2-Minute Talk Tips

2-Minute Tip : The Stage as War Zone   Think of the stage as a war zone. Not in the sense that the audience is an enemy. The enemy is the way many folks hold back and don’t spend all their energy on stage.   To mix metaphors even further, the stage is that poker hand where you need to go all in./ If you hold chips back — if you hold energy or enthusiasm back — you won’t win. You won’t accomplish your goal.   When you get off stage, you want to be exhausted and drained because you left it all out there.   Post Tip Discussion   One reason I like talking about public speaking is because the content is ever green. By that I mean the strategies for effectively speaking today, are the same ones that will be effective next year. Or that were effective last year.   Define your goal. Tell a story. Do it with enthusiasm. Be bigger on stage than you might be in private conversation. Do it all with authenticity.   As I write this, it is April 2020 and we are in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and shut downs of various sorts. As more people speak via webinars and video conferences, think about how those core principle change.   They don’t.   You still need to:   Define your goal. Tell a story. Do it with enthusiasm. Be bigger on stage than you might be in private conversation. Do it all with authenticity.   This interview is one I recorded a year ago, and it’s just as relevant today. And it will be just as relevant 5 or 10 years from now.   In this conversation with Ken Moscowitz, we talk about the importance of your energy level and how to have to give it your all every time.   We also talk about how just because your story has become boring for you because you tell it all the time, it’s still new to your audience and can be just as powerful and illustrative now as the first time you told it.   And we wade into the discussion about which is more powerful: words or pictures.   Bio   From Ken’s website:   As a father of 5, this man knows how to multitask. OK, his wife does the multitasking, but Spanky’s a close second.   Spanky started his creative career in New York City and quickly rose to the top of the broadcast creative industry. He’s led re-branding and resurrection efforts for many major and smaller brands over the last three decades; like the Indy 500, Frito-Lay, Samuel Adams, Coca Cola, M&M Mars and many more. He also revitalized ailing broadcast outlets and sports franchise brands across the country.   Spanky’s unique approach to creative and fun, yet memorable branding, sets him apart in the industry. His approach is at times edgy, always unique, but very memorable.   Following the advice of his mentor and friend Gary Vaynerchuk, Spanky built his business by jabbing (that’s Gary Vee’s shorthand for providing value). It worked so well that he wrote a best-selling book: Jab Till It Hurts: How Following Gary Vaynerchuk’s Advice Helped Me Build A 7-Figure Brand.   Hop over to SpankyMoskowitz.com to get to know Ken better, find out where he’ll be next, and book him for consulting or speaking opportunities.   Links   Ken ” Spanky” Mokowitz https://www.spankymoskowitz.com/ Ad Zombies https://www.adzombies.com/ Ad Zombies on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/adzombies Ad Zombies on Twitter https://twitter.com/AdZombies Ad Zombies on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/adzombies/ Ad Zombies on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/adzombies/ Ad Zombies on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrFDrjmaBoYug__OTRF8KBQ/  Jab Till It Hurts: How Following Gary Vaynerchuk’s Advice Helped Me Build A 7-Figure Brand   https://www.amazon.com/Jab-Till-Hurts-Following-Vaynerchuks/dp/1724043471 Gary Vaynerchuck https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/ Tony Robbins https://www.tonyrobbins.com/ Episode 119 — Staying in Your Lane with Chandler Walker http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/ChansLogic Ep 098 — COVID-19 and Stroke http://Strokecast.com/COVID-19   Call To Action   To learn more about Ken, be sure to check out Ad Zombies everywhere, including the links above Check out Ken’s book from your favorite online bookstore, library, or read chapters on the Ad Zombies blog Subscribe to 2MinuteTalkTips in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. And, as always, don’t get best…get better.

2-Minute Tip: Tell Stories   Stories are how humans connect. They form the basis of our social relationships. They’re how we share history.   As a speaker, one of the best ways to make sure you connect with your audience is to tell stories — and not just one. Illustrate your talk with as many stories as possible. Generic ones are okay, but authentic, personal stories will bring you the most success.   Post Tip Discussion   Grant Baldwin has built a business speaking to speakers about the business of speaking. He hosts the Speaker Lab podcast, which is in my weekly must listen to list. His Speaker Lab company runs the popular Booked and Paid to Speak program. And now he has a new book coming out next week on February 18, 2020 called The Successful Speaker: Five Steps for Booking Gigs, Getting Paid, and Building Your Platform.   As a long-time fan, I was thrilled to talk with Grant for this episode. I think I’ve listened to every episode of his podcast. Now I just need to put it all into action.   If you’ve ever wondered how keynote and other professional speaker make their living and how you can too, Grant is the guy to listen to.   Bio   Grant Baldwin is the founder of The Speaker Lab, a training company that helps public speakers learn how to find and book speaking gigs. Through his popular podcast The Speaker Lab and flagship coaching program Booked and Paid to Speak he has coached and worked with thousands of speakers. As a keynote speaker, Grant has delivered nearly one thousand presentations to over 500,000 people in 47 states and has keynoted events for audiences as large as 13,000. Grant has also been featured in national media including Forbes, Inc., Entrepreneur, and Huffington Post.   He now lives near Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Sheila, and their three daughters.   5 Basic things Effective Speakers Do   Grant shared this list of characteristics of effective speakers. The key thing here is that all the required skills are ones that anyone can develop.   They are comfortable with their content. They are familiar with their content. They understand pacing and pausing. They tell a good story They keep an audience engaged   5 Steps to a Successful Speaking Career   S – Select a problem to solve. P – Prepare and deliver your talk. E – Establish your expertise. A – Acquire paid speaking gigs. K – Know when to scale   This is the framework Grant covers in The Successful Speaker: Five Steps for Booking Gigs, Getting Paid, and Building Your Platform.   Links   The Speaker Lab https://thespeakerlab.com/ The Speaker Lab Podcast https://thespeakerlab.com/podcast/ Grant on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/grantbaldwinfans Grant on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gbaldwin/ Free Speaker Workshop http://freespeakerworkshop.com/ The Successful Speaker: Five Steps for Booking Gigs, Getting Paid, and Building Your Platform http://TheSpeakerLab.com/book Speaker Fee Calculator http://MySpeakerFee.com Wall Drug https://www.walldrug.com/   Call To Action   Subscribe to the Speaker Lab podcast in your favorite podcast app Check out Grant’s new book The Successful Speaker: Five Steps for Booking Gigs, Getting Paid, and Building Your Platform. Share this episode with someone else by giving them the link http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/Grant Don’t get best…get better.

2-Minute Tip: Be Authentic and Tell Your Story   Across the different guests I talk with, the theme of authenticity keeps coming up in the tips. It’s similar in many of them which demonstrates just how important it is. Also interesting is how each of them brings their own angle to the concept.   When you tell your story and use it to connect with the message you want to convey, it’s much easier to have a memorable and authentic impact on your audience. And that’s ultimately what you want.   When you are talking about things that aren’t about you specifically, you can still let your authentic self come through. It’s in your enthusiasm or feeling about the topic your discussing. It’s in the analogies you use. It’s in how you dress and how you carry yourself. It’s in how you relate to the folks in your audience.   Sharing your story and being authentic doesn’t mean you have to share your detailed biography, especially when it’s not relevant to your topic. But you may have had an experience or anecdote that helps explain something. It doesn’t have to be a major thing in your life. It just needs to be something that will help make your point and help you achieve your goal.   Meet Kira Ming   Kira is a writer at heart. As she became more and more successful, she received more invitations to speak. And that helped her writing business. Which got her more speaking opportunities. Ultimately she learned that people want to hear from the person behind a brand.   The point is, she didn’t seek the stage.   And when she found herself on it, she had to learn fast. She had to learn to be bigger than herself — to push beyond her own limiting beliefs about what she was capable of to share her story with her audience and how her company could help them achieve their goals.   Bio   Kira Ming’s background in publishing spans over 15 years and involves the creation of her own successful publication. Over the past decade she’s had the pleasure of interviewing some of entertainment’s biggest names, and has been involved in many legendary events within entertainment both as a host and media sponsor.   She’s spent the past few years developing tools, resources, marketing material, and several types of content for businesses, editing numerous projects, and contributing articles to major platforms including Huffington Post. As a result of her success within publishing, content marketing, and business strategy, she felt it only necessary to write Small Business, Big Success – a straight to the point guide for small business owners. Kira Ming has served as keynote speaker, a panelist, and workshop conductor for numerous events, and she’s excited to continue giving value when it comes to her expertise.   3 Reasons Entrepreneurs Should Speak   It increases the audience for your product, service, or content Others want you to speak on their platform. And that will further expand your audience and potential customer base. It has a high conversion rate. People are more interested in buying from someone  they’ve personally seen and heard   Personal Branding   We talked about this topic a bit. A lot of people don’t like the idea because they feel, “I’m a human being — an individual. I’m not a brand.”   This is a short sighted approach. A brand is really  a mental shortcut that we all use that is a summary of our thoughts and feelings about a person, an organization, a topic, etc.   We all have a brand whether we want one or not. Personal branding is about taking an active role in influencing how people think about and see you.   It’s essential in the modern social media landscape we live in. And people will create it for you if you don’t protect it yourself.   It’s a modern way of caring about your reputation.   Links   Kira Ming’s Website https://www.therealkiraming.com/ Kira’s book on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Small- Business-Big-Success-Straight/ dp/1546585060 Kira on Twitter https://twitter.com/therealkiraming Kira on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiraward/ Kira on Facebook https://www. facebook.com/therealkiraming/ Kira on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/therealkiraming/ Kira’s articles on the Huffington Post https://www.huffpost.com/author/kira21234-933   Call To Action   To learn more about Kira or her book, Small Business, Big Success: A Straight To The Point Guide For Small Business Owners, check out the links above. Who else do you know that might enjoy this episode? Give them the link http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/TheRealKiraMing Don’t get best…get better   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that helps you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip: Be Your True and Honest Self   We talk a lot about authenticity because it matters. And while it may seem daunting, it can actually make things easier. When you don’t try to fake it, you don’t waste brain cycles and energy trying to maintain a façade.   There are 3 questions to ask yourself when you prepare to talk to an audience:   Who are you really? What do you have to offer your audience? What do you have to gain from the experience?   Integrate this framework into your prep work to put yourself on the path to success.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Heather Vickery   “Man up,” is a phrase I don’t like. Most folks understand it to mean that it’s time to just do something that’s hard or that you’re afraid to do it.   But obviously, it’s sexist. It implies that being afraid to do things is womanly and doing the tough stuff despite fear is manly.   I prefer the exhortation to, “Fortify!” instead of “man up.” Sometimes you do need to muster all your energy and willpower to accomplish something tough. “Fortify” captures that spirit without insulting a significant portion of your audience.   I’m thinking about this today because today’s guest is host of The Brave Files podcast, personal coach, speaker, author, and musical theater enthusiast, Heather Vickery. Heather often finds herself telling clients, “So what? Do it scared.”   Bio   Heather Vickery is an award-winning entrepreneur, author, keynote speaker, business owner, and transformational coach. But Heather isn’t just a savvy businesswoman − she’s an inspiration.   The founder of Vickery and Co., Heather helps organizations build an environment of honoring “The Whole Employee” so that they have empowered team members, happier clients, higher retention and make more money!   Heather is a featured expert on achieving an authentic and meaningful life and designing your own roadmap for balance and success.   A mother of four, Heather’s world turned upside down after a major life transformation and divorce, suddenly, she had the freedom to be her most authentic self. She discovered that this same authenticity empowered her with the confidence she needed to repair, rebuild, and reach her life’s vision and goals. Today, Heather leverages her entrepreneurial skills and expertise to coach individuals towards greater personal and professional fulfillment. Through her story of personal bravery, perseverance, and resilience, Heather inspires audiences and empowers attendees with the tools they need to live bold and meaningful lives. A strong believer in strengthening her community, Heather also serves as vice president for The Children’s School and as a board member for the About Face Theatre, Chicago’s premiere LGBTQ theatre.   Heather is the executive producer and host of The Brave Files Podcast featuring real stories from people living courageously.   Heather is the author of “Gratitude Journal: Shift Your Focus.”   She works with people all around the globe to help them build Brave and empowered life’s.   Heather’s Speaker Demo     Books   It’s great that I get to share Heather’s conversation this week. As I write this we are just a few days away from the Thanksgiving Holiday in the United States.   Giving thanks and expressing gratitude is an important life skill, and on December 3, Heather can help with that.   Heather’s new book, Grow Grateful: A Gratitude Journal for Kids and Families will be released on December 3rd.   This book is designed to help you create intentional and impactful conversations with kids about gratitude. Doing so will lead to life-changing habits that increase their own happiness and wellbeing and give you delightful quality time together.   The second edition of Heather’s earlier book, Gratitude Journal: Shift Your Focus is also available.  This beautiful journal offers space to record gratitude, personal wins (high fives), and 180 unique prompts to help you connect with gratitude in unique and often surprising ways.   What I think is important about these books is that the focus isn’t just on being grateful because it’s the right moral, ethical, or spiritual thing to do. Heather talks about gratitude as something that is good for you. It raises your spirits and helps you feel better.   These can be great presents for various holiday events, or they can even help you kick start a gratitude practice for yourself or your kids as we approach the time for New Year’s resolutions.   Links   Heather’s Website https://vickeryandco.com/ Heather’s Podcast — The Brave Files https://vickeryandco.com/podcast/ Heather on Twitter https://twitter.com/vickeryandco Heather on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-vickery/ Heather on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/VickeryandCo/ Heather on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR_G121FlzXy90nVWuGwCuw Grow Grateful: A Gratitude Journal for Kids and Families http://brave.vickeryandco.com/growgrateful Gratitude Journal: Shift Your Focus https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1733618503/ref=as_li_tl   Call To Action   Don’t, “Man up.” Fortify instead. Check out Heather’s Brave Files podcast and books at the links above. Share this episode with one other pers0n by giving them the link http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/Heather. Don’t get best…get better.   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that helps you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip — Connect with Your Audience   Before speaking, meet your audience members. In a small meeting, maybe that means greeting them as they come in to the conference room. At a larger event, that may mean mingling with attendees in the venue.   By meeting with some of your attendees before you speak, you start to build a connection and a more personal relationship. It can make your audience instantly more friendly to you as a result.   It can also give you Valuable information about things that are on the audience’s minds that you may be able to incorporate into your talk. There are all sorts of valuable things that can come from those connections.   Additionally, it can help distract you from your own nerves in the lead up to your talk.   Maura Sweeney — The Ambassador of Happiness   Maura Sweeney is the world’s Ambassador of Happiness. She has built a career around speaking as part of traditional corporate roles she’s held and later as an entrepreneur.   The recurring theme in this episode is connection — how you connect with your audience on a personal level and the importance of connecting your message with your stories. Those connections all need to be internally consistent find success and happiness in public speaking.   Bio   Author, Podcaster, and International Speaker, Maura Sweeney has transformed her own mantra of “Living Happy – Inside Out” to become a global influencer.   A former corporate manager and home schooling mom transitioned again at age 50 to make her life long goal a reality. Today, she brings uplift and unity to an often disempowered and divided world.   A former HuffPost columnist who has traveled to 60 countries, Maura was first called the Ambassador of Happiness by the UNESCO Center for Peace when invited to speak at the inaugural Nelson Mandela Day celebration. Since then, she’s trademarked her title and become a popular media guest featured on hundreds of media outlets in the U.S., Europe, Africa and Australia.   Maura has lectured on Influence and Leadership at universities, leadership conferences, women’s organizations, Model UN’s and several American Embassy outposts. In 2018, she was named Women of the Decade at the Women Economic Forum held in The Hague. Maura Sweeney’s genuine and first-hand approach empowers others of every background to become their finest version of self and helps us see what’s best in us all.   Maura just released an ecourse for Personal Leadership, Happiness and Authenticity on the Ingomu Learning Platform.   Links   Maura’s Website http://Maura4U.com Maura on Twitter http://Twitter.com/Maura4U Maura on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/maura4u Maura on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maura4u/ Maura’s Books on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Maura-Sweeney/e/B00A07TYK0/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&linkCode=ur2&tag=tm0a4-20%20%20http://www.amazon.com/Maura-Sweeney/e/B00A07TYK0/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&linkCode=ur2&tag=tm0a4-20 Maura’s Podcast https://maura4u.com/podcast-2/ Maura on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcBD5N4o7uZ2-Pq1gYpbzAQ Maura’s Online Course https://www.ingomu.com/personal-leadership-happiness-and-authenticity/   Call To Action   So check out Maura’s books, podcast, and more. You can find all those links above Connect with someone in your life by giving them the link http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/Maura Subscribe to 2-Minute Talk Tips for free in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. Don’t get best…get better.   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that helps you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week. Related  

