The world’s largest leadership conference will be a virtual event this year. And the theme - “positive disruption” - could not be more fitting, say organizers.
Seven years ago, a small group from Orillia's Alta Vista Planning Partners, who had heard good things about Leadercast LIVE, travelled to another host site to check out the event.
Erin Fordham, a benefit plan advisor for the local firm, said it was “an inspiring team-building day” for the local group.
“After attending for four years straight, we decided that there was a big enough audience in our business community to make it worth the effort to deliver excellent leadership training by hosting locally,” said Fordham.
And for the past two years, Alta Vista Planning Partners have ‘hosted’ the event by organizing it, gathering local sponsorship, pre-purchasing and selling the tickets, and working with a small local leadership committee to promote it.
“Each year, we run the event as a fundraiser for a local charity with all event surplus going back into our community,” said Fordham, noting last year’s event raised about $3,000 for the Building Hope campaign.
While it is not possible to gather local business leaders together at Lakehead University this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s still vital to have the event, said Fordham.
“At this very challenging time in our history, we believe it is paramount that we continue to build leaders worth following in our community and across this great country,” she said.
“Due to the pandemic, we have had to make a quick shift to do our part to keep everyone safe and healthy and so to continue to make this event available to our local community, we are converting this event into a virtual leadership development experience like no other,” said Fordham, noting Leadercast LIVE is the largest one-day leadership conference in the world.
She noted the ‘positive disruption’ theme was selected last year and “is probably the most fitting theme for the rapidly changing situation we are all currently facing.”
This year’s third annual Leadercast LIVE event will be held Thursday, May 7.
All of the nine scheduled speakers - including Andy Stanley, Amy Jo Martin, Dr. Henry Cloud and Magic Johnson - will be giving their inspiring presentations in real time on May 7 from private studios that are equipped to deliver high quality audio and video right into your home or office space.
Attendees will still receive an online Leadercast journal and a virtual ‘swag bag’ of items valued at over $100.
Thanks to Leadercast and local scholarship sponsors, more than 75 free tickets are available for local health-care workers, front-line employees or business owners who have been forced to close their doors because of the pandemic.
“If you or someone you know falls into one of these categories, please let us know, as we are creating a list of names and emails so we can connect with those individuals on the scholarship ticket opportunities available and how to get them access to the event,” said Fordham.
Once again this year, proceeds will be donated to The Lighthouse Soup Kitchen and Shelter and The Building Hope project in Orillia.
If people have already purchased tickets, or wish to reserve tickets for Leadercast 2020—Positive Disruption, click the ‘Buy Tickets’ button on their website or visit Eventbrite directly. Tickets cost $99.
Once a ticket is purchased, prior to the event, ticket holders will receive further instructions with respect to exactly how to access the simulcast on May 7.
“Patience is appreciated as we work through this challenging time, and we look forward to being encouraged, inspired, and fired up with our local community on May 7,” said Fordham.
This year’s featured speakers are change-makers - people who face big ideas head-on and take their teams to new heights. For more information and a detailed list of speakers visit the website.
Tickets sales end May 5 at midnight or when sold out.
