Book Tom to Speak
Tom has supported over 250 clients in the past 15 years by delivering outstanding and memorable live and virtual events tailored to his audiences.
From initial pre-booking calls to post-event social media engagement, Tom can take you through every stage of the event-planning process, ensuring maximum audience engagement, so that your key messages resonate, and that your team walks away with memorable takeaways.
Reaching New Heights
Tom was 27 when he climbed the South West Ridge of Ama Dablam, in the Himalayas, in winter. A technical mountain previously described by Edmund Hilary as ‘unclimbable’. This was one of the many stepping stones to climbing Everest with his brother when they became the First British Brothers to stand on the summit together.
Tom speaks about how he went from climbing trees as a child to later climbing mountains and ultimately standing on top of the world.
Through captivating storytelling, he speaks about the preparation, failures, the losses, being adaptable and how important it is to be part of the ‘right’ team.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Break big goals down into smaller more manageable ones.
- Focus on the things you can control.
- Choose the right team members – choose character, attitude and passion.
- Failure is part of the journey and is necessary for growth.
- Say YES to new opportunities – however daunting they might seem.
Look Beyond The Horizon
Tom was asked to join a team of 4 to row the Atlantic, from the Canary Islands to Antigua. It took them 38 days, 4 hours. Tom describes it as an extraordinary adventure – relentless, emotional, brutal and spiritual. The dolphins, the whales, the sunsets, the shooting stars and surfing down huge waves at night.
The journey started when he said yes, but the hardest part was getting to the start line.
Tom speaks about the preparation involved, having a shared vision, how curiosity is essential for growth, securing sponsorship, team dynamics, the importance of having a purpose and how we must get comfortable with uncertainty which helps us to be resilient and adapt.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Team Dynamics – whilst physically exhausted in stressful situations.
- Open communication, a positive attitude and keeping calm under pressure.
- Set the bar high, lean into uncertainty and don’t ‘lose your edge’.
- Keeping a sense of humour is vital – cheerfulness in the face of adversity.
- Lift each other up, be respectful and kind.
Light The Fire Within
Tom has been on different expeditions all over the world; climbing mountains, rowing across oceans and flying powered paragliders to visit the remote Pemón Tribe, deep in the Venezuelan jungles on the Gran Sabana.
In this keynote, Tom will tell you about the most important lessons he learnt from each expedition; the common themes he overcomes and the obstacles he encountered to just get to the start line. He speaks adapting to ‘last minute changes of plan’; the importance of ‘leaving your comfort zone’, trusting yourself and your team, believing in yourself even when you are afraid. He explains the importance of trust and integrity within your team, as well as keeping your inner fire lit in order for you to grow and move forward.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- The importance of trust and integrity within yourself and your team
- Developing self-belief and self-confidence
- Dealing with Fear
- Lighting the fire within – inn order to move forwards and upwards
- Leaving the warmth of your sleeping bag – ie. Your Comfort Zone
“A superb presentation well prepared, well delivered with an excellent storyline which interwove earlier experiences with a casual humour. The audience and I were particularly impressed by your very honest and forthright manner and were overawed and inspired by incredible photographs and video footage. An excellent presentation summarising an amazing achievement a highly self-motivated individual. Thank you.”
Clients include:
Hewlett Packard | Tenzing Private Equity | Exxonmobil | Slaughter & May | RGS | Talaris | The Hampshire Farmers Club | RNLI | British Telecom | Great Ormond Street Hospital | de Gournay | JB Corrie Fencing
For over 15 years, Tom has shared his experiences of extraordinary adventures; getting lost on way down on the Matterhorn, running out of oxygen at the top of Everest, riding a Penny Farthing across the Outer Hebrides, rowing across the Atlantic, flying a powered paraglider into the Venezuelan jungle or riding the ‘South Downs Way’ on a unicycle!
Tom is highly personable, authentic and his passion for adventure is infectious. His approach to speaking is powerful and inspiring as he draws from his unusual adventures and experiences on the land, sea and air. In his talks, he explains the secret to success lies in saying yes and by breaking big goals down into small steps. He speaks about how important it is to believe in yourself and to work with people who believe in you as well as being passionate and getting comfortable with uncertainty.
Fear of failure is a common barrier for individuals and organisations alike, preventing them from seizing opportunities or even starting their journey. The unknown can seem intimidating, leaving many stuck in a cycle of hesitation and uncertainty, unable to reach their potential.
Without a clear vision, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, unsure of how to move forward, or paralysed by the fear of failure. This holds people back from innovation, growth, and team success. Stagnation erodes productivity, morale, and future opportunities.
A mindset shift. Tom encourages people to say yes, thereby creating opportunities, and removing barriers. He speaks about breaking big goals down to make them more manageable.
Failure is part of the journey – it’s how we learn, grow, and ultimately succeed. With vision, a supportive team, and a willingness to get comfortable with uncertainty, there is nothing you can’t achieve.
