Let’s connect! Book a 60-minute coaching session to gain insights into inclusive leadership, effective communication, disability inclusion, or digital accessibility – and discover actionable strategies to create a more inclusive environment in your organization.
Let’s connect! Book a 30-minute discovery call to discuss topics such as inclusive leadership, effective communication, disability inclusion, and digital accessibility – while exploring new opportunities to collaborate and create meaningful, lasting change in your organization.
Is your leadership approach
"inclusive-ish" or truly inclusive?
“We spend an awful lot of time crafting the delivery of our message, but not nearly enough time thinking about how that message will be received by our audience members.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“If you’ve designed your keynote, presentation or workshop to fit the average audience member, then I'm sorry to say, but in reality, you’ve essentially designed it to fit no one.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“To be truly inclusive, you must design your content for the extremes of the human experience, where your audience lives differently, thinks differently, and experiences differently.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“A one-size-fits-all delivery of your message will always end up denying part of your audience with fair and equal opportunities to truly learn, share, grow, and belong.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Discarding some audience members' experiences as edge cases implicitly defines the boundaries of who in your audience you actually care about.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“When we craft our message to meet the needs and expectations of audience members living on the extremes of the bell curve, then those in the middle are naturally taken care of.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“As professional speakers, trainers and communicators, we oftentimes have a misleading tendency to see our audience as nothing more than an extension of ourselves.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“If you're not explicitly leveraging strategies to include everyone in your audience, then you are implicitly excluding a large segment of that same audience.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“The first step to becoming a truly inclusive communicator is to acknowledge diversity. Every single person needs some differentiation in some way, at some point, for some things.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“If your definition of diversity and inclusion doesn't include catering to the needs and expectations of people with disabilities and the elderly, then you're doing it wrong.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Inclusion is like driving a car... as long as everything runs smoothly, no one notices or cares. But when something breaks down, the entire experience quickly starts falling apart for those left behind.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Challenges for inclusion may be our responsibility to solve as professional communicators, but the weight of exclusion is ultimately borne by audience members alone.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“If you think an inclusive approach to communication is cost prohibitive, then you should look at what it costs your business to systematically exclude parts of your audience.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“If you recognize that people with disabilities and the elderly can be part of your audience, then you must acknowledge that their needs will differ from those of other audience members.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“What if your biggest loss of potential revenue came, not from those who don't like you, but from the 40% of your audience with various limitations you knew nothing about?”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“As speakers, trainers and communicators, we often let our own experiences, beliefs, preferences and biases dictate how we approach and deliver our content to our audience.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“If your business can't afford to ignore an untapped Canadian consumer market of over $165 billion a year, then you must pay attention to the needs of people with disabilities.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“The needs and expectations of your audience should guide your presentation strategies, and your delivery mechanisms should feed into the expectations and needs of your audience.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Inclusive communication is about creating and delivering content that empowers all of your audience to truly connect, so that they can act on the opportunities you offer.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“In my experience talking with audience members who have disabilities, feeling left out is oftentimes the number one reason why speakers don’t get referrals for future business.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“When it comes to communication and diversity, I’ve discovered through my research that as speakers, we all sit somewhere on a spectrum for inclusion. Where do YOU think you fit?”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Inclusive communication is about creating and delivering content in a way that allows your audience to feel. Feel like they belong. Like they matter. Like they're acknowledged.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“If we’re not addressing the diverse needs and expectations of everyone in the room, then we’re only appealing to the needs and preferences of a limited subset of the audience.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Audience members who don't perfectly fit the mold of the average audience member are, by far, the largest minority group you can find attending your sessions.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“As communicators, we already know our message can change lives, but most of us aren’t aware of how many more lives we could impact, if only we were more mindful about inclusion.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Audience members with disabilities experience constant feelings of frustration and resentment because of the way we communicate our ideas, or how we convey our message.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“When we fail to recognize and embrace the diversity that exists in our audience, what happens to audience members that feel, vibrate and respond to different frequencies than we do?”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“One of the most common mistakes for communicators is to assume that what they feel works best in terms of content delivery strategies will also work best for everyone else.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Out of all those audience members who end up fading out on you, how many could have been your next network opportunity, your next raving fan, or your next amazing client?”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“As you share your core message with your audience, there’s a myriad of barriers that can get in your way as a speaker or communicator, sharing your ideas with the masses.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“It's our responsibility to make sure that the experiences we create do not disable our audience members, but rather enable them — regardless of whether or not they have a disability.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“It's in your best interest to recognize that any approach to diversity, equity and inclusion that fails to loop in disability and ageing are inherently flawed and will lead to exclusion.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“All roads can potentially lead to Fadeout Town. Your job is to make sure that as many people in your audience as possible never make it there, because they choose to stay with you instead.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Adopting an inclusive approach to your content delivery shouldn't make you exceptional, but questioning what you think you understand about your audience's needs absolutely does.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“What we need to do is design our content and shape its delivery to the audience members who live on the extremes of the bell curve, knowing that those in the middle will also benefit.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“You should always go out of your way to avoid using the words "edge case" when referring to some of your audience members, as that term defines the boundaries of who you actually care about.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“If you believe inclusive communication is an expensive endeavor, you should definitely look at the impact that excluding parts of your audience can have on your bottom line.