Our adversity speakers include record-breaking adventurers, world-class athletes and the pioneers who turned personal setbacks into something bigger.
Understand how overcoming adversity is not just a personal journey but a collective challenge that impacts individuals and society alike with PepTalk's expert adversity speakers.
Simon Wheatcroft
Adversity
Resilience
Disability Awareness
Tim Harris
Team Building
Mental Health
Growth Mindset
Squash Falconer
High Performance
Growth Mindset
Team Building
Lewis Hatchett
Resilience
Mental Health
Growth Mindset
Ben Youngs
High Performance
Effective Leadership
Team Building
Grace Francis
Adversity
Why book an adversity speaker?
Adversity is unavoidable, yet it drives personal and professional growth. Beyond simply bouncing back, overcoming challenges fosters post-traumatic growth — significant development born from difficulty. In business, adversity is not merely an obstacle but an opportunity for innovation, resilience, and continuous improvement. Organisations that embrace this mindset build cultures that value learning from failure and encourage adaptability.
Our adversity speakers bring diverse experiences and expertise to help organisations cultivate perseverance and growth. Speaking topics include resilience-building techniques, learning from failure, maintaining positivity in difficult times, and adaptability skills for navigating life's unpredictable moments. Whether you need a keynote for a corporate event or a specialist session, our speakers offer practical insights to help your organisation unlock its full potential and emerge stronger from any challenge.
Not sure who's the right fit?
Tell us about your event and audience and we'll recommend the most relevant options from the entire market.
the process - step by step
Tell us about your event and we'll do the rest. No back-and-forth, no guesswork — just the right speaker, matched to your brief, handled end to end.
01
Tell us your brief.
Share the event, the audience, the theme, and the budget. The more context you give us, the sharper the shortlist we'll come back with.
02
Get your proposal within 24 hours.
We respond fast. You'll get a hand-picked selection of speakers matched to your brief, with full profiles, fees, and our recommendation on who's the strongest fit.
03
Refine until it's right.
Not quite right? Tell us what's missing from the shortlist and we'll adjust. We work with you until you're confident you've found the right person.
04
Confirm. We handle everything else.
Contracts, fees, travel, briefing calls, on-the-day logistics. We manage the full process so your team doesn't have to.
05
Event countdown.
Relax. Your speaker or expert is confirmed, the prep is done, and your event is in good hands. Show up and enjoy it.
The world's leading speaker booking platform
15,000+ expert voices. The right one for you in 24 hours.
Tell us about your event and we'll send you a curated shortlist within a day. We combine PepTalk's smart matching engine technology with the expertise of our booking team to find the speaker who's right for your audience, your brief, and your budget.
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Testimonials
They came with a brief.
We delivered the right speaker.
From global enterprises to fast-growing teams, event organisers come back to PepTalk because we get it right the first time.
PepTalk makes the whole process effortless. They don't just connect you with a speaker — they understand your goals, match you with the right voice, and make every detail seamless. It's the most professional and enjoyable booking experience I've had.
We work with PepTalk across our flagship conferences, executive roundtables and dinner events. They have an exceptional ability to source world-class speakers while delivering a genuinely personal, white-glove service throughout. They are, quite simply, a pleasure to work with.
Working with PepTalk has been an outstanding experience from start to finish. Their level of service is truly exceptional - a standard that's incomparable to anyone else in the industry. If you're considering partnering with PepTalk, don't hesitate.
PepTalk are brilliant. They truly understand our goals and consistently deliver, connecting us with experts who bring unique and thought-provoking insights. Highly recommended.
We've worked with PepTalk on a range of projects – from motivational speakers on high performance to a coaching programme focused on work-life balance & change. They take the time to understand what we need. We value the partnership.
The team at PepTalk was incredibly responsive and invested in our event's success. From their suggestions we were able to easily identify a speaker that matched what we were looking for. They were incredible to work with, I would recommend them to anyone!
The client service has been truly exceptional, and the support in planning our annual speaker programme has been invaluable. PepTalk is a team we love working with, time and time again.
Everything has been smooth with PepTalk. Great communication. Easy booking. And great follow-up.
PepTalk made the entire speaker booking process seamless. They were incredibly fast, easy to work with, and took the time to understand our brief and learning outcomes. The expert speaker they matched us with brought fresh, engaging perspectives that resonated perfectly with our audience.
frequently asked questions
Something we've not covered here?
Adversity speakers are available for keynotes, panels, fireside chats, workshops, and Q&A sessions, in person or virtually. Many offer a workshop or breakout after a keynote so the content sticks. Tell PepTalk your format at getapeptalk.com and we'll match accordingly.
An adversity speaker helps your audience face difficulty with perspective and courage, drawing strength from stories of real hardship overcome. They leave a room motivated, not just moved. PepTalk will match one to your event.
Adversity speaker fees typically range from £2,000 to £15,000+ in the UK, and $5,000 to $30,000+ in the US, depending on profile, session length, and format. The best-known names sit at the higher end. Tell PepTalk your budget at getapeptalk.com and we'll shortlist speakers who fit it.
Booking an adversity speaker starts with a short brief: your event, audience, date, budget, and format. Send it through getapeptalk.com or hello@getapeptalk.com and you'll get a shortlist within 24 hours. Once you choose, PepTalk handles contracts, fees, travel, and logistics.
An adversity speaker covers overcoming setbacks, resilience, mental toughness, turning hardship into purpose and performing when things go wrong. Sessions draw on record-breaking adventurers and elite athletes. PepTalk can tailor the focus to your audience.
An adversity speaker shares a personal story of overcoming a specific hardship; a resilience speaker focuses on the frameworks and habits that build the capacity to cope. One is the story, the other the method. PepTalk can match either.
Book an adversity speaker 2 to 3 months ahead for most events, and 4 to 6 months for high-profile names or peak season. Earlier booking widens your choice. PepTalk also handles shorter timelines and last-minute requests where a speaker's diary allows.
An adversity speaker is someone who has overcome serious setbacks and shares what they learned about resilience and resolve. They include record-breaking adventurers and world-class athletes. PepTalk connects you with adversity speakers matched to your audience.
Find an expert
who nails your brief.
Tell us what you’re working on and we’ll match you with the experts your audience won’t stop talking about.
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Speaker recommendations, event trends, key dates, and practical guides, written by and for the people who make great events happen.
