Brandon Farbstein’s Post

What was your latest ‘I Made It’ moment? Since beginning my professional speaking career as a teenager, I had heard about what is referred to as the Super Bowl for speakers - also known as MDRT. Having recently returned home from being a mainstage speaker at their annual meeting, I am filled with gratitude and awe for the tremendous experience. It was an immense honor to serve this audience of 8000 attendees from over 50 countries, and having my talk translated into 10 languages. Bravo to the amazing staff and volunteer speaker committee for the remarkable effort and intention that went into making this global event so impactful. Thank you for the privilege of having me on your stage. I knew this event would be special due to the very nature of who was in the room (MDRT members are the top 1% of financial advisors and insurance professionals). However the icing on the cake was walking away feeling so loved and connected to thousands of incredible souls from all corners of the world. #BeTheYouestYou #MotivationalSpeaker #Disability #MDRT #MDRTAnnualMeeting

Such an amazing few days in Banff, Canada giving a keynote to an incredible group of 1000 educators from around the world - thank you uLead Conference & The Alberta Teachers' Association for having me! What made this talk extra special was having my mom Sylvia Farbstein (who is also my chief of staff 😊) join me at the end and participating in a joint Q A where we both offered our perspectives on how we navigated past some of my darkest years. It was an immense gift to share with a room of principals, superintendents, and school board leaders solutions towards reducing hate and bullying while promoting a culture of belonging and empathy -- especially as my own school leadership failed me when I was so severely cyberbullied that I received death threats from my own peers in high school. I have the coolest job ever and it never gets lost on me how grateful I am to be able to share my story with audiences from all over and get to see the most spectacular places in the process. Banff is no exception - truly some of the most stunning scenery I have ever seen 🗻 I want to give the biggest shoutout to the entire staff at the Fairmont Banff Springs who made my family and I feel so welcomed. You all are some of the best around and we can't wait to come back! I especially loved getting to spend some time with the Fairmont's canine ambassador Lily (pictured below) 🐾 #ElevateEmpathy #KeynoteSpeaker #GenZ #Disability #Education

I spent so much of my life trying to hide and feeling like I would never fit in. Little did I know that not fitting in is exactly what makes us stand out. I now have the privilege of serving audiences globally and empowering people of all walks of life to step into the fullest version of who they are. When we show up in the world as ourselves, we give permission for other people to do the same. I am grateful as I continue to work with organizations ranging from Fortune 10 companies to associations by spreading my universal message to Elevate Empathy and leverage a Ten Feet Tall mindset. Very excited to share my new speaker reel with you all! If there is anyone you think my team and I could collaborate with to create an impactful program, we would appreciate you sending this video to them! #KeynoteSpeaker #ElevateEmpathy #Empowerment #BrandonFarbstein #Inclusion

People often ask me "what is the right term to call you?" Most of the time they are taken aback when I reply "Brandon." While I am someone who happens to have dwarfism, I am Brandon first and foremost. We can get so caught up in our own heads trying to figure out the proper terminology. But truthfully we need to see each other as human beings before labels get in the way. Remember, your identity is not solely defined by any condition, life circumstance, or title. Isn't hearing your name one of the most powerful sounds ever? 🗣 #KeynoteSpeaker #LinkedInTopVoices #BrandonFarbstein #Inclusion

Seven years ago in this building, I was so severely cyberbullied by my high school peers that I had to leave halfway through my junior year. The administration did nothing and the only solution they offered was for me to delete my social media accounts so that I “didn’t have to deal with it.” I’m so glad I chose to not follow their horrible advice and instead turned the pain to fuel. By the time I turned 18 I was able to get 2 new laws passed in Virginia aimed at bullying prevention, publish a book, and become a professional speaker. Thank you to those admins who chose to do nothing - you drove me to take action and work on empowering myself to create a purposeful life of helping others change the world. For that I am truly grateful. My advice to teenage Brandon would be the same I'd share with anyone currently struggling: keep going. Your inner light shines even brighter in the darkest days. Hate will never win 🤟 #bullyingprevention #mentalhealth #empathy #genz #disabilityawareness

