Vancouver keynote speaker and emcee

A useful talk changes what happens after the room clears.

Dai Manuel is a Vancouver keynote speaker, TEDx speaker and event emcee. Nearly thirty years of coaching, operating and teaching sits behind every talk. He speaks plainly, works the room and sends people back to work with something they can use on Monday.

Read Dai's full speaking bioSee the speaking profile and download the package

Dai Manuel speaking on stage

Formats

Built for the room.

Keynote

A focused address shaped to the event and the people actually in it.

Half-day workshop

More time, real participation and practical application. Nobody watches from the back.

Emcee

Clear pacing, prepared transitions and a steady hand for the whole event. The room never feels the seams.

Keynotes from $3,000 CAD, plus travel outside Vancouver. Workshops and emcee work are quoted on the brief.

Seven talks

Signature topics

01

The 2% Solution: Thirty Minutes to Transform Your Life

Thirty minutes is two percent of a day. Dai splits it into fifteen minutes moving, five minutes still and ten minutes reading, then shows the room how to keep it. He has used and taught the framework since 2015, and it sits at the centre of his book and podcast.

02

How to Be a Champion of Change

For leaders and teams carrying a change nobody asked for. This keynote, first delivered in 2024, deals with the human work required to move through change without losing trust.

03

Smart, Driven, Burned Out

For high performers who are winning on paper and running on empty. This corporate and executive talk names the cost, then gives the room a practical way to change course.

04

The Transformative Power of Vulnerability in Men's Mental Health

Dai’s TEDx talk challenges the script that tells men strength means silence. That script costs men their health, their marriages and sometimes more.

05

Creating Engaging, Safe Learning Environments

For trainers, facilitators and anyone who teaches adults something that matters. It is available as a facilitated workshop with a participant workbook.

06

Fuelling Your Life for Life: Nutrition Made Simple

A corporate wellness session about nutrition without the plan, the ban list or the tracking. The focus is simple choices people can repeat in ordinary life.

07

The Heartbeat: Establishing Connection

Connection sits underneath leadership, culture and coaching. This talk shows why it matters and what people can do to create more of it in the room.

Credentials

TEDx speaker
Published author
Nearly 30 years
Former COO
Toastmasters

Watch Dai

See the work before you book it.

The TEDx talk in full, plus television and interview appearances. What you see here is what shows up in your room.

Why Vulnerability is a Human Thing | TEDxBearCreekPark

Dai Manuel on Breakfast Television Montreal

Meet the Moose | Vancouver Real

Stages and media

Where the work has shown up.

TEDxBearCreekPark

Why Vulnerability is a Human Thing, March 2021. Watch it above.

Breakfast Television

Television segments on health, habits and fitness, including Breakfast Television Montreal and Breakfast Television Vancouver.

The 2% Solution podcast

149 episodes of conversations on health, mindset and doing the next useful thing.

HuffPost

Contributor writing on fitness, family and lifestyle.

Forbes Coaches Council

Former official member.

See the full media kit: CBC, CTV, Global News, The Globe and Mail and more

Speaking calendar

Hold a date.

See when Dai is free, request your date and get a confirmation by email. Nothing is final until Dai confirms the details with you personally.

October 2026

Greyed-out dates are taken. Dates open from two weeks out.

Pick a date to start.

Choose an open date and share a few details. You will get a confirmation email straight away, and Dai replies personally to confirm.

Event enquiry

Tell us about the room.

Dates, fit and format come first. Keynotes start at $3,000 CAD; the full quote follows once the brief is clear, never before.

Keynotes start at $3,000 CAD, plus travel outside Vancouver. Workshops and emcee work are quoted on the brief. The final fee is confirmed in writing before anything is booked.

Where Dai speaks

A keynote speaker for Canada's biggest rooms.

Based in Vancouver. Booked for conferences, sales kickoffs, leadership offsites and wellness weeks in every major Canadian city. The subjects travel well: burnout in high performers, leading change, men's mental health, workplace wellness and habits that stick.

Questions

Common questions

How much does it cost to book a keynote speaker in Canada?+

Speaking fees vary with format, date and travel. A local Vancouver keynote costs less than one with flights and hotels, and a half-day workshop is priced differently to a 45-minute keynote. Send the event details and a clear quote follows once the brief is set. No surprises after that.

How long is a typical keynote?+

Most keynotes run 45 to 60 minutes, with time for questions if the agenda allows. Shorter 20 to 30 minute sessions work for summits and lunch-and-learns, and half-day workshops go deeper with real participation.

What is included in the speaking fee?+

The talk itself, a planning call to shape it to your audience, and travel coordination. Every talk is tailored: Dai learns who is in the room and what they are dealing with before he writes a word.

How do we book Dai for our event?+

Three steps. Use the calendar on this page to hold a date, or send the enquiry form with your event details. Dai replies personally within two business days. Once the brief, date and fee are agreed, the date is confirmed.

Does Dai speak outside Vancouver?+

Yes. Dai speaks at conferences, leadership offsites and company events in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Victoria and across Canada, and further afield when it fits. Virtual keynotes work too.

What topics does Dai Manuel speak on?+

Seven signature talks: the 2% Solution, leading change, burnout in high performers, men's mental health (his TEDx talk), safe learning environments, simple nutrition and connection. Each can be shaped to the event.

Does Dai emcee events as well as speak?+

Yes. He emcees full events, handling pacing, transitions and the room between speakers. It can be combined with a keynote.

Is Dai available outside Vancouver?+

Yes. He is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, and travels for events across Canada and beyond. Virtual sessions are also possible.

Who are his talks for?+

Corporate teams, leadership offsites, conferences, fitness industry events and wellness programmes. The common thread is people who want something they can use on Monday.

How far in advance should we book?+

Three to six months is comfortable for most events, and earlier means more date options. Shorter notice sometimes works, especially for Vancouver events and virtual talks. The calendar on this page shows live availability.

Can a keynote be tailored to our event theme?+

Yes. Talks are shaped to the event and the audience. Send the theme and the room details and the talk is built around them.

What happens after we enquire?+

A reply follows with availability and fit. Once the brief is clear, a quote follows. Format, date and travel shape the fee.

Next step

Planning an event? Start with the room.

Start a conversation