DEBRA SEARLE
Debra has
packed an
enormous amount
into her 28
years.
To
add to her
first class
honours degree,
medals at
World Championship
level with
the Great
Britain Dragon
Boat Team,
entrepreneurial
success with
the launch
of her online
art consultancy
‘The
Well Hung
Art Company’,
had her first
book published,
to name but
a few, is
now the enormous
achievement
of having
successfully
rowed solo
across the
Atlantic Ocean
and an MBE
that followed.
Rowing the
Atlantic
Debra was
heralded “…Britain’s
latest sporting
heroine.”
(The Times)
when the media
world-wide
went crazy
for the story
of the 5ft
5” young
lady who carried
on rowing
alone when
her husband,
a 6 ft 5”
experienced
oarsman, left
the boat after
developing
an uncontrollable
fear of the
ocean. Debra,
who was loving
life at sea
in a 23 foot
plywood boat,
saw no reason
to stop and
rowed on to
become the
youngest and
only the third
woman in the
world to have
rowed an ocean
solo.
The 3000
mile journey
that was initially
supposed to
take 6 weeks
took Debra
a staggering
3 ½
months and
saw her battling
with 30 foot
waves, force
8 squalls
and sharks,
while having
to dodge tankers
that came
too close
for comfort
on more than
a few occasions.
Worse than
all of this,
however, was
dealing with
the loneliness
and solitude
but focussing
on one motto
kept Debra
going: “Choose
your attitude”
and she certainly
did.
Debra and
the Media
The media’s
response to
Debra’s
Atlantic success
has been phenomenal,
although perhaps
not surprising.
Since completing
her Atlantic
crossing she
has charmed
audiences
with her highly
articulate,
open and emotional
accounts of
her exploits
and particularly
the departure
of her husband.
Her ease in
front of the
camera, drive
and enthusiasm
has led to
a number of
presenting
opportunities.
She has recently
completed
work for BBC
Grandstand,
CBBC Education,
was the subject
of a documentary
for BBC Extreme
Lives and
presented
a 1-hour ITV
documentary
on the Southampton
Boat Show
alongside
Top Gear’s
Vicky Butler-Henderson
and GMTV’s
Ben Shepherd.
In March she
began presenting
a new series
of Big Strong
Boys for BBC
1, along side
Big Brother
winner Craig
Philips and
Steward Castledine.
Debra’s
overwhelming
positivity
and ‘go
for it’
attitude is
contagious,
while her
modesty is
endearing.
She gives
inspirational
and entertaining
presentations
picking out
themes from
her on story
such as the
power of preparation,
visualisation,
how to make
the best of
a changing
situation
and how to
stick with
it, however
high the odds
are stacked
against you.
Debra powerfully
illustrates
with slides
and video
footage and
leaves her
audience in
no doubt of
their own
ability to
achieve the
extraordinary.
"She
was Fantastic.
We held a
conference
for 1400 business
people with
Mikhael Gorbachev,
Rory Bremner,
Nick Leeson,
Murray Walker,
John Simpson
and Debra
Searle as the
speakers,
and the delegates
voted Debra
Searle the best."
Mike Firth,
CE of The
International
Business Convention.
Debra –
past and present
Debra is passionate
about sport
and art. She
chose to study
both subjects
at degree
level, and
achieved first
class honours.
Debra taught
Art and PE
before breaking
out as an
entrepreneur
to establish
The Well Hung
Art Company
Ltd. Aside
from overseeing
the day to
day running
of the business
as MD Debra
is also the
company’s
principal
Corporate
Interior Design
Consultant.
She has since
set up a second
company, Veal
Ventures Ltd,
which deals
with her TV
presenting,
book writing
and motivational
speaking.
She has recently
worked with
distinguished
clients such
as British
Aerospace,
BT, England
Rugby Squad,
IBM, Mars
Inc., Royal
Bank of Scotland
and Vodafone
to help motivate
and inspire
their work
force.
“Debra’s
achievements
are amazing
and interesting
in themselves.
More importantly,
Debra has
the ‘human
touch’
and connected
well with
everyone in
the audience.
She held the
audience from
start to finish
and balanced
humour with
more serious
messages.
A few people
admitted to
having to
hold back
tears at certain
points”
Deborah Evans,
Client Director,
IBM UK Ltd
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