Available to book
Grace Francis
Adversity
Transform workplace communication with Grace Francis, speaker and design thinking expert. Grace works with organisations to solve complex problems through empathy-driven approaches and creative problem solving, delivering innovative solutions for clients including Adidas and Google.
Digital Expert
Business Leader
When you've just got married at the age of 25, it should be one of the happiest times of your life. That is unless you've just found out you've got cancer.
In 2008, this is what happened to Grace, the founder of elsewhere, a life-design studio that works with organisations and individuals on how to exist and communicate together. Without the support of someone who knew what to do, Grace turned to design thinking to help get unstuck in the decision-making process.
Grace applied the day-to-day working skills of critical thinking and creative problem solving to piece together a better understanding of what was happening to them and how it made them feel. Those decisions saved Grace's life.
From working on innovation projects with the likes of Adidas and Google to running workshops for businesses and mentoring individuals, Grace now uses that same design thinking that helped get them through their battle with cancer.
Grace's creative approach enables their clients to explore problems using empathy and investigation before designing a solution that can be successfully applied.
If you're looking for a better way of communicating with colleagues or your consumers, then it's time to set up a call with Grace.
Topics, sessions and talks
Grace shares a personal journey of facing a cancer diagnosis just before the wedding and how they turned adversity into empowerment.
Grace offers your team the unique opportunity to learn from someone who has harnessed the power of design thinking to navigate life's toughest challenges. You'll gain insights into creative problem-solving, improve empathy and communication, and discover innovative approaches to apply in both personal and professional contexts.
frequently asked questions
Something we've not covered here?
Email grace.francis@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 Grace'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.
Grace Francis structures sessions around a first-person narrative of their 2008 cancer diagnosis, using that experience as a case study to demonstrate how design thinking tools — specifically critical thinking and creative problem-solving — can be applied to high-stakes personal decision-making.
Grace Francis speaks on overcoming adversity, resilience, and applying design thinking to personal and organisational challenges. She is the founder of Elsewhere, a life-design studio, and has delivered innovation projects for Adidas and Google.
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.
Get the right person
Tell us what you’re working on and we’ll match you with the talent your audience won’t stop talking about.
