About Speaker Slam® | 10 Years of Changing Lives Through Storytelling

Our Story

Built on a Simple Belief

We met over 10 years ago at a local speaking group. We became instant friends with a shared passion for personal development, jerk chicken, and taking centre stage. The truth is, we laughed louder than anyone else in the room and we wanted to hang out and dream big. We wanted to create something magical that would shake the world up and really make an impact.

In 2016, we launched Speaker Slam® with a simple belief: everyone has a story worth hearing, and the right stage can change everything. We created it so that we could provide a platform for people to share vulnerably and be seen and heard. What happened next surprised everyone. Audiences wept. Speakers found healing and cathartic experiences. Videos went viral. Careers were born.

By 2019, we had 200 people attending our events monthly, speakers were launching their careers from our stage, and we were inspiring the community of Toronto. We saw speeches explode with massive views and make a difference to so many people. We saw speakers leveraging their success to build movements and momentum.

Then the pandemic hit. We lost everything. Our entire business model was built on live events. The refund requests started coming in. But when one door closes, a window of opportunity opens. We created the first online speaking competition and 91 people signed up from the UK, Nigeria, the USA, and beyond. Even without the stage, people kept coming back, because we gave them permission to share their stories.

The pandemic gave us time to slow down, rebrand, and rebuild. New systems, new products, new ways of thinking. And when we returned to live events, we opened ourselves to a new era.

Ten seasons later, over 1,000 speakers have stood on our stage. Some arrived with decades of experience. Others had never held a microphone. The stage treated them the same. At Speaker Slam®, the story is the great equalizer.

First-time speakers have gone on to land TEDx stages. Quiet professionals became bestselling authors. A single five-minute speech has opened doors that years of effort couldn't.

Speaker Slam® is a launchpad. And we're here to guide you every step of the way. We are excited to be a part of your journey. Join us and our incredibly supportive, heart-centred community. It's time for YOU to shine!

What Drives Us

Our Vision, Mission & Values

Our Vision

To help create powerful, inspirational and transformative performances that inspire and impact millions of people to achieve their dreams and live positively.

Our Mission

To provide a platform for our speakers to be seen and heard by millions of people across the world. One speech can change your life.

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Delivering Value Going above and beyond for every speaker who trusts us with their story.

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Team Oriented A culture of growth, commitment and passion. Believe in the Dream!

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Creative & Innovative Thinking outside the box in everything we do.

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Commitment to Excellence Operating at a high level of professionalism and play.

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Relationships Meaningful connections based on love and support.

Meet the Founders

The People Behind the Stage

Rina Rovinelli

Speaker Coach & Co-Founder

Rina has always been passionate about public speaking and providing a platform for others to push through their fear and share their soul on stage. She is the heart of Speaker Slam®'s coaching methodology, with an innate ability to draw out the most powerful version of someone's story.

She has personally coached hundreds of speakers from their first draft to standing ovation. Her approach centers on authenticity over polish. She believes every person carries a story that can move a room, and her job is to help them find it, shape it, and deliver it with confidence.

That philosophy became the foundation of the Momentum Speakers training programs, which she created and continues to lead. She also founded Platform, a program that empowers marginalized individuals to claim their voice and shift their narrative.

Top 25 Woman of Influence Brilliant Minded Woman Award

momentumspeakers.com → Watch My Why →

Dan Shaikh

Publicist & Co-Founder

Dan Shaikh is an award-winning publicist, brand visibility expert, and co-founder of Speaker Slam® and Changemaker PR. He helps inspirational changemakers get the visibility, credibility, and recognition they deserve so their stories reach the people who need to hear them most.

Dan knows what it's like to feel voiceless. As a shy immigrant, he struggled to be seen and heard. Today, he's made it his mission to ensure other changemakers never feel that way.

Since launching Speaker Slam® in 2016, Dan has produced over 100 events, provided a platform for more than 1,000 speakers, and raised over $30,000 for charitable causes. Through his work, he has helped clients secure media coverage, TEDx talks, book deals, documentaries, and paid speaking opportunities on outlets including CBC, CTV News, Breakfast Television, Global News, The Social, and Canada's Walk of Fame.

