Lukas Haitzmann – Row across the Atlantic once. Quite simple really, isn’t it?
A few weeks ago, a long-standing client called me and said that they were interested in Lukas Haitzmann as a speaker for their sales kick-off. Despite contacting me several times via various channels, Lukas didn’t get back to me. I love challenges like this, because through my channels I had Lukas on the phone days later asking if he was still available for a keynote in Kassel on January 27, 2024. Lukas lives in Swansea in England and had just founded a start-up with two colleagues, which was actually where all his attention was focused, but the date was feasible.
We quickly had two calls with the client and Lukas was confirmed for the gig in Kassel. Lukas’ mother is Italian and his father is Austrian. He grew up in England, but he can also give excellent talks in German, with a nice English accent. But he has never given a keynote speech in German in front of such a huge audience.
Lukas Haitzmann – Crossing the Atlantic alone at the age of 18: 4,800 kilometers in 59 days. From La Gomera to Antigua. Triple world record and entry in the Guinness Book of Records.
Lukas arrived in Frankfurt on Friday and after a car ride to Kassel, where we also got to know each other personally, he gave the lecture for the first time during rehearsals. WOW, what a CV and what a story. Pure goosebumps. After the talk, we took a lot of time to review the keynote, discuss it, adjust individual points and sharpen the dramaturgy. Yesterday morning, two hours before the start of the conference, Lukas rehearsed again on stage and we made some final changes. Text length out and emotions in.
The work of a speaker’s agency: not only mediating, but also giving feedback as a sparring partner and making the speaker better.
At 2 p.m. yesterday, Lukas was finally allowed on stage. And it was an absolutely brilliant presentation with emotions and goosebump moments. A gripping life story and “once-in-a-lifetime” adventure in 22 minutes, world class. After his presentation, Moritz Knabe came on stage and asked exciting questions and then Lukas Haitzmann was given a standing ovation. Pure emotion. The hall was on its feet and the applause hardly wanted to end. Just premium.
We are very pleased about the exclusive cooperation with Lukas Haitzmann.