Speaker Slam
Speaker Slam is a Toronto-based speaker development agency founded in 2016 that runs North America's largest inspirational speaking competition, offering live events, certification, coaching, publicity, and brand-building services to aspiring and emerging professional speakers, coaches, authors, entrepreneurs, and corporate clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Speaker Slam does
Speaker Slam® Inc. is a Toronto-based speaker development agency founded in 2016 that operates what it describes as North America's largest inspirational speaking competition. The core product is a monthly (per other sources, every two months) themed live competition held at Lula Lounge in Toronto, where 10 speakers deliver 5-minute speeches judged by 4 industry judges before a 200+ audience, with an annual Grand Slam Finals at CBC Glenn Gould Studio featuring prize packages up to $50,000. Since founding, the company has launched 1,000+ speakers, produced 200+ events, and accumulated 100M+ video views across viral distribution partners including Goalcast, Jay Shetty, Power of Positivity, and A-Plus. The company is co-founded by Dan Shaikh (publicist) and Rina Rovinelli (master speaker coach) and structured as an Ontario private corporation with no external institutional investment.
The technology layer is deliberately thin and SaaS-dependent: Kajabi delivers online courses and member content, Eventbrite handles ticketing, Netlify hosts the website, and the business is otherwise service-based with founder-delivered publicity, coaching, and brand building. Proprietary assets are human methodologies rather than software: The Bookable Brand™ Build (Speaker DNA, Positioning Statement, Brand Umbrella, Signature Framework), the Be Pitched and Get Seen publicity methodology, a four-level Speaker Certification program with 24 challenges, and a 100-point judging rubric across six categories.
The business model combines one-time competition entry fees tiered from $2,997 (Competition Experience) to $19,997 (Authority Experience, optionally $1,997/month × 12), with add-on one-on-one coaching, publicity retainers, brand video and photography services, and standalone Momentum Membership subscriptions offering twice-monthly classes. Additional revenue streams include the virtual Brand Builder Competition, Command the Room corporate training, and the Momentum Speakers agency that books trained alumni for paid corporate engagements. Customer segments span aspiring and emerging professional speakers, coaches, consultants, authors, entrepreneurs, advocates, and corporate organizations — all served primarily through an application-and-discovery-call sales process rather than self-serve e-commerce.
Speaker Slam firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Speaker Slam
- Legal name
- Speaker Slam® Inc.
- Website
- https://speakerslam.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Speaker Slam is a Toronto-based speaker development agency founded in 2016 that runs North America's largest inspirational speaking competition, offering live events, certification, coaching, publicity, and brand-building services to aspiring and emerging professional speakers, coaches, authors, entrepreneurs, and corporate clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Speaker Slam industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Speaker Development Services
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Debate Academies & Speech Coaching Centers (EDAMAOAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- 1:1 Speech, Rhetoric & Communication Coaching (EDAMAOAK), Corporate/Professional Public Speaking Training (Presentation Skills) (EDAMAOAJ), Debates & Panel Discussions (MPAGACAK)
Keywords
Where Speaker Slam is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Speaker Slam business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Competition Entry Fees: Primary revenue stream from competition participation packages. The base Competition Experience starts at $2,997 per speaker. Higher-tier packages (VIP $4,997, Authority $19,997) add coaching, branding, and publicity services. Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable per Terms of Service.
- Momentum Membership Subscription: Recurring subscription program offering twice-monthly classes on speaking, storytelling, personal branding, certification, and business of speaking. Included in competition packages (6 months to 18 months depending on tier). Standalone membership available.
- One-on-One Coaching: Individual speech coaching sessions for competition preparation, TEDx talks, and corporate presentations. Offered as part of VIP and Authority packages, with additional coaching hours available for purchase.
- Publicity Services: Media pitching, press features, TV segments, award submissions, and brand visibility strategy delivered by Dan Shaikh. Integrated into Authority Experience or available as standalone service through Be Pitched and Get Seen program.
- Brand Building Services: Expert Amplifier branding packages including portrait photoshoots, brand video production, social media reels, and The Bookable Brand Build methodology. Integrated into premium packages or available as add-on services.
