Nicole Verkindt

Speaking topics

Presentations listed below include in-person and virtual keynotes, as well as workshops, fireside chats, and other presentation formats.

• Entrepreneurship

  Nicole Verkindt has only ever interviewed for a “job” once (a “huge flop”, she says) and her first and only job with a “real boss” was 100% commission based.

  An entrepreneur from the beginning of her career, Verkindt believes that the skills required to be successful in entrepreneurship are no different if you are a farmer, an owner of manufacturing facilities, a technology entrepreneur, or anything in between.

  In this inspirational and information-packed talk, Verkindt shows entrepreneurs how to turn ideas into success, and be entrepreneurial in any role.

• Innovation, Technology, and Disruption

  Nicole Verkindt is passionate about technology. She is a frequent tech commentator for CBC, a technology columnist, and was previously a “dragon” on CBC’s tech-focused web series Next Gen Den, all this in addition to being the founder of the tech-driven company, OMX.

  In this riveting talk, Verkindt explains how investment in technology can drive competitive growth and shows audiences how to leverage technology as a competitive advantage. She walks through the latest technology trends and what they could mean specifically for her audience and provides steps for how any role in an organization can be innovative and entrepreneurial.

• Future of ESGs: Innovation in Sustainability

  Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria are a set of standards becoming increasingly important for all companies. An organization’s ESG approach and rating will have a big impact on how they are assessed by investors, government institutions, and customers (both consumers and as part of procurement and supply chain requirements).

  Nicole Verkindt helps audiences better understand why ESGs matter, the varying needs of stakeholders who reference ESGs, and how technology is going to play a growing part in the rating process. As the founder of OMX, an online supply chain data analytics business, Verkindt has watched firsthand as ESGs have grown in prominence and complexity over the past decade. She leveraged OMX with one of the biggest ESG rating organizations in the world, Sustainalytics. With her experience and expertise, Verkindt guides audiences through this increasingly important component of modern business.

• The Future of B2C Selling: Consumer Trends

  Within the span of two years, consumers have drastically altered their behaviour in response to a radically changed world. Today’s post-pandemic consumers are more impatient, have short attention spans, ignore ads online, and want things instantaneously. Retailers and brands that are unable to keep up are being left behind.

  Nicole Verkindt is the CEO of Buggy, a rapid grocery and essentials delivery business — think Amazon, but in 15 minutes. This retail model has exploded in Europe with companies having a collective valuation of over $20 billion. US is following suit with Canada not far behind.

  Drawing from real-world data collected through her online platform, Buggy, Verkindt will share insight into today’s consumer — the TikTok consumer, as she calls them — exploring what they want and how they want it. While breaking down today’s biggest consumer trends, she’ll show audiences how to adapt their sales and marketing strategies to better connect with this new generation of consumers and find success in this new world of retail.

• Women/Diversity in Business Leadership

  The new economy we are living in, driven by exponential technology growth, has created a new power structure globally, and thus new rules for how to succeed. Nicole Verkindt sees this technology revolution as the greatest opportunity to drive diversity throughout organizations. With data and anecdotes, Verkindt proves that embracing diversity is the key for organizations to innovate, grow, and thrive in this new uncertain paradox.

• Canadian Competitiveness

  As the newly appointed Co-Chair of the Business Council of Canada (BCC) Task force on Canada’s Economic Future, Nicole Verkindt discusses the key elements required to make Canada more competitive around the world. De-regulation, tax policy changes, embracing innovation, and more will all be key to Canada’s economic future.

• The AI Revolution: Opportunities and Challenges Ahead

  ChatGPT is revolutionizing the way we work and run our businesses. How? Tech entrepreneur Nicole Verkindt dives deep into AI’s latest leap in technology to show audiences where it’s going and how organizations can best prepare for an AI-fuelled future. She will explore the opportunities and challenges ahead while outlining how this technology will trickle down into so many different types of organizations and roles, the talent requirements and training needed for this new future, and how organizations can use AI to achieve their greatest potential and competitive advantage.