Former Professional Mixed Martial Arts Fighter, US Army Green Beret Master Sergeant, and Special Forces Sniper
Tim Kennedy: Biography at a Glance
- Tim Kennedy’s raw, real-life stories, from being kicked out of multiple careers to becoming a decorated Green Beret and bestselling author, teach audiences how to turn failure into fuel and lead with grit, integrity, and purpose.
- Drawing from combat deployments, the UFC octagon, and life-or-death missions, Tim delivers unmatched insight into high-performance mental toughness, decision-making under pressure, and building unbreakable teams.
- With candor and courage, Tim shares how embracing failure, owning your mistakes, and relentlessly pushing through adversity is the blueprint for unlocking your full potential—personally and professionally.
- Whether navigating a battlefield or the boardroom, Tim equips audiences with practical tools for operating in uncertainty, adapting with speed, and leading with calm under fire.
- As a warrior, entrepreneur, humanitarian, and father, Tim blends heart and hard truths to inspire audiences to lead lives of purpose, service, and strength on and off the clock.
Biography
Tim Kennedy is a Master Sergeant with the US Army Green Berets and a Special Forces sniper with multiple combat deployments. He is a former professional mixed martial arts fighter and two-time title challenger. Having fought for the largest organizations in the world, including the UFC, Strikeforce, IFL, and the WEC, he holds numerous black belts, including Brazilian jujitsu and U.S. Army Combatives.
Tim is a regular commentator on cable news and is renowned for his hosting abilities as seen on HISTORY Channel's show, Hunting Hitler, as well as the Discovery Channel’s series, Hard To Kill. A regular on Joe Rogan and Jocko’s podcasts, Tim inspires current and future generations of patriotic, freedom-loving Americans.
Kennedy is a serial entrepreneur, owning nearly a dozen companies, and is the New York Times best-selling author of his autobiography, Scars and Stripes. Scars and Stripes was the number-one audiobook in the world for more than 13 weeks. In addition to his keen entrepreneurial savvy, Tim has a heart for giving back. Kennedy was one of four special operations operatives who flew into Kabul, Afghanista,n as a civilian volunteer to assist with the evacuation of America’s allies for the NGO Save Our Allies (SOA). After ten days of operations, SOA saved nearly 17,000 lives while staging out of Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA).
Kennedy is the president and a founding member of Save Our Allies. He serves as an ambassador and advisor to The Independence Fund to prevent veteran suicide and educate the public on mental health awareness. Kennedy founded Heroes JiuJitsu with an ethos of connectivity and camaraderie on and off the mats for all first responders. Tim is also a staunch advocate for family school choice and is a national leader through his Apogee Strong mentorship, schooling, and foundational efforts to lead the next generation of warriors.
Most importantly, Tim is the proud husband of Ginger and father to four children, all of whom embody his sense of adventure, patriotism, and justice.
Topics
Scars and Stripes: The Power of Failure, Grit, and Becoming Your Strongest Self
In this raw, riveting, and deeply inspiring keynote, decorated Green Beret sniper, UFC headliner, and New York Times bestselling author Tim Kennedy pulls no punches as he shares the wild, unfiltered story of how a life filled with chaos, combat, and colossal failures forged the man he is today. Drawing from his acclaimed memoir Scars and Stripes, Tim takes audiences on a high-octane journey through firefights in Afghanistan, brutal battles in the octagon, and personal crises that nearly broke him.
But this isn’t just a war story. It’s a wake-up call.
Through powerful storytelling and hard-won wisdom, Tim explores how failure—whether professional, personal, or moral—isn’t something to avoid, but something to embrace. From getting kicked out of public service roles to rebuilding his life as a mission-driven entrepreneur and father of four, Tim reveals how resilience, humility, and relentless self-improvement are the keys to success in any arena.
