Liezel van der Westhuizen
Add to enquiry box
Category:
Speaker, MC
Location:
Cape Town South Africa
Preferred Language:
Afrikaans, English
Tags:
Celebrity,Endurance athlete,Inspiration,MC,model,motivation,Presenter,Professional Speaker,Radio Personality,South Africa,TV & Radio,Womens Interest
Profile:
Liezel van der Westhuizen is a global motivational speaker and corporate coach, specialising in personal branding and speaker training.
Liezel became the first African sighted female to cycle with a blind athlete across the Himalayas on a tandem bicycle and swam from Robben Island to Blouberg (7.5km) to raise funds for SEA RESCUE SA.
Having kicked off her public speaking career in South Africa 10 years ago, Liezel has hosted more than 500 events across the country, as well as in popular eventing destinations such as Indonesia, United Kingdom, Europe, Thailand, Hong Kong and Seychelles and will be acting as MC at an International Conference in Romania later this year.
Her clients have ranged from blue chip companies, high-flying financial institutions to tourism boards and sporting brands.
With infectious energy, sharp wit and panache being the hallmarks of Liezel’s brand, it’s no surprise that her work receives consistent rave reviews from clients.
Passionate about education, Liezel notes that her three degrees in Human Resources Management (Bcom) and as well as in B.Com Honors ; Maters degree in Business Communications have been invaluable in laying the groundwork for what can only be described as a rewarding and fulfilling career.
Being part of the Toastmaster’s Society – and having received bronze and silver awards – also continues to give Liezel’s work an extra edge.
Apart from hosting events, Liezel is also often asked to do motivational talks and deliver keynote addresses. A few of her most popular topics include: ‘Beating the Bully’, ‘Empowering Women’ ‘Finding your inner strength’ and ‘Personal Brand Personified’
She is a well-loved media personality in the South African radio and television media space and has established herself as a macro influencer with over 155 000 social media followers across various platforms (including LINKEDIN, TWITTER, FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM).
Liezel has also completed a number of tough sporting events including Ironman Triathlons, Dusi Canoe Marathons and Midmar mile.
Liezel is fondly known to friends and fans alike as ‘The Giraffe’, a moniker she has also worked into the name of her personal vlog, Giraffe in the City. What many people may not know, is that the nickname was originally meant to be an insult.
“In 2010, designer Craig Jacobs called me ‘a giraffe’ in his Sunday Times society column when - on this specific occasion - I wore a pair of killer heels, which added a few extra centimetres to my already excessive length,” Liezel explains.
Instead of letting it get her down, Liezel embraced the name and has continued using it to her advantage. This is a powerful testament to her experience with personal brand building and how she can assist organisations and individuals with turning negative publicity into something positive.
Apart from building her own brand, she also has professional reputation management experience, having work as the public relations manager for Virgin Records prior to kicking off her television and radio presenter career. Some of the clients she worked with include Mandoza, Lenny Kravitz, Sarah Brightman, Atomic Kitten, Backstreet Boys, Watershed, and Danny K.
Liezel became the first African sighted female to cycle with a blind athlete across the Himalayas on a tandem bicycle and swam from Robben Island to Blouberg (7.5km) to raise funds for SEA RESCUE SA.
Having kicked off her public speaking career in South Africa 10 years ago, Liezel has hosted more than 500 events across the country, as well as in popular eventing destinations such as Indonesia, United Kingdom, Europe, Thailand, Hong Kong and Seychelles and will be acting as MC at an International Conference in Romania later this year.
Her clients have ranged from blue chip companies, high-flying financial institutions to tourism boards and sporting brands.
With infectious energy, sharp wit and panache being the hallmarks of Liezel’s brand, it’s no surprise that her work receives consistent rave reviews from clients.
Passionate about education, Liezel notes that her three degrees in Human Resources Management (Bcom) and as well as in B.Com Honors ; Maters degree in Business Communications have been invaluable in laying the groundwork for what can only be described as a rewarding and fulfilling career.
Being part of the Toastmaster’s Society – and having received bronze and silver awards – also continues to give Liezel’s work an extra edge.
Apart from hosting events, Liezel is also often asked to do motivational talks and deliver keynote addresses. A few of her most popular topics include: ‘Beating the Bully’, ‘Empowering Women’ ‘Finding your inner strength’ and ‘Personal Brand Personified’
She is a well-loved media personality in the South African radio and television media space and has established herself as a macro influencer with over 155 000 social media followers across various platforms (including LINKEDIN, TWITTER, FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM).
Liezel has also completed a number of tough sporting events including Ironman Triathlons, Dusi Canoe Marathons and Midmar mile.
Liezel is fondly known to friends and fans alike as ‘The Giraffe’, a moniker she has also worked into the name of her personal vlog, Giraffe in the City. What many people may not know, is that the nickname was originally meant to be an insult.
“In 2010, designer Craig Jacobs called me ‘a giraffe’ in his Sunday Times society column when - on this specific occasion - I wore a pair of killer heels, which added a few extra centimetres to my already excessive length,” Liezel explains.
Instead of letting it get her down, Liezel embraced the name and has continued using it to her advantage. This is a powerful testament to her experience with personal brand building and how she can assist organisations and individuals with turning negative publicity into something positive.
Apart from building her own brand, she also has professional reputation management experience, having work as the public relations manager for Virgin Records prior to kicking off her television and radio presenter career. Some of the clients she worked with include Mandoza, Lenny Kravitz, Sarah Brightman, Atomic Kitten, Backstreet Boys, Watershed, and Danny K.
Liezel van der Westhuizen is a global motivational speaker and corporate coach, specialising in personal branding and speaker training.
