Dominic Colenso is a motivational sales and leadership speaker, actor, director, storyteller, communication coach, and author.
By the time he was 26, Dominic had flown a spaceship, lost a million dollars, and been fired by Simon Cowell. A former Hollywood actor turned communication expert, Dominic has spent the last decade helping leaders, teams, and sales professionals unlock their performance, and communicate with confidence under pressure.
Drawing on his varied professions, Dominic reveals the secret tools used by the world’s best performers to engage, inspire, and influence.
Dominic is also the host of the Why Life’s a Pitch podcast, exploring the art and science of high-impact communication with thought leaders, business experts, and top performers from a range of industries.
From Hollywood blockbusters to the boardroom, Dominic Colenso’s career has always been about performance. As an actor, he starred in the remake of Thunderbirds, appeared in BBC period dramas, and has performed on London’s West End. He is also a director and teacher at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), where he coaches the next generation of performances. Now, he applies the same skills to the world of business.
An expert in working with detail-focussed individuals in finance, tech, and professional services, Dominic Colenso helps subject-matter experts find their voice, articulate complex ideas clearly, and deliver compelling leadership and sales narratives.
His work has taken him around the world, helping business leaders, sales teams, and technical experts cut through complexity and communicate with clarity. With a deep understanding of audience engagement, psychology, and storytelling, Dominic brings a fresh and powerful approach to business communication.
Dominic Colenso is also a bestselling author whose books provide practical strategies for mastering high-stakes communication, leadership, and sales. Drawing upon his acting and directing career, as well as his work as a communication coach, his writing blends performance psychology, storytelling, and business communication techniques to help professionals command attention and influence with confidence.
His notable works include IMPACT: How To Be More Confident, Increase Your Influence and Know What to Say Under Pressure (2019), has become a go-to resource for professionals looking to excel in leadership, pitching, and presenting.
He is currently working on his next book, Cut-Through: The Pitch and Presentation Playbook, which is due out towards the end of 2025.

With experience in speaking and coaching at top-tier global companies across six continents, Dominic’s sessions are dynamic, practical, and packed with takeaways that audiences can apply immediately. His high-energy, interactive sessions are designed to create lasting change. Blending his experience from stage and screen with cutting-edge communication strategies, Dominic helps professions to lead teams, pitch ideas, and close deals.
Recognised for his ability to bridge the gap between traditional communication and the digital age, Dominic helps businesses navigate the challenges of modern storytelling, remote leadership, and virtual influence. His tailored keynotes and workshops have been delivered to organizations across six continents, consistently earning praise for their relevance, impact, and engagement.
Creating IMPACT: Unlocking Star Performance: In an age of rapid change and digital overload, the ability to communicate with confidence, clarity, and impact is more critical than ever. Yet, many professionals struggle to make themselves heard, engage their audience, and perform under pressure.
Whether leading a team, pitching an idea, or influencing stakeholders, the difference between success and failure often comes down to one thing—your ability to create impact. In this tailored, high-energy keynote, Dominic Colenso reveals the secret techniques used by world-class performers to captivate, inspire, and influence. Drawing on his experience as a Hollywood actor, director, and communication coach, he provides a powerful blueprint for transforming interactions from transactional to transformational.
Your Audience Will Learn:
– How to develop a winning mindset for confident, high-impact communication
– Techniques to increase presence, banish nerves, and perform at their best under pressure
– How to decode non-verbal signals and maximise personal influence
– The secrets of storytelling and audience engagement to make messages unforgettable
– Simple, actionable tools to stand out, command attention, and drive results
This talk is perfect for sales kick-offs, leadership development events, industry conferences, executive retreats, and high-performance training.
Playing the Leading Role: How to Deliver When All Eyes Are On You: Leadership is a performance played out in the spotlight. Every action, every decision, and every word shapes the way you are perceived—and ultimately, the way your team performs. The best leaders don’t just do leadership, they embody it. But what does it take to step into the role of an inspiring, high-impact leader?
In this powerful and engaging keynote, Dominic Colenso draws on his experience as a Hollywood actor, theatre director, and leadership coach to reveal the secrets of delivering a standout leadership performance. Using the same techniques that award-winning actors apply to captivate audiences, he helps leaders unlock their presence, master their mindset, and take control of how they show up.
Your Audience Will Learn:
– The crucial difference between doing leadership and being a leader
– How to use the three-step process actors follow to deliver confident, high-stakes performances
– Why taking more risks leaders to greater innovation and resilience
– How to break through self-doubt and develop an unshakeable leadership presence
– Strategies for shaping how others perceive you and increasing your influence
This talk is perfect for leadership development events, executive retreats, management training, internal conferences, and industry keynotes. It is designed for leaders at all levels, from first-time managers to C-suite executives who want to elevate their impact, build trust, and inspire action.
Blockbuster Stories: Sales Lessons From the Silver Screen: We live in an attention economy—your clients and prospects are constantly bombarded with sales messages, data, and information. In a world where standing out is harder than ever, how do you make your message memorable? The secret lies in the power of storytelling.
