Gen Blue Canada 2023 Keynote Speaker Recap

Gen Blue Canada 2023 wouldn’t exist without our amazing lineup of speakers, particularly the Keynote speakers who hold a special responsibility. Armed with energy, insight, emotion and entertainment, they set the tone for the beginning of each day and bring the energy as it comes to a close. We meticulously curated our speaker sessions this year and are thrilled with the turnout and positive feedback we have received. Here’s a recap of all of our amazing Keynote speakers! 

 

Broker/Owner Day – May 30th  

 

Drew Dudley 

Drew Dudley kicked off the very start of our conference on May 30th, a day specifically for Broker/Owners. Drew Dudley, an author and leadership expert whose Lollipop Moment TEDx talk has almost 6.3 million views, literally rolled up his sleeves as the first Keynote speaker and shared his ink with us. 

 

 

“I realized that they’re called tattoos because you have to get two,” he said.  

 

Drew has woven those two precepts into his theory of everyday leadership that he shared with our network at Gen Blue Canada. He stressed the vital importance in business of knowing your own personal values, or, in other words, knowing who you are.  

 

“Individuals who have a very clear conception of both their own values and the company’s are, by far, the happiest and most productive and most committed to the organization,” he said. “The least committed, least happy, least productive employees are the ones who have a very clear concept of the company values, but do not understand their own and do not live their own.” 

 

 

Drew was a big draw for Brin Werrett, Broker/Owner of Coldwell Banker Local Realty in Regina. “I read Drew’s book [This Is Day One: A Practical Guide To Leadership That Matters] a few years ago after a friend recommended it,” Brin said. “I had really enjoyed his Lollipop Moment TED Talk. When I saw Drew’s name on the agenda, I was really excited to have the chance to see him in person.” 

 

Brin said Drew’s strength is his ability to use stories to bring high-level concepts down to earth. “Drew is a great storyteller, which pairs nicely with his concepts and explains how anybody can be a leader in non-traditional ways.”  

 

 

Brin added that Drew’s wisdom has left a lasting impression on him and his brokerage. “There’s a few quotes in his book that stuck with me and ended up in my business plan and really helped to define some of the key pillars we wanted to implement.” In fact, Drew Dudley is on page 1 of Brin’s business plan in a quotation from the Empowerment chapter of the book, which Brin knows by heart:   

 

“If you have a skill or develop a skill that allows you to outperform 90 per cent of the people in your organization, you’re probably going to make six figures. However, if you can become the type of person who makes everyone who works with you outperform everyone who doesn’t work with you, you become indispensable.” 

 

 

Full Network, Day 1 – May 31st  

 

Liz Gehringer 

Our first full conference day opened with exciting celebration, as we had the pleasure of welcoming Liz Gehringer, President and CEO of Anywhere Real Estate, as our opening Keynote Speaker. Liz came with her usual enthusiasm and style, inspiring us with the impact of our global network, and reminding us just how far-reaching Coldwell Banker is. She spoke on the many initiatives of our vast company, and touched on the importance of collaboration and connection.  

 

 

“It was an honour to have Liz visit us in Canada. She is such an inspiring leader and her spirit and energy is so infectious. As a company that expands all across the globe, it feels great to have presence from the global leadership here in Canada when we host our national conference” 

 

We are extremely honoured to have had Liz as our opening Keynote, and she perfectly set the tone for the rest of the conference to follow!  

 

Daniel Lewis 

Daniel Lewis, closing Keynote for Day 1, is an entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker and the founder of the award-winning tea company, T by Daniel. After a long day of learning and networking, Daniel definitely brought some much needed energy to his presentation and taught us many valuable lessons when it comes to life and conducting business.  

 

His approach is people-focused, detail-oriented and non-traditional, but his teachings were very applicable (the acronyms definitely helped)! Daniel shared with us how we can embrace ‘The POP’, meaning the Power of Personality and how to be a real CEO- Catching Every Opportunity.  

 

 

Jimmy Schimmel of Coldwell Banker Local Realty was a big fan of Daniel’s presentation. “Daniel was so fantastic! He was entertaining, had crazy good energy, and engaged with the audience in a way that was easy to comprehend and applicable. Daniel was a great storyteller and highly motivational. He had great points that had everyone whipping out their phones to take pictures of the presentation slides because they were just that good!” 

