Peter van Stolk   

Steve Saldebus    

President and CEO Jones Soda

Most Requested Topics
- Guerrilla PR: Grabbing
   Attention on a Low Budget
- Grounding a Brand: 
   Consumer Loyalty from
   the Ground Up
- Marketing to the Youth
   Market

Marketing maverick Peter van Stolk has a unique, interactive approach to grounding his products, an intense connection to his consumers and an uncanny ability to predict trends. He entered the highly competitive beverage industry, learned the rules and then promptly rejected them. Peter has been able to attract attention by setting his products apart from the rest and developing an emotional bond with his customers. This bond has attracted the attention of the New York Times, CNN, People Magazine and INC. magazine amongst many others. This is a guy who's 'WhoopAss Canned Ham' flavoured soda made it to the hands of the Late Night with David Letterman show, and ended up earning 30 times it's value per bottle as a result... 

Rave Reviews
“The presentation was phenomenal! Peter van Stolk was a hit. We’ve heard so much great feedback already. We usually have people sneaking out by 1:30 but everyone stayed put and we had to turn people away.”

Canadian Public Relations Society

Creator of Modrobes clothing, Designer, Entrepreneur, Anti-conformist

Most Requested Topics
- The "accidental" success
   of Modrobes
- “I Want You In My Pants”:
   Lessons from a Guerrilla
   Marketer

As a university graduate, Steve Saldebus made a conscious decision not to be a “suit”. He started his campus clothing line and called it Modrobes meaning modern, casual, loose fitting garments. He now 'clothes the modern world' with Modrobes as one of Canada's coolest fashion shops. For Steve it’s about doing something new, knowing your client and giving them what they want. It’s about working hard, making mistakes and learning as you go. It’s about speaking to your customer in a unique way, not conforming to industry “standards”, but always following your gut. "We make a big point out of the fact that we're young, we're Canadian, we don't take any money from the banks, and we're not a regular clothing company like the GAP." 

Dianne Buckner  

Chris Emery & Larry Finnson  

Business Journalist

Most Requested Topics
- Inside Venture
- Business & The Media
- Managing HR Turbulence:
   Employee Retention for
   Canadian Business
- Opportunities for Female
   Entrepreneurs

Articulate, straightforward and funny, Dianne Buckner is host of the award-winning CBC weekly series Venture, Canada's most popular business program. The show provides Dianne the opportunity to see Canadian businesses from the inside. Learn from Dianne's 'Back to the Floor' Venture series where Canada's top bosses left their luxurious offices to sweat it out alongside their employees. Learn valuable lessons about things leaders forgot, or never knew in the first place. After all, in the high-pressured executive's job, it's easy to lose touch with the day-to-day sales and marketing operations of a successful company. And, after hitting the frontlines, every participant makes immediate changes.

Tracking business by following the real-life drama of commerce as it unfolds, Buckner covers everything from two-man start-ups to mega mergers. 

Rave Reviews
“I want to thank you again for your wonderful presentation yesterday. It was just the right mix of information, inspiration and entertainment … we collected evaluations from our audience, and you should know you scored 4/4 on 99% of the responses. So the audience really felt they benefited from your talk as well.”

WESBC

Owners Of Famed Clodhoppers Candy

Most Requested Topics
- The Sweet Success of
   Entrepreneurship
- Product, Price, Promotion,
  Package, Place and People
- Sales and Marketing:
   Package & Persistence
   Pays Off
 - Personality Sells the
    Product

Chris Emery & Larry Finnson, developed a multi-million dollar success story in the competitive candy industry.

Their youthful, dynamic energy and never-say-die attitude have helped them plough through near bankruptcy, nail-biting investor relations meetings and getting in with the big guys like Wal-Mart and Dairy Queen. As a result, their Kraves Candy Company has been ranked among the Top Ten Food Companies in Canada by Food in Canada Magazine and they’ve experienced a 1,000% increase in gross income in their first 3 yrs of business.

Chris and Larry have been lauded for their sales and marketing techniques, with Clodhoppers’ packaging makeover and promotion being featured in Profit and Marketing magazines as a marketing & packaging success story. 

