Educate, Collaborate & Dare to be Different

Every expedition Shadi leads — from Kilimanjaro to the Matterhorn, the Atlas Mountains to the GR20 — adds to a growing library of real, lived experience. These adventures power the workshops and talks she delivers to schools, communities and businesses around the world, including her appearances as a TEDx speaker and her work as an Ambassador for Imagine This, the children’s charity founded by Sarah Parish MBE and Jim Murray MBE.

What makes these sessions truly memorable is their immersive nature. Shadi brings real equipment from her high-altitude expeditions: ropes, crampons, harnesses, summit layers — the exact kit used on the mountain - and brings it directly into the rooms where students and participants can touch it, hold it, and get close-up to what makes Team GC expeditions stand out like no other.

Having delivered workshops and talks to over 10,000 thrill-seekers, in both executive rooms, school assemblies, and via live satellite links from high-altitude mountains, people are guaranteed to leave energised, and determined to step out of their comfort zones, challenge their own limits and take action in their community.

Shadi encourages questions, invites discussion and brings people into the journey from the first moment.

She takes participants from the spark of an idea, through the setbacks and breakthroughs, to the moment of standing on a summit — always highlighting the sponsors, collaborators and communities who made each challenge possible.

Every workshop and talk leaves people with the same message:
courage is contagious, and adventure is for everyone.

Shadi is not a distant, untouchable “motivational speaker.”
She’s a mother of two, a wife, community builder, a serial doer, and someone who has learned — sometimes the hard way — that courage is a muscle anyone can train.

FOR SCHOOLS WHO WANT THEIR STUDENTS TO FEEL - AND STAY - GENUINELY INSPIRED ⬇️

This year we are extremely excited to be able to bring Shadi and Team GC’s challenges to life for supporters by having our Kilimanjaro expeditions linked to participating schools and businesses via periodic live Satellite link, direct from the mountain itself.

This will serve to create a truly unique, dynamic and interactive experience altogether using Microsoft Skype in the Classroom.

“I am just a regular woman whose life journey has been very colourful, and I love sharing stories of my successes and my failures. I share anecdotes of my nomadic upbringing, stories of studying at the most prestigious schools and encourage my audience to fear failure less and to do more. The question: ‘What would they do if they did not fear failing?’ is a continuing theme in my talks.”

- Shadi

We aim to get the children excited to be active and allow them to believe in themselves. Speaking at schools and elsewhere raises the profile of our sponsors, the charities we support and often results in participants embarking on their own personal challenges for their own causes and goals. It fills us with joy answering questions and seeing eyes brighten.

“I will never forget the message I received from a head teacher telling me that one of her children, a young boy who struggled to fit in, had decided to take a 10-mile cycle challenge to raise money for his chosen charity after hearing me speak. This had given the boy lots of confidence and allowed him to make new friends which previously he had not been able to do.”

FOR BUSINESSES: IS YOUR TEAM LOSING ITS SPARK - AND LOOKING FOR A RESET THAT ACTUALLY STICKS? 👨‍💻

In today’s fast-moving business world, great leaders know that success depends on one thing: people. Shadi’s talks cut through corporate noise to reconnect teams with what really drives performance - collaboration, creativity, and trust.

Having worked with top British companies in advisory and ambassadorial roles — including serving as a councillor for John Lewis & Partners — Shadi understands how teams think, where they get stuck, and what helps them step forward.

She knows how to create spaces where every voice feels heard and people feel safe enough to challenge, fail, and try again. Because the truth is simple:

You can’t access innovation until you stop fearing failure.

True unity is built when every voice feels heard and every idea is valued - when people feel safe to be bold, to fail, and to try again. Because the reality is simple: only when you know how to handle failure can you truly understand success.

NOTABLE HIGHLIGHTS

• Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society and IBG

• Short-listed Eastleigh Sports Awards 2018

• Short-listed for Energise Me Awards 2018

• Ambassador to ‘Imagine This’

• Sports Awards 2020 finalist

• Running Mayor Winchester

• North Pole Founding Member 2021

• Co Founder BIG Foundation 2022

• TEDx Winchester Speaker 2023