Kit Blackburn

Kit Blackburn

Founder, Beneath The Surface

Founder, Beneath The Surface

THE SIT DOWN

"Fear and doubt cannot survive being doused with curiosity."
"Fear and doubt cannot survive being doused with curiosity."
"Fear and doubt cannot survive being doused with curiosity."

Kit Blackburn

Kit Blackburn

Kit Blackburn has made a career out of embracing the “waves of change.” He grew up on the tiny, isolated island of Guernsey, a place frozen in time, before trading the quiet life for the chaos of London.

He cut his teeth in the high pressure newsrooms of News Corp, where deadlines were absolute and resilience was mandatory. He then joined the disruption machine of Virgin, absorbing the mindset of a challenger brand, before moving to Toronto to lead at Molson Coors. There, he architected the iconic “Red Beer Fridge” campaign, placing fridges on mountaintops and in jungles to celebrate Canadian pride.

On paper, he was at the peak of his career. But he realized that the endless noise of modern work was creating a state of “Continuous Partial Attention.” Precious energy was being drained, and leaders were unable to focus on what mattered.

In 2021, Kit walked away from the corporate ladder to launch Beneath the Surface with a mandate to help teams reclaim ownership. He focuses on two key ingredients: Vibrant Leadership, people leading at their energetic, wholehearted best, and Breakthrough Work, bold problem solving.

Through workshop led coaching that tackles tangible business needs live in the session, Kit teaches teams how to use “Inconvenient Questions” to break the status quo. He proves that curiosity is not soft. It is the only weapon that fear cannot survive.

DEFINING MOMENTS

2010

The Deadline

News Corp, London. Working on The Sun. The Lesson: "Resilience isn't about enduring pain; it's about finding focus when the deadline is impossible."

2012

The Challenger

Virgin, London. Working inside Richard Branson’s disruption machine. The Lesson: "When you are the plucky underdog chipping away at the establishment, you can't just be better—you have to be brave. You need a mindset of pure possibility."

2014

The Peak

Molson Coors, Toronto. Launching the Red Beer Fridge globally. The Lesson: "We did award-winning work, but we never paused to celebrate it. We were always onto the next thing."

2020

The Breakdown

The Gathering Conference, Banff. A speaker said, "If you are at a crossroads, the answer is yes." Kit broke down in tears. The Lesson: "I had spent my life waiting for permission. I finally realized I had to give it to myself."

2010

The Deadline

News Corp, London. Working on The Sun. The Lesson: "Resilience isn't about enduring pain; it's about finding focus when the deadline is impossible."

2012

The Challenger

Virgin, London. Working inside Richard Branson’s disruption machine. The Lesson: "When you are the plucky underdog chipping away at the establishment, you can't just be better—you have to be brave. You need a mindset of pure possibility."

2014

The Peak

Molson Coors, Toronto. Launching the Red Beer Fridge globally. The Lesson: "We did award-winning work, but we never paused to celebrate it. We were always onto the next thing."

2020

The Breakdown

The Gathering Conference, Banff. A speaker said, "If you are at a crossroads, the answer is yes." Kit broke down in tears. The Lesson: "I had spent my life waiting for permission. I finally realized I had to give it to myself."

2010

The Deadline

News Corp, London. Working on The Sun. The Lesson: "Resilience isn't about enduring pain; it's about finding focus when the deadline is impossible."

2012

The Challenger

Virgin, London. Working inside Richard Branson’s disruption machine. The Lesson: "When you are the plucky underdog chipping away at the establishment, you can't just be better—you have to be brave. You need a mindset of pure possibility."

2014

The Peak

Molson Coors, Toronto. Launching the Red Beer Fridge globally. The Lesson: "We did award-winning work, but we never paused to celebrate it. We were always onto the next thing."

2020

The Breakdown

The Gathering Conference, Banff. A speaker said, "If you are at a crossroads, the answer is yes." Kit broke down in tears. The Lesson: "I had spent my life waiting for permission. I finally realized I had to give it to myself."

Kit is a joy to work with, constantly seeking new possibilities. His magic is unlocking both the potential of an organization and the individuals within it. 
Kit is a joy to work with, constantly seeking new possibilities. His magic is unlocking both the potential of an organization and the individuals within it. 

Martin Coyle, Chief Commercial Officer, Molson Coors

Martin Coyle, Chief Commercial Officer, Molson Coors

Working at

Working at

Beneath The Surface

Beneath The Surface

“There is no better feeling than seeing a light turn on. We help organizations be their best selves by unlocking the potential in their people”
“There is no better feeling than seeing a light turn on. We help organizations be their best selves by unlocking the potential in their people”

— Kit Blackburn

— Kit Blackburn

Join Kit's Team

Join Kit's Team

Find opportunity connecting with the team.

Connect with Kit!

Connect with Kit!

Connect with Kit!

Kit Blackburn

Kit Blackburn

NEXT Leaders