In one of his recent keynotes, motivational speaker and global change advocate Simerjeet Singh posed a simple question to his audience:

“What do a tin donation box and a viral ice bucket have in common?”

The answer? Both raised money. But one raised millions more, without asking for cash, the traditional way.

The Ice Bucket Challenge, which swept across the world in 2014, started as a quirky dare to pour freezing water over your head and nominate friends. But what followed was anything but ordinary. The campaign raised over $220 million globally for ALS research and transformed the way the world saw fundraising.

“Now think about that,” Singh says. “From a humble tin box to a viral challenge with no box at all—what changed wasn’t the goal, it was the mindset, the approach and the thinking. It was bold. It was exponential.”

That’s the kind of thinking Singh is urging students, educators, and professionals worldwide to adopt through his latest initiative: Lead the Change.

Recently, Singh was in Kolkata, speaking to over 200 principals and senior educators at the invitation of The Newtown School. The theme: Leadership for the Future. His message was clear: If schools want to prepare students for tomorrow, they must rethink how they teach today.

Later this month, he will deliver a keynote to over 400 youth delegates from 35+ countries at the 13th University Scholars Leadership Symposium (USLS) in Kuala Lumpur. Delegates from the UK, Germany, South Africa, Iran, India, Japan, and many more countries will come together to explore how they, too, can become change-makers.

Sharing the stage with international names like CNN Hero of the Year Nelly Cheboi, UN Youth Disarmament Champion Charlotte Young, and Jeff Rotmeyer of ImpactHK, Singh will open the conference with one message:

A key part of Singh’s message is democratizing change. In every talk, he shares examples of ordinary people who led extraordinary change, not because they were famous, but because they were moved by something that mattered to them.

From Nick Woodman, who created GoPro after failing to take a selfie while surfing, to Dashrath Manjhi, the “Mountain Man” who carved a road through rock with just a hammer and chisel after his wife died, Singh’s storytelling is both relatable, inspiring and deeply rooted in his own life experiences.

Singh’s own story is no exception.

In 2007, after nearly a decade working with top hospitality brands across Australia, Dubai, and the U.S., he left it all behind. He returned to India—not to retire, but to reinvent himself. He had no blueprint, no clients, and no stage.

“I had what I now call the Big Hunger—a sense that I wasn’t using everything within me,” he reflects.

Today, that hunger has turned into a thriving global speaking career. From Shimla to Singapore and Kolkata to Kuala Lumpur, Singh has delivered keynotes on change, innovation, growth mindset, and leadership to audiences across industries—from tech giants to educational institutions.

And he does it all from his hometown of Jalandhar, Punjab.

Singh doesn’t believe the world is broken. But he does believe there’s room to grow—and that everyone has a role to play.

“Whether you’re a CEO or a college student, leadership today isn’t about titles,” he says. “It’s about asking: What change do I want to lead? Where do I begin?”

He emphasises that while management keeps things moving, leadership decides where we’re going. Without that vision, we risk climbing the ladder of success only to find it’s leaning against the wrong wall.

Through the ‘Lead the Change’ Initiative, Singh is building a global movement of everyday leaders—people who reflect, realign with their strengths, and take bold steps toward positive impact.

“You don’t need to change the whole world today,” he says with a smile. “Start with what hurts you the most. Or just start by being the best of whatever you are.”

And while he jokes about AI, there’s truth in it too:

“ChatGPT can help you write a resume. But it can’t lead your life. That’s still up to you.”

As Singh signs off in his talks, he leaves audiences with two powerful questions:

If not us, then who?

If not now, then when?

Simerjeet Singh has found his mission.

Could it be time to explore yours?

Simerjeet Singh is an international motivational keynote speaker and leadership coach known as The Disruption CoachÔ. With over 18 years of international experience, he has worked with 400+ organisations across the globe—including Fortune 500 companies—helping leaders embrace change, foster innovation, and build resilient cultures. His thought leadership spans industries and borders, with audiences from San Francisco to Singapore and Kolkata to Kuala Lumpur. He is also the host of the popular “Beginner’s Mind” podcast and has over 1.6 million subscribers on YouTube. Singh’s mission is to inspire individuals and organisations to lead the change they wish to see in the world.