Speaker | Travelling Storyteller
Life changed. So did the story.
Joanne Kimberley is a British storyteller, mentor and speaker currently based in Dubai. After the loss of her daughter, a personal breaking point, the closure of her business and the loss of her home, she found herself rethinking almost everything.
She speaks with honesty and warmth about unexpected change, identity, uncertainty and the stories we tell ourselves about our lives — and about what becomes possible when those stories start to shift.
Why I speak
Because people recognise themselves in real stories.
I'm not here to tell anyone that everything happens for a reason. I speak because so many of us reach a point where the life we built — or the one we were handed — no longer fits, and we're not sure we're allowed to say so.
My talks are honest, sometimes funny and grounded in what actually happened. Travel is part of my story, but my subject is broader: change, identity, judgement and working out what comes next.
Themes in development
These are themes Joanne is developing and can shape with you for your audience — not a fixed menu of keynotes.
- 01Navigating unexpected life changes
- 02Identity and the question of what comes next
- 03Reconsidering the expectations we build our lives around
- 04Rebuilding direction and discovering new possibilities
- 05Personal storytelling and the perspective gained through travel
- 06Overcoming the fear of judgement
Watch
On stage and in conversation.
Speaking clip
On stage
In conversation
What organisers say
Thank you for sharing your time, wisdom, and core insights at the Reinvent Your Life Conference. Your session delivered immediate value, sparked meaningful perspective shifts, and provided our audience with practical tools to navigate their next season. We are deeply grateful for the intentionality, clarity, and energy you brought to the stage. Thank you for helping make this vision a reality.
Wale Ogunjobi
Reinvent Your Life Conference
Joanne was a guest speaker for our 3 AND THE CITY event in Dubai. We held this event to encourage and inspire women to feel better with being invisible online and I think that Joanne is the perfect example of this. She shared her personal journey which resonated with lots of women in the audience. Joanne is a powerful speaker who understands how to tell her story in a positive and inspiring way that also helps all the women along their journey.
Janelle Ciara
3 AND THE CITY
Honestly, I wasn't sure you'd have the time for us — we're just a start-up. But you gave us your time, your trust and your belief in our vision. Your talk inspired every one of us and reminded us why we started this journey in the first place. We're still talking about it, we'd love to work with you again, and we're proud to have you as part of our journey.
Jessy
The Mood Board, Dubai
Booking enquiries
Invite Joanne to speak
Tell us about your event, podcast or retreat and Joanne will be in touch to talk it through.