Svetlana Ratnikova brings a wealth of national and international experience to the companies she is a part of — from entrepreneurial, corporate, recruiting and marketing. With a record of starting and transforming organizations she is skilled at designing winning strategies, identifying new opportunities and mobilizing teams to achieve results. She is a values-driven and passionate about being on the front edge, inspiring growth and developing teams. As a seasoned business leader with 25 years of broad experience Svetlana concentrates on building and nurturing agency culture of professional growth and client-service excellence.

Svetlana was born in Moscow, Russia and immigrated to Canada in 1994. She earned a degree from the University of Moscow in Marketing and Economics in 1989. Svetlana commenced her leadership journey at the tender age of 20, when she became one of the first female entrepreneurs in Moscow.

In Canada she began her career with a major market research firm working with some of the largest companies in the world as clients. In 2001 Svetlana launched Terra Naturals Inc. with the mission to improve lives throughout completely natural, petroleum free body care products. Today Svetlana shares her personal experience as a successful inventor and enjoys supporting entrepreneurs of small to medium-sized businesses to achieve their aspirations and bring their dreams to life. She appreciates working directly with immigrant women to help them explore enterprise as viable and sustainable paths to secure their socio-economic futures.

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Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million. He’s an internationally recognized expert on innovation and is the author of four books on the subject including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. Josh is passionate about starting and building companies. He’s the co-founder and Managing Partner of Muditā Venture Partners - an early-stage venture capital firm.

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Allen Grinberg began his career in commercial real estate with a focus on helping corporations save money. Over his 26 years, he has worked with a range of companies from rapidly growing start-ups to some of the country’s most respected brands. Now, Allen serves as Principal in our Downtown Toronto office.As a result of his exceptionally broad experience, Allen advised and managed many major corporate accounts including Panasonic, Royal Bank of Canada, Motion Picture Association to name a few. His outgoing and endearing personality lets clients feel at ease yet gives them comfort that they are in good hands as Allen delivers creative solutions to his client’s business challenges.

Previously Allen managed sales and marketing for an international tire recycling firm. Overseeing environmental concerns, he worked with large corporate entities and governmental agencies, at the municipal, provincial/state and federal levels. This experience gave him unparalleled expertise in relating with the multifaceted and multi-tiered corporate and government organizations.

Since 2002, Allen has served on the board of governors for the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies. He also served as the Head convener for the Forest Hill Hockey Association from 2001-2018, as well as the master of ceremonies for various charity organizations. In 2007, Allen was declared NAIOP’s ‘Rex Award’ winner.

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Martin Perelmuter is an unapologetic idealist. He is passionate about people and ideas and, after nearly 30 years in the speaking industry, believes more than ever that a great speech can provide the impetus for action and be a catalyst for change.

Prior to co-founding Speakers Spotlight, Martin was a corporate lawyer at a prestigious international law firm. While he realized early on in his career that he needed to do something more entrepreneurial, he learned some incredibly valuable best practices while in law that have shaped his approach to client service and business management.

Martin’s views on the speaking industry have been reported in various television and print media, and have been published in over 60 countries. He has been a guest lecturer at several colleges and universities, and was a keynote speaker at the Public Words Speaker Forum at The Center for Public Leadership at Harvard’s Kennedy School in Cambridge.

Martin is the current President and serves on the Board of Governors of the International Association of Speakers Bureaus, whose membership is made up of speakers bureaus, lecture agencies and speaker management companies located around the world, including the US, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, the UK, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Turkey, Cyprus, South Africa, Australia, South Korea and India.

Martin is a graduate of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Western Ontario, and the Faculty of Law at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto.

He lives in Toronto with his wife and business partner Farah, and their children Jade and Cole. He is an avid reader and music lover.

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Danny Goldberg knows what it takes to transform high turnover and low performance into connection, innovation, retention, and results.

Acclaimed speaker and award-winning entrepreneur Danny Goldberg built an eight-figure business in a few short years, all before the age of 30. Along the way, his desire to learn what makes great organizations great led him to spend nearly 10 years decoding exactly what it takes to be an effective leader.

Danny’s Modern Leadership Framework gives leaders at all levels actionable insights that will help them foster depth, personalize their leadership approach, and lead in a way that inspires loyalty. Danny loves captivating audiences with his engaging and relatable speaking style as he helps organizations cultivate care and connection to boost entire work forces’ commitment.

Everyone wants a satisfying career, and Danny’s experience and knowledge uniquely equip him to lead the movement in establishing an innovative approach to leadership that truly works.

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Paola Girotti, the visionary behind Sugarmoon, embarked on a transformative journey to revolutionize the hair removal and beauty industry. Founding Sugarmoon in 2002 with a clear mission, Paola aimed to offer clients a fresh approach and natural solutions, driven by her own experiences as a teenager with sensitive skin and excessive hair growth.

Over nearly two decades, Paola has witnessed a notable societal shift in attitudes toward once-taboo topics like facial and body hair. Through Sugarmoon, she and her team have played a pivotal role in empowering individuals to embrace their unique qualities and feel beautiful. As an engaged owner, Paola treasures the opportunity to personally connect with clients and positively impact their lives.

In 2020, amid the pandemic's challenges, Paola took on another leadership role by founding the Beauty United Council of Ontario. This initiative advocated for fair treatment of the personal care industry in Ontario, earning Paola recognition through appearances on 49 media outlets over two years. Sugarmoon's distinction as an Ontario Living Wage Company underscores its commitment to fair and sustainable employment practices.

Expanding her reach in 2023, Paola became the new owner of @bodespaformen with locations in Ottawa and Toronto, furthering her mission to promote inclusivity in the spa industry. In 2024, she opened @sugarmoonyoga, a studio dedicated to wellness for every BODY amplifying her commitment to community well-being.

Paola Girotti's entrepreneurial journey is defined by her passion for helping people and introducing natural alternatives to the beauty industry. Through Sugarmoon, she has not only provided top-quality products and services but also advocated for industry recognition and equitable treatment. Paola's dedication and vision continue to inspire others, leaving an indelible mark on the hair removal and beauty landscape.

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Todd Hirsch is an internationally renowned speaker and author, focusing on adaptability in the ever-changing global economic environment. An economist by training, he now focuses his research and writing on the subject of adaptability. Currently, he is the Director of the Energy Transition Centre, an incubator of tech start-ups focused on navigating our path toward net-zero carbon. Prior to this, he served as VP and chief economist for ATB Financial. Hirsch has received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum (2022) and Diamond (2012) Jubilee Medals, the University of Alberta’s Alumni Honour Award, and an honorary degree from Mount Royal University.

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With over three decades of building businesses, Oskhar Pineda shares the fundamentals to his long-lasting success for leaders to build their own organizations. His chief belief is that EMPLOYEE CENTRIC FOUNDATIOAL LEADERSHIP is the key to longevity, resilience, viability and success. He teaches leaders the fundamental principles to break the vicious circle of dysfunction between leadership and employees.

In this episode, you will hear how Oskhar Pineda uses humor in leadership, he shares some of his favorite jokes, including a circus-themed joke and one about a preacher.

Oskhar also emphasized the importance of using humor to create a lighthearted and friendly work culture where employees feel comfortable connecting with each other. As a leader, Pineda finds humor helps him build relationships with employees and clients by putting them at ease and incorporates humor into company meetings and events to foster camaraderie between employees of different generations.

He also believes leaders should prioritize people over tasks and "lighten up" to be more relatable and effective.

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