First Sergeant Matt Eversmann: Black Hawk Down
Leadership and resilience keynote speaker Matt Eversmann draws on frontline combat experience to teach courage, accountability, and teamwork under pressure in unpredictable, high-stakes environments.
Quick Facts:
- Highlights:
- Bronze Star Medal with Valor recipient
- Central figure in the Battle of Mogadishu, depicted in Black Hawk Down
- Former instructor at the Army War College and Johns Hopkins University
- Combat deployments in Somalia and Iraq
- Formats: Leadership and resilience keynote speaker, military leadership expert
- Audiences: Corporate leaders, executive teams, government agencies, students, and organizations focused on leadership, resilience, and crisis management
- Outcomes:
- Stronger understanding of leadership under extreme pressure
- Practical lessons in accountability, teamwork, and decision-making
- Renewed commitment to service, resilience, and shared responsibility
- Travels from: West Palm Beach, FL
- **Fee range: $10,000 - $15,000
Talent Services
Keynote Topics:
Strategic Shock: Leadership Lessons for Business from Black Hawk Down
The business world, regardless of industry, is filled with uncertainty, chaos and the unexpected. Welcome to the “Urban Battlefield.” Strip away the drama of gun fights and the frustration of Murphy’s Law the lessons learned from battle during Black Hawk Down or Iraq are directly applicable to leaders at all levels of business. There is no business plan to help leaders avoid ‘Strategic Shock’, but this story of elite teams with high standards, solid leadership, followership and teamwork will get the conversation started.
Matt will walk the audience through his experiences as a young leader (manager) thrust into a “must win” situation in the harshest times. With Matt’s post military experiences as a leader in the corporate world (healthcare, non-profit and technology) he literally can “talk the talk and walk the walk” about what really translates from the battlefields versus what just sounds good. Matt explains why his theories and lessons positively affect individuals and institutions. What they hear on Friday they can apply on Monday. His talk resonates particularly with the audiences who have to execute, who have to lead and manage, and who ultimately have to answer for their delivery of goods and services. This is a war story like no other.
Key takeaways:
- High standards (excellence) doesn’t cost a penny but takes commitment from leaders.
- Every member of every team is responsible and accountable for something; leaders must ensure they know what that something is.
- Strategic decisions immediately affect execution; managers are the ones who make everything happen.
- There are incalculable consequences caused by events out of anyone’s control, teams must
FUSION Leadership: How to be an Elite Leader and Manager
How can you be elite if you were never in the military?
If you don’t have the entire might of the US Congress supporting you and your authority isn’t backed by the Constitution how can you expect every member of your team to “be like an operator”?
The truth is that you can’t. None of us can. But you don’t have to have served to be a great leader. Most of us must manage small teams and that is the secret to FUSION leadership. Matt spent almost half of his career as a leader with the elite Army Rangers and about the same in the conventional forces so he knows both sides well.
He knows about high standards, accountability, and responsibility. A leadership award winner at almost every professional school he attended, Matt devised a system of leadership where we all can influence our teams and get the same results as elite Army Rangers.
Talent Short Bio
Matt Eversmann is a retired U.S. Army First Sergeant, leadership speaker, and combat veteran whose experience during the Battle of Mogadishu became widely known through the film Black Hawk Down. His story is a powerful real-world case study in leadership, resilience, and decision-making amid chaos.
In October 1993, while deployed to Somalia with Task Force Ranger, Matt was placed in charge of a group of Army Rangers during a daylight raid that quickly escalated into a prolonged urban firefight. Trapped in hostile territory and under constant threat, he led his soldiers through extreme adversity. For his actions and leadership under fire, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor.
Following Somalia, Matt dedicated himself to developing future leaders. He served as an instructor at the Army War College and taught leadership at Johns Hopkins University. In 2006, he deployed to Iraq as a Company First Sergeant with the 10th Mountain Division during The Surge, spending 15 months embedded with the Iraqi Army. He retired in 2008 after 20 years of active service.
Read Full Bio
First Sergeant Matt Eversmann’s harrowing experience during the Battle of Mogadishu, famously depicted in “Black Hawk Down,” has become a testament to courage and leadership under fire. His story not only highlights the chaos of combat but also underscores the profound lessons of duty and resilience that are essential in both military and civilian life.
In August 1993, Matt Eversmann and his company were deployed to Mogadishu, Somalia, as part of Task Force Ranger. On October 3, 1993, he was placed in charge of a group of Army Rangers to lead a daytime raid against an eager enemy militia. During this mission, he and his fellow soldiers were trapped in a hostile district of Mogadishu and marked for death by an angry mob. His inspiring story of survival was immortalized in the epic film, “Black Hawk Down,” which recounts the harrowing experience. For his actions on the battlefield, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor device.
After Somalia, Matt Eversmann dedicated himself to educating future military leaders. He served at the Army War College and taught at Johns Hopkins University. In 2006, he deployed to Iraq as a company First Sergeant with the 10th Mountain Division’s 2BCT, spending 15 months embedded with the Iraqi Army during “The Surge.” He remained on active duty until May 2008, retiring after 20 years of service.
Hashtags: #MattEversmann #BlackHawkDown #Leadership #Resilience #MilitarySpeaker
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Overview:
The reviews for this listing highlight an overwhelmingly positive experience with the keynote speaker, who is praised for being both gracious and inspiring. Users emphasize his engaging presence and the impactful nature of his speech, describing him as a true gentleman and an American hero. There are no notable weaknesses mentioned in the reviews, indicating a high level of satisfaction among attendees.
Strengths:
- Engaging and mesmerizing performance
- Gracious and humble demeanor
- Inspiring and impactful speech
Weaknesses:
- None mentioned.
Overall, this speaker is highly recommended for events seeking a captivating and motivational presence.
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