Speaking Topics
Beyond Resilience: The Power of an Antifragile Mindset
People love to go on and on about resilience. But what if the shocks, stresses, and challenges we face are actually the raw materials we need to forge a stronger, more robust version of ourselves? That’s the essence of antifragility.
This talk isn’t about being resilient — it’s about learning to resist resilience. I don’t just tell my story; I unpack the toolkit it gave me.
Blending raw personal narrative with laugh-out-loud moments and powerful insight, this isn’t motivational in the traditional sense — in fact, it’s everything motivational talks usually aren’t. Through profound loss, I discovered how adversity can become a blueprint for growth: from adaptation and redefining problems, to leveraging momentum, thinking laterally, challenging false assumptions, and turning obstacles into opportunity.
This isn’t inspiration porn — it’s a practical guide for anyone who wants to do more than withstand change, but actually welcome it as a catalyst for growth. Expect dry humour, blunt honesty, actionable takeaways, and a distinct lack of eye rolls.
Buckle up for a light-hearted masterclass in creative problem-solving and using your limitations to your advantage — disguised as a story about an average guy trying to find his feet.
Be prepared to laugh at some things you think you probably shouldn’t.
Design for One, Design for All: Universal Design
Most innovation stories begin with a big idea.
This one starts with a vegetable peeler.
Universal Design is about more than accessibility — it’s about creativity. It’s the art of designing for the extremes and discovering, almost accidentally, that what works for some can work better for everyone.
Design sits at the core of every product, service, environment, or user experience. We, too, design the world we inhabit. This talk explores how the limitations we often ignore can become launchpads for better design — and even innovation. It’s not about accessibility as charity; it’s about uncovering competitive advantages in places your competitors aren’t looking.
Blending amusing historical anecdotes, real-world examples, and stories from my own experience with problem-solving, I unpack how designing for the margins can reveal hidden advantages in the middle. From the “curb-cut effect” to the “precursory effect,” we’ll explore how creativity is often obscured by narrow objectives, and how to adopt a broader design mindset.
This is an entertaining masterclass in accessible innovation — and how it drives better design, better business, and better human experiences.
This isn’t a talk about disability — it’s a talk about perspective. You’ll leave questioning the myth of the “average user,” seeing constraints as creative tools, and understanding why your most extreme users might just be your best ones.
Expect dry wit, curious history, and a few uncomfortable truths about the way we build our world — all wrapped in a story about why designing for one is really designing for all.