Tom’s talks inspire organisations to:
- Say yes to opportunities: take some risks and don’t fear failure.
- Break down big goals: small steps first will lead to success.
- Believe in yourself: lift others up, communicate and stay curious.
- Get comfortable with uncertainty: Lean in to discomfort, don’t lose your edge.
- Stay focused: focus on what you can control and keep a clear head.
Why not let Tom help your organisation unlock its potential and take that first step?
Tom can customise his talk, if needed, depending on your audience, the event themes and the duration. He can speak for a brief 20 minutes or he can go into greater detail and speak for a full hour.
Tom insists on arriving early and in good time to do a technical check which can be done the day before if he is speaking first thing in the morning. He prefers to send his PowerPoint presentation to you in advance of the event to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
“Quite the most inspiring story I have heard in a long time—motivation, decision-making and teamwork at altitude. It hit just the right note for us at our annual conference in Las Vegas.”
The Booking Process
Before an event, organisers have so many things to think about and organise. They do not want to be overly involved in managing a speaker. Tom has been speaking to organisations for over 15 years. His aim is to make things as easy as possible for the organisers, in the run up to the event, before he speaks.
Working with Tom includes:
- Pre-Booking Call
An optional call to find out whether Tom is the right fit for you. - Briefing Call
The briefing call will define your success criteria, confirm the content, and review the logistics and timings for the day. - Slides Sent in Advance
After the briefing call, Tom will finalise his slides and send them to you via WeTransfer. The slides can be downloaded from the link and viewed in PowerPoint. - Pre-Event Call
An optional pre-event check-in call to ensure everything is on track. - On the Day
Tom will aim to arrive in plenty of time; the night before if necessary. He will coordinate with the AV team to ensure his slides run smoothly and that all lighting, sound, and stage directions are fully checked. He will remain flexible should there be any delays to the start of his session and, if required, can shorten his talk to help keep the event on track. Tom prefers to operate his own slides using a clicker and prefers to use a lapel microphone or headset. After his presentation, he will stay to engage with audience members and is happy to receive any feedback you’d like to share. - Post-Event
Tom can create post-event LinkedIn posts to extend engagement and reinforce your key messages with your team after the event.
Other Services
In addition to his Keynote Speeches, Tom also offers a range of ways to engage your teams using different formats and media, including:
- Podcast Interviews
- Fireside Chats
- Post Motivational Talk - Team Workshop
Tom's Biography
The biography below can be used as an introduction to Tom during event planning and communication.
Tom Clowes and his brother Ben became the first British brothers to stand on the summit of Everest together.
Tom has climbed many mountains including - Everest (8,848m), Ama Dablam (6,812m) Aconcagua (6,961m), Kilimanjaro (5,895m), Elbrus (5,642m), the Matterhorn (4,478m) and Mont Blanc (4,806m).
He learnt to climb in his early twenties, at the indoor Castle Climbing Centre in London where he met someone who invited him to climb Mont Blanc, without a guide. It took him two attempts but this was the start of a deep passion for the mountains.
In 2010, Tom flew his paramotor deep into the Venezuelan Jungle, high on the Gran Sabana, living with the Pemón Tribal people whilst testing Hewlett Packard equipment.
In 2021, Tom rode his mountain unicycle 100 miles along the South Downs Way and then in 2023, he rode his Penny Farthing along the Hebridean Way in the Outer Hebrides.
In 2026, Tom arrived in Antigua with 3 friends, having rowed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean from the Canary Islands. He raised over £42,250 for Cure Parkinson’s.
In his keynote, Tom inspires organisations to take a risk and to say YES to opportunity; to break down big goals; to be comfortable with uncertainty and to stay focused. He demonstrates the importance of trust and integrity within a team and how failure leads to growth and success in the end, provided you do not give up!
Image Gallery
These images are free to use for organisations advertising and marketing forthcoming talks.
Tom speaking in Las Vegas, USA
Tom on the summit of Everest with his brother Ben
Tom on the summit of Ama Dablam
Tom climbing in Switzerland
Tom on the Matterhorn summit
Tom speaking at the RGS
Tom with his Penny Farthing
Tom Clowes with his dog Milou
Tom in the Ice Fall on Everest
Tom cycling John O’Groats to Lands End
Tom Clowes
Tom playing Penny Farthing Polo for England
Tom at the World’s Toughest Row finish line
Tom fixing a rowlock during the World’s Toughest Row
Tom with beard
Tom with his ocean rowing boat
Tom rowing the Atlantic
Tom bouldering
Tom in the Adirondack
Tom with his Penny Farthing
Tom on his Penny Farthing
Tom at Everest Basecamp
Tom before and after the World’s Toughest Row
Tom panning for gold in Venezuela
Tom paramotoring in the clouds
Tom paramotoring
Ama Dablam Mountain in Nepal
