Three Brands That Blew the Judges Away
On Saturday, April 27, 2024, the second annual Speaker Slam® Brand Builder Competition came to a close online. Ten finalists pitched live in front of four industry-leading judges, each presenting the personal brand they had spent weeks sharpening.
"These 3 women were exceptional yesterday and blew our judges away," co-founder Rina Rovinelli wrote after the finals. "Their graphics were phenomenal, their positioning statements on point, and their pitches, perfection!" The Top 3 finalists earned the title of Leader to Watch.
1st Place: Calissa Ngozi
Youth Mental Health Advocate
Calissa took Gold, continuing what Rina called her "massive momentum building streak." She brings more than two decades of experience in mental health, education and rehabilitation, and she is a Professor at Mohawk College and an award-winning inspirational speaker.
2nd Place: Carlyn Morris
Outdoor Adventurer & Solution Scout
Carlyn took Silver, two years after reaching the Top 10 of the inaugural competition. She is reinventing how leaders and teams approach creative thinking and problem-solving, leading them through her 6-step process to reconnect with nature.
3rd Place: Lucia Gouveia
Founder, Coaching Collective
Lucia took Bronze with what Rina described as a "super polished personal brand." She helps coaches turn their passion into a thriving business.
Honourable mentions go to Karen Porter and Teresa Ryce, who rounded out the top five.
Meet the Judges Who Made It All Happen
- Adam Rodricks, Canada's Top Social Media Strategist
- Andrea Reindl, Entrepreneur, Brand Strategist
- Cher Jones, Corporate Trainer, Speaker & Founder
- Robb Gilbear, Business Mentor, Author, Speaker
The first round was judged by 2017 Inspirational Speaker of the Year Joze Piranian, 2023 Inspirational Speaker of the Year Martin Lespérance and 2022 Brand Builder champion Angie Bailey.
Prizes donated:
- Andrea Reindl: a Visual Brand Blueprint at Legacy Creative for 1st place (value $7,500 USD), a three-session Get Clear Power Session pack for 2nd and a Clear Session for 3rd
- Adam Rodricks: a signed copy of Trigger Fingers for each of the top three, with branding consultations for 1st and 2nd
- Robb Gilbear: a free month of membership
Compete in the Brand Builder Competition
The Brand Builder Competition runs every spring and fall, and entry is free. See the full results on the 2024 Brand Builder Competition page.
Meet the full lineup in Meet Your Speakers for the Brand Builder Competition and the panel in Meet Your Judges for the Brand Builder Competition.