Air travel these days isn't easy for anyone. Between the crazy delays/cancellations, staffing concerns, and a surge in demand -- it creates a lot of turbulence (and not just in the air). When you travel with a mobility device, things get more complicated. And when your mobility device is a Segway…oh boy, are you in for a ride! Serving my clients means getting on a plane nearly every week. Put yourself in my shoes for a minute: -You call the airline’s dedicated accessibility desk multiple times to ensure they have a clear understanding AND approval for your unique mobility device. -With confirmation from said department and having 2 previous flights with no issue, you arrive at the check-in desk. Shockingly, you are told you are not permitted to fly with your device as “it is prohibited.”   -Not only are you denied boarding, but there is no communication and you are left standing at the check-in desk for 3 hours while Alaska Airlines rebooks you on another airline that will accommodate. Your head is probably spinning from reading this! There seems to a huge disconnect. Is one department not communicating with the other? Is there a complete lack of training when it comes to the ADA/Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA)? More specifically, Section 382.3 of the ACAA states: “Battery-powered mobility aid means an assistive device that is used by individuals with mobility impairments such a wheelchair, a scooter, or a SEGWAY when it is used as a mobility device by a person with a mobility-related disability.” Despite this clearly defined law, it is mind boggling how differently it is interpreted by various US airlines. I cannot begin to describe how stressful it is to be denied access to a flight after investing time going through the proper channels. There is an immense amount of opportunity for improvement and I look forward to collaborating with the aviation industry to ensure proper implementation of accessibility practices. Disabled passengers should not have to worry about whether or not their mobility device will arrive in one piece, let alone arrive at all. Disabled passengers should not have to worry about whether or not they will be allowed to board a flight. #accessibility #aviation #aviationindustry (tagging Alaska's leadership team to ensure they see this. Ben Minicucci Constance von Muehlen Wayne Newton Sangita Woerner Celley B.)

I just returned from the most incredible 10 day trip to Israel thanks to Taglit-Birthright Israel! Extremely grateful to Channel 12 News Israel for spending the day with me in Jerusalem and sharing my story on Israel’s most watched news program. It was a surreal experience getting recognized in every city we went to after the story aired and getting stopped by locals who thanked me for coming to their country and asked for a picture. I loved the history and vibrancy of Israel and really enjoyed getting to experience the amazing culture. I also recognized there is ample opportunity for innovation around greater accessibility. I hope to be a part of the next wave of inclusion for all people, especially those with disabilities. Can’t wait for my next visit! #disabilitypridemonth #birthrightisrael #elevateempathy

Imagine having the power to tap into an $8 trillion market. People with disabilities make up the largest underrepresented group globally, yet remain the most under-served. 15% of the worldwide population has a disability, and in the US that figure increases to 1 in 4 people. It's not just the "right" thing to do to market and actively include folks with disabilities -- it's also great for business. According to a study done by the Valuable 500, the disabled community represents over $8 trillion a year in disposable income. Companies can no longer afford to ignore us. The thing is, disability is not a minority issue. Anyone can become disabled at anytime, and it affects us all directly or indirectly at some point in our lives. Though there is certainly a long way to go in the advancement of equality for disabled people, it gives me hope year after year to see an influx of campaigns, partnerships, and events that celebrate the #humanity in disability. July is Disability Pride Month. It's not too late to put an initiative together. If you're unsure where to start, please reach out. I would be happy to be a resource wherever possible - and even if I can't help directly, I would love to connect you with other incredible disabled leaders in my network. My challenge for you is to hold businesses accountable in their marketing efforts, hiring practices, and in creating room for disabled voices to be heard. There is no diversity without #disability, period. #disabilitypridemonth #inclusion #deib

Sometimes we are too distracted to realize the magic in our midst. Last week I had the unexpected pleasure of meeting David Blaine, one of the all time greatest magicians/illusionists. We spoke for over 40 minutes while both waiting to board a flight home from Las Vegas, where David has a residency. He put on a private magic show for me and performed the most insane card tricks which I still can’t get over! I’m truly grateful for David’s immense kindness. How often are we too distracted by life moving a million miles a minute that we miss out on the most incredible potential connections and opportunities? You never know the magic that awaits by being open to human connection. ✨ #ElevateEmpathy #kindness #davidblaine

POV: you are on your first non-work related trip in years and actually get to focus on recharging 🔋 So many people glorify hustle culture as if it’s a status symbol to be burnt out. I personally don’t subscribe to that. If you have nothing left to output, how can you show up for those around you? Self-care isn’t just going on a vacation or listening to a podcast. It’s being able to listen to your inner voice that tells you to take a break and pause. It’s knowing when to walk away from a toxic job or relationship. And it’s also allowing yourself to slow down to focus on you from the inside out. When we make the investment in actually taking care of ourselves, especially when it comes to our mental well being, it pays off ten-fold. What are you doing to take care of YOU? 👇 #mentalhealth #selfcare #burnout