Dan has personally been featured on Breakfast Television, CTV News, CityNews, and Omni News, profiled in Canadian Immigrant Magazine, and is a contributing author to the Amazon bestseller Our Yellow Brick Road.

Top 25 Canadian Immigrant (2025) Reach Out Together Mental Health Reporting Award (2025) Toronto Star Gold Award - Best PR (2024) Peak 40 Under 40 - Media & Entertainment (2024)

danshaikh.com → Watch My Why →

Beyond the Competition

Momentum Speakers

In 2026, we launched Momentum Speakers as a standalone brand to serve the full speaking ecosystem. Whether you want to develop your skills, get booked for events, or bring speakers to your organization, Momentum is where that happens.

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Become a Speaker

Training programs that help you find your story, develop your delivery, and build the confidence to share your message with the world.

Explore Training →

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Book a Speaker

Our roster of Speaker Slam® alumni are available for keynotes, panels, workshops, and corporate events across North America.

Browse Speakers →

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Corporate Training

Bring the Momentum methodology to your team. Communication training, leadership storytelling, and presentation skills for organizations of all sizes.

Learn More →

Community

Our Yellow Brick Road

In 2021, something beautiful happened. Our #1 Inspirational Speaker of the Year, Marjorie Aunos, brought 13 Speaker Slam® speakers together to write a collaborative book about connection, storytelling, and the transformative power of community.

The result was Our Yellow Brick Road, an Amazon bestseller where each author shares the chapter of their journey that Speaker Slam® helped them write. It was a secret project months in the making, and when it was finally revealed to Dan and Rina, it left them speechless.

The book is a testament to what happens when you give people a stage and a community. They don't just find their voice. They find each other.

Get the Book on Amazon →

Industry Recognition

What Industry Leaders Say

★★★★★

"I've been to many Speaker Slam® events and I believe that stories change the world. What I love about this organization is that it amplifies those stories to touch millions of lives. I've seen people go from best kept secret to household name because they were able to share their message on this stage."

Giovanni Marsico

Founder, Archangel Summit

★★★★★

"We go through hundreds of videos every single week to decide what goes up on our platform. By watching Speaker Slam® videos we realized how good the content is. We've never worked more than three times with one partner. With Speaker Slam® we've already selected four videos and we're going to select even more."

Cyrus Gorjipour

Co-Founder, Goalcast

★★★★★

"I had a really inspiring time at Speaker Slam®. Clearly everyone put their heart and soul into their presentations and were coached really well to combine authenticity with structure that helped take us on a journey."

Theresa Beenken

CEO, National Speakers Bureau

★★★★★

"What's important about this event is both Rina and Dan elevating voices and giving them a chance and a platform to spread their message. I think it's a really unique experience to participate and be part of. The messages behind the presentations. That's the thing that really touches your heart."

Stu McLaren

Co-Founder, Searchie.io

★★★★★

"Speaker Slam® is completely unique to our industry. It brings out a whole different type of speaker. It's really good for the industry as a whole because it forces different types of people to create stories in short periods of time, similar to TEDx, but it's a competition. Fun and energetic."

Gordon Breault

CEO, Canada's Speaking Bureau

★★★★★

"People's stories are gold. They teach us so many different things. Getting an idea of how people are feeling and the directions their lives have gone in not only enhances and inspires us, but gives us opportunities to get down to the grassroots and share those stories with others."

Angie Seth

News Anchor & Reporter, CBC

★★★★★

"We need to be inspired in the day that we're living in. There's so much doom and gloom around us. People want to hear uplifting stories, to have that connection with each other, and Speaker Slam® is a wonderful way for people to do that."

Kat McMorrow

Senior Producer, CBC

What People Are Saying

From the Speaker Slam® Community

★★★★★

"Dan and Rina are the real deal. They're the kind of people with so much heart who care so deeply about every speaker they work with. They pour all their energy into helping every speaker rise up. They're not just people I've worked with, they've become really good friends."

Vivian Meraki

Parenting Expert & Bestselling Author

★★★★★

"It started with the first moment I talked to Dan when I was still applying. The awareness he had for all I do, he knew about my podcast. That's rare in the industry. And just being part of the warm-hearted community they've built has been such a gift."

