I remember that day clearly… Early on in my public speaking journey, I was giving a presentation to a group that’s part of an organization I’m in. It was what you’d call a “canned presentation.” This is a pre-prepared and standardized presentation that’s already been detailed and structured down to the “T”, so that the […]

Presenting to company leadership can be nerve-wracking, especially when you want to make a good impression and have a limited amount of time to do it. Speaking to a C-suite leader or other high-level executives brings its own set of challenges than the typical ones you might experience with other presentations.. However, with the right […]

Be honest: How are your public speaking skills post-pandemic? I know, I know; the pandemic was four years ago. But we still see effects of it in our lives today from masks still being worn daily to wearing gloves to hand sanitizer everywhere you turn (I personally LOVE this one). But what about other ways […]

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 […]

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 love the month of May for a few reasons: it’s my birthday month, the weather is warming up (I LOVE hot weather!), and I can start doing my walks by the lake again. Can you say Winning!! May is also Mental Health Awareness Month. And if you’re someone who’s uncomfortable with public speaking, just 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 […]

When it comes to potential speaking engagements – you always want to weigh the pros vs. cons when it comes to considering whether to speak for free. There are a NUMBER of ways you can still get “paid” even if the organization can’t give you money. But for right now, let’s just look at WHEN […]

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 […]