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Who's the best motivational speaker you've seen at a business event?

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Motivational

Motivational

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May 19, 2026
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motivationalspeakersagency.co.uk
I've been to quite a few conferences over the years, and it always amazes me how much difference the right speaker can make to an event.

Some leave you feeling genuinely inspired, while others give practical advice that sticks with you long after the event.

I'm interested to hear from other business owners and event organisers:

  • Who's the best motivational speaker you've seen?
  • What made them stand out?
  • Would you book them again?
  • Do you prefer well-known names or people with real business experience?
Always looking for recommendations and interested in hearing what everyone else has found works well.
 
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None of them. I’ve seen some great speakers over the years but as soon as the word ‘motivational’ pops up I head for the bar.
 
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The speakers that have made the biggest impression on me were the ones who felt more like real people than performers. A good story about challenges, wrong decisions, and lessons learned usually stays with me longer than a generic “you can do anything, just start doing it” speech. I’m much more interested in hearing how someone actually built something, what went wrong along the way, and what they would do differently now. That kind of experience is what makes a talk worth listening to.
 
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NelaKo said:
The speakers that have made the biggest impression on me were the ones who felt more like real people than performers. A good story about challenges, wrong decisions, and lessons learned usually stays with me longer than a generic “you can do anything, just start doing it” speech. I’m much more interested in hearing how someone actually built something, what went wrong along the way, and what they would do differently now. That kind of experience is what makes a talk worth listening to.
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Perhaps, but its always worth remembering that it's almost always never about you. It's usually about them and some book or course or whatever they'll sell at the end of it all.
 
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We've found that the speakers people talk about most afterwards aren't always the biggest celebrities. It's usually the ones who share honest stories, practical takeaways and really connect with the audience.

Dr Jo Salter is one we've had consistently great feedback on. Audiences seem to appreciate how authentic she is and the fact that her leadership lessons come from genuine experience rather than theory.

Ultimately it always comes down to matching the right speaker to the audience. That's usually what makes the biggest difference.
 
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Whenever I have spoken at events (local business ones to The Business Show, Excel), aimed at startups/early stage, I tried to be more inspirational rather than motivational - hopefully the people are already motivated enough to start their business!
 
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Motivational said:
I've been to quite a few conferences over the years, and it always amazes me how much difference the right speaker can make to an event.

Some leave you feeling genuinely inspired, while others give practical advice that sticks with you long after the event.

I'm interested to hear from other business owners and event organisers:

  • Who's the best motivational speaker you've seen?
  • What made them stand out?
  • Would you book them again?
  • Do you prefer well-known names or people with real business experience?
Always looking for recommendations and interested in hearing what everyone else has found works well.
Click to expand...
You are spot on when you say that practical advice can stick with you after the event.

This is totally the opposite of motivational speakers, where the inspiration or motivation that the audience might feel while listening them quickly fades.
 
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EnterprisePro said:
Sadly for me personally, none. I've avoided them over the past few years as I get bored and switch off.
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Fair point. I think there's a big difference between someone trying to "motivate" you and someone who genuinely changes your perspective. Jez Rose is one of the few I've listened to who focuses on resilience and mindset in a really down-to-earth way rather than just delivering feel-good slogans.
 
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fisicx said:
None of them. I’ve seen some great speakers over the years but as soon as the word ‘motivational’ pops up I head for the bar.
Click to expand...
Super keen to hear who you enjoyed! Derek Redmond's TEDx talk is one of the exceptions for me. It's less about "getting motivated" and more about resilience, setbacks, and what you do when things don't go to plan. I came away with a different perspective rather than just a temporary buzz.
 
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NelaKo said:
The speakers that have made the biggest impression on me were the ones who felt more like real people than performers. A good story about challenges, wrong decisions, and lessons learned usually stays with me longer than a generic “you can do anything, just start doing it” speech. I’m much more interested in hearing how someone actually built something, what went wrong along the way, and what they would do differently now. That kind of experience is what makes a talk worth listening to.
Click to expand...
Well said. I always come away with more from someone who's honest about their setbacks than someone who only talks about their successes. Those lessons tend to stick with you a lot longer. Is there anyone in particular who has given a speech that resonated with you?
 
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EnterprisePro said:
Perhaps, but its always worth remembering that it's almost always never about you. It's usually about them and some book or course or whatever they'll sell at the end of it all.
Click to expand...
That's definitely true for some, and it can leave a bad impression. I think there's a big difference between someone whose main goal is selling something and someone who's there to genuinely share their experience. The latter are the ones I tend to remember.
 
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Keynote Speech said:
We've found that the speakers people talk about most afterwards aren't always the biggest celebrities. It's usually the ones who share honest stories, practical takeaways and really connect with the audience.

Dr Jo Salter is one we've had consistently great feedback on. Audiences seem to appreciate how authentic she is and the fact that her leadership lessons come from genuine experience rather than theory.

Ultimately it always comes down to matching the right speaker to the audience. That's usually what makes the biggest difference.
Click to expand...
I completely agree. Authenticity is what people remember long after the event. Dr Jo Salter is a great example because she draws on real experiences from becoming Britain's first female fast jet pilot, leading under pressure, and overcoming barriers that most of us can only imagine. Those stories naturally carry weight because they've been lived, and the leadership lessons feel earned rather than rehearsed. I think that's why she connects so well with audiences.
 
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Paul Kelly ICHYB said:
Whenever I have spoken at events (local business ones to The Business Show, Excel), aimed at startups/early stage, I tried to be more inspirational rather than motivational - hopefully the people are already motivated enough to start their business!
Click to expand...
I like that distinction. If someone's already taken the leap into starting a business, they probably don't need motivating as much as they need perspective. Hearing what's worked, what hasn't, and knowing others have faced the same challenges can be far more valuable.
 
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Gecko001 said:
You are spot on when you say that practical advice can stick with you after the event.

This is totally the opposite of motivational speakers, where the inspiration or motivation that the audience might feel while listening them quickly fades.
Click to expand...
I think motivation or inspiration on its own does fade, but it still has a role to play. A powerful story can build credibility and make people think, "If they've been through that, maybe their advice is worth listening to." The real value comes when that's backed up with practical frameworks, strategies, or lessons that people can actually apply to their own situation. For me, the best speakers do both. They inspire you and give you something tangible to take away.
 
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UKSBD said:
What always comes to my mind when talking about speeches or presentations was a TED talk by Susan Cain about the power of introverts.
Click to expand...
Susan Cain's The Power of Introverts is brilliant because it challenges the idea that great leaders have to be the loudest people in the room. It actually reminded me of Nicky Moffat. As the British Army's highest-ranking woman, she showed that leadership is built on trust, resilience and sound judgement, not volume. Her story is a great example of how quiet confidence can have a huge impact.
 
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That may be so @Motivational but they are not motivational speakers.

Motivational speakers aren’t. They often tend to be shouty people encouraging us to strive and dominate and all that bollox. Dreadful.
 
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Motivational said:
Susan Cain's The Power of Introverts is brilliant because it challenges the idea that great leaders have to be the loudest people in the room. It actually reminded me of Nicky Moffat. As the British Army's highest-ranking woman, she showed that leadership is built on trust, resilience and sound judgement, not volume. Her story is a great example of how quiet confidence can have a huge impact.
Click to expand...
Many of the leaders of the biggest companies in the world are introverts, such as Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Richard Branson, Steve Wozniak, James Dyson etc. In the past perhaps the loudest people in the room were more likely to be leaders than introverts, but only perhaps as there have been strong leaders in the past who were also introverts.
 
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