Public Speaking
If you’re looking for a speaker who blends research, humour and real talk, hi — that’s me. I take everything I’ve learned from years in digital marketing, my time as an entrepreneur, my experience as a lecturer and my more recent work as a researcher into female entrepreneurship, mix it with a decade of hands-on experience, and share it in a way that’s honest, funny and deeply human.
I’ve spoken at places like Google, Atomicon, MarketedLive, Digital Women and events and universities across the UK. Whether I’m standing on a big stage or hosting a panel, I love connecting with audiences and making complex ideas feel accessible, meaningful and joyful.
People often tell me afterwards, “You’re funny, real and exactly what we needed.”
And honestly, that’s the best feedback I could ask for.
I’m happy and confident to talk about the following topics!
🎤 What I Speak About
My talks blend data, lived experience, big feelings and my own blend of humour. Here are some of my most popular topics:
✨ The Flexibility Paradox
Why so many women start businesses for freedom but end up with even less of it — and what we can do about it. This talk is based on my analysis of 436,000+ words of written testimony from female founders and one of the largest datasets on women in business in the UK.
✨ The Truth About Women’s Work
A funny, honest exploration of emotional labour, burnout, caregiving, ambition and the invisible load women carry at work and at home — and how organisations can do better.
✨ Digital Culture, Identity & How We Show Up Online
A lively look at how the digital world shapes confidence, creativity, visibility and how we “perform” work and identity.
✨ Feminist Entrepreneurship: Beyond the Bro-Hustle
A data-driven, entertaining and slightly irreverent take on what it really means to build a business as a woman today — without burning out or buying into nonsense.
✨ Stories That Stick
How to communicate with more honesty, less fear and a lot more impact. Ideal for creative industries, founders and leaders.
And if you need something tailored to your organisation, event or team — I’m always happy to create something bespoke.
“She is a force of nature! Debbie has spoke several times for Digital Women and every time I’ve been blown away. She’s a superstar!
Debbie Clarke is a speaker like no other. A true storyteller, she’ll make you laugh, she’ll make you cry and your audience will be rushing to social media to tell everyone about this incredible, inspiring woman… debbiedooodah.
If you are a conference organiser and you want a speaker that is funny, inspiring, interactive and tells stories that make your hair stand up on the back of your neck then book Debbie. You won’t be disappointed, in fact you’ll be so happy you’ll invite her to keynote your next conference on the spot!”
Why Book Me
I bring humour + evidence (the best combo for keeping people awake).
I’ve worked across digital marketing, entrepreneurship, academia and research, giving me a rare 360° perspective.
I’m warm, human and real — no corporate jargon, no posturing.
I’m easy to work with (event organisers tell me this all the time).
I bring heart, honesty and clarity to topics that matter.
Audiences leave feeling seen, energised and genuinely inspired — not preached at.
Where I’ve Spoken
I’ve had the joy of being on stage at:
Google — Female Founders Rise x Google Cloud
Atomicon
MarketedLive
Digital Women
Nottingham Business School
And festivals, conferences, accelerators and events across the UK
Whether it’s a theatre of 1,000 people or a room of 20 founders, I bring the same warmth, humour and energy.
“Debbie’s vibrancy brought the stage of MarketEd.Live 2021 alive. With her energy and wisdom, she shared her ideas and inspired our audience, for which I shall be forever grateful. It was exactly as I was hoping. But it wasn’t just the delivery that stood out for me. Debbie took care to understand exactly what we wanted from her session and was keen to collaborate to ensure it was just right. She’s a great addition to any speaker agenda”
A Little More About Me
I’m a researcher and senior lecturer specialising in female entrepreneurship, modern work and digital culture. Before moving into research, I spent ten years working as a business coach, helping thousands of women grow businesses that felt good and didn’t burn them out.
Now, instead of 1:1 work, I share my insights on stage — blending data, stories and humour to spark meaningful conversations and leave audiences feeling understood, uplifted and seen.
On stage?
I’m myself — colourful, honest, funny, thoughtful and always human.
Book Me to Speak
If you’d like me to speak at your conference, festival, corporate event, university or podcast, I’d love to hear from you.
👉 Email me: debbiedooodah@gmail.com
This is a snippet of me talking at Digital Women in London 2019
“It is with a great pleasure that I recommend the fascinating lecturer, Debbie, who delivers sessions in the MSc Driving Digital Marketing module. Her contribution in the module was invaluable and helped to create a positive learning experience. Her passion for the subject matter is infectious. In these two sessions, students gained a fresh perspective on the major trends in digital marketing environment. The module got the highest satisfaction score (4.7 out of 5) and students appreciated her deep professional expertise.”
