Joe Roberts

Joe Roberts

Keynote Speaker: Homeless Opiate Addict to CEO & Triathlete; Leadership, Resilience & Change Expert; Known for Phrase "Believe in Possible"

Joe Roberts Biography

Joe Roberts was a homeless opiate addict on Skid Row and rose to become a CEO and triathlete. He is an expert in leadership, resilience and change expert. He is known for the phrase, "Believe in possible."

The most effective leaders in society are those rare individuals who can inspire their audience with a passion that can only come from personal experience. As the former President and CEO of an extremely successful multimedia company, Joe Roberts has faced and overcome key business challenges, which confront every modern organization.

With a track record of proven business success, Roberts formed his own multimedia company, Mindware Design Communications, and in less than four years led the company to a phenomenal 800% increase in business.

Roberts’ business solutions have made millions of dollars for his clients, across a variety of business sectors. It is from this experience that Roberts draws when addressing Fortune 500 companies, professional associations and organizations internationally.

What is most amazing about Roberts is that in 1989 he was living on the streets of Vancouver as a homeless skid row addict. Through perseverance, determination and his resilient human spirit, Roberts pulled himself out of the darkness and despair, to become a highly respected business and community leader.

Today, Roberts (aka The Skid Row CEO) is an award-winning Inspirational Keynote Speaker armed with unwavering determination and 20+ years of speaking experience. His mission has been, is, and always will be to instigate a ripple effect of positive change everywhere he goes by reminding people of their unlimited potential.

When Roberts was homeless in Vancouver he made a promise if his life was spared he would pay it forward. He did just that in the form of triumphantly pushing a shopping cart a staggering 9,064 kilometers across Canada in the name of youth homelessness prevention. This very act birthed a national awareness campaign called The Push for Change, inspiring fellow Canadians to create ripple effects of transformation in the lives of at-risk youth throughout the country.

Roberts 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. Roberts 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, was recognized by the Senate of Canada with their Canada 150 Medal, received the Medal of Good Citizenship from the province of BC and the Meritorious Service Medal from the Governor General of Canada.

Ultimately, Roberts' deep resonating “WHY” is to empower people to step into a life of infinite possibility, to understand “there is truly more to each and every one of us than what we see.”

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Joe Roberts and other top speakers and celebrities.

Joe Roberts Speaking Topics

From Skid Row to CEO

Building resilience one step at a time

In this empowering keynote, Joe teaches audiences how to build the resiliency needed to succeed in the face of adversity and change by taking small, attainable steps. Sharing the story of his catastrophic failure and extraordinary success, Joe inspires audiences to see beyond their perceived limitations to overcome life's challenges and embrace change.

This keynote is ideal for anyone who is:

  • Trying to adapt to significant change or disruption
  • Disconnected from their purpose and passion and showing signs of burnout or underperformance
  • Feeling stuck or holding onto limiting beliefs and a negative outlook
  • Struggling to see their potential and ability to accomplish anything!

The audience will leave with:

  • Actionable insights on building personal resilience no matter what challenge or change they are facing
  • A greater understanding of the cumulative impact of small, consistent actions and the motivation to take the first step
  • Renewed interest and focus in their work as they reconnect to their purpose and passion
  • Tools for reframing a limiting mindset so they can see the possibilities in themselves and the world around them

There's More to You Than You Can See

Collapsing mental health stigma

In this eye-opening keynote, Joe shares the critical role family and community support played in helping him overcome a lifelong struggle with substance use disorder and mental illness. Through the lens of his incredible transformation, audiences will be reminded that every person, including themselves, has enormous potential and will leave inspired to create safe spaces for others to learn, grow, and change.

This program is perfect for leaders and teams who are:

  • Seeing a rapid rise in sick leave, burnout, suicide, PTSD, substance use disorder, and depression in their organization
  • Experiencing productivity decreases, increased sick days, quiet quitting, unmotivated staff, high turnover, or internal strife and tensions
  • Needing to build empathy-based leadership and a psychologically safe work environment
  • Unaware or unconcerned about the stigma and issues surrounding mental health, addiction, and suicide

The audience will leave with:

  • The motivation and tools to develop empathy centered leadership and see the possibilities in everyone they meet
  • Simple steps anyone can take to create a safe space where people are seen and heard
  • Practical techniques for supporting the person AND challenging the behavior, including tools for conducting "Tough Stuff" Mental Health Conversations

To Protect and Serve

The life-changing potential of every interaction

In this inspiring keynote, Joe Roberts highlights the life-changing impact first responders can have in every interaction through his own remarkable story. What was a typical distress call for Constable Scott Macleod (another man with a gun threatening suicide) became a moment that changed Joe's life forever. Joe's story reminds first responders of the power of every interaction and the deep impact they have, but don't always see, on their communities.

