Josh Sundquist: Motivational Paralympian

Paralympian, cancer survivor, and bestselling author who transforms adversity into unforgettable lessons on resilience, creativity, and courage.

Quick Facts:

Highlights:
  • Childhood cancer to Paralympian
  • 1+ billion viral views
  • Emmy-winning Apple TV+ show

Formats Available: Keynote talks, motivational sessions, leadership conferences, virtual events
Preferred Audience Sizes: Corporates, educators, healthcare, youth organizations, associations
Outcomes:
  1. Rekindle adaptability through humor and self-belief.
  2. Build resilience by celebrating incremental progress.
  3. Bring empathy to leadership through lived vulnerability.

Travel & Fee Range:**

  • Travels from: Santa Monica, CA, USA
  • **Fee range: On Request

Keynote Topics

Josh shares how his training motto—One More Thing, One More Time—carried him from cancer and amputation to Paralympic skiing, bestselling books, and Apple TV+. It’s a hilarious, heart-wrenching, and surprisingly practical exploration of what it means to be—and to thrive as—a human.

Part masterclass in resilience, part strategy session, Josh blends comedy, storytelling, and interactive moments to deliver a powerful message about “adaptive resilience” in the face of challenge. Josh delivers an unforgettable experience that will leave your audiences gasping for air—from laughter, from awe, from the sheer audacity of hope. Your team will be uplifted by hard-won insight and empowering humor. They will go home feeling connected to deep wells of inner courage, ready to conquer their own mountains.

Talent Short Bio

Josh Sundquist is a Paralympian, bestselling author, Emmy-winning Apple TV+ storyteller, and electrifying motivational speaker. At the age of nine, he lost his left leg to cancer, yet persisted to become a member of the U.S. Paralympic ski team. His best-selling memoir, Just Don’t Fall, and his memoir-based Apple TV+ series Best Foot Forward, chronicle his extraordinary journey with heart, humor, and humility.

Josh’s viral storytelling backed by over a billion views across platforms melds stand-up comedy with poignant reflection, earning him recognition as a leader in adaptive resilience. Over the years, he has addressed audiences ranging from The White House and Fortune 500 companies to schools, delivering customized keynotes under his mantra “1MT1MT” (One More Thing, One More Time). He delivers with warmth, laughter, and clarity, showing how courage and humor can transform adversity into opportunity.

Josh Sundquist is a Paralympian, bestselling author, and Emmy-winning Apple TV+ storyteller whose videos have generated over one billion video views. He inspires audiences to live by his mantra 1MT1MT (One More Thing, One More Time).

Your attendees will leave energized and equipped to:

  • Foster forward-thinking amid market volatility
  • Rebound from disappointment
  • Do 1MT1MT to embrace transformation
  • Keep a growth mindset—and a sense of humor

Josh collaborates closely with your planning team to customize each keynote to your audience, event theme, and company culture. He blends clean stand-up comedy with soulful storytelling and research-backed takeaways. Hilarious audience interactions are punctuated by moments of profound reflection. It’s a roller-coaster experience of laughter, insight, and inspiration.

Audiences leave with renewed resolve to overcome both personal and professional challenges. They gain a fresh perspective on grit, gratitude, and potential. Josh Sundquist’s message of 1MT1MT becomes a lasting internal mantra. Months and even years later, attendees quote the keynote and apply its lessons with their teams. It’s an experience they’ll never forget.

View All Speakers and follow us on Twitter

Videos

Josh delivers a dynamic mix of humor and inspiration, weaving personal stories, resilience frameworks, and audience laughter into a keynote that sticks.

Transcript

  • Humor & Creativity: Shares inventive Halloween costumes, proving that constraints spark creativity rather than limit it.
  • Resilience Mantra: Introduces his motto 1MT1MT (“one more thing, one more time”), encouraging audiences to keep pushing beyond setbacks.
  • Olympic Dream: Recounts his journey from amputation at nine years old to marching in the Paralympic Games wearing the red, white, and blue of Team USA.
  • Facing Change: Redefines setbacks as opportunities, framing them as “adaptive resilience.”
  • Humor About Hair Loss: Lightens the room with jokes about aging and hair loss, tying it back to gratitude for survival and growth.
  • Key Challenge: Encourages people to tackle their hardest tasks first—“worst first”—to build strength and momentum.
  • AI & Humanity: Explains how technology (like his AI-controlled leg) makes him more human, not less, because it makes him a better father.
  • Representation: Shares the importance of visibility for people with disabilities—being the role model he never had as a child.
  • Final Inspiration: Reflects on his childhood amputation and the advice he’d give his 9-year-old self: “No matter how many times you fall down, just keep getting back up.”

