Jo Bradshaw is an Everest summiteer, inspirational adventurer, public speaker, leadership coach and expedition leader whose journey from a risk-averse, comfort-loving business advisor to a record-setting mountaineer is nothing short of transformative. Once a self-confessed “no-sayer” who feared both failure and success, Jo reshaped her life by saying “yes” a little more often – a decision that took her far beyond her expectations. In 2016, she stood on the summit of Mount Everest, just a year after surviving the devastating 7.8 magnitude Nepal earthquake while at Camp 1. In 2024, she completed the Seven Summits, reaching the highest mountain on each continent – an extraordinary achievement that places her among an elite group of global mountaineers. Alongside her climbs, she has raised over £45,000 for Place2Be, the UK’s leading children’s mental health charity.
Jo’s passion for adventure began in 2004 with a parachute jump for charity, a moment that challenged her view of fear and risk and led to a complete shift in perspective. Soon after, she tackled a 500km cycling challenge across Peru, igniting a desire to keep pushing beyond her perceived limits. Leaving behind her corporate career, Jo became an Outdoor Instructor and gained her Mountain Leader qualification, eventually moving into expedition leadership with Discover Adventure before going freelance. She has since led over 37 expeditions on Mount Kilimanjaro, climbed two 8000m peaks (Everest and Manaslu), and guided teams through some of the world’s harshest and most remote environments – from the Himalayas to Antarctica.
In her work as a Leadership Development Coach and Public Speaker, Jo uses her experience in extreme conditions to deliver impactful and relevant lessons for the corporate world. Her talks and programmes focus on resilience, reframing fear, embracing change, and leading under pressure – showing that the strategies she’s honed on the mountain are just as effective in the boardroom. She’s a strong advocate for the idea that empathy is not a soft skill, but an essential one, particularly when leading teams through uncertainty and challenge. Jo’s ability to connect with audiences through storytelling, vulnerability and hard-won experience makes her a sought-after speaker and mentor.
A firm believer in paying it forward, Jo champions others to achieve what they once thought impossible – just as one friend once did for her. She now lives by her late father’s mantra, “Say yes now and work it out later,” and inspires others to embrace that mindset too. Whether working with corporate leaders, schools or individual clients, Jo creates space for personal growth, confidence and clarity. Her message is clear: growth happens at the edge of our comfort zones, and we are all capable of more than we imagine – we just need to take that first step.
Jo Bradshaw's official speaking topics are listed below.
- Being a Champion - To Others and Yourself
- Resilience - How it Can Be Built in Small Steps, Not Just with Big Disasters
- Reframing Fear - How to Make it Work Positively for You
- Menopause - Embracing the Change
- Empathy - How to Use it Wisely and Encouragingly
Official Feedback from In-Person & Online Events
Official Feedback from In-Person Events
"Jo provided a thoroughly engaging, inspirational and motivational talk on navigating the challenges of her journey to the top of the world. It provided a relatable context to our journey and a real sense of what is possible when you go all in." - Charlie, Head of Women's Performance, RFU
"Jo was a fantastic keynote speaker to close a day of conference for a large group of around 150 people. She brilliantly mixed humour, emotion and insight in a talk that kept the whole audience engaged and enthralled. Many of the audience said later that Jo was their highlight of the day. Thoroughly recommended!" - Gareth, CEO, First Intuition
"Jo spoke at our inaugural Women in Policing Conference, she was inspirational, engaging and made people think differently about confidently taking on new challenges that stretch you as a person." - Leanne, Personal Assistant to Deputy Chief Constable Phil Cain
"An inspirational talk from an inspirational individual. Jo Bradshaw joined us for our Founders’ Day service on recommendation and we were absolutely thrilled by the outcome. What Jo has not achieved in her time is potentially not worth even thinking about! Selfless, determined, positive, adaptable and solution focussed Jo took on many a challenge to overcome her own fears and in support of those less fortunate than herself. The message was jaw dropping and such an appropriate message to the students who we empower to dream big and take every opportunity irrespective of where it may take them. She is an example to us all – I highly recommend her." - Liz, Head, Burgess Hill Girls
"Working with Jo is exceptional. We have used her many times throughout the delivery of our High Performing Team programme and large off-site engagements. The insights shared help the client translate the learnings into the corporate leadership landscape. Jo’s story is delivered from the experience of climbing Mount Everest and tackling other extreme adventures. She is engaging, humble, relatable and a pleasure to work with. Jo also has a very unique perspective on leadership and one that resonates at all levels. We continue to use Jo and the feedback remains excellent.” - Ian, CEO, Coaching Centred Leadership
- 2025 – Set to complete the 7 Summits challenge with Carstensz Pyramid, West Papua, becoming one of the few climbers to summit the highest peak on each continent
- 2024 – One mountain away from completing the coveted 7 Summits, having successfully climbed six of the world's highest continental peaks
- 2016 – Summited Mount Everest (8,848m), overcoming personal fears and physical challenges to reach the top of the world
- 2015 – Survived the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake while at Camp 1 on Everest, an experience that strengthened resilience and leadership under extreme conditions
- 2010s – Became an Expedition Leader, guiding students and adults on high-altitude adventures worldwide, sharing the power of the outdoors and personal growth
- 2010s – Transitioned into an Outdoor Instructor role, mentoring and assessing Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions in the UK, helping young people build resilience and leadership skills
- 2010s – Established herself as a Public Speaker and Leadership Development Coach, delivering inspirational talks and impactful leadership programmes to schools and businesses
- 2004 – Took part in a 500km charity bike challenge in Peru for Asthma UK, igniting a passion for adventure that led to a complete career transformation
- Early 2000s – Left a risk-averse corporate career as a Business Advisor to embrace a life of adventure, learning to reframe fear and push beyond self-imposed limits
How to hire Jo Bradshaw
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Jo Bradshaw for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