This keynote is perfect for any first responder who is:

  • Feeling underappreciated under the weight of public hostility, negative headlines, and the growing anti-police movements
  • Needing a reminder of the good work being done every day in their millions of positive interactions
  • Struggling to see the potential in the people they support and serve because of burnout, frustration, or unrecognized bias and stigma

The audience will leave with:

  • A feeling of being honored and appreciated for their work
  • A powerful reminder of their ability to make a difference in their community through a real-life example
  • A rededication and commitment to purpose and passion and tools for staying inspired and motivated despite external factors
  • Greater empathy and respect for the potential of those who struggle with mental health or addiction

Safety - It's About the Little Things

Leading and inspiring a culture of safety

In this keynote, Joe explores the connection between mental safety and physical safety and shares how anyone can connect their personal purpose to safer behavior. As Joe walks the audience through his first poor choice and how it led to a journey of degradation and despair, they will understand why people make unsafe decisions and how they can intentionally build physically and mentally safer workplaces with every small decision.

This presentation is perfect for safety leaders and teams who are:

  • Unaware of the significant impact mental health can have on job performance and safety
  • Lacking a safe and supportive environment where employees feel comfortable discussing their mental health
  • Struggling to pay attention to the little things, leading to potentially costly mistakes
  • Unsure how they can build a culture of empathy where people feel seen, heard, and safe enough to address potential safety issues

The audience will leave with:

  • A deeper understanding of why the little things matter so much and the motivation to make every small choice a good one
  • A greater appreciation for the importance of advocating for prevention, even if it means having a tough conversation
  • Tools for creating a safe space where people are not only seen and heard but also supported in their struggles

The Push for Change

How to lead, inspire, and engage on purpose

Pushing a shopping cart 9,064km (5,625 miles) across Canada may sound impossible, but amazing things happen when passion aligns with purpose! Joe shares lessons learned from The Push for Change, a 17-month walk across Canada to support the end of youth homelessness. As audiences follow along with his journey, t hey'll learn practical insights for developing a purpose-driven leadership that inspires and engages others.

This program is perfect for any audience who wants to lead well but is:

  • One of the 4 in 5 people that aren't playing to their strengths in the workplace
  • Unsure how to handle the issues they're facing with their teams, such as decreased productivity, increased sick days, unmotivated staff, and internal strife and tensions
  • Struggling with apathy, disengagement, and underperformance, due to burnout-out or a disconnect from their purpose and passion

The audience will leave with:

  • Tools they can immediately use to overcome adversity and reframe a limiting mindset
  • The ability to tackle big projects and stay focused by tapping into their deeper sense of purpose-driven leadership
  • Three core things that get people and teams fired up so they can achieve literally anything!

Joe Roberts Videos

Joe Roberts Speaker Demo Reel

How do I book Joe Roberts to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Joe Roberts for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Joe Roberts, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Joe Roberts or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Joe Roberts for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Joe Roberts, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Joe Roberts are $20,000 - $30,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Joe Roberts, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Joe Roberts speak about?

Joe Roberts is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Business, Inspirational, Leadership, Mental Health, Human Resources, Business Leadership, Motivational, Executive Leadership, Overcoming Adversity, Olympic Athlete, Athlete, Business Growth, Addiction & Recovery, Resilience, Youth, Social Activism, Future of Work, Futurism, Personal Growth and Change Management.

Where does Joe Roberts travel from?

Joe Roberts generally travels from Vancouver, Canada and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Joe Roberts?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Joe Roberts for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Joe Roberts for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Joe Roberts or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Joe Roberts is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Business, Inspirational and Leadership. The estimated speaking fee range to book Joe Roberts for live events is $20,000 - $30,000, and for virtual events $10,000 - $20,000. Joe Roberts generally travels from Vancouver, Canada and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Eric Boles, John Register and Vince Poscente. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Joe Roberts for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 27/06/2025.

Joe Roberts Speaking Topics

  • From Skid Row to CEO

    Building resilience one step at a time

    In this empowering keynote, Joe teaches audiences how to build the resiliency needed to succeed in the face of adversity and change by taking small, attainable steps. Sharing the story of his catastrophic failure and extraordinary success, Joe inspires audiences to see beyond their perceived limitations to overcome life's challenges and embrace change.

    This keynote is ideal for anyone who is:

    • Trying to adapt to significant change or disruption
    • Disconnected from their purpose and passion and showing signs of burnout or underperformance
    • Feeling stuck or holding onto limiting beliefs and a negative outlook
    • Struggling to see their potential and ability to accomplish anything!

