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Meet

Ben Nemtin

Message of radical possibility has been featured on The Today Show, Oprah, CNN, FOX, and NBC News
  • #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
  • Ranked #2 Motivational Speaker in the World by Global Gurus
  • Created the world’s greatest bucket list with three friends
  • Starred in hit TV series The Buried Life
Speaker Fee:
$30,000 - $50,000
Virtual Fee:
$20,000 - $30,000
Travels From:
California
4.9 | 10 Reviews
Ben Nemtin
Book Ben Nemtin
Speaker Fee: $30,000 - $50,000
Virtual Fee: $20,000 - $30,000

Ben Nemtin Speaker Biography

Ben Nemtin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of What Do You Want to Do Before You Die? and The Bucket List Journal. He was ranked the #2 Motivational Speaker in the world by Global Gurus and starred in the hit TV show The Buried Life. Over half of Fortune 100 companies have turned to Ben to inspire their teams around purpose, change, and fearless goal-setting.

Ben’s message lives in radical possibility. In university, he was blindsided by depression and forced to leave school. Searching for a way forward, he and three friends wrote the world’s greatest bucket list and set off in a rickety RV to chase it. They never imagined it would inspire a global movement.

Their mission became simple: for every dream they achieved, they helped a stranger achieve theirs. From playing basketball with President Obama and surviving on a deserted island, to reuniting a father and son after 17 years and surprising a young girl with a life-changing bionic arm.

Oprah called their mission “truly inspiring,” while The Today Show put it simply: it’s about living with purpose. Ben believes the fastest way to grow, personally and professionally, is to connect to purpose. He has crossed off 96 of 100 dreams, and is on track to complete his ultimate goal, “#100: Go to Space.”

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Featured Videos

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5 Steps to Reach Impossible
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The Buried Life Story
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Ben Nemtin Speaker Reel
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The Power of Purpose
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Surprising Torri with a Bionic Arm
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Speech Topics

MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE
What if “impossible” was just a mindset waiting to be shattered? Ben’s extraordinary journey, from debilitating depression to achieving 100 seemingly impossible dreams reveals a powerful truth: impossible is merely a starting point.

Ben weaves the captivating story of how The Buried Life evolved from a simple list of 100 impossible dreams into a global movement, seamlessly connecting these lessons to the fabric of our daily life. His remarkable achievements, from creating a hit MTV show to playing basketball with President Obama, from becoming a #1 New York Times bestselling author to sharing beers with Prince Harry weren’t a matter of luck. They were the direct result of a
repeatable system, a proven blueprint for remarkable success that anyone can master.

This isn’t just another inspirational talk, it’s a practical guide to achieving the extraordinary. Ben shares the exact, field-tested framework that empowered his team to defy impossible odds, demonstrating how these principles can transform your biggest challenges into your greatest triumphs. He reveals how small, consistent actions compound like interest over time, generating unstoppable momentum that turns seemingly impossible goals into inevitable successes.

Ben establishes an undeniable truth: personal growth fuels professional growth, which drives organizational success. Through his journey of completing seemingly impossible dreams, he demonstrates that purpose is the fuel that ignites the impossible and giving back is the catalyst that multiplies your impact exponentially.

PROGRAM TAKEAWAYS
• Master the Impossible: Learn Ben’s proven ‘5 Steps to Impossible’ framework and turn ambition into reality.
• Fuel Your Momentum: Discover how purpose-driven action creates unstoppable momentum.
• Build a Resilient Team: Forge a high-performing team by connecting individual fulfilment with organizational success, creating a culture where everyone thrives.
• Accelerate Your Growth Through Giving: Experience the transformative power of helping others and discover how it fuels your own personal and professional growth.
• Unlock Radical Possibility: Embrace a growth mindset and break free from the limitations of “impossible”.
• Amplify Your Impact: Unite your team around a shared purpose and create a ripple effect of positive change that extends far beyond your immediate goals.

