Michelle Poler and Brandon DesJarlais are relevant speakers to consider when an event centers on courage, change, or taking action before confidence feels complete. Their public work shares an emphasis on fear and human connection. A useful comparison looks at the experience behind the message and the way each speaker organizes it for an audience.
Poler's work grew from confronting everyday fears through a documented personal project. Brandon's Finding Fearless keynote brings lessons from downhill racing and stunt work into a framework for decisions under uncertainty. For an organizer, the choice begins with what participants need courage to do.
Two experiences that lead into courage
Poler's 100 Days Without Fear project began in 2015, when she challenged herself to face a different fear each day. Her current speaking offerings address courage, confidence, and community. Her courage material emphasizes choosing growth over comfort, while other sessions explore individual value and workplace belonging. Michelle Poler's story, official keynote descriptions
Brandon's signature framework is Clarity, Calculation, Composure, and Courage. It connects identifying what matters with assessing risk, remaining steady, and taking a next step. His work also includes founding Beyond the Board and hosting the Keep Pushing podcast; his background page explains how community and conversation connect with his speaking.
| Area to compare | Michelle Poler | Brandon DesJarlais |
|---|---|---|
| Public entry point | A personal experiment facing 100 fears | Experience making decisions in downhill racing and stunt work |
| Organizing themes | Courage, confidence, and community | Clarity, Calculation, Composure, and Courage |
| Useful briefing question | Where are people choosing familiarity instead of a worthwhile opportunity? | Where are people struggling to judge risk or act under pressure? |
| Community connection | A published keynote offering about workplace community | A background in community building through Beyond the Board |
| Planning detail to confirm | Which of her distinct sessions best matches the event | How Finding Fearless would address the audience's specific situation |
The table compares published emphasis. It should help frame a discovery conversation, rather than substitute for one.
Identify the kind of change in the room
“Change” can describe very different audience experiences. A team trying something new by choice is in a different position from employees navigating a change they did not choose. Before selecting a speaker, write a sentence that names the situation without turning it into a slogan.
For example: “Our managers need to speak more openly about decisions they have been avoiding.” Or: “Our employees are adjusting to new responsibilities and need a constructive way to discuss uncertainty.” A sentence like this gives you something tangible to test against a proposed keynote.
If the event centers on trying a worthwhile opportunity that feels unfamiliar, Poler's growth-and-comfort framing may provide a useful starting point. If the event centers on making a considered decision while pressure is high, Brandon's four-part structure may provide one. These are possible matches, not exclusive territories.
Compare the audience's experience, not just the topic
Two sessions can share a subject while asking different things of participants. An organizer should understand whether people will primarily listen, reflect privately, discuss examples, or take part in an activity.
Ask each speaker to describe the intended arc of the proposed session: what opens the conversation, how the central idea develops, and what participants are invited to do with it. Review available footage with that structure in mind. A brief highlight clip can show moments from a performance, but it cannot answer every question about a complete session.
Also consider the room. An audience returning from lunch at a large conference has different practical needs from twelve leaders in a retreat setting. Explain the agenda placement, room arrangement, accessibility requirements, and any limits on participation. Those details help the speaker and organizer decide what is workable.
Treat community as a specific event goal
Both speakers have a public connection to community, but “build connection” is still too broad for a useful brief. Decide what connection should mean at this event.
Do you want people from separate departments to meet? Do you want newer colleagues to contribute? Are you trying to create conditions for a more honest discussion? Each goal suggests a different program design and different follow-up responsibilities.
For an event centered on workplace belonging, review Poler's community offering on its own terms. For a courage-focused event where community experience is part of the speaker's perspective, explore how Brandon would bring that background into Finding Fearless. A biography and a session outline answer different questions; obtain both.
Build a brief that supports a useful comparison
Give each speaker the same core information so you can assess the proposals fairly:
- Describe the audience's role, current situation, and familiarity with the event theme.
- Name one decision, conversation, or opportunity that illustrates the challenge.
- Explain whether attendance and audience participation are optional or expected.
- Identify sensitive organizational context that should shape the discussion.
- Ask what can fit within the allotted time and what would require a separate session.
- Decide who will carry the conversation forward after the event.
Brandon's speaker kit provides published information for initial planning. Use the subsequent discussion to clarify scope rather than assuming every format or activity is included.
Frequently asked questions
Do Michelle Poler and Brandon DesJarlais speak about the same things?
Their themes overlap around fear, courage, and action. Poler's current offerings separately address courage, confidence, and community. Brandon's signature keynote uses the 4Cs to explore moving through uncertainty. Compare the particular session being proposed, not only the speaker's general biography.
Which speaker should we consider for a leadership retreat?
Define the retreat's central task first. Exploring comfort zones, individual confidence, workplace belonging, or a difficult decision can produce different briefs. Ask each speaker how their proposed session would connect to that task and to the rest of the agenda.
What is the next step after making a shortlist?
Review the materials, discuss the audience, and request current scope and logistical details. If Finding Fearless appears relevant, Brandon's contact page is a place to share the event context and begin that conversation.