Will Gadd Slideshows

A great presentation should entertain, challenge and leave the audience simultaneously excited about the future and thoughtful about their own lives. I present to a very wide array of people around the world; different companies, cultures, even languages, but I want people to walk out of my show and think, "Hey, I never thought about it like that before. I wonder if...."

I put a lot of time and effort into my shows, and believe you'll see the results if I do one for your group. I present to all types of audiences ranging from groups of hard-core climbers to people who wouldn't know a paraglider if it fell on them--but definitely will after my show! I custom-build my shows to the audiences, meaning that my after-dinner corporate show is different than what I present to a substance-abuse program for example. But all of my shows take the audience on incredible adventures to wild places around the world through stunning imagery and an entertaining narrative.

Please note that I'm not a "Motivational Speaker." I really don't like that term, it implies that people aren't generally motivated in the first place; we're all plenty motivated for something, the trick is finding out where that motivation lies, and how to focus that motivation into something that transcends daily life and guides us through the often-messy business of living. Many of us have fought grand battles in search of "motivation," when the real solution is to understand what we are actually motivated to do, and then structure our lives to find the best in our ourselves, our families and our work. My talks may be stunningly de-motivational to those searching for the motivation to keep doing the same old thing. If anything, I'm a "de-motivational" speaker and proud of it.

All of my shows feature professional photography from some of the best outdoor photographers in the world, as well as video from various adventures (possibly including Conan O'Brien, did you know his head is so huge that a normal climbing helmet won't fit on it? I tried...).

I currently present four general show categories, with each show custom-built to the audience:

Risk and Reward: Adventurous living. This show category takes a no-holds barred look at the fundamental question of, "How much risk is life worth?" I take big risks to set world records and push the limits of extreme sports (climbing floating icebergs in the Atlantic isn't "normal"), but also receive what I feel are very worthy rewards. Successful risk-taking comes down to analyzing the potential problems and the potential rewards, then either going for it or not. I use various tools such as "The positive power of negative thinking" to work out the risks, and these tools are applicable to any decision in life. My decisions just have to be right or I'm dead, so these tools are first-person tested and refined. This type of show works well for any audience. I can make it more "entertainment" based for after-dinner presentations, more career-oriented for college/university shows, or very demanding for in-house training environments.

Gravity Abuse 101 covers the worlds of Ice Climbing, and Paragliding. This is a good "general outdoor " show, when the audience won't be composed of just one sub-set of gravity sports fanatics. Plenty of action, inspiration.

Paragliding: The first crossing of North America on a paraglider, world record flying in Texas, plus dust devils, screaming varios, cu nim cloud suck, all the good stuff. Get psyched to FLY! Video and slides.

Adventures with Ice is all about, yep, ice. Radical mixed routes, wild competition climbing, big alpine faces and some history from the early days of ice abuse.

Emailto:gadd@gravsports.com if you would like to discuss a presentation, or call 970 948 6135. Rates on request--I don't quote rates or describe my shows in detail because every one is different, and only comes together after I understand what will work best for the group I'm presenting to.