Rave Reviews
"Excellent presentation. Completely engaging, informative and fun. A welcome change..."

"Good blend of their story with marketing insights. Very entertaining. Obvious enjoyment of their business approach and deserving of their success. Great use of video clips to deliver a tremendous marketing story."

Canadian Marketing Association

Linda Nazareth  

Ron Buist  

Most Requested Topics
- Waking Up From the
   Boom Years
- Beyond the Business Cycle
- Labour Market
   Demographic Forecasts
- Local, Provincial and
   Macro Economic Opinions

Linda Nazareth provides a clear-eyed analysis of what is happening in the North American and world markets and what may come next.

With considerable experience behind her both in the public and private sectors, Linda Nazareth lends her expertise as the Senior Economic Analyst for Report on Business Television providing viewers with informed reporting and analysis of the day's economic data.

Should marketing budgets be cut when the economy slumps? Linda’s knowledge of the Canadian market will help organizations understand economic cycles that shape our world, and she will show your organization how to prepare for what to expect next.

Rave Reviews
"Your presentation was extremely informative and thought provoking! Many of our members requested a copy of your presentation as a reference tool to look back on.”

Calgary Region Home Builders Association

Inventor of "Roll Up the Rim to Win"

Most Requested Topics
- 7 Steps to Retail Success
- Tales from Under the Rim:
   Canadian Marketing Magic
- Pleasing the Customer:
   Your Business as a
   Second Home

Ron Buist is the marketing genius who led a once unknown donut shop to phenomenal success as a Canadian institution. During his 24-year career in marketing with Tim Hortons, Ron’s many credits include inventing the ever popular “Roll Up the Rim to Win” contest, and producing the “True Stories” advertising television commercials.

Drawing on his successful career, Ron sheds light on achieving business success through best practices in marketing and customer service. Audiences come away with relevant and practical advice, as well as an inspiring look at the inner workings of a Canadian success story.

Rave Reviews
“Buist's version of the rise of Tims holds a lot of common sense lessons that Canadian marketers of all stripes and sizes would do well to commit to memory.”

Marketing Magazine

Jim Carroll  

Elaine Dundon  

Most Requested Topics
- What Comes Next? … and
   What Should You Do
   About It?
- How to Adapt to the New
   World of Business
- Thriving on Change! How
   to Create an Innovation
   Culture

Strategic futurist Jim Carroll provides customized insight into cutting edge issues affecting your company, industry, or association, helping you establish effective business strategies, discover significant opportunities, and deal with issues of corporate & organizational change.

How does marketing fit into your organization's strategy? As a frequent keynote speaker with some 1,000 presentations to his credit, Jim is recognized as someone who delivers. Clients value the time Jim takes to customize his speech, including the time taken to "know" their industry, their issues, and their concerns. Result – Jim provides a keynote or workshop that speaks directly to them.

Rave Reviews
"Your presentation was up-to-the-minute timely, possible only because of your ability to work with conference organizers in advance to determine our needs. This is a rare gift among keynote speakers, and greatly appreciated!"

International Newspaper Marketing Association

Most Requested Topics
- Planting and Cultivating
   The Seeds of Innovation
- Ten Concepts of
   Innovative Marketing
- Using Your Whole Brain
   for Competitive
   Advantage: The Serious
   Side of Creativity

Elaine Dundon is a thought leader in innovation management with extensive experience in business planning and marketing strategy development, and the author of the best seller The Seeds of Innovation – Cultivating the Synergy That Fosters New Ideas. She has held management positions with Procter & Gamble, Kraft, and Nestle, and she teaches a University innovation management course that is the first of its kind.

Elaine challenges people and organizations to go beyond “the way it’s done in our industry.” She is the founder and chief strategist of an international training firm that elevates the innovative thinking potential of individuals, teams and organizations. Elaine's energy and practical examples stimulate the imaginations of her audiences, helping them conquer challenges and be inspired to spark the innovation revolution in their organization.

Rave Reviews
“Thank you for making it fun.  Thank you for planting the seeds of innovation. You’ve definitely lived up to your billing!  We’ve all learned a great deal.”

Centre for Leadership, Ontario Public Service