Blair Braverman

EXCLUSIVE
  • Dogsledder & Adventurer
  • Author of 'Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube' & 'Small Game'

Adventurer, dogsledder, and author Blair Braverman is a riveting storyteller and expert in perseverance. She and her team of dogs have traveled through thousands of miles of wilderness in Alaska, the Yukon, and Scandinavia, and completed the famed Iditarod race. Braverman is the author of Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube, which was called “stunning and sharp” by The New York Times Book Review, and indie bestsellers Dogs on the Trail and Small Game. She shares epic stories and practical takeaways about developing a practice of grit and courage, working as a team to thrive in high-pressure situations, and breaks down common misconceptions about what makes a powerful leader.

Braverman is a contributing editor for Outside magazine, and her writing has been featured in The New York Times, Vogue, and on the This American Life podcast. She and her dog team have been featured on The Today Show and in O: The Oprah Magazine, The Washington Post, TIME, Teen Vogue, and on NPR. In 2023, she hosted a series on animal-human relationships for BBC Radio 4An in-demand speaker on cultivating bravery and embracing the unknown, Braverman regularly receives rave reviews such as: “My team at Microsoft was incredibly impressed with Blair’s passion, her depth of knowledge, and her storytelling. Over a year later, we still quote Blair about how there is always a way to get something done. She inspired the team in ways I had not predicted.” (Microsoft)

 


Blair Braverman headshot
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Past Hosts Include:
  • Proofpoint Inc.
  • Google
  • Microsoft
  • Procter & Gamble
  • Konica Minolta
  • Computacenter and Dell Technologies
  • League of Minnesota Cities
  • Women of the Channel Leadership Summit West Attendees
  • FDB (First Databank, Inc.)
  • Bayfield Chamber of Commerce
Rave Reviews About Blair Braverman
Braverman kept a packed room fully enthralled. At turns funny and profound, she left listeners feeling as if they’d made a new friend, one eminently qualified to help them navigate the complexities of modern life.

What Sled Dogs Can Teach Us About Courage | TEDxOshkosh - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with Blair Braverman
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How to Be Brave

How do you set off into the wilderness, knowing you’ll meet tremendous and unpredictable challenges? In this talk, BLAIR BRAVERMAN uses stories from the trail to demonstrate that courage isn’t a quality, but a practice that combines preparation, problem-solving, and trusting your future self—and she ...

How do you set off into the wilderness, knowing you’ll meet tremendous and unpredictable challenges? In this talk, BLAIR BRAVERMAN uses stories from the trail to demonstrate that courage isn’t a quality, but a practice that combines preparation, problem-solving, and trusting your future self—and she offers practical lessons that anyone can implement in their life and work.

Secrets of High-Performing Teams and Leaders

A team's success depends on how well its members collaborate in high-pressure situations—and no one knows this better than mushers, whose lives depend on trust and teamwork with their dogs. But true leadership is far quieter than many people assume.  Using lessons from animal behaviorism, psychology ...

A team's success depends on how well its members collaborate in high-pressure situations—and no one knows this better than mushers, whose lives depend on trust and teamwork with their dogs. But true leadership is far quieter than many people assume. 

Using lessons from animal behaviorism, psychology, and her own experience, BLAIR BRAVERMAN breaks down common misunderstandings about leadership and the myth of the “alpha dog,” instead offering a blueprint for confident, collaborative teamwork that helps every member to excel.

Digital Storytelling

How do you tell a story in a tweet? A page? A single caption? In this fun and interactive workshop, BLAIR BRAVERMAN — whose stories on social media have gone viral time and again—shares techniques for establishing characters, conflict, intrigue, and humor in practically no space at all. ...

How do you tell a story in a tweet? A page? A single caption? In this fun and interactive workshop, BLAIR BRAVERMAN — whose stories on social media have gone viral time and again—shares techniques for establishing characters, conflict, intrigue, and humor in practically no space at all.

Author Talk: ‘Small Game’

In this engaging conversation about her debut novel Small Game, adventurer BLAIR BRAVERMAN shares her journey writing her gripping and provocative exploration of the comforts, rituals, and connections we depend on. An expert in perseverance, Braverman offers insights about how we find the courage to ...

In this engaging conversation about her debut novel Small Game, adventurer BLAIR BRAVERMAN shares her journey writing her gripping and provocative exploration of the comforts, rituals, and connections we depend on. An expert in perseverance, Braverman offers insights about how we find the courage to build a new life from the ground up.

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Speaker News

When everything is on the line, what kind of leader are you? Blair Braverman has the answer—learned across 1,000 frozen miles

In today’s climate of nonstop disruption, uncertainty, and pressure to perform, business leaders and entrepreneurs are being asked to do more—with less. Teams are burning out, trust is strained, and bold decisions are harder to make. What’s needed now isn’t just motivation—it’s a reset in how we lead. Your team deserves more than just a polished keynote—they deserve a speaker who brings real-world experience and lasting impact. That’s what  BLAIR BRAVERMAN delivers. As a celebrated adventurer who’s mushed through blizzards and whiteouts in the 1,000-mile Iditarod, Blair brings powerful, unexpected insight into leading under pressure, building trust, and showing up with courage when the stakes are high.

Her riveting, real-world stories and memorable takeaways help audiences break through paralysis, connect as a team, and move forward—one determined step at a time.

Blair Braverman is a celebrated dogsledder and author who completed the Iditarod, the iconic race across Alaska’s frozen wilderness. Her memoir Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube was praised as “stunning and sharp” by The New York Times Book Review, and she is also the author of indie bestsellers Dogs on the Trail and Small Game.

