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Matt Garman
Leadership Development
Effective Leadership
Employee Engagement
Unlock leadership capability with Matt Garman, leadership speaker and mentor. Matt helps organisations recognise the leadership capability already inside them, improving talent development, succession planning, and employee engagement.
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Matt Garman is an entrepreneur, leadership expert, and author who helps organisations uncover leadership potential that conventional hiring and promotion methods often overlook.
Before turning his attention to leadership development, Matt built and sold two technology businesses, scaling from 14 to 42 people and £3.8m in revenue to a private equity exit. Alongside his business career, he rowed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean, swam the English Channel, and completed endurance fundraising challenges. His book "An Unconventional Journey Into Leadership" challenges conventional thinking, while his appearances on BBC radio and various podcasts have established him as an influential thought leader.
Matt's own unconventional leadership journey led him to develop The Second Look, a framework that helps organisations recognise the leadership potential already sitting inside their teams, the enthusiasm, trust, resilience, and capability that formal CVs and qualifications overlook. He shows leaders, managers, and individuals how to apply it in practice.
Audiences leave able to spot leadership potential hiding in plain sight, use The Second Look for succession planning and team development, and recognise how growing people from within builds belonging, retention, and stronger leadership pipelines as AI reshapes the workplace.
Book Matt to give your organisation a practical framework for seeing its own people differently, and to stop losing talent it overlooked.
Topics, sessions and talks
Every leader carries credentials that never appear on a CV: the pressure they have navigated, the unconventional lessons picked up along the way. Matt Garman argues most organisations only look at the formal side and miss this entirely. Drawing on his own story of being overlooked before a single Second Look changed his trajectory, Matt walks audiences through a framework for noticing, naming, and backing the leadership potential already inside their teams, applicable immediately to who they might otherwise risk losing.
Most organisations say their people are their greatest asset, then hire strangers instead of promoting from within. Matt Garman shows what that signals to a team, and the engagement it quietly drains away. Using the Second Look framework and his own path from underestimated to company founder, Matt challenges audiences to recognise the leadership already forged inside their organisation through real decisions and real pressure, and to see the colleague they haven't properly looked at yet.
Every founder starts a business feeling like they are setting off on a quest: an unreadable map, an untested crew, an uncertain destination. Matt Garman takes audiences through that journey, from building and selling two companies to rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic, showing where founders lose the map and how to find it again. Along the way, audiences start mapping their own adventure, working out where their crew needs attention and what their treasure actually looks like.
Matt Garman's Second Look framework gives leadership and talent teams a structured way to spot capability that formal CVs miss. Rather than teaching resilience, Matt Garman helps organisations recognise the leadership capability already inside them, forged through real business challenges rather than a training room
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frequently asked questions
Something we've not covered here?
Email matt.garman@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm Matt's availability and fees. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and a bit about your audience.
Matt Garman structures his talks around a narrative framework that maps business leadership onto a physical adventure — most commonly the Atlantic rowing crossing — using it as a running metaphor to illustrate specific leadership stages. He applies his proprietary Uncharted Framework (Dream, Plan, Execute, Evolve) across four business dimensions (Vision, People, Process, Management) to give audiences a transferable model drawn directly from the adventure narrative.
Matt Garman structures his talks around a narrative framework that maps business leadership onto a physical adventure — most commonly the Atlantic rowing crossing — using it as a running metaphor to illustrate specific leadership stages. He applies his proprietary Uncharted Framework (Dream, Plan, Execute, Evolve) across four business dimensions (Vision, People, Process, Management) to give audiences a transferable model drawn directly from the adventure narrative.
Matt Garman structures his talks around a narrative framework that maps business leadership onto a physical adventure — most commonly the Atlantic rowing crossing — using it as a running metaphor to illustrate specific leadership stages. He applies his proprietary Uncharted Framework (Dream, Plan, Execute, Evolve) across four business dimensions (Vision, People, Process, Management) to give audiences a transferable model drawn directly from the adventure narrative.
Matt Garman speaks on hidden leadership potential, internal talent development, and the founder's journey through uncertainty. He built and sold two technology businesses, scaling to £3.8m in revenue and a private equity exit, and is the author of An Unconventional Journey Into Leadership.
