Devon Harris on a conference stage with a photo of the original Jamaican bobsled team on the screen behind him

Home / Keynotes

Keynotes · Booking 2027

Keynote speaker topics from a three-time Olympian

Six keynotes, one true story: four Jamaicans who pushed a bobsled onto Olympic ice. Choose the topic that fits your event, and Devon builds it around your theme, your goals and your people.

Check Devon's availability

Booked by teams at

  • Microsoft
  • IBM
  • Adobe
  • PayPal
  • Merck
  • Coca-Cola
See all 200+ clients
3Winter Olympic Games as a bobsledder
200+Organizations that booked him
5Continents he has spoken on

Planning 2027?

January and February kickoffs book first. Reach out 3 to 6 months before your event.

Check your date

Devon's 2027 keynotes

One story. Six ways to use it.

Every keynote starts with the 1988 Jamaican bobsled team and ends with something your people can use on Monday. Pick the keynote speaker topic that matches your event.

Signature keynote · Resilience

Keep On Pushing™ The 3R System for turning setbacks into forward momentum

The keynote most of Devon's talks are built on. A team from a country with no snow crashed on Olympic ice in front of the world, then walked the sled across the finish line. Devon turns that moment into a simple system your people can use the next time a plan falls apart.

Check dates for this keynoteResilience keynote details
  1. 01ResponsibilityOwn the momentFocus on what you control, not on what went wrong.
  2. 02ReframeChange the frameTurn a setback into information and a next step.
  3. 03ResetWin the next runPut it behind you and get back to the next opportunity fast.

More keynotes

Leadership

When Pressure Reveals Everything

Leadership when the plan gets tested

For leaders who make decisions with incomplete information, keep trust when results are visible and turn "that's not my job" into shared ownership.

Best for: leadership meetings, offsites and management conferences

Leadership keynoteTeamwork

Push Together, Win Together

How teams align, adapt and execute

A four-man bobsled crew has seconds to get in sync, commit and load the sled together. Using his Collective Compass, Devon shows teams how to line up behind one goal and move as one when conditions change.

Best for: all-hands meetings, cross-functional teams and team offsites

Ask about this keynoteChange and AI

The Human Advantage

Leading people through AI-driven change

New tools change the work. People decide whether the change sticks. This keynote helps leaders keep trust, ownership and momentum while the tools and roles around their teams keep moving.

Best for: technology, transformation and HR audiences

Ask about this keynoteSales kickoffs

The Sales Reset

How high performers regroup, refocus and win the next run

The 3R System applied to a sales year: own the number, turn a lost deal into information and get back to the next opportunity fast.

Best for: sales kickoffs, national sales meetings and recognition events

Sales kickoff keynoteDoing more with less

No Sled, No Problem

How resourceful teams make progress under constraint

The Jamaican team had no snow, little funding and no bobsled tradition. This keynote is for teams asked to deliver more with less, and for leaders who need them to stop waiting for perfect conditions.

Best for: operations, public sector and fast-growing teams

Ask about this keynoteNot sure which one?

Tell us about your audience

Share your event, your theme and what you want people to do differently afterwards. Devon will recommend a keynote, or combine two, after a short call with your team.

Ask Devon's team

Find your event

Built for your kind of event

Any keynote above works in these settings. Each page shows how Devon fits that event, with the clips and reviews that matter for it.

By industry

HealthcareResilience for the people who care for patientsSee the page →Pharma and life sciencesKickoffs and meetings for R&D, medical and sales teamsSee the page →TechnologyProduct, engineering and go-to-market teamsSee the page →Financial servicesAdvisors, banks and insurance teamsSee the page →AssociationsAnnual meetings and member conferencesSee the page →

See Devon on stage

Watch before you book

The full reel shows real audiences on their feet. The two 90-second previews show how the message changes for sales teams and for leaders.

Speaker reelWalk-on, the story, the room on its feet and what clients said afterwards.

For sales leadersThe Sales Reset in 90 seconds.

For executive meetingsThe leadership message in 90 seconds.

How every keynote is built

01 · Before

Pre-event survey

Your audience, your theme and what you want people to do differently afterwards. See the survey

02 · Before

Prep call with Devon

Devon talks with your planning team and picks up the details, the language and the goals your people will recognize.

