Biography

Josh Sundquist is a motivational speaker, comedian and bestselling author who has shared his story with audiences across the world, ranging from schools to the White House to Fortune 50 companies like Facebook, Walmart, Apple, Spotify, Google, CVS and General Motors. Josh is an in-demand keynote speaker for groups of sales people, educators, student leaders, and health professionals.

At age nine, Josh was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer and given a fifty percent chance to live. He spent a year on chemotherapy treatments and his left leg was amputated. Doctors declared Josh cured of the disease at age thirteen and he took up ski racing three years later. 

Josh trained for the next five years and in 2006 he was named to the US Paralympic Ski Team for The Paralympic Games in Turino, Italy. Today, Josh represents the United States in international competition as a member of the U.S. Amputee Soccer Team.

On the internet, Josh is best known for his viral photos, especially his Halloween costumes. His videos have been viewed over 500 million times and he has over three million followers. People named him to the 2017 “Social Media Power List.” As a social media influencer, he’s worked with brands like Apple, Meta, Tommy Hilfiger, Chase, Chevrolet and  AT&T.

Josh is an ambassador for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and makes regular appearances at events and in the media to raise money for children’s hospitals across the country. He has been featured on the back of Doritos bags (specifically, Spicy Nacho flavor) for his work on behalf of amputees.

Josh has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, NPR and CNN. His first memoir, Just Don’t Fall, was a national bestseller and his second memoir We Should Hang Out Sometime was optioned for movie rights by a division of Disney. His debut novel Love and First Sight was published in 2017. Josh’s fourth book, Semi-Famous was released in 2022. His books have been translated into German, Italian, and Turkish and have been published in North America, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Turkey, Italy, and Austria.

Josh is an executive producer and writer on the new television series, “Best Foot Forward” on Apple TV+. The series is inspired by his childhood. 

Josh received a degree in business from the College of William and Mary and a Master’s in Communications from the University of Southern California. He lives with his wife, Ashley near the beach in California.




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1MT1MT: ONE MORE THING, ONE MORE TIME

Josh's keynote presentations blend clean comedy with soulful storytelling. Hilarious audience interactions are punctuated by moments of profound silence. Your attendees experience a roller-coaster ride of laughter, tears, chills, and still more laughter. His storytelling format engages, entertains, and instills hope in those who are facing personal and professional challenges. Key takeaways include how to fall forward by learning from disappointments and failures, why our results are based more on our response to adversity than our response to success, and how to keep swinging despite feeling like we've struck out.

Testimonials

Josh artfully made a connection between the Walmart story and his own. His first speech was so moving that we hired him to come back a second time!
– Julie Murphy, Executive Vice President of U.S. People – Walmart U.S.
He’ll make you laugh out loud and fill you with raw emotion, all while teaching you vital lessons in empathy, gratitude and resilience.
– Nada Stirratt VP, Global Marketing Solutions, Facebook
Many people have said that Josh’s speech was the highlight of the event for them. He connected with the audience in such a meaningful way.
– Brittany Conant, Business Planning & Operations, HP Inc. Workstations
Josh is a wonderful, inspiring, and engaging speaker. The sign of a captive audience at Google is when all laptops are shut!
– Erika Choung, Google Talks Planner, Google
Josh is an extraordinary young man with a message that inspires and awes his audiences with his true life experiences.He is a must for your next meeting!
– Vinnie Tracey, President, RE/MAX International
More than 7,000 people heard Josh speak at our annual management conference. A miracle himself, Josh inspired us to make the most of our own lives.
– Mary Sammons, CEO, Rite Aid

Booksby Josh Sundquist

Semi-Famous

Love and First Sight

We Should Hang Out Sometime

Just Don't Fall

Blog Posts

How Great Mothers Raise Even Better Leaders

Celebrate Mother’s Day by exploring how maternal leadership lessons—in listening, resilience, clarity, purpose, and storytelling.

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Why Creativity Is Your Organization’s Most Critical Skill

Keynote speaker Natalie Nixon explains why creativity is essential for innovation and growth, and how leaders can embed creative thinking into their businesses.

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Life Mission Statements and Mental Health with Johnny Crowder

Dive into real-life strategies for mental health, resilience, and culture change with keynote speaker Johnny Crowder.

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Next-Gen Event Trends That You Must Know

Stay ahead for your next event with trends like with personalization, well-being, diversity, immersive tech, and sustainability—plus pro tips & insider links.

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Escape the Complexity Trap: Why Simple Wins with Lisa Bodell

Want more time to innovate? Conquer organizational complexity with insights from expert on change keynote speaker Lisa Bodell.

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Blog Posts

 

How Great Mothers Raise Even Better Leaders

This Sunday, on Mother’s Day, we honor the women whose love taught us courage, whose...

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A Complete Guide to Kill Complexity & Spark Innovation

What if innovation and breakthrough ideas don’t come from working harder but from working simpler?...

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Why Creativity Is Your Organization’s Most Critical Skill

Tired of thinking creativity is just a “nice to have”? Discover how building creative skills...

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Life Mission Statements and Mental Health with Johnny Crowder

🎙️ On this episode of The Keynote Curators Podcast, meet the rockstar-turned-mental health revolutionary who...

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Next-Gen Event Trends That You Must Know

The events industry isn’t just evolving—it’s accelerating. At The Keynote Curators, we’ve spent years curating...

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Escape the Complexity Trap: Why Simple Wins with Lisa Bodell

Want more time to innovate? Start by killing complexity. 🔥 On this episode of The...

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