Transform your organization by turning set-backs and barriers into opportunities – then solutions!
How do you navigate forward, deal with constant wind shifts, sudden storms, conquer fear, isolation, while dealing with an ever present changing world? Neal Petersen takes audiences on a captivating journey around the world, using his remarkable life-story and shows, by example, that you can achieve your goals by turning set-backs and barriers into opportunities ~ with the right attitude and ability to foster innovation, build stronger teams, adapt under pressure, and cultivate a mind-set that focuses on no barriers ~ only solutions!
World-class, history-making extreme adventurer, Neal Petersen completed two amazing journeys in his life: a single-handed yacht race around the world, 27,000 miles, 9 months at sea, alone, around Cape Horn, and in the smallest, least funded, boat he designed and built himself. And an even more arduous and eventful trip of overcoming racial prejudice during the harsh Apartheid era in South Africa, poverty, and a childhood physical disability, just to make it to the start line!
Neal inspires organizations to foster innovation, build stronger teams, adapt under pressure, and cultivate a mind-set that focuses on solutions!
Petersen brilliantly connects his remarkable story to audience’s unique challenges, a theme or vision with dramatic stories of adversity, sheer determination and triumph. His presentations redefine courage and human potential.
With high energy and fully engaging presentation style, Neal captures audience’s attention from the moment he walks onstage, until he departs – leaving them with a fresh perspective on turning disadvantages into advantages.
Neal carries a treasure chest on stage, and in it symbols of how he reached his dream by always turning barriers into opportunities, then into solutions.
Using examples of how he overcame insurmountable barriers is compelling and highly entertaining. Neal demonstrates how success is realized—through innovation, balancing risk against return and being flexible enough to adapt to constant shifting winds. In these challenging times of uncertainly, fear and insecurity, many feel like solo sailors, adrift, grasping for survival. Neal lays out the importance of a clearly communicated vision, followed by detailed planning, preparation, passion and then execution.
He has challenged global audiences to prevail against their own formidable barriers and setbacks while igniting passion and a mind-set to never give-up!
This story of hope, resilience, and accomplishment is truly inspiring and reflects a powerful message that “in life there are no barriers, only solutions!”
Neal projects stunning images during his keynote and a 1 ½ minute intro and a 4 minute powerful self-filmed video of Neal rounding Cape Horn solo – his dream!
He has thunder built into his presentation – lightning and fog are easy options for larger productions, dramatically bringing his story to life.
Faced with huge challenges and rapid changes in today’s world, it’s easy to get bogged down in the negativity and uncharted waters. Striving for goals and success helps us to remain positive and to remember what’s really important.
“Neal is so unique, he is so much more than a keynote, he is the ‘best of the best’. Neal not only delivers a unique, captivating and memorable life-story, filled with valuable content, but he masterfully weaves in his audiences challenges and he does it seamlessly because he is PREPARED! He digs deeper and goes out of his way – to gain an in-depth understanding of where they are as a group, where they want to be and what it will take to get them there. Neal is truly a leader and teaches genuine leadership, by example in all aspects of what he represents. He is so much more than just a keynote speaker.” Axis Capital Holding
Quote; “Neal is one of the most inspiring, dynamic and thought provoking speakers you ever witness – he is mesmerizing.”
“It is rare that I am asked by my senior management at IBM to immediately hire a keynote speaker when he is barely off the stage to give another the following week. And I want to thank for the extraordinary presentation you gave in San Diego to 8,000, but for the follow up presentation you gave in Barcelona to another 5,000 with virtually no prep time as well. I truly was in awe of the spirit you drove into the audience and how you made your own journey so very relevant to every person in both locations. You were nothing short of a genius! You generated some of the highest ratings and most positive feedback I have seen in many years of running WW events in this division.” L. Benway – IBM
Categories: Adventure and Achievement, Human Interest, Inspiration, Motivation, Risk Taking, TED Talk
