Joe Roberts
In 1989 He Was Homeless Living Under A Bridge. Today He Is An Author, CEO, And Inspirational Speaker.
Joe Roberts gives people the tools for resilience. Known as The Skidrow CEO, Joe knows both success and failure and helps people redefine what is possible.
Joe was living on the streets of Vancouver as a homeless skid row addict in 1989. Through perseverance, determination and his resilient human spirit, Joe pulled himself out of darkness and despair, to become a highly respected business and community leader.
Joe’s message is relatable, humorous, honest, raw and unforgettable. He tackles the stigma associated with mental health and addiction in a straightforward, authentic way and shares the tools needed to build resiliency in any situation.
Joe has acquired two college diplomas, became the CEO of one of Vancouver’s leading multimedia companies, walked across Canada and achieved more success than he could ever have imagined.
Joe has been recognized by MacLean’s Magazine as one of “10 Canadians who make a difference,” won the BC Courage to Come Back Award, received The Ontario Premier’s Award for Business, was given an Honorary Doctorate from Laurentian University and was recognized by the Senate of Canada with their Canada 150 Medal.
Recently Joe was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) from The Governor General of Canada.
From Skidrow to CEO – How to build resiliency one step at a time
Every one of us is confronted by adversity, challenge and change. We face it with our families, work, health, and finances.
Success in the face of adversity and change depends on our level of resiliency.
In this keynote, Joe teaches how to build the resiliency needed to overcome life’s challenges and embrace change.
Using a research based behavioral change model, participants will evaluate their current state of resiliency and learn how to crush unproductive habits while developing a high-performance mindset. Participants leave with tools they can use immediately to create their own inspired results. Joe’s is a treasured Canadian whose life story embodies the resiliency of the human spirit. His message is inspiring, energetic, humorous, honest, raw and unforgettable.
In the keynote you will learn:
How to build resiliency despite the world around you
Applying the A.I.R. Model for behavioral change
Why failure is predictable and normal
Seeing possibility – how to re-frame a limiting mindset
How to convert failures into assets
The 3 most important things to know about engaging people
Seeing Possibility not Probability – Mental Health and Addiction
Mental Health and Addiction impacts every one of us.
We all face adversity, challenge and change. But not everyone has the resiliency needed to survive life’s toughest days.
How do we talk openly about addiction and mental health?
How do we collapse judgement through transparency?
How do we help others face their problems head on?
In this keynote, Joe shares his story of redemption from a life long struggle with addiction and mental illness.
Joe’s is a treasured Canadian whose life story embodies the resiliency of the human spirit. His message is inspiring, energetic, humorous, honest, raw and unforgettable.
In the keynote you will learn:
How to Support the Person – Challenge the Behavior
Empathy Centered Leadership Tools”
How to Conduct “Tough Stuff” Conversations
Vulnerability – Strength from Weakness
How To Meet People Where They Are
A Push for Change – How to lead, inspire, and engage on purpose
Apathy. Disengagement. Under performance. How do we inspire and engage people with purpose driven leadership to embrace change?
Joe Roberts is a social change champion! In 1989 he was homeless living under a bridge, 12 years later he was a celebrated CEO. Joe made a promise when he was on the street to “pay it forward” and in 2017 he finished a 9064 km charity walk across Canada. Joe teaches resiliency and inspires difference makers to lead with their “why”.
In this keynote Joe takes you on an epic adventure from the planning stages, the aggressive pre-trek training schedule, and the campaign logistics up to the launch day. On May 1st 2016 Joe and Team Push for Change hit the road traversing the entire Trans Canada Highway from St John’s, NL to Vancouver, BC. Joe will share the extraordinary experiences of walking 24 km every day, rain, snow or shine. Meeting icons like Walter Gretzky and Michael “Pinball” Clemons, inspiring over 100,000 students during 457 community events ending with a private meeting with the Prime Minster of Canada.
In the keynote you will learn:
Resiliency Tools needed for the long game
How to re-frame setbacks while staying committed
How to inspire Employee and Community Engagement
How to harness purpose driven leadership
How to lead teams towards Social Change
Staying Alive – Street Smart Safety
“It’s about the little things”
Understanding WHY human beings make mistakes and unsafe decisions is one step closer to building safer work environments and communities.
What role does mental health and addiction play in safety?
How do we connect personal purpose to safer behaviour?
Why do we think the rules “are for everyone else but me”?
In this keynote, Joe teaches why we do dumb things and the consequence we pay. Walk with Joe as he takes you back to his first poor choice and how that lead to a journey filled with degradation and despair. Dangerous step after poor choice landed him on the streets of East Vancouver in the 1980’s homeless and broken.
The story does not end there, fortunately. Choosing in 1991 to walk a different way, Joe shares how right decisions and safe, healthy actions lead to success and leadership. Joe’s is a treasured Canadian whose life story embodies the resiliency of the human spirit. His deeply inspiring and masterful delivery combined with high energy and self deprecating humor will have you shed a tear while making you laugh ‘til it hurts.
In this session you will learn:
- Why the little things matter so much
- Mental health and safety
- How mentorship and leadership changes lives
- The importance of paying it forward
- The importance of advocating for prevention
- How the right example is our greatest weapon
“Financial advisors, customer service officers. administrative staff and management, all of whom could relate to your message. You added additional impact by customizing your talk for our group”.
Shabir Amarshi – Branch Manager, TD Canada Trust
“Your ‘Yes I Can’ attitude demonstrated to our branch managers that it is possible to put our minds to task and overcome these challenges”.
Skip Bates – Scotiabank
“Joe, thank you, once again, for your help in making our day a success! Your presentation was a valuable part of the agenda”.
Deirdre Liebrandt – Industry Canada
“You took us all on a journey that left us inspired, motivated and refreshed”.
Ken King – President & CEO, Calgary Flames Enterprise
“I want to congratulate you on the success of the very informative and productive training program you presented the American Officers at the United States Consulate General”.
Hugo Lorens – Consul General, United States of America
“Your energy, enthusiasm and no nonsense approach to the science of selling is exactly what our team needs to take this company to the next level”.
Elmer Ventura – President, Bionic CCTV
BUSINESS
Freedom 55
TD Bank
Scotia Bank
Payroll Loans
David Ash
Vancouver Board of Trade
Calgary Chamber of Commerce
College of Surgeons and Physicians
Industry Canada
Calgary Flames
Canadian Society for Marketing Professionals
Commonwealth Trust
Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce
Tri City Chamber of Commerce
IFMA BC
UBC
New Media BC
The Alternative Board
Vancouver Gyro Club
Hodsman Financial
Home life Benchmark
Police Leadership Conference
The Justice Institute
Focus Conferences
COMMUNITY
Unites States Consulate General
United Way
Salvation Army
Union Gospel Mission
Premier Gordon Campbell
BC Health Minister
Boys and Girls Clubs
City in Focus
North Shore Air Cadets
From Grief to Action
Parents Forever
Vancouver Adolescent Recovery Centre
Green Grass Productions
SCHOOLS
Burnaby Youth Custody Services
Pacific Academy
Elgin Park Secondary School
Keith Lynn Alternative Secondary
Kwayhquitlum MS
Port Moody Secondary
Seycove Secondary
Fraser House – Mission Secondary Schools
Fraser Valley Adventist
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