• Inspiration
• Motivation
• Change
• Attitude
• Overcoming Adversity
• Sports/Olympics
• Success
• Peak Performance
• Diversity
• Patriotism
• Goal Setting

Mike Schlappi - Professional Achievements
 

Keynote speaker Mike Schlappi has an inspiring message for every American, young or old: “Just because you can’t stand up, doesn’t mean you can’t stand out.” As president of Mike Schlappi Communications, and confined to a wheelchair, he is spreading that word to audiences ranging from students to chief executive officers, from rookies to Olympic champions, and from small gatherings to major conventions.

At the age of 14, Schlappi was student body president, had been awarded his Eagle Scout and had expectations of a career in sports as a top American athlete when he was involved in a tragic shooting accident. Doctors told him he would never walk again, but after months of rigorous therapy, he began playing basketball from his wheelchair and went on to become an athletic standout.

Schlappi is a four-time Paralympic Medalist and two-time World Champion in Wheelchair Basketball. The first wheelchair basketball player in the United States to be on four consecutive summer Paralympic teams, Schlappi was honored by the state of Utah in 2000 as one of its Top 50 athletes of the past century. He served on the board of trustees that managed the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake. He is the founder and director of the Wheelchair Sports Foundation, a non-profit organization that serves disabled athletes.

Additional Information
 

Hoping to inspire others through his experiences, Schlappi hung up his sneakers and transitioned from the sports arena to the speaking platform. His engaging presentations have entertained and inspired thousands of audiences worldwide. Schlappi’s thought-provoking story challenges individuals to succeed despite difficult circumstances by empowering themselves and accepting personal responsibility.

Off the basketball court, Schlappi graduated with a master’s degree in Business Administration and Healthcare from Arizona State University, and on a leadership scholarship, earned an undergraduate degree in Finance from Brigham Young University. Schlappi is also a writer and author of two popular inspirational books which draw heavily on his own experiences and the challenges he’s overcome: Bulletproof Principles for Personal Success and Motivational Leaders.

He has won numerous honors including the American Medical Association’s Special People Award, The Sporting Goods Manufacturer of America’s Heroes Award and the Golden Key Athlete of the Year Award.

Mike and his wife, Tami, reside in Utah and are the stressed parents of five kids!

Programs
 

If You Can’t Stand Up, Stand Out!
Mike’s favorite presentation builds a strong case for getting started and taking personal responsibility for successes and failures. Mike’s example and entertaining style will challenge his audience to relish adversity as an opportunity to change. People will learn to love themselves from the inside out and walk away with the realizations that if Mike can do it, so can they. Mike uses his Paralympic medals, a media presentation, and inspiring stories to teach his “Bulletproof Principles” for personal success.

Attitude Therapy
As a young boy, Mike was known as “Happy Schlappi”. His nickname and his ability to put life into proper perspective, is why so many have looked to Mike as a leading authority on attitude. Mike will inspire and motivate any audience with a heavy dose of his patented “Attitude Therapy”. His message includes humor and inspiration as he tells his improbable story – A story that began with a tragic shooting accident and evolved into a lifetime of lessons and victories. Although Mike’s body was paralyzed, his dreams were not.

Book
 

Bulletproof Principles for Personal Success

Mike’s first book is his true story of courage, conquering and hope. This book adds to and endorses Mike’s presentations as he shares his profound, yet simple, philosophies for success.