Ben Smith

From suffering the effects of bullying for years to becoming an endurance athlete and fundraising hero, Ben Smith’s story is one of the most inspirational on the circuit. Motivated by his desire to ‘find his happy’, Ben, having achieved his goal and the incredible 401 Challenge, now uses his platform to support others in creating a fulfilled life. Whether he’s presenting to school children or business associates, Ben’s talk motivates every demographic to pursue their ambitions, and live unapologetically as themselves. For corporate clients, the message that an empowered workforce is a productive workforce is highly impactful, leaving a long-lasting impression at events.

The son of a military family, Ben went to boarding school at a young age, where he endured years of mental and physical bullying. Battling with his sexuality, and low self-esteem, Ben’s mental health was in despair, and he was driven to suicidal thoughts. Fast forward to his late 20s and Ben, who was over 16 stone and having suffered a Transient Ischemic Attack, decided to tackle his demons. Crediting a local running club with helping him find his happy, Ben not only transformed his life, but was motivated to do the same for others. Founding and completing the 401 Challenge, 401 marathons in 401 days, between 2015 and 2016, Ben provided essential awareness for anti-bullying and smashed his fundraising target to secure £330,000 for Stonewall and Kidscape.

Speaking at over 400 engagements internationally, the power of Ben’s personal journey has inspired nearly 100,000 individuals to nurture a happy life. Teaching his audiences the importance of living authentically, Ben explores the topics of LGBT+, mental health and healing through sport, using his captivating story as an example. In 2016, Ben shared a TEDxYouth talk titled ‘Happiness’ which addressed how he changed his life through an improved mindset. Equally relevant for corporate audiences, Ben instills the skills required to triumph over adversity and establish strong mental resilience, which are highly beneficial to business environments. Elite Travel, Insurance Institute of Ipswich and Cintra, have already utilised Ben to inspire their employees.

Establishing the 401 Challenge, and the 401 Foundation, Ben’s ventures are supporting his aim of building confidence, self-esteem and ultimately happier lives for others. The recipient of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award, and the Pride of Britain National & Regional Fundraiser of the Year 2016, Ben’s positive influence has captured the nation. Set to embark on his next great feat in 2022, the USA Challenge will see Ben run a marathon in each state capital and cycle between them, he will complete 14,000 miles in just 104 days.