Cam Calkoen - Business Coaching - 2020 Speaker of The Year, Gold Medalist and Social ...

Travels From New Zealand

Speaker Topics

BEND PERCEPTION AND ELIMINATE ASSUMPTION

In this talk, Cam combines humor and storytelling to identify why difference is a good thing and how it can be used to ignite, inspire, and enhance any goal. He provides the audience with the tools and lessons for transforming mindset so that they ultimately see opportunities that they could not see before. This keynote will eliminate negative beliefs about ‘difference’ and empower your audience to celebrate and grow from adversity. Read less

DREAM BIG, ACHIEVE MORE

In Cam’s most popular talk, he presents the audience with simple, lasting truths and leaves them with steps and tools to ask themselves “Who am I not to try?”. Read less

LIVE FOR AWESOME

In this presentation, Cam shares his personal story and his shift in mindset from a heavy depression to a healthy obsession with excellence and the realisation that ‘If it’s meant to be… it’s up to me’. This has resulted in Cam’s biggest perceived weaknesses, the way he walks and the way he talks, becoming his biggest strengths and passport to making a world of difference. He inspires the audience to step beyond their comfort zone and challenge the perceptions preventing them from achieving incredible things. In seeing that the use of words influences how we feel and, therefore, what we can achieve, the audience will be left feeling and believing that anything is possible. Read less

TURNING REJECTION INTO AFFECTION

In this keynote, Cam will take you exclusively behind the scenes of how he raised $4 million from a dream on a piece of paper, became one of Australasia’s most frequently booked speakers, built a successful speaking business while having a ‘speech impediment’ and climbed the tallest freestanding mountain in the world, Mt. Kilimanjaro. Through sharing his personal story, Cam encourages the audience to look at rejection from a different mindset and to push through and turn that rejection into affection. Read less

Cam Calkoen

2020 Speaker of The Year, Gold Medalist and Social Innovator

Born with Cerebral Palsy, Cam was told that his biggest challenges in life would be the way he walks and talks. However, by focusing on what he could do, Cam pushed through his physical limitations and went on to follow his passion, becoming an athletic gold medalist in the 100 and 200 meters. In addition, he is a charitable fundraiser, social innovator, and a full-time speaker.

After winning championships in New Zealand, Australia and Canada, Cam has taken his winning attitude into environments that encourage others to achieve their personal best. His philosophies and dynamic vision have taken him to Japan, building a tuberculosis ward and a library in Vanuatu. His leadership is regularly recognised in the form of awards and scholarships.

In 2006, a twenty-one-year-old Cam became one of the youngest recipients worldwide of a Paul Harris Fellowship from Rotary. He has received this prestigious award not once but twice. This award recognises his significant contribution in turning a community’s dream - YES Disability Resource Centre, into reality. As the project’s ambassador, Cam was the figurehead of a $4 million project. He saw the potential in linking his ever-growing network together with young disabled people so they too could develop the tools and processes to realise their dreams. Further to this, Cam has founded the Carabiner Mentoring program for people with disabilities.

In 2010, Cam was the finalist in the Kiwibank Young New Zealander of The Year Awards.

Cam has learnt from the best and quickly realised that the only thing getting in the way of his most desired accomplishments would be an undesirable attitude. Today, Cam is incredibly passionate about helping people exceed expectations. He has made it his mission to inspire people to see and believe things they previously couldn’t. In 2015, he spoke on the TEDx platform about how simple words bring big action and regularly helps bend the perception of what is possible, share universal skills and inspire people. Cam has spoken to audiences worldwide, motivating people from all backgrounds to dream big. This includes the Prime Minister’s Social Hero Awards in New Zealand, Cabinet Officers in Japan, villages in Vanuatu, schools in London, sports clubs and major conferences.

Cam sees speaking as a privilege and continuously develops the craft, tailoring his content to generate a lasting impact on his audience. He has 18 years of speaking experience and six years as a full-time professional speaker. In 2017, he became one of only twelve New Zealand speakers to become a Certified Professional Speaker (CSP). Cam is only 1 of 761 to globally acclaim this recognition.

In 2020, Cam was awarded “Speaker of The Year” by the National Speakers Association of New Zealand.