In this high-energy keynote, Dominic Colenso draws on his experience in Hollywood and the theatre to reveal the storytelling secrets that turn ordinary sales pitches into unforgettable, high-impact narratives. Just like blockbuster movies captivate audiences, great sales professionals know how to take their prospects on an emotional journey, creating a compelling story that drives action.
Your Audience Will Learn:
– The art and science of storytelling – and why it’s the ultimate sales tool
– How to distil complex ideas into concise, compelling, and memorable messages
– Techniques for structuring pitches and presentations to maximise engagement
– How to create ‘bingeable’ sales conversations that leave prospects wanting more
– Practical strategies for using emotion, narrative, and delivery to win business
This talk is perfect for sales teams, business leaders, and technical experts who need to influence and persuade.

– Leadership
– Communication
– Confidence
– Influence
– High-Stakes Performance
– Presence
– Decision-Making
– Sales
– Storytelling
– High-Impact Presentations
He has a world-class track record. Dominic has starred in Hollywood blockbusters, performed on London’s West End, and directed at some of the world’s top drama schools, including RADA. He brings elite-level performance techniques to business audiences, helping them communicate with confidence and impact.
Dominic Colenso brings a fresh approach. Sitting between Millennials and Generation X, Dominic understands both analogue and digital communication. His insights help leaders and teams bridge the gap, ensuring their message resonates in today’s fast-paced, tech-driven world.
He energises and engages. With over a decade of experience as a professional actor, Dominic knows how to captivate a room. His sessions are high-energy, interactive, and designed to keep audiences engaged, whether in person or virtual.
He delivers practical, actionable takeaways. Dominic doesn’t just inspire—he equips audiences with simple, easy-to-implement techniques that create lasting change. His sessions provide tools that professionals can apply immediately to enhance their leadership, sales, and communication skills.
He is a master storyteller. Great communication is about storytelling, and Dominic has spent his entire career mastering this craft. He helps professionals structure their messages for maximum impact, ensuring their ideas are heard, understood, and remembered.
He tailors every session to your audience. No two events are the same. Dominic works closely with organisers to customise content, ensuring his keynotes address your specific business challenges and objectives.
Aegon UK, APMP, Benenden Health, The British Council, British Healthcare Business Intelligence Association, Capita, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Confinn, Coop, Department of Work and Pensions, Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, John Lewis Partnership, Kerry Group plc, Mars Global Services, Morning Star, NSC (2019, 2022, 2025), Paysafe, Professional Speakers Association, Redington, St. James’ Place PLC, XL Media
Dominic delivered a dynamic and highly engaging keynote on Storytelling for our recent Leadership event. Practical and interactive everyone left the session with tangible tools to take back into the business. There was a real buzz in the room and the feedback from the team has been excellent.
Chris Wynn, Director of Communication, John Lewis Partnership
What a pleasure to have Dominic speak at our annual conference to over 2,000 Partners. The content was clear, simple and full of ideas that can be put into practice immediately. He was very easy to work with and put lots of effort into making sure he delivered an engaging and relevant presentation. The feedback has been amazing!
Andrew Shaw, Head of Partner Development and Communication, St James’ Place
You know when the speaker is good when he has a group of newly qualified accountants all up out of their seats and asking each other ‘are you looking at me’ in a Robert De Niro style! We’ve engaged Dominic Colenso to speak to our finance team several times and he really knows his stuff – he makes it fun and simple to understand.
If you want a dynamic speaker for your event, with content that delegates can immediately put into practice, Dominic delivers.
Mark Laine Toner, Head of Strategic Finance, Coop Food
We highly recommend Dominic as a speaker and event host to any team looking to improve their communication skills and drive success in their business. His passion, expertise, and commitment to delivering results are first class, and we cannot thank him enough for the impact he has had on our team.
Peter Rolland, Managing Director, Capita
Dominic delivered not one but two sessions at this year’s National Sales Conference and gave the audience some great tips for communicating and connecting with their prospects. Dominic supported the event by creating a bespoke video and really getting involved in the day, meeting delegates, and embracing all that NSC has to offer.
An absolute pleasure to work with, I would highly recommend making Dominic Colenso part of your event line-up for practical advice that everyone can benefit from. A top class speaker.
Tracy Ball, The National Sales Conference
Dominic was absolutely brilliant, a really on point presentation with high energy and entertainment – a great way to open the conference! I’ve already started putting Dom’s ideas into action with great results!
Dan Wright, BHBIA
Dominic has a unique ability to connect with a diverse audience, making complex concepts easy to understand and apply. One delegate shared, ‘Amazing! Lots of tips for future presenting. Loved his backstory, experiences, and relatability to bids and to everyday life.
A great presenter!’ Another commented, ‘An opportunity to learn and listen from a professional who’s clearly at the top of their game. Brilliant session, thank you!’ The feedback from our delegates was overwhelmingly positive, and we hope to have Dominic back for future events!
Lucy Davis, Deputy CEO, APMP UK
Extremely impactful! Regular communication with a wide range of audiences is central to the role of our senior leaders at Aegon Asset Management. We engaged Dominic to help enhance that capability. Dominic Colenso listened carefully to our brief and delivered an effective, pragmatic training package to 60 leaders that provided communication tools which they could implement immediately.
Matt Hubbard, Chief People Officer, Aegon