2-Minute Tip: Earn your Confidence   If you project confidence on stage your audience is more likely to believe you. If you are confident, you’ll feel less nervous getting up to speak.   Confidence doesn’t come for free, though. You have to earn it. And you earn it by doing to work — by planning, editing, revising, practicing and rehearsing. If you don’t do the work, you don’t deserve the confidence and probably should be nervous.   So if you find you lack confidence in your public speaking, ask yourself, “Did I do the work to deserve it?” If the answer is, “No,” okay. Now you know what you have to do in the future.   Building blocks with Cory Truax   Cory’s story is one of building. He didn’t become a speaker by jumping on the biggest stage he could. He assembled this life in pieces beginning in school. Then began volunteering to speak and chaining together event after event as people would see him speak and then invite him to speak.   That’s the journey we talk about today — about taking small steps forward that lead to bigger and bigger things — and doing a lot of work today.   Bio   Cory Truax’s day job is in Admissions at the University of South Carolina. He supplements that with secular and religious speaking gigs, and on air work at WLFJ radio in Greenville, SC.   Cory Truax fills a lot of roles – Host of the creatively-titled radio show & podcast, “The Cory Truax Show,” Teaching Pastor at Beechwood Church, uncle extraordinaire, and even has a day job.   Cory enjoys early-morning work-outs; all things football; basketball’s post-season; healthy political discussions; theology; learning new things; and discovering new voices. Cory is also an invited speaker at church, educational, and political events along with serving as the fill-in host for WLFJ Christian Talk 660’s morning show, “Christian Worldview Today.”   Leadership and Public Speaking   One of the key lessons in this conversation is the link between leadership roles and public speaking. If you become a leader in an organization, no matter how small, you have the opportunity to speak. The more people see you speaking, the more likely they are to think you are a leader. And the whole thing can loop from there.   For kids there are opportunities to lead and or speak in school projects, clubs, teams, and church. Pursuing those opportunities early open up future opportunities for success.   Adults aren’t shut out though. There’s a reason Toastmasters isn’t just about speaking, but also about leadership. There are opportunities in churches and PTAs. There are committees and cross-functional teams at work. There are condo and home owner associations.   To grow as a speaker, try being a leader. To grow as a leader, try being a speaker.   Question Your Assumptions   On a recent episode of the Real RX, a podcast hosted by doctors, they talked about aging in women. The official guidelines say that generally women do not need to get pap smears after age 65. The standard is in place because of two assumptions:   Women over 65 do not have sex. If they do have sex, it’s with a long-term partner.   The problem is that often, both those assumptions are false. Relying on those false assumptions can lead to higher risk of cancer.   You can listen to the whole episode here:     If you’d like to hear more from Dr. Kim Brown, I interviewed her last year on my other show.   Another example that I’ve shared before is this. When I taught people to sell laptops, I talked about how I liked selling laptops instead of desktops because I didn’t have to lift a heavy monitor with the sale.   In the late nineties, that got a laugh. By 2005, new audiences no longer laughed. Why?   Because light weight flat panel monitors had replaced heavy CRTs in the market. The joke no longer made sense.   We have to question our assumptions.   Links   Cory Truax on the Web http://CoryTruax.com Cory on Facebook http://facebook.com/CoryTruaxShow Cory on Twitter http://twitter.com/CoryTruax Instagram http://Instagram.com/CoryTruax The Cory Truax Show podcast http://CoryTruax.com/Podcasts The Real RX Podcast http://Facebook.com/TheRealRXMedia Dr. Kim Brown on Strokecast http://Strokecast.com/Kim   Call To Action   To learn more aby or find his podcast, visit http://CoryTruax.com. Share this episode with a friend, colleague, or relative by giving them the link http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/CoryTruax. Subscribe to 2-Minute Talk Tips for free in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. Don’t get best…get better.   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that helps you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip: Be Vulnerable   We often talk about the importance of authenticity as a speaker. Another way to think about it, though, is vulnerability.   The benefit of vulnerability as a speaker is that the audience can feel where you are coming from. It’s easier for them to connect with you.   And if they feel that stronger sense of connection, they are more likely to pursue the action you are calling them to pursue.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Charles White   When I put together an episode, I don’t always know what it’s about. I do my core edit of the conversation where I listen to the whole thing, cut some stuff , and clean up the audio Wile I take notes.   Then I look over my notes. Sometimes I sit with it for a day. It’s only then that I realize what my guest and I talked about. Then I can write up my intro and outro comments and start work on the show notes for an episode. That’s my process.   And that’s how I came to realize that this week’s episode is all about process. Charles focuses on process in his life.  Process can be quite freeing. Once you have a structure and a way of doing things, suddenly those tasks get a whole lot quicker.   Often when we talk about public speaking we don’t think about the process. We think about standing in front of the crowd with some slides.   But 90% of the success of a talk is determined before you ever open your mouth. It’s in your preparation and planning. And when your preparation becomes repeatable and duplicatable, you have a process.   It’s not as sexy as the roar of the crowd, but the right process can make your life so much easier.   Bio   Charles helps business owners who need their operations to run more efficiently. As businesses get more clients, more work orders, and hire more people the processes they built become stressed. Charles is there when you are looking to find that new tool, improve your old process, and increase your workforce’s output.   He provide a full service solution to improving your daily, weekly and monthly workload. Together he helps you identify areas of your business that can most benefit from immediate intervention. Then he provides a solution through new software implementation and personalized training documentation, videos and in person classes.   Charles’ TEDx Talk     Links   Charles White Website http://charleswhiteservices.com/ Charles on Twitter https://twitter.com/charlesoffwhite Charles on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/wcharlesjohn/ Charles’ TEDx Talk https://youtu.be/sPI-ODSXAPw Top Tech Tools Podcast http://charleswhiteservices.com/toptechtools 1 Million Cups https://www.1millioncups.com/ Global Entrepreneurs Network https://www.genglobal.org/startup-huddle Stacy Sacco, MBA https://www.mgt.unm.edu/faculty/facultyDetails.asp?id=10208 Stacy Sacco on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacysacco/   Call To Action   Visit the links above to learn more about and connect with Charles White. Share this episode with a friend, colleague, or relative by giving them the link http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/Charles Don’t get best…get better.   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that helps you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip: Know 3 Stories   While it’s helpful to have lots of stories at your disposal, there are three types that will help you in speeches, job interviews and client interactions.  They are Underdog, Authority, and Fixer.   The Underdog story is the story of where you came from. It’s the obstacles life put in your path and how you got over, around, under, or through them to get where you are today.   The Authority is the story about your expertise. How do you know what you know? Why should people listen to you? What makes you different from other folks they could be listening to right now?   The Fixer story is about what you do to help others. How can you help this audience? What will you do or what will you enable them to do?   With those three stories in your pocket you can are better prepared for any audience.   When we talk about pathos, ethos, and logos as being crucial to persuasive success, these three stories support the often neglected ethos side of the pyramid.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Zack Hudson   I and my guests talk a lot about Storytelling in public speaking. And I talk about it more with Zack today. One thing that makes today’s conversation a little different is that we get a little bit deeper into the process of finding your stories. Because that is what Zack does with his clients — he helps them find and tell their stories.   The fact is everyone has stories to tell, even if we don’t realize it.   Bio   Today Zack not only speaks and consults with organizations. He also live the corporate executive life with more than 500 people in his organization across the southern US.   From Zack’s website:   I grew up in Louisiana and never saw a swamp until I was a teenager. I loved my town and the dream was to never leave and become mayor. That plan was dramatically altered when I met a certain redhead. She captured my heart and after getting married, we moved off to start our own adventure.   We relocated all over the South and started a family along the way. During the journey, I had a hunger to grow as a leader and discovered there were many others out there that had that same fire.   Since then, I’ve developed many leaders to become more than what they thought they could be. Many have gotten the job they’ve always wanted or ended up at their dream locations. One of my greatest joys is seeing others hit their personal goals.   Today, I lead about 500 employees across six states and spend much of my time developing them to be the leaders that they are called to be. I also help others across the globe reach their potential through the Passing the Baton Leadership Podcast and it’s resources.   What you may not know: I’ve made it to 38 of the 50 states so far. I minored in jazz bass in college. I’ve chest-bumped a whale shark. My daughter lived in 5 cities by the time she was 5. Sharon and I love Disney more than just about anything. I jumped out of a plane…with my mom. I served in the military. Pies are my weakness. I’ve survived running with the bulls and hang gliding. I’ve been in movies and TV shows.   5 Tips for Finding you Story   Do some free writing while you think about incidents from the past couple of weeks Use a text app or speak into a voice recorder if writing is not your thing Focus on authentic personal stories; don’t try to fake it. Prepare your story before you tell it. Practice it; don’t improvise it. Get feedback from friends and colleagues before delivering it in front of a “real” audience   Heart and Stroke Walk 2019   Regular listeners may know that I had a stroke on June 3, 2017. I looked for stroke related podcasts at the time to learn more. When I didn’t find enough existing shows, I started my own. You can learn more about that show at http://Strokecast.com   This year I am once again participating the Puget Sound Heart and Stroke Walk here in Seattle in October 2019. Please donate to the American Heart Association to help promote their work to reduce stroke through research and medical standards on the white coat side and through help folks reduce their blood pressure on the general population side.   If you’d like to contribute $10 or more, just visit http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/HeartWalk. That will take you right to the donation page on the AHA website. None of it goes to my pocket.   If you are interested in hiring me to speak at your event, we can have that conversation, too. Just reach out to me at bill@2minuteTalkTips.com     Links   Zack’s Website http://ZackHudson.com Zack on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlyzack Zack on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/zack-hudson/ Zack on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thedisneyrunner/ Passing the Baton Podcast https://www.passingthebatonpodcast.com/ Passing the Baton on Twitter https://twitter.com/PTBLeadership Pathos, Logos, and Ethos on 2-Minute Talk Tips http://2minutetalktips.com/2017/11/07/episode-035-let-the-audience-react-and-ancient-rhetoric-today/ Support the AHA through Bill and the Puget Sound Heart and Stroke Walk http://2minuteTalkTips.com/HeartWalk   Call To Action   Check out Zack’s podcast and all his social accounts at the links above Pass the Baton yourself to a friend, colleague, or relative by giving them the link http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/PassTheBaton. Then ask their thoughts on the episode. Consider donating to the American Heart association here: http://2minuteTalkTips.com/HeartWalk Don’t get best…get better.

