Named The #1 Female Motivational Speaker By Global Gurus, Professional Adventurer Who Successfully Rowed Solo Across The Atlantic Ocean & Author of “Rowing It Alone”
Debra Searle’s Biography:
Debra Searle MBE MVO is a professional adventurer, entrepreneur and internationally recognised motivational speaker. She first came to global attention after rowing solo across the Atlantic Ocean, an achievement that transformed her life and established her as a leading voice on resilience, courage and mindset. Since then, Debra has dedicated her career to helping individuals and organisations develop the mental strength and adaptability needed to thrive through challenge and change.
Debra’s passion for adventure and challenge began at a young age through experiences such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award and Ten Tors. Her early competitive career saw her represent Great Britain in Dragon Boat racing, where she earned multiple medals at European and World Championship levels. In 2002, during a transatlantic rowing race, her rowing partner withdrew early in the journey. Debra chose to continue alone, completing the 3,300-mile row from Tenerife to Barbados and proving that determination and mindset can overcome even the most daunting obstacles.
Following her Atlantic row, Debra continued to push her limits through endurance expeditions, including leading an all-female Arctic challenge and undertaking major long-distance cycling events. Alongside her adventures, she built a career in broadcasting and writing, sharing stories of perseverance and human potential. She is the author of ‘Rowing It Alone’ and ‘The Journey: How to Achieve Against the Odds’, both of which explore the psychology of achievement and overcoming adversity.
Debra is also a successful entrepreneur and advocate for young people and diversity, founding Shoal Projects and MIX Diversity Developers. Her contributions to charity, youth development and enterprise were recognised with an MBE and later an MVO. Through all her work, Debra champions the belief that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary things when they choose their attitude and commit to a clear goal.
Why Hire Debra Searle?
Debra is hired as a speaker for her extraordinary real-life story of resilience, courage and positive mindset under extreme pressure. Her TEDx talk “Choose Your Attitude” captures her core message that mindset, not circumstance, determines performance and outcomes. She translates lessons from life-threatening environments into practical tools for leadership, teamwork and personal accountability that resonate powerfully in business settings.
With more than two decades of professional speaking experience, Debra has delivered keynotes at over 1,300 events across more than 40 countries. She combines warmth, humour and hard-earned credibility, leaving audiences energised, emotionally moved and equipped with simple, memorable strategies to perform at their best through change, challenge and uncertainty.
Debra Searle’s Career Highlights:
Here are some of the key milestones that define Debra Searle’s inspirational career:
- 2025 – Began her 50 in 50 challenge, undertaking 50 stand-up paddleboarding sessions to mark her milestone year while promoting resilience, wellbeing and the power of consistent personal challenge.
- 2023 – Delivered a keynote at the Virtual Wellbeing Festival for Integrated Care Northamptonshire NHS, focusing on resilience and wellbeing.
- 2021 – Ranked the number one female motivational speaker and third best motivational speaker in the world by Global Gurus.
- 2017 – Completed a long-distance cycling mission from Valencia to Barcelona, continuing her record of endurance challenges.
- 2015 – Led the Women’s Arctic Challenge, an all-female expedition across Baffin Island in the Arctic Circle.
- 2014 – Appointed a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) for services to charity and young people.
- 2002 – Appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to charity and youth development.
- 2002 – Completed a solo row across the Atlantic Ocean after her rowing partner withdrew, covering 3,300 miles from Tenerife to Barbados.
- 1999 – Won bronze, silver and gold medals at the Nottingham Dragon Boat World Championships representing Great Britain.
- 1998 – Won bronze, silver and gold medals at the European Dragon Boat Championships in Rome.
Videos
Debra Searle’s Official Keynote Speaking Videos & Showreel:
Testimonials
“‘I cannot thank you enough for the fantastic session you delivered at IFS today. You left me feeling incredibly empowered and motivated and you are an incredible role model for professional women (and men) across the globe. It was so refreshing to see a human presentation filled with compassion, honesty and humour. You are an inspiration and your messages resonated with me loud and clear. Thank you so much, I’m excited to tell my colleagues about you and share your message. – IFS, Institute for Fiscal Studies
“The way that Debra translates her experience into actionable day to day practices to change behaviour and get into a positive mindset is very powerful.” – Katja, Biogen
“What an outstanding job! The feedback on your session has been incredible. I think the note sent to me by our Global Head of Customer Success sums it up best… ‘She is amazing and this is so the most unbelievably timely presentation ever!!!!’.” – Seth, Global Head of Sales Enablement, Data & Analytics, London Stock Exchange Group
“Debra’s speech went down tremendously well thank you, the feedback was awesome. What a truly astounding story she has to tell. Her experiences were very relevant to many of the emotions we all share amongst the team at the moment too and she offered the tangible examples of how to deal with these, as we were hoping.” – Kate, Microsoft
“Debra not only has a great story to tell, but she uses her experiences to support real business situations and bring alive those everyday moments faced by leaders. She clearly understood our organisation and within an hour had totally transformed the mindset of some of the most ‘fixed’ people in this intimate audience.” – Anthony, TMF Group
Speaking Topics
Debra Searle’s Official Keynote Topics:
- Choose Your Attitude – It’s Not Magic, It’s Mindset
- Practical Tools for Building Resilience
- Mindset Strategies for Not Just Coping But Excelling During Periods of Change
- Personal Motivation Ideas for When the Journey Only Seems to be Getting Harder
- Teamwork – Even When Miles Apart
- Achieving Seemingly Impossible Goals
- How to Guard Your Mental & Physical Wellbeing When the Pressure is On
How Much Does Debra Searle Cost to Hire?
How Much Does it Cost to Hire Debra Searle?
The cost of hiring Debra Searle varies depending on the event format, location, audience size and duration of appearance. For an accurate and tailored quote, please contact a London Keynote Speakers Agency booking agent for expert guidance.