03 · On the day

Your event on stage

Your theme runs through the story. Devon often stays afterwards for photos and conversations with your people.

In person, virtual or hybridUp to an hour including Q&AKeynote, keynote + MC or keynote + leadership session5 continents so far

What clients say

Rated the highlight of the meeting

Read all 50 client reviews
“The audience was hanging on to every word he said. Everyone was so inspired and challenged by Devon’s story. When he finished his speech Devon remained at the podium and answered questions for another 30 minutes. By this time it was 11pm, but that didn’t deter the crowd from standing in line to get their pictures taken with him. In looking over our participant surveys, Devon’s presentation was consistently rated as the highlight of our meeting.”
American Express
“Good speakers come and inspire – GREAT speakers understand the objective of the meeting and personalize their message to fit. The extra work Devon put in customizing his presentation really reinforced the goals of the meeting and went a long way in making sure our guests could relate it to their own lives.”
GartnerRecognition event
“It set the stage for the rest of the day; enabling an open environment to discuss, to plan and to strategize together as one team.”
IBMInformation On Demand conference
“In my almost twenty years at the Court, I can honestly say that you received the first standing ovation that was given speaker.”
US Bankruptcy Court

Planning questions

Keynote topics FAQ

What event teams ask before they choose a keynote. Anything else, ask Devon's team.

Portrait of Devon Harris, three-time Olympian and keynote speaker

About Devon Harris

Raised in Olympic Gardens in Kingston, Jamaica. Graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and a former Captain in the Jamaica Defence Force. Original member of the 1988 Jamaican bobsled team that inspired Cool Runnings, and captain in 1992 and 1998. Author of Keep On Pushing: Hot Lessons From Cool Runnings.

Speaking KitFull bio

What keynote speaker topics does Devon Harris offer?

Devon's 2027 keynotes are Keep On Pushing™ (resilience and the 3R System), When Pressure Reveals Everything (leadership), Push Together, Win Together (teamwork), The Human Advantage (leading people through AI-driven change), No Sled, No Problem (making progress under constraint) and The Sales Reset (sales kickoffs). All of them are built on his story as an original member of the Jamaican bobsled team.

Which keynote is right for our event?

Start with what your people are facing. Teams coming through setbacks or change usually get Keep On Pushing™. Leadership meetings get When Pressure Reveals Everything, and sales kickoffs get The Sales Reset. If you are not sure, send your event details and Devon will recommend one, or combine two, after a short call.

Can Devon customize the keynote for our event?

Yes. Every keynote starts with Devon's pre-event survey and a prep call with your team, so your theme, your language and your goals are part of the talk. IBM's Take Back Control conference, American Golf's Playing to Win meeting and Eyetech's Breakthrough sales meeting all had their themes built into Devon's keynote.

How long is a keynote, and which formats are available?

A keynote runs up to an hour including Q&A and can be adjusted to your agenda. Devon also opens and closes events, serves as Master of Ceremonies and adds leadership sessions for managers. He speaks in person, virtually and at hybrid events.

Does Devon speak at events outside the United States?

Yes. Devon has spoken on five continents. Virtual keynotes work for distributed and global teams anywhere.

How much does it cost to book Devon?

Fees depend on the date, the location and the format, such as a keynote alone or a keynote with MC duties or a leadership session. Send your event details through the form on this page and Devon's team will reply with fee and availability.

Is Devon Harris from the Cool Runnings team?

Yes. Devon was an original member of the 1988 Jamaican bobsled team that inspired the Disney film Cool Runnings. The film is a fictionalized version of the story. On stage, Devon tells what really happened and what it means for your team. Read more on the Olympic motivational speaker page.

Check availability

Tell us about your event. Devon will suggest the right keynote.

Share your date, location and audience. Devon's team will come back to you with availability, fees and the keynote that fits.

  • Send your event detailsDate, location, audience size and what you want people to walk away with.
  • Talk with Devon's teamAgree on the topic, the format and your goals for the event.
  • Get a keynote built for your eventThe pre-event survey and prep call shape the message around your theme.

Prefer to talk now? Call 844-853-3766 or email speaker@devonharris.com.

Check Devon's availability

Form not loading? Email speaker@devonharris.com.