Martin Stark ‘The Courage Champion’ is a globally recognised inspirational speaker, trailblazer, author and two-time LinkedIn Top Voice.
Martin's groundbreaking achievements have been featured in CNN, CBS News, ABC, The Guardian, Out Magazine, and BBC World. As the Founder and CEO of the World Gay Boxing Championships, he leads global change. He disrupts homophobia in boxing. He organised the world's first LGBTQ+ boxing competitions in Australia and America.
With 15 years as an IT Procurement Leader, Martin brings commercial acumen and valuable insights into resilience, leadership, and transformative change. Martin has delivered impactful keynotes for top organisations like LinkedIn, TikTok, NSW Health, and Commonwealth Bank. His message inspires individuals, teams, and organisations to thrive and achieve.
Martin is an expert on courage. His book Courage: Your Right Hook enables readers to learn the six pillars of courage and make courage a habit.
He was diagnosed with Addison’s disease in 2006 after two induced comas and a tracheotomy. His numerous hospital admissions and major surgeries, and near death experiences inspired him to seek positive changes in the world.
Martin is among the only Australians to throw the ceremonial opening pitch at a Major League Baseball game , witnessed by one million+ online spectators.
Talking Points
Spark the Courage Within
This keynote focuses on developing courage as a key to success. Using his personal story of surviving two induced comas and founding the World Gay Boxing Championships, Martin illustrates how to move forward with confidence and resilience. He guides individuals, teams and organisations to embrace courage at their own pace and offers five practical steps to make it a daily habit.Spark the Courage Within
Key Takeaways:
- Leverage PACE framework (Purpose, Action, Confidence and Excellence) for developing sustainable courage.
- Five practical steps to make courage a daily habit.
Outcomes & Benefits :
- Individual: Increased confidence and better decision-making.
- Team/Company: Stronger collaboration and calculated risk taking.
- Customer: Higher satisfaction through improved service and better solutions.
Optional Activity: Courageous Chairs
A dynamic networking activity where participants rotate through five 3-minute rounds with different partners. Each participant shares a brief story about how courage benefited their business or customers, followed by time to explore professional connections. This structured format creates meaningful relationships through shared experiences while maintaining a professional atmosphere that energises the room.
Lead with Purpose, Make an Impact
This keynote equips leaders to build trust and drive change through purpose-driven leadership. Drawing from his experience disrupting homophobia in boxing and leading cultural transformation, Martin demonstrates how clear purpose and strong values create breakthrough results. Participants learn to inspire teams, tackle complex challenges, drive customer-centric success, and achieve ambitious visions while staying true to their values.Lead with Purpose, Make an Impact
Key Takeaways
- Techniques to communicate purpose that inspires action.
- Strategies for navigating uncertainty while staying values-aligned.
Outcomes & Benefits
- Individual: Higher win rates and success through authentic leadership
- Team/Company: Increased performance through empowered decision-making.
- Customer: Strategic partnerships through values-driven approaches.
Optional Activity: Coach in Your Corner A focused pairing exercise where participants alternate between "Coach" and "Athlete" roles. Coaches provide thoughtful guidance as partners share business challenges requiring courage, while Athletes receive feedback and commit to actionable steps. This exercise demonstrates how supportive leadership and willingness to be coached can transform business challenges into opportunities.
Workshop: Unlock the 6 Pillars of Courage
In this intensive workshop, participants explore and apply the six fundamental types of courage from Martin's book "Courage: Your Right Hook". Through focused exercises and real-world applications, they learn to identify and strengthen emotional, physical, moral, empathetic, steadfast and cerebral courage to drive sustainable success in their roles.Workshop: Unlock the 6 Pillars of Courage
Key Takeaways:
- Practical techniques to strengthen each type of courage.
- Systematic application of courage principles in business.
Outcomes & Benefits:
- Individual: Enhanced judgement and sustainable growth.
- Team/Company: Improved collaboration and consistent delivery.
- Customer: Innovative, trusted solutions through confident partners.
Optional Activity: Courage Roundtable
An engaging storytelling forum inspired by traditional dialogue circles. Participants share structured stories about business fears, their potential impacts, and strategies for removing "the fear" of the problem. The discussion moves to client-centric solutions and transformation. This collaborative format builds powerful professional connections while showcasing how courage develops through community support and collective problem-solving in business environments.
Video
Martin Stark | The Courage Champion, Two-time LinkedIn Top Voice & Entrepreneur | Saxton Speakers
What a pleasure it was to host you! We enjoyed hearing your messaging around how to "Spark the Courage Within". In particular, you inspired us to understand what courage is. Your inspiring d ... keep reading NSW Health
Martin provided the Keynote for our school's Wear it Purple Day. With personal anecdotes, cleverly linked to questions later posed to the audience, short videos, and visuals, Martin engaged our students from beginning to end. Additionally, Martin's invitation for full audience participation—boxing, clapping and singing was engaging and fun. The serious and sometimes challenging topics addressed through Wear It Purple Day were delivered in a positive and easily understood package, concluding with a challenge to action for our community. Our students loved the way Martin related to them through sport and his unpredictable storytelling that kept them not knowing what would come next. In the lead We would not hesitate to recommend Martin Stark.
Martin's presentation to the TikTok team was not only motivating but deeply inspiring. I admire his resilience and courage to be a spokesperson for the LGBTQIA+ communities. I know we walked away feeling invigorated and ready to tackle our own fears to not only improve our lives but those in the community.
Martin is a consummate professional with the perfect balance of vulnerability, relatability and confidence for any speaking engagement. He was able to share his personal experience and connect with the audience in a way that was both inspiring and educational. I have no doubt he would make a powerful impact as a speaker at your next event.
Martin's contribution to our LinkedIn Leaders Collective launch was invaluable. His strong storytelling skills and ability to be open and honest created a truly unique experience for our customers. Martin's positive attitude and collaborative nature made the entire experience enjoyable and productive. – Thank you!
He makes such an impact with his presence and the nature of his presentation that his audience are left wiser and satisfied with the subject at hand. I highly recommend having Martin speak at your sessions.
