John O'Leary Profile
In 1987, John O'Leary was a curious nine-year-old boy. Playing with fire and gasoline, John created a massive explosion in his home and was burned on 100% of his body. He was given 1% chance to live.
This epic story of survival was first showcased in his parents' book, Overwhelming Odds, in 2006. Originally printing 200 copies for friends and family, his parents have sold 70,000 copies, most in back-of-room sales at John's speaking events. It was this book that first invited John to embrace his miraculous recovery and share it with the world.
John inspires nearly 75,000 people at 100+ events each year. He speaks to companies and organizations across industries, such as: sales, healthcare, business, safety, marketing, financial services, faith, education and insurance.
Consistently described as "the best speaker we've ever had," John receives nearly 100% of his engagements from referrals. His schedule is a testament to the power of his message and who he is as an individual. His emotional story-telling, unexpected humor and authenticity make each of his presentations truly transformational.
John's first book ON FIRE: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life was an instant #1 National Bestseller; 200,000+ copies have sold and it has been translated into 12 languages. John's Live Inspired Podcast is top rated on Apple Podcast and has more than 2,000,000 downloads.
His second book IN AWE: Rediscover Your Childlike Wonder to Unleash Inspiration, Meaning and Joy was published by Penguin Random House in May 2020.
John considers his greatest success to be his marriage to his wife Beth, their four children and his relationships with friends and family.