2-Minute Tip: Reframe your Anxiety   Anxiety and excitement are closely related so if you’re nervous before speaking, reframe it in your has as excitement. Tell yourself how excited you are at this opportunity. The physical symptoms — jitters, racing heart, etc. are very similar so give your brain a different interpretation of them   Post Tip Discussion: Core Confidence   Authenticity is something a lot of my guests talk about because it matters. You can take inspiration and learn best practices from other speakers, but don’t try to be other speakers. Be yourself. It’s a heck of a lot easier.   Today’s guest coaches folks to do just that through his Core Confidence and AMP programs, with a special emphasis on understanding masculinity in the modern era.   Bio   Dennis Sumlin is a certified life coach, speaking coach, speaker, podcaster, and Distinguished Toastmaster.   From Dennis’s website:   I have a long background in performing arts, speaking/broadcasting, talent recruitment, and other related promotional and administrative experience. I am both a certified communication and confidence coach as well as a Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) from Toastmasters International.   The company that would become Core Confidence Life started out as a men’s development coaching service. Lack of confidence is far too common, and many people have a hard time both knowing and using all of their talents.   Along with promoting and developing artists with a pro-growth message, CCL, through the main podcast, helps you gain core self-confidence and a healthy self-esteem. Guests share their story and we give you actionable tips to support your development.   Core Confidence Life is not just a promotion company, we support your development as an artist and a person, and we work to both make you more confident in your message and craft, and to promote a healthy authentic soul centered lifestyle.   Gillette: The Best a Man Can Be     Links   Dennis Sumlin Website https://coreconfidencelife.com/ Dennis on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennis-r-sumlin-cpc-dtm-05262b31/ Dennis  on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dennisrsumlin/ Dennis on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6xbqQqKpwoLsyL-G2K-NlA Dennis on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CoreConfidenceLifePodcast/ Dennis on Twitter https://twitter.com/dennisrsumlin Core Confidence Podcast https://coreconfidencelife.com/listen/ Iron John by Robert Bly on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Iron-John-Book-About-Men/dp/0306813769   Call To Action   Check out Dennis’s website, podcast, and more by visiting http://Coreconfidencelife.com Share this episode with a friend colleague or relative by giving them the link http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/CoreConfidence Subscribe for free to 2-Minute Talk Tips in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. Don’t get best…get better.   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip: Don’t Apologize   Or more specifically, don’t start your talk by apologizing to the audience for the talk they are about to hear. It comes across as an appeal for pity. When you do that it means you are starting from a position of weakness rather than one of strength.   The opening few moments of your speech are where you can have a tremendous impact. Engage your audience with something compelling. Don’t waste it apologizing about how you were up late the night before and don’t feel prepared to deliver your material well. Don’t start by telling the audience they made a mistake coming out to see you.   Post Tip Discussion: Fire Stories with Jason Jordan   I often talk about the why of your talk. Why are you delivering it? WBTU — Why bring that up? Why should your audience care? If there’s no reason for something to be in your speech or on your slides, cut it out. It’s just wasting your time.   Jason Jordan thinks about Why a lot, too, but it’s on a bigger scale. He helps organizations and individuals craft their Fire Story — the story of what drives them. It can be a cause close to their hearts or based around a moment in time that irrevocably altered their future for better and worse all at once.   My Fire Story, of course centers around the morning of June 3, 2017 when I found myself whisked away to the hospital I would live in for the next month, and the changes that have happened in my life since then — the things I’ve learned and the passion I was able to focus on helping others share their stories.   This week, Jason shares his story and talks about shaping those Fire Stories we all have. He talks about his approach to crafting a speech that will utterly terrify novice speakers, about the impact of forensics on his life, and just why Fire Stories matter.   Bio   From Jason’s website:   I completed my MBA in 2004 at Texas A&M, with a focus in Entrepreneurship. I found competing in case competitions (before the rise of “Shark Tank”) to be especially exciting! I remember noticing, at the time, that the teams that usually won were expert storytellers, and always had a compelling narrative for the inspiration for their business idea. I would watch as their stories connected with the judges, and their faces would crack into beaming smiles. That was when I first realized how storytelling could impact business.   In 2009, I launched my dream career as a professional speaker and coach, primarily focused on the interaction of the Generations (Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials). I developed programs on Intergenerational Sales Tactics, Leadership Development, and Communications, which were delivered at corporations and events around the country. Giving people tools to help them connect with others outside their generation was immensely satisfying, but the more business leaders, entrepreneurs, and influencers I worked with, the more I pushed them toward sharing their story.   This inevitably led me to the stories that matter most: The FireStories!   I am committed, for the rest of my career, to helping people discover and share their FireStories. In a world that is overrun with information and people trying to be heard, what we truly need is UNDERSTANDING. We don’t need to know what you do or how you do it. We need to know your WHY. Your FireStory provides your WHY.   Simon Sinek’s TED Talk on finding your Why     Thoughts on Forensics   Now that the new school year has begun in the US, Speech and Debate is picking up again. It gave me my early training as a speaker. It helped Jason get started.   Many of our previous guests got their start competing in Forensics, including Spoken Word Artist Huwa from Nigeria, Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Litigation at Walmart and Courtroom Graphics specialists Kerri Ruttenberg, and Dr. Denise Vaughan from the UW-Bothell Speech and Debate team.   If a student expresses interest in speech and debate, encourage them. It may be the most valuable educational experience of their life.   Links   Jason’s Website http://FireStory.com Jason on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-jordan-a86593/ Jason on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/yourfirestory/ Jason on Twitter https://twitter.com/YourFireStory Jason on Vimeo https://vimeo.com/user10537966 Generation Jones on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Jones#targetText=Generation%20Jones,first%20years%20of%20Generation%20X. Narrative Paradigm on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Jones#targetText=Generation%20Jones,first%20years%20of%20Generation%20X. Simon Sinek’s TED Talk https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action Spoken Word artist Huwa on 2-Minute Talk Tips http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/Denise Kerri Ruttenberg on 2-Minute Talk Tips http://2MinuteTalktips.com/court Dr. Denise Vaughan on 2-Minute Talk Tips http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/Denise   Call To Action   To learn more about Fire Stories, check out Jason’s website. Share this episode with 3 coworkers or relatives by giving them the link http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/FireStory Don’t get best…get better.   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip: Slow Down   Many speakers take the stage with their adrenaline pumping as the try to stifle their nerves or live in the exciting moment. Many times, they end up speaking to quickly. So try to slow down.   When we speak, we are often excited about, or at least familiar with, our topic. Our tendency is to go quickly over the basic stuff.   But the reason folks are in our audience is that they don’t know this stuff. They are likely hearing it for the first time. They are trying to digest and process this information as you speak. They are looking at your slides, too.   So slow down a bit. Give every word a chance to sink in. And use a varied pace to truly land your key points.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Morgan Lopes Morgan Lopes got his start in public speaking riding a horse and wearing a cape at dinner time.   He’s gone on to be CEO of one company and CTO of another — telling stories and working to change the world.   Some of the key things we talk about are managing his multiple roles, the importance of the niche, and the power of story.   Bio   As a software engineer and entrepreneur, Morgan Lopes pursues deliberate, consistent progress over time as life’s greatest growth strategy. Regardless of his job titles, leadership is a choice not a rank. Morgan strives to make that choice daily and challenges others to do the same.   Polar Notion. Cofounded in 2012   New Story (YS S15).   A human centered software from design to development and beyond.   Joined as Chief Technology Officer in 2016   Ending survival mode through home construction and global housing innovation.   3-Keys to Running Multiple Companies   Disciple — Morgan keeps a tight schedule, gets up early and goes to bed early. He respects the importance of sleep, and refuses to let email take control of his day. Communication — Frequent and deliberate communication with team members is essential to keeping everyone on the same page. Just as important is inviting and accepting feedback — even when it’s not positive. It’s especially important for a C-level executive to be open and welcoming of criticism from other members of the team. Grace — Things don’t always go perfectly, and Morgan is grateful for the grace his family and team members extend to him when things don’t go well.   New Story 3D Printed Homes   I’ll just leave this here.     Links   Morgan’s website http://www.morganjlopes.com/ Morgan on Twitter https://twitter.com/MorganJLopes Morgan on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/morganjlopes/ Polar Notion http://www.polarnotion.com/ New Story Charity https://newstorycharity.org/ New Story on Twitter https://twitter.com/newstorycharity New Story on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-story-charity/ New Story on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/newstorycharity/ New Story on Medium https://medium.com/@NewStoryCharity New Story on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcfvCGwnBxzNMBo137Q4Ng   Call To Action   Check out the work Polar Notion is doing here. Learn more about New Story here. Share this episode with someone you know who might wonder how you go from Medieval Times to C-Level executive by giving them the link http://2-MinuteTalkTips.com/Morgan Don’t get best…get better.   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip: Record Yourself and Watch it 3 Times   Recording yourself on video used to be hard. But that’s not the case anymore. Nearly everyone has a powerful video camera in their pocket. There’s no reason not to use this tool to make yourself a better speaker. Record a rehearsal or presentation, and then watch it back 3 times in 3 different ways.   First, close your eyes and just listen. Focus on pace, rhythm, and filler words (uhms, ahs, likes, etc.).   Second, turn the sound off and just watch the silent video. Look for physical pacing, repetitive gestures, and awkward motions.   Third, watch it as an audience member might and ask yourself, “Did I actually land my point? Do I feel inspired to do what I want my audience to do?   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Denise An Galloni   One thing I’ve seen over the past episodes is how childhood is not destiny. Some speakers started in grade school and couldn’t get enough stage time. Others were horrified early on, but were able to ultimately get past it and even learn to enjoy speaking.   Your approach to speaking as a child is not your destiny in life. Public speaking is a skill that can be acquired later in life. If you want to acquire it.   That’s how it was for Denise Ann Galloni.   Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half John Wannamaker Bio   Voted the quietest girl in her senior class, Denise Galloni started to come out of her shell and find her voice as a young adult. Today her mission is to help others find their voices and become better communicators through her company, DG Training Solutions Inc., which was founded in 2014.   In fact, Denise has delivered more than 500 presentations across the United States and Internationally. She is a Toastmasters award winner. Denise was inspired by so many women who helped her make her business more successful in 2017, she expanded her reach to help women live their dreams by creating, producing and hosting an award-winning TV show called Empowering Women.    n 2018, she was a nominee for the Inspiring Lives Magazine International Empowerment Award.  Denise’s show Empowering Women was a 2018 nominee in the categories for Best Talk Show and Best Series for The Greater Pittsburgh Community Media Awards.   5-Tips for Better Training videos   Keep them short. Folks don’t want to watch a 40-minute video. You may feel you need that much time to cover all the material, but if folks don’t retain it, does it really matter if you covered it all? 4, 10-minute videos will always be better than 1, 40-minute video . Don’t talk to the whole audience. Your learner is probably watching it by themselves. Address them as an individual. Make sure your message is clear and concise. Plan that message before you start anything else. That simple message should be supported by the rest of your content. Edit tightly. If you have any question about whether something belong in the video, cut it. Keep the bottom line up front. Get to the point first. This way your learners have the full context for everything else they are about to hear. Plus, they can enjoy the instant gratification you are offering.   Links   Denise’s website https://www.dgtrainingsolutionsinc.com Denise on Twitter https://twitter.com/deniseanng Denise on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc/ Denise on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni/ Denise on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc7d1KUEIqZTUBlSzMSm9eA Empowering Women on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkS-fsSVzGlE5SI_yg3I8ZAGn3GB4DglO John Wannamaker on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wanamaker Toastmasters https://www.toastmasters.org/   Call To Action Check out http://DGTrainingSolutionsInc.com to learn more about Denise’s training programs and other resources. If you’ve thought about exploring Toastmasters, check out a local chapter. It’s made a big difference in Denise’s career. Share this episode with friend or coworker by giving them the link http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/DGTraining Don’t get best…get better.   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip: Don’t waste you first 10 seconds   When you go out on that stage you are a blank slate with the audience . They don’t know you. They’re not bored with you — yet. Now is when you have the best chance to grab their attention and interest.   So plan it out. Don’t leave your opening 10 seconds to chance or peter it away on, “How is everyone doing today?”   Tell a story. Tease the content. Surprise them. Comfort them. Or get right down to valuable business. But whatever you decide to do, make it deliberate and within your control.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Magician, Speaker, and Coach Matt Fore   Matt Fore’s career has really been full of adventure. From proudly showcasing magic in high school, to jumping on last minute cruises as a performer, to coaching entertainers hoping to grow their own businesses, he’s got stories to fill 10 episodes.   What jumped out about him in this conversation is the humbleness with which he presents himself. There’s no over-the-top bragging here. It’s just a lot of simple practical advice and moments that had me laughing throughout the episode.   Bio   Matt Fore is a Humorist, Writer, Speaker and Comedy Magician who routinely serves as the main stage performer for Corporate, Association and Faith based events around the country as he has for more than twenty-four years.    He has performed for Carnival Cruise Lines, The Magic Castle in Hollywood and has appeared on several national TV Shows including The Crook & Chase Show on TNN, Fox Sports and Swan’s Place on Odyssey. Matt is a contributor to Success.com, Entrepreneur.com and is the author of two books, “The Five Essential Elements – A Simplified Road to Success,” and his very popular comedy devotional “The Truth Shall Make You Laugh.” He is a lecturer among his peers in the areas of entertainment, sleight of hand magic and effective marketing.   He lives in Johnson City TN with his author wife Jo Ann. They have three or four kids. He is not sure because he spends much of his time on the road.    Minnie Pearl   Matt’s early efforts at speaking in grade school were centered around Minnie Pearl. But what if you don’t know who Minnie Pearl is? Well, that’s why God and Google gave us YouTube     Introverts vs Extroverts   Matt describes himself as an introvert. Many speakers do. Personally, I go back and forth between the two poles so I guess I’m more of an ambivert.   A lot of people assume introvert means shy so how can an introvert be comfortable on stage?   Because the concept of an introvert is more nuanced than that. Generally, introverts lose energy engaging with other individuals and recharge in more quiet, individualistic activities. Extroverts are just the opposite. They soak up energy from the people around them. They thrive on personal engagement with other people.   Public speaking at first glance seems optimized for extroverts since you’re in a room with dozens or hundreds or thousands of people.   In reality, though, you aren’t in a personal engagement with all those people. You are on stage doing your own thing. You’re working to engage all those people at once and, while it’s important to think about those people and the value you are there to deliver, it’s ultimately a solo activity. It’s you and the concept of the audience. It’s an individual approach. You can leave all your energy on stage to land your message and succeed.   It’s a heck of a lot easier than schmoozing at the networking party later.   Let People Help   After and before an event, people may want to help you out. If you’ve been doing this a while, you may not need that help. In fact it may slow you down and throw off your entire routine. Or you may want to not burden those folks. Let them help, anyway. Prepare ahead of time some tasks you can ask folks to do when the offer assistance.   You’re doing them a favor.   Them offering to help you is how they are trying to forge a connection or a relationship with you. Most of us aren’t “famous” in the traditional world, but in the context of a speaking event, the speaker is a star. For some people this will be their brush with fame for the day, and they’ll be thrilled to talk about the part they played in your day in the years to come.   Accepting help also validates that they have value. That they can contribute even in some small way.   And that’s a simple thing you can do to leave an even more positive feeling with your audience.   Links   Entertainment Marketing Academy https://www.entertainersmarketingacademy.com/ Matt Fore Entertainment https://www.mattfore.com/ Matt’s books on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Matt-Fore/e/B01F4LY17W Matt at Success.com https://www.success.com/author/matt-fore/ Matt at the Huffington Post https://www.huffpost.com/author/matt-fore Matt on Entrepreneur.com https://www.entrepreneur.com/author/matt-fore Victoria Mavis on 2-Minute Talk Tips http://2minutetalktips.com/magic   Call To Action   Visit MattFore.Com to learn more about Matt and his projects, or check out the Entertainer’s Marketing Academy to learn how you can book more gigs. Subscribe to 2-Minute Talk Tips in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode Don’t get best…get better.   Edit 2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip: Take Action   The most important thing you can do as a speaker is to speak. Get one or two takes ready to go and then just focus on filling your calendar. Do whatever you can to book yourself solid. Get that stage time so you can get better.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Candice Bakx-Friesen   Candice Bakx Friesen is essential the Nike of Canadian Real Estate. She embodies the idea of just do it. In today’s conversation, you’ll hear her advise several times to say yes and then figure it out when an opportunity presents itself.   While this may not be the best advice for neurosurgeons, it does work pretty well for speakers. Figure out your message, focus on that and deliver value to your audience.   I really like her approach to doing new things — just do it, and try not to get in your own way.   I also like that she emphasizes the importance of knowing your audience. In real estate of course we all know that the 3 most important things are location, location, and location   Before speaking to an audience Candice looks into the local real estate market. It’s not hard; there are plenty of resources available. Then she can deliver a custom talk that makes her local audience feel valued.   You can do that with most of your audiences, too. Do some research on what your audience is concerned about and mention their concerns. Talk to them about their problem specifically. They will feel that much more connected to you.   Bio   Candice is passionate about helping people reach their financial dreams. Candice has been a real estate investor since 2001. She is also the founder of Investor Smarts Global Network and Driven By Results, and a coaching partner within the Truly Invested Real Estate Club. Candice’s candid approach to business and affinity for getting past the fluff and getting to the root of each challenge for her clients so that they get a lot done, has led to her becoming a highly sought after coach within the finance and real estate industries.   Candice has had the opportunity to speak at many events, and enjoys sharing and teaching others.   Some events she has spoken at include: Toronto Real Estate Investors Forum (Toronto, ON), Truly Invested Real Estate Group (Winnipeg, MB), Group Facilitator at the Conversation Event (Texas, USA), Durham REI Club (Toronto, ON), RENTS Bootcamp Event (Kamloops, BC), Prairie RE Forum (Regina, SK), Judge for TEDx (Flowermound, Texas, USA), Shine Again Event (Steinbach, MB)   Coaching   There are many qualities and skills that go into being an excellent professional coach – integrity, in-depth knowledge, marketing savvy, effective negotiation skills and a high-quality professional network, all of which are hallmarks of how Candice works.   “Client first” philosophy has always been her approach and it requires Candice to continually improve her skills and ways of doing business. This means keeping herself accessible, being a good listener as well as a good communicator, and responding quickly to her client’s needs.   Links   Investor Smarts website link http://www.investorsmarts.ca/ Driven By Results https://www.drivenbyresults.ca/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/investor-smarts/id1443677340  Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=332473&refid=stpr YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5923OKL5DCgNLh9G8ycAgQ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-lS0UYG9P5mcFq4EAamWpA YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcmU3BvlLg_KJ4Wxtvsk7uA Facebook facebook.com/investorsmarts Facebook facebook.com/drivenbyresults Twitter twitter.com/drivenbyresults Twitter twitter.com/investorsmarts Instagram http://Instagram.com/drivenbyresults Instagram http://Instagram.com/investorsmarts   Call To Action So check out Candice’s Investor Smarts podcast or Driven By Results coaching program. Share this episode with 3 people you know by giving them the link http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/Candice. Don’t get best…get better.   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip: Greet Audience Members Early   As much as practical, if you have time before your speech, meet some members of your audience. Greet them as they come in and sit down. This accomplishes a couple things.   First, it’s the start of a relationship with a new person. For part of your audience, you will no longer be just that person on the stage. Instead you will be that person they were just chatting with who is now on the stage. As you build that relationship, you are building trust.   Second, it gives you some familiar faces you can look for when you are on the stage. This encourages you to engage in more eye contact, and it gives you some people you can specifically look for.   As a bonus, it can even help with speaker nerves by distracting in that period before your talk.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Joel Hawbaker   Joel Hawbaker has fully embraced the storytelling aspect of speaking. And why wouldn’t he? Telling stories is how civilizations have shared their histories, their lessons, and their faiths for millennia.   It’s how religions today share the lessons and directives of their prophets and marketing departments around the world grow their profits. And it’s how you can make history compelling and memorable for the toughest audience in existence — school kids.   Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less CS Lewis   I also like Joel’s thoughts on the importance of humility for not just a speaker and teacher, but for any expert. There’s an importance in going back to basics and working on fundamentals. Success requires a strong foundation, and not thinking you’re too good to work on the basics.   Even an experienced speaker needs to think through their content, do the prep work, and practice.   This focus on humility and going back to basics is an important that can help us connect with more audiences. They’re the best way to celebrate the hero of our talks — the message.   Bio   Joel W. Hawbaker is a professional speaker, an author, and a high school teacher and soccer coach in Alabama where he lives with his wife, his two daughters, and their two rescue dogs. Joel has a degree in History from Covenant College, and he also spent time studying Medieval Civilizations at New College, Oxford, in the UK. In his professional speaking, Joel focuses on the topics of blended family life, leadership, and education. His goal is to help people form better relationships through a combination of confidence and humility. In addition to his books on leadership, he is currently working on a book about blended family life.   Writing the Book   Joel talked about his approach to writing his book. He worked on his outlines in the evening, and he filled them out while driving to work. This can be a great approach, assuming you can do it safely. This is a great job for a dedicated digital recorder. For a task like this, the small, cheap ones are probably fine.   This is an approach that can work because editing is easier than creating. Once Joel had his recordings done, he could turn them into transcripts and then edit them into a book.  Even with that, it still took him a year to write, “Inverted Leadership.”   But he did it.   On Strokecast, I talked with true crime author Paul Sanders. He finished his latest book a week before he had his stroke. That stroke robbed him (at least for now) of his ability to write books.   So don’t wait. Get that book written now. Joel found a way to write it during his commute. How can you find a way to write yours?   Links   Joel’s Website https://reallifeleading.com/ Joel’s book on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Inverted-Leadership-Others-Forgetting-Yourself/dp/1983110167/ref=sr_1_1 Joel on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/joel.w.hawbaker Also Joel on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RealLifeLeading/ Joel on Twitter https://twitter.com/RealLifeLeading Joel on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-hawbaker-9421a077/ John Acuff Newsletter https://acuff.me/newsletter/ Chandler Bolt’s Self-Publishing School https://self-publishingschool.com/ Rob Kosberg’s Best Seller Publishing http://bestsellerpublishing.org/ John Wooden on socks https://www.newsweek.com/john-wooden-first-how-put-your-socks-167942 Vince Lombardi on a football https://jamesclear.com/vince-lombardi-fundamentals Westbrook Christian Academy http://www.westbrookchristianschool.org/   Call To Action   Check out Joel’s book and web presence Share this episode with 3 colleagues by giving them the link http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/Joel Don’t get best…get better   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip: Fuel your body properly   Our bodies react differently to different foods, and to maximize our performance, we need to consume the appropriate fuel for the results we want.   That means, first of all, hydrate. That was also the very first tip in the very first episode of 2-Minute Talk Tips. But it goes beyond that.   Avoid dairy before speaking. It drives mucous production which leads to throat clearing and generally results in less clear speech.   Managing blood sugar is also important to prevent energy crashes and to reduce the stress on our systems.   So what should you consume if you’re planning to speak? Focus on proteins and fats. Think savory instead of sweet. And drink more water than you think you need.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Nutrition Expert Mary Sheila Gonella   Mary Sheila Gonnela  is a speaker, teacher, and nutrition expert. And in this episode we cover all those different areas.   We don’t often think about the fuel we need before speaking when we hit the snack buffet at a meeting. But it does make a difference. It’s among the things we explore this week.   But that’s not the only thing about effectiveness that we explore. Working with an assistant and being transparent with your audience are all ways to be more effective while speaking.   Bio   Having served clients for over a decade as a Board Certified Holistic Nutrition Consultant and Ayurvedic Practitioner, Mary Sheila Gonnella teaches clients how to honor their unique physiology, move self-care to the front burner, and achieve and maintain radiant health.   Mary Sheila’s classes and public talks fill up with students who keep coming back for more .   “Your breadth of understanding and your enthusiasm to share this knowledge, is so palpable. I learn many things from you every time!”   Andrew Goldstein, MS   Mary Sheila’s students at Bauman College Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Arts, where she taught for 7 years, say she is “One of Bauman’s greatest assets. She is brilliant and communicates her brilliance well. I am in awe of her knowledge level. She was a Godsend and a wealth of knowledge.” Jill Brogan, NC   In addition Mary Sheila’s private practice, Occidental Nutrition, Mary Sheila consults and teaches classes through doctor referrals in a clinical medical setting, where her approach has helped people have complete health transformations.   “My husband has been able to cut out nearly all his medications, as well as his sleep apnea machine, and both of us have greatly improved our sleep, and collectively we have lost 250 pounds. We can’t thank Mary Sheila enough for her knowledge, energy, dedication and wonderful sense of humor.” Nancy Palandati, CA   Her online courses include Your Roadmap to Bone Health, Blood Sugar Reset, Adrenal Vitality Blueprint, Winter Vitality Cleanse, Deeper Than Weight Loss, and Food Mood & Fermentation.   One of Mary Sheila’s favorite ways to connect with her students is by rolling up her sleeves, putting on an apron, and teaching cooking classes, reconnecting people to their ability to create delicious healing food in their own kitchen. Her classes include Fermentation, Eating for Immunity, and Everyday Superfoods, to name a few. Mary Sheila’s wealth of knowledge has led her to be included as a featured speaker and teacher on various online summits and stages around the San Francisco Bay Area.   Stay connected by visiting www.occidentalnutrition.com and sign up to receive “The Breakfast Report” Mary Sheila’s free guide to determining the right breakfast for you, your hormonal balance and your blood sugar regulation.   Personal Stories   Mary Sheila talks about how she was able to connect with a group of young students by sharing the personal story of her mother’s cancer. As a result, she was able to engage the students.   It’s similar to the experience the Ari Gunzburg talked about a few weeks ago. In that episode he talked about throwing out the talk he planned to give to instead share his personal story with a group of students in juvenile detention. They really appreciated that and made his talk more effective.   One of the things that helps makes us more effective as speakers is when we can connect more deeply with our audience. That’s easier when we have more things in common with them. When we speak with other adults in our companies or industries we already have some key things in common — especially being adults.   Telling those personal stories helps the young audience see this “adult” is more like them than they might have expected.   Links   Mary Sheila’s Website https://occidentalnutrition.com/ Mary Sheila on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/occidentalnutrition/ Mary Sheila on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUBuM3eolTaJ60GVkvVUHog Ari Gunzburg on 2-Minute Talk Tips http://2MinuteTakTips.com/AriGunz Managing Handouts on 2-Minute Talk Tips http://2minutetalktips.com/2017/03/28/episode-14-manage-your-handouts-and-12-webinar-tips/ Avoid Dairy on 2-Minute Talk Tips http://2minutetalktips.com/2018/03/07/episode-052-avoid-dairy-and-the-7-deadly-sins-of-powerpoint/ Hydrate on 2-Minute Talk Tips http://2minutetalktips.com/2016/12/   Call To Action   To learn more about Mary Sheila’s approach to nutrition, check out www.occidentalnutrition.com. What foods to find make you a more or less effective speaker? Let us know in the comments below. Subscribe to 2-Minute Talk Tips for free in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. Don’t get best…get better   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip: Just put yourself out there   Getting past intense nerves can be challenging, but there comes a point where you just have to do it. Just acknowledge your nerves and stage fright and do it anyway. If things don’t go well, the world won’t end, and (for most of us) no one will die. So just get up on stage, nerves and all, and just do it.   How can you give yourself the best chance for success? It’s no secret — practice. Prepare and practice. The more you do that, the better you’ll be able to focus on what matters — the audience and the message.   Afterall, it’s not about you.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Okoyomoh Egbekhuwa — or simply Huwa   “You know what’s great about hitting rock bottom? There’s only one way to go, and that’s up!” — Buster Moon, Sing   Okoyomoh Egbekhuwa — or simply Huwa — is a Chemistry student, spoken word artist, and podcaster living in Nigeria. We live in an amazing time where technology let’s us have conversations like this across the world.   Spoken Word is a performance genre where poetry meets public speaking meets story telling. Rhythm and timing are critical to success. A lot of the lessons Huwa learned as she grew as a performer will likely resonate with other speakers today.   And I have to confess my own ignorance here, This is a genre I wasn’t really familiar with before this conversation. I love getting to learn stuff on the show.   Bio   Okoyomoh Egbekhuwa, or just Huwa is a performance poet and podcaster from Nigeria, West Africa. She’s been speaking since she was eleven years old at debates and in church. She started performing as a spoken word artiste three years ago and realized how underrated it is as an art so she started up a podcast, called The Spoken World, inviting performance poets, authors and enthusiasts from around the world to share their stories as expressed in literary arts.   Recently, she’s learnt that the podcast can be so much more as it involves stories that reveal the culture, traditions and politics of individuals across the globe.   Sing   Huwa quoted the movie Sing in our conversation. It’s an animated film about animals performing in a singing competition. A lot of the stories are about dealing with nerves, being true to yourself, and getting out there to share your art.   Here’s the trailer:     The Danger of the Single Story   The Danger of the Single Story is the risk we have of falling into ignorance. In the context of our discussion, we touched on how many folks in the US and elsewhere have a limited perception of life in Africa. One narrative about the continent often dominates our perception.   Storytelling is a great way to connect with an audience. As an audience member its also important to seek out more stories from speakers and artists who have a different background. It’s not about creating an artificial debate between 2 view points — 2 or more viewpoints and be different without being in opposition to one another.   Even with my relative ignorance I think it’s safe to say that life in Nigeria is very different from life in Egypt or life in Lesotho. And it’s fair to say that life in Lagos is probably very different from life in Yola (and yes, I did have to pull up a map).   And that’s the danger of the single story or narrative. It makes it way too easy to make assumptions about a wide swath of the Earth and its people.   It’s not just about geopolitics and cultural diversity, though. As speakers, how many of us have gone into a company, or even a department within our own company, with a narrative in mind about the people there? What do you think you know about the internal culture of Amazon or Microsoft or Starbucks? These are organizations with tens of thousands of employees and contractors. The single story in our minds about organizations will impact how we prepare and speak with them, even though that story may only apply to a part of the group.   And even if it applies to most of the organization, is your audience within that organization the group that story applies to? And do you think the same story you have about a company as a whole applies equally to the legal department, the marketing department, and the C-Suite? Probably not.   And let’s talk about individuals. What is the single story you have about someone who’s had a stroke? Is it the 86 year old retiree in the nursing home? Or is it someone like Luke Perry or Sharon Stone? Or do you think about the freelance blogger and podcaster helping folks become more effective speakers in as little as 2 minutes a week?   Stories help us understand the world. They help us connect with one another and pass along history, values, lessons, inspiration and community. There’s nothing wrong with stories.   The danger is in letting a single story about our audience or millions and billions of people become the sole way we see that aspect of the world.   So seek out and listen to more stories.   Names   When Huwa and I were setting up the interview, she also emailed me an MP3 of her pronouncing her full name ( Okoyomoh Egbekhuwa) for me. This was great because it gave me an opportunity to practice listen to the correct version again and again.   If you have a name that is difficult to pronounce — or than might be difficult for someone from a different culture to pronounce, consider send a recording of it in advance to whomever may be introducing you at an event.   And if you’re the person doing the introduction, make an effort to learn to pronounce what may be for you a challenging name. You want to get it right because names are so important and they tie into so much emotional stuff. Getting a person’s name right is a sign of respect. And so I hope I did well by Huwa’s name.   Links   The Spoken World Website https://thespokenworldpodcast-com.webnode.com/ The Spoken World on Twitter https://twitter.com/spokenpodcast Huwa on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thespokenworld/ Spoken Word on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoken_word Huwa’s Email Newsletter https://mailchi.mp/07f2853d15f1/thespokenworld Spoken World Podcast on RadioPublic https://play.radiopublic.com/the-spoken-world-podcast-WJ9QMB Spoken World Podcast on PocketCasts https://pca.st/59Ai Spoken World Podcast on Apple Podcasts https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-spoken-world-podcast/id1416359054?mt=2 Spoken World Podcast on Google Podcasts https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80Y2UzYjEwL3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz Spoken World Podcast on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6lpOymOxMa7vZ59gpq08tx Spoken World Podcast on CastBox https://castbox.fm/channel/id1381569 Spoken World Podcast on Overcast https://overcast.fm/itunes1416359054/the-spoken-world-podcast Spoken World Podcast on Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/anchor-podcasts/the-spoken-world-podcast Spoken World Podcast on Breaker https://www.breaker.audio/the-spoken-world-podcast Spoken World Podcast on Podbean https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/95f92-7e247/The-Spoken-World-Podcast Kerri Ruttenberg on 2-Minute Talk Tips http://2minutetalktips.com/Court Denise Vaughan on 2-Minute Talk Tips http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/Denise Hilary Billings on 2-Minute Talk Tips http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/Hilary Tim Garber on 2-Minute Talk Tips (Part 1) http://2minutetalktips.com/2017/02/28/episode-010-parallel-structure-and-tim-garber-part-1/ Tim Garber on 2-Minute Talk Tips (Part 2) http://2minutetalktips.com/2017/03/07/episode-011-record-yourself-and-tim-garber-part-2/ Jon Clarke on 2-Minute Talk Tips (Running a Panel) http://2minutetalktips.com/2017/04/18/episode-017-plan-to-punt-and-how-to-run-a-panel/ Jon Clarke on 2-Minute Talk Tips (Comedy, Advertising, and rock) http://2minutetalktips.com/2017/01/10/episode-003-skip-the-opening-joke-and-meet-jon-clarke/   Call to Action   Check out the links to Huwa’s podcast and Instagram above. Subscribe to the Spoken World Podcast and 2-Minute Talk Tips for free in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. Don’t get best…get better.   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip: Slides must help the audience, not the presenter   One reason folks audibly groan when they think about PowerPoint is that too many speakers use the slides to help them get through their presentation rather than to help the audience understand what’s happening.   We use them too often to:   Help us remember To keep our place To just generally put too much stuff on screen   Ultimately there are 3 purposes behind our visual aids   Help the audience understand Help the audience believe Help the audience remember   When it comes to improving our visuals, we need to eliminate any extraneous text, and limit ourselves to just one concept per slide.   When designing slides or other visuals ask yourself, “Who does this help more: the audience or the presenter?”   If it’s the presenter, cut it or change it.   Post Tip Discussion   Slides and visual aides are an important part of public presentations and not always in a good way. Slides dominate most stages these days, and reviewing a presentation for most folks means looking at the slides.   This trend isn’t limited to the conference room; it extends into the courtroom. PowerPoint slide decks, foam core boards, and animations now help juries make decisions in courts around the United States.   This week’s guest literally wrote the book on courtroom graphics. Kerri Ruttenburg, the Senior VP and General Counsel for Litigation at Walmart, is the author of Images with Impact: Design and Use of Winning Trial Visuals. She wrote the book to help lawyers and non-lawyers both make more effective use of visual aids in presentations.   Bio Kerri L. Ruttenberg is the Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Litigation at Walmart, trial lawyer, and previously a partner at the law firm Jones Day in Washington, D.C., where she served as the Head of Litigation for the firm’s D.C. office.  She has tried cases in state and federal courts around the country. Kerri recently authored a book published by the American Bar Association, Images with Impact: Design and Use of Winning Trial Visuals, which has been praised as “groundbreaking” and “a must for the trial lawyer’s library.” Based on nearly 20 years of trial experience, working with graphic designers and interviewing jurors, Kerri frequently conducts seminars for lawyers, judges, expert consultants and marketing executives on the effective design and use of visuals for trials and other professional presentations.     Kerri has been a successful public speaker for decades.  She paid for her college and law school education with competitive speaking scholarships, and her love of public speaking has continued through her career as she tries and wins cases, conducts seminars on presentation design and delivery, and even coaches others on how to improve their own effectiveness in public speaking.    Thoughts on Speech and Debate   While my career took me in the direction of marketing, and Kerri’s took her in the direction of Law (which are pretty much complete opposites in most corporate environments). Our origin stories have a common touchpoint — Speech & Debate or Forensics in high School and college. We both partially paid for college with scholarship earned in competitive speech.   As kids start heading back to school next month, encourage or support their interest in Speech and Debate. And encourage schools to develop vigorous programs. The lessons from Speech and Debate extend well beyond how to speak before a judge.   A year ago, in July 2018, I spoke with Denise Vaughan, one of my former team mates in Speech and Debate from the Carroll College Talking Saints, and now coach of the Speech and Debate team at UW-Bothell about competition and her path. You can here that conversation here: http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/Denise   Preparation   The other important lesson is one I talk about a lot — the importance of preparation. Kerri emphasizes the importance of showing up early to make sure everything works and the venue is setup as expected.   Preparation is also key for courtroom visuals. Kerri talks about the importance of using graphic designers for most of her trial graphics. We also talked about the unique review process for courtroom visuals. The opposing counsel needs to review graphics as does the court in many cases to make sure they are in compliance with appropriate legal standards.   The point is none of these graphics are put together at the last minute. They’re not assembling slides 10 minutes before using them. The stakes are just too high.   Links   Kerri Ruttenberg on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerri-ruttenberg-251018126/ Kerri’s book on Amazon https://amzn.to/2CBYnDd Kerri’s book on America Bar Association website www.ambar.org/imageswithimpact Rule 403 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode28a/usc_sec_28a_03000403—-000-. 2-Minute Talk Tips with Denise Vaughan http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/Denise @-Minute Talk Tips Review of “Storytelling with Data” by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic http://2minutetalktips.com/2017/09/05/episode-026-bring-candy-and-read-storytelling-with-data/   Call To Action   So check out Kerri’s book on Amazon or the American Bar Association’s website. Kerri is also on LinkedIn, where you can see the path of her career. You can connect here. Share this episode with the attorney, graphic designer, or Law & Order fan in your life by giving them the link http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/Court. Don’t get best…get better.   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip: Be Vulnerable   When you open up and share your story with an audience, it gives them an opportunity to connect with you on a deeper, emotional level. When you establish that connection with them, they listen more closely, relate to you better, and are more likely to retain your message or execute your call to action.   It’s not something to fake though. Audience’s can generally sense when someone is being authentic, rather than being fake. And vice versa.   So on stage, you don’t need to pretend to be perfect. You can share failures and mistakes. You won’t chase away your audience. You’re more likely to inspire them to join you on the journey.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Ari Gunzburg   Ari is now a motivational speaker, a podcast host, and a wilderness liaison. Once his two podcasts are launched, and his workload calms down slightly, Ari plans to start writing a book, outlining specific programs and ideas to help people build a more meaningful life.   Ari learned about death early in life. He experienced a traumatic moment when only 10 years old, when his teacher passed away while on a hiking trip. This would affect his life deeply and change his perspective forever.   Following the death of this teacher, there was trouble afoot at school for all of the traumatized kids. This created a domino effect of changes and decisions that all culminated in Ari getting his “PhD” from the school of hard knocks, through multiple bad decisions and the outcomes of those decisions.   Having to live through these decisions and consequences has taught Ari many important life lessons; all of which he passes on to others.   “Regret not, but learn from your mistakes,” says Ari, reminiscing the wild cycles he experienced during his misspent youth. “Any lesson gained from real life experiences is one you no longer need to learn in a formal educational setting.”   Ari has had many life-changing experiences, each of which shaped him; from dropping out of high school, to going to jail, to experimenting with drugs, to wild partying and more.   After more than a decade working in marketing, branding, graphic design and websites, Ari realized that his experiences can help others. That his mistakes don’t have to be lived over and over again, if he can just tell over his story, and help people understand.   Ari is now focused on helping others, all while taking care of four fantastic children and the most amazing wife.   He is building programs and workshops to help others, using his ability to speak. Ari is producing podcasts to help others find their path to success and greatness. Ari helps others experience the wilderness, and the calm that comes from being immersed in nature. And Ari is helping kids and teenagers make better decisions.   Ari is now building lives of meaning.   Toastmasters   This week, we get to learn a lot more about the competitive aspect of Toastmasters. Toastmasters is a well-known international organization with thousands of chapters around the world. It’s a fantastic resource for folks who want to improve their public speaking skill, practice, and get feedback.   While we do talk about competition in Toastmasters this week, keep in mind that is only part of the program. If you don’t want to compete, that’s perfectly fine. Most Toastmaster folks don’t.   But for those who do want to explore competitive speaking, though, Toastmasters can be a great option.   Vulnerability and Rebranding Ari’s tip about vulnerability is important, and you hear it come out a few times, including the last segment where Ari talks through his rebranding, refocusing, and redesign of his website. His new website is  now live. If you’d like to see how it changed, you can check out the old version in the Internet Wayback Machine.   Links   Ari Gunzburg Website https://arigunzburg.com/ Ari’s old website on the Internet Wayback Machine https://web.archive.org/web/20190113064043/https://arigunzburg.com/ Ari on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/arigunz/ Ari on Twitter https://twitter.com/AriGunzburg The Happiness Advantage on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Advantage-Positive-Brain-Success/dp/0307591557/ref=sr_1_3 Les Brown website https://lesbrown.com/ Toastmaster Website https://www.toastmasters.org/   Call To Action Check out Ari’s new website at AriGunzburg.com, and Ari’s other inks above. If you want to try your hand, or mouth, at competitive speaking, or just want more experience while you improve your speaking, check out a local Toastmasters chapter. Subscribe to 2-Minute Talk Tips for free in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. Don’t get best…get better.   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip: Tell Your Personal Truth   To be effective as a speaker on the big stage, you have to be able to tell your truth. That means you have to know what it is. This may take some personal work to understand what you are passionate about — what you truly believe.   Where it really pays off is in the connection to your audience. They can sense the authenticity. More importantly, they can sense artifice.   Ultimately it goes back to the words of Maya Angelou:   “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Mel Andre   In the conversation I had with Mel, we covered the big picture stuff, but also some of the nitty gritty stuff about developing talk. There’s a nice mix of practical, individualistic, and conceptual material here.   And like any good motivational speaker, Mell brings some great enthusiasm to our talk.   Bio   Mel M. Andre is an Entrepreneur, Life Coach, Motivational Speaker, CEO of Skill and Will Fitness and former lead consultant at Andre Consultant. Mel’s passion in life is to help people realize their greatness and help people accomplish their goals.   Mel knows that in order to change your life, you must first change yourself and your mindset. Mel’s program focuses on helping you have a paradigm shift while also helping you make a plan to accomplish your dreams and goals.    Several years ago Mel hit rock bottom and lost everything she had worked so hard to obtain. Mel decided that she would no longer be the victim and decided to completely change her life around.    Through the power of motivations, dedication, discipline & positive affirmations Mel was able to turn her life around in a few months. During those few months, Mel decided to work on her business full time while also working on herself. She knew in order to become successful and stay successful she would have to make drastic lifestyle changes. These changes allowed her company, Skill and Will Fitness, to take off in ways she could only imagine.    While Mel’s success grew she started mentoring her friends and family. This led Mel to discover her new passion, which is motivating and inspiring people to accomplish their goals and dreams.   Keys to Success and Happiness Conference   On May 11, 2019, Mel, along with Barbara Pando-Benke and Melanee Williams spoke at the Keys to Success and Happiness conference. At that conference they not only discussed how to become successful, but also  how to find happiness during your journey and  stay happy during the ups and downs that come with chasing your dreams and accomplishing your goals.   You can watch the entire conference for free at http://KeysToSuccessAndHappiness.com. Five Mistakes Speakers Make Mel outlined 5 important mistakes new speakers make.   They don’t speak their truth. They rely too much on their notes and slide decks. They fail to Practice. They focus on landing big gigs at the expense of learning and growing at smaller ones. They turn down opportunities that they are afraid are too big.   To learn more about these mistakes, listen to the clip below, or just listen to the whole episode.     If you’d like to share this video, you can use  this link: http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/MelTalksMistakes   Links   Mel’s Website http://MelMAndre.com Mel on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mel_Andre911/ Hire Mel book@MelMAndre.com Mel on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Melmandre/ Mel on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mel-andre/ Mel on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVHWOus_DSf0bgzZmeM_mkQ Mel on Twitter https://twitter.com/Mel_Andre911 Keys to Success and Happiness Conference http://Keystosuccessandhappiness.com    Call To Action   You can find Mel on Instagram, where she is Mel_Andre911. Just search there or follow this link. Share this episode with 2 colleagues by using the link http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/Mel Subscribe to 2-MinuteTalkTips in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. Don’t get best…get better.   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week. Related  

