Bruce Kirkby

Bruce has built his life upon the road less traveled. After graduating with a degree in Engineering Physics - and realizing that a life in a cubicle was not for him - Bruce packed his bags and stepped into the unknown, departing for northern Pakistan with just a bicycle and tent at the age of 21.  He's been going full tilt ever since.

With journeys spanning eighty countries and some of the wildest corners of the planet, Bruce has crossed Iceland by foot, explored Mongolia on horseback, traversed Arabia on a camel, and been captured by the army while on assignment in Myanmar. He has fought Nile crocodiles (using a damp copy of the Utne Reader), leapt from planes, dove with sharks, been taken hostage in Ethiopia, and shot at in Borneo.

What sets Bruce apart is his ability to share the magic, the mystery and the learnings from these experiences with others. A regular columnist with The Globe and Mail, and the author of two bestselling books (Sand Dance and The Dolphin's Tooth) Bruce's work appears regularly in publications including Explore, Canadian Geographic, Outside Magazine and Time.

He is also an award-winning photographer, whose images were chosen by National Geographic as amongst "the Best Adventure Photography of the Decade".

As the former host of CBC's No Opportunity Wasted, Bruce's enthusiasm, and his belief in the magic of human potential, is contagious.

Bruce's Blog Posts:

The Power of Adventure

• 3. An Adventurer's Guide to Risk Management

  Our world is dynamic, and unpredictable. Changes arrive quickly, without warning. No matter what the industry or project, managing risks effectively is not just good business practice , it's essential.

  Yet risk can be tricky to pinpoint, and risk management remains a poorly understood management skill. Leaders often focus on potentially catastrophic dangers, while ignoring the mundane, yet debilitating, threats lurking in the shadows. Much like an iceberg, risk can stay concealed until the moment calamity strikes.

  In hindsight though, it is clear that subtle indicators have been overlooked or ignored. Using scenarios ranging from high altitude mountaineering to African hostage-takings, Bruce's fast paced presentation provides unique perspectives and fresh insights to the age-old topic of risk management. The strategies he shares help identify emerging risks, implement safeguards against the unforeseen, and avoid paralysis under pressure.

  Deconstructing both successful journeys and shocking accidents, Bruce explores the difference between fear and risk, and shows that major accidents always result from a cascade of trivial, and avoidable, mistakes. Bruce also reminds each audience that risk is an inherent, and necessary, part of life. With no risk, there is no opportunity for growth, professional or personal, and ultimately no reward. Operating safely in uncertain environments, and not avoiding them, is key to success.

  Whether presenting to an audience in the IT, financial, or insurance sector, individuals working in operational or factory settings, or managers of major projects and strategic data, Bruce's strategies for managing risk will shed new light on the practices and procedures meant to safeguard against risk, and ultimately leave everyone ready to move confidently and safely towards their goals.

• 1. Magic Happens: Discovering Creativity, Confidence and Success beyond the Comfort Zone

  We all have a personal comfort zone - a safe, predictable place, bounded by walls of habit, routine and fear. The longer we stay within its confines, the harder it becomes to break free. But leave we must, for every grand innovation, every soaring success and life-defining moment occurs in the unknown realms beyond. Here, self-reliance is challenged, curiosity and creativity come alive, confidence blossoms, and our full potential is unleashed. This is where magic happens.

  Bruce's mission is to reconnect every audience with that magic waiting beyond the comfort zone. Using lessons gleaned from decades of wilderness travel, Bruce lays out five simple yet powerful strategies to help overcome self-imposed boundaries, and move safely and assuredly ahead. Bruce helps audiences pinpoint unrecognized fears, find routes over apparently insurmountable obstacles, and deal with inevitable setbacks. He rekindles the spirit of discovery, challenging every member of the audience to implement his five strategies, in one simple step, before even walking out the door. No more woulda, coulda, shoulda. The time is NOW.

  Set against a dizzying backdrop of international wilderness expeditions, stunning photography and stirring video clips, Bruce's keynote is an invitation to squeeze the most out of every opportunity; at the office, at home, and in life.

• 2. Full Throttle Storytelling: A Journey to the World's Wildest Places

  Bring the flickering light and tall tales of the campfire to your conference.

  From horse rustlers in Mongolia to crocodile attacks on the Blue Nile, from a helicopter crash on Mount Everest to evading Myanmar's Army in a tropical paradise, Bruce's stories traverse the extremes of lost wilderness, hidden culture and human endurance.

  Meet the Ethiopian orphan who changed the course of an African expedition. Crash through the icebergs of arctic rivers. Sit atop camels in the sands of southern Arabia. Peppered with exquisite photographs, and highlighted by a storytelling style that has won National Magazine Award Gold, this entertaining presentation is perhaps best described as a National Geographic journey coming to life before your eyes.

  In the words of a previous client:

  "I have listened to guys like Brent Butt, Kelly Hrudey and Stuart McLean, and would humbly suggest that Bruce rivals all of them in entertainment value. The ironic thing is I probably learned more from this presentation than if there was an explicit lesson for us."

  -Craig Senyk, CFA , Mawer Investment Management Ltd.

