This keynote, #WhateverItTakes, is not just a talk; it’s a captivating experience designed to propel you towards creating your destiny, inspired by the profound wisdom of Gandhi: “Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny.”
This immersive experience, co-presented with Isaac, a Zulu warrior, intertwines powerful storytelling with live drumming, dancing, and audience interaction, creating a dynamic atmosphere that transcends conventional motivational speeches. Featuring
songs like Impi, Shosholoza, and Waka Waka, the session goes beyond inspiration, offering a transformative exploration of the power of connection, team spirit, and the intentional hug.
Drawing from Cobus’s life-altering book, “Walking Through Fire: Whatever It Takes,” attendees are not just spectators but active participants in a narrative that champions resilience, hope, and the unyielding belief that the impossible is indeed possible.
Audience Key Takeaways:
Ideal for:
Complementary Activities:
Enhance the experience with optional activities like the Firewalk, Glasswalk, Drumming, or Ice Plunge—each designed to challenge limits, build trust, and reinforce the keynote’s messages.
Embark with us on this journey to unleash your extraordinary potential, proving once and for all that #WhateverItTakes is not just a motto but a way of life.
Drawing parallels between Viking conquests and today’s business challenges, Cobus elucidates how the Vikings’ fearless approach to battles, respect for equality among men and women, and relentless pursuit of exploration can inspire contemporary organizational transformation and diversity initiatives. Learn how today’s royals, cutting-edge technology, and the world’s most peaceful countries trace their lineage to Viking virtues, embodying a testament to their enduring legacy.
Audience Key Takeaways:
Ideal for:
Complementary Activities:
Like in Keynote 1, this presentation can be paired with experiential activities such as Firewalk, Glasswalk, Drumming, or Ice Plunge, each designed to reinforce the keynote’s themes and enhance team unity and resilience. Participants will receive an
armband symbolising their commitment to Viking Virtues and a teaser to the future book “Vikings,” set to launch in 2025.
Join Cobus Visser in this transformative keynote to forge a path of excellence for your team, inspired by the timeless virtues of the Vikings. Together, let’s set sail on a quest for organisational greatness, armed with courage and the spirit of conquest.
Unlock the secrets of scaling your business to extraordinary heights with Cobus Visser’s transformative keynote, “10Xponential Growth.” Whether you’re in the startup phase laying the groundwork or ready to scale up, this presentation provides a meticulous blueprint for success. Based on Cobus’s vast experience in turning a family enterprise into a sprawling success and catalysing a business to grow by 10,000%, this session reveals the 12 indispensable disciplines that guarantee business growth within 12-18 months.
Cobus combines the rigour of an MBA with practical strategies forged in the entrepreneurial fires of real-life business challenges. Learn to navigate and conquer the volatile economic landscape and discover the mindset shifts necessary for exponential growth and freedom.
Audience Key Takeaways:
Ideal for:
Scaling a business is not just about strategy and numbers. It’s about people, culture, and the systems that support them. In this powerful keynote experience, Cobus Visser takes leaders and teams through The Art of Scaling Blueprint, revealing how to build a company that grows consistently, performs at a high level, and stands the test of time.
What This Talk Delivers
Leaders and teams will learn how to:
The session includes a high-energy live drumming activation, aligning the room into
collective rhythm, unity, and forward motion.
Key Questions Answered
Audience Outcomes
Cobus “The Viking” Visser is an international motivational speaker, peak performance coach, and firewalking instructor known for helping individuals and organizations unlock bold growth through mindset mastery. Once confined to a wheelchair due to a rare blood disorder, Cobus defied medical expectations and went on to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, walk on fire, and perform extreme feats that symbolize mental and physical breakthrough.
His journey from physical limitation to global inspiration forms the foundation of his work. Through powerful storytelling and immersive experiences, Cobus demonstrates how adversity can become a catalyst for transformation. His memoir, Walking Through Fire, shares the lessons behind his resilience and relentless commitment to living without limits.
With over a decade of experience, Cobus works with entrepreneurs, executives, and leadership teams to align mindset, culture, and performance for exponential growth. He has facilitated transformational firewalking experiences and breakthrough workshops across South Africa, Europe, New Zealand, and the United States.
Cobus Visser known as “The Viking” is a renowned South African Certified Speaking Professional, author, trainer, facilitator, business coach, and Master Firewalking Instructor dedicated to helping individuals and business leaders reach their greatest potential.
Over the past decade, he has worked with thousands of individuals, teams, and organisations to achieve peak performance — and what you do to be the best you in your organisation effortlessly becomes the best you in life. The Means Cobus Visser holds a BBA in Marketing Management from the IMM Graduate School. Adjacent to his degree, he has dedicated a great sum of his time to amplifying his ability to motivate and inspire others to succeed in every arena.
