Alex Staniforth is no stranger to overcoming adversity. In his early life, Alex suffered from a stammer, an eating disorder, epilepsy, anxiety and bullying, but this didn’t stop him putting his mind into action to achieve to some truly impressive goals.
In 2017, the adventurer became the fastest person ever to climb all 100 UK county tops by foot, bicycle and kayak, covering over 5,000 miles in just 72 days, at a rate of almost 70 miles per day. By the time he was 25, he had made two attempts at summiting Mount Everest, had published two books and founded a mental health charity.
Alex Staniforth Everest Mountaineer
His first Mount Everest attempt at just age 19, for which he single-handedly raised over £35,000 in sponsorship, had to be abandoned following an avalanche that killed 16 climbing Sherpas. He returned a year later, but again, this had to be abandoned following the 2015 Nepal earthquake which triggered another avalanche, killing three Sherpas and trapping Alex and his team on the mountain for two days. In 2016 he returned to the Himalayas and attempted to reach the summit of the world’s sixth-highest mountain, Cho Oyu, which stands at 8,000 metres. He managed to reach 7,125 metres before turning back. In 2020 he ran the National Three Peaks, climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon, and running the entire 452 miles between – equivalent to roughly 17 full marathons – in 9 days 12 hours.
Alex Staniforth speaking topics include:
– Resilience through adversity
– Re-defining success and goal-setting
– Building positive mental well-being in the workplace
– Dealing with change and uncertainty
Alex Staniforth Example keynote titles include:
Achieving our Everest: Why Staying at Base Camp Kills our Potential
Is the fear of failure keeping your team stuck at base camp? Alex explores his journey of fundraising, commitment and innovation in order to reach his goal. He teaches delegates how to take ownership of any obstacles and fear of failure, why commitment is key to success in the professional world and personal life and will help define why having a purpose will drive you forward.
How to Beat Burnout and Go The Distance
Living through the uncertainty of a global pandemic has negatively affected our mental well-being, eroded the boundaries between our work life and our home life, and created an ‘always on’ culture that undermines positive habits. Alex shares his proactive strategies to help us recognise when we’re struggling, how to recover from burnout, and how to prevent it from ever happening. He aims to instil the message that consistently high performance is only sustainable if ourselves, our colleagues and our family are looked after first.
Invisible Mountains: Opening the Conversation on Mental Health
Summiting something like Mount Everest, or winning a gold medal in the Olympics are often seen as a pinnacle of complete strength and confidence and invincibility. Alex shares his honest experiences of mental illness including anxiety and depression, as well as his eating disorder, to break down the common idea that elite sportspeople and adventurers, particularly men, are consistently strong. He explores how vulnerability and honesty can be really valuable when building a happier and more productive work environment.
Alex Staniforth – Millennial Speaker
Alex Staniforth particularly relates to millennial audiences and what motivates them in the workplace. He brings insights from extreme adventures and ultra-endurance challenges down to earth, helping businesses uncover the tools to take advantage of adversity, protect their well-being and climb back up.
Looking for something unique? Alex takes the time to ensure each talk is tailored to suit your event and reinforce your message with maximum impact. These sessions are always tailored to your objectives but are typically 30-60 minutes long with exclusive media and Q&A discussion.
A podcast with mental health speaker Alex Staniforth
As part of our ‘Chat with…’ series at Great British Speakers, our director Jane Farnham, sat down with Alex Staniforth to discuss his adventurous career, fundraising and what makes Alex such an engaging and motivational Mental Health speaker. You can watch the full interview on our blog HERE.