Speakers / Types: Motivational Speakers
Motivational Speaker
Do you or your staff need someone to encourage you to work better help you achieve your goals? Our motivating and inspiring speakers share their experiences when overcoming some of life’s most difficult obstacles, and how you can, too.
Hamza Khan
Multi-Award Winning Marketer & Entrepreneur | Empowerment Expert
Hamza Khan is a multi-award-winning marketer, bestselling author, and global keynote speaker whose TEDx talk “Stop Managing, Start Leading” has been viewed over a million times. He shares actionable insights on resilience, productivity, and leaders...
Riaz Meghji
Human Connection Expert | Author of Every Conversation Counts
Riaz Meghji is a human connection keynote speaker and author of the book Every Conversation Counts: The 5 Habits of Human Connection That Build Extraordinary Relationships. He is also an accomplished broadcaster with 17 years of television experience, intervie...
Ben Nemtin
#1 New York Times Bestselling Author | Cofounder of The Buried Life Movement
As the #1 New York Times bestselling author of What Do You Want to Do Before You Die? and star of MTV’s high rated The Buried Life, Ben Nemtin uses keynote presentations to help empower and motivate groups to make a difference and live courageously. Nemt...
Seth Godin
Author, Entrepreneur and Most of All, A Teacher
Seth Godin is an internationally recognized speaker, popular blogger, and global thought leader in innovative business ideas and marketing strategy. Named one of the Top 21 Speakers For the 21st Century by Successful Meetings magazine, Godin draws on his bests...
Tina Varughese
Cross-Cultural Communication and Diversity Expert
An Indo-Canadian daughter of first generation East Indian parents, Varughese says her cultural background allows her to find “the best of both worlds” and shed light, knowledge, and, most importantly, universal humour into the changing workplace. H...
Jack Armstrong
Award Winning Broadcaster | Toronto Raptors Game Analyst | TSN’s Basketball Insider
Best known as the colourful and entertaining voice of the 2019 NBA Championship winning team, the Toronto Raptors, Jack Armstrong has spent more than two decades covering basketball for TSN and NBA TV. Prior to this, he spent a decade as the head basketball co...
Chris Bashinelli
National Geographic Explorer | Executive Producer and Host, Bridge the Gap
Chris Bashinelli was 20 years old when he traveled to Tanzania to film his first documentary, asking the question: how can we change the world? When he returned, his father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. It was this moment that he realized there was nothi...
Col. Nicole Malachowski, USAF (Ret.)
First Woman Thunderbird Pilot | Combat Veteran | White House Fellow and Advisor
Colonel Nicole Malachowski defies stereotypes. The first woman pilot on the Thunderbirds, a combat veteran, and a White House Fellow, her distinguished 21-year Air Force career exceeded her wildest dreams. But the dream came to a quick end when a devastating t...
Jennifer Barroll
Corporate Leadership and Communications Consultant
Jennifer Barroll is a passionate communicator. With a background as an actor, media personality, and stand-up comedian, Barroll uses her quick wit and energetic personality to deliver practical leadership training and communication tools. Having worked with so...
Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida
Acclaimed Musicians | Award-Winning Humanitarians
One of Canada’s most influential cultural couples, Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida have earned nearly every accolade their country can give them, including a joint appointment to the Order of Canada for their humanitarian efforts. But ask them what the...
Kellylee Evans
Juno Award-Winning Singer-Songwriter | Motivational Speaker
Internationally acclaimed Juno Award-Winning singer-songwriter Kellylee Evans has been making waves around the world with her energy-charged performances. She shares her inspirational journey of recovery, and showcases the importance of self-care and finding y...
Kai Kight
Violinist | Composer | Innovator | Entrepreneur
Kai Kight has inspired thousands to reach their creative potential. An innovative violinist, composer, and speaker, Kai uses music to fuel his mission to spark a global mindset shift in which ingenuity is the norm, not the exception. He performs mesmerizing, o...
Drew Dudley
Internationally Acclaimed Leadership Speaker | Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author
Called one of the most inspirational TED speakers in the world, Drew Dudley is on a mission to help people discover the leader within. With more than five million views, his TED talk “Everyday Leadership (The Lollipop Moment)” redefined leadership ...
Serena Ryder
Juno Award-Winning Musician | Mental Health Advocate
For Serena Ryder, music is medicine. Her raw and earnest songwriting, and beautifully electric live performances, have made her a favourite amongst fans, peers, and critics alike. The award-winning singer-songwriter has won six prestigious JUNO Awards, a MuchM...
Chris Koch
Renowned Motivational Speaker
Chris Koch doesn’t let limitations or obstacles stand in his way. Despite being born without arms and legs, Koch grew up like any other small-town kid — playing road hockey, causing mischief at school, and helping out on his family farm. Neither he or his ...
Robin Esrock
Renowned Travel Writer and TV Host
Robin Esrock’s success as a global adventurer, travel writer, bestselling author, and international TV personality is no accident — although it did start with one. After a bike accident left him with a modest insurance settlement, Esrock quit his job to se...