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“In my experience speaking with audience members who have disabilities, feeling left out is oftentimes the number one reason invoked as to why speakers don’t get referrals for future business.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“The needs and expectations of your audience must influence your delivery style, and the delivery mechanisms you rely upon must keep your audience away from Fadeout Town.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“It's ironic how challenges related to exclusion, while they are entirely the responsibility of speakers to solve, are almost always the responsibility of audience members to bear.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“If you don't factor in the impact of invisible disabilities on some of your audience members, then your brand might be giving up on up to 20 to 25% of your audience without even realizing it.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“People who have disabilities, whether those are visible or not, are the same people that come to our talks and grow from our thought leadership. As long as we don’t shut them out, that is.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“As a speaker focused on getting your message across to the largest number of people possible, what percentage of your audience are you comfortable excluding every time you put yourself out there? ”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Becoming masters at identifying barriers is essential to broadening your audience and expanding your revenue - this is particularly true when it comes to audience members with disabilities.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Unequivocal access to information is perhaps one of the key challenges that we will face as a society in the future and we as speaking professionals have an important role to play.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“It’s amazing what you can discover when you acknowledge audience members who are different from you, don’t look like you, don’t think like you, or have different lived experiences than yours.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Your assets and materials might pass you own tests, but if your audience struggles to find what they are looking for and complete their tasks, then to them, your content will still essentially be broken.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Making your content inclusive to everyone means making sure it is not ableist, ageist, misogynistic, racist, skin-tone biased, heteronormative, cisnormative, xenophobic, classist, confusing, unethical, etc. ”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Granted, design and aesthetics are subjective, but you must still make sure that your content is accessible, and devoid of stereotypes or elements that make others feel under- or misrepresented.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Inclusive speaking and accessible communication principles may be very simple, but they involve a lot of moving parts, which is what makes these topics so challenging for most people.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“How many of the great diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in organizations also protect age and disability? Can we truly talk about DE&I, if our definition doesn’t systematically also factor in disabilities and declining abilities?”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Every time speakers decline or forgo the microphone — or whenever they find themselves guilty of any of the other sins of professional speaking — someone in the audience pays the price of exclusion.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Failing to actively prioritize disability inclusion in your planning only perpetuates a systemic culture of stigma and discrimination that leaves behind the potential 20 some percent of our audiences identifying as disabled.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“When the needs of all attendees are considered, including those of audience members who live with disabilities, you get to create a more inclusive atmosphere that ensures everyone gets to learn, connect, and enjoy the experience to its fullest!”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Do yourself and everyone else a favour, and don’t wait! Break down barriers in your in-person or virtual events, so that every attendee gets their fair chance at fully participating and feeling valued, regardless of whether they have a disability.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“What it comes down to is the more you’re willing to acknowledge the diversity of needs and expectations of your audience members, the more you’ll discover that you have an incredible amount of power over ensuring that your events are enjoyable for everyone.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“By introducing and examining accessibility barriers, inclusive communication considerations aim to raise awareness and inspire event organizers, speakers, and facilitators such as yourselves to make intentional efforts to create more inclusive and accessible environments. ”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“There’s still so much that needs to be said, so much that needs to be claimed, before speakers can truly understand the diverse perspectives of their audience members, so they can successfully create inclusive experiences for everyone. ”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Communication challenges often lead to all sorts of misunderstandings, misinterpretations, stigma, and feelings of exclusion among neurodiverse employees, and may often be at the root of conflicts between different individuals.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Through the creation of inclusive workplaces, we as leaders get to promote diversity and inclusion, reduce stigma and discrimination, and create a more equitable and just society. That sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Neurodiversity inclusion is one of the most powerful tools that we have to challenge the status quo, and change the face of what is considered “normal” in today’s workplace. Can you think of a better way for a business to do good, and naturally stand out as the organization of choice?”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“There’s no doubt in my mind that by making inclusion a priority, we all can help create a more compassionate, understanding, and equitable society. Who else, besides speaking professionals, are in a perfect position to do that?”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Companies that don’t take steps to be inclusive and accommodate the needs of people with disabilities and the ageing population risk alienating these groups, which irremediably leads to decreased customer loyalty and market shares.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“If you care about doing better by your clients, your customer base, you prospects and your visitors, then you owe it to them to look into web accessibility guidelines and get started fixing some of the barriers that probably get in their way.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Accessibility barriers mean that audience members with disabilities can easily find themselves excluded from certain parts of the venue, unable to use certain equipment, or enjoy certain activities or components of an event. This leads to feelings of isolation, prejudice, and marginalization.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“Overall, steps can be taken to address discrimination in live in-person and virtual events by providing training and education on disability inclusion and promoting a culture of inclusion, respect, and acceptance for attendees with disabilities.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“ While it’s certainly important for event planners to champion the cause of inclusion, it’s also beneficial for allies, staff, and speaking professionals to step in and also support the representation and inclusion of speaker peers with disabilities.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“By being more inclusive, businesses attract a more diverse customer base, which opens up new markets and opportunities, which leads to more sales, repeat business, and positive word-of-mouth recommendations, all of which are invaluable for a business’s growth.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
“As we venture into the realm of digital accessibility and disability inclusion, it’s critical to remember that every event and every user is unique. Consequently, any approach deeply rooted in one-size-fits-all inclusion thinking is doomed to fail.”