POWERED BY PURPOSE
In today’s relentless environment, where uncertainty reigns supreme and burnout threatens even the strongest teams, why do some organizations continue to thrive while others struggle? Ben reveals the game-changing truth: purpose isn’t just a buzzword, it’s the secret weapon that fueled his own extraordinary journey, lifting him from the depths of depression to ignite a global movement and achieve the seemingly impossible.

Through compelling scientific evidence and unforgettable stories, Ben demonstrates how embracing your professional and personal purpose unleashes untapped potential, creates true work-life harmony, and empowers you to become the best version of yourself.

In this revolutionary keynote, discover why purpose-driven individuals and teams are 7x more likely to overcome challenges, focusing on the “why” that ignites passion and resilience. Ben masterfully blends cutting-edge science with captivating storytelling to reveal how purpose transforms organizational culture from the inside out.

Leaders will gain actionable strategies to build trust, authentically demonstrate care for their teams’ well-being, and foster innovation, retention, and breakthrough performance. This isn’t merely theoretical, it’s a strategic blueprint for translating purpose into tangible outcomes and cultivating a workplace that inspires genuine passion.

PROGRAM TAKEAWAYS
• Unleash Your Potential: Discover how aligning your personal and professional purpose fuels sustainable growth and empowers you to become your best self.

• Create Purpose-Driven Retention: Learn how to champion whole-person growth and cultivate a culture of trust, fueling engagement and retention.

• Build Resilience in Uncertainty: Master practical strategies for maintaining well-being and navigating challenges with purpose and unwavering resilience.

• Fuel Success Through Service: Discover the power of purpose-driven leadership to create a culture of service, where helping others becomes a catalyst for individual and collective success.

• Magnify Your Impact: Reconnect to the profound ripple effect of your work and discover how purpose amplifies your impact, even when results are unseen.

• Forge Deeper Connections: Cultivate authentic connections with your team and leadership, fostering a culture that attracts the best talent

THE CHANGE ADVANTAGE
In an era where change is the only constant, leaders face perhaps their most critical challenge: how do you build truly unshakeable teams that don’t merely survive disruption, but actively harness it as a catalyst for growth and competitive advantage?

Ben’s message is forged in change. From depression and feeling stuck, to chasing 100 “impossible” goals, he learned something simple and powerful: you can’t control the world, but you can control your next step. And your next step is where momentum lives.

Ben teaches leaders how to focus on what they can control without draining energy on what’s outside their control, and how to help teams find stability in their purpose and values when everything else is shifting. He also shows why leading the whole person, not just the job title, and serving yourself first aren’t optional, but essential to guiding others through the storm.

This is not theory. It is a practical, story-driven blueprint for navigating real change, building stronger humans, and creating teams that move forward even when the plan changes.

PROGRAM TAKEAWAYS
• Control the Controllables: A simple framework to protect focus, energy, and execution.

• Anchor Teams in Purpose and Values: Help teams find stability in their purpose, when everything else is shifting.

• Turn Uncertainty Into Opportunity: How to spot the upside that most people miss.

• Lead the Whole Person: Discover how to show up for people as humans first, building trust, resilience, and real buy-in.

• Serve Yourself to Lead Better: Tools to stay grounded, calm, and useful when pressure is high.

• Build Momentum Fast: Small actions that create confidence, even when the future is unclear.

FROM BURNOUT TO BALANCE
What if the secret to peak performance wasn’t working harder, but working with deeper purpose? Before becoming a #1 New York Times bestselling author, playing basketball at the White House, and being interviewed by Oprah, Ben faced a formidable opponent: crippling depression. Through his powerful journey, he reveals how purpose transforms burnout into sustainable success and shares a counterintuitive truth that challenges conventional wisdom: prioritizing your well-being isn’t selfish, it’s the essential foundation of exceptional performance in every aspect of life.

