Available to book
Ruben Gonzalez
Sales
Adversity
High Performance
Overcome excuses and find belief and inspiration to face challenges and pursue goals with Ruben Gonzalez, speaker, author, and Olympic athlete.
Hispanic Heritage Month
After Dinner Sports
Winter Sports
Olympian
Sport
TEDx
Inspirational
Athlete
Hispanic & Latinx
After Dinner Speakers
Ruben Gonzalez is the only person to compete in four Winter Olympics across four different decades, proving that extraordinary achievements are possible for anyone willing to pursue their dreams. Once the last kid picked for sports, Ruben took up luge at 21 and, just four years later, raced in the Calgary Winter Olympics. His journey is a testament to resilience, determination, and the power of belief.
Ruben’s story resonates because it’s real. He wasn’t a natural athlete, but through grit and perseverance, he became a four-time Olympian, bestselling author, and sought-after speaker. Audiences connect with his authenticity and walk away inspired to overcome their own excuses and take action.
Since 2002, Ruben has delivered high-energy keynotes for over 100 Fortune 500 companies, sharing insights from his sales background and Olympic experiences. His bestselling books have reached readers in more than 10 languages, and his TED talk on leadership is a must-watch for anyone seeking motivation. Whether he’s speaking at a sales kickoff or a leadership summit, Ruben’s message is clear: with the right mindset, anyone can achieve greatness. His story will leave your audience energized, empowered, and ready to tackle their biggest challenges.
Topics, sessions and talks
Anybody that can switch from soccer to luge at the age of 21 and make it to the Olympics knows a thing or two about embracing change. Whenever conditions change, whoever adapts first wins. Change is actually a good thing because it is like a blank slate – it gives you an opportunity to get ahead of your competition. — How to navigate challenges, problems and setbacks with agility. — How to use creativity to stay ahead of the game. — How to take advantage of change to surpass your competition. — How to thrive in the midst of uncertainty and change.
Ruben sold copiers in downtown Houston for several years. He regularly speaks for sales kickoffs all around the world. Ruben doesn’t talk about sales techniques and closes. He talks about attitude, stick-to-ive-ness, and mental toughness. The things that it really takes to succeed in sales and in life. — How to become high performers. — How to gain a competitive advantage. — How to separate themselves from their competition. — How to commit to their goals.
When Ruben got started in the luge he thought he could do it all himself. Along the way Ruben realized that he needed to learn some leadership skills and create a team of people. Ruben was able to create a Dream Team and by working through his team he was able to realize his Olympic dream. Discover how to engage people in your mission. — How to engage their teams. — How to communicate effectively as a leader. — How to use Emotional Intelligence to connect with their people. — How to achieve maximum positive impact with their teams.
Discover how you can reach your goals by following the same success principles Ruben followed to make it to the Olympics. This program is perfect for a group facing change, challenges or set-backs to overcome. Your audience will learn how to become resilient and how to become unstoppable on the way to the top. — How to condition their minds for success. — How to become unstoppable in the face of challenges. — How to take their commitment to a higher level. — How to become confident and laser focused.
Ruben Gonzalez’s journey from non-athlete to four-time Winter Olympian proves that resilience and belief can drive extraordinary results. His authentic storytelling inspires teams to overcome challenges and pursue goals with renewed energy. Booking Ruben brings a transformative, motivating experience to your business.
Testimonials
frequently asked questions
Something we've not covered here?
Email ruben.gonzalez@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm Ruben's availability and fees. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and a bit about your audience.
Ruben Gonzalez draws on his own Olympic luge career — beginning at age 21 with no prior background in the sport — as the primary framework for his sessions, using his progression from novice to four-time Olympian to illustrate principles of resilience, adaptability, and sales performance.
Ruben Gonzalez's sessions address embracing change and adaptability, sales performance and mental toughness, and leadership and team engagement. He is the only person to have competed in four Winter Olympics across four different decades, having taken up luge at the age of 21 and reaching his first Games just four years later.
No. PepTalk adds no booking fee, so you pay the speaker's fee and nothing beyond it. The service, from shortlist through to contracts and event-day logistics, is included. For repeat or multi-event bookings, PepTalk can agree preferential rates with your procurement team.
Share your event date, audience, format, objectives and budget, and PepTalk sends a hand-picked shortlist within 24 hours. Each suggestion comes with a profile, a fee and a recommendation on the strongest fit. Once you choose, PepTalk handles contracts, travel and logistics through to event day.
The typical fee range is the speaker's standard in-person fee in their home market, shown in their local currency. It moves with format, location, date and session length: virtual sessions and shorter slots usually cost less, while international travel and peak dates cost more. Send your brief to PepTalk and the team will confirm the exact fee in your currency.
Not all of them, and it makes no difference to your booking. PepTalk's network of 15,000+ speakers covers talent the team works with directly alongside speakers represented by agents and agencies worldwide. PepTalk approaches the speaker, negotiates the fee and handles contracting either way.
Three to six months ahead is comfortable for most events, and 12 months is better for large conferences, peak-season dates or one specific in-demand speaker. Shorter timelines are workable, and PepTalk regularly fills last-minute and replacement bookings within days. Availability is the constraint, so get in touch as soon as you have a date.
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