2-Minute Tip: Stay in Your Line   When on stage, there’s pressure to have all the answers — to be the expert. And when we’re talking about the area of our expertise.   What do we do we aren’t the expert though?   There’s a lot of power in saying, “I don’t know. I’ll get back to you.”   Know what you can speak about and know what you shouldn’t speak about. Focus on your lane and the audience will respect you more.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Chandler Walker   There’s a temptation when we speak to throw more and more information at an audience. We see this manifest in unreadable slides; long, boring talks; and few opportunities for Q&A or other audience interaction. And I get it.   In the corporate world, we are under pressure to cover all the material possible to maximize the value of the audience’s time. Or we may have multiple sponsors for our talk who want to make sure we include all of “their” material.   The problem is when we focus on everything, we focus on nothing. We disregard the fact that the audience needs to take away something. It doesn’t matter if we say all the stuff if it doesn’t inspire the audience to do something with it.   Bio   Candler Walker’s tip about staying in your lane is important. It’s not about “knowing your place.” It’s about being comfortable with where you can add value and where you can’t. As we go through today’s discussion, you’ll see that. You’ll also see how he questions his audience to continue understanding how he can add value.   Chandler Walker has built a personal brand that has catapulted him to the keynote stage, fireside chats and corporate speeches. He’s spoken in the US, Australia, The Netherlands, and Canada. He also hosts the Chan’s Logic Podcast.   Links   Chandler’s Website http://Chanslogic.com Chan’s Logic on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ChansLogic/ Chan’s Logic Podcast https://www.chanslogic.com/podcast Chandler on Twitter https://twitter.com/ChandlerSAF Chandler on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/chandlerwalkersaf Chandler on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chandler_saf/   Call To Action:   Check out Chandler’s website, Facebook page, and other social media accounts in the links above. Subscribe to the Chan’s Logic Podcast and 2-Minute Talk Tips for free in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode Don’t get best…get better.   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.  

2-Minute Tip: Mine Social Media for Stories   We talk a lot about the importance of storytelling in talks. And I’m sure many of us have seen speakers who have a story for everything. How do you do that?   Review your social media. We tell stories throughout our day on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and a variety of other platforms. Then we often forget them.   So next time you need a story go ahead and mine your own social media to find some good ones. It’s likely filled with moments you wanted to remember and share. And those are the good stories.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Logan Rena   Logan Rena is just overflowing with energy, enthusiasm, and self-discipline. Her approach to life is about not asking for permission. But it’s not in a reckless manner. In fact, it’s highly disciplined because once you no longer ask for permission then you become responsible for your actions at a much deeper level.   Logan Renā is the Chief Creative Director of The Logan Design Project Affirmation Clothing company and author of the #1 New Released book, Never Ask For Permission Again. Logan’s heart work is taking women on a journey of self-love, self-awareness and self-care through speaking engagements, The Logan Rena Show on YouTube and through the SoulKation podcast.   Links   Logan’s website http://LoganRena.com Soul-Formations List https://soulformations.loganrena.com/ Logan on Instagram http://www.instagram.com/loganrena_ Logan on Twitter https://twitter.com/loganrena_ Logan on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/loganrena/ SoulKation Podcast http://soulkation.libsyn.com/ Never Ask for Permission Again https://amzn.to/2Bp9U77 SoulKation TV with Logan Rena https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl4QE0V6YDPj_qzdyB-2ZSw   Call To Action   Check out Logan’s site at LoganRena.com where you can learn more about Logan, her books, and her programs. Get your free copy of the Soul-Formations list. Check out the Soulkation Podcast in your favorite podcast app. Mine your own social media for stories to tell at your next talk Don’t get best…get better.