  As a regular Globe and Mail columnist, and former CBC television host, Bruce will take your audience on an unforgettable journey through the most remote corners of the planet.

• Not only was Bruce absolutely sensational this morning but his message couldn't have been more appropriate. He scored 100 out of 100, and everyone loved him to pieces. Our congratulations to Bruce for the totally professional and dynamic presentation he made for our client [General Motors]. I can hardly wait to use him again!

   

  Carlson Canada Marketing

• Bruce Kirkby is one of the most talented, respectful and genuinely honest speakers I have ever heard.  His presentation related to everyone in our company, and the response from our employees was overwhelmingly positive. Words like engaging, excellent, great, motivating, very inspiring and exceptional popped up again and again on the evaluation forms.  This is especially notable since utility employees are a hard sell; if you are not good they will let you know.

  Saskatchewan Power Corp

• Rarely do we host a speaker as engaging as Bruce Kirkby. His self-effacing humour only adds to his tales of incredible adventure to completely captivate an audience. We hung with hushed anticipation on Bruce’s every word, and we were hungry for more when our time with him ran out. We’ve been swamped with requests for a return engagement!

  The Calgary Zoo

• Bruce was an outstanding addition to our conference! His generosity in taking the time to teach a photography workshop while there was matched by his kindness and thoughtfulness with every person he encountered. The next morning, several of our session speakers were quoting from his talk, and telling the audience to “stay stoked”!  We are so happy to have had him there.

   

  Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research

• Bruce’s presentation was amazing. The room was full, mostly of lawyers, judges and other business people who normally yawn their way through this type of event. Not so with Bruce. Everyone was engaged and amazed and inspired. They stayed late to buy his latest release and Bruce graciously stayed and signed everyone’s book. The crowd actually lingered. I want you to know – this crowd usually stampedes the exit and the room is normally empty 5 minutes after we close. Bruce fostered a wonderful feeling in the room that will be talked about all year. From the moment we booked him, Bruce was the easiest speaker we have ever worked with. He was willing to do what ever would be helpful and even came up with some additional suggestions. He made it so easy to theme the entire event, and created a truly special day.

  Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia

• Unbelievable!  We knew Bruce would be good, but not that good!  His presentation was the perfect kickoff to our National Business Conference.  Everyone in the management group was thrilled. 

  HSBC Securities

• Having Bruce as our closing speaker was the perfect choice.  He concluded the conference on such an inspirational and motivational note. Everyone was bowled over by his presentation. 

  BCHS

• Bruce, this was the second time that I have had the privilege to hear you speak, and I can only hope that I am lucky enough to hear you again one day. In the meantime, try and do something fun, OK?!

  Credit Union Insurance Services Association

• Bruce has given the address at our annual convention three times, always thrilling us with new stories of adventure. The audience grows larger every year, and his popularity is evident by the throngs – young and old – approaching him after. We keep getting requests for his return, and we are sure he will be back a fourth time soon.

  Association of Alberta Co-op Seed Cleaning Plants

• The awards dinner was one of the conference highlights due to your motivational presentation, story and photos.  Throughout your presentation, you managed to make us all feel like we were a part of your trip across the Empty Quarter.  Best of luck with your future expeditions!  Bring back many more stories to share with the rest of us at future CATA Alliance events!

  CATA Alliance

• Bruce’s presentation was warm, funny, educational and entertaining.  He has a natural ability as a storyteller, augmented by his gift for capturing the many moments of his adventure on film. His beautiful slides, in and of themselves, tell a real story.  I highly recommend Bruce. 

  Calgary Community Adult Learning Assoc.

• 
  February 2007

  The Dolphin's Tooth: A Decade in Search of Adventure

  For fifteen years, Kirkby navigated an uncertain and uncommon path, embarking on some of the most challenging expeditions the world has to offer. Whether it’s gun fights and crocodile attacks while running Africa’s Blue Nile Gorge or rescuing a fallen sherpa on Mount Everest, Kirkby shares the excitement, doubts, and insights of a life lived on the edge.

  
  
• 
  February 2001

  Sand Dance: By Camel Across Arabia's Great Southern Desert

  For forty days and forty nights during the winter of 1999, three Canadians, Bruce Kirkby, Jamie Clarke, and Leigh Clarke, along with three Omani Bedu, travelled by camel across Arabia’s great southern desert – the legendary Empty Quarter. Journeying from Salala in Oman on the Arabian Sea, they headed north and east for 1,200 kilometres across remote and largely unexplored desert wilderness, where ranges of sand dunes tower to over three hundred metres in height. When they finally reached Abu Dhabi on the Persian Gulf, they were received as heroes. Theirs was the first camel crossing of the Empty Quarter in over fifty years. During the desert crossing the team was determined to travel and live as authentically as possible, on camels, taking Arabic names and wearing traditional clothing, drinking their water from rank goatskins and eating mainly unleavened bread and dried camel meat. Bruce Kirkby has written a thoughtful and deeply felt account of this challenging expedition – and has illustrated it with twenty-four pages of his stunning colour photographs. Anyone interested in remote areas of the world or stirred by the romance of old-fashioned adventure and daring will find Sand Dance constantly engaging.