The Origin Story

Nicholas studied entrepreneurship at HEC Montréal as part of the Parcours Entrepreneurial Rémi Marcoux, an intensive program that brought him from the classroom to a startup campus in Tel Aviv. There, he cofounded Bootiq Innovations Inc., a tech startup using 3D foot-scanning technology to help people find shoes that actually fit.

Bootiq won several prestigious prizes, including the John Dobson Award from Formula Growth, the Bourse Famille Paris for most prominent entrepreneurial project, and the Best Sales Pitch award at OSEntreprendre, competing against over 100 companies across all categories. But the real prize was a realization: the pitch was winning not just because of the idea itself, but because of how Nicholas was delivering it. The business eventually wound down. The insight stayed with him.

“It’s not just what you say. It is how you say it.’’ - Nicholas Belliveau

A Decade in Tech

Before stepping full-time onto the stage, Nicholas spent over a decade in marketing leadership across some of Montreal's most recognized tech and fintech companies, including Lightspeed, Desjardins, Fintech Cadence, and Booxi. Along the way he hosted the Fintech Founders podcast and led marketing for Booxi, an appointment scheduling platform built for luxury retail brands.

This background matters. When Nicholas talks about innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship, he is drawing from a career spent inside those industries, not just reading about them.

Alongside his career in tech, Nicholas was relentlessly developing his communication skills. He trained in improv, worked with professional speaking coaches, and competed on stage. In 2018, he won first place at the National Toastmasters Table Topics Contest, a competition of purely improvised speeches. It is the same instinct that makes him one of the most in-demand bilingual MCs working in Canada today.

What He Does Now

Nicholas is a full-time professional speaker and master of ceremonies, represented by adn conférenciers. He hosts events for organizations including Finance Montréal, AtkinsRéalis, Beneva, the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec, Tourisme Montréal, and Desjardins, among many others.

He delivers keynotes and workshops on communication, presence, and the power of asking better questions. That last topic is currently becoming his first book and signature keynote, an exploration of curiosity as a professional and personal superpower.

Perfectly bilingual, Nicholas grew up speaking English at home and completed all his schooling in French. Today he moves between both languages as naturally as most people breathe.

Beyond the Stage

Nicholas has been a photographer and videographer since 2010 through his company NB Photo. His work is rooted in people: weddings, documentary storytelling, and brand projects. Recent work includes a documentary series for CBC/Radio-Canada exploring workplace accessibility and the lived experience of employees with disabilities.

Travel has been a constant source of creative fuel. After six months in India in 2019, he mounted a solo photography exhibition. In 2025, following six months across South-East Asia and New Zealand, he launched "35mm in Asia," his second major photography expo.

When he is not on stage or behind a lens, you will find Nicholas learning saxophone, cooking, building things with his hands, or deep in research on his next piece of camera gear.

Nicholas believes communication is the foundation of every human relationship. It is, in his view, the single most important skill anyone can develop. Not just what you say, but how you say it. He does not just talk about this principle. He embodies it, on every stage, at every event.