Wagner matriculated at the Pioneer School for learners with visual barriers in Worcester, South Africa. His parents made the difficult decision of sending their blind five-year-old son to boarding school, a hundred kilometres away from their home in Durbanville. The terrified little boy could not understand their decision at the time. Today he recognizes this decision was the best one they could have made, in their quest to prepare Hein for the real world.

Hein’s first school report is testimony to his adaptive nature and early sense of adventure stating that he ‘is on a constant journey of discovery’. His teenage years proved more challenging, as he dealt with the normal pressures of growing up, and also struggled with the question of why he had to be born blind. 

The lack of answers made him rebellious and he subsequently made life difficult for those around him. It took a couple of extreme adventures to make Hein see the light. Today he accepts his blindness as a gift.

Hein started his career as a switchboard operator, historically the career route of many blind. But the rapidly growing technology sector inspired him to enter the IT industry. He worked for companies such as MWeb and Thawte Consulting, where he quickly worked his way up to international sales manager, managing a team of sighted individuals.

Hein’s unique experiences and outlook on life afforded him numerous invitations to share his story, and, in 2004, he decided to take up motivational speaking as a full-time career. His humorous approach to everything in life has illuminated the lighter side of living in darkness and resonates with audiences around the world. Whether he has his audience rolling with laughter or turning to introspection, he leaves them with the realization that they have the capacity to achieve anything they set their minds to.

His motto: “Anything you believe impossible, is actually possible; you just have to change the way you look at things. If you do that, the things you look at will change.” 

With so many accomplishments under his belt, Hein shares his philosophy with his audiences: “My excuse is that I’m blind, what’s yours? By opening my mind to turn the unachievable into the achievable, I moved myself from being filled with pain to being filled with joy, from negative to positive; from unhappy to happy, from uninspired to inspired, a taker to a giver, a loser to a winner, from unsuccessful to successful, from ungrateful to grateful and from just being blind to being blinded with possibilities.” In August 2014, Hein received an honorary Golden Key award from the University of Stellenbosch for his ongoing commitment to social upliftment. He is also the inspirational brand ambassador for SAP in the EMeA South region in Europe.

He is married to Monica and they have a little daughter called India. The family divide their time between Sweden and South Africa. Hein Wagner is living proof that despite the challenges that come our way, anything is possible. He does not allow his blindness to stand in the way of his dreams. People often refer to him as the blind man with exceptional vision.

A Blind Man With Vision™

This presentation takes the audience on a moving journey of Hein’s view of the world he lives in. He shares some of his light and dark moments, as well as his personal recipe to achieve extraordinary results. This talk suits any form of conference, event or gala dinner.

Against All Odds™

Guaranteed to open the eyes of those that are too lazy to see, this presentation is loaded with humor and suits audiences of all ages, religions and cultures. Hein’s parting shot to the audience is the burning question: "I am blind... What is your excuse?" This talk is recommended for any function, formal or informal.

Listen, Think, & Grow™

A 45-minute powerful and emotional motivational talk, followed by an interactive session that includes a number of exercises to improve the level of understanding, respect and sense of belonging within the group.The technique is aimed at creating a better understanding between team members.

Dinner in the Dark™ 

Experience the world through darkness. The kind of world inhabited by the Blind. Discover your other senses. Dinner in the dark is a unique and unforgettable experience, without comparison.

What? A three course meal is served in total darkness.

How? Hein facilitates the evening and guides the guests through the experience, in the dark. As there are a number of technical requirements to hosting Dinner in the Dark, Hein prefers using preselected venues for this event. Any light in the venue is blocked out completely. Mobile phones, lighters and watches that glow in the dark must be switched off during the dinner. Guests do not see the venue prior to the event and are normally unaware of the fact that they will be served dinner in total darkness. On entering the venue, guests will meet their highly skilled blind waiters, who will assist them to their tables, in the dark. At this stage, guests are not aware that their waiters are blind. This will only be revealed once the lights are turned on.

Why? With one sense temporarily removed guests have to rely on their other four senses and the people around them to navigate through the evening. This concept can be linked to various themes including: Trust, Communication, Leadership and respect. Hein can tailor-make the messaging of Dinner in the Dark to suit the client’s core values and goals.

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