2-Minute Tip: Practice Breathing   Breathing is, of course, an essential step in speaking. After all, it's how we make sounds. But it's more than that.   Getting adequate air into our lungs calms us down. It helps us counter act the nerves many speakers experience. It ensures our brain has the oxygen it needs to stay on task. And it enhances the volume and confidence with which we speak.   To practice breathing: Place 2 hands on your chest so your fingers barely touch. Inhale deeply until your fingers separate. Exhale Repeat 4 more times   Do this exercise 5 times a day for several weeks and your body will get used to breathing in a way that  maximizes effectiveness in speaking   Post Tip Discussion:  Meet Kim Baillie     Kim Baille fell into public speaking, like many of us do,  by simply not hating it. In many fields, being willing to speak means that colleagues will ask us to speak   Kim lives in Australia where she acquired her 30 years of experience coaching engineers, architects, senior executives, and now floral designers in public speaking. Her focus is combining their expert knowledge with practical tips to increase their impact as presenters of information.   Kim cohosts the Inside-Exec Podcast with Fulyana Orsborn, a former Citigroup Executive and wealth management expert. Together they help today's corporate executives learn from managers outside the traditional corporate world.   Pre Speech Warm-Up   Kim talked about doing vocal warmups before going on stage. This is probably more common among singers and voice actors. It's helpful for speakers, too, because you still need to tune your instrument.   To me the real value, though, is in how it shifts your mindset. It puts you in a position to go out and speak. It's a ritual that helps you refocus your mental energy on the speech you are about to deliver.   And when it successfully does that, it has the added benefit of knocking down the nerves   Inside-Exec Podcast   Kim talked about one of the most popular episodes of her podcast.   That episode is called "What are the similarities between elite athletes and executives?"   Kim and Fulyana interviewed triathletes Josh and Krystle Hockley. You can listen to the episode  here.   Links   Kim's Website http://TalkingInPublic.com Kim's Podcast http://Inside-Exec.com What Are The Similarities Between Elite Athletes and Executives? https://inside-exec.com/what-are-the-similarities-between-elite-athletes-and-executives/ Kim on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-baillie-presentation-coach/ Kim on Twitter https://Twitter.com/TalkingInPublic Call To action   So check out Kim's site Talking in Public to learn more about her programs. Explore Kim's Podcast, Inside-Exec in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend, colleague, or relative by giving them the link http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/Kim Don't get best…get better

2-Minute Tip: Cross the Screw It Line   We can prepare and prepare all we want, but at a certain point before a talk, we’ve done all that we can do.   The anxiety we may feel in going out on stage is less helpful on stage.   There comes a point, where we just have to say to ourselves, “Screw it.” (Or a less family friendly version of that). At that point it’s time to go execute. You’ve done everything you could to be ready. Once you get to that line, you have to trust that you’ve done enough.   And if not? Well, screw it. You’ve got a job to do.   Post Tip discussion: Meet Phil Johnson   I like talking with comedians because they are not just interesting people to chat with. The one-on-one conversations may not be the laugh-fest you might think, especially considering how many are introverts.   But I really like talking with them because comedy is such a precise craft. It involves understanding language, timing, and storytelling at a deep level.   Most public speakers understand these topics at a basic level, but we can be successful by wielding them in broad strokes — almost clumsily. Sometimes we can land our points and message like we are using a paint roller.   Comedians however, can’t use a paint roller. They have to use a fine tip touch up brush because their success relies on precise timing, wording and even emphasizing the right syllable. So there’s a lot we can learn from them.   Bio   Phil Johnson is a man who gets mistaken for a woman, but only by those not paying attention. That revelation kicks off a battle for self-awareness where comedy and music are the weapons of choice. It’s a battle that has taken Phil to such esteemed festivals as the Edinburgh Fringe and Sundance Film Festivals and the Top 8 Finals of the World Series of Comedy. “I’ve always been the guy who isn’t quite what people expect,” says Phil. Using that experience, Phil pokes holes in the medical marijuana argument, discusses being a white guy at a hip hop show (and the innocent gestures that can get him in trouble), and reveals why Hawaii isn’t the paradise we think it is.   From Shakespearean bees to redneck vampires to anthropomorphic cell phones with weight issues, Phil Johnson fills the stage with quirky characters that combine social satire with absurdist flights of fancy. Then the guitar comes out and kicks the show into an even higher gear with songs about the bright future (and dark past) of babies and what he would do if he woke up one morning as an actual woman.   On stage, Phil’s playful humor and likeable, endearing manner allow him to shake things up without antagonizing the audience. In the end we can only be who we are, try to understand others, and hope they understand us.   RA Curtain CallRoadside Attraction comes from leader Phil Johnson’s twin careers in music and comedy. “The idea here is songs that are musically interesting and challenging, but also funny, and understandable by a casual music listener,” says Johnson. It’s more eclectic than Stephen Lynch, funnier than Prince, and more palatable than Frank Zappa, though influences of all three abound.   “Afrodizzyac” is their take on Blaxploitation film themes. This one is about an international super spy (Afrodizzyac) saving the women of the world from his archenemy, Left Nut. “Brown Ring Around The Collar” is a happy tirade about the stupid people we meet every day. And “Hella Good Day” is Phil Johnson’s own musing on what would make his perfect day. “I wrote it during a really bad day and it helped cheer me up. I don’t expect people to personally relate to each lyric. But I hope it will make them think about what would make them happier.”   Two of the greatest forms of release are live music and a hearty laugh. And Roadside Attraction delivers in spades as evidenced by the audience of young and old, and every ethnicity you’ll find in the audience. Roadside Attraction play by their own rules, and doing everything they can to help you loosen up.   Phil’s Upcoming Tour Dates   Here’s where you can see Phil in June 2019.     For more appearances, check out the list on his website here.   Phil in Action   These videos highlight Phil’s comedy. You might not want to play them loudly in your office.         Other Conversations with Comedians Way back in Episode 3, I talked with my good friend Jon Clarke about his experience as a musician, comedian and advertising creative.   You can find that here.   In Episode 62, I spoke with British comedian, host, and podcaster Iszi Lawrence about the power of storytelling.   You can find that episode here.   Trina Talks Podcast   I had the privilege of being the first man to appear on the Trina Talks podcast.   Trina Talks is a podcast with inspirational talk based on wisdom gained through Trina’s life experiences for women who want motivation and inspiration to go to the next level in their lives, whether personal or professional. Trina L. Martin is a motivational speaker, leader, and cyber tech expert.   I share my stroke story and journey as we talk about the challenges, signs and causes of stroke, and some of the specific challenges women face. You can listen below or subscribe to Trina Talks for free in your favorite podcast app.     Links   Phil’s website www.RoadsideAttraction.com Phil’s Tour Dates https://www.roadsideattraction.com/tour-dates/ Under the Crossbones — Phil’s Pirate Podcast https://www.underthecrossbones.com/ Phil Interviews Anne Chambers about Grace O’Malley https://www.underthecrossbones.com/anne-chambers-grace-omalley/ Phil Johnson on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philjohnsoncomedy Phil Johnson on Twitter https://twitter.com/roadsidephil Phil Johnson on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philjohnsoncomedy/ Phil Johnson on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/roadside2 Phil Johnson on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/1zWnuRQeVtq50JDArw5PtF Lynn Ruth Miller http://lynnruthmiller.net/ 2-Minute Talk Tips Episode 003 — Meet Jon Clarke http://2minutetalktips.com/2017/01/10/episode-003-skip-the-opening-joke-and-meet-jon-clarke/ 2-Minute Talk Tips Episode 062 — Tell A Story to Add Value and Meet Iszi Lawrence http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/Iszi Call To Action   To learn more about Phil, his comedy, his Pirate podcast, and more, visit http://www.RoadsideAttraction.com or check out the links above. Share this episode with a friend, colleague, or relative by giving them the link http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/Phil Subscribe for free to 2-Minute Talk Tips in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. Don’t get best…get better.   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip: Textiful   One way to avoid overwhelming and stressing your audience is to make resources available after the fact and to let your audience know those resources will, in fact, be available.   Ari Meisel recommends Textiful for this. With this tool, you can tell your audience to text a key phrase to a specific number. Now you have an automated dialog with the audience member. You can automatically email them your slides, add them to a newsletter mailing list, or set up other follow-up activities.   When you tell your audience about this at the beginning of your talk, that helps them focus more on understanding and thinking about you content instead of just trying to retain all the details.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Ari Meisel   Ari Meisel speaks around the country about being an Overwhelmologist and helping founders replace themselves in organizations. Regardless of your role in an organization, though, there is a lot of wisdom in Ari’s approach. Bio   Ari is the best-selling author of 

2-Minute Tip — Remove Filler Words   Filler or crutch words are the bane of many a speaker’s existence. The ums, ahs, likes, verys, you knows, and more clutter up our talks and conversation so much we don’t even notice them. They waste time, annoy the audience and distract from your message. So get rid of them.   Easier said than done.   One technique is to have a friend or colleague listen to you practice your talk and ring a bell every time they hear a filler word. Once you actually know you are using them in real time, it becomes easier to eliminate them and relish the power of silence   Post Tip Discussion — Meet John Rohe   One of the terms you hear in the training field (and likely other education related fields as well) is the “sage on the stage.”   In describes the lecture format in many education contexts. The wise experts stands on the stage at the front of the room and imparts knowledge on to the lucky audience members. It’s one way communication, and it has its place, but can have a certain amount of arrogance associated with it.   Bio   John Rohe is a speaker who eschews the lectern and the stage. He a speaker and trainer in both the commercial and ecclesiastical fields, and one of themes that comes through in the episode is the importance of humility with your audience.   John’s experience ranges from start-ups to established multi-billion dollar enterprises. John launched the cardiac marker proBNP for Roche Diagnostics and the first personalized health (test and drug) for osteoarthritis for Roche Pharma, Roche Diagnostics and GSK.   ​ He also internationalized sales for RPS, revived sales of Procalcitonin for Thermo Fisher, grew Alere’s PT/INR home testing from $9 million to $25 million in 1 year and boosted equipment service contracts for BD.   ​ John has taken products from R&D through FDA clearance and achieved CMS and other third-party reimbursement. He has implemented user friendly CRMs and automated quoting systems, and he integrated marketing collateral with sales force access. He has also been responsible for developing and implementing automated quoting and contracting systems.     John’ Speaker Evaluation Checklist   Are they using filler words? Do they appear to be knowledgeable about the material? Are they speaking to the audience? Are they looking down at their notes? Are they reading slides to me? Are they moving around? Are they actively engaged with the audience?   Kirkpatrick Levels of Training Evaluation   How do the learners feel about their training experience? How effectively did the learners acquire new skills or knowledge? How effectively did the learners apply what they learned in training? How effectively did the training ultimately meet its goals for the organization?   You can read more about the Kirkpatrick framework here. It’s a fascinating mental exercise.   Links   Hycap Consulting http://hycapconsulting.org John’s Email John.rohe@hycap.org John on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnrohe1/ John on Twitter https://twitter.com/johnrohe Kirkpatrick Model https://www.kirkpatrickpartners.com/Our-Philosophy/The-Kirkpatrick-Model Servant  Leadership with Lyle Tard http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/ServantLeader Caring and Connection with Richard Kauffman http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/Richard   Call To Action Check out the work John is doing at Hycap.org Share this episode with another speaker or trainer by giving the link http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/JohnRohe Don’t get best…get better   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip — Tempo   When things are going well or smoothly we often talk about being in a state of flow. We feel it in music; we feel it when we’re writing code; we feel it when we’re doing needlepoint; and we feel it on stage when we speak.   Part of what drives that rhythm is finding the right tempo, or pace, for ourselves and hour talk.   Tempo goes beyond just finishing on time (though that’s important, too). It’s about honing in on the natural way that you talk. If you naturally talk fast, that may be fine. I you talk fast because you’re nervous, then that’s something to worry about.   The length of your sentences, the words you choose, your phrasing, etc., all impacts your tempo.   When you find yourself giving a talk that just “feels right,” ask yourself what you were doing in that talk. Ideally you recorded it so you can go back and listen to it again a figure out what made it smooth.   You probably found your tempo. And when that happens, don’t fight it — lean into it. Embrace your tempo.   Your speech can also have its own tempo, separate from the speaker. Different content will lend itself to different pacing. Talks may rise and fall emotionally depending on where you are in it. The energy level shouldn’t be the same throughout; let it fluctuate as the content dictates.   Ultimately you want the tempo of you as a speaker to be in line with the tempo of your talk. If you can’t get there, then rethink that talk.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Lyle Tard   Back in college on the debate team I found my performance in competition rose or fell to the level of my competitors. The value in competing against a really awesome team was that it would draw out the best in my performance.   That was my experience in today’s conversation with speaker, trainer, Podcaster, Servant Leader, and Airforce Technical Sergeant Lyle Tard. His enthusiasm and energy is contagious.   Bio Lyle Tard is the Founder and CEO of IMPACT Servant Leadership, started in 2018. He is currently entering his 19th year as a Technical Sergeant in the United States Air Force and serves his country while still on active duty at the 305 Maintenance Group at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst as the Non-Commissioned Officer in charge of Training Management.   During his Air Force career, he has been all over the world, from Europe to the Pacific Islands and everywhere in between. Among his accomplishments are honors such as Non-Commissioned Officer of the Quarter and Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award – Non-Commissioned Officer Tier. He has guided the careers of more than 10,000 Airman from civilian to military life, leading them in cutting edge training of their newly developed skills. He previously managed the Community College of the Air Force program at the United States Expeditionary Center’s school, touching the lives of more than 43,000 military and civilian members annually just before his current posting.   As a communicator, Lyle has spoken worldwide inside and out of the military community. He has motivated young adults at institutions such as Atlanta Leadership College, American University and Harvard Business School. Just as in the Air Force, Lyle takes pride in leading the next generation of world changers. From universities to businesses to churches, Lyle’s passion is to influence the world to realize that “Leaders lead best when they serve.” IMPACT Servant Leadership aims to transition our most impactful areas of society to realize that achieving power with others is more beneficial socially and economically than asserting power over others. Lyle is also the primary moderator of the Service is Power podcast, spreading the message that “The Power to Serve, Serves us All.”   Along with his wife of 14 years, Sherrell and his two children, Alycea and Ethan, Lyle has served as the Youth Pastor at Gulf Coast City Church in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, Missions Director at National Community Church, Washington D.C. and Lead Elder of Lighthouse International Ministries in Brunssum, Netherlands.   Gain From Our Perspective   Lyle found inspiration in the slogan of Franklin Templeton Investments. Here is one of their commercials.   Episode 13 of Service is Power   Lyle talked about how his guests surprised him in Episode 13 of the Service is Power podcast. Here is that episode   Training   I found Lyle’s description of training in the military particularly interesting. It’s a model based on simulating the experience as much as practical since in the real world lives, millions of dollars in equipment, and US foreign policy are all on the line and dependent on that training kicking in when it’s needed.   Obviously, most corporate trainers do not face the same stakes, but our work may take us closer than we think. The way our learners do their jobs can impact millions of dollars of business, the jobs of their coworkers, and the health or safety of colleagues and customers.   eLearning and stand-up lectures can be part of the training solution, but ultimately we need to get our learners as close to the actual real world work as much as possible.   Go Make a Thing   As you probably noticed in the conversation, I also like how Lyle started his podcast on Servant Leadership. He went looking for content for himself, found it didn’t exist, so he created it. It’s the origin behind my Strokecast, too.   If there’s a resource you are looking for that you can’t find, go ahead and create it. You will help others, and you’re likely to learn a lot in the process, too.   Links   Lyle’s Website https://www.impactservantleadership.com/ Lyle’s Podcast http://ServiceIsPower.org Lyle on Twitter http://twitter.com/ServingLeader Lyle on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyletard/ Lyle’s Email Lyle@impactservantleadership.com Lyle’s Other Email hello@serviceispower.com Service is Power Podcast Episode 13Show Notes http://serviceispower.org/onebigparty/ Service is Power Podcast Episode 13 Audio https://soundcloud.com/service-is-power/ep13 The Speaker Lab Podcast (Grant Baldwin) http://TheSpeakerLab.com Franklin Templeton — Gain From Our Perspective https://youtu.be/HFHi3_WaTgc   Call To Action   Is there something you want to learn more about or that you are passionate about? Try creating content about it for other people. Explore the work Lyle is doing at http://ImpactServantLeadership.com Subscribe to the Servant Leader Podcast and 2-Minute Talk Tips in your favorite podcast app for free so you never miss an episode Don’t get best…get better.   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip: Caring is key   People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.   As with so many strategies for success in speaking, it often comes down to the audience. How well do you know them? How well do you connect with them?   Most importantly, do they trust you?   Try to connect with the audience and make them feel you care and are listening to them and their concerns. Once you have established that level of rapport, they are much more likely to believe you when you speak to them.   Post-Tip Discussion: Meet Richard Kauffman   I do have a content warning for this episode. We do talk about both suicide and addiction. It’s a big part of Richard’s history and the journey of recovery he’s on today.   Richard Kauffman is a member of an elite group. He joins Nursepreneur Catie Harris (Http://2minutetalktips.com/Catie and Http://Strokecast.com/Catie) as only the second guest to appear on both 2-Minute Talk Tips and Strokecast.   I originally spoke with Richard in August of 2018 in Episode 29 of Strokecast about his experience surviving an ocular stroke when he was wounded in combat. Over the past year his projects and initiatives have grown quite a bit. He’s doing more work to help people than ever before.   Compassion and Caring   The theme that runs through this episode is about compassion and connection. It’s about connecting with your audience, connecting with individuals, allowing folks to truly talk with you, and enhancing that connection through the power of touch.   Bio   Richard brands himself as #TheComebackCoach, helping people comeback from life challenges many thought they might not survive.   Richard Kaufman has had a fascinating life. At various points he has been…   An addict Homeless In the Army Wounded in a Humvee A retail salesperson A survivor of an ocular stroke A Podcaster A speaker And #TheComebackCoach   Richard’s book is available on Amazon. Just search for A Hero’s Journey.. From Darkness to light or click here.   Babe — Styx   Links   Richard’s Website https://thecomebackcoach.wordpress.com/ Richard on Twitter https://twitter.com/Rickkaufman07 Richard on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/richardkaufmanVeteran/ Richard on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/therichardkaufman/ Richard’s Podcast https://anchor.fm/richard-kaufman/ Richard’s Book https://www.amazon.com/Heros-Journey-Darkness-light-ebook/dp/B07MBV7CC3/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1 Richard on Strokecast http://Strokecast.com/Richard Donnie Boivin on 2-Minute Talk Tips http://2minutetalktips.com/donnie Catie Harris on 2-Minute Talk Tips http://2minutetalktips.com/catie Catie Harris on Strokecast http://Strokecast.com/Catie Babe, by Styx https://youtu.be/uBi61pgDUP8x   Call to Action   Whether you’re selling time shares, connecting with a support group, or presenting to a thousand people, compassion and connection are how you can be effective with your audience.   If you want to hear more from Richard, visit Strokecast.com/Richard to hear our previous conversation Check out the list above to see Richard’s links, podcast, website, and find his book on Amazon. Subscribe to 2-Minute Talk Tips for free in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode Don’t get best…get better.