Matt Garman speaks on hidden leadership potential, internal talent development, and the founder's journey through uncertainty. He built and sold two technology businesses, scaling to £3.8m in revenue and a private equity exit, and is the author of An Unconventional Journey Into Leadership.
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Yes. PepTalk regularly handles last-minute requests and can secure or replace a speaker, host, or comedian quickly, often within days. Availability narrows as the date nears, so get in touch as early as you can. Email hello@getapeptalk.com with your requirements.
Speaker fees vary by profile, format, and location. In the UK and Europe, virtual keynotes typically start around GBP 2,000, with top in-person speakers reaching GBP 25,000+; in the US, fees run from about USD 5,000 to USD 100,000+. Share your budget at getapeptalk.com and we'll shortlist to fit.
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You'll receive a hand-picked shortlist within 24 hours of sharing your brief. Each suggestion comes with profiles, fees, and PepTalk's recommendation on the strongest fit. If you need options sooner for an urgent event, say so and the team will move faster. Start at getapeptalk.com.
Most bookings can be rescheduled with reasonable notice. Cancellation terms vary by speaker and are set out clearly in the contract before you confirm, so there are no surprises. PepTalk's team supports you through any change. Contact hello@getapeptalk.com as soon as plans shift.
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Speaker fees vary based on factors like event location, format, and availability. The 'typical fee range' figure gives you a baseline of someone's local, in-person rate sits, and we'll confirm the exact fee when you get in touch.
Before your speakers arrive, confirm AV is tested, a green room is ready, and printed schedules are on hand. Prepare warm introductions for each speaker and brief your team on timings. PepTalk speakers come fully briefed, making event-day logistics smoother and stress-free from the start.
A keynote speaker delivers an inspiring or informative talk. An MC hosts and guides the event, keeping things on track. Entertainment — like a band or comedian — creates atmosphere and fun. Each serves a different purpose, and PepTalk can help you book the right talent for all three.
Life happens! Most speaker bookings can be rescheduled with reasonable notice. Cancellation terms vary by speaker, but PepTalk handles all the details & contracts transparently upfront so there are no surprises. Our team supports you through any changes, making the process as smooth as possible.
Not necessarily. While the speakers listed on our website may not have worked with PepTalk in the past, they are recognized professionals in the industry and known to engage in similar events and engagements. Alongside direct talent, we work with a wide variety of speaker agents and talent agencies, to ensure we have the best selection of speakers, hosts, comedians and entertainers available.
When booking a comedian, share your event format, audience size and demographics, any sensitive topics to avoid, and the tone you're after. PepTalk makes this easy — their booking process guides you through a simple checklist so nothing gets missed and your comedian is perfectly matched to your crowd.
When booking a speaker, you'll need your event date, audience details, format, key objectives, and budget. Having these ready makes the process smooth and straightforward. PepTalk's team uses this information to match you with the perfect speaker quickly and efficiently.
Yes! At PepTalk, you can absolutely bundle entertainment and speakers into one seamless package. It's a great way to create a fuller event experience while enjoying simplified booking and better value. Our team handles everything together, making the process effortless for you.
Sorry, we do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, or any non-commercial contact with the speakers, comedians or entertainers.
If you notice something that needs attention or have any queries regarding an expert speaker profile, please email us at experts@getapeptalk.com, and we’ll be happy to assist.
Book a motivational speaker at least 3–6 months in advance, especially for popular speakers or large events. Top speakers get booked quickly, so earlier is always better. For major conferences or peak seasons, booking 12 months ahead ensures you secure your first choice.
Yes. Most PepTalk speakers deliver virtual and hybrid sessions with live Q&A, and virtual keynotes usually cost less than in-person because there is no travel. Tell us your platform and format and we'll match speakers experienced in online delivery. Start at getapeptalk.com.
Share your organisation's top 3 strategic priorities, current challenges, and the audience's role in delivering them. A simple one-page brief works perfectly. PepTalk speakers use this context to tailor insights that feel genuinely relevant — making your event far more impactful.
Yes! Most event entertainers are happy to tailor their act to your brand, industry, or theme. From weaving in company jokes to incorporating your branding into their performance, personalisation makes all the difference. PepTalk's entertainers specialise in bespoke experiences that feel made just for your audience.
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