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Rachel Kelsey Colenso is an outstanding conference and motivational speaker with a wealth of adventurous experiences that she links seamlessly into a business context and everyday life situations.
Rachel Colenso is one of the world’s most extraordinary female adventurers and a highly sought-after motivational speaker. With over two decades of experience tackling some of the planet’s most challenging environments, Rachel draws powerful parallels between surviving in extreme conditions and thriving in business and everyday life.
A ‘Super Human’ finalist in the UK Channel 4 television series, Rachel made world headlines in 2003 when she was dramatically rescued from a sheer ice face at 3000m during an extreme blizzard in the Swiss Alps. Her gripping story of survival — recounted in her inspiring book, In a High and Desperate Place — leaves audiences on the edge of their seats, reflecting on their own resilience and decision-making under pressure.
Rachel is one of only four women ever to attempt the gruelling British SAS Special Forces selection process, and her career includes everything from stunt work for film and television, to fronting global advertising campaigns. Her expeditions span the globe: from climbing Yosemite’s legendary Half Dome, to leading a team through Guyana’s Amazon rainforest, opening new ice routes on Norway’s frozen waterfalls, and being part of an historic Everest support expedition that helped paraplegic climber Glen Shaw set a new altitude record.
Rachel believes wholeheartedly in the power of teamwork, calculated risk-taking, and the limitless potential of the human spirit. She combines breath-taking visuals and captivating footage with practical insights, making her an outstanding speaker for leadership events, conferences, and organisations looking to inspire their teams to go beyond what they believe is possible.
Rachel transports audiences into a world where risk is the norm and sound decision-making can be a matter of life or death. Drawing from her extraordinary career as an adventurer and expedition leader, from scaling sheer rock faces to surviving fierce blizzards and remote jungle treks.
Rachel inspires audiences to step outside their comfort zones, embrace challenge, and seize new opportunities. Her stories ignite a sense of courage, curiosity, and adventure in life and business alike.
Adventure is, by nature, unpredictable and Rachel is no stranger to shifting plans, high-risk decisions, and operating in rapidly changing conditions. In this keynote, she explores how to adapt positively to uncertainty, manage risk intelligently, and maintain clarity in the face of the unknown. Through powerful stories and lessons from her expeditions, Rachel equips organisations and individuals with the mindset and strategies to stay agile, embrace change, and turn uncertainty into opportunity.
Great leadership is forged in the fire of experience, and Rachel has led teams through jungles, across frozen landscapes, and up sheer cliff faces. In this session, she shares how effective leadership isn’t about knowing it all but about decision-making, resilience, humility, and nurturing the collective strength of the team. Rachel introduces the concept of a Growth Mindset through her own setbacks, failures and successes, showing how it empowers individuals and organisations to continually evolve, learn and lead with confidence.
In extreme environments, cohesive teamwork and clear communication aren’t optional, they’re survival skills. Rachel brings these principles to life through vivid expedition stories where collaboration, trust, and the ability to listen and adapt made the difference between success and failure. This keynote highlights how shared goals, pooling skills and open, honest communication can strengthen any team, whether in business, education or personal pursuits. Practical, memorable and deeply relevant to the challenges teams face today.
Having faced life-threatening situations in some of the harshest environments on earth, Rachel shares the tools and mindset that helped her survive and thrive against the odds. Through compelling personal stories – including her dramatic mountain rescue in the Swiss Alps, Rachel offers practical strategies for navigating tough times, maintaining focus under pressure, and bouncing back stronger. Audiences leave with renewed perspective and proven techniques to face their own challenges with resilience and determination.
Inspirational Speakers has been providing high profile keynote speakers and entertainers for over 25 years.
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