A few days ago, I was working with one of my clients on how to handle a speaking situation that strikes fear in the hearts of many:  IMPROMPTU SPEAKING. This feels intimidating for good reason! You had no time to prepare in advance and don’t want to look incompetent in front of your audience, whether […]

A couple of days ago, I received this message: “I have a small presentation today and I am very, very nervous. If I mess up once, I get flustered and rush through the rest as fast as I can. I try to tell myself it’s gonna be over before I know it, but I’m still […]

As a speaker, you have to be prepared for ANYTHING to happen – including technical difficulties! It can still be a nerve-wracking experience though when things do go wrong. And presentation slides not working is one of those situations I’ve seen happen more than once unfortunately. Check out my six top tips for how to […]

I have been speaking for over a decade, so there are some things I did in the beginning of my speaker journey that I do not do now AND do not recommend new speakers do either. That’s part of my job as a coach; to shorten your learning curve. I show you what to do […]

You’ve probably heard (or even said) this oft-repeated “fact”: All communication is 7% what we say and 93% how we say it. WELL…THIS IS ACTUALLY NOT ACCURATE. Psychology professor Dr. Albert Mehrabian came up with this rule while working at the University of California, Los Angeles. Over the years, it has been misinterpreted and the […]

I was part of a panel today that spoke to high school students on the topic of “Preparing for Adulthood.” I’ve coached clients who’ve had upcoming panel speaking opportunities, and this situation sometimes feels scary to them unlike a prepared speech they had to give. Avoid these 3 mistakes to handle the panel successfully: 1️⃣ […]

Recently, I competed in the area level (the second level) of the speech competition I’m in. I lost and came in second place. Let me tell you something… I HATE to not win a speech contest! However, this time was different. Even though I’m still disappointed I lost, I can tell I have grown in […]

Last night I competed in a Toastmasters International speech contest, and am excited to share with you that I placed FIRST!! I had taken a three-year break from competing, so it felt especially GREAT to take home the top honor at the club contest! I will move on to compete at the area level in […]

I can’t believe we are winding down the last month of 2022 already! It seems like we just started the year. I pray you are taking time to enjoy yourself and not getting overwhelmed with all the hustle and bustle that often comes in December. Below is a great article from Black Speakers Network that […]

Yesterday I had the opportunity to record a PSA (public service announcement) at WLRH radio station. It’s located on the beautiful campus of the University of Alabama in Huntsville. I’ve done radio interviews before, but never did a PSA – til now! I love being able to cross off “firsts”! 😉 Here are a few […]