Ideas worth sharing.
Youssef Elderiny is a software engineer, public speaker, and public speaking coach based in Dubai. He has given three TEDx talks, most recently “Why Trying Harder Keeps Failing You” at TEDxUniversity of Birmingham Dubai in 2026.
He coaches public speaking for DIEZ’s Employee-to-Entrepreneurship program, and has coached speakers at the University of Toronto, the University of Birmingham, and TEDxYouth@ASPS. As student association president at the University of Birmingham Dubai, he started the annual club awards, and he founded the university’s Speech and Debate Society.
TEDx talksThree stages, three ideas.
Why Trying Harder Keeps Failing You ↗
We treat change as a matter of desire and discipline: want it badly enough and you'll become who you aspire to be. Why that keeps failing, and what works instead.
Lessons of a Martial Artist ↗
How martial arts taught me to build meaningful connections with people.
Strength Based Leadership ↗
My first TEDx talk: what leadership is, how you can take control of it, and how to change the way the people around you see you.
Talks & workshopsCommunities, campuses, and rooms full of people ready to try.
Building Spaces That Add Value to Your Life ↗
How to build spaces in Notion that add real value to your life. Given at Notion UAE's From Chaos to Clarity community event in Dubai.
Speak on Your Feet ↗
A table topics workshop for the University of Birmingham Public Speaking Society: three key skills for mastering the impromptu speech, put straight into practice.
CoachingBeyond my own talks, I coach other people to give theirs.
- Who I coachFounders, students, and professionals. Programs, universities, and companies can also bring me in for a cohort or a team.
- What I help withNerves, and learning to trust your own voice. Getting a talk ready for a TEDx stage or a competition. Presenting the venture you’re building.
- How it worksOne-on-one sessions, group workshops, or coaching toward a specific talk, pitch, or competition.
- NowDIEZPublic speaking coach, Employee-to-Entrepreneurship program. Group workshops and one-on-one sessions with participants
- 2023–2024University of BirminghamVice President of Education and public speaking coach, Public Speaking Society (Edgbaston campus). Judge at the University of Warwick public speaking competition
- 2019TEDxYouth@ASPSSpeaker coach for the 2019 lineup, the year after my own talk there
- 2019–2020University of TorontoPublic speaking coach, Toastmasters
From my studentsTheir words, their wins.
“Thank you for helping me be a better public speaker.”
Ayat placed 2nd at the University of Birmingham Public Speaking Competition 2024, with Ishar 1st and Leena 3rd. All three were my students. See the post ↗
“He pushed me to trust my own voice, even when I didn’t.”
Placed 2nd at the University of Warwick’s inter-university competition. See the post ↗
“He made me feel like I could, in fact, speak in public and that I actually had the right to feel confident in myself.”
Her first speech was about her stutter. That summer she presented her research at Baycrest. Read her story ↗
Available to speak and coach
Need a speaker
or a coach? Let’s talk.
I give keynotes, talks, and workshops for conferences, companies, universities, and communities. I also coach founders, students, and professionals, one-on-one or in groups. Coaching spots are limited. Tell me what you have in mind and I’ll get back to you.
- Building community from zero
- Shipping side projects
- Tech for good
- Public speaking for builders
- Public speaking coaching