How It Works | Brand Builder Competition

The Full Picture

How the Brand Builder Competition Works

Five steps from registration to the stage. Everything you need to know before you enter.

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01

Register to Compete

Sign up and get your templates to start building your Positioning Graphic right away. All registered competitors are invited to a team meeting where we walk you through the full process and set you up for success.

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

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Angie Bailey's winning Positioning Graphic from the 2022 Brand Builder Competition

Angie Bailey's winning Positioning Graphic, 2022

The Standard

How You'll Be Judged

Our judges evaluate your Positioning Graphic across five categories, each worth 20 points.

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 Presentation

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?

Credibility

20

Clear differentiation. Do your brand titles support your positioning?

Top 10 Only: The 2-Minute Pitch

If you make the Top 10, you'll also deliver a 2-minute pitch live at the Virtual Showcase. Judges evaluate your story, credibility, and positioning statement on connection, clarity, and conviction. Go over 2 minutes 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 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 + 2-minute pitch. Leaders to Watch crowned.

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. The Top 3 earn the title "Leader to Watch 2026" and a prize package valued at up to $10,000.
The Brand Builder Competition is completely free to enter. Register and you get 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.
It's your visual elevator pitch. A single image (1080 x 1350 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.
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." 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 worthwhile regardless of the outcome.
If you advance to Round 2, you'll be asked to create a Unique Insight Graphic. This is a powerful quote, belief, or perspective that is distinctly yours, something that supports and strengthens your positioning statement. It should reflect your thought leadership and communicate what makes your voice different. The graphic must be 1080 x 1350 and aligned with the branding of your Positioning Graphic.
When you register for the Brand Builder Competition, you receive complimentary access to one Momentum Class. Momentum takes place on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month at 10am EST, and over the next two months, we'll be actively supporting competitors as they refine their positioning, insights, and graphics. It's a great opportunity to get feedback, ask questions, and strengthen your submission. You can find out more about Momentum here.
We provide a Canva template to make the process simple and accessible. You're welcome to use Canva or any design software you prefer. The only requirement is that your final submission be sized 1080 x 1350.
Yes. We work with a professional graphic designer who offers upgrade services at a reasonable rate if you'd like additional polish or support.

Ready to Compete?

Build the Brand of a Leader Worth Following

Entry is free. The clarity you gain is priceless.

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Questions? Reach out at Team@SpeakerSlam.com