Kotaro Umeda
Kotaro Umeda, a professional athlete and an international selling author, helps organizations build stronger, more resilient cultures through powerful keynotes on discipline, courage, and resilience.
Why you should book Kotaro Umeda for your next event
- As the first Asian athlete in Joinville Esporte Clube’s history, Kotaro speaks from lived experience about breaking cultural and professional barriers, inspiring audiences to lead with courage.
- With five published books on self-help and growth, Kotaro brings a well of actionable knowledge to every keynote, offering structured, proven frameworks for personal development.
- A respected advocate for mental health through NAMI NYC, Kotaro speaks authentically about emotional resilience, making him a credible voice for organizations investing in mental well-being.
Non-binding request for Kotaro Umeda
Unlocking Greatness Through Mental Grit
Inspire your audience with Kotaro Umeda, a former pro athlete, bestselling author, and mental health advocate. His powerful keynotes on resilience, leadership, and purpose empower organizations to thrive through adversity, embrace diversity, and unlock human potential. Fluent in three languages, Kotaro delivers globally relevant, deeply personal messages that drive lasting impact.
Keynote Speaker Kotaro Umeda is a globally recognized voice on resilience, leadership, and mental wellness, topics that have become mission-critical for today’s organizations. As a former professional soccer player who made history as the first-ever Asian athlete to represent Joinville Esporte Clube in Brazil, Kotaro understands the grit, discipline, and adaptability required to perform under pressure and overcome cultural barriers.
Beyond the field, Kotaro Umeda has authored five books, four self-help titles and a children’s book, and has built a reputation as a powerful advocate for mental health, proudly serving as a speaker for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in New York City. His keynotes blend personal storytelling with actionable insights, empowering audiences to build emotional resilience, lead with authenticity, and foster inclusive, high-performing cultures.
Fluent in English, Japanese, and Portuguese, Kotaro connects with diverse, global teams and adapts his message to resonate across industries and functions. Organizations that book Kotaro Umeda for their event gain more than a speaker, they gain a catalyst for meaningful change, mindset transformation, and lasting motivation.
Whether your focus is leadership development, employee engagement, or mental wellness, Keynote Speaker Kotaro Umeda delivers an unforgettable experience that moves people to act. Book Kotaro Umeda for your event to inspire your audience and elevate your organizational impact.
Keynotes
Keynote by speaker Kotaro Umeda:
The beauty in the struggle
In this keynote Kotaro talks about the importance of courage, discipline, and faith to achieve your goals.
Audience takeaways: The road to success or achievement of your goal is often times ugly and difficult but is all worth it in the end.
Kotaro's qualification: The three things that helped him overcome racism, bullying, injuries, and living abroad to become a professional athlete was courage, discipline, and his faith.
Audience takeaways: The road to success or achievement of your goal is often times ugly and difficult but is all worth it in the end.
Kotaro's qualification: The three things that helped him overcome racism, bullying, injuries, and living abroad to become a professional athlete was courage, discipline, and his faith.
Keynote by speaker Kotaro Umeda:
The ugliness in the success
This keynote puts light on the other side of success that is often times not talked about because of its ugliness. Kotaro talks about how to avoid making certain mistakes to achieve your prioritized and final goal.
Audience takeaways: Understanding that we must learn from the mistakes of others because we can't make them all ourselves.
Kotaro's qualifications: He was the first ever Asian Athlete to play for Joinville Esporte Clube and the road he had to take to be a trailblazer was incredibly difficult but worth it, because he is able to share his journey with others for them to learn and take an easier path.
Audience takeaways: Understanding that we must learn from the mistakes of others because we can't make them all ourselves.
Kotaro's qualifications: He was the first ever Asian Athlete to play for Joinville Esporte Clube and the road he had to take to be a trailblazer was incredibly difficult but worth it, because he is able to share his journey with others for them to learn and take an easier path.
My Story ft. Kotaro Umeda
Watch Kotaro Umeda in action!
Discipline, Courage, and Faith, by Kotaro Umeda
Watch Kotaro Umeda in action!
Blog posts by Kotaro Umeda
Cleveland's Athlete for Change, Kotaro Umeda
The Mayfield native published his first book I’m With You, where he has donated 100% of the profit to United Way of Cleveland to help support poverty and racism in his home city of Cleveland.Many people from Cleveland may know Kotaro Umeda from his accomplishments on the field like being a top recru
