Dan Smith Keynote Speaker

Dan Smith is a former Sergeant and Army Physical Training Instructor. He served for over a decade in the Royal Artillery as a Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System Commander where he and his crew were instrumental in depth-fire operations in Afghanistan, 2007. Since leaving the Army, he became the co-founder of a successful fitness and outdoor company, Northern Bootcamp.

Dan seeks for personal adventure and challenge, and helps people step out of their own comfort zones to challenge themselves physically and mentally, rewarding them with tools to make lifelong changes. As a keen outdoorsman and adventurer, he specialises in creating his own unique endurance challenges, preferring those that have never been completed by man before that will, as a result, test his mental and physical strength to the limits.

Dan embarked on a solo challenge, The Paddle of Britain, which consisted of 53 days and covering 1000 miles. He described it as the biggest physical and mental challenge of his life. Kayaking from Durness, Northern Scotland, Dan traveled through inland waterways, utilising lochs, lakes, reservoirs, rivers and canals throughout Scotland and England. When there was no inland, he simply dragged his 80kg Kayak behind him, full of equipment for self-survival. He created this challenge as a way to say ‘Thank You’ to the WW1 generation ahead of the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War. He raised over £25,000 on this mission, receiving the Fundraiser of the Year Award from the Royal British Legion for demonstrating with true grit and perseverance that it is possible to achieve anything.

Dan is an honest, inspiring and passionate speaker. He is able to draw out the unique aspects of his challenge and cover topics that relate to us all. He puts emphasis on the appreciation of simple things, the understanding of what our bodies and minds are really capable of, the need for perseverance, self belief and overcoming barriers on a daily basis. And he speaks about being in touch with the environment, being overwhelmed by the positive side to the human race we are all so eager to disregard. His talks are guaranteed to inspire and motivate individuals to step outside their comfort zone.