Available to book

Combat pilot & leadership speaker

Sarah Furness

High Performance

Resilience

Leadership Development

Transform leadership resilience with Sarah Furness, speaker and combat helicopter pilot. Sarah works with organisations to develop high-performance under pressure, resilience skills, and courageous leadership, delivering battlefield-tested insights from her pioneering RAF career and bestselling books.

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Sarah Furness

London, United Kingdom

Starting from

£6–10k

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Book Sarah

London, United Kingdom

Starting from

£6–10k

Send an email

loading@getapeptalk.com

Give us a call

+44 203 835 2929

Enquire Sarah Now

Instant quote

•

No upfront fee

•

Vetted speaker

Sarah Furness's biography

Inspirational Female

International Women's Day

Women's History Month

Pilot

Military

Inspirational

Personal Development

Motivational

At a glance

First female helicopter pilot to lead UK Special Forces missions in Iraq
Squadron Leader with operational combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan
Expert on resilience and performance under pressure, now a motivational speaker

Sarah Furness, after completing her studies at Cambridge University, pursued her lifelong dream of becoming a combat helicopter pilot in the RAF. Rising to the rank of Squadron Leader, she took charge of operational combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, where she achieved the remarkable feat of being the first female helicopter pilot to fly and lead UK Special Forces missions in Iraq. Sarah made two significant discoveries while on the battlefield and at home. First, she realized that resilience and exceptional performance under pressure are not innate qualities but skills that can be developed. Second, she observed that humans possess an extraordinary capacity to excel and lead when faced with intense pressure as long as they possess the necessary knowledge and tools. Now, as a keynote speaker, Sarah has dedicated herself to a singular mission - to unveil the secret behind outstanding resilience, high-performance, and courage in adversity. She aims to share this invaluable knowledge with others, empowering them to thrive even in the most challenging circumstances. Sarah’s bestselling books, Fly Higher and The Uni-Tasking Revolution, delve into practical techniques for achieving peak mental performance and building strong leadership skills. Fluent in “alpha male” environments, Sarah brings a relatable, grounded approach to her work, which is both inspiring and impactful.

Sarah's showreel and videos

Topics, sessions and talks

Lessons In High Performance From A Helicopter Pilot

In her talk, Sarah Furness discusses how our team's performance under pressure reflects training rather than character. She challenges the myth of multitasking, highlighting its detrimental effects on performance and stress levels. Attendees will learn to prioritise by focusing on one task at a time, collaborate effectively to avoid duplication, and adopt rigorous training to make behaviours automatic. These strategies lead to greater productivity, improved decision-making, fewer errors, and reduced burnout, ultimately enhancing overall performance.

Building Greater Resilience Through Self Trust

Individuals do not require constant supervision; instead, they must learn to trust themselves in order to build their resilience. In this session, Sarah Furness shares the secrets to building internal strength and self-trust by helping teams understand how to take ownership of their choices.

Creating A Culture Of Growth

In this talk, Sarah Furness challenges the notion of imposter syndrome, suggesting it is a natural part of the human experience that can help us recognise knowledge gaps and unique strengths. She emphasises that mistakes should be viewed as opportunities for growth rather than setbacks. By embracing our errors and fostering a culture of brave behaviours, organisations can enhance creativity, confidence, and collective intelligence. Attendees will learn how to cultivate a growth mindset and improve the success of change initiatives.

How to Lead Fearlessly

Sarah Furness argues that true psychological safety requires bravery, encouraging leaders to leverage it for more intuitive and emotionally intelligent leadership. By asking "brave questions" and embracing challenges, leaders can transform groupthink into collective intelligence. Attendees will learn how to foster greater team cohesion, trust, and authentic leadership, ultimately boosting self-confidence within their teams.

Why we recommend booking Sarah

As a speaker, Sarah offers your team insights into building resilience and excelling under pressure. Her unique experiences leading in extreme conditions will inspire and equip your team with practical tools for outstanding performance, fostering a culture of courage, leadership, and adaptability in your business environment.

Check Sarah's availability

Trusted by Iress

Testimonials

I've heard many great speakers. It's rare to hear a speaker who can translate their experiences directly into the workplace with such clarity and such relevance.

Marcus Price

CEO, Iress

There is nobody worth listening to more than Sarah Furness in today's world. Real experience, real stories no out-of-a-book fluff.

Paul Lloyd

It was a pleasure to hear you speak earlier, and sparked a number of nerves on my part!! If I had known it was going to be that good, I would have closed the office and told the team to hear you speak.

Ex-Special Forces

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How do I book Sarah Furness for my next event?

Email sarah.furness@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 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. As speaker agents, PepTalk can secure Sarah Furness for commercial and corporate events, conference keynotes, leadership talks, celebrity brand endorsements & partnerships, personal appearances, and motivational speaking engagements. We can assist with enquiries about Sarah Furness's speaking fees, availability, and booking process for private business functions, industry conferences, and team events. Please note, for media interviews, autographs, charity appearances, or personal matters, we recommend contacting Sarah Furness directly.

What is Sarah Furness's speaking style like?

Sarah delivers with clarity and relevance, sharing real experiences and practical insights. Her engaging style inspires audiences, sparking reflection and offering valuable takeaways for resilience and high performance.

What topics does Sarah Furness specialise in?

Have all the speakers on the website previously worked with PepTalk?

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. 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.

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How far in advance should I book a motivational speaker?

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.

Help, I need a last-minute speaker for my event!

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