Often times, the most inspiring stories are those that involve struggle, insurmountable challenges and real people. Like climbing a mountain or breaking a record, we are all inspired by people who relentlessly chase success and refuse to give up. That’s why cutting-edge businesses are turning to the best motivational speakers for their expert advice on teambuilding, leadership and business solutions.

We’ve handpicked the top 10 best motivational speakers for conferences and conventions in 2015 whose stories are inspiring positive change around the world. Read on to learn how these internationally-renowned athletes, mountaineers, explorers, authors, thought leaders, sales experts and leadership speakers are sharing their valuable insights at conferences and conventions this year.

1. Ed Viesturs

Ed is one of the world’s leading mountaineers and is a design consultant for high-profile manufacturers, including Timberland, Mountain Hardwear and Grandoe Gloves. He is America’s leading mountaineer and is only the 5^th person in history to climb 14 of the world’s highest mountains without the use of supplemental oxygen. He was featured in the popular IMAX documentary, Everest Expedition. Ed is a captivating motivational speaker who uses personal accounts of his explorations to inspire countless businesses during conferences and conventions.

2. Diana Nyad

Diana is a record-breaking long-distance swimmer and sports journalist who has spent more than 30 years breaking barriers for women in the sports industry. She is most well-known for recently becoming the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a protective cage. After two failed attempts and at the age of 64, her success inspired millions around the world. Diana is a top woman motivational speaker who proves to businesses during conferences and conventions that it is never too late to chase your dream.

3. Jeff DeGraff

Dubbed “The Dean of Innovation,” Jeff is a world-renowned motivational speaker, thought leader, author and professor. He is Founder of the consulting services center, Innovatrium; and Clinical Professor of Management and Organization for the University of Michigan. He has authored successful books on innovation, including Creativity at Work, Leading Innovation, and Innovation You: Four Steps to Becoming New and Improved. Some of Jeff’s past clients include Eaton, American Airlines and Microsoft.

4. Chester Elton

Nicknamed “the apostle of appreciation,” Chester is a stellar motivational speaker and leadership expert. He is the co-author of several bestselling books, including, All In, The Carrot Principle and What Motivates Me. Chester is a leadership consultant to top corporations throughout the world, like American Express, AT&T and Procter & Gamble. He is a highly sought after motivational speaker and leadership guru and helps organizations to find customized management solutions during conferences and conventions.

5. Fredrik Eklund

Fredrik is a top real estate agent in New York and Founder of the renowned Scandinavian real estate agency, Eklund Stockholm New York. He has set record sales in Manhattan and is frequently featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and New York Magazine as a real estate expert. Fredrik is the star of Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing New York and is a respected motivational speaker for his leadership and sales expertise.

6. Tom Flick

Tom is a former NFL quarterback and Rose Bowl champion who applies his deep understanding of teamwork and leadership to help organizations improve. Tom is President of Tom Flick Communications and serves as Leadership Speaker for Kotter International. As a dynamic motivational speaker, he speaks to more than 100,000 people each year during conferences and conventions to communicate business solutions and strategies for leadership, teamwork, change and personal growth.

7. Mark Thompson

Mark is a leadership expert and venture capitalist who brings effective solutions to today’s leadership challenges. He is CEO of Virgin Unite Mentors, Sir Richard Branson’s network for executive coaching and entrepreneurial innovation. Mark is a bestselling author and Tony-nominated Broadway producer who applies his expert innovation to achieve success. He provides an original, highly sought after perspective as a top motivational speaker and inspires businesses with his executive leadership expertise and solutions.

8. JP Pawliw-Fry

J.P. is a highly sought after motivational speaker and thought leader on managing change, leadership and performance. He is the President and Co-Founder of Institute for Health & Human Potential, which delivers training programs in emotional intelligence to boost business performance. He is a lecturer at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management Executive Education Program and is a bestselling co-author for Performing Under Pressure. He is an enormously inspiring motivational speaker whose one-of-a-kind techniques have helped Fortune 100 companies and Olympic athletes manage change and improve performance.

9. Blake Masters

Blake is a lawyer, entrepreneur, leader in innovation, and top motivational speaker on leadership and start-up success. He co-authored the New York Times bestseller, Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future, with PayPal founder, Peter Thiel.  Zero to One started when Blake decided to post his notes  from Thiel’s class CS: 183 (Startups) on the internet – the class notes became so popular that the two worked together to turn them into a book. Blake also co-founded Judicata, a legal research technology startup and was named one of Forbes’ Top 30 Under 30 in 2014.

• Jeff Salz

Jeff is a highly experienced world traveler and anthropologist who has gained a unique perspective on today’s changing world. He is a bestselling author and popularly known as the “adventure expert” for CBS News and Survivor, and has hosted special programs for Travel Channel and Discovery HD Theater.  Jeff is one of the word’s most compelling motivational speakers and applies exciting tales of his global travels to inspire top businesses and provide expert leadership advice during conferences and conventions.

For more information about how keynote speakers like these can impact your event, contact BigSpeak Motivational Speakers Bureau at 805-965-1400 or info(at)BigSpeak.com