Joe Roberts

From homelessness to CEO – Joe Roberts inspires audiences to unlock resilience, purpose and human potential.

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Rarely do we find individuals whose personal life experience has the power to motivate and move people like your story did. The way you delivered with consistency night after night and the impact you had on each room was reflected in the high level of engagement and feedback that we are still receiving. Your message was perfect, and I want to thank you for inspiring, educating, and empowering all of us.

Vice President Strategic Accounts

AGF

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Non-binding request for Joe Roberts

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Why you should book Joe Roberts for your next event

Joe Roberts combines real-world business success with a deeply personal story of resilience, leadership and transformation.
Former homeless addict turned award-winning CEO and keynote speaker with more than 20 years of international speaking experience.
Inspires organizations to create lasting change through purpose, perseverance, accountability and human connection.

Non-binding request for Joe Roberts

The Skidrow CEO inspiring leaders, teams and organizations through resilience and transformation

Joe Roberts is one of the most inspiring keynote speakers on resilience, leadership and human potential. Known internationally as “The Skidrow CEO,” Joe’s journey from homelessness and addiction on the streets of Vancouver to becoming a successful CEO and award-winning speaker has inspired audiences around the world. With decades of business experience and a deeply human story of transformation, Joe delivers powerful keynotes that challenge people to rethink what is possible – both personally and professionally.

Book Joe Roberts for your event

Few speakers connect with audiences the way Joe Roberts does. His story is remarkable, but it is his ability to translate lived experience into practical lessons about leadership, resilience and growth that truly sets him apart. Whether speaking to Fortune 500 companies, associations, leadership teams or educational organizations, Joe leaves audiences motivated to take action and embrace change with courage and purpose.

Joe Roberts understands adversity from both a personal and professional perspective. Before becoming an internationally recognized keynote speaker, he was the President and CEO of a highly successful multimedia company. After founding Mindware Design Communications, Joe led the company to an extraordinary 800% growth in less than four years. His business strategies and solutions generated millions of dollars for clients across multiple industries, giving him firsthand insight into the challenges organizations and leaders face in rapidly changing environments.

At the same time, Joe’s personal story gives his message a level of authenticity that resonates deeply with audiences everywhere. In 1989, Joe was homeless and addicted, living on the streets of Vancouver’s skid row. Through determination, resilience and a commitment to changing his life, he overcame addiction and rebuilt his future step by step. Today, he uses that journey to remind audiences that every person has untapped potential waiting to be realized.

The Skidrow CEO

Joe Roberts is widely recognized as “The Skidrow CEO,” a title that reflects one of the most dramatic personal and professional transformations imaginable. His journey from despair to leadership demonstrates that resilience is not something people are born with – it is something developed through perseverance, accountability and hope.

What makes Joe’s presentations so impactful is his ability to connect his own experiences to the realities organizations face every day. He speaks openly about adversity, uncertainty, setbacks and personal responsibility while delivering practical insights that audiences can apply immediately in leadership, teamwork and personal growth.

His keynote presentations inspire individuals and organizations to:

Build resilience during periods of change
Develop stronger leadership and communication
Embrace accountability and ownership
Strengthen workplace culture and human connection
Unlock individual and team potential
Create meaningful and lasting impact

Joe’s delivery is authentic, energetic and deeply engaging. Audiences leave with more than inspiration – they leave with a renewed belief in what is possible.

Business leadership and transformation

Joe Roberts brings a rare combination of emotional storytelling and real business expertise to the stage. As the founder of Mindware Design Communications, he successfully built and scaled a thriving multimedia company, leading it through rapid growth and commercial success.

His understanding of leadership, innovation and organizational development comes from firsthand experience. Joe has worked with organizations across a wide range of sectors and understands the pressures leaders face in today’s competitive and constantly evolving business landscape.

This combination of business credibility and lived experience allows Joe to speak to both the emotional and strategic sides of leadership. He understands that resilience is essential not only for individuals, but also for companies navigating uncertainty, transformation and growth.

Organizations book Joe Roberts to inspire employees, strengthen leadership teams and create conversations that continue long after the event ends.

The Push for Change

When Joe was homeless, he made a promise to himself that if he survived, he would one day give back and help others. That promise became reality through The Push for Change – a national campaign focused on youth homelessness prevention.

To raise awareness and inspire action, Joe pushed a shopping cart more than 9,000 kilometers across Canada. The journey became a symbol of resilience, compassion and possibility, capturing national attention and encouraging communities to support vulnerable youth across the country.

The Push for Change inspired Canadians from coast to coast and demonstrated the power of one person choosing to make a difference. Through this initiative, Joe showed that leadership is not defined by titles or status, but by action, courage and service to others.

This extraordinary journey continues to shape Joe’s speaking and his mission to create ripple effects of positive change wherever he goes.

Recognized across Canada

Joe Roberts’ impact has been recognized nationally through numerous prestigious awards and honors. His work as a business leader, advocate and speaker has made him one of Canada’s most respected voices on resilience and transformation.

Among his recognitions:

Named by MacLean’s Magazine as one of “10 Canadians who make a difference”
Recipient of the BC Courage to Come Back Award
Awarded The Ontario Premier’s Award for Business
Received an Honorary Doctorate from Laurentian University
Honored by the Senate of Canada with the Canada 150 Medal
Recipient of the Medal of Good Citizenship from British Columbia
Awarded the Meritorious Service Medal from the Governor General of Canada

These recognitions reflect not only Joe’s achievements, but also the lasting impact he continues to have on individuals, organizations and communities.

A keynote that creates lasting impact

Joe Roberts does more than tell a powerful story. He creates an experience that inspires people to think differently about adversity, leadership and their own capabilities. His message is rooted in authenticity, hope and the belief that every individual has more potential than they realize.

With more than 20 years of speaking experience, Joe has inspired audiences internationally with keynotes that are emotional, motivational and actionable. He speaks with honesty, humility and conviction, creating a connection that resonates long after the event is over.

For organizations seeking a keynote speaker who can inspire meaningful change, energize teams and deliver a message people will remember, Joe Roberts delivers an unforgettable experience. His story proves that circumstances do not define a person’s future – and that resilience, purpose and human connection can transform lives in extraordinary ways.

Customer Reviews

Vice President Strategic Accounts AGF

"Your presentation was absolutely thought-provoking, powerful, and very moving. It was very motivational for the group to hear what happens when "things go right."

Commissioner Ontario Provincial Police

You connected with people using your authentic personal experience with both mental health and addiction, something that touches all our lives.

Area Manager BC Hydro

“I have heard you speak twice now, and both times you successfully touched the audience in a way that only someone who has lived their story can. You taught us all that we can endure change and hardship in life and still come out victorious. Your “Skidrow to CEO” message is what the world needs today.”

President Justice Institute of BC

Keynotes

Keynote by Joe Roberts:

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

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Keynote by Joe Roberts:

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

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Keynote by Joe Roberts:

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

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Keynote by Joe Roberts:

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

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Keynote by Joe Roberts:

The Push for Change

How to lead, inspire, and engage on purpose

Pushing a shopping cart 9,064km 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, they‘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!