Build the Brand of a
Leader Worth Following

Compete for a prize package valued at up to $10,000. Clarify your brand, step into your leadership, and show the world who you are.

Register to Compete → Join Free Info Session

Brand Builder Competition by Speaker Slam®

The Competition

A Transformative Brand Journey

The Brand Builder Competition challenges entrepreneurs, authors, professionals, and visionaries to get crystal clear on their personal brand and position themselves as leaders in their industry.

You'll create a powerful Positioning Graphic, rally your community during Inspiration Week, and if you make the Top 10, pitch live to a panel of expert judges for the chance to win.

But the biggest win? The clarity, confidence, and momentum you'll build along the way. Past competitors say this experience transformed how they see themselves and how the world sees them.

What You'll Walk Away With

  • ✓ A clear positioning statement that sets you apart
  • ✓ A professional brand graphic you'll use everywhere
  • ✓ Your community actually knowing what you do
  • ✓ Content and visibility from Inspiration Week
  • ✓ Expert feedback from industry judges
  • ✓ Connections with like-minded changemakers

The Process

How It Works

Five steps from registration to the stage. Here's your journey.

01

Register to Compete

Sign up and join the Info Session on April 7th at 7 PM EST to learn how the competition works, what makes a strong graphic, and how to set yourself up for success. Templates are provided to get you started.

02

Submit Your Graphic

Create a clear, compelling visual snapshot of who you are and the unique value you bring to the marketplace.

Deadline: Apr 17
03

Inspiration Week

Share your graphic with your community, tell your story, and collect votes. Every share builds your brand.

Apr 20 - 24
04

Top 10 Revealed

5 chosen by community votes. 5 selected by our judging team. Only the Top 10 advance to the finals.

Apr 25
05

Compete Live

Present your Positioning Graphic, your Unique Insight Graphic showcasing your thought leadership, and deliver a 2-minute pitch to our panel of judges at the Virtual Showcase.

May 9

The Core Deliverable

What Is a Positioning Graphic?

It's your visual elevator pitch. A single image that tells the world who you are, what you stand for, and why you're a leader worth following. Think of it as your face, your colors, your tagline, and your mission, all distilled into one powerful brand image.

You don't need to be a designer. Templates are provided, and you can use tools like Canva to bring your vision to life.

2024 Brand Builder Competition winners: Carlyn Morris, Calissa Ngozi, and Lucia Gouveia with their Positioning Graphics

2024 Brand Builder Competition Winners

👤

Your Photo

A professional, on-brand image that reflects who you are

🎨

Your Brand Colors

Cohesive colors that create instant recognition

✍️

Your Position

A clear statement of your unique place in the marketplace

⚡

Your Impact

Why people should follow and trust your leadership

Why Enter

This Is Your Launchpad

The Brand Builder Competition gives you more than a shot at winning. It gives you momentum.

🌟 Step Into Leadership

This competition challenges you to sharpen your message, own your expertise, and position yourself as a trusted leader in your field. You'll be forced to answer the question: what makes me unique?

💡 Gain Clarity and Confidence

Whether you're pivoting your business, advancing your career, or expanding your influence, you'll walk away with a crystal-clear narrative and the confidence to share it with the world.

👀 Get Seen by Your Community

Inspiration Week puts your brand in front of thousands of people. Last year, thousands of votes poured in during a single week. Even if you don't advance, your brand wins.

🤝 Build Real Connections

You won't just compete. You'll connect with fellow entrepreneurs, authors, professionals, and changemakers who are building something meaningful. Past competitors say the friendships are worth the entry alone.

Is This For You?

Who Should Compete?