 

Daniel’s presentation had a particularly unique impact on Jimmy after he volunteered to help Daniel with a demonstration. His highlight for the presentation was a very interesting match of rock, paper, scissors- nothing beats rock- right Jimmy?  

 

 

Although rock, paper, scissors might have been the highlight for Jimmy, his biggest takeaway was the importance of your personality. “Don’t sacrifice your personality, just be uniquely you. ‘Sacrificing your personality is like cutting off your wings to fit into a cage. In the end, you may find yourself trapped and unable to soar towards your true potential’,” Jimmy said, quoting Daniel.  

 

Another key takeaway from Daniel’s presentation was that the only difference between ordinary and extraordinary is just a little extra, meaning doing the simplest little things can have the biggest impact. Daniel shared real-life examples on how this theory has applied to his business and the impact that a little ‘extra’ had on his success.  

 

Needless to say, Daniel was energetic, engaging and a powerful storyteller. We left his presentation feeling inspired, energized, empowered to embrace our full potential and ready to let our personalities shine. The perfect way to end the day!  

 

 

Full Network, Day 2- June 1st  

 

Gerald Clerx 

Day 2 started off in the early morning, and we couldn’t have asked for a better way to kick things off than with the incredible Gerald Clerx and his captivating keynote presentation, The Engagement Styles Matrix: The science of connecting with your clients. Combining entertainment and invaluable insights, Gerald had us hooked from the moment he took the stage. His unique blend of humor, knowledge, and inspiration left us both entertained and enlightened, setting the tone for an incredible day ahead. 

  

Gerald started his presentation by introducing the audience to the four primary personality profiles of the DISC model: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. He engaged the crowd by having everyone stand up and identify with the profile that resonated with them the most, creating an interactive and energizing atmosphere as Gerald playfully teased each profile.  

 

 

Once the audience grasped the concept of the different profiles, Gerald used the matrix to unravel the mysteries behind those moments when we find ourselves losing a listing presentation that we were confident about winning, or have a buyer walk away from a property we were certain they would buy. By examining the different engagement styles and understanding the diverse motivations of our clients, Gerald equipped us with the knowledge to adapt our approach, tailor our strategies, and effectively navigate these situations. With the Engagement Style Matrix as our guide, we can unlock greater success and ensure better alignment between our clients’ needs and our offerings. 

 

    

 

One anonymous attendee praised Gerald Clerx, stating, “His industry knowledge, studied approach, and sense of humor make him pretty awesome”.  Another attendee described him as “entertaining, well-spoken, and skilled at engaging the crowd.” It is evident that Gerald successfully connected with everyone in the room, leaving us with fresh insights on building client connections. What a fantastic way to kickstart the day!  

 

Cheryl Bernard  

Closing out the conference we had Cheryl Bernard, the multi-talented and magnetic 2-time Olympian, Olympic Silver Medalist, and CEO of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame as our final Keynote speaker.   

  

She began with a personal story of her first impressions during the 2010 Winter Olympics, giving us all a unique insider’s view of what such an event is like, and showing a glimpse of the humanity and emotions that can surface. She shared her experiences of competing at a high level in curling despite not being a young athlete, illustrating the power of determination and a positive mindset.  

 

 

As Cheryl invited us in to relive these special moments with her, moments that most people in the world will never have a chance to see, many of us were surprised to draw common parallels within ourselves, recognizing the universal similarities such as strong teamwork, ever-changing age, and the importance of standing up for oneself. 

 

 

Her following stories about the aftermath of the Olympics involving the intense emotions that come with such an event, the public and personal reaction to the results, and the outpouring of support and celebration all combined to highlight the deep power of teamwork, responsibility of choices, and what it means to believe in yourself.  

  

There were a few tears and many laughs from the audience as we were drawn into Cheryl’s colourful storytelling, and more than one attendee expressed their surprise at the impact they felt from her openness and humility.  

 

     

 

Afterwards, a line up formed to meet Cheryl, and she generously allowed everyone that wanted to try on her Olympic medal, take photos with her, and she then took the time to speak with anyone that wanted to. Her passion and presence left us all feeling emotional, inspired, and a bit more fearless, and we could not have asked for a better closing Keynote!