Keynote Speaker • Author • Explorer
Adorjan Illes
46,000 km • 39 countries • 250+ talks • 100+ corporate events
I turn real stories from my journey around the world into unforgettable keynotes that help people face change, uncertainty and challenges with greater courage and perspective.
I left a secure career in IT, sold almost everything I owned and set off on my very first bicycle journey.
What followed was a four-year expedition around the world.
Deserts, high mountain passes, uncertainty, and thousands of human encounters.
Today, I turn those experiences into keynotes and trainings about resilience, courage, adaptability and human connection.
The Big Book of Smiles
During my four-year bicycle journey through 39 countries, I photographed more than 1,200 smiles.
The Big Book of Smiles brings together a selection of those portraits with short stories and reflections from the road — about travel, people, kindness and the things that connect us wherever we live.
The hardcover book is now available internationally.
Choose Your Path
Signature Keynote
A four-year bicycle journey through 39 countries, transformed into powerful stories about resilience, courage, adaptability and human connection.
I take audiences around the world through real moments of uncertainty, fear, failure, discovery and extraordinary human encounters, while connecting these experiences to the challenges people face at work and in life.
Every keynote can be tailored to your organization’s current challenges through a short preparation call before the event.
Ideal for: conferences, company events, leadership meetings and team days.
Motivational Training
Participants learn effective methods to boost confidence, decision-making skills, and solution-oriented thinking. We practice stress management techniques and mindset adjustments for facing challenges with self-trust.
The training includes a presentation of my expedition, with exercises that helped me overcome difficulties, allowing participants to experience the power of mental techniques firsthand. This awakens their inner strength and enhances performance.Duration: 3 hours
Leadership Coaching
My Leadership Coaching program is designed to improve your leaders self confidence, self worth and to help them operate in a peaceful state of mind even in diffictult situations.
Participants could engage in one-on-one or group sessions that provide personalized feedback and actionable strategies to strengthen their leadership capabilities in order to foster a positive organizational culture.
Duration: Customized to individual needs.
Today, I bring those experiences to companies, conferences and communities through stories about resilience, courage, adaptability and human connection.
I have delivered approximately 250 talks and trainings, including 100+ corporate events for organizations such as CERN Staff Association, Erste Bank, K&H Bank, Vodafone, and 4iG.
It was an incredible experience sharing my journey with 100 brilliant minds at CERN. Speaking in the same auditorium where the Higgs boson discovery was announced in 2012 was truly electrifying—I could definitely feel „The Force” on that stage!
The audience’s enthusiasm was palpable, with many taking notes and asking deep questions long after the talk. One participant shared that the presentation reminded them how we are the ones imposing our own limits. We even took a short dive into my injury in Japan and the meditation techniques I used for self-healing.
The core takeaway? Whether you are a researcher, a leader, or a world traveler, true readiness begins when you accept that not everything will go perfectly. Embracing mistakes and staying flexible is what prepares you for real challenges.
Huge thanks to the CERN Staff Association for the invitation. It was an honor to plant the seed: we are all capable of so much more than we believe!
Feedbacks:
„Your journey actually reminded me that almost anything is possible and that we are the ones imposing the limits… whoever you can be (leader, corporate, etc.) this is something everyone should remember.”
„If you are prepared that not everything will go perfectly well all the time, then you are ready to face most of the challenges.”
„I really appreciated the overall flow of your presentation, with facts, pictures and good stories… you managed it all very well.”
Look, here is the map I covered by cycling :
Explore the World with a big smile on your face and the World will smile you back!
You can read more about me and my expedition on these sites
Man spent 4 years traveling around the world – Insider magazine
What happens when you follow your spiritual calling? – connectonemarketing.com
Travel is the Best School – hungarytoday.hu
SPRING GLOBAL TEEN WELLNESS HOUR: FEAR NOT – Wisdomteethinger USA
Circumnavigating the World in a bicycle Barpali News (Indian magazine)
Since I arrived home, I have been doing what I was born to do: inspiring people, infusing hope and faith in them.
I will teach you how to live a happy, balanced life, how to transform stress into inner peace, acceptance and what to do to wake up motivated and bright-eyed.
I have given hundreds of motivational speeches and trainings, the protagonists of which are always the audience. I have already visited many companies, including Erste Bank, K&H Bank, Morgan Stanley, Ingatlan.com, etc… to inspire the co-workers.