overwhelming feedback on how your story resonated with the team and how it was what they needed at such an appropriate time”
– Seema Hallon, Head of Office Dubai, DERIV
Your session was fantastic and the content still buzzing around the room today, and I have to admit I re-quoted a few key messages in my closing remarks too. Lasting memory and something I will take back to practice ‘just think what we can achieve if we pull in the same direction’ – inspired!”
— National Chair, HEFMA Leadership Forum
International Compliance Association enjoyed a hugely inspirational and thought-provoking talk from Alex Staniforth yesterday. The distillation of his own personal challenges and incredible experiences into practical, helpful advice makes for a highly compelling session.”
– Rob Phillipson, International Compliance Association
I was particularly impressed with the preparation and tailoring Alex was able to do to make the message even more pertinent to our business – it was a truly inspirational session summed up by one comment “I can’t believe you just paid us to listen to that!”
– Robert Neale, GM Core Manufacture, Rolls-Royce Submarines
Your story-telling skills are second to none and I believe you have had an incredible impact on a lot of people by being vulnerable, sharing your struggles and letting us into your world”
– Alix Wright, Internet Fusion Group
You were “pitch perfect” today and delivered a sincere and compelling story of inspiration.”
– Chief People Officer, Randstad Sourceright
Sometimes the approach to mental health within organisations as big and cumbersome as ours can feel a bit of a tick box exercise, but your sessions felt very different, very humble, very real and very authentic.”
– Chris Mead, Chief Superintendent, Cambridgeshire Constabulary
Global companies trust Alex
What challenges are you facing?
Alex would love to help you take that first step.