Shane Feldman
Connection | Community | Leadership
In this digital age of distraction and disconnection, many companies are finding it increasingly challenging to engage and retain both top-tier talent and customers. This is where Shane Feldman thrives. Recognized by The White House, The Prime Minister of Cana...
Anthony McLean
Leadership | Mental Health | Inclusivity
With a background in theatre, Anthony McLean delivers lively presentations on diversity, anti-racism, and mental health. He has delivered hundreds of inspiring talks across Canada, the US, and Australia. As a respected voice in his field, McLean has appeared o...
Samra Zafar
Human Rights Activist | Social Entrepreneur | Bestselling Author
After escaping a decade of abuse living as a child bride in a forced marriage in Canada, Samra Zafar became a beacon of hope for many people facing exclusion, abuse, and gender-based violence. Now an award-winning international speaker, bestselling author, sch...
Debbie Travis
International Television Icon | Entrepreneur | Bestselling Author
Known for her fantastic dry British wit, Debbie Travis is the centre of a small business empire that has made her a beloved household name and television icon around the world. Her popular TV shows have aired in more than 80 countries, her weekly syndicated ne...
Jana Webb
Entrepreneur | Founder and Creator, JOGA
A lifelong athlete, Jana Webb is on a mission to share her inimitable perspective of fitness and health with the world. She is the founder and CEO of Joga, a unique blend of yoga and sport that has revolutionized how people, including elite athletes, strengthe...
Yassmin Abdel-Magied
Leadership & Diversity Expert | Social Advocate
Yassmin Abdel-Magied is an engineer, author, broadcaster, and award-winning social advocate. Her powerful TED talk, “What does my headscarf mean to you” has more than 1.8 million views, and she has become an internationally renowned speaker on the topics o...
Justin Kingsley
Award-Winning Storyteller and Creative Strategist | Bestselling Author | Filmmaker
Justin Kingsley is one of the most versatile and truly unique storytellers in the world. A New York Times bestselling author, Kingsley is a strategist, creative director, filmmaker, photographer, and a former press secretary under Prime Minister Paul Martin. N...
Vinh Giang
Entrepreneur | Master Communicator | Magician
For more than 15 years, Vinh Giang has dedicated himself to mastering the art of performance-enhanced communication, helping thousands of professionals worldwide do the same through the power of magic. In his inspiring talks, Giang seamlessly integrates storyt...
Scott Burrows
Expert on Vision, Mindset, and Pure Grit
Scott Burrows has lived the hero’s journey. Growing up as an all-star athlete, Burrows played college football at FSU and was a top-ranked kickboxing champion whose last fight was broadcast by ESPN. During the height of his athletic career though, Burrows su...
Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe
Expert on Resiliency and Workplace Wellness
Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe is a multi-award-winning psychology and education instructor who specializes in resiliency, navigating stress and change, and personal wellness in the workplace. Described as transformational, engaging, and thought-provoking, Hanley-Daf...
Alex Hutchinson
Human Performance Expert | Award-Winning Journalist | Bestselling Author
Many believe our limits are defined by physical traits, but Alex Hutchinson knows that limits only exist in our minds. An award-winning science journalist, Alex draws on his experiences as an elite long-distance runner for Canada’s national team and as a sci...
Swish Goswami
Startup Canada's Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Swish Goswami has built a multi-hyphenate career at just the age of 23. He is the CEO of Trufan, a social intelligence platform that helps brands of all sizes make smarter marketing decisions. His company, which acquired SocialRank in late 2019, works with cli...
Jamie Mason Cohen
Leadership & Performance Expert
Referred to by some as the “personality x-ray machine”, Jamie Mason Cohen is a certified grapho-therapist and leadership strategist whose TEDx talk on how to spot a leader through their handwriting has been viewed more than two million times. His unique an...
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir
The Most Decorated Figure Skaters in Olympic History
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir not only danced their way to two gold medals at the 2018 Winter Games in PeongChang, South Korea—they danced their way into the hearts of people around the world. The most decorated figure skaters in Olympic history, the pair are ...
Johnny Cupcakes
CEO, Johnny Cupcakes | Award Winning Entrepreneur & Brand Hysteria Expert
If you dream of inspiring cult-like brand loyalty—the kind that involves mile-long queues and even permanent tattoos— then Johnny “Cupcakes” Earle is for you. The founder of the world-renowned tee-shirt brand Johnny Cupcakes, Johnny’s kno...
Sarah McVanel
Recognition Expert
Sarah McVanel is passionate about guiding people to discover their own greatness, and recognize the greatness in others. In her curated, customized talks, she offers the evidence that backs up how recognizing greatness is a fundamental key to improving morale,...
Dr. Lisa Bélanger
Behavioural Change Expert | Researcher
An organization’s greatest asset is its people. Award-winning CEO Dr. Lisa Bélanger shows leaders and teams how insights from psychology, neuroscience, and behavioural science can be applied in the workplace to optimize performance, productivity, and innova...
