Return on Goodwill: Sam Demma on Why Doi...

Sam Demma had his sights set on a professional soccer career from age five — training in Italy at 13, playing for one of Canada's top club teams by 17 — until three major knee injuries and a torn labrum ended that dream in his final year of high school. What came next is the subject of this conversation: how Demma rebuilt his sense of purpose, first through small volunteer garbage cleanups with a friend, then through public speaking, and eventually through writing. 

Just shy of his 27th birthday and about to publish his third book, Return on Goodwill, Sam has delivered close to 800 talks across four continents. In this episode, he shares the stories behind his books — Empty Your Backpack, born from a conversation with a bullied student, and Be Someone's Taco, inspired by a pandemic-era gesture that brought a friend to tears — and unpacks the idea at the heart of his new work: that doing good with no expectation of return has a way of coming back around. 

The conversation also covers: 

• The mentor (a high school teacher) and the "small consistent actions" lesson that changed Demma's trajectory 

• Why closing the loop — telling people the impact they had on you — matters more than we think 

• The practice of "assuming positive intent" and how it protects your energy day to day 

• How Stephen Covey's circles of concern, influence, and control connect to Demma's philosophy 

• Building a speaking career from scratch: years of cold outreach, a mentor who changed his approach to business, and the slow climb to hundreds of events a year 

Chapters:

00:00 Sam Demma's Journey: From Soccer to Success 
05:07 Finding Purpose After Athletic Setbacks 
11:11 The Power of Intentional Appreciation 
16:05 Empty Your Backpack: Letting Go 
20:49 Be Someone's Taco: Acts of Kindness 
27:04 Return on Goodwill: A Life Philosophy 
32:09 Practical Tips for an Optimistic Life