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Ben O'Donnell

Executive Coach, Ironman & COVID-19 Survivor

Executive Coach, Ironman & COVID-19 Survivor

Travels From Travels From:
Moncton, Canada
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
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Ben O'Donnell Biography

In Feb 2020, Ben O'Donnell was training for his second Ironman Triathlon when he went on a business trip for a week to Colorado and Texas. On that trip, he contracted COVID-19. He spent nine days at home before the state of Minnesota was able to test for COVID-19, and he was admitted directly to the ICU. He was the first critical case of COVID-19 in the state of Minnesota and the first person in North America to survive COVID-19 while requiring ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) support. O'Donnell spent 28 days in the ICU, 15 on a ventilator and 12 on ECMO. During that time, he also suffered from Liver and Kidney failure.

Upon discharge, O'Donnell was sent home with a walker and supplemental oxygen. He determined that he would still train for and compete in that Ironman triathlon. It was 14 months to the day of coming off of ECMO life support, he completed Ironman Tulsa in May 2021.

O'Donnell experienced setbacks and trials as he moved to a new country with his family and started a business. He dedicated his Ironman to the healthcare workers and community, which means so much to him. He spends time raising funds for the Ironman Foundations IRONAID program to help non-profit organizations affected by the pandemic. Additionally, O'Donnell is working to ensure that others would not have to experience what he went through. He has testified in front of Congress on vaccine hesitancy and continues to spread his message and story.

Part of his journey is also chronicled in the ESPN "Documentary The Long Haul," which is streaming in ESPN+.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 08/13/2024.

Ben O'Donnell Speaking Topics

  • Motivation: Don't Stop, Don't Quit, Keep Moving Forward

    Ben uses his story of recovery to guide and motivate you through your journey. His story starts in an ICU bed suffering from COVID-19. He was on a ventilator and ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation). His journey took him to an Ironman finish line just 14 months later. His determination and grit are infectious as he takes you on a journey of not just recovery, but self reflection and triumph.

    Success is not a single event, and progress is made slowly. It is about the little things we do every day that help us towards our better tomorrow. Just don't stop, don't quit, keep moving forward.

  • Work/Life Balance: Lessons Learned from the ICU Bed

    Ben had a very successful professional career. He worked as an executive for more than one Fortune 500 company before he was 37. He climbed the corporate ladder with the best of them. Then, when he was forced to reflect on his life and career from his ICU bed, he found the things that mattered in his life and career.

    Ben takes you through this thought process and how he found the items that truly mattered in life and work. He wants you to learn from his experience. He talks about how the village and people that you surround yourself with are so much more important than that title and compensation you receive. He is not blind to the monetary needs to survive in the world, but rather looks at how you can balance the financial need with the personal fulfillment we all need.

  • Compassionate Leadership: People First Leadership in the Modern Workplace

    People are an organizations most important asset, yet when it comes to leadership, we always look at the KPI's (Key Performance Indicators) of the business and rarely the people responsible for them. Good leadership comes from personal relationships and understanding that the people in the organization come first. When that happens, they will take care of your customers and profits.

    It is about creating a safe environment where people feel welcome, respected, and free to be whomever they are without the need of a corporate mask.

Ben O'Donnell Videos

  • From COVID ICU to Ironman finish line | Ben O'Donnell | TEDx
    By now, most of the world’s population has experienced COVID-19 firsthand and knows how arduous the journey to health can be. For Ben O’Donnell,...
  • SportsCenter Featured: The Long Haul
    38-year-old Ben O’Donnell arrived in a hospital’s emergency room on March 9th 2020, where he became the first critical COVID patient in the state...

Speaker Lists Featuring Ben O'Donnell

FAQs on booking Ben O'Donnell

  • How do I book Ben O'Donnell to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Ben O'Donnell 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 Ben O'Donnell, 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 Ben O'Donnell or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Ben O'Donnell

    Speaking fees for Ben O'Donnell, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Ben O'Donnell are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Ben O'Donnell, 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 Ben O'Donnell speak about?

    Ben O'Donnell is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Athlete, Innovation, Leadership, Motivational, Peak Performance, Sports, Virtual, Work-Life Balance.
  • Where does Ben O'Donnell travel from?

    Ben O'Donnell generally travels from Moncton, Canada, 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 Ben O'Donnell’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Ben O'Donnell 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 Ben O'Donnell 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 Ben O'Donnell 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.

Ben O'Donnell is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Motivation: Don't Stop, Don't Quit, Keep Moving Forward, Work/Life Balance: Lessons Learned from the ICU Bed and Compassionate Leadership: People First Leadership in the Modern Workplace. The estimated speaking fee range to book Ben O'Donnell for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Ben O'Donnell generally travels from MonctonCanada and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Jim Morris, Rocky Bleier, Steve Mellor, Rudy Ruettiger and Vince Papale. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Ben O'Donnell for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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