Season 2026 · The Road to the Grand Slam

THE WILD CARD RACE

The final chance for speakers to earn their way into the Grand Slam: Inspirational Speaking Finals, Speaker Slam®'s biggest stage of the year.

What It Is

Two Ways Into The Grand Slam

Throughout the season, the champions from each qualifier automatically advance to the Grand Slam. But 4 more spots are up for grabs, and this is where the Wild Card Race comes in. It exists for the speakers who delivered a powerful talk this season and did not advance: the ones who placed just outside the top, went over time, or had a night where the room was stacked. It also exists for the speakers who kept building after their competition, the ones who show promise and potential and have been making things happen ever since.

1

The Shortlist

The Speaker Slam® team invites 8 to 12 speakers from this season's qualifiers who did not advance, chosen on judges' scoring, speaker momentum, engagement and participation, time disqualifications, and overall attitude.

2

The Public Vote

For a few days, the community votes online for the speaker they want to see on the Grand Slam stage. One vote per person, and every share counts.

3

The Team Review

At the same time, the Speaker Slam® team weighs votes, the quality of the speech, speaker momentum, and audience support to choose the speakers who best exemplify what the Grand Slam stage is about.

The Outcome

4 Spots. Two Ways To Earn Them.

2

Chosen by Your Votes

The top vote-getters go straight to the Grand Slam. This is the community's pick.

2

Selected by the Team

Chosen by Speaker Slam® based on performance, momentum, and impact.

Together they join the Grand Slam lineup on November 21, 2026 at the CBC Glenn Gould Studio to compete for the title of Inspirational Speaker of the Year and a prize package worth up to $50,000. Learn about the Grand Slam →

The 2026 Race

Meet This Year's Candidates

Ten speakers from the 2026 season, invited on judges' scoring, momentum, engagement, and attitude. 4 of them will take the Grand Slam stage on November 21, 2026.

Donna Murphy

Donna Murphy

Therapist, Jungian Enthusiast
The Road Less Traveled
Karen Craggs

Karen Craggs

Diversity & Sustainability Expert
Breakthrough
Duncan Brown

Duncan Brown

Toronto, Ontario
Breakthrough
Lilly White

Lilly White

Life Transition Expert, Resilience Speaker
Identity
Jane Barratt

Jane Barratt

Ageism Expert, Global Advisor
Identity
Carol-Anne Schneider

Carol-Anne Schneider

Real Estate Broker, Life Coach
Reinvention
Yvette Murray

Yvette Murray

Mental Health Caregiver Author, Advocate
The Road Less Traveled
Gillian Nycum

Gillian Nycum

Culture Architect, Human Capacity Expert
Breakthrough
Santo Chiappetta

Santo Chiappetta

Inspirational Speaker, Human Performance Coach
Breakthrough
Sophie Fengaras

Sophie Fengaras

High-Ticket Sales Mentor, Motivational Speaker
Breakthrough
How Voting Works

Dates, Rules, And What Happens Next

Sept 22
Voting Opens

The ballot goes live at speakerslam.com/vote

Sept 24
Voting Closes

11:59 PM ET. Late votes are not counted.

Sept 26
Wild Cards Announced

The 4 speakers advancing to the Grand Slam are revealed

Nov 21
The Grand Slam

CBC Glenn Gould Studio, Toronto

  • Where to votespeakerslam.com/vote, from any device. The link opens the moment voting starts.
  • One vote per personOne unique email address, one vote. Duplicates are removed before counting.
  • Who you can vote forAny one of this year's 10 candidates. Choose the speaker you most want to see on the Grand Slam stage.
  • How spots are decided2 speakers advance on the highest vote counts. 2 more are selected by the Speaker Slam® team on votes, speech quality, momentum, and audience support.
  • Leave a messageWhen you vote, you can write a few words to the speaker. Every candidate receives their messages after the race, anonymously.
  • ResultsAnnounced by September 26, 2026. Wild card winners join the season's champions at the Grand Slam.
It Has Happened Before

Two Champions Came Through The Race

The Wild Card Race is not a consolation round. Two of the last three Inspirational Speakers of the Year did not advance from their qualifier. They earned their way back in, and then they won everything.

Martin Lesperance, 2023 Inspirational Speaker of the Year

Martin Lesperance, 2023

Martin went over time at Empowerment in September 2023 and did not place. He entered the Wild Card Race, won it, and two months later was crowned the 2023 Inspirational Speaker of the Year. He has since delivered a TEDx talk and returned to Speaker Slam® as a judge.

Read Martin's story →
Michelle Weger, 2025 Inspirational Speaker of the Year

Michelle Weger, 2025

Michelle placed fourth at The Underdog in July 2025. Fourth place does not advance. She entered the Wild Card Race, her community rallied behind her in the vote, and four months later she was crowned the 2025 Inspirational Speaker of the Year.

Read Michelle's story →
The Race Over the Years

A Path To Redemption

2022

The first Wild Card Race. One open spot at the Grand Slam, four speakers on the ballot, decided entirely by public vote.

2023

Five spots opened at the Grand Slam. Nine shortlisted speakers, five days of voting, and one of the five, Martin Lesperance, went on to win the whole thing. Read the 2023 race

2025

The team review joined the public vote. Five wild cards advanced: Ivan Fredette, Rimshah Ahmed, Pat Doyle, Inga Tkachenko Ramage, and the eventual champion, Michelle Weger.

Every Vote Carries a Message

The Part Nobody Expects

When you vote, you can leave a few words for the speaker you chose. After the race closes, every candidate receives the messages their community left for them, gathered into one document, anonymous, and theirs to keep. Whether they advance or not, they walk away knowing exactly how many people showed up for them and what their story meant.

"I read every response with a smile on my face, joy in my heart, and tears in my eyes." A 2025 Wild Card candidate, on receiving her messages.

This Is Your Chance To Shape The Stage

Voting opens September 22, 2026 and closes September 24, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. When it opens, the voting link will be right here and at speakerslam.com/vote.

Voting Opens September 22
Get Grand Slam Tickets
Questions

How The Race Works

Who is eligible for the Wild Card Race?

Speakers who competed in this season's qualifiers and did not advance to the Grand Slam. The Speaker Slam® team invites 8 to 12 standouts each season, chosen on judges' scoring, speaker momentum, engagement and participation, time disqualifications, and overall attitude. Going over time is not the end of the road. We also look at what happened after the competition. Speakers who kept creating, kept showing up, and built real momentum since their night on stage are exactly who this race is for.

How many times can I vote?

Once. Each person gets a single vote, so choose the speaker you most want to see on the Grand Slam stage and rally the people around you to vote too.

How are the spots decided?

2 spots go to the top vote-getters. 2 spots are selected by the Speaker Slam® team, who review each shortlisted speaker's performance, the momentum they have built since competing, and the impact of their story.

When is the Grand Slam?

November 21, 2026 at the CBC Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto. Wild card winners join the season's champions to compete for the title of Inspirational Speaker of the Year. Learn more about the Grand Slam.

Can I compete next season?

Yes. Applications for the next season are open at speakerslam.com/apply. One speech can change your life.