TAKE THE STAGE

Watch what happens when everyday people step onto our stage.

APPLY TO COMPETE

Speaker Slam® is North America's largest inspirational speaking competition, dedicated to empowering the changemakers and thought leaders of tomorrow. 10 speakers craft a powerful 5-minute speech on a theme and compete live on stage in Toronto, Canada.

You could win a prize package valued at up to $10,000, including $2,000 cash. Plus a chance to move on to the Grand Slam in November to compete against the best speakers of the year for the title of Inspirational Speaker of the Year.

Our speakers have gone on to secure paid speaking gigs, deliver TEDx talks, sign book deals, receive media coverage, create viral content, and launch movements that have touched countless lives.

6 Reasons to Compete at Speaker Slam

Step into the spotlight and share your message with the world. Our competition is the launchpad you need to propel your speaking career and become a changemaker.

💬
Make Your Message Matter
Seize this opportunity to clarify your message for the world, using your voice to inspire, uplift, and empower. Embrace your truth and let yourself be seen and heard.
Thrill of Competition
Let the competition ignite your passion. Push yourself to excel and become the best. Embrace the adrenaline rush and savor the triumph of becoming a celebrated speaker.
Credible Panel of Judges
Our panel of industry judges donate a prize package worth up to $10,000 to help you along in your speaking journey. This includes courses, coaching, services, and more.
🏆
Move on to the Grand Slam
Compete for the title of Inspirational Speaker of the Year alongside the top speakers of the year. Win a prize package worth up to $50,000 and propel your speaking career to new heights.
🚀
Build Your Personal Brand
Elevate your personal brand by delivering a powerful speech that reflects your authenticity and uniqueness. Use the power of public speaking to create new business opportunities and expand your reach.
📈
Leverage Your Success
Turn your speech into a foundation for a TEDx talk, a book, a workshop, or a keynote. Showcase your stage video to attract media attention, build a speaker reel, and secure more speaking opportunities.
Choose Your Theme →

Choose Your Theme

Each competition explores a powerful theme. Choose the one that resonates with your story.

Jan 27
Against All Odds
Stories of perseverance when the odds were stacked high and you pushed forward anyway. Grit and determination in the face of doubt. Whether you overcame personal tragedy, broke through barriers, or proved everyone wrong, your story embodies the power of persistence.
Closed
Mar 31
Breakthrough
Some moments change everything. Sometimes it takes years to get there. Other times, it hits all at once. The fog clears. The wall cracks. You take a step and everything shifts. Whether you found clarity after struggle, healed something deep, or made a leap that changed your life, your experience can help someone else find their own opening.
Closed
May 26
The Road Less Traveled
This one is for the people who didn't follow the script. Maybe you turned away from a sure thing to chase something unknown. Maybe you built a path no one understood at the time. These are the stories that speak to courage in quiet places. The kind of choices that don't always get applause right away. But over time, they reveal something deeper.

Submission deadline: April 10th, 2026

● Open
Jul 21
Identity
Who are you at your core? Share the story of how you discovered, reclaimed, or redefined your sense of self. Whether through culture, family, passion, or personal growth, your story can inspire others to embrace their truth.

Submission deadline: June 5th, 2026

● Open
Sep 15
Reinvention
Life changes us, and sometimes we choose to begin again. Share how you transformed after loss, failure, or endings. Tell us how you shed an old identity and stepped into a new version of yourself. Your story can help others see that renewal is always possible.

Submission deadline: July 31st, 2026

● Open
Tell Us Your Story →

How the Competition Works

1
Apply to Compete
Submit your application for a theme that resonates with you. If you're a suitable candidate, we will reach out to schedule a call.
2
Selection & Confirmation
Upon being chosen, your participation is confirmed once the competition fee is paid by the specified deadline.
3
Team Meeting
Meet your fellow competitors 8 weeks prior to the event to understand the competition's expectations and format.
4
Write & Rehearse
Develop a compelling 5-minute speech based on the theme, adhering to our judging criteria. Allocate ample time for rehearsal.
5
The Competition
Take the stage at Lula Lounge in Toronto before 4 industry judges and 200 guests, competing for a prize package valued at up to $10,000.

Contest Details & Rules

Contest Details

  • 10 speakers deliver a 5-minute prepared speech on the theme
  • The best speech wins as evaluated by 4 industry judges
  • Prize package valued at up to $10,000 including $2,000 cash
  • Top 2 speakers advance to the Grand Slam finals in November
  • All competitions are held at Lula Lounge in Toronto, Canada

Speech Rules

  • Time limit: 5 minutes and 30 seconds maximum
  • Exceeding the time limit results in point deductions (1 point lost for every additional 5 seconds)
  • Props are allowed
  • Music is not permitted where technical setup is required

What You Get

When you compete at Speaker Slam®, you walk away with far more than stage time. Here is everything included in your competition experience.

