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.




Read More

Videos

Request Availability

Speech TopicsExpand each topic to learn more

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

Sports Motivational Speakers: Mindset Lessons from the World’s Best Athletes

Why are sports motivational speakers such a slam dunk for today’s corporate and conference audiences? Because no one understands the link between mindset, pressure, and performance like athletes do. Whether they’re training for gold, climbing...

Read More

Keep Climbing: Resilience and Grit in the Face of Adversity

In this newsletter, learn how intentional growth, resilience, and grit empower you to keep climbing despite adversity.

Read More

Mastering Negotiation To Get Anything You Want with Alexandra Carter

Learn negotiation strategies, how to use emotional intelligence to ask the right questions and create win-win outcomes with keynote speaker Alexandra Carter.

Read More

Top Keynote Speakers on Building Resilience: Expert Strategies to Overcome Challenges and Thrive

Why are speakers on building resilience so important? Well, did you know only 19% of leaders feel equipped to manage unexpected disruptions effectively? In today’s volatile world, resilience isn't just desirable—it's essential. From economic uncertainty...

Read More

Nurturing Growth: Intentional Steps to a Flourishing Life

Find out how intentional growth fuels personal development and inspires a journey of progress, purpose, and transformation.

Read More

Experts on Change Management: How to Turn Disruption into Opportunity

Change is no longer a season. It’s the climate. And we know the top experts on change management strategies to educate your audience at your next event. In today’s fast-moving business world, change is constant,...

Read More

Related Speakers

Reviews & Ratings

Here's how toHit the mark with the perfect speaker!

1. Schedule a call

We’ll connect so we understand your needs to curate a selection of great speakers.

2. Book your speaker

We’ll manage all the details so you will be confident with your choice.

3. Wow your audience

Inform & educate your participants to ideas that transform their work & personal life.

Schedule a Call

Blog Posts

 

Sports Motivational Speakers: Mindset Lessons from the World’s Best Athletes

Why are sports motivational speakers such a slam dunk for today’s corporate and conference audiences?...

Read More

Keep Climbing: Resilience and Grit in the Face of Adversity

There’s a moment in every climb when the summit seems too far, the air too...

Read More

Mastering Negotiation To Get Anything You Want with Alexandra Carter

Negotiation isn’t about winning—it’s about understanding. In a world where meaningful communication and true empowerment...

Read More

Top Keynote Speakers on Building Resilience: Expert Strategies to Overcome Challenges and Thrive

Why are speakers on building resilience so important? Well, did you know only 19% of...

Read More

Nurturing Growth: Intentional Steps to a Flourishing Life

"The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are." – Carl Jung...

Read More

Experts on Change Management: How to Turn Disruption into Opportunity

Change is no longer a season. It’s the climate. And we know the top experts...

Read More