2-Minute Tip: Identify Your Biggest Take Away   To deliver an effective presentation, first identify the biggest take away for the audience. If they remember only one thing, this is the thing it should be.   To figure that out, start by doing a brain dump on a piece of paper or whiteboard. Then go through all theses random ideas that are in someway related to your topic. What stands out? Which ideas are most important? What themes keep popping up?   As you do this, you'll likely discover the big idea for your talk. Once you have that, you can begin building everything else.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Julia Wojnar   In the theater you have to know your part and how your role fits into the rest of the show. You have to know your lines and be rehearsed.   Speaking is similar. You have to know your purpose. Why are you speaking? What is your role in this meeting? What is the purpose of your talk in the larger event or conference? What are you meant to accomplish.   You have to be prepared and rehearsed to be effective. Unlike theater, you don't need to have your talk memorized word for word, but you do need to know your content.   That's what the prep work is all about.   Today's guest, Julia Wojnar comes from a theater background which helps her be an effective Public speaking trainer through her company, Unleash Your Presence.   In this conversation we talk about theater, working through nerves, identifying your purpose and speaking in different cultures.   Crazy 8s   One reason we get anxious before speaking is that our bodies don't really know how to deal with it. Evolutionarily, we are not optimized for standing in front of a group of other human animals and having the focus on us. Our fight or flight instinct kicks in. Adrenaline pumps. Muscles tense. Secondary biological processes may shut down. Muscles tense to spring into action and survive.   But it's all unnecessary. There is no threat to our lives. We're not about to be kicked out of the tribe. We need to rechannel that energy and deal with it.   Pradeepa Narayanaswamy recommended changing your language. Don't tell yourself you're anxious or nervous; tell yourself -- and others -- you're excited. And it's great insight because excitement and anxiety often feature similar physiological symptoms.   Julia offers another great way to deal with the anxiety -- the Crazy 8s (though it could use a less ableist name).   This is exercise comes from Julia's theater background where it can be a valuable warmup exercise for actors as they burn off their excess energy and get ready to wow the audience.   Take a look at the video below to learn more.   [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NANGMbz5-Gk[/embed]   Billy Mays   I mentioned Billy Mays in this episode. If you're not familiar with him, Billy Mays was the quintessential TV pitchman of the 90s and 2000s. He's the reason so many people buy OxyClean, KaBoom, and other products.   Here is one of his videos:   [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PU8ZxQj7eE[/embed]   Bio   Julia Wojnar is the Founder of Unleash Your Presence where she develops professionals’ resilience, speaking, and communication skills to tackle tough decisions and express their ideas clearly and confidently.   She has honed her own speaking skills with over fifteen years of experience on stage speaking and performing, in addition to her formal training in Communications from Ithaca College.   She has been featured on The Huffington Post, Thrive Global, Hello Fearless, Grant Cardone’s Whatever It Takes Network, Savvy Central Radio (a syndicate of iHeartRadio), and The Wealth Standard Podcast, among others.   Nowadays, she speaks and delivers live and virtual trainings to help her clients bridge the gap between their brilliant idea and their ability to communicate it powerfully.   Promotions   Julia is making her Corporate Communications Check list available to listeners of 2-Minute Talk Tips. You can get that at by clicking here: http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/UYPTopTips   Julia also has a special deal for corporate managers right now.   If You're A Corporate Manager whose ready to "Set the Stage" to Lead Your Team with Clarity and Conviction…" then Julia has an online course which may be just what you need. And, she'll make Module 1 of this 8-Module series available - For FREE to the first 5 companies that qualify.   For more information and to see if you qualify, send us an email over at www.unleashyourpresence.com Links   Julia's Website http://UnleashYourPresence.com Julia's Corporate Communications Checklist http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/UYPTopTips Julia on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliawojnar/ Julia on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/UnleashYourPresence/ Julia on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9NDo2ZNU4n6BonuuJkR4pA Crazy 8s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NANGMbz5-Gk Billy Mays for OxiClean https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PU8ZxQj7eE Amy Lyle on 2-MinuteTalk Tips http://2minutetalktips.com/Amy Pradeepa Narayanaswamy on 2-Minute Talk Tips http://2minutetalktips.com/Pradeepa   Call To Action:   Check out Julia's Corporate Communications Checklist at http://2MinuteTalkTips.com/UYPTopTips  Check out the other resources Julia has over at http://UnleashYourPresence.com Subscribe to 2-MinuteTalkTips in your favorite podcast app for free so you never miss an episode Don't get best…get better.

2-Minute Tip: Build a Team   Sometimes to get better, you may need help, and that's okay. Hire a coach. Join Toastmasters. Ask a friend or colleague. Take an online course. Take a traditional course. Read a book. Subscribe to a podcast about public speaking   Or do all of the above. Or some combination of them.   The point is you can build expertise, or at the very least, competence in a skill by assembling your own team of experts. They can be in person or virtual. It can be a dialog or a 1-way process.   But you don't have to do it all alone. There's a community there you can build or be a part of.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Sandy Weiner   I think the best way to sum up Sandy Weiner's approach to speaking (and probably a lot of other things) is "Just jump in and do it -- but don't do it alone."   Sandy's first major talk was her TedX talk, which you can see here:   [embed]https://youtu.be/yvzUMIcrBYU[/embed]     While she may go straight for the deep end, she's successful because she prepares -- she works with coaches when she has a weakness and does the work she needs to do to be successful.   I talk a lot about how 90% of the success of a talk is determined before you ever get on stage -- it's in the  message, in the prep, and in the rehearsal. And that's how Sandy has succeeded as a speaker.   Bio   Sandy Weiner, founder of Last First Date, is devoted to helping women over 40 achieve healthy, toe-curling love. An internationally known TEDx speaker, dating coach, author, and podcast host, Sandy specializes in helping women communicate effectively, set clear boundaries in relationships, and know their true worth. She believes a woman of value attracts her best partner.     Sandy’s work has been published in Mind Body Green, The Huffington Post, Psychology Today, and The Good Men Project.   She's also the host of Last First Date Radio, an acclaimed show about attracting and sustaining healthy relationships in midlife. Sandy wants you to go on YOUR LAST FIRST DATE!   Superman Pose   Sandy mentioned the Superman pose in our conversation, and we talked a little about Amy Cuddy's Ted Talk about power poses.  Here's the video of that talk.   [embed]https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are?language=en[/embed]   Links   Sandy's Website http://LastFirstDate.com Women of Value http://TheWomanOfValue.com Sandy's Tedx Talk https://youtu.be/yvzUMIcrBYU Sandy on Twitter https://twitter.com/lastfirstdate1 Sandy on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lastfirstdate Sandy on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/LastFirstDate Sandy on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lastfirstdate/ Toastmasters https://www.toastmasters.org/ Sandy's Podcast https://lastfirstdate.com/lastfirstdate-radio/ Story Brand Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-storybrand-donald-miller-clarify-your-message/id1092751338 Amy Cuddy's Ted Talk https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are?language=en   Call to Action   Be sure to check Sandy's websites, podcast, and social media profiles. You can find all those links above. Subscribe for free to 2-Minute Talk Tips in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode, and then subscribe to Last First Date Radio in the same place. Don't get best…get better.

2-Minute Tip: Challenge the Audience to Discover Truth   Immediately challenge the audience to discover a truth about themselves that proves the premise of your talk. If the group knows that you have an appreciation or understanding of their personal (or business) situation, they will engage. As a bonus, make them laugh within the first 30 seconds.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Amy Lyle   I always enjoy to talking to folks who follow a path similar to mine -- sales, training, speaking. The way our careers end up different despite a similar progression is fascinating and demonstrates the possibilities available to all of us. There is not one path to your destination and not one destination for a path.   Amy Lyle is one of those guests who followed a path similar to mine and has built the latest iteration of her career out of failure. Or rather, talking about failure -- her own and giving people an opportunity to share theirs. And she's funny! And compelling.   I really enjoyed hearing about the training sessions she ran for recruiters. The programs may have been tough for new folks, but helping them find out early the role is not for them is valuable.   We also have a great conversation about sales and storytelling. Amy even references Iszi Lawrence's appearance from last year.   When it seems like the interview is over, keep listening because we kept talking. And enjoy talking about sweet, sweet failure. And an alpaca.   Bio   Most people avoid talking about their most cringe-worthy moments but not our next guest, Amy Lyle.  She has turned her own disasters into The Book of Failures and her newest release, We're All A Mess, It's OK is a collection of funny essays and one-liners about the struggles of everyday life.   Amy believes that the filtered world is making us all feel less than and tearing us apart- but being authentic and sharing your faux pas with others brings people together. She’s a frequent guest on WXIA’s  Atlanta and Company's, author, actor and public speaker.         Links   Amy's Website https://www.amylyle.me/ We're All a Mess, and It's Okay http://ow.ly/h4ck30mABNK The Amy Binegar-Kimmes-Lyle Book of Failures http://ow.ly/cTXW30mL8gZ Amy on Twitter https://twitter.com/amylyle Amy on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/authoramylyle/ Amy on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/amylyle.me/ Iszi Lawrence on 2-Minute Talk Tips http://2minutetalktips.com/iszi Random ramblings with Rob on Twitter https://twitter.com/3rshow   Call To action   Have you read either of Amy's books? Let us know over in the comments below Visit Amy's site to sign up for her newsletter she rarely sends out or follow her on social media to see the alpaca. All those links are available above Share this episode with a friend, colleague, or relative by giving them the link http://2minutetalktips.com/AmyLyle Don't get best…get better

    2-Minute Tip: You Know Your Stuff   Experienced speakers still feel anxiety and nerves before getting on stage, but there are a couple thing you can remind yourself of before you start speaking.   First, you know your stuff. The reason you earned that stage is that you are a subject matter expert (SME). You're likely speaking about your work or your passion. Or you're presenting material you've studied. Sure, there might be a question, you can't answer, but that's okay. You don't have to have all the answers at the tip of your tongue. Do your prep work. Rehearse your talk. And know your stuff.   The second thing to keep in mind is that people -- including your audience -- think about themselves 95% of the time. If you make a mistake, they likely won't even notice.   Remember, it's not about you. It's about your message and your audience.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet David Erickson   A lot of the speaking many mid-career professionals do is in the conference room or other small space. It might be pitching a potential client, reporting on an initiative, or briefing their own team. The core of it all is still the same, though. Know what you want to accomplish. Prepare. And establish a connection with the folks in your audience.   One of the valuable lessons to come out of today's episode is the importance of establishing that in-person connection -- that analog relationship with your audience, especially when you are selling modern products like digital marketing services to businesses.   I talked a few months back about the importance of balancing logos, pathos, and ethos back in episode 035. To put it much more simply, today's guest, David Erickson, reminds us that people like to do business with people they know, like, and trust. Establishing credibility and building a relationship with your audience is just as important as making logical points.   Machine Transcription   David and I recorded our conversation in January. One of the things he predicted at that time was how Google would probably start searching and transcribing audio content in the near future.   It turns out, he was right.   Within the past couple of weeks, news has come out about how Google is making transcribing some podcasts, presumably to make them searchable. You can read more about these early efforts here: https://9to5google.com/2019/03/27/google-podcasts-transcribing-episodes/   It's also helpful to note that YouTube (a Google property) has been converting audio to text for years as they do automatic closed captioning for videos. The main reason I also publish this podcast to YouTube is to take advantage of this feature so folks with hearing challenges can still follow along with the content. It's not good enough yet, but it will get there. You can take a look here: http://2minutetalktips.com/YouTube   And, of course, Microsoft is doing some pretty impressive work with audio-text conversion. Speakers ought to familiarize themselves with the free PowerPoint add-in Presentation Translator. I talked about this in Episode 65 -- http://2minutetalktips.com/2018/06/05/episode-065-close-to-open-and-presentation-translator/. I'll likely revisit this in a couple months since almost a year has passed.   On a related note, Microsoft has also started offering automatic closed captioning in Skype. You can enable it in the settings. It even support live translation into dozens of language. This opens tremendous opportunities for greater communication across ability, cultural, and language barriers.   My experience is that the English captions for English speech work well, but it adds a little bit of latency to the conversation so it's not something I use by default. But the fact that it works at all is amazing. And the fact that I can now have Skype phone conversations with folks that don't speak English is a huge benefit to our world.   Bio   David Erickson is a digital marketing veteran, principal of e-Strategy Media and producer and co-host of the Beyond Social Media Show. He is a frequent expert source for media coverage of digital marketing topics, having appeared on MSNBC and CBS and cited in such publications as USA Today, US News & World Report, Slate & Search Engine Watch.       Links   David's website http://e-strategymedia.com Beyond Social Media Podcast https://beyondsocialmediashow.com/ David on Twitter https://twitter.com/derickson 2-Minute Talk Tips on Logos, Pathos, and Ethos http://2minutetalktips.com/episode35 2-Minute Talk Tips on Presentation Translator http://2minutetalktips.com/2018/06/05/episode-065-close-to-open-and-presentation-translator/ 2-Minute Talk Tips on YouTube http://2minutetalktips.com/YouTube   Call To Action   What are your thoughts on this week's episode? Let us know in the comments below. Learn more about David's business or find the Beyond Social Media Podcast by checking out the links above. Share this episode with a friend, colleague, or relative by giving them the link http://2minutetalktips.com/david Don't get best…get better.     2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip: Don't Memorize   Memorizing your speech is generally a bad idea. You want to internalize it, not memorize it.   There are 3 main problems with memorizing your talk.   First, it's a lot more nerve wracking. Second, if you forget a part you're more likely to get stuck and freeze. Third, your audience wants you to be real.   You want to practice and prepare of course. Memorizing word for word is not a good use of your time, though.   Post-Tip Discussion: Speaking, Purpose, and Hand Analysis with Jayne Sanders   I know that most members of my audience are career professionals looking to improve their speaking skills to advance their careers. You may or may not want to make the leap to the keynote stage.   That's one reason I love talking with guests like Jayne. She honed her public speaking skills in the halls and conference rooms of corporate America while doing her job. The message came first; the speaking was secondary. Speaking was secondary. Over time she grew to appreciate the power of it, though, and make it a core pillar of her modern career.   This week we talk both about Jayne's path as a speaker and the too she uses to help people learn more about their own nature -- scientific hand analysis.   Bio   Born and raised in southern Illinois, Jayne's Midwestern roots still influence her friendly, approachable demeanor, which can disarm and delight at the same time. Hearing an occasional “Well, hell’s bells!” or “I’m on that like green on grass, white on rice, and a duck on a June bug!” is not uncommon. At the same time, Jayne offer deeply insightful observations, sound solutions, and a quick wit.   Jayne's professional background includes an undergraduate major in Speech/Journalism with emphasis in Communications and Psychology. She then earned a Masters in Business Administration. In the corporate world she moved swiftly up the ranks of marketing management for eight years, then left for a more entrepreneurial position as SVP of Sales and Account Service for an international corporate identity firm, where she broke sales records and acquired numerous Fortune 500 accounts.   Wanting to contribute even more and help people at deeper levels, Jayne then founded her professional speaking and consulting business and spoke in the corporate world on topics including authenticity and courage, work/life balance, finding and living your passion, GenderSmart® communication, and presentation skills. Her book, GenderSmart – Solving the Communication Puzzle Between Men and Women, has been published in five countries.   Walking her talk as a consultant and transformational catalyst with first-hand knowledge of the importance of play and joy, Jayne is also an avid horsewoman, often seen galloping along trails on one of her horses, either Darby or Comet. Her impassioned “YEE-HAW!”s or “YA-HOO!”s can sometimes be heard echoing through the fields. Get her on the subject of how horses have positively impacted her life and you will have quite a lengthy but engaging and impassioned conversation!   Links   Jayne's website http://purposewisdom.com Purpose and Impact Denver Workshop https://purposeandimpact.co/ Forbes Article on Hand Analysis https://www.forbes.com/sites/cherylsnappconner/2014/02/05/how-hand-analysis-could-influence-your-success/#5d12d1aaeeb8 GenderSmart – Solving the Communication Puzzle Between Men and Women https://www.amazon.com/GenderSmart%C2%AE-Solving-Communication-Puzzle-Between/dp/0972381023   Call To Action   If you're listening to this episode before April 26 and will be in Denver that day, check out Jayne's Purpose and Impact Workshop. Check out the links above. Share this episode with someone you know by giving them the link http://2minutetalktips.com/Jayne. Don't get best...get better.    

2-Minute Tip: Create a Presence    Live everyday to create a presence that has presence when you're not present.   As a speaker, in order for your message to have impact, it has to be something that sticks with your audience when you are not there. You can do that by being a powerful, memorable speaker.    But that's not the only way.   Give clear guidance. Develop a simple, compelling message. Make sure your audience knows what you want them to do. Tell great stories.    All these techniques that we regularly talk about help you maintain that presence with the audience even when you're on your way to your next meeting.    Post Tip Discussion   As I recorded this conversation with Richard, a few things really jumped out at me.   Richard has an eye for the picture in life -- for prioritizing what will really make a difference for people. He also has a tremendous talent for putting structure to his thoughts. He makes a lot of points by breaking them out into simple lists that get to the core of the matter. I counted at least 5 of those lists in this episode.    From a technical standpoint, these are not just lists. They are excellent examples of parallel structure -- using similar words and phrases almost rhythmically to land a point.    I talked about this technique way back in episode 10. A few weeks ago, you heard from Joe Apfelbaum in episode 103. He also excels at using parallel structure.   Bio   Richard Flint, CSP is Chairman and CEO of Flint, incorporated, a company specializing in the training and development of individuals, companies and associations. He has had the opportunity to address people in talks and seminars throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain and Spain. As a Keynote speaker and seminar leader, he addresses more than 200,000 people each year.   Richard speaks to corporate and public audiences on the subjects of Personal and Professional Development, including the executives and staff of many of America's largest corporations. His humorous and poignant talks and seminars on Leadership, Sales, Self-Esteem, Goals, Strategy, Creativity and Success bring about immediate changes and long-term results.   He has written 15 books and produced more than 100+ audio and video learning programs, including being a finalist for The Top Self-Help book of 2005.   Prior to founding his company in 1987, Richard put his four degrees to good use as a Professor of Philosophy at Ohio University and Wayne State University, where he also served as the Baptist Campus Minister. Following that, Richard was the Director of Counseling at the First Baptist Church in both Tampa and West Palm Beach in Florida.   These days he travels the world on his crusade to help others move past their Circle of Sameness and achieve a positive life.   Richard's Lists   Three keys to success: I've got to believe in myself I've got to trust in myself I've got to have faith in myself   Three questions when preparing a seminar: Why is this issue there? What's created the issue? Why does this issue create so much confusion for people Is there a process that will help people resolve -- not eliminate -- this issue   4 Keys to a successful year: What do you really want to achieve this year? Why do you really want to achieve that? What price are you willing to pay to have it? What behaviors do you have to improve to get there?   Three Ds: I have a desire to improve to help other people I have the determination that there is more for me to write, discover, and learn I have the discipline to do it   Six Fears: Fear of the unknown Fear of abandonment -- being left alone Fear of failure Fear of rejection Fear of loss Fear of success     Links   Richard's Website http://richardflint.com Richard on Twitter https://twitter.com/RichardFlintInt Richard on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RichardFlintFan Richard on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-flint/ Richard on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/RichardFlintTV Richard on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/richardflintofficial/ 2-Minute Talk Tips on Parallel Structure http://2minutetalktips.com/2017/02/28/episode-010-parallel-structure-and-tim-garber-part-1/ 2-Minute Talk Tips with Joe Apfelbaum http://2minutetalktips.com/joe   Call To Action   Check out Richard's links above to learn more about his mission and passion. Who do you know that would most benefit from hearing Richard's message and story? Give them the link 2minutetalktips.com/richardflint and ask them what they thought of the conversation. Don't get best…get better     2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

    2-Minute Tip: Use Click Bait-ey Titles   When you need a title for your talk, take a lesson from all those click-bait titles you see on Facebook and other social platforms. Make it short, compelling, and maybe a little edgy.   When you promise a talk with the "5 Secrets to Successful Penguin Petting," you also have a built-in structure for your talk that will keep you on the right path.   If you take this approach, though, make sure you deliver. You'll only get one shot.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Catherine Auman   Some of us become speakers because we just love it. We love the stage, the crowd, the power of sharing a message -- It's intoxicating.   Other folks build a speaking career as a tool to share their message and drive other parts of their business. That's what Catherine Auman has done -- used speaking to drive interests in her books and other resources around tantric dating.   What I really like about this conversation, besides the fact that tantric dating is now part of my vocabulary, is how Catherine lives the idea of "build your own stage." This is something I've talked a lot about over the previous few months. She has done it in both the virtual and the real world.   Catherine Auman LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist) is a psychotherapist in private practice in Los Angeles. She is the author of three books with two more being released in 2019. Ms. Auman speaks twice monthly to live audiences and was previously a frequent guest on the national TV show "Extra." Visit her online at http://www.catherineauman.com, or on her YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/c/CatherineAuman   Links   Website https://catherineauman.com Catherine's book: Shortcuts to Mindfulness https://www.amazon.com/Shortcuts-Mindfulness-Personal-Spiritual-Growth/dp/0989830535/ Catherine's other book: Tantric Dating https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072SVB6ZF/ref=sr_1_1? Catherine on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/catherineaumanlmft Catherine on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherineauman/ Catherine on Twitter https://twitter.com/CatherineAuman Catherine on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/catherineauman   Call To Action   Learn more about Catherine Auman at the links above. Share your thoughts on this episode in the comments below. Share this episode with a friend, colleague, or relative by telling them to visit http://2minutetalktips.com/catherine Don't get best…get better.   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip: Don't Squander Water Cooler Talk   After winning or losing a big sale in a store there's tendency to brag or vent to colleagues around a literal or metaphorical water cooler. It happens after a big talk, too. We celebrate the brilliance or decry the stupidity of an audience.   Don't.   It's not effective. It won't help you win or save more sales in the future. And it has the tendency to hurt morale and reinforce negative -- and counterproductive -- attitudes.   Instead, take that time to dissect the talk or sale. What went well? How can you do more of that in the future?   What didn't go well? How can you avoid doing that again?   And learn how can you share those lessons with others.   That speech you just did is in the past. It's gone. It now time to learn lessons from it and get ready for the next talk.   Post Tip Discussion   Stuart Rice and I have similar paths, separated by a few years. We both started out selling consumer electronics before transitioning over to the vendor side of retail, and then joining or creating other educational initiatives to help others.   Key skill that are helpful in retail are also helpful in public speaking. You have to learn about your audience. You have to connect with your audience. You have to bring your audience on a metaphorical journey with you.   You have to focus on what's in it for them and why they should care.   And storytelling is a key part of it all.   Bio   Stuart Rice has 24 years of experience in sales, purchasing and management focusing on strategic growth. In his career, Stuart has helped companies multiply sales by revamping their current strategies and introducing new concepts that increased customer traffic and created new experiences for customers and salespeople alike.   Training is his passion and Stuart looks to use his experience and ability to communicate to share his knowledge, ability to critically think through problems, and use real-world scenarios to develop processes and strategies that can promote growth with individuals and institutions alike.   In addition to professional training, Stuart’s other pursuit is comedy, specifically sketch comedy, on the very accurately named “Sketch Comedy Podcast Show” a one-of-a-kind show where interesting people have intriguing conversations and then improvise a comedy sketch based on what was talked about.   Links   Stuart Rice on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuart-rice-26691213/ Sketch Comedy Podcast Show http://sketchcomedypodcastshow.com Impactful Sales Solutions http://impactfulsalessolutions.com Stuart on Twitter http://twitter.com/Stoopca   Call To Action   Check out The Sketch Comedy Podcast Show and Impactful Sales Solutions to learn more about Stuart and the topics we talked about today. Share this episode with a friend colleague or relative by giving them the link 2minutetalktims.com/stuart Don't get best...get better.  

