Derek Clark

Featured Keynote Programs

After the students listen to Derek’s Inspiring story of overcoming adversity and sharing his leadership tools, the audience is now ready to inspire others. Derek uses music to show the at-risk youth, foster youth, high school students and student leaders how they can change the direction of their life by creating a new destiny. The students are instructed on how to write lyrics in a song format. The classroom audience is split into groups of seven.. They write down their hardest struggles and darkest fears as well as their hopes and dreams. They are given a sample sheet to show the word and syllable arrangement to flow with the music that Derek has already created. (Music ranges from top 40 pop, rap and rock)

They are encouraged to turn their struggles into lyrics. This applies to a tragedy from the past that is holding them back from moving forward in their life. The second verse must reflect a solution to their struggle. The lyrics must be specific and contain no vulgarities or language that is violent or disrespectful. When they are done completing their lyrics, they have the opportunity to sing their song in front of the others as Derek accompanies them with his pre-programmed music. If the group is shy or does not feel comfortable about singing their song, Derek will then sing their song and dedicate it to the particular group. (groups are encouraged to sing their own songs) Each song will be recorded on a CD for future reflection.

The U-R.O.C.K program symbolizes the awakening of the voice from their soul.

As a youth motivational speaker for at-risk youth, high schools and student leaders, Derek helps the youth modify their limited perception. A lot of youth go through high school feeling lost and hopeless. Derek helps them change their focus to see, feel and actually Hear Hope. Music is the tool that speaks to the youth on a lyrical level, whether it is Rap, Rock, Heavy Metal or Country. They communicate through sad songs, love songs, angry songs, promiscuous songs and gangster songs. This music is communicating to our youth and then they act out what they hear. It is important in this program that they change the way they perceive the present moment.

Through this program Youth will Learn:
-Clarify their struggles and battles that are holding them back from excelling
-Find the empowerment to accomplish the life goals they set
-Develop their Personal Power Anthem (song) that will help strengthen their hearts and minds in their everyday struggles
-Have the Will to break through their self perceived limits
-Remember the U-R.O.C.K. Solution
-Understanding Integrity- Responsibility,-Opportunity- Choice- Knowledge
-Songwriting builds self esteem, confidence, hope and the positive power to overcome obstacles in their life
-Bring direction and goals
-Teach the youth about their self value and help build a positive life
-Create Team Building through accepting and appreciating each others differences and strengths

Corporate Motivational Speaker Derek Clark knows how to inspire employees, sales managers and sales staff to push themselves beyond their self perceived limits. Reserve Derek Clark now to boost employee morale and increase sales.

Derek Clark is an inspiring motivational speaker and author of Never Limit Your Life: From Personal to Professional, and the critically acclaimed I Will Never Give Up book series. His keynotes, books and music have inspired audiences across North America and Canada with the will to never give up.

As the founder of several successful corporations, Derek knows that each member’s leadership, teamwork, and motivational capabilities play critical roles in the success of the organization as a whole. When individuals push themselves beyond their limits, everyone around them grows in strength and character. Hope and positivity are not only contagious, but the keys to higher productivity. Personal and professional success begins, first and foremost, with our attitude. By cultivating drive, focus, and fearlessness, employees will find their professional and personal lives opening up to new promise and fresh opportunities.

Derek’s programs inspire people to discover the resources within themselves to overcome any obstacle, no matter how daunting. His focus is on motivating employees to change their perspective and cultivate respect in the workplace. A happy employee is a successful employee. With the right attitude, customer service becomes exceptional and professional relationships more rewarding. He demonstrates that everyone has the power to take leadership through personal accountability and vision. Combining his business expertise with a triumphant personal history, Derek has shown audiences that they too can thrive in their organizations by reaching beyond self-imposed limitations.

Derek knows first-hand the power of attitude in coping with adversity and overcoming hardship. His story is one of resilience and redemption. At five years of age, Derek’s mother and stepfather (his biological father was in prison) turned him over to the California foster care system, where he would spend the next thirteen years of his life, contending with rejection, humiliation, emotional distress and overwhelming anxiety. Yet through it all, Derek never gave up, and went from victim to victor by defying the artificial limitations imposed on him. His dark past has never held him back from accomplishing whatever he has set his mind to.

Derek captures the heart of the employee on an emotional level, where professional change really happens. He believes that if he can touch the human spirit, it will create a lasting positive impact on both the personal and professional lives of his audience. Everybody can relate to some part of Derek’s story, whether it is his personal struggle, professional accomplishments, or his beliefs on how we best achieve happiness and financial success. From owning a million dollar corporation to having a family, his maxim is to make no excuses.

Derek Clark’s inspiring program provides insight and specific tools that will assist educators in connecting with vulnerable and grieving youth. Professionals will gain understanding and knowledge about childhood responses to traumatic experiences, how to ask questions that build trust and shape futures. Every professional working with challenging youth has a purpose; to build a relationship of trust, to help them to reclaim their dignity and self value, and to know that their past mistakes do not have to infect their future.

Derek will give you insight into his personal childhood journey of thirteen years in the foster care system, and the key reasons why he did not turn out an addict, incarcerated, or dead. He takes you down his road of hate, anger, mistrust in adults, violent tendencies, rejection, lack of love, child abuse and the memories that haunted his life. He believes that by changing the way you look at a youth, you can significantly impact their life. Your actions will speak louder than your words.

He teaches on the subject matter, “You cannot think negative thoughts about a youth and expect them to live a positive life.” Consequences don’t change youth, relationships change youth. He shares with you how to commit and build upon your strengths when encouraging youth to have hope and the belief that their best days are still ahead of them.

You Cannot Think Negative About a Child and Expect a Positive Outcome

Derek teaches how to commit and build upon your strengths when encouraging children and youth to have hope. He also teaches you how to overcome negative thinking towards a specific child or troubled youth. The leaders need to know that they do make a difference if they put their heart into it.

Labels take on a life of their own as the words we speak and write have great power to build up, define or defeat a child. These labels have the ability to follow children for the rest of their lives and can shape their attitude, self esteem, relationships and professional life. Derek Clark will give you insight into his personal childhood journey of being wrongfully labeled in the foster care system for thirteen years, and the key reasons on how he did not turn out an addict, incarcerated, or dead. Derek will challenge many of the accepted practices of the child welfare system and provide alternative ways to understand why kids behave in the ways that they do. This understanding will generate hope and restore dignity to the young people as well as restore humanness and compassion in the hearts of educators.