Rebecca Stephens was the first British woman climb Mount Everest (1993), and then the first English-speaking woman in the world to climb the Seven Summits (the highest mountain in each of the seven continents.) How did she do it? “I wanted to climb these mountains more than anything else, and that was half the battle won. A burning desire meant that I just pushed harder to acquire the necessary skills to make it happen”.
An outstanding speaker on motivation, leadership and teamwork, she draws examples from her personal experiences, with the ability to inspire her audience and make them see that they may underestimate their own potential. Rebecca demonstrates endurance, courage and the determination to succeed, reaching new goals each time. Equally at home as a keynote speaker, after dinner speaker and at award ceremonies, Rebecca likes to illustrate her presentation with visuals (if required). A natural communicator, her style is straightforward, honest and motivating. Her background as a journalist, coupled with her skills as a speaker, make her a natural choice to host and link events.
Rebecca believes that everyone has their own “Everest” – something they really want to do. The secret is to have self-awareness, and to follow the path which is true for you.
As a journalist, she accompanied an Anglo-American expedition on Everest’s North Ridge and got bitten by the mountaineering bug. Aged 27, she discovered a life-changing passion. She knew she wanted to climb the world’s highest mountain. Four years later she fulfilled this ambition and continued to break records and barriers. On Top of The World is her compelling account of climbing Mount Everest. She co-wrote (with management guru Robert Heller) The Seven Summits of Success (2005). Other books include “Buying a Home Abroad”. She held various positions as a journalist and writer and was a regular presenter on “Tomorrow’s World”, BBC Television’s long running Science series. A journalist for 15 years, her career included being Deputy Editor for the Financial Times magazine Resident Abroad.
Rebecca has many interests in addition to her passion for mountaineering, including trekking, exploration and skiing. She joined forces with explorers Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Dr Mike Stroud OBE on the gruelling eight-day Eco-Challenge race (running, biking and canoeing across the Canadian Rockies). She is a Trustee of Sir Edmund Hillary’s Himalayan Trust, a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a member of the Alpine Club, and has been closely associated with The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme and the Outward Bound Trust.
Her engagements include the prestigious National Media Dinner for IBM senior management and journalists, motivational talks for BT and addressing 2,000 guests at the Symphony Hall in Birmingham for the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Clients include Young Enterprise Northern Ireland, Zeneca Seeds UK Ltd, Citibank, British Gas, DHL and the Royal Geographical Society. Rebecca was invited to give the Armagh Council Annual Lecture in the Cathedral.