The new normal

Uncertainty is the new normal

Darryl on stage at TEPSA under the big FEARLESS screen▶Watch Darryl in action
On campus today, fear shows up everywhere
  • Enrollment and budget pressure that puts programs on the line
  • Students arriving with more worry and less connection
  • AI changing how students learn and what jobs will look like
  • First-gen and transfer students carrying more than anyone sees
  • Faculty and staff stretched thin, with turnover every year

You can't control all of it.

You can change what fear does on your campus.

Written fears from faculty and staffWritten fears from college students

What faculty and staffWhat college students wrote on their cards

The people who serve students carry fears too. These are real cards from faculty and staff rooms, shared without names. Your people are carrying some of these.These are real cards from college rooms, shared without names. Your students are carrying some of these too.

SEE THE REAL CARD ↻
hover a card to see the real handwriting
A staff member smiles as he drops his fear card into the fire pit at Washtenaw Community CollegeFaculty and staff putting their fear cards into the fire pit
fears into the fire pit at Washtenaw Community College
FYI, the fire is not real
I fear vulnerability and putting myself out there when I don't know the outcome.
SEE THE REAL CARD ↻
The real handwritten card
Worrying I'm not capable or qualified enough to do what I want to do.
SEE THE REAL CARD ↻
The real handwritten card
Anxiety, because when you're anxious everything feels so much harder.
SEE THE REAL CARD ↻
The real handwritten card
Meet Darryl

hey, I'mDarryl!

My speaking career started on college campuses. For more than ten years I've spoken at orientations, leadership retreats and student success events, and along the way I started asking the room some version of the question: what do you fear? Their answers built the framework I use today.

Now most of my rooms are the faculty and staff who serve those students, and I help them keep moving when fear and uncertainty show up.

250+
keynotes on college campuses
75,000+
written fears collected
10+
years serving education
›Check Date & Get Pricing
Darryl laughing on stage at a faculty and staff dayA staff member drops her fear card into the fire pit
The Fearless Experience

What the
experience looks like

This isn't a sit-and-listen PD. Here's how it works, from the weeks before to the days after.

01
SAMPLE PRE-EVENT VIDEO

Before the day

Darryl sends a pre-event video, and faculty and staff have the option to share some of their challenges beforehand.

02
energy & interactive

In the room

From the walk-on song to the fear cards to the fire pit, everyone takes part. Nobody just sits and listens.

A faculty member taking a photo of a keynote slide03
picture worthy tools

Tools they can use

Simple steps your people can use in class, in the office and at home the next day, not just a good feeling.

Washtenaw staff flexing to show their Fear(less) bands04
Fear(less) band

After they leave

Everyone leaves with a Fear(less) band and one next step, so the conversation keeps going on your campus.

The keynote

Fearful to fearing less

This keynote gives your faculty and staff real stories, a room that's up and moving, and a simple way to keep going when fear, change and uncertainty show up.

↓Download the one sheet↓Download the speaking packet
Your people will leave able to
1
Name what they're carrying. Put words to the fear, worry or stress behind the hard days.
2
Sort what's theirs to control. Let go of what isn't and choose one small next step.
3
Bounce back from setbacks. Give themselves, and the people around them, room to be human.
4
Keep the conversation going. Use the same simple language with their team and with the students they serve.
Built for your biggest faculty and staff days
Opening week and convocation

All faculty and staff together before classes start.

Professional development days

Faculty and staff in-service that people actually want to attend.

Leadership retreats

Deans, department chairs and directors who carry the most.

Division and staff days

Student affairs, advising and enrollment teams.

›Check Date & Get Pricing
Colleges and universities I've spoken at

You're in good company

142
four-year colleges and universities
36
community and technical colleges
42
states
Auburn University
Purdue University
Kent State University
Temple University
Tulane University
Johns Hopkins University
Wake Forest University
UNC Charlotte
UNC Chapel Hill
University of Wisconsin Madison
Marshall University
Ball State University
James Madison University
Ohio University
Virginia Tech
University of Miami
Gonzaga University
University of Delaware
Georgia State University
HACC
Ivy Tech Community College
His message was not only inspiring but also practical. I walked away with ideas I can actually apply.
Jennifer Moore-Polo
Harrisburg Area Community College
Before you book

Booking FAQ

Don't see your question? Call 980-217-2441 or email hello@fearlessinside.com.

For your campus
Can you speak at fall convocation or opening week?+

Yes. Opening week is one of the most common times Darryl speaks on campus. The keynote is built for all of your faculty and staff in one room before the semester starts.

Can the keynote tie into our theme or initiative?+

Yes. On a short planning call we talk about your theme, your goals and what your campus is facing, and Darryl works them into the day.

Can faculty, staff and administrators be in the same room?+

Yes, and it often helps. When people see that their leaders carry fears too, the room opens up.

Planning the day
How far ahead do colleges usually book?+

Opening week and January dates go first, so many campuses reach out 3 to 9 months ahead. If your date is sooner, ask anyway.

Can we add a workshop after the keynote?+

Yes. The Fearing Less in Action workshop runs 45 to 75 minutes and fits right after the keynote.

What do you need from us before the day?+

A date, a room and a point person. We send a short link so your faculty and staff can share their fears anonymously ahead of time.

How it works
✓Step 01.You reach out
⟶
✓Step 02.You hear back fast
⟶
✓Step 03.We talk about your event
Let's

You will hear back within hours on business days.

Talk.
Darryl Bellamy Jr. jumping and pointing, excited to talk about your eventDarryl Bellamy Jr. jumping and pointing down, excited to talk about your event
Tell us about your event
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Fearless Inside is more than a keynote experience.
It's a larger movement to change how educators react and respond to the worries and fears that come with the work.
Company
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Who I Work With
K-12 Schools & DistrictsHigher EducationConferences & AssociationsEducation Companies & Nonprofits
Contact
Charlotte, NC(+1) 980-217-2441hello@fearlessinside.com
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