Speakers With Inspiring Personal Stories
Looking for a speaker who has turned profound challenges into a catalyst for change? At Key Speakers, we curate a premier selection of speakers with inspiring backgrounds. Individuals who have navigated life-changing experiences, from overcoming extreme adversity to pioneering global movements. These are not just speeches; they are authentic narratives of resilience and triumph. Whether you are hosting a community gala or a corporate retreat, our storytellers provide the emotional resonance and perspective needed to shift mindsets and inspire lasting hope.
Viewing 1–24 of 208

Brent & Kyle Pease
Diagnosed with Spastic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy as a child, Kyle Pease had grown up supporting his athlete brothers Brent and Evan from the sidelines. While his condition limited his ability to play sports, it didn't dampen Kyle's passion for them, nor did it stop the Pease family from including Kyle in everything. Neither he nor his family treated his disability like a tragedy, and instead used it to fuel his dreams and spirit; from rolling his wheelchair up Bridal Veil Falls in Yosemite National Park to zipping down snow-covered Colorado slopes, there was never a dull moment with the Pease family. Where there was a wheel, there was a way - to adventure! Brent and Kyle speak to audiences across the nation, sharing their message of inclusion and define what is truly possible. Their presentations interweave both their perspectives of PEASY life and their KONA quest, and Kyle and Brent recount the experiences that shaped the undying bond that has resonated between them since childhood; through their strength and tenacity audiences are inspired to stand up, face their own challenges and embrace change.
Fee Range: $12,500–$12,500
Travels From: GA

Shannon Miller
Shannon Miller is a top motivational speaker, women’s health expert, cancer survivor, and former Olympic Gymnast. She remains The Most Decorated American Gymnast in history. She is the only American to rank among the Top 10 All-Time gymnasts and is the only female athlete to be inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame twice. Shannon speaks professionally on the Gold Medal Mindset. Discussions include a focus on leadership, resilience, goal-setting, positive mental attitude, commitment to excellence and overcoming obstacles to audiences at corporations, organizations & universities across the country.
Fee Range: $15,000–$25,000
Travels From: FL

Bethany Hamilton
Known most notably for one of the biggest comeback stories of our era, Bethany Hamilton has since become synonymous with inspiration. At the age of thirteen, on October 31, 2003, Bethany was attacked by a 14-foot tiger shark while surfing off Kauai's North Shore. The attack left Bethany with a severed left arm. After losing over 60% of her blood, and making it through several surgeries without infection, Bethany was on her way to recovery with an unbelievably positive attitude. Today she is a New York Times Best Selling Author, who's life has been featured in a Hollywood movie. A professional surfer, and spiritual icon, Bethany is a sought after public speaker. She is motivating audiences worldwide to live their life with more tenacity, courage and faith.
Fee Range: $20,000–$40,000
Travels From: HI

John Foley
John Foley inspires with lessons from the Navy’s elite Blue Angels flying team. These core values are the key to world-class performance in any field. As lead solo pilot of the heralded Blue Angels, John Foley had to consistently perform as part of team in an intense, high-stakes environment. Reaching that level of excellence required commitment, discipline and trust. Using Blue Angel methodology as a model, Foley has developed a unique approach that equips others to make the same journey toward excellence in execution. His message and personal stories, delivered with his trademark enthusiasm and charisma, emphasizes principles of trust, alignment, clarity and commitment, positioning individuals and teams to achieve and sustain higher levels of excellence than they ever dreamed possible. Foley has served as an adviser to Fortune 500 corporations, professional athletic teams, venture capital companies, professional associations and educational organizations and successfully connects the high intensity of the Blue Angles with your organization.
Fee Range: $25,000–$50,000
Travels From: ID

Carey Lohrenz
Carey Lohrenz is a dynamic communicator with an incredible story. As the first female F-14 Tomcat pilot, she was a pioneer in military aviation. Having flown missions worldwide as a combat, mission-ready United States Navy pilot, Carey Lohrenz is used to working in fast moving, dynamic environments where inconsistent execution can generate catastrophic results.
Fee Range: $30,000–$40,000
Travels From: MN

Marshawn Evans Daniels
A master in teaching the art of manifestation, this former Sports Attorney, Miss America Finalist and Donald Trump Apprentice, left her full-time job as a stuffy big-firm lawyer and turned her passion for people into a multimillion-dollar enterprise just a few years ago. She helps emerging & established women influencers of faith to Believe Bigger, Live Bigger and Profit Bigger so that they can ultimately Give Bigger.
Fee Range: $20,000–$40,000
Travels From: GA