A contributing editor for Outside magazine, Blair’s writing has appeared in The New York Times, Vogue, This American Life, and TIME. She’s been featured on The Today Show, NPR, O: The Oprah Magazine, and BBC Radio 4, where she hosted a series on the human-animal bond.

She’s spoken for Fortune 500s, tech companies, startups, universities, and leadership forums across the globe—and her impact stays with audiences long after the event ends.

👉 Watch: What Dog Sleds Can Teach You About Courage

WHAT SHE SPEAKS ABOUT:

  • The Trail Team Mindset: What sled dogs teach us about trust and shared leadership
  • Practicing Bravery: How to build courage into your everyday life
  • Redefining Grit: Staying grounded and effective under pressure
  • The Real Work of Courage: Lessons from the edge of the Arctic

WHY AUDIENCES NEVER FORGET HER:

Blair’s talks are cinematic, deeply human, and full of hard-won wisdom. She speaks from lived experience—sharing how to earn trust, stay calm in crisis, and summon inner strength when the stakes are high. Her keynotes are not just inspiring—they’re tactical, authentic, and unforgettable.

WHAT HOSTS ARE SAYING:

🟊 “We still quote Blair about how there is always a way to get something done. She inspired the team in ways I had not predicted.”Microsoft
🟊 “The combination of brilliant writer and inspirational teacher is rare… My writers are already requesting her return.”UW-Madison Writers’ Institute
🟊 “At turns funny and profound… she left listeners feeling as if they’d made a new friend, one eminently qualified to help them navigate the complexities of modern life.”Bayfield Chamber of Commerce

 

Blair Braverman receives rave reviews for her live events

Adventurer, dogsledder, and author BLAIR BRAVERMAN has been invited to share her riveting dogsledding stories to hosts spanning companies, universities, leadership groups, and many more across the globe. Here’s what they have to say:

  • Microsoft: “We still quote Blair about how there is always a way to get something done. She inspired the team in ways I had not predicted.”
  • UW-Madison Writers’ Institute: “The combination of brilliant writer and inspirational teacher is rare; however, author Blair Braverman possesses both of these talents. Blair delivered our Saturday morning keynote speech with eloquence and truth. My writers are already requesting her return.”
  • Bayfield Chamber of Commerce: “Braverman kept a packed room fully enthralled. At turns funny and profound, she left listeners feeling as if they’d made a new friend, one eminently qualified to help them navigate the complexities of modern life.”

Watch Blair Braverman’s keynote at TEDxOshkosh >>

Adventurer Blair Braverman gives a masterclass on resilience

Famed dogsledder and adventurer BLAIR BRAVERMAN knows a thing or two about grit and perseverance, which she shares with riveting stories, concrete advice, and humor. She was recently featured in The New York Times, discussing surviving harsh conditions and focusing on the journey rather than the destination. She is also the author of two books, Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube and Dogs on the Trail: A Year in the LifeBraverman’s lessons from the wilderness inspire us to bravely navigate our own epic journeys. After Braverman spoke at Microsoft, they shared, “My team at Microsoft was incredibly impressed with Blair’s passion, her depth of knowledge, and her storytelling. Over a year later, we still quote Blair about how there is always a way to get something done. She inspired the team in ways I had not predicted.” 

Watch Blair Braverman’s TEDx Talk >>

How Blair Braverman’s dogsledding achievements inspire global corporate leadership teams

Adventurer, dogsledder, and author BLAIR BRAVERMAN is an expert team leader; in fact, she leads a diverse team of athletic champions across the boundaries of language and species!

Braverman’s experience traveling thousands of miles through the wilderness across Alaska, the Ukon, Scandinavia, and more translate seamlessly into indoor discussions on team building and management. Braverman has delighted hosts such as Microsoft, Google, P&G, Dell, and more with the possible applications of her unique survival and management skills to the volatile, mission-critical scenarios faced by corporate leaders daily.

Watch Blair Braverman’s TEDx Talk >>

Adventurer Blair Braverman explores survival and courage in her gripping debut novel, ‘Small Game’

Dogsledder and celebrated author BLAIR BRAVERMAN knows a thing or two about adventuring into new terrain. An expert in perseverance, she and her team of dogs have traveled thousands of miles in the wilderness, and completed the famed Iditarod race. In her debut novel, Small Game, Braverman weaves a gripping tale about a survival reality show gone wrong – leaving a group of strangers stranded in the northern wilds.

A riveting storyteller, Braverman is the author of Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube, which was called “stunning and sharp” by The New York Times Book Review, and Dogs on the Trail: A Year in the Life, delivering insights about teamwork, leadership, and bravery. Small Game is a provocative exploration of the comforts, rituals, and connections we depend on, and how we find the courage to build a new life from the ground up.

Watch Blair Braverman’s TEDx Talk >>

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Books by Blair Braverman
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Biography

Blair Braverman is an author, adventurer, and long-distance dogsledder whose stories are equally riveting on and off the page. She and her sled dogs have crossed thousands of miles of frozen wilderness and completed some of the toughest dogsled races in the world, including the Iditarod, the Kobuk 440, and the Beargrease. Her dog team has been featured on The Today Show and in O: The Oprah Magazine, Washington Post, TIME, Teen Vogue, and NPR.

Braverman's storytelling--which focuses mostly on wilderness, resilience, and the human-animal bond--takes many forms. She is the author of three books, including indie bestsellers Dogs on the Trail and Small Game. She is a columnist and contributing editor for Outside magazine and a writer for The New York Times, Vogue, This American Life, and many other venues. In 2023, she hosted a series on animal-human relationships for BBC Radio 4


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