💼

Entrepreneurs

Ready to grow your reach and stand out in a crowded market

🎤

Speakers & Coaches

Building momentum toward stages, clients, and media

📚

Authors

Ready to build a brand around your book and become the go-to voice in your space

💻

Professionals

Want to be recognized as a leader in your industry

🌎

Changemakers

Want your story to inspire the world and create impact

What You Can Win

Prize Package

★ First Place ★

Gold

  • ✓ Speaker Slam® Signature Legacy Video: your story transformed into a cinematic showcase
  • ✓ Deep-dive 1-on-1 sessions with all judges
  • ✓ Brand blueprint and strategy sessions
  • ✓ Mentorship and repositioning sessions
  • ✓ Title: Leader to Watch 2026
Second Place

Silver

  • ✓ One-on-one mentorship sessions with judges
  • ✓ Brand repositioning workshop
  • ✓ Virtual coaching sessions
  • ✓ Title: Leader to Watch 2026
Third Place

Bronze

  • ✓ Coaching sessions with competition judges
  • ✓ Brand strategy consultation
  • ✓ Community membership access
  • ✓ Title: Leader to Watch 2026
Prize Package Valued Up To
$10,000

The Standard

How You'll Be Judged

Our judges evaluate three things: your graphics, your pitch, and how it all comes together.

Positioning Statement

20

Is it crystal clear what you do, who you serve, and what makes you unique? Judges should read it and instantly understand.

Photo & Image

20

Is your photo professional, approachable, and aligned with your brand? Does it reflect who you are and the work you do?

Brand Colors & Design

20

Do your colors feel cohesive? Is the design aesthetically pleasing and well-organized? Does it look polished?

Unique & Memorable

20

Does something stand out? Is there an element that makes you unforgettable? A unique sentence, a creative touch?

Cohesiveness

20

Does everything work together? Your graphics, your pitch, your energy, your brand. The whole package should feel unified.

2-Minute Pitch

+

Your story, your credibility, your positioning statement, delivered live. Judges evaluate connection, clarity, and conviction. Go over 2 min and you lose points.

Key Dates

2026 Timeline

Mark your calendar. Here's every milestone from registration to the finals.

✎
Now Open

Registration Opens

Sign up and begin working on your Positioning Graphic. Templates provided upon registration.

🎙
April 7, 2026 at 7:00 PM EST

Info Session

Join a live session to learn how the competition works, what makes a great Positioning Graphic, and how to set yourself up for success.

✎
April 17, 2026 at 6:00 PM EST

Graphic Submission Deadline

Submit your completed Positioning Graphic. This is what the judges and community will evaluate.

🌟
April 20 - 24, 2026

Inspiration Week

Share your graphic on social media, rally your community, and collect votes. Every share builds your brand.

🏆
April 25, 2026 at 11:00 AM EST

Top 10 Revealed

5 chosen by community votes + 5 selected by the judging team. The Top 10 advance to the finals.

🎧
May 9, 2026 at 11:00 AM EST

Virtual Showcase

Top 10 compete live on stream. Positioning Graphic + Unique Insight Graphic showcasing your thought leadership + 2-minute pitch. Leaders to Watch crowned.

From Past Competitors

Hear It From Them

The Brand Builder competition provided me with invaluable clarity for my brand. Through the competition, I received valuable feedback and insights that helped me refine my brand strategy and messaging. Winning the competition brought me prizes that continue to benefit my brand today.

Angie Bailey

Brand Builder Champion, 2022

Having won that competition two years ago, it has been such a huge thing to me and my brand. It made me narrow down on what I wanted to do and I've kept my position the same because this competition helped me hone in. It's just been building and building ever since.

Angie Bailey

On the lasting impact, 2024 Judging Panel

I was terrified at the beginning of the week. But my positioning statement changed and evolved dramatically in like the first post and then everything started to flow. At the end of it I was so full of exactly what it is that I need to do for the world. I could cry, I'm so grateful.

Jen Schultz

Brand Builder Competitor, 2024

Whether you're a novice or an experienced speaker, coach, entrepreneur, sometimes we don't follow our own advice and do those reflective exercises. For this experience, we had to sit in that space. I already feel like a winner because the connections were renewed and the momentum is building again.

Patrice

Brand Builder Competitor, 2022

Your Guides

Meet Dan & Rina

Together, Dan and Rina have built Speaker Slam® into North America's largest inspirational speaking competition and a premier Speaker Development Agency. With almost a decade of experience turning speakers and entrepreneurs into leaders worth following, they know what it takes to stand out.