Bear Grylls
BEAR GRYLLS OBE, has become known worldwide as one of the most recognized faces of survival and outdoor adventure.Trained from a young age in martial arts, Grylls went on to spend three years as a soldier in the British Special Forces, as part of 21 SAS Regiment. It was here that he perfected many of the survival skills that his fans all over the world enjoy, as he pits himself against the worst of Mother Nature. Grylls’ life motto is simple: courage and kindness . . . and never give up! His message of resilience and adaptability is timely, especially now in the challenging age we find ourselves in. Indeed, Grylls is guaranteed to strike a chord with audiences, who will find themselves inspired by his story and survivor spirit.
Fee Range: $100,000–$221,000
Travels From: Intl

Victoria Arlen
•At the age of eleven, she developed two rare neurological conditions, transverse myelitis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, which left her in a vegetative coma for 4 years and unable to use her legs for nearly a decade •Won a Gold Medal and three Silver Medals in the London Paralympic Games for swimming as well as multiple World, American, and Pan American Records •On-air TV personality for ESPN, reporting for the X-Games, the Invictus Games, and SportsCenter, to name a few •Was a 2017 semi-finalist on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, and has since made many more major media appearances, including on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and in People Magazine, among others
Fee Range: $15,000–$20,000
Travels From: MA

Chris Barton
Chris Barton wanted a way to identify songs he was hearing everywhere around him. There wasn’t one – so he invented an app called Shazam. Chris’s creation is nothing short of pure magic. That was his goal. Chris seeks to delight people by using technology to make seemingly impossible ideas come to life. Shazam, which now has over two billion downloads, is just one of them. In addition to creating Shazam, which Apple acquired for $400 million, Chris holds 12 patents and played key roles in the early days of Google and Dropbox. Despite having dyslexia, incredibly, he didn’t let that get in his way. In fact, it gave him a different way of looking at problems. Chris’s newest venture, Guard, aims to use AI to detect drowning in swimming pools. In his speeches, Chris’s story and storytelling completely captivate audiences. He inspires people to make big things happen in their organizations – to create magic in defiance of the obstacles.
Fee Range: $25,500–$43,000
Travels From: CA

Jordan Belfort
Jordan Belfort is one of the country's most talked-about speakers. His story is the ultimate tale of how the pursuit of wealth can often trump the importance of ethics in the business world. Belfort's career was captured in the Oscar and Golden Globe nominated film, The Wolf of Wall Street. Now recovered from the traps of his former high-flying lifestyle, Belfort has re-emerged in the business world as a speaker, author and leading voice on the importance of business ethics. His proprietary Straight Line System allows him to take virtually any company or individual and empower them to create massive wealth, abundance, and entrepreneurial success, without sacrificing integrity or ethics. He created the Jordan Belfort Foundation to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs in underprivileged communities to create economic opportunities that transform their own lives, their families, and their communities. Belfort has two international best-selling memoirs, The Wolf of Wall Street and Catching the Wolf of Wall Street.
Fee Range: $62,000–$190,000
Travels From: FL

Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps has been making waves in the world of sports since he was young. He tied the record for the most medals at a single Olympics in the 2004 Athens Summer Olympic Games when he earned six gold medals and eight medals overall. Although he is young, Phelps has already had a lifetime of experiences—in the pool and out. He founded “Swim with the Stars”—the first ever Olympic Swimming Tour that travels the country to give kids the opportunity to learn from the best. He is also a national spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Clubs. Phelps is youthful but intelligent, successful yet modest, and understands the importance of following a dream. 2018, Phelps revealed that he struggled with ADHD and depression and now works as a mental health advocate.
Fee Range: Inquire
Travels From: MD

Jon Dorenbos
You might recognize him as an NFL All-Pro or as an elite magician who made the finals of America’s Got Talent and regularly appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. But Jon Dorenbos says that what he does is not who he is. Who he is is someone forced, at the most tender of ages, to coach himself into turning tragedy to triumph. He retired from the NFL after having successful open heart surgery to repair a defective aortic valve.
Fee Range: Inquire
Travels From: CA

Molly Bloom
Molly Bloom is best known for her memoir, Molly’s Game, which was adapted into an award-winning film of the same name by Aaron Sorkin. Currently, Molly is focusing her energy on uplifting and mentoring other women after having been the mentee of amazing, dynamic women herself. She has launched the One World Group to support women facing various challenges, especially those exacerbated by the global pandemic and TORCHED, a new podcast about Olympic controversies.
Fee Range: $20,000–$31,500
Travels From: CO
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