Justin Jones - otherwise affectionately known as Jonesy, is Australia's pre-eminent Explorer, keynote speaker, adventure thinker and storyteller.
His expeditions have taken him to the very corners of the world. From the depths of blizzards in Antarctica, to the terror of 10 metre waves towering above - in a storm at sea and the suffocating heat in the heart of the Outback. He currently holds two Guinness World Record and a place as one of Australia's 50 Greatest Explorers of all time.
Over the past 18 years he has made a career of undertaking huge, epic, record setting expeditions around the world and sharing these on the stage and the screen.
Here's a few of his most notable expeditions:
Crossing the Ditch
In 2008, Jonesy along with expedition partner, Cas, paddled a kayak unsupported from Australia to New Zealand. After paddling 3318 km over 62 days they finally staggered ashore setting a world record for becoming the longest unsupported double kayak expedition and the first people to cross the Tasman Sea by kayak.
Crossing the Ice
In 2012 he then skied 2275km from the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole and back over 89 days, completely unsupported setting another world first. It became the longest unsupported polar expedition ever undertaken and set a new benchmark and raised the bar of polar exploration globally.
Crossing the Outback
In 2017 Jonesy, his wife Lauren, and one-year old daughter, Morgan undertook an 1800km trek across the Australian outback. For 102 days they lived wild, in synch with the heartbeat of the land, attempting to challenge the belief that you can't lead an adventurous life and a family life at the same time.
Jonesy is a passionate story teller.
On Screen:
His documentaries and TV specials have received critical acclaim, winning 16 international film festival awards and have been played in every corner of the planet. He has also presented in and produced a TV special "Surviving Wild America" for the National Geographic Channel in North America.
On Stage:
For the past 11 years he has presented on stages right around the world on the corporate and public speaking circuit. His keynotes interweave dramatic and forceful emotion with powerful lessons on teamwork, risk mitigation, grit, resilience, leadership, trust and communication.
He whole heartedly believes that if you want an audience to walk away inspired - with takeaways firmly cemented in mind, you have to shift them emotionally first. To date he has shared his keynotes and facilitated workshops to over 350,000 people globally.
Jonesy passionately believes that ANYONE is capable of being GREAT.
A humble, charismatic and inspiring character…he is the perfect example of how determination, detailed planning and foresight can enable the most 'normal' of us to undertake the most extraordinary feats.
Speaking topics
Lessons from the edge:
What Business Leaders Can Learn from Extreme Adventurers
Jonesy will take you on a thrilling ride into the world of extreme adventure and hard-earned wisdom that can be applied to any business situation.
His background as a death-defying adventurer and a physiologist allows one-of-a-kind insights from the adventure world paired with innovative research from the field of neuroscience to provide powerful, proven-effective leadership lessons.
Jonesy teaches you how to:
- Identify your purpose as a leader
- Build your resilience and your ability to adapt to change
- Reframe your attitude to optimize your cognitive performance
- Reach your true leadership potential with a growth mindset
Adventurers know better than anyone that unexpected obstacles and tough situations can force the most creative, innovative thinking. Become a leader of leaders by using the wild wisdom garnered by elite adventurers in the most extreme environments on the planet.
Re-emergence, Reintegration and finding the "New Normal"
How do you reintegrate into society after you have gone on a life changing adventure? Does 'normal' life feel different to you? Does it hold the same value? What do we want to keep post adventure and what do we want to leave behind, so we can move forward?
With people around the world re-emerging from their COVID bubbles and starting to head back to workplaces, we've noticed there has been global seismic shift in the "how" and "why" we all live our lives. Do our previous lives fit our new, possibly changed selves?
We've survived, found a 'new normal' in challenge and now is time for re-emergence and re-integration - coming down from the mountain top as they say. Yet somehow the worlds looks and feels different. We are different. Everything seems to have changed.
After every major expedition, explorers are faced with this very challenge. After their epic expeditions are over, if they survive, they go home. Although the stories and focus post expedition is typically on the adventure itself, the re-integration after one has gone to the brink and come back off the mountain is rarely talked about, and yet it's often messy. The path 'back' or ideally forward, is not always easy. Adventurers often call this, post expedition depression, and it is worth its own conversations and stories.
Take a ride on the WILD side!
Do you want to take your audience on a thrilling experience riding shotgun on three of the most inspiring, record setting expeditions? These presentations are highly motivating, story-based presentations perfect for motivating and inspiring an audience to open or close a conference or as an after dinner presentation.
- Crossing the Ditch: Daring to dream then riding out the storm
Why would two young successful Aussies sacrifice everything to achieve a seemingly impossible dream; to become the first to paddle across the Tasman Sea.
- Extreme South: To Hell and back, a journey across a frozen wasteland
A story of resilience, determination, competition and the human spirit in the most hostile environment in the world; Antarctica.
- Heading Outback: A family’s journey across the Outback in search of self discovery, following passion and finding purpose
What would possess a young couple to defy societal expectations and take their one year old daughter on a 102 day trek across the Australian Outback. **For select audiences – I present in tandem with my wife Lauren.
Adventure Thinking: Navigate the Unknown
Adventure is an activity with an unknown outcome and right now, we are ALL on one crazy and unprecedented adventure whether we like it or not. The thing is, what I know to be 100% true, is without challenge there can be no growth.
