Speaker SlamĀ® Unveils Judges for the first competition of 2026 "Against All Odds"
Jan 07, 2026Speaker 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. These are stories of perseverance, grit, and choosing belief when circumstances said otherwise.
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)
Collingwood, Ontario, Canada
Award-winning entrepreneur, investor, content creator & super mom x3 with 2 decades of experience in entertainment, marketing, and event production who brings an unparalleled level of quality & creativity to her work, drawing on her background as a former signed pop artist, actress, and casting associate.
She founded @cwegala, uniting Canada’s top brands, marketers, founders, creators & media to open doors for women entrepreneurs through the power of social capital.
She's worked with over 350 top-tier brands, secured over $4 million in sponsorships & connections, raised funds, and empowers those around her to thrive & build a life & brand just as unique as they are.
@annasinclair.ca @sinclaircreativeagencyinc
Kevin Bourne
Entrepreneur, Storyteller, Strategist
Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
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, as well as on Fox Soul in the United States, and has interviewed everyone from Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Kevin Hart, to Howie Mandel and Lilly Singh. 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
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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: The Essential Guide to Doing it Right and Let’s Talk Podcasting for Kids are Amazon bestsellers and have inspired people around the world to embrace the medium for close to a decade. She is internationally recognized for her communications consulting, coaching C-suite executives on developing their thought leadership profile. Previously, Amanda worked as a radio producer, reporter and news anchor.
Bobby Umar
President of Raeallan: Transformation Speaking and Training, CEO of DYPB: Discover Your Personal Brand, Founder, TLB Club membership community for small biz owners
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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 & Digital Marketing. He's been named the 4th best leadership influencer according to Kred, a Top 7 Networking Guru and the 2nd best business coach to follow. He founded Raeallan, DYPB – Discover Your Personal Brand and the Thought Leadership Branding Club to help you land a TEDx Talk to build your authority, awareness and lead gen so that you can monetize, elevate your business, brand, legacy and story.
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
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Speaker Slam®: $2000 cash prize & Invitation to the Grand Slam.
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Amanda Cupido: 1-hour coaching session plus 1 complimentary ticket to The Soundwave Summit — a full day of networking and learning with the top podcasters in Canada.
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Anna Sinclair: 1-hour Personal Brand Advisory call with Anna Sinclair plus an Instagram story with linkback on @annasinclair.ca (Value: $2,800)
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Kevin Bourne: All previous prize tiers plus a featured article on shiftermagazine.com (written profile or advertorial) (Value: $1,200)
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Bobby Umar: Personal Branding Discovery Course — includes 25 videos and 20+ questions and exercises to help you gain clarity, focus, and alignment in your career or business (Value: $1,997)
Second Place
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Speaker Slam®: Invitation to the Grand Slam.
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Amanda Cupido: 1 complimentary ticket to The Soundwave Summit — a full day of networking and learning with the top podcasters in Canada.
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Anna Sinclair:30-minute Personal Brand Advisory call (Value: $850)
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Kevin Bourne: 60-minute personal consultation (Value: $1,000)
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Bobby Umar: Networking Mastery Program — a 12-module online course designed to help you build strategic relationships and create impact both in person and online
(Value: $897)
Third Place
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Speaker Slam®: Entry to Wildcard Race.
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Amanda Cupido: 1 complimentary ticket to The Soundwave Summit — a full day of networking and learning with the top podcasters in Canada.
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Anna Sinclair: 30-minute Personal Brand Advisory call (Value: $850)
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Kevin Bourne: 30-minute personal consultation (Value: $500)
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Bobby Umar: 6-month membership to TLB Club — a community supporting small business owners in elevating their brand, business, and digital monetization strategies (Value: $425).
