What we ask of our speakers
Every ODC talk starts with one idea. One perspective, question, or realization that changed how you approach your work. We’re not interested in portfolio reviews or career timelines. This isn’t about proving range or listing achievements. The work you show exists to support the idea and the learning, not to speak for itself.
Luke Norrad
Pearly Pouponneau
A story with friction
We structure talks around a storytelling arc inspired by superhero narratives, because creative work is rarely clean or linear. We’re interested in who you were before something shifted, what gave you your “superpower,” and what happened once you started using it.
There’s usually friction. A villain. Sometimes it’s a person, sometimes a system, sometimes expectations, burnout, money, or your own doubt. Often it’s something you tried that didn’t work at all. We want to hear about that middle part. That’s where people in the room recognize themselves.
The story doesn’t need a perfect ending. It just needs honesty and reflection.
A slide deck with intention
All talks are supported by a slide presentation. Visuals matter at ODC. This isn’t optional, and it’s not a portfolio walkthrough. Slides should be intentional, clear, and aligned with the story you’re telling. Each one should earn its place.
We care about polish, but not perfection. The goal is clarity and rhythm, not performance.
Eepmon
Emma Orhun
Guidance, not design
You don’t need public speaking experience. Many of our speakers are doing this for the first time. What you do need is openness to guidance.
We have a lot of experience working with speakers, and we’re very good at helping people land a story. We’ll guide you through the arc, help you clarify your point of view, and make sure the talk flows. We don’t design your slides for you, but we do help you make decisions that strengthen the storytelling.
This is a collaborative process, and you’re supported all the way through it.
How speakers are selected
We don’t build themes in advance.
Each year, we conduct speaker interviews, usually in January. These conversations are exploratory. We listen closely, take a lot of notes, and look for recurring questions, tensions, and ideas across multiple interviews.
That’s how themes emerge. Through patterns.
Sometimes a conversation stays with us. Sometimes a story is right, but the timing isn’t. There have been cases where we’ve invited speakers a year or two later because their perspective fit a future moment better. Curation at ODC is slow and intentional awareness over time.
What you leave with
After the event, you’ll receive a professional video recording of your talk and event photography. These assets are yours to use for future speaking opportunities, applications, or a speaker kit. We want the work you put into this to keep working for you.
Andy Akangah
Cara Tierney
Beyond one night
Speaking at ODC means contributing to something ongoing. The ideas shared on our stage don’t stop there. We hope they show up again in other rooms, other cities, and other conversations, carried forward by the people who first shaped them here.
If you have a perspective you’re ready to unpack, and you’re open to being guided through the process, we’d love to hear from you.
How to get involved as a speaker
Most of our speakers are invited through our own curation process. We spend time interviewing creatives, listening closely, and reaching out when a perspective aligns with where the conversation is headed. That said, we’re always open to hearing from people directly. If you have an idea, a story, or a learning moment you’d like to explore on stage, you’re welcome to email us at hello@ottdesign.club with a short outline of what you’d want to talk about. From there, we can set up a conversation to see if it’s a good fit, either now or in the future.
Leah Lavergne
Jared Lebel