🎤
Competition Entry
Create a buzz for yourself in the speaking community. You will be showcased on stage in front of a live audience of 200 people, including 4 industry leader judges.
Priceless
🎬
Professional Speaker Video
An edited multi-angle video of your speech that you can be proud of and leverage for future speaking opportunities after the event.
Valued at $1,497
📸
Stage Photos
Professional photos of you on stage from a professional photographer to use across your brand and marketing materials.
Valued at $397
📣
Speaker Marketing Pack
Marketing assets including posters and videos provided before and after the competition to help you build your brand and tell your story.
Valued at $297
📚
Brand Builder Speaker Success System
Learn what it takes to craft award-winning speeches with our course. Access tools, frameworks, and strategies used by our top speakers.
Valued at $297
📊
Post-Competition Feedback
Receive your scores and feedback from the judges as well as a full assessment from Rina Rovinelli. Invaluable information to learn and grow.
Valued at $147
🎓
6-Month Momentum Membership
2 monthly classes focused on building your brand and network, developing paid speaking skills, a speaker certification program, and free tickets to Speaker Slam.
Valued at $997
Be Seen by Industry Leaders
We bring industry experts, connectors, and influencers to judge the event. We want our speakers to make powerful, meaningful connections by competing.
Priceless
🏆
Win a Prize Package Up to $10,000
Prizes include coaching packages, video and photo services, TV and magazine exposure, marketing assistance, and $2,000 in cash.
Up to $10,000
🏅
Prestige and Recognition
You become an Award-Winning Speaker that can proudly display this logo on your social media, one-sheet and speaker reel as a marker of credibility.
Priceless
🔥
Top 2 Invited to the Grand Slam
The top speakers of the year return to face off in the Inspirational Speaking Finals for a prize package valued at up to $50,000. Are you the next Inspirational Speaker of the Year?
Grand Slam Prize: Up to $50,000
Tell Us Your Story →

Competition Packages

Entry
Competition Experience
$2,997
The full competition experience with everything you need to take the stage and build your speaker brand.
  • Compete live at Lula Lounge in front of 200+ people and 4 industry judges
  • Professionally edited multi-angle video of your speech
  • Professional stage photos
  • Speaker marketing pack (posters and videos)
  • Brand Builder Speaker Success System course
  • Post-competition feedback and scores from judges
  • 6-month Momentum Membership
  • Level 1 Speaker Certification
Tell Us Your Story
White Glove
Elite Experience
By Consultation
For thought leaders who want the full Speaker Slam® team behind them to attract paid speaking, new clients, and life-changing opportunities.
  • Everything in VIP Experience
  • Brand Audit with Dan: comprehensive review of your website, social media, messaging, and brand consistency
  • 2-hour deep dive strategy session
  • Publicity Strategy Plan with curated media awareness days for content planning
  • Press releases crafted and sent to media on your behalf
  • Post-competition media planning call + customized media pitches
  • Positioning statement, speaker bio, 3 signature talk titles and frameworks with Rina
  • 6-page professional speaker kit and proposal kit
  • Signature Legacy Video: your speech turned into a mini production with music and personalized footage
Tell Us Your Story

Payment plans available.

100-Point Judging System

Four industry judges score each 5-minute speech across six categories.

25 pts
Message Clarity
Is your core message clear, focused, and easy to understand?
25 pts
Storytelling
Do you take us on a journey? Is the story vivid and compelling?
15 pts
Transformative Impact
Does your message inspire change or shift perspective?
15 pts
"IT" Factor
Do you command the room? Is there something magnetic about you?
10 pts
Entertainment Value
Does the audience lean in? Are they engaged start to finish?
10 pts
Presentation
Eye contact, pacing, voice control, and stage presence.

