Jan 13 2025
Debra Searle is a professional adventurer and serial entrepreneur. Her expeditions have taken her across the Atlantic, around Antarctica, up to the Arctic Circle, and everywhere in between. She has also launched five companies, published 3 books, hosted on the BBC, been recognized by Her Majesty The Queen twice, and is a trusted corporate speaker.
Debra has launched five companies, won Gold World Championship medals for Great Britain, presented over 40 programs for the BBC, became the youngest trustee of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award ever, and successfully rowed solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She is also well-known for her keynote and motivational speaking. In fact, she is regularly voted as a top Motivational Speaker worldwide in Global Gurus’ yearly ranking. In 2022, she was voted #3 overall, after Simon Sinek and Tony Robbins, making her the highest-ranking female motivational speaker in the world. Debra Searle is available to be booked for corporate and private events. Contact the Mollie Plotkin Group today to inquire about Debra Searle’s fees.
Contact the Mollie Plotkin Group at 215-510-6607 to hire Debra Searle for corporate or private events, keynote speeches, workshops, fireside chats, motivational speaking, or virtual appearances. Our agency will work directly with your organization and our keynote speakers to create an unforgettable event. The Mollie Plotkin Group is the leading keynote speakers agency and entertainment bureau bringing excitement to audiences, clients, and employees. We represent subject-matter experts in every possible field. So whether we’re your partner in creating a memorable meeting,or your meeting planner’s secret weapon in securing the perfect keynote speaker, we’re in this with you.
Debra Searle first hit the headlines when she set out to row across the Atlantic with her husband, a 6’5” international oarsman. Unfortunately, he had to be rescued which left Debra, a novice rower, alone without a support boat. Despite this, Debra continued the journey rowing 3300 miles from Tenerife to Barbados. The trip was supposed to take six weeks, but Debra ended up spending 3 ½ months at sea alone and unsupported. During the journey, she encountered 30-foot waves, sharks, and force 8 squalls in her 23-foot plywood boat. Focusing on one motto kept Debra going – “Choose Your Attitude.” It was the only thing out at sea that she had a choice about. A movie about Debra’s solo Atlantic row is currently in development in Hollywood.
Since returning from this adventure, Debra has undertaken solo and team expeditions across the globe. She has also represented Great Britain at the European and World Championship level in Dragon Boat Racing – winning bronze, silver, and gold medals.
Debra has spoken at over 1500 events across 40 different countries. Organizations from every industry have hired Debra Searle because she is more than your usual sports speaker. She has founded 5 companies, presented 40 programs for the BBC, and had 3 books published. Additionally, Her Majesty The Queen recognized Debra on two separate occasions – in 2002 with an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire), an award given to recognize outstanding service or achievement to the community, and in 2014 with an MVO (Member of the Royal Victorian Order), granting her knighthood. In 2022, Debra also ranked as the #3 Top Motivational Speaker and #1 female motivational speaker in the world.
Find out how to hire Debra Searle to appear at your next event. Contact the Mollie Plotkin Group to inquire about Debra Searle’s availability and cost. When booking Debra Searle for an event, we need to know the type of venue and location the event will take place. Debra Searle is a popular choice for corporate events, private events, and virtual events. So, you can click the Check Availability button or contact us and an MPG Debra Searle booking agent will get back to you within 48 hours.
How much to book Debra Searle depends on the type of event. So, the cost to hire Debra Searle for corporate or private events is available by contacting a Mollie Plotkin Group Agent. Notably, Debra Searle is available for conferences, festivals, private parties and events. Just contact the Mollie Plotkin Group and tell the booking agent the proposed date, time, and location.
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Debra Searle MVO, MBE is a trusted corporate speaker who draws on her remarkable achievements as a professional adventurer, serial entrepreneur, and board-level director to inspire workforces worldwide. She is well-known for tailoring her speeches to her audiences and the quality time she spends off-stage engaging with attendees.
All of her speaking topics can be formatted to fill 1-2 hour, half-day, full-day, or two-day corporate events jam-packed with takeaways that promise to get you up on your feet and thinking differently. If you’d like to discuss tailoring Debra’s speech to your audience, schedule a pre-conference Zoom call with Debra and the MPG team – we’ll work closely with you to curate the perfect keynote for your event.