~ Denis Boudreau, InklusivComm
Building on 25 years of experience, we’ve grown niche expertise helping French and English-speaking businesses expand the reach of their brand, by tapping into an underserved Canadian market worth more than $165 billion a year. If you’re looking to further your brand by truly connecting with a broader audience, you’ve come to the right place!
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According to Statistics Canada, one in seven Ontarians self-report as having one disability. Collectively, they represent about 1.8 million people in the province. As the population ages, this proportion will rise to one in five people by 2036, or 20% of the population. Within 20 years, the income of Ontarians with disabilities and seniors is expected to represent 40% of the total income of Ontarians, or $536 billion CAD. Can your business afford to say "no" to that many people?
I had the chance to work with Denis Boudreau during a digital accessibility consulting project he led for Desjardins. What a privilege to benefit from his vast knowledge on the subject and his relevant advice! Denis quickly understood our needs and responded brilliantly. I could feel the extent of his expertise in digital accessibility, as well as his great humility and kindness towards the context in which we sought his help. I hope to have the pleasure of collaborating with Denis again and I recommend him to anyone looking to incorporate digital accessibility considerations, whether strategic or tactical, into their organization.
A.L. Piaraly (Desjardins)
I am so grateful to have participated in your workshop with my colleagues! Thank you for sharing your personal and professional experiences in those sessions. I learned a lot from you, and what you shared has helped our Learning Academy move forward with ideas about how to integrate accessibility in everything we do. It also informs our ongoing conversation about “nothing without us” best principles and practices. Many thanks!
c. matthews (IRCC - Federal Govt)
What I particularly enjoyed from this presentation and the training was learning new skills that are very relevant to my work as a Product Owner! Every business unit should be trained in this area as well, so their content can also be adapted to the needs of our clients who have disabilities.
M.-O. Poliquin (Fonds FTQ)
We’ve called on Denis’ expertise on several occasions to bring our websites into compliance with timelines of the Ontarian digital accessibility laws. Denis's contributions have been invaluable to us in a number of ways, particularly during our redesign projects and the transition of Ontarian branches of State Farm under the Desjardins banner. Denis provided our teams with the necessary support to build internal expertise in inclusive design and accessible code, which, in turn, allowed us to maximize our integration of accessibility considerations and ultimately meet Ontarian government requirements.
D. Lemarchand (Desjardins)
Denis Boudreau came highly recommended for his in-depth accessibility knowledge, as well as his notoriety on the subject matter. As part of projects to set up new digital properties for the Cirque du Soleil, we have done business with Denis to ensure that our new digital channels provided an optimal experience for everyone while meeting accessibility standards and best practices. Denis’ contributions allowed us to meet our user experience goals while making our targeted digital properties accessible.
P.L. Mercile (Cirque du Soleil)
In the wake of our efforts towards the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), we called on Denis Boudreau to organize a series of training sessions with the entire TFO staff. Denis' rigor and expertise, demonstrated by his past activities and supported by testimonials from his peers in the industry, his ability to popularize the “science” of accessibility, and his passion for the inclusion and non-discrimination of people with disabilities made him the ideal person to help us understand and assimilate the criteria of the Law, as well as the subtleties of these criteria. Thanks to his collaboration, we successfully established a sustainable accessibility mindset at TFO Media Group.
V. Vlad (TFO Media Group)
This training was extremely relevant to me as a front-end developer. Denis really knows his topic and subject matter inside out! I learned a lot and loved pretty much everything about it. It definitely impacted the way I will be approaching my work in the future and the way I test my code.
J.M. Gauthier (belairdirect)
Denis is one of the best web accessibility experts in North America, in addition to having solid UX skills. This expertise was most precious in past projects, where Bell had to make a major shift to integrate accessibility into its processes. Throughout the projects, I had the most wonderful experience working with Denis. His positive approach and his creativity enabled us to find incomparable solutions to the many challenges that stood in our way. During a project, Denis encourages everyone to think about design and welcomes each thought with an open mind. His contribution to the transformation of Bell.ca was exemplary.
J. Saulnier (Bell)
A great conference that encourages us to reflect on the diversity of means at our disposal to improve the services we offer to our customers and make their lives easier. By better understanding everyone's reality, we can better adapt our methods to make our services more accessible. Despite the social media angle, we can draw conclusions that translate well to other areas of our business and make the services more accessible.
Thomas (EXO Québec)