Rina Rovinelli

Rina Rovinelli

Speaker Manager & Storytelling Strategist. Creator of Command the Room. Top 25 Woman of Influence. Brilliant Minded Woman Award winner.

Dan Shaikh

Dan Shaikh

Publicist & Brand Visibility Expert. Founder of Changemaker PR. Peak's Top 40 Under 40. Toronto Star Gold Star Award for Best PR. Canada's Top 25 Immigrants.

Brand Builder Competition by Speaker Slam®

Questions?

Frequently Asked

The Brand Builder Competition is a personal branding competition by Speaker Slam® where entrepreneurs, authors, speakers, and professionals compete to prove they are the leading brand in their category. You'll create a Positioning Graphic that tells the world who you are and what you stand for, rally your community to vote for you during Inspiration Week, and if you make the Top 10, pitch live to a panel of expert judges. It's not just about having a great graphic. It takes clarity, courage, and leadership to compete. The Top 3 earn the title "Leader to Watch 2026" and a prize package valued at up to $10,000.
Entry is $197. That gets you into the full competition experience: graphic submission, Inspiration Week voting, judge scoring and feedback, and if you make the Top 10, a spot in the Virtual Showcase. The Top 3 winners receive prizes valued at over $10,000.
The Info Session on April 7th is a free live Zoom session where we walk you through the full competition process, show you what a strong Positioning Graphic looks like, and answer all your questions. It's automatically included with your registration, or you can sign up for it separately if you want to learn more before committing.
It's your visual elevator pitch. A single image (1080 x 1080 pixels) that includes your photo, your brand colors, and your unique positioning statement. Think of it as a snapshot that tells someone instantly who you are, what you do, and why you're a leader worth following. Templates are provided when you register.
Not at all. This competition is for anyone who has a personal brand or is building one. Entrepreneurs, coaches, authors, professionals, creatives, and visionaries at any stage of their journey. Whether you've spoken on 100 stages or have never pitched before, the Brand Builder Competition meets you where you are.
During Inspiration Week (April 20-24), all submitted graphics are made available for community voting. Voters must vote for 3 competitors, which ensures discovery beyond just voting for friends. The 5 competitors with the most votes automatically advance to the Top 10. The remaining 5 spots are filled by our judging team based on graphic scores. Some vote winners may also have ranked in the judges' top picks.
You'll have approximately one week to prepare for the Virtual Showcase. You'll submit your Positioning Graphic, a Unique Insight Graphic that showcases your thought leadership and the unique perspective that sets you apart, and prepare a 2-minute pitch. On competition day, you'll present live via StreamYard to our panel of judges. Each speaker gets feedback from a judge, and the Top 3 are announced at the end.
The Virtual Showcase takes place on StreamYard, with a free livestream on YouTube for audience members. This means you can compete from anywhere in the world. There's a tech rehearsal before the competition so you can test your setup.
You get exactly 2 minutes. You'll lose 1 point for every 5 seconds you go over. At 2 minutes and 31 seconds, you receive a hard disqualification. Our recommended format: open with a story that shows your why, share your credibility, and close with your positioning statement.
Your initial graphic is what goes through voting and initial judging. If you make the Top 10, you'll have the opportunity to refine your Positioning Graphic before the finals. Optional coaching and graphic design support is available for finalists who want extra help.
All Top 3 finalists earn the title "Leader to Watch 2026." This isn't just an award for having a great graphic. To earn it, you have to rally your community to vote for you, step into your thought leadership with a Unique Insight Graphic, and pitch live in front of judges. You're proving you have a clear message, a strong brand, and the leadership presence to be the leading voice in your category. Winners carry this title in their bios, media features, and speaking introductions.
You still win. Every competitor receives their scores, judge feedback, and voting totals after the competition. Plus, the biggest value comes from the process itself: the clarity you gain on your brand, the content you create during Inspiration Week, and the connections you make. Competitors consistently say the experience is transformative regardless of the outcome.

Your Moment Is Now

The World Is Waiting for Leaders Who Inspire

Register now and make 2026 the year you build the brand of a leader worth following.

Entry: $197

Register to Compete →

Not ready yet? Join the free Info Session first

Questions? Reach out at Info@SpeakerSlam.com