Every Speaker Slam® competition brings a new lineup of voices to the stage. On January 24, 2018 at Lula Lounge, Toronto, 10 speakers competed on the theme of Resilience.
Meet the speakers below. See how the night ended in the results.
Sultan Akif
1st Place at Resilience 2018
Sultan Akif walked out of his corporate job with Microsoft to build libraries with his own hands for some of the poorest children in the planet. He left his 17 year career as a corporate executive and traded it for a drill machine so he could make a real difference and be in the space of people who need his help. He is the CEO of Library in a Week organization with an objective of building 100 libraries around the world with four already completed. He is also the CEO of Experience Your Life Expo which is now one of the largest youth empowerment event in Canada. Experience Your Life Expo is now an iconic annual event and has received support from the Prime Minister of Canada, the Minister of Innovation, Commanding Officer of the RCMP, various federal and provincial organization, business executives and various other leaders who share and support his vision of youth empowerment. The expo was shortlisted to the final national rounds of the prestigious CVA awards by the Government of Canada. As a corporate executive, he was involved in over 1 billion dollars of consulting projects. Life was great but he found himself asking the question, “Why am I really here on the planet?”. He knew his purpose was to be in service of others and his journey took him across 70 countries of this planet, across various socio-economic classes and across diverse cultures until he found what he was looking was. Little did he know, everything that he had done in my life had led me to a little village in Nepal of 200 so he could build a library there. Building libraries in Nepal was an experience that rocked me down to my soul. He now spends his time either building libraries or planning out future projects.
Phil Tasci
2nd Place at Resilience 2018
Phil Tasci is an award winning speaker and the author of Speak Like a Pro: Everythingvyou need to know to survive your next speaking gig! A powerful, positive and passionate speaker, Phil believes we all have a story, a message and a purpose that we must manifest. Six months ago, Phil was diagnosed with a rare condition resulting from a lung cancer diagnosis. Unable to walk for months, Phil’s life literally came to a stand still. Using the power of choice, gratitude and positivity, he survived the removal of a lung and is currently thriving able to walk again.
Jessica Opoku
3rd Place at Resilience 2018
She's employed as Program Analyst the Ontario Public Service and holds a degree in Health Science and Biology from the University of Western. She is Spokesperson and a founder of Women with Passion and Purpose, an organization created by five women with the desire to use passion and purpose to inspire and give back to local communities. As an Inspirational Speaker, she is stepping out in faith and doing the ground work to start her own business. Jessica speaks with a dynamic voice and shares her life stories and lessons learned to encourage people, particularly young women, to have a voice and to never give up on their life journey
Shelli Varela
Possibility Hacker, Fire Captain, TEDx Speaker, Author, Podcast Host
Shelli Varela is the creator of the inspiring, innovative system that helped her skyrocket from struggling artist to pioneer in the hyper-competitive world of Firefighting. From first female firefighter in Canada’s sixth largest city to the high-ranking position of Fire Captain and on to “Firefighter of the Year”, Shelli has silenced the naysayers and rocked it ON HER TERMS. Have you been told you couldn’t do something, be something, or achieve your dream even though you KNEW you were meant to do it? Shelli has been there and conquered the fear and barriers that hold other people back. Now she wants to empower YOU to take bold steps in your life by employing the exact same techniques that led to her, and many others, achieving amazing personal results.
Colleen Lindberg
Speaker, Trainer, Facilitator, Consultant, Author, Mentor
Growing up as a child she dreamed of being an entrepreneur while she made cinnamon apples to sell to the neighboring children. With her entrepreneurial spirit she started her first self-employed business at 17 years old and has been running her consulting firm, CLC Consulting for the last 7 years. Her main focus in business right now is creating and enhancing team culture while setting up the right processes in your roles to get the most results. She is the author of the book “Change the Light Bulb: Habits and Choices to Create Success In All Aspects of Your Life” and is currently working on her second book “Entrepreneurship Behind the Scenes.” Colleen loves life and enjoys spending down time taking walks, playing with her animals and laughing. You can always find her nose in a great book. She truly believes that the more you know about yourself the better ammunition you have to create lasting success in all the areas that you want.
W.T. Hamilton
Author, Mentor, Coach
W.T. Hamilton is a Best Selling Mentor Author Coach who has helped many transform their dream into reality. Specializing in taking that million dollar idea and turning it into a viable product or service using mindset techniques married to an action plan. Creating real change and producing real results is his focus. Never being too serious is his passion.
Denise McLaughlin-Mitchell
Resilience Coach, Life Coach, Author, Motivational Speaker
Denise McLaughlin-Mitchell is the founder of McLaughlin Mitchell Coaching, serving individuals committed to reaching beyond potential into abundance. As a Resilience Coach, Denise helps individuals to get out of their own way and live out their dreams. Also an Author, award winning Toastmaster and Professional Speaker, she delivers powerfully to corporate and faith-based clients alike. This warrior spirit has overcome horrific abuses that began in her childhood leading to mental and physical health setbacks as an adult. She even endured marital breakdown and career loss but through it all Denise has developed unshakable faith and bold resilience. Having overcome years trapped in the mindset of a victim, Denise is living proof that your past doesn’t determine your future but experiences can be leveraged to make you stronger. As a mother, Denise has learned not to sweat the small stuff in life because there will always be another load of laundry, but the days of tickle fights and Disney sing-a-longs are short lived. “Everyone has a Stained Glass Story; if we are brave enough we can turn the broken pieces of life into a beautiful masterpiece to share with the world.”
Philip Wiseman
Personality Photographer, Arts Activist, Community Cultivator
Philip casually bicycles around, always looking for the 'wow' of the moment. Sometimes he is seen performing on stage as an actor or speaker. Other times, he is harnessing the power of photo and video, holding a mirror up to society. Although, mostly, he is seen engaging in conversation with artistic and creative beings, reminding them how important they are. Philip provides passion, persistence, poetry, plus personality -- prizing people's perspectives.
Jennifer Casement-Buttineau
Life Coach, Speaker
Jen CB is a Certified Teacher, Life Coach, Speaker and former Semi Pro Athlete. While overcoming the struggles of depression and obesity, she achieved her dream of becoming an international Softball Pitcher and Cy Young Award winner. After coming off a tremendous high in life which began her career to motivate others, life turned unexpectedly, loosing her husband suddenly to cancer in October of 2016. In understanding many of life's trials and tribulations, she now elevates others in their mind/body/spirit connection to live their best life.
Angela Dacey
Personal Development Advisor and Trainer, Entrepreneur, Author
Angela Dacey’s mission is to help you “Live Life Colourfully™. Her passion has been in Personal Development and Colour Therapy, personally and professionally, for over 20 years to help you Detox Your Thoughts using colour as a tool for success. Using the methods she teaches and trusting alternative health, Angela has healed her own childhood story to landing on her feet after a divorce, father’s death and living on her own for the first time with 2 teenagers, all while being an entrepreneur. Angela is excited to speak about Resiliency and share her 3 key staples for Living Life Colourfully.