Our elders speak of the eagle feather. As a youth or young adult you start at the base, the wider part of the feather. So many choices. So many options to try - where to live, what to do, where to study etc. This continues for quite awhile but with time, the paths narrow by choice or circumstance. Not a said thing, just a chosen path. But then it gets exciting, as you move closer to the tip of the arrow. Things get laser focused here. No more time for fluff. Now you know who you are and where you want to go and you quickly learn how to get there. My tip - The Approachable Indian. My rebrand - blue to represent the calm waters and the calm I bring to those stressed over Indigenous/Canadian engagement and relationship building. Blue to appeal to the Conservatives I so often work with (in Canada blue is Conservative and Liberal is red, opposite to the US). New pics showing my passion and energy and Indigenous pride. And the promise - to always be approachable to Indigenous and non as we build this bridge together. Laser focused. Intentional. The Approachable Indian. (New colours coming to website by week's end.) LOVE!!!

This Mother’s Day, I wanted to share something a little different for this community. As speakers, coaches, educators, and leaders… we spend so much time helping people feel seen, understood, encouraged, and inspired. But sometimes the women who shaped us never really saw themselves that way. Not fully. So here’s a prompt designed to turn a simple photo into something that feels like legacy, memory, storytelling, and honor all at once. A cinematic portrait worthy of framing. Upload a photo of yourself, your mother, grandmother, daughter, mentor, or the woman who helped shape your voice — then use this prompt: “Create a high-end cinematic cartoon portrait inspired by luxury animated films and editorial illustration. Preserve the exact identity, facial features, skin tone, age, expression, and recognizable essence of the uploaded person. Do not turn them into a generic AI character. Keep them looking like themselves — warm, real, radiant, and emotionally grounded. Style: A blend of: • Pixar-level emotional storytelling • soft glam editorial illustration • modern luxury animation • painterly cinematic lighting • elegant cartoon realism The image should feel like a scene from an animated film about motherhood, sacrifice, wisdom, softness, resilience, and legacy. Wardrobe: Elegant. Refined. Timeless. Flowing fabrics, satin textures, tasteful jewelry, graceful silhouettes, layered textures, rich jewel tones or warm neutrals. No revealing clothing. No exaggerated fantasy styling. No plastic perfection. Lighting: Warm golden-hour glow or cinematic studio lighting with soft highlights and emotional shadows. Emotion: The portrait should communicate: • emotional safety • nurturing • quiet strength • wisdom • comfort • resilience • generational love Include subtle storytelling details such as: • flowers • books • handwritten letters • framed memories • warm window light • heirloom jewelry • soft fabric movement • gentle hand placement Optional typography: Add one elegant word such as:

@Sandra Valks ... master of LinkedIn Lives. Can you walk me through how to do one? (Programs you use, etc.) I want to take this off my Bucket List lol Thanks!

And the world turns ... (A fact, not a reference to an old soap opera.) Today, as I think of a friend attempting to function and go about his normal day after the sudden and very recent passing of the man who raised him, I remember all the times the world kept turning despite the fact that mine had just shattered. Watching as friends laughed while I was lost in the grief of losing my Dad, feeling so distant from them even though we only stood a few feet apart. Watching the cars drive by on their way to work while I was waiting frantically for the ambulance that would make my infant daughter okay .... spoiler alert, they couldn't. Any day that work and the world kept going after an abusive episode blew my family apart. And honestly, the grief after losing my Mom was so incredibly intense, I didn't even notice the world turning. I was too intent on not being part of it to notice. But the world does turn and the seasons change and the grief eventually does lessen for those wise enough not to make it their identity. And eventually, we rejoin the world, a little wiser, a little older, a little sadder perhaps but we return. We return so we can carry on what those just passed had started, taking the best of them, leaving the rest. Today, my thoughts go out to all that grieve. I see you. I feel you. I hear your silence. I know your pain. Take your time ... the world can spin without you for awhile. Love you! HUGSSSSSSS Sandi

Today, I want to take a moment to honor someone who shaped not only a business, but my life. Larry Ketelaars, founder of Inspiring Speakers Bureau, passed away on April 17th, 2026. He was my stepfather, my mentor, my business partner, and one of the most influential people I will ever know. Larry built Inspiring Speakers Bureau from the ground up in the late 1990s. Through sheer persistence, optimism, and (most crucially) his belief in people, he guided this business through some of the toughest periods in modern history. Inspiring Speakers survived and adapted through 9/11, SARS, the 2008 financial crisis, and COVID—times when many in the speaking industry didn’t make it. Larry never lost faith. He never lost purpose. He just kept moving forward. In 2017, Larry entrusted me with the business and passed the torch. But he never stepped away in spirit. Up until his final days, he remained a powerful and invaluable mentor, guiding me, challenging me, and continuing to shape the direction of Inspiring Speakers. Everything I know about this business (and much of what I know about life) came from him. He taught me the ins and outs of the professional speaking world, but more importantly, he taught me about people. About human connection. About branding and marketing with integrity. About building real client relationships. About conducting yourself ethically, even when it’s difficult. Larry was an incredible leader. He led with positivity. With optimism. With a mindset that no matter what was happening externally, there was always a way forward. That attitude became the backbone of this business. Throughout his career, Larry had the privilege of working with some of the greatest voices in the world—Les Brown, Robin Sharma, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Robert Kiyosaki, Dr. Wayne Dyer, and many more. But what stood out most wasn’t just who he worked with—it was how he showed up. With humility. With consistency. With genuine care. Larry was legally blind. He had only about 5% of his vision. And yet, I’ve always said—he was the most observant man I’ve ever known. Because he paid attention. He listened. He noticed what others missed. He recognized people for who they truly were. Larry saw more than most people, in both a literal and metaphorical way.