Regula Fischer

Founder, Many Firsts

★★★★★

"I don't feel like we are competitors. We're all in this together. I feel like I'm part of a new community of very vibrant, inclusive, just amazing people. Dan and Rina have been so supportive every step of the way. This investment into myself has already paid off."

Jenni Cathcart

Innovation Catalyst

★★★★★

"I started my journey from the Speaker Slam® stage at Lula Lounge with a Passion Speedshare round and then I went on to compete several times and went all the way up to their Grand Slam. Since then I have been known for my speeches. Speaker Slam® has been instrumental in shining the light on me and that is a huge part of my journey. This has been showcased in the documentary that was filmed on my life."

Shirin Ariff

Speaker Slam® Competitor

★★★★★

"The amount of care and training that Rina and Dan give really comes from the heart to make sure you show up fully prepared and ready to impact lives. They've also continued to evolve their community and provide value in so many different ways to ensure their story matters and can change the world."

Dan Faill

Speaker Slam® Competitor

★★★★★

"Their incredible social media and press coverage, along with their own content, will never fully capture the essence of Speaker Slam®. It is of the time - inspiring people from a wide range of backgrounds to come together, celebrating diversity, and share important stories by embracing vulnerability."

Wilf Dinnick

Speaker Slam® Competitor

★★★★★

"I have had the privilege of being part of Speaker Slam® and loved everything about it. From the start Dan and Rina provided an amazing level of support and encouragement. I can honestly say that I am proud to be a member of the Speaker Slam® family and look forward to a long lasting relationship."

Jackie Eldridge

Speaker Slam® Competitor

★★★★★

"Speaker Slam®, thank you for creating a platform that allows people like me to tell their own story. This experience has awoken so much in me. I am eternally grateful for making the connection. I pray others find you and join this inspiring community."

Lasaunia Thompson

Speaker Slam® Competitor

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything You Need to Know

Speaker Slam® is North America's largest inspirational speaking competition, now in its 10th season. Each month, 10 speakers deliver a 5-minute speech on an inspirational theme, competing live on stage in Toronto before 4 industry judges and 200+ audience members. Winners receive a prize package valued at up to $10,000 including $2,000 cash, and advance to the Grand Slam finals in November for the title of Inspirational Speaker of the Year and prizes up to $50,000.

No. At Speaker Slam®, the story is the great equalizer. Professional speakers and first-time speakers compete side by side, and sometimes the first-timer wins. What matters is that you have a powerful personal story and a meaningful message. If you have a story worth telling, you belong here.

Monthly competitions are held live at Lula Lounge in Toronto, Canada. The venue hosts over 200+ people for each event. The annual Grand Slam finals take place at CBC Glenn Gould Studio each November.

The winning formula is one powerful personal story followed by a profound universal message. Speeches are scored out of 100 points across six categories: Message Clarity (25 pts), Storytelling (25 pts), Transformative Impact (15 pts), 'IT' Factor (15 pts), Entertainment Value (10 pts), and Presentation (10 pts). Don't preach or teach. Turn inward, reflect on the theme, and let others be inspired by your journey.

After your competition, you receive your professional multi-camera video, stage photos, and a feedback call to review your scores and growth opportunities. You also begin your 6-month Momentum Membership with twice-monthly classes on personal branding, storytelling, and the business of speaking. If you place in the top positions, you advance to the Grand Slam. Past competitors have leveraged their Speaker Slam® experience into TEDx talks, book deals, paid speaking careers, major media features, and movements reaching millions.

Absolutely. Each competition is open to the public with in-person and livestream tickets available through Eventbrite. It's a great way to experience Speaker Slam® before deciding to compete. Many of our competitors attended as audience members first.

Momentum Speakers is our sister brand focused on speaker development, training, and booking. If you want to build your speaking skills before competing, book a speaker for your event, or bring communication training to your organization, that's where to go. Visit momentumspeakers.com to learn more.

10 YEARS OF
CHANGING LIVES

Built on a Simple Belief

Believe in the Dream