Emma Pears brings an unusual blend of academic depth, creative excellence and practical leadership experience that makes her a compelling choice for any organisation seeking a motivational speaker with substance. Her career spans boardrooms, classrooms, world-class stages and even a maximum security prison, giving her a perspective that is as broad as it is human. With an MPhil from the University of Cambridge, supported by a full ESRC Scholarship, and a background that includes being a qualified teacher, a best-selling author and an award-winning songwriter and conductor, Emma knows how to translate complex ideas into stories and strategies people remember. Her message centres on helping audiences live with less stress and more joy, drawn from her book ‘What Does It Matter?: Live with Less Stress and More Joy’, which was celebrated by HELLO! as one of the best motivational self-help books of the year.
As the Founding Director of Solomon Hunt, Emma designs and delivers leadership, innovation and performance programmes for clients across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. She has worked with organisations such as HSBC UK, Boston Consulting Group, Salesforce, the Ministry of Justice and Day Lewis Pharmacy, helping teams rethink how they collaborate, communicate and respond to pressure. Emma’s method combines research backed insight with the energy and presence she developed through years of performing and conducting in major venues including the O2 Arena, Wembley Arena and the Berlin Philharmonie. She is equally at home running a senior leadership retreat as she is speaking to thousands at a conference.
Emma draws on her own history of resilience and reinvention, including running the London Marathon on a broken leg and navigating a dangerous journey through Russia. These experiences allow her to speak frankly about personal agency, cognitive habits and the stories we tell ourselves. She teaches audiences to use the simple question ‘What does it matter?’ as a practical tool to calm the nervous system, reduce reactivity and make deliberate choices. Her talks weave relatable humour with lived experience and a level of academic clarity that helps people understand why they think the way they do.
Clients describe Emma as a speaker who shifts the emotional temperature of a room within minutes. She brings high energy, empathy and sharp insight, encouraging audiences to reconsider long-held assumptions about wellbeing, leadership and personal expectations. Emma’s breadth of experience, from coaching executives to writing hit songs, allows her to build quick rapport and deliver content that resonates across levels and sectors. Her work helps people step back from noise, reconnect with what matters and take action that supports both performance and fulfilment.
