John Kippen: Helping People Rise
individuals move forward with clarity and strength!
Every powerful voice in the world of motivation begins with a moment that shakes a life apart. People who speak on stages and guide others often carry stories shaped by loss, fear, or an unexpected turn.
Many listeners feel drawn to them because these stories feel real and somehow familiar. They mirror the quiet battles inside so many individuals. This is where John Kippen’s journey begins. His path reaches into the heart of what healing can look like when a person decides to rise again, even when their reflection tells a different story.
John lives in a unique place in this industry. He is a motivational speaker, a certified resilience and empowerment coach, a published author, and a professional magician. All of these roles came from a 20+ year journey formed by the trauma of facial paralysis after surgery to remove an Acoustic Neuroma brain tumor. The experience pulled him into a long season of fear, self loathing and isolation, yet it also became the reason he now stands in front of audiences, urging them to choose courage over hiding.
Let us learn more about his journey:
The Long Silence After Surgery
After the surgery changed his face, John stepped away from the world for more than twelve years. He stayed inside the comfort of his home, pouring his energy into his IT support company. It felt safer to keep a small circle that already understood what happened. He avoided cameras because he believed his appearance would impact the moment for others. Even simple gatherings challenged him, so he moved through life in smaller, quieter spaces.
During this time, he discovered a strange kind of comfort in a local casino, playing semi-professional poker. In that room, appearance carried no value. The goal was simple. The other players cared only about winning money, and he found some relief in that focus. The game created a place where he could exist without emotional weight.
A Childhood Hobby Becomes a Lifeline
Magic returned to him during this period in a quiet, unexpected way. It began as a familiar hobby, something from childhood that once brought joy. As he practiced and refined his skills, his talent grew stronger. People stopped focusing on his face and started responding to the awe and wonder he created with his hands and stories. Each reaction helped rebuild a small piece of his confidence.
Magic became more than an act. It became a way for John to share emotion, humor, and truth without fear because he learned to make the magic about his audience. His brand, Being Different Is Your Superpower, took form through these early performances. Audiences started to see his heart, his creativity, and his honesty. They listened to his stories woven between illusions. They forgot the details of his appearance because they felt the depth of his message and his emotional connection.
He performed in front of diverse crowds four to five nights a week. Strangers gave him real feedback. Compliments came with sincerity. Every show added strength to the belief that his value came from his character, skill, and presence. John learned a life changing lesson, he was enough and his facial difference no longer defined him.
The Moment Women Began to See His Heart First
As he performed more often, John noticed how women in the audience responded differently. At first, they showed some uncertainty. As he opened up about his journey and blended those stories with his magic, a change took place. They connected with the emotions behind his words. After the show, many walked up to him and asked for a hug. They thanked him for sharing parts of himself that they rarely saw expressed with such openness.
John realized something important. By telling his truth, he was giving others permission to express their own. His sincerity helped women feel comfortable stepping into their softer, more open and feminine side again. This discovery confirmed that magic and his skill in storytelling was more than a talent for him. It was his superpower.
A Mission Formed by Pain, Service, and Listening
John did more than perform for crowds. He began offering guidance as a resilience and empowerment coach, helping people face personal and professional struggles. He believed in service as a path to strength. When someone feels overwhelmed, he advises them to shift their focus toward helping others. Through giving, they often uncover hidden abilities and passions and self-confidence.
He teaches that self-pity drains energy, while acts of service build connection. He reminds people that our response to hardship shapes how others remember us. One of his favorite lines stays at the heart of his work: Feed your Heart with your Art.
His approach to coaching stands on simple but powerful principles. He listens with full attention. He asks questions that invite reflection without judgement. He believes everyone holds the answers within themselves. His role is to help them uncover those answers by facing limiting beliefs head-on.
Over the years, he has supported individuals through medical challenges, career transitions, and emotional struggles. One of the most meaningful moments of his career happened when he performed for Alex Trebek on his 75th birthday. The experience affirmed the reach of his work and the value of human connection.
The Turning Point at a Magic Convention
Though he grew on stage, John still carried deep pain about his appearance. For years, he avoided mirrors and posing for photographs. Then, in 2017, he attended a magic convention surrounded by performers he admired. Something stirred in him that day. He gathered the courage to ask these magicians to pose with him for photographs.
Their warm reactions surprised him. They celebrated him and treated him with respect. Their kindness helped him see that his worth lived in his spirit, skill, and character. This shift marked a major turning point. He began to understand that inner beauty holds far more weight than the outer shell.
A Voice for Teens, Parents, and Educators
John’s story is highly relatable to teenagers, as he used to be bullied as well. In his talks with young audiences, he motivates them to think outside the box, find their own strengths, and accept the traits that make them not only different but unique. His performances are a mix of laughter, love, and creative magic tricks aimed at delivering his message. Young people, as a result of his work, are filled with a sense of mission and empowerment to delve into what makes them special.
Parents, on the other hand, frequently look for his counsel when they have difficulty with their children. John provides them with easy-to-follow solutions that are instrumental in the development of good communication within the family. His understanding is the result of a long period of interaction with teenagers who complain that they are not understood and parents who say they are powerless.
Educators also connect deeply with his message. John speaks about the teachers who shaped his own life and helped him develop problem-solving skills. He reminds educators that their influence can change the trajectory of a student’s future. He shares tools and stories that leave them hopeful and motivated to keep guiding young minds with care and love.
A TED Talk that Reached Over a Million People
One of the most defining moments in his career happened when he stepped onto a stage to deliver his TED Talk. 800 people filled the room. As he spoke, the crowd felt the weight and warmth of his story. His message urged them to stop hiding and step into the fullest version of themselves while treating others who were different with respect and compassion.
The audience rose to their feet, applauding him with sincerity. That standing ovation confirmed his mission and became a moment he carries with pride. The talk later reached more than a million viewers, amplifying his impact far past the walls of that room.
A Book that Holds His Heart and His Hope
The book Playing the Hand That You Are Dealt arrived in December 2024, and it continues to reach readers who look for strength during uncertain moments. The forward, written by his close friend Jamie Lee Curtis, sets the tone for a story filled with humor, honesty, heart and a bit of magic. The memoir brings together memorable experiences with messages of hope and courage.
At its core, the book reminds readers that every person holds extraordinary potential. John writes about stepping into uncertainty with faith and treating new territory as a place where possibility grows. This belief also shapes the way he leads and guides others, urging people to rise, reflect, and move toward their full potential.
One message stands out throughout the entire book. If John can, so can you.
A Legacy Built One Person at a Time
Through coaching, speaking, and magic, John has reached thousands of individuals. Their tears, gratitude, and hugs remind him of his purpose. His greatest achievement is the number of lives he has touched by living with honesty heart and authenticity. He guides people toward choosing happiness even when life feels heavy. He believes adversity offers a mirror for strength. When a person meets difficulty with courage, it reveals their character.
He continues to grow as a speaker, coach, and performer. His work has shifted from a passion to a mission. He hopes to expand his practice, reach larger audiences, and inspire individuals across the world with his book.
John’s path from pain to purpose has created a legacy built on service, storytelling, and authenticity. He shows people that difference carries power. He shows them that courage grows in quiet steps. He shows them that a changed face can still hold a bright, unstoppable spirit.
And he stands as proof that a person can rebuild life piece by piece until the world feels full again.
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