“I don’t just want people to leave the event inspired. I want them to leave armed with practical tools that they can take immediately when they get back to their job the next day.” – Debra Searle MBE
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.
Choose Your Attitude!
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.
Key Takeaways
- Tools to stay positive and achieve what seem like impossible goals.
- Practical tools for pushing yourself outside your comfort zone and building resilience
- How to train your brain to see more of the positives.
- Mindset strategies for not just coping but excelling during periods of change.
- Personal motivation ideas for when the journey only seems to be getting harder.
Choose To Challenge
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.
Key Takeaways
- How to diagnose and treat your limiting beliefs.
- Strategies for managing and speaking up to bias.
- Practical skill building for negotiation and influence.
Highly Interactive & Bespoke Virtual Events
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.
Awards Events & After Dinner Speaking
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.
Team Building Adventures
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.