Key Moments

0:00 – 1:15: Creative Halloween costumes as a metaphor for reframing constraints
1:20 – 3:00: The 1MT1MT motto and Paralympic journey
3:05 – 5:30: Adaptive resilience + “worst first” principle
5:35 – 7:30: Humor about aging, hair loss, and gratitude for survival
7:35 – 9:00: Technology & AI leg → how tools enhance humanity
9:05 – 10:30: Representation and pride in being “the same sort of different”
10:35 – End: Emotional closing: advice to his younger self + audience testimonials

Interest to Book? Send us your enquiry

Speaker Contact Form

Enquiry Form

In order to view the below you must be logged in.

  • Powerpoint Slide – For meeting and event planners
  • Gallery Images
  • High Resolution Images
  • PDF Files
  • Books and Magazine Links
  • Music List
  • Podcast Shows
  • Courses
  • + more

Talent FAQ's

Q1. Is his message uplifting or overly sentimental?

A1. Uplifting, grounded in authenticity and unforgettable humor.

A2. Absolutely—his style inspires and connects across professional cultures.

A3. Yes—he bridges reflection, laughter, and strategy in accessible ways.

You may be interested in...

  • (62)
Jessie Camacho

Jessie Camacho has solidified her reputation as an experienced event moderator and emcee with over two decades of professional event hosting and facilitation experience. She has worked across various industries, including corporate, entertainment, nonprofit, and educational sectors, seamlessly engaging audiences of all sizes. Whether hosting large-scale corporate conferences, moderating high-stakes panels, or facilitating intimate roundtable […]

  • Travels from: Los Angeles, CA
  • Event Emcee
  • (25)
Brad Sugars - Business Principles

Brad Sugars is a dynamic and influential speaker known for his powerful stage presence and ability to inspire and unify audiences. As a successful entrepreneur, business coach, and author, Brad has dedicated his career to helping individuals and organizations achieve their highest potential. His engaging presentations, filled with actionable insights and motivational anecdotes, resonate deeply […]

  • Travels from: Las Vegas, NV
  • Business Speakers
  • (21)
  • (2)
Adam Cheyer

Best known as a creator of Siri, Apple’s AI assistant, Adam Cheyer is a visionary pioneer in artificial intelligence and computer-human interaction. With a career spanning decades at the forefront of technological innovation, he has helped shape the evolution of AI, voice interfaces, and the future of human-computer collaboration. As an inventor with 39 patents, […]

  • Travels from: San Francisco, CA
  • Innovation Speakers
  • (25)

Lenora Billings-Harris, CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) is a CPAE (Council of Peers Award of Excellence) Hall of Fame speaker and an internationally recognized authority in the areas of inclusion, diversity, and bias. She has been included as one of the 100 Global Thought Leaders on Diversity and Inclusion by The Society of Human Resource Management […]

  • Travels from: Greensboro, NC
  • Diversity Speakers
  • (10)
Tyler Cohen Wood

Tyler Cohen Wood is a globally recognized expert in cybersecurity and digital intelligence, captivating audiences with her profound insights into navigating the ever-evolving digital landscape. With a career spanning decades in top-tier government and private sector roles, Tyler has earned her place as a trusted authority in protecting sensitive information, combating cyber threats, and fostering […]

  • Travels from: Washington, DC
  • Cybersecurity Speakers
  • (46)
  • (1)
Salim Ismail | The Salim Ismail Podcast

Salim Ismail is a visionary strategist and a renowned technology entrepreneur who has profoundly impacted the global business landscape. As the founding executive director of Singularity University and the author of the best-selling book Exponential Organizations, Salim has become a leading authority on disruptive innovation and exponential technologies.  As a speaker, Salim’s influence extends far […]

  • Travels from: Miami, FL
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • (9)

Peter Dinklage has become a household name, captivating audiences worldwide with his extraordinary talent and charismatic presence. Best known for his portrayal of Tyrion Lannister in HBO’s critically acclaimed TV series “Game of Thrones,” Dinklage’s career spans over two decades, marked by a series of impressive performances on both stage and screen. His ability to […]

  • Travels from: Los Angeles, CA
  • Celebrity Speakers
  • (18)
Patrizia Yeung

Patrizia Yeung is an award-winning trilingual asian event emcee, a corporate trainer specialises in communications and international etiquette, as well as an entrepreneur. ​Born and raised in the dynamic international city of Hong Kong, Patrizia is a global citizen who has an international mindset extensively exposed to other cultures. Growing up, Patrizia received education not […]

  • Travels from: Hong Kong
  • Event Emcee
Disclaimer
The profiles and images embedded on these pages are from various conference entertainers and other talent.

These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by Speakers Inc.

Fee ranges where listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only.

All talent fees exclude VAT, travel and accommodation where required.

Subscribe to our Newsletter and get connected:

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated.

We use Brevo as our marketing platform. By submitting this form you agree that the personal data you provided will be transferred to Brevo for processing in accordance with Brevo's Privacy Policy.

Our Mission:

We are your partner creating memorable and engaging experiences that go beyond the event itself.

© All rights reserved 2025.  Designed using Voxel

Speakers Inc Logo 2024
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.