Sébastien Bichon

I worked for 17 years at Macif. Alongside my professional activity and my career as a high-level athlete, which notably led me to win a bronze medal at the Sydney Paralympics, I was already volunteering to share my experience with associations, schools, and various organizations. Sharing knowledge was already part of my daily life long before I made it my profession.

Initially, I did not plan to become a speaker. I was volunteering to share my experience as a Paralympic athlete and an amputee. Over time, I noticed that my journey allowed participants to view their own challenges, obstacles, or limiting beliefs differently. I then understood that beyond personal stories, there were universal lessons that could help everyone move forward. This realization made me want to make it my profession.

The turning point that taught me the most was my decision to become a professional speaker for companies. I then understood that a track record, no matter how prestigious, is not enough to create value for an audience. A conference is not just about telling one's story: it must allow participants to make connections with their own challenges. This awareness led me to continuously work on my content, my pedagogy, and my understanding of the business world.

What excites me about being a speaker is the impact a story can have when it resonates with each person's experience. I particularly enjoy the exchanges that follow the conferences, when participants share what they take away, the connections they make with their own challenges, or the actions they want to implement. It is in these moments that I measure the usefulness of what I convey.

My mission is simple: to use the obstacles I have transformed into levers of progress to help others do the same in facing their own challenges.

The message I wish to leave is that every obstacle can become an opportunity to succeed differently, provided one is willing to change perspective and explore new possibilities.

The story I tell most often is that of a world first achieved with Marc Malterre, who is visually impaired. This challenge was based on a simple yet bold idea: to guide him solely by voice in the ascent of the Aubisque pass, each on their own bike. I love this story because it illustrates several universal themes: trust, adaptation, the search for solutions, and the ability to make possible what initially seemed impossible. It shows that an obstacle is not always a dead end; it can become the starting point for another way of acting.

I come from a family of farmers from the Marais poitevin and grew up on the farm, within a sibling group of eleven children of which I was the ninth. My childhood was marked by a serious accident that led to the amputation of my right leg at the age of four and a half. However, what has probably shaped me the most is not the accident itself, but my parents' attitude. They always refused to treat me differently from my brothers and sisters. This education based on trust, autonomy, and empowerment has greatly contributed to the person I am today.

After my accident, I set myself a goal at a very young age: to never let my disability decide for me what would be possible or not. This conviction has accompanied me in high-level sports, in my challenges, and in my professional life. Today, I no longer seek to prove anything, but this same conviction still fuels my work as a speaker: helping everyone not to let their constraints, real or assumed, define their ambitions.

I remember being very stressed. I would blush, sometimes stammer, and I was not at all the speaker I am today. In hindsight, it's an excellent reminder: we often overestimate our current limits and underestimate our ability to progress. Public speaking has become one of my strengths, whereas it was initially a real area of discomfort.

It is difficult for me to name a single person as so many encounters have shaped my journey. If I had to choose one, it would be one of my brothers. During our first major bike outings when I was about twelve years old, he passed on to me much more than a sporting practice: the taste for effort, curiosity, the desire to explore, and the conviction that we often grow by stepping out of our usual environment. In hindsight, I realize how a few shared experiences can have a lasting influence on a life path.

The choice that changed my path the most was my solo crossing of France by bike at the age of 22. For the first time, I embarked on a project that was deeply important to me without having all the guarantees of success. This adventure taught me that there comes a time when one must accept uncertainty and take action. Since then, this conviction has accompanied me: dreams are not meant to stay in a corner of our minds, but to be pursued, even when the outcome is uncertain.

Boldness, because nothing I have accomplished would have existed without daring to take an uncomfortable first step. Integrity, because it is essential for me to remain true to my values and commitments. Respect for others, because our differences are often a source of mutual enrichment. And finally perseverance, because obstacles are part of the journey and should not divert us from the goal when it makes sense.

Between two commitments, my days generally alternate between physical activity, often in nature, preparing my conferences and projects, reflection, meetings, and presence on social media. I need this balance between movement, observation, and transmission. It is often far from the stage, on a bike, on a trail, or during a meeting, that the ideas and teachings I later share with my audience are born.

I primarily recharge in contact with nature. I combine this with regular physical activity and a simple, balanced lifestyle. These moments are essential for me: they allow me to slow down, reflect, gain perspective, and recharge my energy. Nature is probably one of my most faithful sources of inspiration as well as rejuvenation.

