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Shark Tank Entrepreneur. Keynote Speaker on Belief, Vision, and Grit.

Inspire teams and students to execute with confidence, resilience, and purpose.

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• Founder, Echo Valley Meats

• Pitched on Shark Tank twice

• Deal with Mark Cubin

Trusted by Organizations Nationwide

SERVING INDUSTRY LEADERS

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"Few embody the essence of perseverance, self-belief, and sales expertise like Dave Alwan of Echo Valley Meats. As a captivating speaker, Dave has an extraordinary ability to connect with audiences, making him both relatable and deeply motivating. His unwavering commitment to excellence and belief in the products he represents have propelled him to success, turning challenges into triumphs. Beyond his personal achievements, Dave’s skills have been invaluable in shaping and strengthening our sales teams, crew teams, and leadership teams. His ‘sticktoitiveness’—his relentless determination—combined with his ability to inspire others makes him a true asset in any setting. Whether engaging an audience or driving a team toward success, Dave’s authenticity, passion, and strategic mindset leave a lasting impact. For anyone seeking a speaker who exemplifies resilience and mastery in sales, Dave Alwan is the ideal choice." 

- Kevin C. Lawrence

VP & GM, Morton Buildings, Inc.

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Who is Dave Alwan?

Dave Alwan is an entrepreneur who knows what it means to bet on yourself when the odds aren’t guaranteed. After building a business from the ground up and pitching it twice on Shark Tank, Dave learned that success is less about luck and more about belief, discipline, and execution.

 

Today, Dave brings those lessons to the stage by sharing real stories of risk, failure, resilience, and growth that help audiences think bigger, act with confidence, and move forward when things get hard.

Why Dave? 

Dave doesn’t speak to motivate for a moment. He speaks to change how people see themselves and what they’re capable of executing long after the event ends. Each talk is tailored to the audience, event goals, and energy of the room.

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Confidence & Execution

Turn belief into action

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Vison & Risk

How to bet on yourself

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Resilience

Adversity, loss, and moving forward

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Entrepreneurship Mindset

Real-world lessons

Some kind words from Dave's past speaking events: 

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“Dave Alwan is an exciting, passionate speaker. The story of his entrepreneurial journey is inspirational and restores our faith that America is the land of opportunity for those willing to work hard. His speaking style is relaxed, humble, and humorous. I would recommend Dave as a speaker for any organization that wants to showcase and example of what is possible if a person has big dreams and dedicates himself to achieving success."

- Ken Klotz

Director-Programs Turner Center for Entrepreneurship

Managing Director Turner School of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Bradley University

"I wanted to thank you for coming especially with your flight situation. I thought that your speech was inspiring, and it has lead me to think about the many possibilities out there for starting my own business. Your story is quite remarkable, and I hope that I can be just as driven and successful as you have been. Good luck with the continual expansion of your company."

- Emily Cardosa

Student at BUNEEC

"Dave Alwan was the keynote speaker at our 18 Chamber Spring Lunch & Business Expo this year and he delivered one of the best presentations we’ve ever had in the nine years hosting this event! Our Chamber members and guests were energized and inspired by Dave’s story and the unique journey he has taken to grow his business from a small mid-western operation to a nationwide success that continues to prosper and grow! We were so excited to have him share his experience resulting with great feedback from our members in having a highly successful event – thanks to Dave!"

- Jan Anderson

President & C.E.O. at Hinsdale Chamber of Commerce

"Thank you so much - out of all the guest speakers I've brought to the University you are hands down in the top 1% and then some. This morning was truly one of the best opportunities for the students to learn not only what it takes to make a business successful, but also what it takes to make one's life successful. Your story is very inspiring, and I truly appreciate your willingness to take the time out of your busy schedule to share it with us - we are better for it."

- Cindy Byrd

Robert Morris University Illinois

"Thank you so much for being part of our Agri–Business Breakfast. You are such an engaging speaker and our members thoroughly enjoyed your presentation."

- Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

"Dave is an amazing speaker who connects instantly with a crowd. His style is high energy and experiential. Dave's demeanor is totally "real", with not even a hint of egotism. Despite his success, Dave remains humble and in touch with his family roots. Audiences find him inspirational."