2-Minute Tip: Practice   To be successful, there is no substitution for preparation. Practice. Rehearse. Prepare. And then practice some more.   When you see speakers who make it look easy -- who effortlessly string together words and phrases and jokes and more -- it's usually not off the cuff. It's because they've practiced. Put in the time and know your stuff cold so that you can come up with it seamlessly when it's time to speak.   That's one of the beautiful things about speaking. It's not magic. It's just work.   On a related note, check out the documentary Comedian on Netflix. It's about the work and process that Jerry Seinfeld went through to develop a new set. It looks effortless when you see the final set, but it can take a year to get there -- even when you've been doing your trade for decades.   Post Tip Discussion: Brandin' buildin' and Boomin' with Joe Apfelbaum   Joe Apelbaum is a high-energy force of nature, and that really comes through in this episode.   Joe's professional focus is on B2B or Business to Business marketing, which is something many folks don't think about. He has built a large following and expertise on LinkedIn that you should definitely check out there.   Joe also just launched a new course dedicated to Social Selling. You can find it here.   Bio   Joe Apfelbaum is the CEO of Ajax Union, a B2B digital marketing agency based in Brooklyn, NY. Joe is a business strategist, marketing expert and certified Google trainer. Joe enjoys speaking and writing about marketing, business networking and personal development in his seminars, webinars and articles.   Joe is the host of the popular podcasts The Breakthrough Maze. Joe is the Author of 3 books including High Energy Secrets his most recent book about how he lost 95 pounds and does flying selfies.  He is the producer of GrowTime.tv and has published over 500 Mojovational Street Talk videos on YouTube.   Joe is a contributing member of Entrepreneurs Organization in Brooklyn, a group with over 12,000 CEO’s and an active member of Executives Association, a premiere business networking organization in NYC.   Joe is a selfie master, he takes 1000 selfies a year with entrepreneurs and makes hundreds of introductions to business professionals in his network.   Joe is proud of all his accomplishments, but most of all he is proud of his purpose, his beautiful amazing kids.   Lessons   In this episode, one of the things I'd like you to listen for is Joe's pattern of speech. He uses a lot of repetition and parallel structure to make his points and it just sounds natural and powerful. I talked about these techniques back in Episode 10 and 35.    It takes practice to do this effectively, and the best way to get better at that is to do it.   Another lesson besides preparing and rehearsing is that when it comes to speaking you just have to get out and do it. And do it again. And do it some more.   Links   Joe Apfelbaum on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeapfelbaum/ Social Sellin' System (Joe's LinkedIn Course) https://learn.socialsellin.com/ Ajax Union https://www.ajaxunion.com/ Joe's Website http://www.joeapfelbaum.com/ Joe on Twitter https://twitter.com/joeapfelbaum Joe on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/joeapfelbaum Joe on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/joeapfelbaum/ Grow Time TV on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8_nEearUG2JyW-lZbyjAuA Joe's Street Talk Videos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1nXhsbrHRc&list=PL_GUx-xCvZptR2MJKV-O8XCfIBPZFrBUl Joe's Book: High Energy Secrets https://www.amazon.com/High-Energy-Secrets-pounds-higher/dp/1948363003/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=high+energy+secrets&qid=1551570163&s=gateway&sr=8-1 CEO Mojo Podcast http://www.joeapfelbaum.com/category/podcast/ The Breakthrough Maze Podcast http://www.joeapfelbaum.com/category/the-breakthrough-maze/ On Writing by Stephen King https://www.amazon.com/Writing-10th-Anniversary-Memoir-Craft/dp/1439156816/ref=sr_1_1 Comedian with Jerry Seinfeld https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comedian_(film) 2MTT: Episode 010 — Parallel Structure and Tim Garber (Part 1) http://2minutetalktips.com/2017/02/28/episode-010-parallel-structure-and-tim-garber-part-1/ 2MTT: Episode 039 — Skip the Gimmicks and Repeat Yourself http://2minutetalktips.com/2017/12/05/episode-039-skip-the-gimmicks-and-repeat-yourself/ 2MTT: Episode 035 — Let the Audience React and Ancient Rhetoric Today http://2minutetalktips.com/2017/11/07/episode-035-let-the-audience-react-and-ancient-rhetoric-today/ Preview http://2minutetalktips.com/JoePreview   Call to Action   So connect with Joe via LinkedIn.  Are you looking for stuff to share on your social media channels? I created a preview of this episode. If you found today's chat interesting or valuable, you can post the preview in your LinkedIn or Facebook channel by sharing the link: http://2minutetalktips.com/JoePreview.  Don't get best…get better.

2-Minute Tip: Scientist-Philosopher-Author   To grow as a speaker, develop your path along 3 aspects. This is a framework you can use immediately to become more effective quickly.   You have to be a scientist, a philosopher, and an author.   Be a scientist and conduct experiments in your preparation and on stage. Figure out what works for you. What is the right level of energy? What gestures feel most natural? How do you relate most effectively with slides? You have to experiment to uncover what is most natural and effective for you on stage.   Be a philosopher and ask why. "Why?" is the most powerful question you can ask as you build a talk. Why are you speaking? Why you in particular? Why should your audience care? Why bring that up? If you can't answer those and similar questions well, then you have more work to do.   Finally, be an author, and chart the course of your life. We tell stories in our talks because it helps us connect with our audience. It can be bigger than that, though. You need to develop the story of your own life. Where have you been? How did you get where you are today? Where do you go from here. Craft that story to become a more effective speaker.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Tim Pahuta   One of the great things about speaking is that it's a skill that you can apply to a wide array of fields. It's a skill you can develop early in life or later in life. Skills and experiences from different areas of life can inform your public speaking, as well.   That's one of the things that comes clear in this conversation  with retired pro athlete Tim Pahuta.   I especially like Tim's approach to defining the direction his life.   Bio   Tim Pahuta spent 7 years as a professional baseball player before transitioning into a career in sales. As Tim navigated this journey of self-discovery. What h ultimately realized is that it’s not about figuring out who he is; it’s about creating who he wants to be.   Then he found Life Mapping.   Life Mapping and the coaching program that accompanies the map are tools used to create a new story- about the person he's becoming, the life he wants to live, the challenges he faces and reasons why it is important to overcome them.   Tim's have been creating this story using his Life Map for over a year now and helping other people use these same tools to develop their own stories for the past six months.   He makes his living as a speaker, author and coach- focusing much of his efforts on training other coaches to use Life Mapping within their own practices.   The Inspire Café   I had the honor of appearing on Kathy De La Torre's The Inspire Café podcast. She started the podcast to understand what makes a person resilient. She explains her motivation like this:   I am fascinated with the stories of human resiliency…. What makes these people tick?  What became their turnaround, ah-hah moment or the trigger that caused them to pivot, shift their thinking and turn away from their dark moment and face the light?  The idea of people actually putting into practice of making lemonade out of their lemons, turning a negative into a positive, is remarkable.   Regular listeners know that I am a stroke survivor.   Last week, I talked with Kathy in detail about my stroke, stroke in general, and why I started the Strokecast podcast. It's the latest version of my origin story.   I'm truly humbled to be on Kathy's show, especially when I look at the other folks she's interviewed.       Links   Tim Pahuta website http://timpahuta.me Life Mapping http://lifemapping.me Tim on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-pahuta-a5743b87/ Tim's Baseball stats http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?sid=milb&player_id=446110#/career/R/hitting/2012/ALL Tim on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tim.pahuta Tim on Twitter https://twitter.com/Pahooter44 Tim on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/pahooter44/ Benai Brown on The Power of Vulnerability https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Qm9cGRub0 Bill on The Inspire Café https://www.theinspirecafe.com/069-bill-monroe/   Call to Action   What do you think of Tim's story? Let us know in he comments below. Check out Tim's Life Mapping tool by visiting his site. You can find that link above. Be sure to subscribe for free to 2-Minute Talk Tips so you never miss an episode. And of course, as always…don't get best…get better.

2-Minute Tip: Seek out Vulnerability     Vulnerability can be a powerful element in your speaking. Being vulnerable doesn't mean your weak. It's about having the confidence to acknowledge how you can grow today and how you have grown in the past. Allowing yourself to be vulnerable helps the audience connect with the most human aspects of your nature.   Post Tip Discussion   A lot of us got our first exposure to public speaking in school. It's a common theme that often sets the stage for how we may approach speaking later in life.   Sasha Laghonh moved nearly every year as a little kid and each new school meant standing up and introducing herself to a new group of kids.   It's a vulnerable time for a kid, and vulnerability is a theme that runs throughout this episode. It's not about being weak, but about exposes yourself so that you can have an impact on the audience.   We cover everything from vulnerability to boundaries to 90 day plans to the importance of gratitude and forgiveness.   Bio   Sasha Laghonh ( laa-go ) brings over eighteen years of experience to the commercial and spiritual realm by working with private and commercial clients hosting diverse backgrounds and life endeavors. As a seasoned MBA professional, she also specializes in Organizational & Human Behavior which grants her a broad base from which to approach many topics. These tools drive her corporate career by executing diverse business strategies in complex and evolving environments. As a Business & Lifestyle Strategist she works with clients ready to transform their paths by offering customized services relevant to their needs.   To complement her career, she is a spiritualist hosting abilities that allow her to deliver intuitive insights derived from questions possessing various degrees of complexity. By applying these insights as a self-development tool, one can empower themselves by making better decisions with clarity and confidence. Sasha continues to share her craft with global clients through private sessions, professional groups and global media including print.   As a producer and author, Sasha's work is presented through various media appearances and private speaking engagements. As a frequent guest on FM/AM radio and worldwide platforms, including events, she educates audiences on business strategies, effective management & leadership, lifestyle choices, and spirituality. For pleasure Sasha enjoys traveling, teaching and raising awareness of various humanitarian efforts. To learn more, visit www.sashatalks.com.   Links   Sasha's Website http://sashatalks.com Book Sasha booker@sashatalks.com Sasha's Books https://www.sashatalks.com/books.html   Call To Action   Check out Sasha's site at the link above to learn more about the work that she does. Do you know someone who might find this interesting? Tell them to visit http://2minutetalktips.com/sasha or help them subscribe for free in the podcast app on their phone Come back next week to hear from former pro baseball player and now life mapping expert Tim Pahuta Don't get best…get better

2-Minute Tip: Evaluate and Connect   Create a scoring sheet for your audience members, and ask them to complete in at the end of the talk. In the Learning and Development field, we call these smile sheets, and they are the first step in figuring out if training is effective.   In a speaking context, they can be a little different. One approach is to build the form in three sections.   Section 1 is a 5 category scoring rubric, and they audience members give you points in each 5 of those categories. Sure, this can be scary at first, but you won't know if you are successfully unless you ask. By using the same evaluation over time, you can eventually monitor trends in your scores. Are you getting better or worse? Did you make a change that impacted your score? This can be helpful to know.   Section 2 is a few open ended questions. This gives the audience a chance to say great things about you or offer testimonials. You can also find out what they think you did well or not well, and you can ask about what they wanted to see more of.   Section 3 is how you extend your relationship with them. Here is where you ask them to sign up for your newsletter, join a private Facebook group, call for a private appointment, hire you to speak at another event, etc. You give them the chance to ask for more of your content and to start a long-term relationship with you.   Post Tip Discussion -- Rock On with Pat Roque   Pat Roque rocks!   In fact, that idea is what her whole philosophy and work to empower folks focuses on. In this episode, she talks about how she uses a box of rocks to build custom talks and extend the talk months and years after she leaves the stage.   Managing your life and growth can be a complex undertaking so Pat breaks it down into 5 areas: Family Fun Fitness Finances Fabulous career   That certainly makes personal growth look a little a bit easier, and the alliteration with the letter "F" is a classic an effective speaking tool.   Bio   Although she founded her company in 1988, a midlife meltdown sparked her own pivot and her mess became her message. Pat and her box of 50 ROCKS have transformed lives and careers through her proprietary Rock On Success Coaching System and Mastermind. It sparked global keynote talks, coaching and she's now authored two books as an expert in helping folks figure out why they rock...and how they can tell their story to can serve the world in a bigger way.   Whether she helps 1:1, in group coaching or from the stage, Pat's clients gain confidence, leadership effectiveness, career fulfillment and a rock-solid future. Pat is a fierce advocate for strength-based culture, virtual teams, women’s leadership, diversity and inclusion at organizations including Novartis, KPMG, Konica Minolta and Bank of America. Her message impacts worldwide audiences as a top LinkedIn Career Coach and SHRM Preferred Provider. A passion is driving business through golf: Pat serves as a global brand ambassador for the LPGA #Inviteher initiative, and as a board member of several golf and health charities.   Pat juggles life in the "sandwich generation," quarterbacking work, marriage, aging parents, 2 college students and a rescue puppy, Bella. She lives a laptop lifestyle, working remotely from NJ and Myrtle Beach, SC.   Pat says, "Not only is my glass half full, but I'm grateful for the glass every day. Have fun and embrace these secrets that for sure can change the rest of your life!"   100 Episodes   I want to take a moment and acknowledge a milestone. This is episode 100 of the podcast. It's a big number and it took a long time to get hear. I hope you continue to find value for 100 more episodes and beyond.   If you've found the show has helped you become more effective, I'd love hear from you. Email me at Bill@2minutetalktips.com, or post a comment below.   Links   Pat's website http://Rockonsuccess.com Rock on Success Academy http://rockonsuccess.com/academy Pat on Twitter http://twitter.com/rockonsuccess Pat on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/patroque/ Pat's Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/rockonsuccess Pat on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXaVVJxn2fg8agTPa3uajLw Stromies on Strokecast http://strokecast.com/stromies #InviteHer https://twitter.com/hashtag/inviteher   Call To Action   Why do you rock? Let us know in the comments below. Check out Pat's site and the links above. Prepare a post-speaking scorecard for your audience to complete. Don't get best… get better.   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip: Be Authentic   Present in a way that is true to yourself. Your content needs to resonate with you first, or it won't resonate with your audience. When you can share a message that you are on board with, you can convincingly tell your story and you have the best opportunity to move your audience to take the action you want them to take. And isn't that the point of all this?   Post Tip Discussion   A lot of my guests appear on other podcasts -- shocking, I know. Every show and host has their own perspective and the conversations are often unique. A couple months ago. I listened to some other shows an upcoming guest had been on, and I realized I needed to up my game and energy level to impress the guest. So I tried.   And it went -- okay. The guest was happy, and after editing the episode was solid. But it wasn't as good as it should have been, and I felt it at the time. And I was a little embarrassed at the end because I knew I didn't do as well as I could have. Because I wasn't myself.   I share this story because Evan Kubicek, AKA Coach K, is my guest this week, and fortunately, I was myself for this one.   Obviously we talk about speaking on this episode, and we also talk about sales and marketing. The focus of our conversation, though is on temperament and being authentic to who you are.   Coach K helps folks understand their temperaments -- the core of who they are and how they work best. Being authentic to yourself is key to effective public speaking and core to professional success.   Coach K is a full time instructor at Indiana State University focused on Management, Leadership & Startups. He's a very proud Father of 4 boys and married to the wife of his youth for 15+ years.   As a certified temperament analyst from the Sarasota Academy of Christian Counseling he has used the tool for nearly 10 years across 4 continents with hundreds of people in 1 on 1 sessions.   Links   Coach K on the Web https://www.coachk.me/ Coack K on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/coachk.me/ Coach K on Twitter https://twitter.com/evankubicek Coach K on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/evankubicek/ Coach K on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/evankubicek/   Call To Action   Visit Coach K's page and connect on social media at the links above to explore how you can find your own temperament. Share this episode with a friend, colleague, or relative by giving them the link http://2minutetalktips.com/coachK. Don't get best…get better.

