Doug Manuel

Acclaimed Documentary Producer, Humanitarian & Founder, Lighting Up Lives; Oprah-Approved Belonging & Collaboration Expert

Travels From Travels From:
Miami, FL, USA
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Doug Manuel Biography

Doug Manuel is a keynote speaker and performer who specializes in purpose-driven engagement, authentic collaboration, and fostering human connection. For over 30 years, he’s delivered dynamic in-person and virtual programs for Fortune 500 companies and top business schools worldwide. His impressive client list includes Harvard Business School, The World Economic Forum, LVMH, Google, Oprah, and many others.

Manuel’s work is deeply influenced by the timeless wisdom of rural Africa, where he has traveled and lived for more than 25 years, pursuing his passion for West African music and culture. He’s also the creator of Do You Speak Djembe?, an award-nominated stage show recognized by the Chicago JEFF Awards.

With an eight-year background as a BBC documentary producer, Manuel has recently returned to filmmaking to create a Netflix documentary titled "Beats As One," exploring solutions to the global loneliness and isolation epidemic. His nonprofit, Lighting Up Lives, empowers partnerships with rural West African villages, inspiring grassroots action to solve local challenges.

Manuel’s mission is simple: to connect people. Through his experiential keynote, Beats As One, he invites audiences to break barriers, build relationships, and tap into the power of shared experiences.

Doug Manuel Speaking Topics

  • Beats As One – The Solo

    This keynote brings ancient philosophies to life in today’s boardrooms and is fully customizable to fit any audience, environment, or time slot. Infused with music, rhythm, and exclusive clips from Doug's documentary "Beats As One," this experience takes participants on a transformative journey. Through personal reflection, small group discussions, and performance-enhancing exercises, your team will unlock new levels of connection and collaboration.

    Beats As One brings engagement and collaboration to life in dynamic, interactive ways. Participants will rediscover shared values, explore their personal purpose, and align it with their organization's mission.

    This keynote works for groups of any size, whether live, hybrid, or virtual. It’s perfect for short, interactive workshops or as part of a more in-depth exploration of togetherness and collaboration.

  • Beats As One – The Drums

    In this engaging, energetic keynote, each participant gets a Djembe drum, transforming the room into an immersive musical experience. Your audience will rediscover the power of communication through one of humanity's most primal technologies—rhythm.

    Beats As One breaks down silos and leaves teams feeling emotionally connected and united as one. This experience paves the way for true collaboration and sets the foundation for high-performing teams.

    Perfect as a breakout session for conferences or meetings, this program works for groups of up to 3,000. Teams can collaborate in smaller sub-groups, learning complementary rhythms, before bringing everyone together for a powerful plenary session. It can be delivered in one block of time or split into shorter sessions throughout the day.

  • Beats As One – The Show

    Chosen by Oprah to lead her 3rd SuperSoul Session and featured at TedX Hollywood, Beats as One (formerly Do You Speak Djembe?) is unlike any other live event. Through the power of rhythm and drumming, it transforms your audience into the stars of the show. Doug combines powerful storytelling with uplifting music from his diverse on-stage band, creating a customized experience aligned with your organization’s vision and themes.

    No matter their background or ability, participants will feel energized, inspired, and connected as they learn to play the djembe to their favorite songs. By exploring the roots of music and our shared ancestry, they’ll discover just how much we all have in common.

    This show creates audience-wide collaboration, inspiring and uniting teams of any size. It generates a positive vibe, strengthens a sense of purpose and brand, and gives your audience the chance to experience collaboration in real-time. Perfect for conferences or meetings, Beats as One brings a one-of-a-kind energy to your event.

Doug Manuel Videos

  • Do You Speak Djembe? | Doug Manuel | TEDxHollywood
    This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit...

FAQs on booking Doug Manuel

  • How do I book Doug Manuel to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Doug Manuel for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Doug Manuel, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Doug Manuel or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Doug Manuel

    Speaking fees for Doug Manuel, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Doug Manuel are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Doug Manuel, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Doug Manuel speak about?

    Doug Manuel is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Belonging, Black Heritage, Culture, Human Resources, Inspirational, Music, Non-Profit, Social Activism, Teamwork & Teambuilding, Television & Film.
  • Where does Doug Manuel travel from?

    Doug Manuel generally travels from Miami, FL, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Doug Manuel’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Doug Manuel for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Doug Manuel for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Doug Manuel or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
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    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Doug Manuel is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Beats As One – The Solo, Beats As One – The Drums and Beats As One – The Show. The estimated speaking fee range to book Doug Manuel for your event is $20,000 - $30,000. Doug Manuel generally travels from Miami, FL, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Dr. Michael Time, Lynn Novick, Farkhunda Muhtaj, Siphiwe Moyo and Amber Melanie Smith. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Doug Manuel for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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