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Jon Gibson – Key Note Speaker

‘Putting your consultancy, coaching and mentoring centre stage’

Motivational, Inspirational, Funny and at times Poignant Key Note Speaker for every event!

Jon Gibson is an engaging and honest keynote speaker whose story is built on resilience, risk taking and real experience. From growing up on a council estate in the North East and struggling at school, to rising through leadership in education and building a successful consultancy and coaching business, Jon’s journey is anything but conventional. Blending insight, humour and powerful storytelling, he shares lessons from a life shaped by setbacks, growth and reinvention. With a background in Drama and Theatre Studies, Jon brings energy and presence to every talk, offering practical advice, honest reflection and plenty of laughter. The result is an inspiring, relatable keynote that challenges thinking, builds confidence and leaves audiences feeling motivated to take their next step.
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Professional Events
Jon delivers high-impact keynote sessions for conferences, leadership events and organisational away days, tailored to audiences navigating complexity, pressure and change. His talks draw on years of experience supporting leaders across education, business and the charity sector, offering practical insights into leadership, resilience and productivity. Combining credibility with storytelling, Jon creates engaging, thought-provoking sessions that leave professionals with clear takeaways they can apply immediately; whether that’s leading teams more effectively, managing pressure or rethinking how they approach their work.
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Young People
Jon is a powerful speaker for young people, offering a message that is both honest and hopeful. Drawing on his own experiences of struggling at school and finding his way later in life, he speaks directly to students about resilience, self-belief and the reality that success doesn’t follow a single path. His talks are engaging, down-to-earth and often humorous, helping young people see that setbacks do not define them and that there is always an opportunity to move forward, grow and succeed in their own way.
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Social Events
For social and informal events, Jon brings a warm, humorous and highly relatable style that connects with a wide range of audiences. His storytelling shines in these settings, as he shares honest reflections, humorous failures and life lessons that resonate far beyond the workplace. With a natural ability to read the room, Jon creates a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere while still leaving audiences with meaningful insights about resilience, growth and the importance of not taking yourself too seriously.
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Schools and Colleges
With a deep background in education and leadership, Jon delivers keynote sessions and talks that resonate strongly with schools, colleges and staff teams. His experience leading in education and conducting extensive consultancy work across a wide range of settings brings both credibility and relevance to his sessions. Whether speaking to staff, leaders or whole communities, Jon combines practical insight with a human approach focusing on wellbeing, leadership, resilience and sustainable improvement in a way that reflects the real pressures and opportunities within education today.

Get In Touch

Have Some Questions?

Almost everyone can benefit from coaching or mentoring.

If you are ready to set yourself professional or personal goals, want to make a positive difference in your life (at work or at home) then the coaching and mentoring team can help you.

The short answer is yes.

The Backdrop team have a wide range of experience in mainstream, independent and special schools and have supported hundreds of settings.

Whatever your issue, we will introduce you to the right person for your needs. Contact us for an initial chat

See ‘Get in Touch’ at the top of the page.

As you’d expect, the exact cost depends upon the service you need, but we will endeavour to work to your budget.

Please contact us and we will discuss your needs and give you a great cost effective quote.

'Excellent analytical support from an engaging and incisive consultant. We have already improved the accountability of HR in the workplace as a result, so that we can be sure targeted funding is used to raise student outcomes.'
- Secondary SENCO
'Content of the workshop was good and everyone was involved and made contributions. It was a relaxed environment and the facilitator put us at ease in order to be able to share openly."'
- Headteacher, Primary
'John is an engaging speaker who clearly has a lot of experience and expertise in this area. I enjoyed the opportunity to work with people from other schools to discuss issues that were pertinent to us and use their expertise to come to solutions.'
- Head of House, Secondary.
'[Backdrop] worked with Khalsa Academy Trust on a strategic review for SEND processes and provision in our schools for a year long project and demonstrated his excellent knowledge of the subject, [their] ability to adapt strategies to a schools’ context and most importantly how he brings the wider staff along with his improvement agenda. [Backdrop] is highly regarded because of his integrity, hard work and relentless focus on the what’s best for children with barriers to their learning.'
- Trust Improvement Lead, Khalsa Academy Trust
Working as an accountant in a busy accountancy firm, I was initially sceptical about how coaching could fit into my professional life. Jon Gibson completely changed that perspective. His approach is warm, engaging, and refreshingly fun, while maintaining a high level of professionalism throughout. Every session felt like a safe space to explore challenges and opportunities without judgement. Jon helped me identify areas for growth I hadn’t considered before, and gave me practical tools to improve my confidence, communication, and leadership skills. I’ve noticed a real difference in how I manage client relationships and collaborate with colleagues. Coaching with Jon wasn’t just about ticking boxes; it was about unlocking potential in a way that felt personal and empowering. I’d recommend him to anyone looking to take their professional development seriously, but with a human touch.
- Client Manager and Accountant