Alex Staniforth
Adversity Adventurer Alex Staniforth is a record-breaking adventurer, motivational speaker, author and charity founder from Cheshire who has never taken the conventional path to the top.
At 28, Alex Staniforth is no stranger to adversity and overcoming challenges, having survived the two most significant disasters in Mount Everest history as a teenager. But his biggest challenges have been much closer to home, suffering with epilepsy, bullying, mental ill health and a stammer since childhood. Now he is committed to helping others embrace challenges and achieve their own Everest. After single-handedly raising over £35,000 in corporate sponsorship whilst still at school, Alex’s first attempt to climb Mount Everest in 2014 was abandoned following a tragic avalanche that took sixteen lives.
Adversity brings opportunity, and Alex Staniforth has now raised over £100,000 for charity and published two books, Icefall and Another Peak. In 2017 he became the fastest person ever to climb all 100 UK county tops by bicycle, foot and kayak, covering over 5,000 miles in 72 days, and winning a Pride of Britain award. In 2020 he completed the National Three Peaks entirely on foot – running 452 miles in just 9 days 12 hours.
In 2020 he founded Mind Over Mountains, a national charity to restore mental well-being through nature, working in partnership with the NHS, Police and Ambulance Service. In our post-pandemic world, resilience is less about enduring, and more about recharging to move forwards.
Through the lens of adventure, ultra-endurance and mental health, Alex shares his insights and challenges with a relatable vulnerability and actionable tools that audiences can apply to their own challenges at home and work. As a motivational and keynote speaker, he has already helped teams and leaders at global organisations including Rolls-Royce Submarines, Samsung, the NHS, Bank of America, FedEx and Heineken build the resilience and motivation for the challenges ahead, re-define success and achieve the extraordinary. Why settle for Base Camp?
SPEAKING TOPICS
Alex’s presentations explore the following key topics:
- Resilience through Adversity – building the tools and growth mindset to stay productive through crises, uncertainty and pressure Achieving Potential – embracing failure to re-define success and achieve the extraordinary
- Mental Health – proactively managing well-being and opening the conversation around mental health
- Managing Change – maintaining motivation and performance when the goalposts are shifting
- Vulnerability in Leadership – re-defining resilience to recharge and prevent burnout
Alex delivered a virtual motivational speech via Skype to circa 150 leaders in our business. The event was very well received with many leaders commenting on the relevance of Alex’s journey to our challenges and since the event several leaders have linked back to Alex’s content – describing their “resilience rucksack” and the question “are you pulling on the rope?” has entered our lexicon.
— Robert Neale, GM Core Manufacture, Rolls-Royce Submarines
"Your presentation was riveting, engaging and inspirational. We have received such overwhelming feedback on how your story resonated with the team and how it was what they needed at such an appropriate time. This is what we wanted and you certainly delivered!"
— Seema Hallon, Head of Office Dubai, Deriv.com
I just wanted to say a massive thank you. Thank you for giving your time and for giving people the platform to listen, learn and talk. In my view, you will have made a difference that is much bigger than you may think or ever know.”
— Chris Mead, Chief Superintendent, Cambridgeshire Constabulary
