Your competitors are moving faster, your people aren’t.
That can end here.
I don’t do “inspiration for inspiration’s sake”.
These keynotes are built to equip your people with the mindset, the language and the edge to win.
Pick one, then pick up the phone. I’ll tailor it to fit… then stand back.
So Why Do Your Best People Avoid Business Development?
“The programme helped us lose the fear of selling – and of course, drive more sales.”
— Scott Smyth, Managing Director, Soben
Your brilliant people are self-sabotaging.
They’ll dodge the one thing that keeps the lights on: selling.
It’s because they see it as “the dark arts” and won’t admit they’re terrified.
They call it “not their thing”.
I call it fear of the unknown.
And every time they avoid it…
This keynote dismantles that fear.
You’ll learn how to:
Let’s have your people leading sharper conversations, packing their diaries and landing fees worth bragging about.
“Russell can hold a room and ensure he takes his delegates with him.”
— Aileen Crawford, Head of Tourism & Conventions, Glasgow Convention Bureau
Empathy’s had a good run. But left unchecked, it clouds your judgement, breeds bias and burns you out.
It’s why your “nicest” leaders can make the worst decisions.
If your leaders can’t pair empathy with backbone, they’ll say yes when they should say no, keep the wrong people in the wrong roles and dodge the tough calls that keep a business alive.
This keynote replaces the warm fuzzies with rational compassion – the clear-eyed, commercially savvy way to show you care.
You’ll learn how to:
“Laugh and cry within 90 minutes… I thoroughly recommend Russell.”
— Tracy Ryan, Director, EMEA Marketing at Simpleview
One warm Friday night in the 1970s, my dad, my brother and I moved a mountain.
A literal mountain.
23 tonnes of topsoil dumped on the street, blocking the bus route.
I thought you’d need an army to shift it.
We were two wee lads and a man with a wheelbarrow.
By midnight, the road was clear.
We never left a job half done.
That’s optimism. And it’s not blind positivity. It’s the discipline of optimism.
The kind you can choose – even when the odds are laughable.
Fast forward to 2020. My business flatlined overnight. Same mindset. Different mountain.
“Think Like an Optimist” takes you inside the habits, science and mindset that keep you moving forward when the world’s falling apart – because without it, you stall, sink or quit.
The world doesn’t need more leaders burying their heads in the sand. It needs more leaders who can shovel through the worst.
“The storytelling training changed the course of my career.”
— Anthony Sayce, Partner at EY
First delivered at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas – now a global favourite for the simple reason:
Stories close deals logic never will.
Here’s the risk: most professionals think they can tell a story. They can’t.
They waffle, they lose the room and they leave money on the table.
This isn’t a “tell a funny anecdote” keynote. It’s part performance, part masterclass, all commercial.
I’ll hand you my KWC storytelling method – built over 25 years, billions in wins, and the odd standing ovation.
You’ll learn how to:
Make your stories impossible to ignore – and even harder to forget.
“I tell the most senior people in my team to listen to Russell.”
— Terry Spraggett, Director, Mace
The biggest pitches aren’t won on the day. They’re won in the weeks before – in the rehearsal room, tearing your deck apart, building it back up stronger.
Or ditching your slides. Aye, every one.
Here’s the problem: most teams undercook prep, lean on the same tired old pitch and crumble under pressure. Now that’s how £100 million walks out the door.
I’ve spent 25 years in that room, helping teams land contracts worth billions.
You’ll learn how to:
Create a compelling storyboard that gets you to yes.
No nonsense. No jargon. Just the plays that win when everything’s on the line.
“Emotive, inspiring and a great way to kick off a conference by getting everyone around the room interacting and engaged.”
— Amanda Lee, Marketing Leader at Simpleview
They ditched the deck, pitched their line in 10 minutes, and won the £450 million contract.
That’s not luck. That’s confidence – the kind you can build.
Confidence isn’t magic. It’s not even a personality trait.
It’s a behaviour – and behaviours can be learned, built and sharpened.
In this high-energy, interactive session, I’ll show you how to:
Without confidence, the best ideas never leave your head – and someone else wins the deal that you should have landed.
“Engaging, energetic and memorable!”
— Sarah lluyemi, Business Events, Belfast
7 rules. Big energy. Bigger laughs.
And the kind of results that make people want to work with you.
Most people are nowhere near as good at relationships as they think they are. They fumble first impressions, talk more than they listen… chipping away at trust without knowing it.
The 7 principles will show your people how to:
Get this right, and your team becomes the team everyone wants on the project, in the meeting, and in their corner.
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