Mike Shaw, a University of British Columbia Okanagan alumnus and accomplished coach, comes from a decorated background in freestyle skiing. A severe accident in 2013 forced Mike to give up the sport and career he loved. Since that fateful day, Mike has taken what he’s learned from his extraordinary experience and is helping others.  

 

Mike is now an entrepreneur, author, and keynote speaker. He’s the Co-founder of Headstartpro Performance Training and a subject matter expert in performance coaching and injury prevention. He’s developed strategies to help people achieve their full potential and excel in the face of adversity.  

 

Mike’s story has been documented on Red Bull TV, CBC, NBC, CTV, Global TV, City TV, and YouTube. His TEDx talk has reached thousands of people and continues to help those facing challenging times.  

 

In Mike’s keynotes and workshops, he shares a gracious perspective that will motivate you and leave you with an unforgettable learning experience. 

Murray Smith is a member of Energy Advisory Board of TD Securities Inc. He is a Member of the Advisory Board of Hatch, a Canadian-based global engineering firm with over 8,000 employees. He is President of Murray Smith and Associates, a company that provides strategic advice to clients in the North American energy sector. Clients include major electrical generators, upstream producers and the US National Energy Research Laboratory.

Murray Smith has served as an expert for the Audit Review Panel for Canadian Hibernia Corporation. He is a Director of Surge Energy (SGY.V) and Critical Control Solutions (CCZ) and a Director of a number of private companies including N Solv, a solvent oil sands extraction technology. Smith has given presentations on Alberta’s oil sands and energy sector in London, Geneva, Beijing and throughout North America. He is a frequent commentator on Bloomberg television, BNN and Alberta media, as well as a respected source of energy analysis in the print media. Murray is a frequent presenter and speaker to investor organizations, conferences and numerous seminars.

Murray was the first Official Representative of the Province of Alberta to the United States of America. He established the Alberta Office in Washington, DC, and served until the fall of 2007. During his tenure in Washington DC, Murray testified in Senate and Congressional Committees. As Alberta’s representative in Washington DC, Murray Smith was a Congressional Nominee for Securing America’s Future Energy, a Presidential Commission. Murray also guided a partnership with The Smithsonian Institution that featured Alberta on the National Mall in Washington DC. The Folklife Festival attracted over a million visitors. Prior to his diplomatic posting, Murray was a Member of the Legislative Assembly in the Province of Alberta, Canada (winning three consecutive elections in Calgary-1993-2004) and appointed by the Premier to four different Cabinet portfolios: Energy, Gaming, Labour, and Economic Development.

As Minister of Energy (2001 to 2004), Murray was responsible for gaining international recognition of Alberta’s 176 billion barrels of established oil reserves. In Alberta’s electricity sector, he guided the $5 billion market move to a competitive wholesale generation market. In his first Cabinet-level post, Minister of Economic Development (1994 to 1996), Murray initiated the largest industrial tax reduction in the province’s history.

Murray was a Member of the Cabinet Committee Treasury Board and a main contributor to the province’s debt retirement plan, which led the province to become the first debt-free jurisdiction in Canada. Before running for elected office in 1993, Murray was an independent businessman with a number of Alberta-based energy service companies including drilling fluids, service rigs, oilfield contracting and consulting. Murray Smith is the recipient of numerous awards, including being named as one of the Top 40 Alumni in the past 40 years at the University of Calgary (where an endowment exists in his name). Murray was recognized as one of Alberta Venture News magazine’s 50 most influential Albertans (2006).

Murray was also recognized for his work with First Nations in Alberta and given the name “Seven War Bonnets Man.” Murray is a past Director of the Calgary Stampede Board and presently a member of the TELUS community Giving Board. A graduate of the London Business School’s Senior Executive Program, Murray Smith also holds a B.A. (Economics & Political Science) from the University of Calgary. He is a graduate of Notre Dame College in Wilcox, Saskatchewan and a Past-President of the College’s Alberta Alumni Association. Murray is married to Barbara, has two daughters and two grandsons (and one son-in-law). He is an avid, though unskilled, golfer and a lifetime member of the Riley Park Cricket Club.

Over the past 22 years, Myron has gained teaching and administrative experience in both Canada and New Zealand in subjects ranging from grades 4 to 12.  Beginning in 2006, Myron developed a number of grading, assessment and reporting systems with his classes in which students have greater opportunity to show what they understand, adapt to the feedback they receive and play a significant role in the reporting of that learning.

Myron has been a part of administrative teams, district groups, school committees and governmental bodies that have further broadened his access to innovative ideas.  Myron has shared his stories, tools and first-hand experiences with public, charter and international school educators around the world, and recently his presentations have diverged to include global education trends and broader socio-economic realities that impact learning.