One of my main interests is the search for a sustainable work-life balance. My sports background has taught me that performance is built not only through effort but also through recovery, nutrition, and respect for one's balances. Even today, I enjoy exploring everything that contributes to preserving energy, health, and the ability to remain active, curious, and engaged over the years.

What often surprises people who meet me after a conference is the very positive outlook I have on life and events. Many expect my journey to be centered around disability, whereas I define myself primarily by my projects, my desires, and the many possibilities available to each of us.

Right now, I am exploring a question that fascinates me: how to trigger strong enough realizations in young people to sustainably influence their life paths? How can we give them more self-confidence and the desire to take action? This reflection particularly feeds the projects I am developing alongside my conferences.

The advice that has had the most impact on my life could be summarized as follows: 'Don't take my word for it, experiment.' I have always been sensitive to this idea. Many limits we believe to be real are actually assumptions we have never tested. My journey has taught me that experience is often the best way to discover what we are truly capable of.

I would tell her to trust her intuition more. Many of the adventures, encounters, and projects that have marked my life were born from a simple inner conviction before being validated by facts.

The fear of not pleasing can sometimes push me not to assert myself as much as I would like. This is a point on which I continue to progress. I have learned that authenticity and clarity are often more useful than seeking everyone's approval.

Beyond my resume, I am proud to see that the experiences I have lived can now be useful to others. I try to share them sincerely, without trying to appear stronger than I really am.

The next chapter that intrigues me is that of impact. For several years, my conferences have allowed me to reach many audiences. Today, I am questioning how to go even further with young people, alongside my conferences, by creating experiences capable of triggering lasting awareness and giving them more confidence in themselves and a desire to act.

I help people to look at the obstacles they encounter from a different perspective. Obstacles do not always disappear, but they can often be circumvented, tamed, or transformed into opportunities for progress.

I am often invited because my journey is not limited to a single story or a single success. It combines disability, high-level sports, corporate life, adventure, collective challenges, and transmission projects. This diversity of experiences allows me to reach very different audiences and to approach the themes of surpassing oneself, adaptation, and transformation from multiple angles. Beyond the narrative, participants generally leave with concrete keys to view their own challenges differently.

I help people to look at their obstacles differently in order to turn them into levers for progress.

I refuse topics for which I have neither legitimacy nor expertise. I have always prioritized experience over theory. I enjoy sharing what I have lived, tested, and learned in the field, but I prefer to leave to others the subjects that fall more within their area of expertise.

My unique angle is to show how obstacles can become levers for transformation rather than brakes on action.

What legitimizes my speech is not a particular achievement, but the repetition of the same approach throughout my life: learning to transform constraints into opportunities for action. From disability to high-level sports, from corporate life to adventure challenges, I have regularly faced situations that seemed to limit the realm of possibilities. My field experience consists precisely of having sought, and then found, ways to circumvent them, tame them, or turn them into levers for progress.

My intervention style combines personal storytelling, humor, and interaction to provoke awareness that lasts well beyond the conference.

My interventions are particularly appreciated by organizations undergoing periods of transformation, change, or adaptation. They also resonate with teams looking to strengthen their ability to face obstacles, remain engaged, and explore new possibilities in the face of uncertainty.

I am particularly relevant to organizations that are not only looking to improve their results but also to change the perspective their employees have on the challenges they face. My intervention makes the most sense when the issue is not just to do more, but to approach differently what seems to hinder action.

The audience generally leaves with a broader perception of the realm of possibilities, greater confidence in their ability to adapt, and a desire to act where they previously hesitated.

I am convinced that our limits are often more malleable than we imagine. My philosophy is to not view an obstacle as an end, but as the starting point of a search for solutions. When faced with a difficulty, my first question is usually not "Why is it impossible?", but "How could we make it possible?"

The accident and the education received after it. The Paralympic medal from Sydney. Mont Blanc with the Cordée de la diversité. A Perte de Vue with Marc Malterre.

My experience has led me to work with a wide variety of organizations: industry, defense, technology, insurance and mutuals, higher education, local authorities, public institutions, and business networks.

Among the organizations that have placed their trust in me are Naval Group, Sodern (Ariane Group), Lectra, Ausy by Randstad, Crédit Mutuel, Macif, Matmut, CAVAC, Excelia, the Ministry of National Education, the CROUS, several Chambers of Commerce and Industry, as well as numerous local authorities.

