Ife Thomas

Ife Thomas is a dynamic and widely respected neurodiversity speaker, leadership expert, storytelling coach, and inclusion advocate. She first stepped into the public eye as a professional dancer, rising to fame on The X Factor. From performing in girl bands and appearing on the BBC to starring in music videos and commercials, Ife’s early career was filled with fast-paced excitement and spotlight. Sadly, her vibrant performing journey came to a sudden halt due to a serious knee injury. Rather than be discouraged, Ife shifted her focus, gaining national attention on Big Brother in 2010. Her confidence and charisma won the hearts of audiences, setting the stage for her next chapter as an author, speaker, and entrepreneur.

Transitioning from entertainment to business, Ife has since become an empowering force in multiple industries. She went on to serve as Executive Director of The Ladder Agency, before stepping into the role of Managing Director at The National Accountancy Network, where she nurtured a deep interest in business leadership. Under her stewardship, the organisation flourished. She later founded the National Network of Chartered Accountants and the mental wellbeing company MindWorkOut. Alongside these ventures, Ife created The Confidence Star, a unique wellbeing and confidence-building tool now used in schools, workplaces and healthcare settings. A mother of two boys, one of whom is autistic, Ife regularly delivers talks on resilience, confidence, self-esteem, and parenting neurodivergent children. Her bestselling book, 'PowerLift Your Career: Everything You Need to Succeed', offers practical tools for personal and professional growth.

As an autistic individual herself and mother to two autistic sons, Ife brings a deeply personal and authentic perspective to her advocacy. She believes connection is a shared responsibility - often saying she’s like “a PC in a world full of Macs” - and is on a mission to help people find the connector that enables true collaboration. Her TEDx talk, 'Own Your Shine', and viral LinkedIn post, 'We Are All on the Spectrum… No, We’re Not', which has had over 250,000 views, have sparked widespread conversation about neurodiversity and inclusion. Ife is the creator of the FABULOUS Framework, which champions flexible thinking, authentic leadership, bold innovation, understanding, limitless growth, originality, unleashing potential, and sustainable success—a blueprint used by organisations to create inclusive cultures. Her signature talks include The Three R’s, The Power of Connection, and Building Unshakable, Unstoppable Self-Confidence—practical, uplifting, and rooted in lived experience and behavioural science.

Throughout her career, Ife has delivered motivational keynotes to leading companies including Sony, eBay, BP, ClearScore, Snapchat, ITV Embrace, NatWest, LabTech, Starbucks, Specsavers, Mind, and the NHS, where she recently addressed over 100 leaders at their annual conference. She also worked with Starbucks to feature The Confidence Star in selected stores and is co-host of the successful podcast 'Everything You Need to Succeed', with over 50,000 downloads. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she supported mental health by founding online communities such as Lockdown Motivation: Powerlift Your Life, and launched her radio show, Feel Good Friday. Ife has also been a visible voice for the Black Lives Matter movement, using her platform to advocate for equity and racial justice following the death of George Floyd. Now completing her MBA at Cranfield University, Ife continues to inspire students, CEOs and policy makers alike, empowering them to lead with courage, compassion, and authenticity.