What Our Speakers Say

★★★★★
"Speaker Slam® was one of the best experiences I've had. It was a perfect way to get on stage, build momentum in my career and get great videos and pictures! I even landed multiple media appearances. I'm now a full time professional speaker and it all started with Speaker Slam®."
LM
Lindsy Matthews
Professional Speaker
★★★★★
"In just a short time, I have achieved so many amazing goals, including winning the Speaker Slam® competition. I've also had the opportunity to be featured on multiple media outlets, including The Social, CHCH, CP24, and Windsor local media. If you are thinking of joining this incredible community, don't wait."
DC
Danielle Campo McLeod
Competition Winner
★★★★★
"Since then, I've been coached and supported by the judges, appeared on TV and podcasts, started writing my book, got selected for a TEDx talk, landed on the stage of Archangel Summit, and secured two new speaker bureau collabs. If you dream of stepping on stage, sharing your story, and creating change, Speaker Slam® is the place to make it happen."
ML
Martin Lespérance
Grand Slam Winner
★★★★★
"I went from the gorgeous stage at Lula Lounge in Toronto where I won the Grand Slam to sharing the stage with Dragon Den's Arlene Dickinson at the Archangel Summit and Drake's music video producer Director X at the Top Ten Event. I am truly grateful to have had this opportunity."
JP
Joze Piranian
Grand Slam Winner
★★★★★
"Through their competitions and events, I've been inspired to propel my speaking career to new heights, leading to opportunities for TEDx talks and media exposure. Thank you to the whole Speaker Slam® team for your brilliant work and for fostering a community of growth, empowerment, and transformation."
VV
Ven Virah
Speaker Slam® Competitor
★★★★★
"Not only is the community wonderful, but the production quality of Speaker Slam® is amazing! I am so happy with the videos I got from the semi finals and the finals. Investing in competing in Speaker Slam® is one of the best choices I have made this year for my speaking brand."
MW
Michelle Weger
Inspirational Speaker of the Year
★★★★★
"Because of Speaker Slam® and the first talk I gave, one performance led to an introduction to a judge, which led to an introduction to an agent. Now so many wide open doors in the speaking space are taking place because of that one introduction. One speech really can change your life. It's really built my confidence and helped me to stand in my power."
MO
Meagan O'Nan
Professional Speaker
★★★★★
"Being part of the Speaker Slam® family has opened up a ton of opportunities for me. I am now being seen on media across global stages, writing magazine articles. I'm officially a paid and booked speaker. Working with Dan as my publicist has gotten me gigs that I couldn't have even dreamed of. They are the Dream Team."
CN
Calissa Ngozi
Paid & Booked Professional Speaker
★★★★★
"Becoming an infamous speaker was all launched by the extraordinary Speaker Slam®. Being on their stage started with getting a chance to share a story and through their phenomenal business savviness they connected me to the world. I got viewed approaching 100 million times, with at least 65 million of those trackable directly to Speaker Slam®. I cannot say enough about the authenticity and heartfelt warmth of a genuine interest in driving and thriving their extraordinary leaders."
TS
Unstoppable Tracy
International Award-Winning Speaker & Decorated Athlete
★★★★★
"Speaker Slam® has changed my life. I had never spoken publicly before and now I'm at the Grand Slam. For someone like me who wants this to be my career, it's amazing that I already have a portfolio. The videos, the photos. It puts me ahead tenfold. If you're thinking about it, don't think. Just do."
MW
Maya Woronicz
First-Time Speaker → Grand Slam Finalist
★★★★★
"This was the first time I was able to speak publicly. Never did it before. It's really broken a different side of me, found something within me that I can share with others. If you really want to get into the speaking industry there is no better place to go than through Speaker Slam®. The connections, their history, their knowledge. You can't even put a price on it."
SO
Scott Oldford
Grand Slam Competitor
Tell Us Your Story →

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I approach a theme in the writing process?

Take a theme and put it under a microscope. Look at it from every different angle. You aren't necessarily tackling the theme head-on as to say "what is this theme?" but rather, what is your unique relationship or understanding of the theme. What role does this theme play in your life? Is there something in your personal life story that makes you unique and has contributed to the theme?

This theme doesn't resonate with me. Should I still compete?

Think of this competition as a great opportunity to challenge yourself. Dig deep. Reflect over your life and your own personal stories. You will be surprised by what comes up for you. Our themes don't need to be the core value of your life, but we believe that sometimes it's within the small stories that the biggest lessons are revealed.

How do I win Speaker Slam?

The winning formula for Speaker Slam is one powerful personal story followed by a profound universal message or learning. Don't preach or teach, and don't focus on motivating. Instead, turn inward and reflect on the theme and allow others to be inspired by your journey.

Who competes at Speaker Slam?

The beautiful thing about Speaker Slam is that the story is the great equalizer. We have had professional speakers and first-time speakers going head to head. We've had social media influencers, authors, coaches, entrepreneurs, and professionals all throwing their hat in and tackling the theme of the month. The one thing all of our speakers have in common is that they are heart-centered and looking to make an impact with their voice.

Where does the competition take place?

Our in-person competitions take place at Lula Lounge in Toronto, Canada. Speakers travel from across North America to compete.

Are payment plans available?

Yes, payment plans are available.

Tell Us Your Story →

Tell Us Your Story

Share a bit about yourself and the story you want to bring to the stage. No commitment, no pressure. If it's a fit, we'll reach out to set up a call.

This helps us understand if your story is a fit for the theme. Be personal and specific.
There's no right answer. First-time speakers have won Speaker Slam®.
Instagram, LinkedIn, personal website, whatever shows who you are.

We review every application personally. If your story is a fit, we'll reach out to set up a call.