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Award winning author and adventurer Neal Petersen’s “No Barriers – Only Solutions” keynote addresses – change, communication, innovation, never giving up and hope that one can turn perceived disadvantages into advantages and succeed.
When Neal decided to become a solo yachtsman he needed first a career to provide the money to get the vessel to realize his dream of racing solo around the world.
So he began his career at age 17 by studying commercial diving in California and then worked on oil rigs around the world as a commercial diver – high risk work with life and death decisions every day. Neal understood the importance of communication, team building and team work - or everyone perished. He went on to run the only deep water diamond mining operation in South Africa where his leadership and excellent communication skills were honed and vital to success. Here he developed his strategy for long term success.
As Neal delivers his No Barriers – Only Solutions keynote he relates, by examples of overwhelming personal challenges: apartheid in South Africa, physical disability and poverty - the importance of communication, perseverance and determination and shows examples of how he overcame them by turning disadvantages into advantages. As a solo racing yachtsman Neal relied on the support of his team to get him to the start line, to endure 9 months at sea alone and eventually to the finish line. “No one is an island – no one can reach success without a support team behind them.”
Neal has addressed many business leadership groups from Citigroup, Brandes Investment Partners WW, Microsoft, Cisco, IBM, American Express, YPO, NAHU, National Governors Conference, MDRT, Bombardier, Guantanamo Bay leadership, Beckman Coulter, and 100’s of others in IT, Finance, Insurance, healthcare, associations…
Neal challenges his audience by using examples in his life story of overcoming insurmountable barriers, the importance of knowing how to innovate and how it relates to success and the need to adapt to constant wind shifts and change. Most importantly, the need to clearly communicate the vision and the direction, then followed by the planning and the preparation, followed by determination and perseverance to achieve extraordinary results.
Key is having a support team behind every success, even as a solo yachtsman, Neal could not have succeeded without the support of many people, his shore crew, his loved ones, the countries of South Africa and Ireland.
Neal reached his dream by turning every obstacle, every barrier, into an advantage and by finding a solution. He challenges his audience to think outside the box, to use this economic challenge to their advantage – it’s an opportunity to excel by choosing a winning course, using the ever changing winds, fierce storms and unsettled seas to your advantage through perseverance, determination and dedication to reach their goals, being one step ahead of their competitors and always executing better. Winners never quit.
Whether a group is military leadership facing difficult decisions of life and death, or an investment company facing an economic meltdown – Neal demonstrates that success is determined by winning attitude, planning and preparation - then execution. That is how he became the “first Black man to race solo around the world” when every odd was against him.
Brandes Investment Partners is a 250B dollar company – at their WW conference were 450 WW investors each in for over 150M – Neal was the opening speaker – why, because they wanted someone with a great story on its own, but also one that could relate and inspire the investors – who believe in the leadership skills of Brandes Investment Partners - Neal’s keynote was so successful, that CEO, Charles Brandes, asked Neal to come to his office following the conference and do 2 more keynotes for everyone in his firm and then – asked ~ if he could go sailing with Neal.
Vitally important to business audiences today - Neal challenges them to always ask themselves 4 questions when making a decision, and they must answer yes to all 4, in order to go forward.
1 – Is it right for me? (a drug dealer can say yes)
2 – Is it right for my family? (drug dealer can still say yes)
3 - Is it right for my community? (this is where the dealer now has a problem)
4 - Is it right for the next generation? (so vitally important for corporations to think about the consequences of their choices and how they will affect the next generation!)
This 4th component in itself is paramount in getting Neal in front of as many decision makers as possible to challenge them that with choice there are consequences – choose wisely! Not just for today - but the next generation. The time to act with accountability and responsibility is now.
When Neal decided to become a solo yachtsman he needed first a career to provide the money to get the vessel to realize his dream of racing solo around the world.
So he began his career at age 17 by studying commercial diving in California and then worked on oil rigs around the world as a commercial diver – high risk work with life and death decisions every day. Neal understood the importance of communication, team building and team work - or everyone perished. He went on to run the only deep water diamond mining operation in South Africa where his leadership and excellent communication skills were honed and vital to success. Here he developed his strategy for long term success.
As Neal delivers his No Barriers – Only Solutions keynote he relates, by examples of overwhelming personal challenges: apartheid in South Africa, physical disability and poverty - the importance of communication, perseverance and determination and shows examples of how he overcame them by turning disadvantages into advantages. As a solo racing yachtsman Neal relied on the support of his team to get him to the start line, to endure 9 months at sea alone and eventually to the finish line. “No one is an island – no one can reach success without a support team behind them.”
Neal has addressed many business leadership groups from Citigroup, Brandes Investment Partners WW, Microsoft, Cisco, IBM, American Express, YPO, NAHU, National Governors Conference, MDRT, Bombardier, Guantanamo Bay leadership, Beckman Coulter, and 100’s of others in IT, Finance, Insurance, healthcare, associations…
Neal challenges his audience by using examples in his life story of overcoming insurmountable barriers, the importance of knowing how to innovate and how it relates to success and the need to adapt to constant wind shifts and change. Most importantly, the need to clearly communicate the vision and the direction, then followed by the planning and the preparation, followed by determination and perseverance to achieve extraordinary results.
Key is having a support team behind every success, even as a solo yachtsman, Neal could not have succeeded without the support of many people, his shore crew, his loved ones, the countries of South Africa and Ireland.
Neal reached his dream by turning every obstacle, every barrier, into an advantage and by finding a solution. He challenges his audience to think outside the box, to use this economic challenge to their advantage – it’s an opportunity to excel by choosing a winning course, using the ever changing winds, fierce storms and unsettled seas to your advantage through perseverance, determination and dedication to reach their goals, being one step ahead of their competitors and always executing better. Winners never quit.
Whether a group is military leadership facing difficult decisions of life and death, or an investment company facing an economic meltdown – Neal demonstrates that success is determined by winning attitude, planning and preparation - then execution. That is how he became the “first Black man to race solo around the world” when every odd was against him.
Brandes Investment Partners is a 250B dollar company – at their WW conference were 450 WW investors each in for over 150M – Neal was the opening speaker – why, because they wanted someone with a great story on its own, but also one that could relate and inspire the investors – who believe in the leadership skills of Brandes Investment Partners - Neal’s keynote was so successful, that CEO, Charles Brandes, asked Neal to come to his office following the conference and do 2 more keynotes for everyone in his firm and then – asked ~ if he could go sailing with Neal.
Vitally important to business audiences today - Neal challenges them to always ask themselves 4 questions when making a decision, and they must answer yes to all 4, in order to go forward.
1 – Is it right for me? (a drug dealer can say yes)
2 – Is it right for my family? (drug dealer can still say yes)
3 - Is it right for my community? (this is where the dealer now has a problem)
4 - Is it right for the next generation? (so vitally important for corporations to think about the consequences of their choices and how they will affect the next generation!)
This 4th component in itself is paramount in getting Neal in front of as many decision makers as possible to challenge them that with choice there are consequences – choose wisely! Not just for today - but the next generation. The time to act with accountability and responsibility is now.