There aren’t many people in the world who have spent more than 100 days alone at sea, and there are probably even fewer who could say that they thrived during those 100 days. This is Debra’s most popular keynote, in which she shares the story of her remarkable solo row across the Atlantic.
In these challenging times of high inflation, hybrid work, and geopolitical unrest, Debra presents the mindset and well-being strategies she has adapted into daily life from her time at sea. She speaks from the heart, sharing the strategies she used to keep going, business takeaways from the experience, and the motivational message that we are all capable of much more than what we think.
This session is about hearing an inspirational story of resilience and the practical ways to stay positive and productive during times of adversity. Your audience will leave re-energized and ready for whatever comes their way. It’s not magic, it’s mindset.
An ideal keynote for International Women’s Day, Women in Leadership Events, or Female Talent Development Programs.
Debra took on her first board position at 27 years old, working with members of the British Royal Family. As the youngest and only woman on the Board, her confidence and courage were challenged. Today, she is no stranger to that challenge.
Debra has founded five businesses (including a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultancy), has completed expeditions all around the world, and co-founded The Businesswomen’s Network Forum based out of Buckingham Palace.
In this inspiring talk for women and male allies, Debra uses storytelling to demonstrate how to choose to challenge yourself. You will learn how to challenge both unconscious bias and imposter syndrome, pushing yourself outside your comfort zone and making major steps in your career. This talk is a rare combination of high adventure and important messaging about the value of inclusion and the part we need to play to overcome bias.
Having made over 40 programs for the BBC, Debra has a wealth of experience to draw on when it comes to presenting. Debra’s animated and engaging style along with her professionally equipped studio ensures that you get a top-quality livestream for your virtual event. Even before COVID-19 struck, Debra had worked on many webinar and virtual conference platforms, so she knows how to get the best out of them.
Interactivity is key to keeping viewer engagement. Debra fully utilizes audience participation through the screen annotation, chat box, non-verbal buttons, breakout rooms, music, video, Q&A, and poll features. Debra truly believes that virtual is not the poor cousin to live events, but an opportunity to engage individuals in a direct and personable way.
If you are looking for a speaker who loves to engage with the audience, Debra’s your woman! After 6 years with the BBC Debra has a wealth of live event experience to draw on when hosting events.
You won’t be surprised to read that Debra loves any excuse to throw a bit of adventure into the mix! We love to get people out of the conference room and into the fresh air, even if it is just for table discussions. An adventure together skyrockets team development. So, if you have a river/ocean nearby we can get them racing in Dragon Boats or a land-based equivalent.
I felt like we were in a conversation vs being presented to. Perhaps the best I have ever experienced in an external speaker. – Nike
You clearly put a lot of preparation into making it a special session and tailoring it to our event. – JPMorgan Chase
Debra was an inspirational story and a great role model particularly for women in our team. – Johnson & Johnson
and yet you managed to have us all gripped in a virtual world – Citibank
When Debra Searle and her former husband Andrew Veal entered the 3,000 mile Atlantic Rowing Race they believed that their profound knowledge of each other would give them the edge over the other – mainly male – competitors. Yet during their first night in open waters they were confronted with a discovery that would leave their Atlantic bid in tatters: Andrew, an experienced rower, was suffering from an uncontrollable fear of the ocean. Try as they might to overcome this, by day eight Andrew’s distress had become unbearable for both of them. After a night of soul-searching, Andrew resolutely decided to give up.
Debra should have bowed out of the race with her husband and team-mate, but she was relishing the journey and wanted to see how far she could go as a solo-rower. Word of Debra’s adventure led to international press coverage and she then received thousands of text messages from well-wishers who were keenly following her progress. Against all the odds, after 112 days, Debra completed the 3,000 mile voyage and landed in Barbados.
Rowing it Alone is Debra’s deeply personal account of her epic adventure – both in terms of distance and emotional growth. She explores her motivation and the reserves of solid determination that literally kept her afloat in the face of physical dangers and emotional lows. She shares her moments of sheer peace and happiness, away from the bustle of modern living. Debra’s honesty and warm personality shine through in this inspiring story. She reveals how her achievement has affected her life – and marriage – and talks about how it feels to succeed against the odds.
This is so much more than a book about rowing – it is about the adventure of life and love and the challenge of commitment.
