Eric Saperston

After college, Eric Saperston bought a 1971 Volkswagen Bus, took his Golden Retriever Jack, and set out to follow the Grateful Dead and work a ski season in Aspen. While out on the road, he called up some of the most powerful and influential people in the world and asked them out for a cup of coffee. What started out as a personal journey to find the answers to life's biggest questions - Why am I here? How can I find happiness? What is success? - quickly turned into something much bigger than he ever had imagined. As the journey unfolded, it attracted the attention of three others as they too felt disconnected and were searching for purpose and meaning in their lives. So they quit their jobs, risked it all and jumped in the bus. One man's summer vacation quickly turned into four people's vocation. This team of eager travelers meandered across the country, from Atlanta, Ga., to Seattle, Wash., shot 500 hours of footage and interviewed more than 200 people in search of wisdom and inspiration from the famous and not so famous. The result: "A stand-up-and-cheer documentary worth standing up and cheering for." -Bob Longino,The Atlanta Journal.

Eric is a critically acclaimed film director and producer, successful author, as well as an award-winning speaker and storyteller. He has been a featured guest on The Today Show, CNN, CNN Headline News, PBS and has been interviewed and published in The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Spin Magazine, Fast Company and National Geographic. He is Chief Creative Officer for LIVE IN WONDER, a lifestyle company committed to inspiring the world to Live In Wonder. LIVE IN WONDER celebrates eco-friendly practices, social entrepreneurism and global citizenship.

Eric has a natural ability to connect with audiences and easily finds a common language to reach and inspire people. Through his sincere and genuine interest in others, Eric touches a broad cross-section of any group, reminding each of us of simple truths and ageless wisdom. Sharing these clear, transforming principles of wisdom, humor and inspiration is Eric's gift. Eric believes in the power of the individual to make a difference and is unwilling to let anyone accept anything less than an extraordinary life.

A prolific public speaker, Eric has inspired people the world over, including audiences such as Nike, Million Dollar Round Table, Coca-Cola, Wachovia, General Mills, Kaiser Permanente, Hilton, Toyota, as well as Harvard, MIT, Emory, Georgia Tech, Duke, Stanford, UCLA, Miami of Ohio, San Diego State and Notre Dame.

"To Know The Road Ahead, Ask Those Coming Back"
AND Eric Saperston did just that!

Drawing upon his interviews with over two hundred of the most successful thinkers, leaders and doers on the planet - President Jimmy Carter, BIlly Crystal, Coca Cola President Donald Keough, Henry Winkler, etc - Eric takes us on an engaging adventure to explore and uncover the common truths, motivating factors and guiding principles which separate those who achieve greatness in this world from those who do not.

He was curious to discover:
1. What are the values you live by?
2. The struggles you've endured? AND
3. What advice and council you would give my generation to be prepared for the road ahead?

With insightful stories from his adventure, combined with the lessons he's learned from world leaders, Eric inspires audiences with refreshing tales from his life's journey. He talks about the call to adventure, the refusal of the call, crossing over the first threshold, meeting the mentor, over-coming tests, trials and obstacles, the decent into the inner most cave, slaying the dragon and the profound discovery of the elixir. Themes discussed: Courage, Resourcefulness, Creativity, Problem Solving, Character, Integrity and Greatness. This highly acclaimed keynote address is a deeply inspiring and optimistically uplifting pilgrimage into the minds, hearts and actions of the most powerful and accomplished people in the world.

AS A SPECIAL FEATURE OF THIS KEYNOTE - Eric shows clips from his award winning feature film: The Journey, where he and three others ventured out searching for purpose and meaning in their lives. They quit their jobs, risked it all and jumped in the bus. One man's summer vacation quickly turned into four people's vocation. This team of eager travelers meandered across the country, from Atlanta, Ga., to Seattle, Wash., shot 500 hours of footage and interviewed more than 200 people in search of wisdom and inspiration from the famous and not so famous.

"The Journey: Unplugged"
In this critically acclaimed performance, award-winning film director Eric Saperston teams up with Atlantic Recording Artist and multi-platinum rock star, Edwin McCain, to rock and inspire audiences around the globe. Most conference attendees have seen amazing musicians perform and incredible speakers give great talks: now, you will have the opportunity to dazzle, engage and inspire your next leadership conference by combining the best of music and storytelling. This unforgettable performance masterfully interweaves Eric's captivating and insightful messages learned from the most successful leaders in the world with Edwin McCain's chart-topping hits such as "I'll Be" "What Matters" and "Just Do Your Thing". This show is special. Audiences at KPMG, General Mills, Meeting Planners International and many others have seen their attendees leap to their feet in applause. This show has a good beat and you can dance to it!

No additional materials are available for this speaker.