Entrepreneur & Motivational Speaker; Founder of Tim's Place; Author of "The Book of Hugs"; Global Down Syndrome Advocate
Tim Harris Biography
Tim Harris is an entrepreneur, motivational speaker, author, and disability advocate recognized for his work in the Down syndrome community. Born with Down syndrome, Harris set a goal at age 14 to own a restaurant. He worked as a host at Red Robin and later attended Eastern New Mexico University, earning certificates in food service and office skills. Harris attended a mainstream high school and was voted homecoming king.
Harris became the first person with Down syndrome in the United States to own and operate a restaurant, opening "Tim's Place" in Albuquerque. The restaurant, known for serving breakfast, lunch, and hugs, featured a hug counter that tracked more than 31,814 hugs. "Tim's Place" attracted attention from celebrities, parents of children with Down syndrome, and national media outlets. Harris has met and hugged public figures including "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks and Stevie Wonder, and has visited the White House.
Harris has been featured in People Magazine, CBS Evening News, CBS Sunday Morning, America Online, ABC News, NBC Today Show, NBC Nightly News, National Public Radio, and CNN News. Following the opening of "Tim's Place," Harris began a public speaking career, addressing audiences of more than 65,000 people and serving as a keynote speaker at events such as the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities luncheon. His signature talk, "7 Steps to Living an Awesome Life," has been delivered at events and featured across major media outlets.
After closing "Tim's Place," Harris founded Tim's Big Heart Enterprises, organizing charity events such as the Hug-A-Thon for local organizations. He authored the children's book "The Book of Hugs," which shares messages of inclusion and positivity. Harris also established Tim's Big Heart Foundation, a nonprofit supporting families of children with disabilities. As a global Down syndrome advocate, Harris has traveled internationally, including to Grenada for World Down Syndrome Day, and continues to promote disability inclusion and empowerment.
Harris is a recipient of the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award from the Global Down Syndrome Foundation. He has participated in Special Olympics for more than 26 years and has competed in the Special Olympics USA Games. Through his work as a motivational speaker, author, and advocate, Harris aims to break down barriers and challenge stereotypes about individuals with Down syndrome.
Tim Harris Videos
What Is Important Is Love | Tim Harris | TEDxJacksonville - YouTube
Tim Harris has become a beautiful example of what is possible when you dream big and live a life based on love and acceptance. During his talk, Tim...
-
How do I book Tim Harris to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Tim Harris for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Tim Harris, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Tim Harris or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Tim Harris
Speaking fees for Tim Harris, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Tim Harris are available upon request for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Tim Harris, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Tim Harris speak about?
Tim Harris is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Business, Children's Authors, Disability, Entrepreneurship, Genetics, Happiness, Human Resources, Inspirational, Motivational, Non-Fiction Authors, Overcoming Adversity, Social Entrepreneurship, Teamwork & Teambuilding -
Where does Tim Harris travel from?
Tim Harris generally travels from Albuquerque, NM, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent. -
Who is Tim Harris’s agent?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Tim Harris for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Tim Harris for your next private or corporate function. -
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Tim Harris or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us. -
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
Tim Harris is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics. The estimated speaking fee range to book Tim Harris for your event is available upon request. Tim Harris generally travels from Albuquerque, NM, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Brandon Farbstein, Kristie Kennedy, Kyle Scheele, Westley Morris and Anthony Flynn. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Tim Harris for an upcoming live or virtual event.
This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.
All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.
If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.