Myron has twice been published in EL Magazine. His best-selling book, Grading Smarter, Not Harder– Assessment Strategies that Motivate Kids and Help Them Learn was released by ASCD in July 2014 and in 2015 ASCD released a video project based in his own school district entitled ‘Smarter Assessment in the Secondary Classroom’. In 2019, ASCD released the first of a three-part online streaming series entitled ’Ask Them’, hosted by Myron, looking at how we include students in assessment. The series includes John Hattie, Lorin Anderson, Celeste Kidd and more.

Myron lives in Summerland, BC, Canada with his wife and two children and is Vice-Principal for Assessment and Innovation in his local school district – Okanagan-Skaha 67.

Natalie Doyle Oldfield is a Tedx speaker and a 3x awarded of the world’s Top Thought Leaders in Trust by Trust Across America. Natalie joins other recipients of this award including: Sir Richard Branson, CEO Virgin  Group, Howard Schultz, Chairman, former CEO of  Starbucks, Richard Edelman, CEO of Edelman, internationally renowned authors Tom Peters, Stephen M.R. Covey and John Spence. This honor is based on her work with clients to build, measure and protect customer trust: specifically, for the research and science behind her Building and Protecting Trust Model, The Client Trust Index as well as the content of her seminars and a Gold Sealed Accredited online course called Becoming a Trusted Advisor.

Her Building and Protecting Trust Model is part of the curriculum of the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University and is published in the Canadian Journal of Communication, a
peer reviewed academic journal. In 2018 she was invited to present her research and science behind The Client Trust Index in Prague, Czech Republic at the world’s largest academic
communications and research conference, the International Communications Association (ICA). She holds a Masters in Communications and Public Relations, a Certificate in Management
(Georgia Institute of Technology), a Bachelor of Public Relations and a Bachelor of Arts. Her graduate studies focused on How Organizations Build and Measure Trust with Stakeholders.

Natalie Doyle Oldfield works with companies to grow their business and build customer loyalty. She understands the importance of using trust as a catalyst for building brand recognition, market gains and business credibility in today’s face paced communication and social medial platforms. Often, businesses fall down because they have not earned or maintained trust with their customers or their employees. Earning and maintaining trust in relationships is where businesses often fall down. Companies use promotions or client-based events to build relationships, and while these activities might boost short-term sales goals, they fail to have a lasting impact on client loyalty or retention. Oldfield presents insights for leaders, teams, leaders and any service department to establish and maintain trust, increasing productivity and business growth.

Research has shown that trust is the key predictor of future success. Five years ago, as a communications graduate student, Natalie Doyle Oldfield began studying and measuring how clients and stakeholders decide to trust organizations. This research included in-depth interviews, testing and surveying over 19,400 people. The results revealed that we trust organizations based on how they communicate, behave and how they serve clients and stakeholders. From this research, eight key principles emerged that, when applied, build, strengthen, and protect trust. Testing shows that applying these principles creates greater client loyalty and commitment, increases the number of referrals, strengthens sales predictability and improves business results.

Natalie is the author of The Power of Trust: How Top Companies Build, Manage and Protect It,  named one of the Top 5 Business Books of 2017. She has had the privilege to advise some of
the world’s most successful companies, leaders and business owners on how to grow their business, increase their revenue, and improve customer experience while increasing and protecting customer trust and loyalty. A former Chief Marketing Officer, Natalie has spent 25 years in business. She is a passionate keynote speaker and presenter to companies and conferences throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

Natalie Doyle Oldfield is driven by a passion for customers – and results. A successful leader for over 20 years, she understands the challenge business leaders face in building, strengthening and protecting trust in relationships and improving results in today’s competitive marketplace. Customization of all programs is included to ensure they produce results and meet your most pressing business need. This unique approach ensures that participants are engaged and more open to learning techniques and strategies that effectively translate into positive outcomes.

Neville Wright is a 3x Canadian Olympian. Born in Edmonton, Alberta – he competed for 15 yeras on the Canadian National Team. Career highlights include: 7x National Gold Medialist in Bobsleigh, 2x CIS All-Canadian Track & Field, World University Games 100m Bronze Medalist, 5x IBSF World Championships competitor, and National 100m Bronze Medalist.