This groundbreaking keynote revolutionizes how organizations approach well-being and performance. Ben demonstrates how genuine work-life harmony creates a powerful positive feedback loop that fuels innovation, dramatically boosts retention, and drives breakthrough results. Through honest personal stories and cutting-edge scientific insights, he shows how personal fulfilment becomes the catalyst for professional excellence.

Using a powerful blend of vulnerability and practical wisdom, Ben provides a proven system for turning life’s challenges into opportunities for renewal. He shares the exact tools that helped him build resilience and how sustainable excellence isn’t about pushing harder—it’s about aligning your actions with what truly matters… This isn’t another wellness talk, it’s an invitation to rediscover what makes you feel truly alive.

PROGRAM TAKEAWAYS
• Master Your Well-being: Acquire Ben’s ‘Mental Health Toolkit’ and discover 10 powerful practices to transform stress into strength and cultivate lasting resilience.
• Fuel Your Performance: Unlock sustainable energy and peak performance by creating true work-life harmony, where your personal and professional lives thrive in synergy.
• Navigate Life’s Challenges: Develop resilience to effectively manage stress, navigate life’s ups and downs, and emerge stronger from adversity.
• Build a Resilient Team: Empower your team with science-backed strategies to cultivate resilience, foster well-being, and create a culture of support.
• Lead with Vulnerability: Destigmatize mental health and discover how vulnerability can become a source of strength and authentic leadership.
• Unleash Your Full Potential: Infuse your life with passion and energy by prioritizing personal growth and discovering how it ignites professional advancement.

Reviews

4.9 | 10 Reviews
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Having Ben Nemtin as a keynote speaker was an extraordinary experience that left an indelible mark on our entire group. Ben’s ability to weave poignant stories with actionable insights provided not just inspiration, but a roadmap for personal and professional growth. His engaging presence and authentic delivery captivated us all, creating an atmosphere of motivation and possibility. It was evident from the unanimous positive feedback and the energetic discussions that followed, Ben truly connected with every attendee. His story resonated deeply, reminding us of the power of dreams and the importance of taking actionable steps towards achieving them. We are grateful for Ben’s contribution to our event and cannot recommend him highly enough as a speaker who genuinely makes a difference.

INSURICA | April 17, 2024

Ben’s keynote presentation was the perfect way to kick off our 3-day event. The community board members and executives attending our event were not just moved, they were inspired to action.

Aspirus, Inc. | October 11, 2022
BlueCross BlueShield of Alabama | January 21, 2020
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I can tell you Ben was one of the top talks of the day. He was incredible! 153 countries tuned in live to watch and I’m certain once his talk goes online in the coming week his will go super viral through our community.

We Are Family Foundation

“I thoroughly enjoyed it, without being too cliché I laughed and I cried. I think it was important for Harvard students especially to experience this because for most of the students here there is this pressure to embrace the material things in life and sacrifice any in your way to make it to the top. Overall I think it was a great event and a message that we could all embrace and learn from!”

Director of Student Life, Harvard Law School

“Ben did a beautiful job of truly connecting with the entire audience. At different times, people were laughing, wiping tears, taking notes, or spontaneously applauding. He genuinely inspired everyone in the room, and I got magnificent comments from the attendees.”

CEO and President, Ohio Hospital Association

“I like the way you help folks, keep doing what you’re doing.”

President Barack Obama

“I must say that Ben personally brought me to my knees with emotion when he spoke about the Journey of Life and going for what we all feel is truly important and something we want to do before we die.”

Senior Athletics Director, Stanford University

“In my 29 years at MHA I have hired hundreds of speakers for every health care discipline in the hospital setting and you, by far, are on the top of my list. You inspire people to not only make their own bucket list, but also to “pay it forward” along the way – what an exceptional message to deliver.”

VP of Education & Member Services, Minnesota Hospital Association

“I think what you’re doing is really so inspiring.”

