Speaker fees:
Topics:
Sam Conniff is a multi-award-winning social entrepreneur, author and speaker known for challenging convention and redefining how organisations lead through change.
His career began unusually early, running raves as a teenager before enlisting the help of artists Banksy and Shepard Fairey to build what became the Bafta-winning creative agency, Don’t Panic.
Sam went on to found the world-renowned social enterprise Livity, where his work supporting young talent and purpose-led business earned widespread recognition. Under his leadership, Livity won Agency of the Year and Business of the Year, while Sam himself was named Entrepreneur of the Year and EY Social Entrepreneur of the Year. His work has also been recognised with a Queen’s Award and commendations from multiple UK Prime Ministers.
An advocate of what he calls “business as unusual,” Sam has advised global brands including Roald Dahl, Red Bull, Unilever and PlayStation. Since launching his entrepreneurial career at just nineteen, he has mentored thousands of young entrepreneurs and creatives around the world, helping them navigate uncertainty, disruption and change with confidence.
Sam is the best-selling author of Be More Pirate, a manifesto for positive disruption that has grown into a global movement championing professional rule breaking and “Good Trouble” as a force for progress. With Netflix and University College London, he also created Uncertainty Experts, the world’s first interactive documentary, scientifically proven to improve our ability to cope with change. His most recent project, Hard As Nails, is a pioneering campaign and empathy engine that uses behavioural science to challenge harmful stereotypes, promote healthy masculinity and redefine modern leadership.
His upcoming book, The Uncertainty Toolkit: How to Worry Less and Do More, will be published by Pan Macmillan in January 2026 and brings together insights from what is now the world’s largest study into the human impact of uncertainty.
In 2022, Sam made headlines after publicly declining an MBE, stating he would reconsider if the title were changed to Medal for British Excellence rather than Empire. True to form, he continues to challenge the status quo with humour, intelligence and purpose.
On stage, Sam is energetic, thought-provoking and refreshingly honest, inspiring audiences to rethink the rules, embrace uncertainty and lead meaningful change.
A metaphor for motivating teams and individuals to realise their power to create change. It presents a clear framework, based on the true but untold strategies and success of Golden Age Pirates.
A talk about: how to create, manage and survive change in any sized organisation.
A comprehensive business case of the history, evidence, insights and data to support why ‘purpose’ will be a key strategic driver in the knowledge economy.
A talk about; the future of work, post capitalism and the evolution of ‘purpose’ from nice to have, to need to have.
The definitive guide to the key current and emerging trends in youth culture, what does it mean for the future of business, work and education and what comes next.
A talk about: future trends and technology, youth entrepreneurship, innovation and inspiration.
How to attract, retain and get the most from a new generation of young talent, Who are Generation Z and why would they want to work for you?
A talk about: Youth insights, successful case studies with practical tips and the future of work
We left Sam’s workshop with fresh courage, determination, and energy secure in that we had one another’s back.
Sam gave us an entertaining and edgy talk that caught everyone’s attention – his message to challenge really resonated.
