Brand owners and investors are invited to attend a new and immersive one-day summit coming to Toronto that will help them elevate their businesses.
League of Originals began as an intimate event series in Los Angeles two years ago, to bridge the gap between startups and scale up big brands by hosting large group experiences for the entrepreneurial community interested in helping and learning from one another.
Unlike traditional events, League strives to break the molds of traditional networking and panel sessions by bringing diverse and honest experiences to participants.
The League has two main memberships, one for startups that are below $10 million in revenue and one for established founders over $10 million in revenue. Both offer mentorship and resources specifically geared to help brands scale their businesses.
The concept of League of Originals came from the idea of supporting leaders who are changing the world of business in original ways.
“After brainstorming words that encapsulated the feeling we are aiming to create- league represents a tight knit community, and originals represent the people making waves and building something fresh and great,” League of Originals Founder and CEO Karolina Swietoniowska told Now Toronto.
With a rising number of startups and a lack of mentorship and access to larger scaled brands, the need for League to deliver bigger platforms to meet more attendees and sponsors began to grow.
The event has since evolved into one of the most immersive and highly sought after events in North America, and now it’s hosting its first summit in Toronto to support and highlight Canadian businesses. The highly anticipated event is set for Aug. 22 at the East Room downtown.
Swietoniowska says having an inclusive space where entrepreneurs can gather for support and mentorship is essential for elevating their businesses.
“Running a business can feel extremely isolating, having a space where entrepreneurs can gather to spark inspiration, connect genuinely, and learn innovative ways to grow their businesses is invaluable. Our events are not only for high-profiting entrepreneurs- we support emerging founders as well, eager to grow and put them in a room of influential people that can help them take their business to the next level,” Swietoniowska said.
Toronto’s summit will include 20 speakers, all of whom are in decision-making positions at unique brands that are now some of the most talked about on social media, including NUDESTIX, Barbet, Bushbalm, Crafty Ramen and Fuzz Wax Bar.
Some high-profile attendees joining the summit include Executive Producer of “Dragon’s Den” Molly Middleton as the main guest speaker and graffiti artist Leah Kirsch as the lead collaborator of the event.
Rather than just focusing on Canadian founders, League of Originals intends to make more connections with top leaders in America to help businesses expand beyond the country.
“We reached out to our favourite brand leaders in Canada, as well as bringing in key speakers from Los Angeles. We want to cross-pollinate networks and get more eyeballs on Canadian businesses. Each speaker brings a unique perspective that adds value to the audience, they are also great people who are excited to build community and support one another,” Swietoniowska said.
Although the summit is free for members, it costs $125 for investors and brand members to attend. The summit is from 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at 50 Carroll Street, and includes various sessions, lunch and happy hour.
