Chris and Nik Nikic
Chris Nikic
Team Nikic, Inc, Owner
Sustainable improvement begins in small increments that build continuously upon each other. We achieve sustainability by shifting our focus from our challenges and weaknesses to our strengths and successes.
This keynote will demonstrate the “1% Better” approach that is key to sustainable improvement in the workplace. In November 2020, Chris Nikic set a new world record by being the first person with Down Syndrome to complete a 140.6-mile Ironman.
Chris will inspire us with a personal story of how health and fitness bridge the gap blocking us from achieving our personal goals. As the first Adidas-sponsored athlete with Down Syndrome, Chris breaks barriers by bringing neurodivergent athlete representation to mainstream sports.
Chris embodies self-discipline. He demonstrates how unwavering tenacity, positivity, and a “grit that doesn’t quit” can help you achieve your goals and dreams. With this success mindset and habit, the 21-year-old has earned the following awards:
World Championship Hawaii Ironman Finisher
Guinness Book Record Holder
Special Olympics and Ironman Ambassador
NBC Documentary and ESPN Special Edition
2X ESPY Award Winner (Jimmy V for Perseverance & Male Athlete with a disability)
Laureus Global Sporting Moment of the Year
Kulture City Inclusion Person of the Year
PRWeek Most Purposeful Person Under 30
Boston, NYC, and Disney Marathon Finisher
Florida Sports Hall of Fame inductee, Class of 2022
Inspired a new category for athletes with disabilities with Ironman and Major marathons
Institute for Sports and Social Justice – Barrier Breaker Award
Despite all these accomplishments, Chris says his most significant win is sharing his technique for success with everyone — a technique grounded in shifting your focus from your disabilities to your abilities.
Chris follows a simple system designed by his father called “1% Better.” This approach enabled him to build a success mindset and a habit of getting just 1% better daily.
Nik Nikic
Sales Optimizer, LLC, CEO
Chris’s father, Nik Nikic, is the CEO and founder of a consulting firm that, for 20 years, helped major corporations implement the 1% Better system for continuous sustainable improvement. Over the years, Nik and his organization have worked with several global companies like United Technologies, United Airlines, Enterprise, and many others.
The father-son duo has published two books: 1% Better – The Chris Nikic Story and
1% Better – Reaching My Full Potential and How You Can Too. Chris and Nik are also the founders of the Chris Nikic Foundation, which aims to incorporate physical fitness for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) as standardized practice in society, schools, and health and wellness facilities.