    The audience will leave with:

    • Actionable insights on building personal resilience no matter what challenge or change they are facing
    • A greater understanding of the cumulative impact of small, consistent actions and the motivation to take the first step
    • Renewed interest and focus in their work as they reconnect to their purpose and passion
    • Tools for reframing a limiting mindset so they can see the possibilities in themselves and the world around them

  • There's More to You Than You Can See

    Collapsing mental health stigma

    In this eye-opening keynote, Joe shares the critical role family and community support played in helping him overcome a lifelong struggle with substance use disorder and mental illness. Through the lens of his incredible transformation, audiences will be reminded that every person, including themselves, has enormous potential and will leave inspired to create safe spaces for others to learn, grow, and change.

    This program is perfect for leaders and teams who are:

    • Seeing a rapid rise in sick leave, burnout, suicide, PTSD, substance use disorder, and depression in their organization
    • Experiencing productivity decreases, increased sick days, quiet quitting, unmotivated staff, high turnover, or internal strife and tensions
    • Needing to build empathy-based leadership and a psychologically safe work environment
    • Unaware or unconcerned about the stigma and issues surrounding mental health, addiction, and suicide

    The audience will leave with:

    • The motivation and tools to develop empathy centered leadership and see the possibilities in everyone they meet
    • Simple steps anyone can take to create a safe space where people are seen and heard
    • Practical techniques for supporting the person AND challenging the behavior, including tools for conducting "Tough Stuff" Mental Health Conversations

  • To Protect and Serve

    The life-changing potential of every interaction

    In this inspiring keynote, Joe Roberts highlights the life-changing impact first responders can have in every interaction through his own remarkable story. What was a typical distress call for Constable Scott Macleod (another man with a gun threatening suicide) became a moment that changed Joe's life forever. Joe's story reminds first responders of the power of every interaction and the deep impact they have, but don't always see, on their communities.

    This keynote is perfect for any first responder who is:

    • Feeling underappreciated under the weight of public hostility, negative headlines, and the growing anti-police movements
    • Needing a reminder of the good work being done every day in their millions of positive interactions
    • Struggling to see the potential in the people they support and serve because of burnout, frustration, or unrecognized bias and stigma

    The audience will leave with:

    • A feeling of being honored and appreciated for their work
    • A powerful reminder of their ability to make a difference in their community through a real-life example
    • A rededication and commitment to purpose and passion and tools for staying inspired and motivated despite external factors
    • Greater empathy and respect for the potential of those who struggle with mental health or addiction

  • Safety - It's About the Little Things

    Leading and inspiring a culture of safety

    In this keynote, Joe explores the connection between mental safety and physical safety and shares how anyone can connect their personal purpose to safer behavior. As Joe walks the audience through his first poor choice and how it led to a journey of degradation and despair, they will understand why people make unsafe decisions and how they can intentionally build physically and mentally safer workplaces with every small decision.

    This presentation is perfect for safety leaders and teams who are:

    • Unaware of the significant impact mental health can have on job performance and safety
    • Lacking a safe and supportive environment where employees feel comfortable discussing their mental health
    • Struggling to pay attention to the little things, leading to potentially costly mistakes
    • Unsure how they can build a culture of empathy where people feel seen, heard, and safe enough to address potential safety issues

    The audience will leave with:

    • A deeper understanding of why the little things matter so much and the motivation to make every small choice a good one
    • A greater appreciation for the importance of advocating for prevention, even if it means having a tough conversation
    • Tools for creating a safe space where people are not only seen and heard but also supported in their struggles

  • The Push for Change

    How to lead, inspire, and engage on purpose

    Pushing a shopping cart 9,064km (5,625 miles) across Canada may sound impossible, but amazing things happen when passion aligns with purpose! Joe shares lessons learned from The Push for Change, a 17-month walk across Canada to support the end of youth homelessness. As audiences follow along with his journey, t hey'll learn practical insights for developing a purpose-driven leadership that inspires and engages others.

    This program is perfect for any audience who wants to lead well but is:

    • One of the 4 in 5 people that aren't playing to their strengths in the workplace
    • Unsure how to handle the issues they're facing with their teams, such as decreased productivity, increased sick days, unmotivated staff, and internal strife and tensions
    • Struggling with apathy, disengagement, and underperformance, due to burnout-out or a disconnect from their purpose and passion

    The audience will leave with:

    • Tools they can immediately use to overcome adversity and reframe a limiting mindset
    • The ability to tackle big projects and stay focused by tapping into their deeper sense of purpose-driven leadership
    • Three core things that get people and teams fired up so they can achieve literally anything!

Joe Roberts Videos

Joe Roberts Speaker Demo Reel
  • How do I book Joe Roberts to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Joe Roberts for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Joe Roberts, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Joe Roberts or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Joe Roberts for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Joe Roberts, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Joe Roberts are $20,000 - $30,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Joe Roberts, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Joe Roberts speak about?

  • Where does Joe Roberts travel from?

    Joe Roberts generally travels from Vancouver, Canada and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Joe Roberts?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Joe Roberts for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Joe Roberts for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Joe Roberts or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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