I’ve limped onto stages.
I’ve walkered onto stages.
And a few times… I’ve had to climb and then roll onto stages - because, well, NO RAMPS!
As a professional speaker who’s a below-the-knee amputee, I’ve delivered keynotes from a wheelchair, a walker, crutches, and a prosthetic - and while there's nothing like that New Foot Smell - there's something to be said for the Old Foot Smell.
Most meeting planners and event locations I work with are thoughtful and genuinely want every speaker to succeed. But many venues are designed around an assumed body type - and when that assumption is off, it creates...friction...which the audience may not see… but the speaker absolutely feels.
This isn’t a complaint. Oh, well hell, YES IT IS.
It’s also a call for awareness.
Because when spaces are designed to work for everyone, barriers aren't just removed, they're shattered.
I've run into plenty of challenges - below are the most common:
Scenario 1: The “Accessible” Stage
There’s a ramp… technically.
But it’s backstage, through cables and cases, or steep enough to count as leg day.
Meanwhile, the previous speaker casually walks up three steps.
What it feels like: You start your keynote slightly flustered instead of fully present.
Why it matters: The first moments on stage set the tone. Smooth access creates confident energy — and audiences feel that immediately.
The practiced fix: Pause, look around, breathe in, smile, and speak with strength.
Scenario 2: The Chair That Wasn’t Considered
Some days I speak standing. Other days I need to sit to manage fatigue or balance.
And occasionally the only option is a tall barstool with no back — basically a trust exercise with gravity.
What it feels like: Mental energy goes to stability instead of storytelling.
The pre-emptive fix: Ask for a sturdy chair with a back, placed intentionally, signals something powerful: You belong here.
Scenario 3: The Distance Nobody Mentions
Green room to stage. Stage to breakout. Breakout to book table.
Distances that seem small can be significant depending on mobility that day — because disability isn’t always static.
What it feels like: You start budgeting energy: “If I walk this far now, will I have enough left for the audience afterward?”
The fix: Budget space first. Determine the closest points to be in along the way to the stage.
Bonus fix: Get help - someone to push your wheelchair, someone to man your table, someone to be your absolute best friend at the event.
When speakers can conserve energy, they show up stronger — and your attendees get a better experience.
Scenario 4: The Audience Reality
Here’s what often goes unspoken:
If a venue is difficult for me, it’s probably difficult for some attendees too.
The veteran with a knee injury. The executive recovering from surgery. The attendee who didn’t request accommodations because they didn’t want to be “a hassle.”
Accessibility isn’t a special request. It’s a signal of respect.
The pre-emptive fix: Go in with both the awareness of ADA requirements and the requirements of your potential attendees.
Bonus fix: Be watchful for those that surprise you, and politely provide 'elite service' with the intention of being caring and respectful, as opposed to sweetly sympathetic, which often translates as condescending.
What Inclusive Planning Looks Like
It doesn’t require a massive overhaul. Just intention.
Ask speakers about mobility needs in advance - Ensure ramps are visible, safe, and easy to use - Provide seating options on stage - Reduce unnecessary distances when possible - Think about attendee navigation, not just speaker logistics.
These aren’t extras. They’re part of professional event design.
The Bigger Idea: Designing for Dignity
I’ve been lucky to speak on incredible stages. I’ve also had moments where getting to the stage required more strategy than delivering the message itself.
When accessibility is considered early, everyone wins: The speaker feels confident. The audience feels included. And the event flows the way you envisioned it could.
An Earnest Ask to Meeting Planners
As you plan your next event, think not only about the message you want delivered…
…but the bodies delivering it …and the bodies receiving it.
Create spaces where wheelchairs move easily, walkers fit comfortably, and no one has to decide whether the journey to the stage is worth the effort.
Because the goal isn’t just ADA compliance. It’s belonging. When people feel they belong, they listen differently. They connect differently. They remember differently.
That’s what great stages, great events, and great planners do.
They make room - for everyone - whatever Foot Smell you go on stage with!
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