Speaker Slam®, North America's largest inspirational speaking competition, returns to kick off 2026 with a theme that celebrates resilience, determination, and the power of rising despite the odds.
Join us on January 27th, 2026, at the iconic Lula Lounge in Toronto for Against All Odds, an unforgettable evening where courageous voices share the moments they were tested, challenged, and pushed beyond their limits.
This event is a celebration of those who refused to quit, found strength in adversity, and transformed obstacles into fuel for growth. Each speaker will take the stage with a personal story that reminds us: success isn't about a perfect path, it's about the courage to keep going.
Meet Your Judges for "Against All Odds"
We're proud to introduce our esteemed panel of judges, leaders in storytelling, media, entrepreneurship, and influence, who will listen for authenticity, impact, and the voices that truly embody what it means to rise against all odds.
Anna Sinclair
Award-winning CEO & Agency Owner & Angel Investor (WXN Top 100 Most Powerful Women In Canada)
Award-winning entrepreneur, investor, content creator and super mom x3 with 2 decades of experience in entertainment, marketing, and event production. She founded @cwegala, uniting Canada's top brands, marketers, founders, creators and media to open doors for women entrepreneurs through the power of social capital. She's worked with over 350 top-tier brands and secured over $4 million in sponsorships and connections.
Kevin Bourne
Entrepreneur, Storyteller, Strategist
Kevin Bourne is a Toronto-based entrepreneur, journalist, strategist, and former TEDx speaker. He is the founder of the media company SHIFTER and has been seen and heard on CTV, CBC Music, CBC News Network, Postmedia, CityNews, Newstalk 1010, and Fox Soul in the United States. In 2023, he was named one of 310 international voters for the Golden Globe Awards by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Amanda Cupido
Podcast Consultant, Author, Speaker and Post-Exit Entrepreneur
Amanda Cupido is a podcast consultant, speaker, author and post-exit entrepreneur. She is the Executive Podcast Advisor at The Walrus, which acquired her podcast production company Lead Podcasting. Her books, Let's Talk Podcasting and Let's Talk Podcasting for Kids are Amazon bestsellers. She is internationally recognized for her communications consulting, coaching C-suite executives on developing their thought leadership profile.
Bobby Umar
President of Raeallan: Transformation Speaking and Training
Bobby Umar is an inspirational speaker/emcee, TEDx coach, digital influencer (2x LinkedIn Top Voice), who champions thought leadership. A 5x TEDx and Inc Magazine Top 100 Leadership Speaker with over 750,000 social media followers, Bobby is a recognized content creator and authority in Vulnerable Storytelling, Authentic Networking, Personal Branding and Digital Marketing.
The Prize Package
Our judges have generously contributed to a game-changing prize package designed to propel our winners to the next level of their speaking careers.
First Place
- Speaker Slam®: $2000 cash prize & Invitation to the Grand Slam
- Amanda Cupido: 1-hour coaching session plus 1 complimentary ticket to The Soundwave Summit
- Anna Sinclair: 2-hour Personal Brand Advisory call plus Instagram story with linkback (Value: $5,600)
- Kevin Bourne: Featured article on shiftermagazine.com (Value: $1,200)
- Bobby Umar: Personal Branding Discovery Course (Value: $1,997)
Second Place
- Speaker Slam®: Invitation to the Grand Slam
- Anna Sinclair: 1-hour Personal Brand Advisory call (Value: $2,800)
- Kevin Bourne: 60-minute personal consultation (Value: $1,000)
- Bobby Umar: Networking Mastery Program (Value: $897)
Third Place
- Speaker Slam®: Entry to Wildcard Race
- Anna Sinclair: 1-hour Personal Brand Advisory call (Value: $2,800)
- Kevin Bourne: 30-minute personal consultation (Value: $500)
- Bobby Umar: 6-month membership to TLB Club (Value: $425)