The feedback that comes up most often concerns less the achievement than the impact. Participants regularly tell me that they have changed their perspective on certain situations they thought were blocking. They also mention the authenticity of the testimony, the humility of the journey presented, and the positive energy they derive from it. Many leave with the desire to act rather than to endure.

My interventions find their place particularly during conventions, seminars, team days, managerial events, corporate gatherings, higher education institutions, or meetings around disability, inclusion, transformation, and self-overcoming. I speak in front of a few dozen people as well as in front of several hundred.

My approach is particularly suited to audiences facing changes, challenges, or situations that require adapting and looking at obstacles differently.

On the other hand, when the goal is to provide very technical, sector-specific, or professional expertise, I generally recommend calling on a specialist in the relevant field. My role is more about provoking awareness and opening new perspectives than transmitting technical knowledge.

I am particularly comfortable when more than just an inspiring testimony is expected. My intervention makes sense when the goal is to lead participants to think differently about the challenges they face and the possibilities available to them.

Beyond my background, I want to highlight the coherence between what I convey and what I have experienced. From the Paralympic medal won in Sydney to the ascent of Mont-Blanc with the Cordée de la diversité, from the world first achieved with Marc Malterre in the Col d'Aubisque to the writing of my book Born To Ride, each of these experiences illustrates the same conviction: obstacles do not condemn action; they often force us to invent another path. These experiences, combined with several thousand interventions with companies, students, and youth, now form the foundation of my legitimacy.

A positive, accessible, and sincere energy that engages the audience without ever giving the impression of receiving a lesson.

My presentation alternates between storytelling, interactions, humor, and reflection. The audience laughs, questions, identifies with certain situations, and regularly participates in discussions. The goal is for everyone to experience a moment that is both captivating and useful, and sufficiently impactful for the messages to continue resonating long after the conference.

Yes, my conferences are very visual and are primarily based on real-life experiences. Photos, videos, and immersive storytelling allow the audience to project themselves into the situations I describe, whether it's a Paralympic medal, climbing Mont Blanc, or a world first achieved with a blind friend. I am convinced that stories leave a stronger impression than concepts, especially when they allow everyone to make connections with their own reality.

I am primarily a keynote speaker. My approach is based on a structured narrative, enriched with visual illustrations, humor, interactions, and lived experiences. Each presentation follows a precise framework that I adapt to the context, the issues at hand, and the audience's reactions in order to maintain coherence, spontaneity, and authenticity.

Yes. Each presentation is prepared based on the context, the audience, and the desired objectives. I systematically communicate with the organizer to understand the stakes of the event, the messages to reinforce, and the challenges faced by the participants. The overall structure of the conference remains the same, but a significant portion of the examples, perspectives, and interactions is adapted to allow the audience to make a direct connection with their own reality.

My interventions leave a mark because they are based on lived experiences, sometimes extraordinary, but mainly because the lessons shared have been experienced before being shared. I do not speak of theoretical solutions: I speak of lived solutions.

The moments that most mark the audiences are generally those where a conviction of impossibility shatters. This is often the case with the ascent of Mont Blanc achieved with the Cordée de la diversité or with À Perte de Vue, where I guide a visually impaired friend vocally in the ascent of the Col d'Aubisque, each on their own bike. These experiences lead the audience to question certain limits they believed to be definitive and to consider new possibilities.

I would like everyone to leave with a feeling of openness to the realm of possibilities. That the obstacles that seemed blocking just a few hours earlier suddenly appear less definitive. And above all, I wish to instill in them the desire to act rather than wait for perfect circumstances.

Participants generally leave with three major lessons. First, that obstacles do not always disappear but can often be circumvented, tamed, or transformed into opportunities for progress. Second, that our limits are sometimes more related to our beliefs than to reality. Finally, that action often allows us to discover new possibilities where reflection alone sees only constraints.

The next day, everyone can start by looking at an obstacle they currently consider blocking in a different way. I invite them to ask themselves not "Why is it impossible?", but "What remains possible despite this constraint?". This simple change of question often opens up new perspectives and encourages taking action.

My intervention is not intended to provide a ready-to-use toolbox. Above all, I seek to provoke lasting awareness. However, I share several simple principles from my experience, such as the importance of experimentation, breaking down goals into accessible steps, or changing perspectives on obstacles. Depending on the context, I can also present the MOTEUR method, which structures the approach I use to transform constraints into levers for progress.