- Corporate Training: Command the Room program delivering communication, connection, and competition-based training for organizations. Branded speaker agency (Momentum Speakers) books alumni for corporate events.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Competition Experience - Base competition entry with professional video and 6-month membership |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | VIP Experience - Competition plus coaching and branding |
| Subscription | Monthly | Authority Experience - Complete build with publicity and brand strategy |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Visibility Experience - Competition with PR and brand audit |
| Subscription | Monthly | Momentum Membership (Standalone) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | One-on-One Coaching (Add-on) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels10 records
Speaker Slam product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Speaker Slam is a speaker development agency that operates North America's largest inspirational speaking competition, held in Toronto with monthly qualifier events where 10 speakers deliver 5-minute speeches before industry judges and 200+ audience members. The company bundles its competition with tiered speaker development packages including personal branding, one-on-one coaching, certification training through Momentum Membership, publicity/PR services, and professional video production. Additional offerings include corporate communication training (Command the Room), a virtual brand competition, and a speakers bureau (Momentum Speakers) that books alumni for corporate events.
Product overview
Speaker Slam is a speaker development agency and competition platform operating North America's largest inspirational speaking competition. The core offering consists of monthly themed competitions held at Lula Lounge in Toronto, where 10 speakers deliver 5-minute speeches judged by industry professionals. Surrounding this central competition product, the company offers the Momentum Membership training program with twice-monthly classes, a four-level Speaker Certification Program (Inspirational, Professional, Expert, Thought Leader), one-on-one speech coaching, and publicity services. Additional products include video services (Speaker Reels, Signature Legacy Videos, Expert Amplifier Package), speaker assets (Speaker Kits, Signature Talk Decks), the Brand Builder virtual competition, corporate training (Command the Room), and the Momentum Speakers booking agency. The company sells tiered experience packages—Competition Experience, Visibility Experience, and Authority Experience—that bundle various combinations of these products and services together.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Momentum Speakers: Speakers agency for event planners and organizations to book stage-tested Speaker Slam alumni for keynotes, panels, workshops, and corporate events.
- Momentum Membership
- The Bookable Brand™
- Command the Room
Products and services
- The Competition Quarterly themed inspirational speaking competition held in Toronto with 10 speakers delivering 5-minute speeches before 4 industry judges and 200+ audience members. Top speakers advance to the Grand Slam Finals at CBC Glenn Gould Studio for the Inspirational Speaker of the Year title and $50,000 prize package.
- Momentum Membership Subscription-based speaker development training program offering two classes per month focused on speaking and storytelling, personal branding, the speaker certification program, and the business of speaking. Included with competition participation (6-18 months depending on tier) and available as standalone subscription.
- Speaker Certification Program Structured four-level certification pathway (Inspirational Speaker Level 1, Professional Speaker Level 2, Expert Speaker Level 3, Thought Leader Level 4) with 24 challenges covering speaking, branding, business development, and thought leadership milestones.
- One-on-One Speech Coaching
Quantifiable outcome
- 100M+ video views across viral platforms
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Speaker Slam
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Speaker Slam technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Speaker Slam partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- GoalcastcoreGoalcast is a major viral content platform that has featured numerous Speaker Slam alumni speeches. Notable featured speeches include Gina Hatzis (18.6M views), Unstoppable Tracy (16.2M views), Jessica Opoku (13.1M views), Alexis Dean (11.9M views), and many others. Goalcast has featured content from Speaker Slam speakers reaching tens of millions of viewers.
- Jay ShettyminorJay Shetty's platform has featured Speaker Slam alumni content, amplifying speakers' messages to his massive social media following. Joze Piranian was featured on Jay Shetty's platform.
- Power of PositivityminorViral content platform that has featured Speaker Slam alumni speeches, distributing inspirational content to millions of followers.
- A-Plus (Ashton Kutcher)minorA-Plus platform founded by Ashton Kutcher has featured Speaker Slam speeches, providing exposure to a mainstream audience.
- Lula LoungecorePrimary venue for monthly Speaker Slam qualifier competitions in Toronto. The intimate performance space accommodates 200+ audience members and provides the stage for 10 competing speakers per event.
- CBC Glenn Gould StudiocorePrestigious Toronto venue hosting the annual Grand Slam Finals where top qualifiers compete for Inspirational Speaker of the Year and prize packages up to $50,000.