Joey Coleman
Customer Experience Expert
When organizations like Whirlpool, NASA, Volkswagen Australia, the World Bank, and Zappos need to boost their customers’ experience, they call on Joey Coleman for assistance. For nearly twenty years, Coleman has helped organizations retain their best cus...
Jade Simmons
Transformative Leadership Expert | Motivational Pianist
How do you get to be named Classical Music’s “No.1 Maverick?” By repeatedly defying expectations, delivering riveting performances, and combining passion and innovation at every turn. Called a “musical force of nature”, Jade Simmo...
Allison Massari
Inspirational TED Speaker | Burn Survivor | Visual Artist
Hailed by audiences worldwide as “life-changing”, “riveting”, “extraordinary”, “bold”, and “deeply moving”, Allison Massari’s message of courage, kindness, and resilience resonates with participants long after an event has finished. Liste...
Choir! Choir! Choir!
International Singing Phenomenon
Choir! Choir! Choir! has sung with Tegan and Sara at the Junos, performed at a David Bowie tribute in New York, and have even taken to the Radio City Music Hall stage with Debbie Harry and The Flaming Lips. A collective led by creative directors Nobu Adilman ...
Martin Luther King III
Global Human Rights Activist
As the oldest son of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mrs. Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King III serves as an ambassador of his parent’s legacy of nonviolent social change. Motivating audiences with his message of hope and responsibility for ...
Mel Robbins
Expert on Defeating Doubt | Award-Winning CNN Commentator | Bestselling Author
In her globally acclaimed TEDx talk, Mel Robbins wowed the world with the science-backed secret to change: The 5 Second Rule. More than 17 million views later, the 5 Second Rule has become a bestselling book and a life-changing movement that challenges thinkin...
Michael Burns
President and CEO, Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation | Former CEO, Invictus Games
Under Michael Burns’ leadership, the Toronto Invictus Games were completely sold out, and viewed by more than 40 million people around the world. But, more than anything, the Games continued to enhance the global understanding of the ongoing challenges veter...
Phil M. Jones
Globally Recognized Sales Expert | Bestselling Author
Phil M. Jones has made it his life’s work to demystify the sales process, reframe what it means to “sell”, and help sales teams learn new skills that inspire confidence, overcome fears, and instantaneously impact their results. His contagious personality...
Neen James
Sales, Leadership, and Productivity Expert
Today’s leaders and team members live, work, and breathe in a whirlwind 24/7 cycle of commitments, distractions, data, and deadlines, causing them to feel stressed, overwhelmed, and out of control. Productivity, sales, and leadership expert Neen James’ hig...
Peter Katz
JUNO-Nominated Musician and Storyteller
Peter Katz is a JUNO Award and Canadian Screen Award-nominated singer-songwriter who has spent the past 15 years touring internationally, sharing the stage and studio with legendary musicians and releasing five albums. A gifted storyteller, Katz infuses his pr...
Shawn Kanungo
Strategy in a World of Disruption
Shawn Kanungo is a globally recognized innovation strategist. He previously spent 12 years at Deloitte working closely with leaders to better plan for the opportunities associated with disruptive innovation. His mandate at the firm was to help corporate execut...
Stuart Knight
Expert Communicator | Award-Winning Entrepreneur
Stuart Knight helps the world’s biggest companies reach new levels of success. An award-winning entrepreneur, communications expert, and critically acclaimed author, Stuart’s clients are the “who’s who” of business — from Nike and Telus, to Kra...
Kevin Breel
Mental Health Activist | TED Sensation
Kevin Breel’s TEDx Talk, “Confessions of a Depressed Comic”, has garnered more than four million views, making it one of the most watched TED talks ever on mental health. In the years since he delivered it, Kevin’s been called one of the “most ...
Tim Arnold
Leadership Development and Teambuilding Expert
Leaders and teams are often in a tug-of-war, facing competing demands such as planning vs. action, structure vs. flexibility, change vs. stability, and work vs. home. In order to thrive, they must tackle these tensions head on. Tim Arnold provides his audience...
Yossi Ghinsberg
Adventurer | Amazon Survivor | Inspiration for the Movie Jungle
Yossi Ghinsberg knows survival like almost no one else. When he was just 21 years old, he made headlines around the world for having survived in the Amazon rainforest for three weeks, alone. Today, Yossi draws on the lessons he learned from his ordeal to show ...
Barry Pokroy
Clinical Psychologist | Organizational Behaviour and People Performance Expert
Barry Pokroy helps organizations make lasting and sustainable changes in the performance of their people and the business itself. His extensive background in clinical psychology accelerates performance and drives lasting results. A go-to resource when it come...
Mike Downie
Award-Winning Documentary Filmmaker | Co-Founder, Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund
Mike Downie is a multi-award-winning documentary filmmaker and the co-founder of the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund. A celebrated and inspirational storyteller, Downie takes his audiences on a ride that explores how our stories define us, remind us of o...