Several preconceived ideas come up regularly. The first is to believe that certain situations are definitively blocked when there are often more possibilities than we imagine. The second is to wait for all conditions to be met before acting. Finally, I often question the idea that self-confidence precedes action. My experience has rather taught me that confidence is built through action.

Two experiences particularly illustrate the messages I convey. The first is the ascent of Mont Blanc with the Cordée de la diversité, where able-bodied individuals (including non-athletes) and people with disabilities reached a goal that many considered out of reach together. The second is the world premiere À Perte de Vue, carried out with Marc Malterre, who is visually impaired, whom I guided by voice in the ascent of the Col d'Aubisque, each on their own bike. These two adventures show that obstacles do not prohibit action; they often force us to invent other solutions.

I address sensitive topics such as disability, the gaze of others, limiting beliefs, and fear head-on. However, I always approach them from the perspective of lived experience and what they teach us about our capacity for adaptation and progress. My goal is never to evoke compassion, but to open a reflection on the possibilities that exist despite the difficulties encountered.

I would like to evolve the idea that certain situations are definitively blocked. My journey has taught me that obstacles do not always disappear, but that there are often more solutions, resources, and possibilities than we perceive at first glance.

The 'aha moment' I seek is when someone thinks: 'If this was possible in this situation, then perhaps my own obstacles are not as insurmountable as I thought.'

I intervene both in person, remotely, and in hybrid format. My preference is for in-person, then hybrid, as the proximity to the audience and the collective energy greatly enrich the experience. That said, my journey has taught me that there are always multiple ways to achieve a goal: I therefore adapt my intervention to the format that best meets the constraints and needs of the organizer.

I remain attentive to the audience's reactions, but I know they can take very different forms. Some audiences react spontaneously, laugh, intervene, or applaud easily. Others are much more reserved while being deeply attentive. With experience, I have learned not to confuse silence with disinterest. I adapt my intervention when necessary, but I keep in mind that some of the strongest reactions are sometimes expressed after the conference, during individual exchanges.

Technical unforeseen events are part of the event industry, and I am prepared for them. Of course, photos and videos enrich my conferences, but they do not constitute their foundation. My intervention is primarily based on storytelling, exchange, and connection with the audience. If the technology were to fail, I would be able to continue the conference by adapting my approach, calmly and flexibly. Even in the event of a microphone failure, I am used to adapting to maintain the quality of the experience for the audience.

I always respond sincerely to the questions asked of me, including when they are sensitive or more personal. If a topic is outside my area of expertise or legitimacy, I simply acknowledge it. Regarding time management, I ensure that I respect the framework defined with the organizer. When the exchanges are particularly rich, I prefer either a concise answer or to continue the discussions after the conference to maintain the smooth running of the event.

In my view, a conference fails when it remains disconnected from the audience's reality. Even the most beautiful story loses its impact if participants cannot make the connection with their own challenges. That is why I always take the time to discuss with the organizer beforehand to understand the context, stakes, and expectations of the event. My goal is not for the audience to remember my story, but for them to find useful lessons for their own situation.

My technical needs are very simple: a projector or a display screen as well as a microphone when the size of the room justifies it. No particular adaptation is necessary due to my disability: I am perfectly autonomous in my movements as well as in the conduct of my intervention.

I do not have a formal technical sheet. My needs being very simple, they are generally defined directly with the organizer during the preparation of the event.

I usually arrive about an hour before the start of the event. This allows me to familiarize myself with the venue, conduct the final technical tests, exchange with the organizer, and approach the intervention under the best conditions.

Yes, I accept international travel. Regarding the language, it depends on the context of the intervention. For a conference in French, no interpreter is necessary. For an intervention with a non-French-speaking audience, arrangements can be considered on a case-by-case basis with the organizer.

Yes, presentation materials can be shared when it is useful for the organization of the event. Regarding video recording or its reuse, I am generally open to these requests, subject to a prior agreement that defines the terms of use.

Yes. I particularly enjoy interacting with participants before or after the presentation. These moments often allow for a deeper discussion of certain topics, answering more personal questions, and extending the experience in a more informal way.

Organizers often tell me that it is easy to work with me. I try to be responsive, reliable, and flexible when adjustments are needed. I believe that a successful conference begins well before stepping on stage: through attentive listening, serious preparation, and a trusting relationship with the teams organizing the event.