From a young age Barry has rejected pity and broken stereotypes. He went to "a regular school, with regular people, and was raised as a regular person" - a no-fuss upbringing that helped form the person he is today. "Of course kids mocked, but you learn to cope," says Barry. Mainstream schooling built that immunity and opened up opportunities he might never have had.

As a teenager at high school, Barry achieved sporting glory as coxswain for the Oamaru Rowing Club crew that took out the New Zealand title. He also represented Otago for rowing, and was nominated as a New Zealand representative.

He left home at the age of 18 to study at the University of Otago, then returned a short while later to learn quantity surveying. A couple of years on he left again, this time for Palmerston North. He worked, fell in love, had a child, a break-up, and moved to Auckland.

Today, Barry is the co-owner of a large and successful company, a proud single Dad, a member on and advisor to numerous boards and councils, a professional business consultant and public speaker and a tireless advocate for the rights of the disabled. He's happy to be living independently and he drives a custom-built van with raised pedals and a steering wheel that turns as he leans (an ingenious mechanism that Barry helped design and develop).

When Barry was younger, his goals were to "get a job, to get a car, to buy my own house, and have my own business and family." Suffice to say he's achieved all this and more - positive proof that there are very few barriers to living life the way you want to.

Barry talks on a diverse range of subjects and will tailor a speech to fit a specific audience. Some of his more popular topics include:

• Goal setting
• Overcoming hardship
• Personal challenge
• Achievement
• Anything is possible

For more information about Barry's public speaking experience, availability and rates please complete a no-obligation booking request now.

"Dear Barry, I just wanted to say thanks again for such an awesome experience yesterday...extremely positive comments about your presentation...thanks for enlightening and entertaining our team!"
Katie Noble, General Manager, Allied Medical Ltd.

"Thank you so much for being the guest speaker out our Holidays Stores consultant's conference over the weekend. You pitched your speech at just the right tempo and your personal journey certainly is an inspiration to everybody that attended.
We could not have been more pleased with the positive messages that the team took away and the conversations that were struck up were testament to this."
Leeanne Langridge, General Manager Direct Sales, Air New Zealand

What the Audience Says

Birkenhead Rotary

Onehunga Rotary