He is expertly qualified as the only Certified Master Firewalking Instructor in Africa and a Certified Master Executive Business Coach who leads driven, powerful, forward-thinking individuals to achieve greater impact within their organisations. In addition, he has completed courses in Applied Sports Psychology, Train the Trainer, and Mental Strength, and is skilled as an Enneagram and MapsTell facilitator, amongst a host of other development courses that bring the most out of every mentee.
The Crux
But he hasn’t only pursued the academic; Cobus Visser lives the ethos of doing whatever it takes to achieve every version of your life that you pursue. After being diagnosed with haemophilia as a child and enduring excruciating pain for years, he found himself in the hospital in 2013, unable to move. Instead of conceding to that fate, Cobus decided his body would no longer be his prison. He has since not only gained full mobility but has also conquered a seemingly impossible feat and has scaled Mount Kilimanjaro on crutches.
But Wait—There’s More
Cobus Visser has co-authored three books, Extraordinary You 1, 2, and 3, with fellow coach, Renier Horne, and has released his debut memoir, Walking Through Fire in English and Loop Deur Vuur in Afrikaans — available globally.
Since starting this journey, he has twice been honoured with the Men of Valour and Men of Valor Visionary award, 100 Most Reputable African 2026, NSBC Top 20 Small Business In South Africa 2025, NSBC National Entrepreneur Champion 2025, and 2024 has seen him receive global recognition as a Certified Speaking Professional, headlining at the Global Speakers Association in Bali, the Business Expo Africa and REAL Success in South Africa, amongst many others, and hosting firewalks for notable international speakers such as Skipp Archimedes and Robin Banks.
But Cobus Visser hasn’t stopped there; his drive for pushing one’s limiting beliefs has landed him several roles on local television and media outlets.
Cobus lives his life by two maxims: to #livewithoutregret by doing #whateverittakes.
Are you ready to do the same?
Contact us at Speakers Inc and view our International site
This 1 minute 44 second showreel captures the intensity, presence, and philosophy of Cobus “The Viking” Visser as a transformational keynote speaker and experiential performance coach.
The reel opens with dramatic imagery and a powerful line: one man, one fire, and everything went kaboom. Immediately, the viewer is introduced to Cobus’s signature firewalking experiences, symbolizing the moment when fear meets courage.
He challenges audiences directly: How many of you are willing to go for the impossible? Are you willing to take the steps? Are you willing to get that focus? The message is clear and urgent. Success does not come from comfort. It comes from stepping forward when others hesitate.
Throughout the reel, Cobus calls on participants to raise their standards and get out of their comfort zones. His energy is physical, emotional, and commanding. The firewalking visuals reinforce his philosophy that limits are often mental constructs waiting to be broken.
The testimonial segment highlights his authenticity and heart. He is described as real, genuine, and driven by a desire to make the world a better place. The firewalk becomes more than a spectacle. It becomes a metaphor for personal breakthrough, resilience, and bold leadership.
In this 37 minute 10 second keynote at BizShow, Cobus “The Viking” Visser challenges business owners to confront excuses, adopt decisive leadership, and scale with intention. Opening with his signature “whatever it takes” philosophy, he emphasizes that success leaves clues. Instead of blaming the economy, compliance, funding, or market conditions, leaders must take ownership of their strategy and execution.
Visser highlights sobering statistics about business failure rates and asks the audience whether they want to become part of those statistics or build a lasting legacy. Drawing parallels from sports, including a Springbok rugby example, he explains how failing to adjust strategy mid-game can cost everything. Change must happen before it is too late.
A central theme of the talk is the danger of emotional decision-making under stress. He contrasts companies that shrink during economic pressure with those that grow by making data-driven, logical decisions. He argues that scaling requires systems, processes, and teams rather than reactive leadership.
Visser introduces practical concepts around brand positioning, market alignment, and operational discipline. He discusses how colors, messaging, and brand perception influence client acquisition. He stresses the importance of cutting unnecessary costs, managing cash flow, and becoming resourceful, sharing an example of saving over a billion euros through disciplined financial strategy.
He underscores three pillars of scaling: strategy and execution, people and accountability, and operations and finance. According to Visser, 75 percent of business success comes from strategy, execution, and people, while 25 percent lies in operations and financial management.
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Speaker fees can vary depending on factors such as expertise, demand, and event specifics. While some speakers may charge a flat fee for their services, others may have hourly rates. It’s best to discuss fee structures directly with the speaker or their representative to understand the pricing model.
Virtual speaking appearances can indeed offer cost savings compared to in-person events. Virtual speaking rates are often 10-50% cheaper than in-person rates due to factors such as reduced travel expenses and logistics. This makes virtual events a cost-effective alternative for organizations looking to book speakers within a budget.
Keynote speeches typically range from 30 to 90 minutes, with the duration determined by the speaker’s expertise, the event’s agenda, and audience preferences. Keynote speeches often include a combination of inspirational stories, practical insights, and actionable advice tailored to the event’s theme or objectives.
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