Brad Burton has earned a reputation as a leading motivational coach, team builder, and speaker, recognised for his impactful message of hope, optimism, and resilience. However, his name has recently surfaced in the news for a very different reason—one that nearly shattered his life.
While many of us struggled through the pandemic, Brad faced an entirely different battle.
“We all went through the pandemic. But many of us were also fighting other battles behind the scenes.”
At the time, Brad was running 4Networking, a 14-year-old, multi-million-pound national business hosting 5,000+ real-life business networking meetings annually across the UK. Then came lockdown.
“We did well until Boris got on telly and said, ‘Please stay at home, folks.’ Just like that, game over.” Brad made the tough call to pivot the business online. It worked—kind of. But while adapting his business for survival, he was also dealing with something far more sinister.
“I was also dealing with a female stalker—four years on, now a convicted one.”
Four years, posting relentless, false, and increasingly outrageous accusations. The abuse wasn’t just digital—it spilled into his home life and his reputation and even affected his children.
He’s poisoned my cat, he’s slashed my tyres, he’s smashed my windows, he’s giving me death threats; “How do you prove a negative? How do you go back and prove that what someone is saying about you is made up, when new posts appear daily?”
Despite reporting the abusive messages to social media companies, the harassment continued, and the pressure began to take its toll.
“Try running a business, being a dad, a husband, a leader, while watching someone strategically tear apart your reputation. And knowing if you defend yourself, you risk jeopardising the case.” “That level of pressure would fold most people. I’m most people. It broke me.”
But Brad chose not to hide. The truth about situations like this—in life and business—is that you either face it or run from it. The problem is, hiding isn’t a long-term strategy; Brad committed to facing it head-on.”
Eventually, after four painful years, Sam Wall pleaded guilty to five charges of online harassment. Brad could finally begin the slow and difficult process of rebuilding—his life, reputation, and finances. “There’s a reason 98% of online stalking cases never reach a conviction. I was one of the fortunate 2%. And I have something to offer that you won’t find in any manual: lived experience.”
Yet, Brad’s story also highlights a troubling reality: the seeming impunity of social media platforms when it comes to tackling harmful content. “You’re Guilty until Proven Innocent”. Despite repeated reports and clear evidence, the false and defamatory posts about him remained online for years.
This situation is not unique to Brad—countless victims of online abuse face the same uphill battle, trapped in a system where algorithms determine visibility, but accountability is elusive. While these platforms have the resources and technology to identify and remove dangerous misinformation swiftly, the burden often falls on the victim to prove their innocence: one report, one form, and one ignored ticket at a time. “I wasn’t just fighting a stalker—I was fighting a system that 
refused to act,” Brad explains. “Until social media companies are held to higher standards of responsibility and transparency, the digital world remains a place where lies can go viral faster than the truth can catch up.”
Now, Brad is turning his trauma into a source of strength for others. Whether you are part of a team, a senior leader, or an individual facing adversity, Brad can help you navigate through it. “From starting a business to experiencing breakdowns to achieving breakthroughs—moving from confidence and clarity to leadership and belief—with hope, optimism, and resilience, which is exactly where my journey began.”
Watch Brad’s stalker story
🔗 Panorama – My Online Stalker
🔗 Good Morning Britain Interview
Brad Burton – Motivational Coach, team builder, and speaker.