Member since February 2025
Lana Starchuck is a five-time formation skydiving record holder with over 1,000 skydives. She has a portfolio career as a writer, editor, producer, and speaker with a background in theatre, journalism, education and creative writing. She is a published author with extensive experience in corporate communications and marketing. Her third book, What Happens When Your Parachute Doesn’t Open and Other Successes is a memoir and self-help guidebook to help you confront your fear, reframe failure, and get moving in a new direction.
I am an author, speaker, skydiver who lives and works in Ontario, Canada.
I aim for the right balance of nature, exercise, and humour in my life to stay aligned.
I write books and edit books, and give presentations about fear, failure, and risk. I’m also an experienced event host and have done more than 1,000 skydives.
I'm also a fit foodie; I do a lot of yoga and am a popcorn junkie.
I am an "oops" baby, the youngest of three children so...working on borrowed time. My mom revealed this information while my dad was on his deathbed which was strange timing, but also makes for an good story.
I think it's remarkable any of us are here at all. My dad's death in 2012 was a wake up call and I surprisingly gained a lot of strength from his passing. And a new perspective on time.
Time is a non-renewable resource.
Many personal development books talk about a growth mindset, positive thinking, and healthy habits, but few focus on the urgency of acting on these ideas. Time has been largely overlooked.
When my Ukrainian Baba was invited to social functions, she would yes and add, “If I live that long.” Now, my 86-year-old mom uses the joke. And so do I. Because it’s true.
What are you waiting for?
I was born in a small town on the prairies, went to theatre school in Montreal, and have lived in Toronto for 25 years.
I have made some spectacular mistakes in my life that have led to skydiving malfunctions, car accidents, divorces, and getting fired. My stories show audiences they are not alone. Change is hard and messy, and it’s never the right time. Fear stops so many people from realizing their potential. That inner critic isn’t helping either.
My next book, What Happens When Your Parachute Doesn’t Open and Other Successes is a memoir and self-help guidebook about what skydiving and other life incidents have taught me about fear, risk and failure.
As a five-time skydiving record holder with more than 1,000 skydives, I face mortality and vitality on every skydive. I am intimate with the risk of dying. The book is a complement to my keynote talks about stories that make risk more fun, death less weird, and failure a form of learning. And yes, the title story is based on the true story when my parachute didn’t open.
Let me give you a manifesto for courage-infused living that asks: "What have you got to lose?" or more to the point: "What will you gain?"
And when your parachute doesn't open, when things don't go as planned I have four words for you:
But did you die?
If not, you have another chance to get back in the game. Onward.
I am an "oops" baby, the youngest of three children so...working on borrowed time. My mom revealed this information while my dad was on his deathbed which was strange timing, but also makes for an good story.
I think it's remarkable any of us are here at all. My dad's death in 2012 was a wake up call and I surprisingly gained a lot of strength from his passing. And a new perspective on time.
Time is a non-renewable resource.
Many personal development books talk about a growth mindset, positive thinking, and healthy habits, but few focus on the urgency of acting on these ideas. Time has been largely overlooked.
When my Ukrainian Baba was invited to social functions, she would yes and add, “If I live that long.” Now, my 86-year-old mom uses the joke. And so do I. Because it’s true.
What are you waiting for?
I was born in a small town on the prairies, went to theatre school in Montreal, and have lived in Toronto for 25 years.
I have made some spectacular mistakes in my life that have led to skydiving malfunctions, car accidents, divorces, and getting fired. My stories show audiences they are not alone. Change is hard and messy, and it’s never the right time. Fear stops so many people from realizing their potential. That inner critic isn’t helping either.
My next book, What Happens When Your Parachute Doesn’t Open and Other Successes is a memoir and self-help guidebook about what skydiving and other life incidents have taught me about fear, risk and failure.
As a five-time skydiving record holder with more than 1,000 skydives, I face mortality and vitality on every skydive. I am intimate with the risk of dying. The book is a complement to my keynote talks about stories that make risk more fun, death less weird, and failure a form of learning. And yes, the title story is based on the true story when my parachute didn’t open.
Let me give you a manifesto for courage-infused living that asks: "What have you got to lose?" or more to the point: "What will you gain?"
And when your parachute doesn't open, when things don't go as planned I have four words for you:
But did you die?
If not, you have another chance to get back in the game. Onward.