Nicholas Webb is an innovation specialist and keynote speaker. The Corporate strategist can look back on 25 years of experience in advising strategy and predicting results for the world’s top brands. His ultimate client focus enables Nicholas to deliver high class results in any industry. He helps organizations understand and most importantly be relevant in the fast-moving and hyper connected future.
The innovator, who has been awarded with over 42 patents by the US patent and trademark office, supports CEOs and high level executives to form extraordinary organizations. He enables them to produce results by emphasizing the importance of innovation and customer experiences.
In order to make organisations “Future Ready”, Nicholas Webb has conducted extensive research in the field of innovation. Just recently, he discovered the four key trends that will determine the success of any enterprise from entrepreneurial startups to Fortune 500 companies. His research results factor into his speaking engagements and are used as vivid examples that help the attendees to get an even better grip on innovation.
Nicholas Webb is also world-renowned Healthcare Strategist, Bestselling Author and Healthcare Futurist. As an Inventor, Nicholas invented one of the first wearable technologies, and one of the world’s smallest medical implants. Nicholas is the founding CEO of the Destruction Lab, a Healthcare Research and Development Lab. Nicholas is the author of The Innovation Playbook, The Digital Innovation Playbook and his Number One Best-Selling Book on Patient Experience entitled, What Customers Crave. As a Healthcare Advisor, he works with some of the top Healthcare brands to help them lead their market in Enterprise Strategy, Patient Experience (PX) and Innovation.

Western University of Health Sciences, a Top Southern California Medical School, awarded Nicholas his Doctorate of Humane Letters. Nicholas is also an Adjunct Professor of Healthcare Innovation and the Director of the Center for Health Innovation at WesternU.
Also a successful author, Nicholas Webb is published by the world’s largest nonfiction publisher. His books on innovation and leadership are highly acknowledged. In everything he does, the global speaker proves his outstanding potential to predict, create and judge innovation. He shares his insights into how organizations can become disruptive innovators to lead their market with mathematical certainty. All of Nicholas’s talks are tailored specifically to the client’s needs and he exclusively offers potential clients the possibility of a free pre-booking session with him.

Nicola Bird, Ph.D. is a new generation, visionary psychotherapist who pioneered a ground-breaking approach to personal transformation and brain retraining. After seeing the same patterns in herself and her clients, she created a powerful, fast moving, and effective system for healing and self-empowerment. During her 20 years of practice, Nicola Bird helped people to breakthrough negative thoughts, liberate themselves from struggle, and triumph over obstacles. Her one-of-a-kind method gives people the tools to free themselves from limitations, fears, and past hurts and to empower their lives. Nicola Bird received her doctorate from the University of Toronto. She is the author of “The Boomerang Effect: How You Can Take Charge Of Your Life.”

Nicola Bird knows how it feels to be stuck. She was once an unemployed single mother with a beautiful nine-month old son who had to walk away from an emotionally abusive marriage. Although she was committed to personal growth, Bird was still trapped in negative cycles. She wanted a mental overhaul and after implementing a variety of approaches she still did not feel any different. This dissatisfaction led her to create her own solutions. That is how she came to develop a distinct and effective approach for personal transformation that creates deep-seated change from the inside out.

Nicola Bird saw the benefits of her process immediately. They were so powerful that by applying her techniques she was able to complete three degrees – her undergraduate and two graduate degrees (M.Ed. and Ph.D. from the University of Toronto) in a record six and a half years all the while establishing my transformative approach to psychotherapy called Self-Imaging Therapy (SIT). SIT is self-nurturing at its best. It helps you cultivate a relationship with yourself based on understanding, compassion, growth, and love. The therapy has a transcendent aspect to it, because you develop the positive parts of yourself. SIT is also a technique that you learn with practice. Her presentations are deeply rooted from SIT and her experiences as a therapist.

Bird discovered through her practice that people have the same ingrained self-defeating responses to fears and challenges. These are deeply embedded mindsets that they rarely know exist but that keep them stuck in the problem they’re trying to change. Nicola Bird originated specific techniques to generate change that everyone can use in order to succeed at everything they do.

Nikolas Badminton is one of Canada’s and the World’s leading experts and keynote speakers for futures and foresight predictions and trends. He is a master of igniting curiosity in the changing world. He inspires audiences in thinking creatively on the impact of exponential technologies including: Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality; Work Productivity; Hospitality and Travel; The Sharing Economy; Autonomous Transportation; Smart Cities; Education; The Future of AI integrated with Life and Business; and Predictions for humanity from 2018 to 2030, and beyond. Nikolas Badminton offers dynamic presentations because he brings forward in-depth knowledge on the subject matter, coupled with plenty of humour and creativity.

Oftentimes organizations are overwhelmed by the amount of changes happening in society. They sometimes become paralysed to know how to adjust how they work, and what to invest time and money into. Nikolas demystifies how the world is changing and focuses in on what directly affects industries, consumers, and the business landscape to allow for strategic thinking and frameworks to evolve how organizations work and can grow over the next 10 to 20 years. Above all, Nikolas Badminton is a game changer for you, your conference, and your business. It’s not what you want to hear. It’s what you need to hear. And, you will take action based on his powerful content rich solutions.

