Heather McGowan
Future of Work Strategist | Forbes Top Futurist | Two-Time Bestselling Author | Honorary Doctorate, PA College of Art & Design
Chad E. Foster
The First Blind Executive to Graduate Harvard Business School's Leadership Program | Bestselling Author of Blind Ambition | Creator of the Blind Ambition Framework™
Chad E. Foster went blind at 21, then became the first blind executive to graduate from Harvard Business School's leadership program, built software Oracle said was impossible, and generated billions in technology deals. Bestselling author of Blind Ambition and creator of the Blind Ambition Framework™, he now teaches leaders and teams how to turn their greatest disadvantages into strengths and perform when the path forward isn't clear.
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Chad E. Foster biography
Resilience speaker Chad E. Foster has built a career, and a life, on doing what others said was impossible. After losing his sight to a degenerative disease at the age of twenty-one, he refused to let it define his limits. Instead, he became the first blind executive to graduate from Harvard Business School’s prestigious leadership program, and went on to a remarkable career in technology, building accessible software the industry said couldn’t be built and generating billions of dollars in deals. His message is simple and powerful: our greatest disadvantages can become our greatest strengths.
As a finance and sales leader at Red Hat and IBM, Foster generated some 45 billion dollars in technology deals, and, famously, created the first CRM software for the visually impaired, a product Oracle had said was impossible. Along the way he became a black diamond skier and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner, all without eyesight, living proof of his conviction that limitations are only as real as we allow them to be. His journey has been featured by NBC, CBS, Forbes, and USA Today.
The Blind Ambition Framework
Foster distilled his hard-won philosophy into the bestselling book Blind Ambition: How to Go from Victim to Visionary, published by HarperCollins Leadership, and into the Blind Ambition Framework™, a five-step methodology for performing when the path forward isn’t clear. Today he brings that framework to organizations navigating relentless disruption, helping leaders, sales teams, and cultures build resilience, accountability, and the adaptability to win in uncertain times. His clients include Google, Salesforce, IBM, and GE.
As a speaker, Chad E. Foster is magnetic, funny, and profoundly moving, taking audiences from tears to laughter to genuine, actionable insight. He speaks on resilience and turning adversity into advantage, high performance and leading through uncertainty, the mindset shift from victim to visionary, and building teams that thrive on change. Having delivered more than 200 keynotes to over 175,000 people across six continents, he leaves every audience convinced that “impossible” is just someone else’s limit, and equipped with the tools to prove it.
Chad E. Foster Speaking Videos
Turning Blindness into a Superpower | Chad Foster Adversity Keynote Speaker | Blind Ambition
Comfort Kills Innovation | Chad Foster Innovation Keynote Speaker | Blind Ambition
Chad E. Foster Keynote Topics
In his signature keynote, Chad E. Foster shares the extraordinary story behind his bestselling book: losing his sight at twenty-one, refusing to accept a life of limits, and reinventing himself as a Harvard-educated executive and tech innovator. With humor, honesty, and emotion, he shows audiences how to make the crucial mindset shift from "victim" to "visionary", to stop seeing obstacles and start seeing possibilities. A powerful, unforgettable talk that leaves people believing in their own limitless potential.
Moving beyond motivational theory, Chad E. Foster delivers a structured methodology for thriving amid uncertainty and disruption. Drawing on his experience generating $45 billion in technology deals without sight, he teaches leaders his five-step Blind Ambition Framework™: a practical "operating system" for building resilient teams, accountable cultures, and organizations that perform when the old playbook no longer applies. A high-stakes leadership keynote with real, applicable tools.
Chad E. Foster doesn't just talk about resilience, he has lived it at the extreme. In this keynote he breaks down what he calls the anatomy of resilience: how to reframe setbacks as catalysts, take advantage of your disadvantages, and emerge from hardship stronger rather than diminished. He gives audiences concrete, science-informed strategies to build lasting resilience in themselves and their teams. An inspiring, deeply practical session for anyone facing change, pressure, or adversity.
When the path forward is unclear, most leaders freeze or fall back on outdated playbooks. Chad E. Foster, who has navigated the ultimate uncertainty, shows how to lead with confidence when you can't see what's ahead. He shares how to make decisions with incomplete information, keep teams focused and adaptable, and turn disruption into competitive advantage. Especially relevant in the AI era, it is a timely, galvanizing keynote for leaders steering their organizations through constant change.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Chad E. Foster
Why Chad E. Foster?
Booking Chad E. Foster brings audiences one of the most powerful and unforgettable resilience stories on any stage, backed by genuine business credibility. He went blind at twenty-one, then became the first blind executive to graduate from Harvard Business School's leadership program, built software Oracle said was impossible, and generated billions in technology deals. Magnetic, funny, and deeply moving, he doesn't just inspire, he delivers a structured framework leaders and teams can actually use to build resilience and perform through uncertainty. With 200-plus keynotes to more than 175,000 people across six continents, and clients like Google and Salesforce, he is ideal for events on resilience, leadership, high performance, change, and sales. To bring Chad E. Foster to your next event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
Who is Chad E. Foster?
Chad E. Foster is a keynote speaker, technology executive, and bestselling author, best known as the first blind executive to graduate from Harvard Business School's leadership program. After losing his sight to a degenerative disease at twenty-one, he built a distinguished career as a finance and sales leader at Red Hat and IBM, generating some $45 billion in technology deals and creating the first CRM software for the visually impaired, a product Oracle had called impossible. He is the author of the bestselling book Blind Ambition: How to Go from Victim to Visionary (HarperCollins Leadership) and the creator of the Blind Ambition Framework™, a five-step resilience and performance methodology. A black diamond skier and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner, he has been featured by NBC, CBS, Forbes, and USA Today, and speaks to organizations worldwide.
What is the Blind Ambition Framework™?
The Blind Ambition Framework™ is Chad E. Foster's signature, trademarked methodology, a five-step approach for performing and leading when the path forward isn't clear. Rather than offering motivation alone, it gives individuals and organizations a practical "operating system" for thriving through uncertainty, disruption, and change. Drawing on Foster's own experience of rebuilding his life and career after going blind, and on human-performance principles adapted for the AI era, the framework focuses on reframing adversity as advantage, building resilience and adaptability, and creating accountable, high-performing teams and cultures. It is the backbone of his book Blind Ambition and of the keynotes and programs he delivers for companies like Google, Salesforce, IBM, and GE, giving audiences not just inspiration but concrete tools they can apply immediately.
What topics does resilience speaker Chad E. Foster cover?
Chad E. Foster speaks on resilience and turning adversity into advantage, high performance and leading through uncertainty and disruption, the mindset shift from victim to visionary, and his Blind Ambition Framework™. His keynotes suit events on resilience, leadership, high performance, change management, sales, and diversity and inclusion, for corporate audiences and sales teams. To book Chad E. Foster as a speaker, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Chad E. Foster as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Chad E. Foster as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Chad E. Foster's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Chad E. Foster or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Chad E. Foster speaking fee?
Chad E. Foster speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Chad E. Foster to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Chad E. Foster.
How can I contact Chad E. Foster?
We only work with Chad E. Foster on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Chad E. Foster and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Chad E. Foster speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Chad E. Foster for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Chad E. Foster for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Chad E. Foster is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Chad E. Foster for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
