About
The Person Behind the Movement
A decade of filling rooms with strangers who leave as collaborators, partners, and friends. This is how it started — and where it’s going.
From Newcomer to Community Leader
When I first arrived in Canada, I didn’t have a network. No contacts, no warm introductions, no safety net. What I did have was a conviction that the right connections can change everything — and a willingness to create those connections from scratch.
That conviction led me to host my first networking event. Then my second. Then my tenth. Before I knew it, I had built something real — a community of professionals who showed up not because they had to, but because they genuinely wanted to be there. That first community became the foundation for everything I’ve built since.
Over the past decade, I’ve organized over 300 events, built multiple professional communities spanning 40+ nationalities and cultures, spoken at TEDx and conferences internationally, and advised dozens of organizations — from grassroots nonprofits to growing startups. I founded Linked.Club (333+ members strong), direct Startup Grind Calgary — one of the world’s largest startup communities with chapters in 600+ cities — and led LinkedIn Local chapters internationally.
As Director of Operations at For Good Consultants, I bring that same people-first philosophy to the nonprofit sector. For Good isn’t your typical consulting firm — we embed ourselves in our clients’ organizations, working side-by-side with teams to build the operational backbone they need to fulfill their missions. We’ve helped government-funded organizations and nonprofits across Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Nunavut with everything from grant writing that actually gets funded, to strategic planning that actually gets implemented, to HR solutions, financial management, capacity building, and board governance. When organizations need real, hands-on support — not a PowerPoint deck that gathers dust — they call us.
Through Alish Group Inc., I’m building a portfolio of ventures that serve organizations at every stage — from nonprofits finding their footing to startups chasing scale.
My approach is simple: real relationships create real results. Technology changes. Algorithms shift. But the ability to bring the right people into the right room — that’s timeless. That’s what I do.
How I Got Here
Every chapter built on the last. Here’s the path from newcomer to community leader.
For Good Consultants
Running the operational engine behind one of Canada’s most hands-on nonprofit consulting firms. Managing multi-year government contracts, overseeing client engagements across four provinces and territories, and building systems that help nonprofits do more with less. From AAISA’s GAP program to Canadian Heritage grant applications, every engagement is built on one principle: we don’t leave until the work is done. forgoodconsultants.com
Linked.Club
Built Calgary’s premier paid professional networking community from zero to 333+ members. Curated events at venues like Heliopolis and Platform Calgary, a members-only circle where career-changing introductions happen every month. Not another business card exchange — a real community where people invest in their networks because they see the return. Join the community
Startup Grind Calgary
Leading Calgary’s chapter of Startup Grind — the world’s largest startup community, with chapters in 600+ cities across 125+ countries. Hosting fireside chats with founders, investors, and innovators — including leaders from companies like KPMG Canada. Building the bridges between ideas, capital, and the people who make things happen in Calgary’s tech ecosystem.
Alish Group Inc.
The holding company behind the portfolio. Alish Group Inc. is the umbrella that ties everything together — For Good Consultants, Linked.Club, and the upcoming For Growth consulting arm for startups and small businesses. One thesis: organizations that invest in strategy, community, and people outperform those that don’t.
TEDx Talk
Delivered a TEDx talk on the importance of authentic human connection and community in today’s world. A milestone that validated what I’d been building for years — and opened doors to speaking engagements internationally.
LinkedIn Local — International
Founded and led LinkedIn Local chapters internationally, bringing professionals together for authentic, in-person networking rooted in the LinkedIn community. Regularly spoke on professional networking and personal branding to audiences of 100+ across multiple countries.
A Decade of Building Movements
From intimate dinner gatherings to 200+ person conferences, I’ve spent over a decade perfecting the art of bringing people together. Audiences spanning 40+ nationalities and cultures, events that have drawn attention from major media outlets, and collaborations with leading international organizations. Every event, every handshake, every follow-up — it all compounds.
What I Bring to the Table
A decade of building communities, advising organizations, and connecting people who want to make a difference — distilled into six core areas.
Community Strategy & Growth
I don’t just “build communities” — I engineer ecosystems. From founding Linked.Club (333+ members) to directing Startup Grind Calgary, I know how to attract the right people, keep them engaged, and monetize sustainably. Acquisition, retention, culture, revenue — I’ve done it all.
Nonprofit Operations & Consulting
As Director of Operations at For Good Consultants, I run the machine that helps nonprofits across four provinces actually deliver on their missions. Grant writing, strategic planning, HR, financial management, capacity building, board governance — not theory, hands-on execution.
Public Speaking That Moves Rooms
TEDx speaker. 300+ events. Audiences spanning 40+ nationalities. I don’t deliver keynotes that put people to sleep — I tell real stories about building something from nothing, and I leave audiences with frameworks they can use the next day. View topics
Event Design & Production
300+ events, from intimate roundtable dinners to 200+ person conferences and TEDx stages. I don’t just “organize events” — I design experiences where partnerships form, ideas collide, and strangers become allies. The format, the room, the energy — every detail is intentional.
Startup Ecosystem & Connections
As Director of Startup Grind Calgary — the world’s largest startup community — I sit at the intersection of founders, investors, and ecosystem builders. Mentoring founders, connecting startups with capital, and building the bridges that turn ideas into companies.
Cross-Cultural Connection
I’ve worked with people from across the world — 40+ nationalities and cultures. My international background gives me a rare ability to build bridges across communities that don’t usually intersect. In a globalized world, that’s not a nice-to-have — it’s a competitive advantage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Alish Shams’s background?
Alish Shams is a community builder, consultant, TEDx speaker, and entrepreneur based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. With over a decade of experience, he has hosted 300+ events, built professional communities spanning 40+ nationalities, and advised dozens of organizations — from government-funded nonprofits to growing startups. He is the Director of Operations at For Good Consultants, founder of Linked.Club, and Director of Startup Grind Calgary.
What organizations does Alish Shams lead?
Alish leads multiple organizations under Alish Group Inc.: For Good Consultants (nonprofit consulting across Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Nunavut), Linked.Club (Calgary’s premier paid professional networking community with 333+ members), and Startup Grind Calgary (part of the world’s largest startup community). He’s also launching For Growth, a consulting arm for startups and small businesses.
How can I work with Alish Shams?
You can work with Alish in several ways: book him as a speaker for your event, engage For Good Consultants for nonprofit consulting, join Linked.Club for professional networking, or reach out through the contact page for other inquiries. Connect with him on LinkedIn.
What does For Good Consultants do?
For Good Consultants is a nonprofit consulting firm that helps government-funded organizations and nonprofits across Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Nunavut. Services include grant writing, strategic planning, HR solutions, financial management, capacity building, program development, and board governance. Unlike typical consultants, For Good embeds in client organizations and builds systems designed to last.
Where is Alish Shams based?
Alish is based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He works with organizations across multiple Canadian provinces and territories, and speaks at events internationally. Connect with Alish on LinkedIn or through his contact page.
Let’s Build Something Together
Whether you need consulting, a speaker, or a community strategist — I’d love to hear about what you’re building.