- Ken Klotz

Director-Programs Turner Center for Entrepreneurship

Managing Director Turner School of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Bradley University

"Awesome job last night at Bryant. Thanks for making the long trip. Getting to listen to stories like yours is one of the reasons I have a great job."

- Scott Kingsley

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"Dave Alwan has worked and presented to many groups within our organization ranging from summer interns to middle mangers to senior leaders. Dave’s journey is unique and his enthusiastic and dedicated approach to life and business is an inspirational and educational experience that all would enjoy and learn from. I would highly recommend Dave to any who hold engagement and personal development as a core organizational value."

- Sean Cain

President & CEO, Morton Buildings

“Dave Alwan is an exciting, passionate speaker. The story of his entrepreneurial journey is inspirational and restores our faith that America is the land of opportunity for those willing to work hard. His speaking style is relaxed, humble, and humorous. I would recommend Dave as a speaker for any organization that wants to showcase and example of what is possible if a person has big dreams and dedicates himself to achieving success."

- Ken Klotz

Director-Programs Turner Center for Entrepreneurship

Managing Director Turner School of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Bradley University

"I wanted to thank you for coming especially with your flight situation. I thought that your speech was inspiring, and it has lead me to think about the many possibilities out there for starting my own business. Your story is quite remarkable, and I hope that I can be just as driven and successful as you have been. Good luck with the continual expansion of your company."

- Emily Cardosa

Student at BUNEEC

"Dave Alwan was the keynote speaker at our 18 Chamber Spring Lunch & Business Expo this year and he delivered one of the best presentations we’ve ever had in the nine years hosting this event! Our Chamber members and guests were energized and inspired by Dave’s story and the unique journey he has taken to grow his business from a small mid-western operation to a nationwide success that continues to prosper and grow! We were so excited to have him share his experience resulting with great feedback from our members in having a highly successful event – thanks to Dave!"

- Jan Anderson

President & C.E.O. at Hinsdale Chamber of Commerce

"Thank you so much - out of all the guest speakers I've brought to the University you are hands down in the top 1% and then some. This morning was truly one of the best opportunities for the students to learn not only what it takes to make a business successful, but also what it takes to make one's life successful. Your story is very inspiring, and I truly appreciate your willingness to take the time out of your busy schedule to share it with us - we are better for it."

- Cindy Byrd

Robert Morris University Illinois

"Thank you so much for being part of our Agri–Business Breakfast. You are such an engaging speaker and our members thoroughly enjoyed your presentation."

- Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

"Dave is an amazing speaker who connects instantly with a crowd. His style is high energy and experiential. Dave's demeanor is totally "real", with not even a hint of egotism. Despite his success, Dave remains humble and in touch with his family roots. Audiences find him inspirational."

- Ken Klotz

Director-Programs Turner Center for Entrepreneurship

Managing Director Turner School of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Bradley University

"Awesome job last night at Bryant. Thanks for making the long trip. Getting to listen to stories like yours is one of the reasons I have a great job."

- Scott Kingsley

Duo Pictures

"Dave Alwan has worked and presented to many groups within our organization ranging from summer interns to middle mangers to senior leaders. Dave’s journey is unique and his enthusiastic and dedicated approach to life and business is an inspirational and educational experience that all would enjoy and learn from. I would highly recommend Dave to any who hold engagement and personal development as a core organizational value."

- Sean Cain

President & CEO, Morton Buildings

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"Feed your family what I feed mine!"

"You get what you work for, not what you wish for."

Third generation in a family-owned meat business, Dave Alwan decided to take his dream beyond the security of the family business to found Echo Valley Meats Inc. in 1998 with his wife, Dawn. Together they've grown Echo Valley from an "Old Fashion Style" retail meat market, into wholesale products, a mail-order gift catalog, fundraising division, and gourmet catering. Dave's faith in himself and belief in his vision have fueled his passion for the business and life in general.

Booking process

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Book Dave Alwan for Your Next Event

Submissions are reviewed and returned within 24 hours.

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