Badminton has spent over 20 years defining business-changing strategies with global technology companies. He consults world-leading blue chips on how to optimize and grow their businesses, advising startups on consumer engagement and growth. He is passionate on speaking to audience’s keen to understand how society will change. As a result of his unique insights, Nikolas will bring his broad range of expertise and practical advice to each presentation. Badminton will be able to asses your audience and their industry to give practical advice on how to prepare for the future. Badminton believes that everyone can create a future for their lives and business through continued education, the application of knowledge, and critical thinking. His mantra is ‘Learn something new each day and understand how that changes the world.

Nikolas Badminton has also helped some big organizations be future-ready. He has worked with Dell to help them evolve their direct marketing capability in 14 countries across Europe through big data, analytics, and creative engagement to significantly grow their business. He has also enabled Microsoft to engage consumers globally in new ways through authenticity and transparency in social media communications. Nikolas has also delivered innovative solution to TELUS through 3D printing, and social engagement with vending machines. He has also produced Cyborg Camp YVR which brought 150 of the world’s greatest thinkers together to ignite change and new thinking in cyborg anthropology, wearables, emotional robotics, and business evolution.

Nikolas Badminton has presented to HSBC, TELUS, PwC, University of Waterloo, IDEO, Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC), Ontario Securities Commission, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, BC Association of School Board Officers, Canadian Government, University of Waterloo, University of British Columbia, London Futurists, Communitech. He is also a go-to futurist for prominent media organizations. He is currently the host on CTV Future Fridays that goes out nationally in Canada once a month and the go-to-Futurist for them to comment on technology and changes in the world. He also regularly speaks nationally on Global TV, CKNW radio, and CBC radio on both business and countrywide matters. He is the host and subject of a feature documentary from the CBC called ‘Smart Drugs, a Futurists Journey into Biohacking’, due to be released in Fall 2018 and is currently working as the ‘Futurist Advisor’ on Robert Downey Jr.’s new Youtube Red documentary series ‘The Age of A.I.’ due out in 2019.

Marty Park is a rare breed. At the age of 21, while most students are neck-deep with homework and weekend plans, Marty was running his first company, with 8 staff members on payroll. Since then, Park has owned and operated over 14 companies, across industries from software to restaurants, audio production to marketing – he has become an expert at business growth and the personal growth that comes with it.

On top of being an accomplished entrepreneur, Marty Park is an award-winning business coach and has been involved in the launch, growth, restructuring or financing of a multitude of companies internationally. Working with clients to conquer adversity, transform their performance and achieve their ultimate vision of success, in business and life. As a serial entrepreneur and veteran business coach, Marty has identified strategies, ideas and specific actions that can help anyone create a better business and a better life. As a speaker his stories are real, relevant, and the tools and tips he shares are purposeful and immediately implementable.

Above all, Marty Park is a expert business strategist and storyteller. His crafted keynotes include equal parts, humour, practicality and energy for each audience. Marty is not about academia – he is about real world solutions and experience you can use. As a result, his audiences come away feeling energized, enlightened and equipped to put the wheels in motion to produce better results. Marty Park delivers dynamic presentations to many different audiences related to business leadership, business strategy, business growth, branding, marketing, entrepreneurship, sales, customer service/experience, innovation and business success.

Marty is a storyteller. When he steps on stage you feel as though you are in the story with him. His presentations are crafted with equal parts, humour, practicality and energy. Marty is not about academia – he is about real world solutions and experience you can use. His audiences come away feeling energized, enlightened and equipped to put the wheels in motion to produce better results. He’s the real deal. Marty hasn’t had one big, lucky break in business, but instead has consistent success across many industries, geographies and economic conditions. What sets Marty apart from other speakers is that he has experienced, first-hand, the unforeseeable highs and lows of being a hands-on business operator.

Noteworthy

Mary Charleson is a marketing speaker, educator, writer and consultant. She presents keynotes & workshops at conferences and any type of business or organization. Charleson believes that it comes to marketing, it all starts with a solid strategy. Mission, vision, objectives, and strategies must all align with core offerings, core competencies, and a segmented approach to create a unique positioning. Mary Charleson’s expertise helps any organization launch, expand, or refocus.

Mary Charleson develops strategies for strategic business units, markets, products, pricing, distribution, and promotions. Our recommendations are based on an assessment of your internal strengths and weaknesses, external threats and opportunities, your competition, the customer and the business environment, as well as segment opportunities and trends analysis.

As a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers, Mary Chareleson’s customized presentations marketing presentations appeal to a variety of different clients. She has the ability to use storytelling and her research into large and small businesses best practices, address audiences in a compelling and memorable way.

Mary Charleson can also build a half or whole day workshop to make the program specifically for your business. Mary Charleson is a sought after academic, who actively consults in her field, bringing current knowledge and examples to every audience and presentation. Mary regularly delivers marketing seminars for Small Business BC, as a way to support the entrepreneurial community in Western Canada.