Liezel became the first African sighted female to cycle with a blind athlete across the Himalayas on a tandem bicycle and swam from Robben Island to Blouberg (7.5km) to raise funds for SEA RESCUE SA.
Having kicked off her public speaking career in South Africa 10 years ago, Liezel has hosted more than 500 events across the country,
Liezel became the first African sighted female to cycle with a blind athlete across the Himalayas on a tandem bicycle and swam from Robben Island to Blouberg (7.5km) to raise funds for SEA RESCUE SA.
Having kicked off her public speaking career in South Africa 10 years ago, Liezel has hosted more than 500 events across the country,
Synopsis:
PRESENTATIONS by Liezel van der Westhuizen
Find your inner strength
Discover how you can unleash your full potential. Liezel will take you through the steps to help find your inner strength.
Liezel will help you find your inner strength and give practical and personal guidelines on how you can achieve your goals, be it mental or physical.
In this talk, renowned speaker Liezel van der Westhuizen, will help you find your voice again, show you how to beat the bully and get the recognition and raise that you deserve. Employers will benefit too as bullying causes high staff turnover and low morale leading to lower quality work.
Find your inner strength
Discover how you can unleash your full potential. Liezel will take you through the steps to help find your inner strength.
Imagine, a 3.8km swim, a 180km cycle and running 42.2km in one day! The Ironman, the ultimate one day endurance race. Liezel did it - in style, within only 12 weeks . Her next goal was the Unlimited Dusi, the World's toughest canoe marathon. Prior to setting up this challenge she had no experience in canoe paddling. In 9 weeks, she not only learned how to handle a canoe, but also how to avoid naysayers and that niggling self-doubt. It's possible. She did it and overcame all the odds. During her extreme sport journeys shediscovered the strength, often more mentally than physically, within herself, and how to unleash it.
Never Give Up
Set your goals, and work at it, each and every day.
Don't stop until it is done.
Don't stop until it is done.
Liezel will help you find your inner strength and give practical and personal guidelines on how you can achieve your goals, be it mental or physical.
When she's not in the water, or busy with Ironman, Liezel enjoys a bit of extreme mountain biking and road running. She is also an ambassador for charities, an MC for glamorous functions and a much sought after model on the catwalk. She is also listed as one Mail & Guardian's Top 200 Young South Africans.
Empower our women. Empower our nation.
Women can change the world! We are still sadly lacking in fully empowering women. Gender bias and discrimination against women is rife. Globally and locally women still represents the smaller percentage in leadership positions. Perhaps key is to understand why it is important to empower women and that it's not simply empty rhetoric.
South Africa's own Ironlady Liezel van der Westhuizen's talk uncovers the importance of female empowerment in an informative and personal way. Having conquered many physical and mental feats, Liezel understands the underlying challenges facing women today.
The Face of Empowerment.
“Around the world 62 million girls are not in school. Globally, 1 in 3 women will experience gender-based violence in her lifetime.” Frightening stats from www.usaid.gov.
What holds women back? Glass ceilings imposed by the traditional workplace are not the only thing that holds women back. It is often self-imposed. An inferiority complex, family commitments and a fear of failure are leaders in this self-inflicted stagnation.
What can Women do to propel themselves and other Women Forward?
Taking the first steps to working your way out of external and internal prejudices, and take a female friend with you on this journey.
Beating the Bully
You know your own voice. You worked hard to get it and you know how to use it… until you meet The Office Bully at the dreaded Big Monday Meeting…
You've prepared your notes and your ideas are good, very good, but still your stomach is knotted up. The Office Bully loves to spread rumours and to humiliate you in front of your colleagues. Once the Office Bully sits down, you shrivel into a nodding, fake smile, coffee slurping mess, carefully checking your watch. The bullying does not end at the meeting. Back in the office the bully will stalk you, call you names and try to derail your work. It's finally home time. You sob uncontrollably in your car, desperate for a safe place.
You've prepared your notes and your ideas are good, very good, but still your stomach is knotted up. The Office Bully loves to spread rumours and to humiliate you in front of your colleagues. Once the Office Bully sits down, you shrivel into a nodding, fake smile, coffee slurping mess, carefully checking your watch. The bullying does not end at the meeting. Back in the office the bully will stalk you, call you names and try to derail your work. It's finally home time. You sob uncontrollably in your car, desperate for a safe place.
In this talk, renowned speaker Liezel van der Westhuizen, will help you find your voice again, show you how to beat the bully and get the recognition and raise that you deserve. Employers will benefit too as bullying causes high staff turnover and low morale leading to lower quality work.
From school to office: The bully is not restricted to the schoolyard but also enjoys roaming the office corridors.
Busting the myth that all bullies grow up.
Where do they come from?
Busting the myth that all bullies grow up.
Where do they come from?
The making of the Office Bully
The Office Bully is a genius: it's all smoke and mirrors... from a great fake relationship with the boss, knowing the minimal amount to be done to get away with it and thriving on your pain. But inside the bully lives a very insecure person taking it out on you.
Recognise and prevent it.
How to spot the bully and remove yourself as target.
Finding your own confidence and getting your voice back.
Finding your own confidence and getting your voice back.
It seems like extreme sports but if you really like the company and/or the cause you are working for, you must find a way to make it work.
Liezel will show you how to unleash your inner power and beat the bully!
Liezel will show you how to unleash your inner power and beat the bully!
PRESENTATIONS by Liezel van der Westhuizen
Find your inner strength
Find your inner strength
Ryder:
Liezel does power point.
Screen
Data Projector
She brings her own lap top.
Screen
Data Projector
She brings her own lap top.
Add to enquiry box