- Momentum SpeakerscoreSpeaker Slam's own speakers agency that books trained alumni for corporate events, keynotes, panels, and workshops. Creates闭环 from competition/training to paid speaking engagements. Available at momentumspeakers.com.
- Canada's Walk of FameminorSpeaker Slam alumni have been featured alongside Canada's Walk of Fame as media mentions and recognition of inspirational speakers.
- Innerlight MediaminorViral content platform that has featured Speaker Slam alumni speeches, distributing inspirational content across digital platforms.
- Chicken Soup for the SoulminorSpeaker Slam alumni have been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul collections, providing publishing credibility and mainstream distribution for inspirational stories.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Speaker Slam competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Dale Carnegie Training: Long-established public speaking and leadership training provider offering professional development courses. Comparable to the Command the Room corporate training component of Speaker Slam's business.
- BigSpeak Speakers Bureau: Established speakers bureau booking keynote speakers for corporate events. Directly comparable to the Momentum Speakers agency component of Speaker Slam's business, though at significantly larger scale.
- Washington Speakers Bureau: One of the largest North American speakers bureaus representing professional speakers for corporate and association events. Comparable to Momentum Speakers agency business line.
- National Speakers Association: The professional association for the speaking industry in North America. Comparable as a broader player in the professional speaking ecosystem, though it focuses on association/membership services rather than direct competition or coaching.
Direct peers
- Toastmasters International: Global nonprofit operating public speaking clubs and evaluation-based competitions. Directly comparable as both organizations develop speakers through structured programs with judged speech formats and competition pathways.
- TED (TEDx): Operates the TEDx program of independently organized speaking events focused on spreading ideas. Comparable aspirational platform for inspirational speakers — many Speaker Slam alumni cite TEDx as a target outcome of their training.
- The Speaker Lab: Founded by Grant Baldwin, this is a paid speaker training and coaching business that helps aspiring speakers build paid speaking careers. Directly comparable business model targeting the same aspiring-professional-speaker segment.
- Million Dollar Speakers: Speaker business coaching and development program helping speakers build six-figure speaking careers. Comparable premium-priced coaching and training programs for aspiring professional speakers.
Others
- American Academy of Dramatic Arts: Adjacent training institution for performers and public speakers. Indirectly comparable as a private vocational academy developing presentation skills, though focused on acting rather than inspirational speaking business building.
Emerging players
- Captivate Talent: Speakers bureau and talent platform for booking professional speakers. Comparable as an emerging player in the speaker booking space, with overlapping agency function to Momentum Speakers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Speaker Slam social profiles
Digital presenceSpeaker Slam financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Speaker Slam leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Speaker Slam subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Speaker Slam funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Speaker Slam M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Speaker Slam
What does Speaker Slam do?
Speaker Slam is a speaker development agency that operates North America's largest inspirational speaking competition, held in Toronto with monthly qualifier events where 10 speakers deliver 5-minute speeches before industry judges and 200+ audience members. The company bundles its competition with tiered speaker development packages including personal branding, one-on-one coaching, certification training through Momentum Membership, publicity/PR services, and professional video production. Additional offerings include corporate communication training (Command the Room), a virtual brand competition, and a speakers bureau (Momentum Speakers) that books alumni for corporate events.
Is Speaker Slam a public or private company?
Speaker Slam is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Speaker Slam founded?
Speaker Slam was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Speaker Slam based?
Speaker Slam is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Speaker Slam make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Competition Entry Fees are the primary driver. The others are momentum Membership Subscription, one-on-One Coaching, publicity Services, brand Building Services and corporate Training.
Who are Speaker Slam's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Dale Carnegie Training, BigSpeak Speakers Bureau, Washington Speakers Bureau and National Speakers Association. Direct peers are Toastmasters International, TED (TEDx), The Speaker Lab and Million Dollar Speakers. American Academy of Dramatic Arts is listed as an others. Captivate Talent is listed as an emerging player.
Does Speaker Slam have an API?
No public API is recorded for Speaker Slam.
What industry is Speaker Slam in?
Speaker Slam's product category is Speaker Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAOAC, Private Debate Academies & Speech Coaching Centers, with a secondary code of EDAMAOAK, 1:1 Speech, Rhetoric & Communication Coaching. Its SIC code is 7900.