Justin Wren

Justin’s breakout keynote shares his remarkable personal story from humble beginnings in rural Texas and a childhood shaped by relentless bullying. He eventually rose to mixed martial arts stardom, fighting in front of thousands in person and millions around the world, only to lose it all to drugs and depression. But he fought back again, first on behalf of other victims of bullying, and later, through an almost unbelievable turn of events, on behalf of the Pygmy people of the Congo and Uganda. A three-time survivor of malaria, Justin has fought opponents both large and small throughout his life, and along the way, he has evolved into an astonishing force for good in the world...and a remarkable keynote speaker. If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a closed room with a mosquito. -JW

In the electrifying arena of life, we all step into the ring, donning the gloves of struggle, pain, and adversity. In the face of every challenge, we have a choice to make - a choice to rise, to fight, and to overcome. As an MMA fighter, I have danced in the octagon, where every second counts and every blow matters. But my toughest fight, my most grueling bout, was not inside those steel cage walls. It was the battle within my own mind, the war against self-doubt, fear, and the weight of past failures. This speech is not just about fighting in the ring– it's about fighting for your dreams, your purpose, and the meaningful impact only you can create. Together, we will unravel the secrets of the Overcomer's mindset, the unyielding spirit that separates the victors from the defeated. It's time to transform pain into fuel, setbacks into comebacks, and doubts into unwavering belief.

Leaders are being blindsided today by external circumstances compromising our internal condition without our permission. Think mental health issues, compassion fatigue, and burnout. The antidote to burnout is tending to the internal fire. We will always be vulnerable to external circumstances, depleting our energy, detouring our performance, and having our purpose circling the drain if we neglect our internal condition. This talk will share Justin’s Overcomer story and his story of recovery and ultimately, thriving, and how to maintain this as a leader and a true Overcomer.

What happens after you hit rock bottom? Sometimes, you find a calling that changes your life forever. You just might become a hope dealer who empowers sustainable change for others. The Pygmies, a marginalized and forgotten people, became the catalyst for my journey of purposeful service. Through my experiences with these incredible individuals, I witnessed firsthand the immense impact we can have when we dedicate ourselves to a cause greater than ourselves. Together, we will explore the power of service, the profound difference we can make in the lives of others, and the ripple effect that extends far beyond what we can imagine – including the transformation that occurs within ourselves when we choose to serve selflessly. Above all, this talk is about hope. How to become a hope dealer from one of the world's greatest hope dealers turned change makers. It is a reminder that we each possess the power to create a better world, one act of kindness at a time. By leaving our imprint on this world through purposeful service, we can inspire others to do the same, sparking a chain reaction of love and compassion that reverberates far and wide.

To the untrained eye or casual fan, it is often believed that it’s the fighter with the strongest muscles or best physique who will win an MMA fight. But in actuality, the one who wins in the cage is the fighter with the deepest purpose and strongest reasons. Learning to strengthen and stack your WHYs is a skill and one that sets apart a winning fighter from the rest. Reminding yourself of why you are fighting and who you are fighting for is how the bar of high performance gets raised during a fighter’s “peak week” – that crucial time period before a fight, as you let yourself heal from a grueling ‘fight camp’ of training. We are all fighting for something. At home, at work, with our teams, for our personal goals, or for our community. Learning these insights, tapping into both a fighter’s mind and a fighter's heart, and applying them to life, will help anyone achieve peak performance and find that flow state while in hot pursuit of any goals and give you a new game plan – and a new edge – for victory.

When we access this shamrock three-punch combo and trifecta it leads to a tripling of impact. Things we dreamed as possible, but didn’t believe could happen, can occur through accessing the tools, tactics, and techniques that true fire starters use to create the seemingly impossible. Through personal growth in our own lives, our performance and success at work, and our attitude and actions making change, we can create like never before in our communities and our world.

Leading from the front has long been the most inspirational and effective way of leadership. But someone who has been there before has a deep well of knowledge from the experience of having been there before or currently is within the team, has been proven to be more trusted, effective, and impactful. Someone who has been can be and is always willing to jump back in the trenches or hold space for the frontline workers who are currently there will have open lines of communication and will have the opportunity for their team to have ears that hear. Open ears, open minds, and open hearts to receive direction, feedback, and leadership advice and instruction. Learn how to lead from service further through Justin’s own story, combining head knowledge and heart knowledge. Get the real game plan for victory: care not only about the bottom line, but the through line of the people involved in making the performance possible.

Opportunity is greater than charity. While charity certainly has its place, the opportunity is proven to be better: it’s the difference between a handout and a hand-up, or band-aids and stitches. The shocking truth is that the band-aid of charity has turned into a toxicity that has caused the good intentions of charity to actually hurt. Learn the how and why of this from Justin’s own founding of Fight for the Forgotten, and how contribution meets collaboration, and helps people build their own ladder to climb out of poverty, oppression, insecurity, and injustice. There is always a better way for communities to move forward and toward wholeness.