“There's a helluva difference between just living and being fully ALIVE”
Danny Bader survived the ultimate workplace tragedy—an electrical accident that killed his colleague and left him clinically dead for six minutes. But his real story begins with what happened next: transforming devastating loss into a systematic approach to resilience that now drives performance across Fortune 500 organizations.
The Transformation That Changed Everything.
Danny Bader grew up in a loving, middle-class family and, up until the age of 28, his was an easy life without struggle. This changed when Danny was finishing up one of his final days working as a roofer before getting ready to return to Aspen, Colorado to pursue a real estate career.
This plan vanished at 4:00 pm that day as he and his friend and co-worker lowered a metal ladder into an electric line carrying 8,000 volts. Danny and his friend died that day…only Danny came back to life.
What followed was a masterclass in leadership resilience that would transform not just Danny's trajectory, but the performance of thousands of professionals across Fortune 500 companies. After surviving the ultimate workplace crisis—losing a colleague while facing his own mortality—Danny discovered that the same principles that moved him from victim to survivor could revolutionize how organizations build unshakeable teams.
Danny made it through the dark years that followed with the support of many and has since devoted his life to supporting others on this wonderful journey of life—including the leaders and teams who drive today's most successful organizations. His first book, a best-seller titled Back to Life, chronicles not just personal recovery, but the systematic development of resilience that now drives corporate performance worldwide.
The Transformation That Changed Everything
After his accident, Danny realized he was just living—going "through the motions" of life, operating on autopilot rather than being fully engaged. Sound familiar? This is the same challenge facing teams across corporate America: people showing up physically but not mentally, emotionally, or spiritually present.
Danny's breakthrough came from understanding a fundamental leadership truth: You grow out of either curiosity or tragedy. Rather than waiting for crisis to force growth, the most successful organizations proactively cultivate resilience, vision, and authentic engagement among their people.
In his talks and workshops, Danny walks leadership teams through his Back to Life Blueprint®—a model of 5 powerful human principles that create more fulfillment and resilience not just in individual lives, but in the teams and organizations they serve:
Develop Vision - Moving beyond quarterly goals to purpose-driven direction
Be Still - Finding clarity and focus in the chaos of modern business
Know Thyself - Building authentic leadership from self-awareness
Seek and Be Support - Creating cultures of genuine collaboration
Evolve - Embracing continuous growth and adaptation
Real Impact, Real Results
"Each day you wake up, you come back to life. You're wise to continually ask and answer these two questions: What are you creating in your own life, in your teams, your family? And second, How are you going about this? This HOW is built on the principles that you practice daily. I've also come to the powerful conviction that there is a helluva difference between just living and being alive." - Danny Bader
This philosophy doesn't just inspire—it transforms. Danny's story of faith, resilience, vision and trust continues to drive measurable improvements in leadership effectiveness, team cohesion, and organizational culture at Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, Lincoln Financial, Wawa, Citizens Bank, Merck, Astellas, AMICA, Hospital University of Pennsylvania, University of South Carolina and many others.
Beyond Motivation: Systematic Transformation
What sets Danny apart in the crowded speaking landscape isn't just his compelling story—it's his systematic approach to sustainable change. Organizations don't need temporary motivation; they need leaders and teams who can navigate uncertainty, support each other through challenges, and maintain peak performance regardless of external pressures.
Danny's framework addresses the core challenge every organization faces: developing people who don't just produce results, but who are genuinely engaged in creating something meaningful. When your people are fully alive—not just showing up—everything changes: innovation increases, collaboration improves, resilience builds, and sustainable success follows.
Danny is the author of 4 best-selling books that extend his impact beyond the speaking stage:
Back to Life: The Path of Resilience
Abraham's Diner; Simple Wisdom for Moving from Stress to Relaxed Focus and Inspiration
I Met Jesus for a Miller Lite
Taking the Sh*t Out of the Show; 7 short stories of how to navigate life's challenges*
His Back to Life podcast continues to reach leaders worldwide who are committed to moving from merely surviving to truly thriving.
The Heart Behind the Message
At the center of Danny's world is his "MOAI"—his inner circle of people he loves fiercely. He's been married to his wife Lisa for over 31 years, a relationship that began before his accident when they were dating and he wasn't even sure he wanted to get married.
As his brothers joke, "It took 8,000 volts to get you to the altar." Together, Danny and Lisa have raised three remarkable children who each embody the principles their father teaches. Luke, now 30, taught Danny a profound lesson about "living your truth" during a vulnerable beach walk where he courageously shared his authentic self.
Joey, 28, and Lizzy (their daughter) have each demonstrated the power of "doing the work"—Lizzy was Delaware's Gatorade Runner of the Year and showed Danny what commitment looks like when she insisted on running eight miles at 4:30 AM in a snowstorm, with Danny following behind in his Jeep to keep her safe.
Danny's approach to family mirrors his speaking philosophy: love fiercely, live authentically, and support each other through challenges.
He's learned that sometimes the best way to change a difficult situation isn't to try to control others (like Lisa's methodical grocery shopping that used to frustrate him) but to change yourself within it. Now he drops her off, gets coffee, and meets her at the soup aisle—turning potential conflict into marital bliss.
This same wisdom—focusing on what you can control while supporting others' authentic journeys—is what makes Danny's corporate message so powerful. He doesn't just teach resilience; he lives it daily with the people who matter most.
Danny in the Media
Danny discusses his new book, “A Radical Reverence for Your Life: How I Learned to Live with More Joy and Wonder” on WFMZ Sunrise.
Danny talks with Sasha Rionda on Coffee with America about his book Back to Life and the work he does with individuals and organizations.
Danny discusses his new book, “A Radical Reverence for Your Life: How I Learned to Live with More Joy and Wonder” on ABC27 for their Author Spotlight series.
Danny on WFMZ providing guidance on goal setting, discussing mental health for students and student athletes, and the work he does with schools and corporations.