Who is Gus Balbontin?
Gus is a rebellious catalyst for leaders, teams and entrepreneurs going through change; an energising speaker, investor and builder who turns disruption into action.
From a small town in Patagonia to helping lead the global transformation of one of the world’s most loved travel media brands, Gus brings an unlikely, human and highly practical lens to innovation, AI, entrepreneurship and adaptability.
Gus has worked with tiny startups, scaling ventures, family businesses, global corporations and multi-billion-dollar organisations, helping people make sense of change and find the courage to act.
His core message is to reawaken the curiosity, resourcefulness and unrealistic belief that systems often train out of adults.
For organisations facing disruption or leading change, that need more than inspiration, Gus creates the spark, language and momentum to act now.
Gus never let his small-town beginnings get in the way of big ambitions. A healthy disrespect for authority and a serious case of FOMO landed him in Australia at just 17.
By 22, he had dropped out of university, hitchhiked across South America, started his first business and landed his dream job at Lonely Planet.
A few years later, he was leading the company globally, working alongside organisations like Google X, Nokia and Amazon on emerging technology, creative cultures and high-performing teams.
Gus is known for thinking differently. His ideas are unconventional, often counterintuitive and grounded in sharp common sense. He questions the obvious, challenges assumptions and has little patience for doing things a certain way simply because that’s how they’ve always been done.
He calls the thoughts that challenge those assumptions our rebellious thoughts.
We all have them. But somewhere along the way, many of us stop listening. We accept the system, follow the expected path and forget to ask a simple question: does this actually make sense?
Gus has spent his career acting on those thoughts, and helping others turn theirs into thoughtful, calculated rebellion.
Taking the Message Global
Over the last eight years, Gus has taken his message around the world, speaking to audiences ranging from intimate groups of 10 to crowds of 10,000.
Whether it’s the boardroom or the mailroom, regional Australia or a global stage, the simplicity of his message resonates:
“Focus on what you can control today to prepare for whatever the future brings.”
Gus is often described as an Alternative Futurist, not because he predicts what’s coming, but because he helps people become better prepared for whatever comes next.
He loves exploring what a future shaped by AI, emerging technology and disruption might look like. But he’s quick to bring the conversation back to something far more practical:
“Don’t over-invest in guesses and under-invest in adaptability. Even if you can predict what’s coming, it doesn’t matter if you can’t adapt to it.”
Building the future today
Gus doesn’t just talk about the future, he likes building it.
Today, he is deeply embedded in Australias’ startup and innovation ecosystem as an investor, mentor and advisor. As a Director at Neu21, he stays close to the challenges facing large organisations navigating transformation, and as General Partner at BlueScopeX, BlueScope’s corporate venture fund, he works alongside founders building what comes next.
And beyond business, Gus has a much longer-term ambition: to rethink the way we educate future generations through the Unrealistic Foundation.
He’s candid and full of energy, and he’ll make you laugh hard while making you think deeply about the puzzles of running a business, no matter it’s size. Gus’s common-sense approach will disarm you, and his practical strategies will get you moving by Monday morning.
Trusting Gus
What people are saying
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Gus Balbontin is my hero! The best live speaker I've ever seen. I've never laughed and & learnt so much. The BEST way to kick off the Zendesk Customer Showcase!
Zendesk Keynote Attendee
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You were an absolute inspiration! Love your no nonsense approach, honesty and lighthearted delivery. It really made an impact in the whole room and your energy was electric!
Connective Conference Attendee
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Loved what you had to say at our conference this week! Made me laugh. Made me think. Thanks for gracing us with your presence. Thanks for keeping it real!
Coles People & Culture Manager