Oprah Winfrey

“Ben presentation is truly authentic, he speaks from the heart. His delivery is smooth and funny. He comes across as “just a guy with a dream”. He is inspirational. Brilliant.”

Dean, School of Applied Sciences and Technology

“Ben has a way of capturing the audience like no other speaker I’ve met. He is both inspiring and genuine on stage – two qualities that combined together make magic. Working with him has been an absolute pleasure.”

Director, Junior Achievement Sweden

If you want a lesson in boldness, and to cross things off of your bucket list, there is no better teacher than Ben Nemtin.

Author, Entrepreneur, Public Speaker

“Ben’s presentation was, hands-down, the highlight of our Annual Meeting! He was entertaining and humorous, and his message of challenging attendees to identify their goals, as well as how to work together to achieve those goals, was motivational and thought-provoking. In sharing his story, Ben encouraged leaders to follow their dreams and make a difference in the world not only for themselves but, more importantly, for others. As an event planner for nearly 30 years, Ben’s story was one of the most inspiring I’ve heard!”

Director of Corporate Events, West Virginia Hospital Association

“Ben did an excellent job of sharing his story in a light and lively way. We have a group that varies in age from 20 to 80 and all were entertained. I have been going to this meeting for over 25 years and the audience participation was far and above greater than any I have ever seen.”

Chairman of the Board – Arkansas Hospital Association

“Ben Nemtin is a masterful storyteller and speaker, who has a remarkable way of connecting with audiences and using his life and “bucket list” adventures to help and inspire others! We were honored to have Ben keynote three different events in Memphis, TN, including a reception with hundreds of college students and business professional mentors, a fundraising dinner for the Boy Scouts, and our cityCURRENT Signature Breakfast with more than 400 prominent community leaders. At each event, Ben received a standing ovation! It was absolutely amazing to see THREE standing ovations with three completely different audiences! Even better, Ben is a genuine, good guy. He was a pleasure to work with and extremely professional when it came to his preparation and tweaking his presentations to fit the audiences. You’ll find that watching Ben is like watching a movie where he combines personal stories with media to make you laugh, cry, learn, and then want to act to take control of your life and make a difference in the lives of others. If you’re looking for a speaker to truly inspire your audience, I definitely stand behind Ben Nemtin! We’re still receiving rave reviews from his presentations, so please feel free to reach out if you would like any more information about my experiences in booking Ben Nemtin.”

CEO – cityCURRENT

“Ben took the time to understand our company and culture and adapted his presentation for us. He even arrived the day before his presentation and attended several of our other conference events and utilized his observations to further customize his remarks for Camden. The feedback from our employees was phenomenal. Many said Ben was the best speaker they had ever seen. Ben is relatable, humorous, inspiring and motivational. He brought energy and a positive message that invoked thought and emotion. We highly recommend Ben.”

President of Camden Property Trust

I just wanted to pass on my praise for Ben. He was just wonderful, a great message, speaker and wonderful person. You were correct we loved Ben. I can’t wait to see our results to our survey when they come in. Thanks again for everything, we have a very successful meeting.

Maryland Hospital Association

“The event was incredible! We were so pleased with our decision to bring in Ben. The audience was really engaged and there was a long line for autographs. We had a lot of positive feedback. Thanks so much for working on this engagement with us. It’s been a very pleasant experience. We will definitely include ESB in our search for next year’s keynote!”

Executive Assistant to the President, WorkCompCentral

“Ben’s storytelling and ability to connect with our audience was apparent from the minute he greeted our participants. Listening to his story made everyone in the room feel empowered and motivated to make a difference and be courageous in their own lives. Ben helped us realize that we as individuals and leaders have the ability to make a real impact and empower others to make that same impact not only professionally but in our everyday lives. The message was perfectly aligned with our theme and I had so many attendees say it was the best event to date. I would highly recommend Ben to anyone wanting to add that “WOW” factor to their event.”

HR Strategic Advisor, FedEx Services