I’ve thought a lot about what I can offer to help others and bring people together during this challenging time and I realized that due to my unconventional ‘job’ as a professional adventurer, I know a thing or two about overcoming adversity, isolation and discomfort, building resilience and finding the joy in the moment, no matter how hard things may seem.
Adventure Thinking is all about applying an expedition mindset, framework and methodology to navigate the unknown (a VUCA environment); in this case the COVID pandemic. It allows an individual or organisation to not only survive but thrive when times are tough. By adaptation and forced innovation we’re all able to discover a new and better normal.
Adventure thinking showcases the seeds of greatness that can sprout from moments of challenge and the innate human ability to head off into the unknown and return better.
This session is designed to
- provide the delegates with a framework and mindset to Navigate uncertainty
- inspire the delegates through powerful storytelling
- give tips on how to reframe negative situations and how to activate a more positive mindset in times of overwhelming duress.
Take a ride on the WILD side
Do you want to take your audience on a thrilling experience riding shotgun on three of the most inspiring, record-setting expeditions? These presentations are highly motivating, story-based presentations perfect for motivating and inspiring an audience to open or close a conference or as an after dinner presentation.
- Crossing the Ditch: Daring to dream then riding out the storm
Why would two young successful Aussies sacrifice everything to achieve a seemingly impossible dream; to become the first to paddle across the Tasman Sea. - Extreme South: To Hell and back, a journey across a frozen wasteland
A story of resilience, determination, competition and the human spirit in the most hostile environment in the world; Antarctica. - Heading Outback: A family’s journey across the Outback in search of self discovery, following passion and finding purpose
What would possess a young couple to defy societal expectations and take their one-year-old daughter on a 102 day trek across the Australian Outback. **For select audiences – I present in tandem with my wife Lauren.
Testimonials
An incredible feat of endurance that is a testament that surviving hell is all about heart, grit, humour and friendship.
- Bear Grylls - Adventurer And Tv Presenter
A colourful character, underdog in a race against time, a member of that group born
with that compulsion to do something crazy, something INCREDIBLE.
- Alec Baldwin - Actor And Activist
Jonesy, you are simply amazing. I can’t explain the impact you had on our leaders, and myself, last night. It was beyond inspirational and I had very wet eyes when I saw your daughter. I have two young girls so could only imagine how hard that was for the two of you. Keep inspiring others and thank you!
- Grant Cairns – Egm Agribusiness, Commonwealth Bank
Jonesy captivated our audience from the word go.
In an instant we knew we were in for a ride of adventure, resilience, courage, determination & success in epic detail. We experienced with him, the thrilling highs and absolute lows in the wild world of adventuring and expeditions.
We were so delighted to have this otherwise regular Aussie bloke share his extraordinary tales & leave our audience in awe and admiration.
In the lead up to our event series, Jonesy was proactive in understanding the audience & key messaging of the event, seamlessly weaving them throughout his keynote.
On site, he was proactive, always prepared with his AV & brought a wonderfully positive attitude that spread among the team in an instant.
- Kerin – Events, Financial Services
Jonesy captivated our audience from the word go. In an instant we knew we were in for a ride of adventure, resilience, courage, determination & success in epic detail. We experienced with him, the thrilling highs and absolute lows in the wild world of adventuring and expeditions.
- Restaurant Brands International
This is the gripping and inspirational account of two ordinary blokes deciding to shake off their slack city ways, climb out of their fat comfortable ruts, and use their brains, their
brawn and their sheer awe-inspiring courage to turn themselves into modern-day supermen and double handedly prove that the Age of Adventure is not over
- Peter Fitzsimons - Best Selling Author, Ex-Wallaby
At first you ask ‘Why’? Why do some individuals risk everything to test the boundaries
of endurance? Like all great stories this one offers answers. Through its humour and tears,
its aspirations, perils, follies and ultimate triumph we learn what it is to be human. That,
together, we negotiate the chaos of the world by relying on the better, more heroic, parts of ourselves.
- George Miller – Oscar Winning Director
One of the greatest adventure stories of this decade!
- Dick Smith - Adventurer And Entrepreneur
He engaged the audience in his harrowing adventures through humour and a light-hearted approach- captivating!"
- John Grant - Data#3
I was on the edge of my seat for the entire presentation. One moment in tears of laughter, the next tears of despair.
- Jacqui Timmins - Md Travelscene American Express
Excellent - Justin was amazing – a story that touched our audience and left a lasting impression. You could hear a pin drop and standing applause at the end.
- Harcourts Real Estate
His ability to describe their incredible adventure in a light-hearted and entertaining
way was also balanced with clear messages of the importance of planning, teamwork and
persistence, giving our clients and lawyers a lot to talk about after the presentation.
- Minter Ellison Lawyers
It’s more than a tale about two mates and their passion for adventure. It’s a story about mindset; the influence of positive thinking. It’s a story about planning; a well thought out approach. It’s a story about what to do when things don’t go your way; risk taking and risk mitigation. It’s a story about motivation, sheer grit and determination; a genuine desire to never give up no matter what. But most of all it’s a celebration of success: a wonderful
journey with one of the finest young Australians you and your business partners will ever meet
- Ing Direct
