Click here for Shola’s 3rd person speaker bio.

“The highest honor on Earth that you will ever have is the honor of being yourself…your only true job as a human being is to discover why you came. Why you are here.” – Oprah Winfrey

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WHO AM I?

An author and global keynote speaker, working at the intersections of communication, inclusive leadership and empathy.

I once worked for blue-chip corporates in the high pressure industries of investment banking and IT management consulting in New York and London.

Sometimes I experienced the frustration of not making an impact, mainly because I lacked confidence and didn’t know how to frame and deliver my message.

As someone who was never a naturally gifted speaker and communicator, I think this makes it easier for me to plan helpful learning activities and make a connection with my clients.

I understand how they feel, having been there myself!

Now, I’m grateful to have performed for, or spoken in front of tens of thousands of people internationally and have delivered for clients like American Express, Tate & Lyle and The United Nations, and been featured in Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar and the BBC.

I’m on a mission to help leaders create happier, more engaged and more equitable workplaces, and to encourage teams and individuals to speak up with confidence, impact and influence.

In my spare time, you can usually find me singing, playing tennis and learning piano. I also take photos and create social media posts for a local community group.

If formal qualifications are your thing and you’d like to see my CV, then please scroll to the bottom of this page.

WHAT I DO

I’m passionate about helping people share who they are and become their best selves. Whether that’s by keynote speaking at an event, delivering a masterclass or working with a leadership team, it’s what fires me up.

It’s so important that organisations create an atmosphere of belonging for their people and for those individuals, in turn, to be provided with the skills and the opportunities to make their full contribution at work.

When individuals have the confidence and tools to share their brilliance, amazing things happen. People are transformed into leaders. Teams and groups perform better. Everyone gains.

I, like many others, have been in the situation where I was afraid to speak up at work. Afraid to share my message in case it came out wrong or was rejected by colleagues, clients and bosses.

I’ve experienced being sidelined at work, and having managers who were unable – or unwilling – to provide empathy and support.

You can watch my TEDx talk to find out more about this.

Bottom line is, I know how it feels to not belong.

And that’s why I’m so committed to helping people feel included, respected, and supported at work.

No more delaying opportunities to speak in meetings or putting life and business on hold by withholding ideas, creations and opinions because of disengagement.

When people stifle themselves and fail to share their magnificence it can have so many negative results including stress, resentment and poor performance.

On the other hand, being encouraged to contribute can have a significant benefit in the workplace:

• We feel courageous and confident
• There’s more energy available to get things done – we’re not wasting it on covering up who we are
• Our example encourages others to speak up too
• Our stories help colleagues and clients to get to know, like and trust us
• Diversity in the workplace is promoted
• There’s greater potential for collaboration
• Fresh ideas lead to progress and innovation

And the list goes on!

I’m excited to offer not just keynotes but training and coaching too, delivered in partnership with a small team of expert associates!

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Want to work with us?

COMPANIES, ASSOCIATIONS AND ORGANISATIONS:

Find out about keynote speaking

Create an engaged, respectful, high performing workplace with our suite of keynotes and training covering Empathy, Inclusive Leadership and Communication

Find out how to inspire your audience with a virtual keynote

Want something to read?

Download the Whitepaper on Empathy

Download the PDF guide Preparing for Empathy

Buy the latest book “Big Talk, Small Talk and Everything in Between” (published November 2020)

Buy the book “How to be a DIVA at Public Speaking”