Biography

A spellbinding storyteller and motivational speaker, Steve grabs your attention and never lets go. His highly interactive and deeply researched presentations touch the heart and soul of corporate purpose and individual motivation. Steve’s Epic Conference ThemeWeaver program has transformed meetings around the globe. His high energy presentations feature a perfect blend of humor, inspiration and ideas to turn talented teams into high performing heroes.

As a young man Steve crossed the Sahara Desert overland. Decades later he embarked on  a 3 year, 72,000 mile global odyssey to find a new story and a reason to tell it. These incredible journeys inspire his work to create legendary leadership in epic organizations as a motivational speaker, leadership trainer and consultant. Through storytelling, he reveals how to achieve epic results by energizing culture and careers.

He is a bestselling author and international expert in Narrative Intelligence. Steve’s first book, Shifting Sands: A Guidebook for Crossing the Deserts of Change, has sold over 125,000 copies in half a dozen countries. He has addressed over 1,000 organizations on four continents including many of the Fortune 50, helping them revolutionize change leadership and ignite employee engagement.

Steve lives on Vancouver Island in Victoria, BC with his wife Maureen, a family lawyer.  They have 7 adult children living in Canada, the USA, Europe, Asia and Australia.

 

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Videos

STEVE DONAHUE Motivational Speaker SIZZLE REEL 2018-

Hilarious Hi-Tech Trouble

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TELL YOUR EPIC STORY - Heroic Leadership in a World of Disruption

Leaders can transform their results by cracking the code of the most powerful narrative in human history. Drawing on a decade of research, Steve has identified 5 components that build a culture of greatness where people feel and act like Heroes on a Quest. Using brain science, business examples and tales from his desert odyssey, Steve shows how to triumph together in a time of change by telling your very own Epic Story.

SELL YOUR EPIC STORY - Audacious Influence in a Social Universe

Pro sports is a one trillion dollar industry because it sells an Epic Story. Turn your customers into fans and your team into Heroes with the 5 Key Components of The Epic Story System®. Everyone is selling something in the social universe. The crucial transaction is getting others to buy into your story and play a role where everyone wins. This ancient narrative is the newest way to network, sell, persuade and brand.

THE EPIC STORY EFFECT® - Extreme Engagement in an Era of Distraction

Employees are more engaged with their phones than their jobs. Managers from one generation struggle to motivate workers from another. The answer is not an app. It’s a story-based system that has inspired human commitment for over 4,000 years. Harness the power of the same formula that makes blockbuster movies and packs sports stadiums to capacity. Ignite The Epic Story Effect® in your organization and build a culture of extreme engagement.

Booksby Steve Donahue

Follow Your Compass, Not a Map

Shifting Sands: A Guidebook for Crossing the Desert of Change

Blog Posts

How Boundaries Drive Creativity with Sheri Jacobs

Creativity thrives inside smart boundaries. Learn how constraints drive innovation, better decisions, and bolder ideas from keynote speaker Sheri Jacobs.

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These Keynote Speakers Prove Innovation is a Habit, Not a Big Idea [2026 Guide]

Our 2026 list of innovation keynote speakers that reveal why real innovation is a repeatable habit, not a big idea, and why marketing is the proof.

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Fear vs. Intuition: How Michelle Poler Can Help You Finally Tell Them Apart

Learn how to tell fear apart from intuition using a simple decision-making exercise from Hello Fears founder Michelle Poler.

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Happiness at Work Starts with Progress, Not Perks

Happiness at work goes beyond perks. Discover the research-backed factor that drives real engagement and fulfillment.

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Resilience Lessons to Rebuild Your Life, with Military Veteran Travis Mills

Resilience keynote speaker Travis Mills shares how he rebuilt his life after losing all four limbs, with lessons on mindset, purpose, and never quitting.

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AI Impact in the Workforce Demands These Keynote Speakers

Discover how AI is reshaping work in 2026 and which keynote speakers can guide your team through the shift.

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