Talks, workshops and facilitated sessions that inspire people, involve them and give them something useful to take away.
I speak and facilitate for organisations, leadership teams, colleges, communities and events.
Some sessions are 40-minute talks. Others are interactive keynotes, half-day workshops, facilitated leadership sessions, panels or peer-learning events.
What they have in common is that I do not simply talk at people.
I work with the person booking me to understand the audience, the outcomes you are looking for and what you want people to think, feel or do differently afterwards. Then we create something that fits the people in the room.
People often describe my talks as inspirational, motivational, creative and different.
What’s important to me is that they also make a genuine difference.
My sessions combine personal stories, practical ideas, reflection, audience participation and usually a little humour.
I like to engage people early, sometimes with a quiz, a question or something unexpected.
Then we go on a journey through lived experience, stories, practical techniques and challenging questions.
Depending on the audience, people may leave with:
I want people to leave inspired, but also with something useful they can do next.
Helping people understand what drives them, where they fit and where they want to go next.
This is about more than individual purpose.
For leaders and teams, it can explore how personal purpose aligns with the mission and purpose of the organisation they work for.
The session can include themes of:
I draw on my own experience of burnout and breakdown, rebuilding my life and career, and finding a clearer sense of purpose.
Previous versions of this session have been delivered for organisations including leadership teams, universities, colleges, councils, community groups, graduates and purpose-led organisations.
Participants can leave with practical exercises and questions to help them:
Helping people communicate with greater confidence, clarity and authenticity.
I have spoken at TEDx, curated and hosted TEDx events and helped many other people prepare and deliver their own talks.
This session takes those experiences into the workplace.
It can help people deliver better presentations, lead meetings, communicate important messages and speak confidently to internal or external audiences.
The sessions are practical and interactive.
Attendees can develop their own talk, practise in a safe environment and receive supportive challenge and feedback.
They can explore:
This works particularly well as an interactive workshop or leadership-development session.
Developing people, future leaders and a culture of support.
Many organisations have talented people whose experience, potential and ambition are not being fully used.
Some lack clarity. Some lose confidence. Some become disengaged. And some eventually leave.
Purposeful Mentoring helps organisations make better use of the experience already inside their teams by developing people who can mentor, support and grow others.
Line managers do not always have the time, distance or relationship needed to have the right developmental conversations. A good mentor can provide a different kind of support, especially for people early in their career, moving into leadership or trying to find their place within an organisation.
The session can help organisations:
Why spend heavily on recruitment only to lose good people because they did not receive the support they needed once they arrived?
The session draws on the ideas in my book Purposeful Mentoring and can be delivered as an interactive talk, workshop or part of a wider leadership and talent-development programme.
Copies of the book can also be included so participants can continue reflecting and applying the ideas afterwards.
Helping people focus their energy where they can make the greatest difference.
The world of work can feel relentless.
Too many priorities, too many meetings, constant messages and not enough time to step back and think.
This session helps people consider:
The session combines reflection with practical tools and techniques people can apply immediately.
Not every event needs another keynote.
Sometimes the greatest value comes from getting the right people talking, thinking and learning together.
I regularly facilitate:
I have worked with groups from around 5 to 100 people, including cohorts of business leaders from different sectors.
My facilitation experience includes work with organisations and programmes such as The Growth Company, Boost, Growth Lancashire, Burnley College, construction consultancies, Carrs Pasties, The Global Entrepreneurship Network’s Startup Huddle and TEDx.
I am comfortable working with a clear plan, but equally happy responding in the moment to what is happening in the room.
I also bring experience as a podcast host, TEDx curator and event host, so I am used to listening carefully, asking the right question and helping other people shine.
My understanding of resilience is personal.
There was a time when I was overweight, taking antidepressants, in significant debt and at risk of an early death.
Today, I am physically fitter, mentally stronger, debt-free and far more intentional about my emotional, social and financial wellbeing.
I am now an Ironman triathlete, masters track athlete, ultra-runner and have completed more than 200 parkruns.
I have also facilitated men’s talking and suicide-prevention groups, including work with ANDYSMANCLUB.
That journey has taught me a great deal about recovery, discipline, setbacks, sustainable performance and the difference between pushing through and knowing when to stop.
Those experiences naturally inform talks around resilience, wellbeing, purpose, energy and rebuilding after difficult periods.
My TEDx talk also explored recovering from burnout and breakdown.
I can deliver:
Sessions are adapted around the audience rather than taken off the shelf.
That depends on why you booked me.
For example:
At EMPHRA, young professionals left with an Ikigai guide and practical ideas for having better career conversations during reviews.
College students have left with practical ways to think about career choices, wellbeing and finding purpose.
Leaders at Burnley College and attendees at Pets at Home have learned how to craft and deliver stronger talks, presentations and key messages.
Audiences at InspireFest and the University of Manchester explored resilience, rebuilding after difficult experiences, purpose and making a positive impact.
At other events, people have left with practical techniques, challenging questions, a commitment to act or a copy of my book Purposeful Mentoring to continue the journey afterwards.
Purposeful Mentoring can be included with talks and workshops where it supports the theme.
This works particularly well for leadership events, development programmes and sessions around purpose, mentoring or personal growth.
Rather than the session ending when I leave the room, the book gives people a way to continue reflecting and putting the ideas into practice afterwards.
Ask me about including individual or bulk copies with your event.
Sessions are adapted around the audience rather than taken off the shelf.
We begin with a conversation about your audience.
I will want to understand:
From there, we can decide whether a keynote, interactive talk, workshop, facilitated session, panel or peer-learning format would work best.