2-Minute Tip -- Tell a story to Open   The beginning of a talk is when you have the maximum audience attention. Don't squander it welcomes, thank yous, and introductions. Instead, tell a story to engage your audience at the very start.   Think about a band coming out on stage. They don't start with banter. They go right into a big opening number to get everyone excited for the rest of the show. Try the same thing with your audience.   You can come back to introductions 3 or 4 minutes in.   Post Tip Discussion: Speaking and Preaching with Dylan Dodson   Whether you're speaking in the secular world or the religious world, the principles behind effective public speaking are the same -- define your message, prepare and rehearse your talk, and connect with your audience to ensure the message lands. That's never more clear than in this conversation with Dylan Dodson.   As a pastor, Dylan delivers a different 30 minute sermon every week. To do that effectively takes disciple and a process. He shares his content development process in this chat as we look at how he manages the 6-week development process for each talk he delivers.   Storytelling, brevity, making an impact on your audience -- it's all in here. The lessons we talk about this week are as valuable for the corporate conference room or keynote stage as they are for pulpit or altar.   Dylan Dodson is the lead pastor of New City Church in Raleigh, NC. where he lives with his wife Christina, daughter Finley, and son Roman. He's a big sports fan who likes to read and learn, spend time with people, and talks about Jersey Mike's with anyone who will listen.   Dylan's Processes   Dylan has a 6-week lead time for each of his sermons. Since he delivers a new one every week, that means there are 6 in various stages of development at any given time. He manages it with this schedule:   T-6 Weeks Define the message Meet with the rest of the team Outline it on the white board T-4 Weeks Meet with the music team Incorporate the announcements for the week T-1 Week Go over it 4-5 times Plug in additional stories Make final Tweaks T-6 Days Pull the outline and notes out of Google Docs and put them on the whiteboard Begin whittling it down Identify content for slides T-5 Days Go over the sermon out loud Cut material T-3 Days Finalize the content Review it out loud again T-1 Day Review it for 15-20 minutes that evening T-1 Hour Arrive early to look and pray over the content a final time T-0 It's GO TIME! Or I suppose, it's GOD TIME!   To make the process more manageable, Dylan also has an outline he uses to build his sermons. To build each one, he asks theses 5 questions:   What does the congregation need to know? Why do they need to know it? What do they need to do? Why do they need to do it? What is the bottom line I want them to walk away with?   Links   Dylan's website Http://dylandodson.com Practical Church Planting Podcast http://practicalchurchplanting.com Dylan on Twitter https://twitter.com/DylanJDodson New City Church http://newcityrdu.com/ New City Church on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF_SAslleJ0br8soOshznXQ   Call To Action   Visit the links above to learn more about Dylan, his podcast, or his church Try opening your next talk with a story Share this episode with your favorite sermon-giver or equivalent and ask their thought by giving them the link http://2minutetalktips.com/dylan Subscribe to 2-Minute Talk Tips in your favorite podcast app Don't get best…get better  

2-Minute Tip: Increase Attendance Retention with a Take Away   One challenge with webinars and live sessions is keeping folks around until the end, especially if the material is on the dry side. To help folks stick around, let them know that at the end you'll have a give-away for them.   It could be something as simple as a collection of other resources or websites. Maybe it's a how-to document. Perhaps it's a list of key email addresses.   It could also be something bigger -- like an eBook or downloadable PDF. You can offer attendees who stick around a special link to get that content for free. When they follow that link you can also ask them for an email address so you can add them to your newsletter.   Now, they've gotten value because they got that freebie and because the attended the whole talk.   You've gotten value because you were able to share your whole message with the attendees and you have more subscribers to your newsletter, which can be valuable in the future.   It's a win all around.   Post Tip Discussion   Love it or hate it, there's no arguing that the US healthcare system can be complex. There are details and bureaucracies and costs and restriction and benefits and more. Once you reach age 65 or become disabled, it gets even more complex with Medicare, its assorted parts, supplements, deadlines, and more.   Enter Danielle Kunkle Roberts.   Danielle has built a business teaching folks how to navigate this world. She speaks to groups new to Medicare to help them understand what they need. She trains folks both in person and online and has to keep them engaged the whole time. She also teaches other insurance agents about this stuff.   This week Danielle and I talk about just how she does that. We talk about tips for managing webinars, for engaging folks in dry material, and for navigating the political discussions that inevitably come up in any US discussion of healthcare policy.   Bio   Danielle Kunkle Roberts is a founding partner and senior executive at Boomer Benefits, a national agency specializing in Medicare-related insurance products since 2005. Serving thousands of Medigap policyholders in 47 states, Boomer Benefits helps baby boomers learn how to navigate Medicare. She is a nationally-recognized expert in the Medicare-sector of the health insurance industry and a member of the Forbes Finance Council.   She has served on the board of directors for the Fort Worth Chapter of the National Association of Health Underwriters for six years and was a recipient of the chapter’s Outstanding Member of the Year Award. She teaches continuing education courses for other insurance agent as a part of this organization.   Danielle has a degree in journalism and English from Texas Christian University. She lives in Fort Worth, TX with her handsome Canadian husband and their two fur-kids.   Tracking Questions   Danielle found her niche by listening to questions. As she explained, she was selling traditional corporate health plans and folks kept asking her about Medicare. That told her there was an untapped need. She pivoted her focus to meet that need and became significantly more successful.   That's one reason I recommend keeping track of all the questions you get in a talk. You want to look for patterns that keep coming up. They may highlight something you need to fix, or those questions could unlock the next major step in your career or business. But you won't know unless you keep track of them.   Tips for Effective Webinars   It's hard to sit through a webinar that's longer than 60 minutes so don't schedule them for longer Finish early if at all possible Keep things visually moving on the screen to keep folks engaged Promise to make materials or key take-away resources available at the end so folks stick around Promise in advance that you'll stay on to answer any questions after you end the main portion of the webinar   Medicare Open Enrollment   Danielle also provided this update:   Open Enrollment Period: From January 1st to March 31st each year, Medicare allows beneficiaries enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan to make a one-time switch in their coverage. They can return Original Medicare and add a Part D drug plan, or they can switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another. Beneficiaries are otherwise locked into their Medicare Advantage plan for the rest of the year, so this is a great enrollment period to take advantage of if you for some reason do not like your current plan.    Links   Danielle's website http://BoomerBenefits.com Danielle's LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellekunkle/ Webinars https://boomerbenefits.com/webinars Facebook http://www.facebook.com/BoomerBenefits Twitter http://twitter.com/BoomerBenefits YouTube https://www.youtube.com/boomerbenefits   Call To Action   Connect with Danielle and visit BoomerBenefits at the links above Subscribe for free to 2-Minute Talk Tips in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode Share this episode with a friend, colleague, or relative with the link http://2minutetalktips.com/medicare Don't get best…get better   2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2-Minute Tip: Go the Extra Mile   To create the life you want, go the extra mile every day in 3 separate ways.   First, go the extra mile for your health. What can you do today to live a more healthful life that you might be inclined not to do? Is it eating less junk? Getting a little more exercise? Tending to a nagging health issue you've been trying to ignore? Do this every day to help make sure your body can take you where you need to go. Getting healthier gives you more stamina on stage and makes it easier to control your breath.   Second, go the extra mile for someone else. It could be a friend, colleague, or relative. How can you help them in a way they did not expect? Can you help someone else with their talk? Or can you help them find another speaking opportunity?   Third, go the extra mile for your purpose or mission. How can you drive your personal mission forward? How can you get closer to your dreams? Make a little progress every day. What steps can you take to get closer to the speaking lifestyle you want to pursue?   Post Tip Discussion   This week, keynote speaker Shawn Anderson joined us to talk about his story and the importance of speaking from your heart. I first heard Shawn on Victoria Mavis's Pure Mind Magic podcast and was delighted when he popped over to 2-Minute Talk Tips a few weeks later.   I'm struck by the sheer volume of energy that Shawn brings to the show. He tells impressive stories, including how and why he came to speak to a bunch of students at a grade school in a village in the Philippines while standing outside getting soaked in the rain. It's easy to get caught up in the passion and emotion he brings to the things he says.   Bio   Shawn Anderson is a #1 ranked motivational author, unlimited thinker, and lifetime entrepreneur with a history of inspiring others. A seven-time author, Shawn is also the creator of Extra Mile Day...a day recognizing the power we each have to create positive change when we "go the extra mile." (On 11/1/18, 553 cities made the declaration and recognized local extra-mile heroes.)   Shawn walks his talk. Besides having inspired tens of thousands through his speaking and writing (including an inspirational speaking tour in the Philippines attended by 20,000 attendees), Shawn’s built a million dollar company, pedaled a bike solo across the U.S. (twice), and created adventures in 45+ countries including having walked across six countries in the last 4.5 years (England, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Italy and 750 miles around Shikoku, Japan.)   Still...he believes his greatest adventures and success are waiting to be lived.     Extra Mile Day & Extra Mile America History   In 2009, in order to symbolize the "go the extra mile" message, Shawn Anderson (a non-bicyclist) pedaled 4,000 miles ocean-to-ocean, interviewed 200+ people along the way whom had been identified as having gone the extra mile, and then gave $10,000 of his own money to the people and organizations whose stories most inspired him.   As a part of that cross-country extra-mile ride, Extra Mile Day (11/1)......a day recognizing the capacity we each have to create positive change in our families, our organizations, our communities and ourselves when we "go the extra mile"... was created with 23 inaugural cities.   The momentum of this unique day has continued to build each year since, and on November 1, 2018, 553 mayors and cities made the "Extra Mile Day" declaration and recognized people who are "going the extra mile" to make a difference in volunteerism and service in their community.   Links   Shawn Anderson https://shawnanderson.com/ Shawn's Newsletter https://shawnanderson.com/free-motivational-newsletter Shawn on Twitter https://twitter.com/ToShawnAnderson Extra Mile America https://www.facebook.com/ExtraMileAmerica/ Extra Mile World https://www.facebook.com/ExtraMileWorld/ Shawn on Pure Mind Magic https://victoriamavis.podbean.com/e/49-pmm-produce-real-results-with-shawn-anderson/   Call to Action   What do you think of Shawn's story? Let us know in the comments below. Check out Shaw's site at the link above. Start your day by going the extra mile for health, people purpose. Subscribe to 2-Minute Talk Tips for free in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. Don't get best…get better.  

2-Minute Tip: Make Eye Connection   Look them in the eye and make strong eye contact. It helps to make the audience feel more comfortable. To make that connection, though you need to hold the eye connection for 4-6 seconds. They will feel you are conversing with them rather than talking at them.   Pure Mind Magic   A few months back, German podcaster, magician, and mindset expert Victoria Mavis joined me to talk about the intersection between public speaking and magic. You can find that interview at 2MinuteTalkTips.com/magic.   During December, I had the pleasure of appearing on her show, Pure Mind Magic. We talked about speaking, sure, but much of the conversation was about my stroke story and the power of mindset in recovery. You can listen to it here or subscribe for free to Pure Mind Magic in your favorite podcast app.   Post Tip Discussion     I spoke with George Hendley from The Speakers Academy in Dallas. It was a great conversation about speaking, training, technology, and the way the field has changed over the years.   George founded George Hendley Presentations, a training/coaching/consulting firm in 1992. His first 19 years was focused primarily on serving corporate clients from coast to coast. From 1997 until 2003 he delivered the Zig Ziglar Effective Business Presentations course over 20 times during a six year period. George was in a Dallas Toastmasters club for over 3 years and achieved the Certified Toastmasters recognition. Currently, The Speakers Academy, which George founded over 7 years ago has multiple locations around Dallas, each one meeting twice a month for open enrollment training and professional development coaching.   He has had an active leadership role in the American Society for Training and Development for over 20 years. He was a member of the National Speakers Association for 10 years and the International Coach Federation for 5 years and has held numerous leadership positions in both organizations on the local level. He has been an adjunct college teacher for 5 different courses over a period of 10 years. He continues to enjoy speaking in church events and on mission trips abroad for over 40 years.   As an authorized partner for Wiley Publishing (formerly Inscape Publishing and Carlson Learning) George has a rich and very successful career. In the last 24 years he has earned the Diamond award twice putting him the top 2% of all distributors in the world for sales volume of the DiSC profile and other related programs. He has lead dozens of seminars and workshops across the country for a wide variety of companies (including Fortune 500 companies) and still serves a variety of clients who appreciate his wisdom and experience with the tool.   During the past 26 years George authored over 150 articles on a variety of important topics. Those topics include Presentation skills, Listening, leadership and understanding body language as a form of communication. He posts frequent tips and insights on his Speakers Academy Facebook and LinkedIn page that are clear, brief and practical.   His zeal for learning and the desire to teach and mentor others makes him a passionate, enthusiastic and competent presenter.   Links The  Speakers Academy The  Speakers Academy www.TheSpeakersAcademy.com The Speakers Academy on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheSpeakersAcademy/ George Hendley on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgehendleythespeakersacademy/ George Hendley on Twitter https://twitter.com/George_Hendley George Hendley Email George@TheSpeakersAcademy.com George Hendley Phone 972.234.4377    The Speakers Academy on Meetup https://www.meetup.com/The-Speakers-Academy/ Bill on Pure Mind Magic https://victoriamavis.podbean.com/e/60-pmm-changing-your-brain-changing-your-body-wiht-bill-monroe/        Call to Action   Share your thoughts on George's perspective in the comments below Check out George's site, The Speakers Academy, at http://thepeakersacademy.com Share this episode with a friend, colleague, or relative with the link http://2minutetalktips.com/george Use strong eye connections Don't get best…get better

2-Minute Tip: Watch Yourself on Fast Forward   I met speaking coach and entrepreneur Emily Messner (AKA Sleevs) on the JoCo Cruise earlier this year and she told me about this tip.   Gestures are a complicated thing for many folks. Your gestures may or may not feel natural, but it's hard to tell how they look. We're not watching ourselves while we speak; we have higher priorities. So if we want to evaluate our gestures, video becomes our friend. With the proliferation of camera phones, there's no reason not to record more of our sessions. Of course, you have to actually watch the video you record to get value from it.   When it's time to evaluate your gestures, watch that video on fast forward. You'll see repetitive or annoying gestures really pop out in an almost comical way at high speed. They'll be obvious in a way that they might not at normal speed.   Then, with that information, you can make an educated decision about what to do.   Post Tip Discussion: Resolutions for Speakers   I'm posting on January 1, 2019, which means it's time to make New Years Resolutions. Rather than vague, grandiose resolutions that will be dust in a few weeks, here are 5 resolutions that will help speakers be more effective.  They are:   Rehearse a talk 5 times Do one talk without  Solicit detailed feedback from one colleague Finish every talk on time Tell 3 stories in talks this year   Executing on theses resolutions will help you grow your skills, become more confident, and conduct more persuasive presentations.   Program Notes   I'm currently working on the editorial calendar for the rest of 2019. I've got a bunch of great interviews with speakers already lined up, and I've begun recording them. I'm already learning lots, and I hope you will, too.   As I go forward, I do want to make sure I'm providing the value you need. So, please do me a favor and let me know what you think of the show. What do you want to see more of? What do you want to see less of? You can let me know in one of 4 ways -- whichever is easiest for you:   Comment in the comment section below Email me at Bill@2minutetalktips.com Leave a voicemail at 650-TALK TIP (650-825-5847) Message me through Twitter where I am @CurrentlyBill   Call To Action   Let me know what you think of the show Adopt 5 resolutions for public speakers to grow your effectiveness Watch yourself on video on fast forward Teach a colleague how to subscribe to podcasts Don't get best...get better     2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

2018 has been a great year for 2-Minute Talk Tips, and I got to talk with some amazing people from around the world for the show, This week, I pull together the initial tip from each guest into a single episode. If you want to listen to the whole episode each tip came from or explore the guest's background, click in the link below.   Episode  Guest Tip 62 Iszi Lawrence Tell a story 66 Mario Porreca Practice in the shower 68 Melanie Childers Raise Your Energy 69 Pradeepa Narayanaswami 3 Tips for stage comfort 70 Melissa Bird Find Your Fire 73 Catie Harris Connect with your audience 75 Victoria Mavis Write down your thoughts 76 Louise Brogan Make eye contact 77 Patricia Missakian Influence one person 78 Hilary Billings Focus on feeling 79 Denise Vaughan Know you can do it 80 Diana Wink Thread a story through your talk 81 Bilal Moin Be alive 87 Scott Charlston Choose your headline 89 Andrew 'Mecha' Davis Practice in the mirror 90 Donnie Boivin Get on stage 91 Philip Andrew Describe your audience 92 Greet your audience Dave Jackson   Call to Action    What has been your favorite tip from the show this year? Let us know in the comments below. Do you think these tips are helpful? Share this episode on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or the social media platform of your choice with the link http://2minutetalktips.com/2018tips Check out full episodes from the links in the table above Don't get best...get better     2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.

  2-Minute Tip: Greet Your Audience   A lot of speakers pace back stage or pound coffee or try to deal with nerves in other ways before going out to speak.    Instead, go out into the audience as folks are arriving, and greet audience members. Have a brief chat to get to know folks. This accomplishes a few things.   It gives you something to do and gets you out of your own head It gives you information you can leverage in your talk to better connect with the audience while you speak It gives you a friendly face to look out at from the stage It let's an audience member feel heard and gives them a favorable impression of you     Post Tip Discussion: Meet Dave Jackson   About 10 years ago, my team and I were looking at ways to integrate this brand new podcasting thing into our corporate training and brand evangelism efforts. I was already a fan of the medium, so I started listening to podcasts about podcasting to figure out how we could do it. Ultimately, I turned most of that project over to Tim Garber who appeared on this show way back in episodes 10 and 11 and who you can still hear at the end of every episode today.   But all that is how I found with Dave Jackson whispering in my ear from the School of Podcasting as I tried to find my way to a taxi at the Philadelphia airport in 2008.   I've been a fan of Dave's work and all he's done for this medium for a long time, and I'm thrilled to have him on the show today.   One of the most important lessons in this chat is that while Dave is an experienced speaker, he still gets nervous before a talk. And then he does the talk anyway. He also still takes the time to rehearse, practice out loud, and try the stage before folks come in.   There's a lot more in today's conversation, too.   So who is Dave?   Dave Jackson started experimenting with audio on the Internet in 2004. In 2005 he launched his first podcast and soon launched the School of Podcasting (the Internet's first site dedicated to helping people learn the right way). His accomplishments include:   3.2 Million Downloads 3044 Episodes Director of Podcasting for the New Media Expo Featured Speaker at Podcast Movement 2014- 2018 Featured and Keynote Speaker at Podcast Mid Atlantic and Podfest Orlando 2018 Inducted into the Academy of Podcasters Hall of Fame     Unlike many other “geeks” who know how to podcast, Dave's been a technical trainer for over 20 years. This means he not only understands the technology but can explain it in a plain English “geek-speak free” environment. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Education from the University of Akron (Specializing in technical education). While there are other podcast consultants, Dave believes his experience sets him apart in regards to helping folks make sense of the entire podcasting process. He not only help with the “how,” but  also explains the why, and makes sure new podcasters avoid common podcasting pitfalls. Dave's won awards at fortune 500 companies for hi customer service. In a nutshell, he cares.   A Video Interlude   [embed]https://youtu.be/SSQEEEvrxU8[/embed]   [embed]https://youtu.be/P5qdfTIrOw8?t=442[/embed]     Links   School of Podcasting http://schoolofpodcasting.com Dave Jackson's other Shows http://PowerOfPodcasting.com Dave on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/podcastcoach Dave on Twitter https://twitter.com/learntopodcast Dave on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/personalpodcastcoach Thinkific Online Training https://www.thinkific.com/ School of Podcasting with Cathy Heller http://schoolofpodcasting.com/the-courage-to-make-mediocre-things-cathy-heller-from-dont-keep-your-day-job/ Academy of Podcasters Hall of Fame http://academyofpodcasters.com/hall-of-fame/ FocusRite scarlett 2i2 https://focusrite.com/usb-audio-interface/scarlett/scarlett-2i2 Applying ADDIE to Public Speaking (2-Minute Talk Tips Episode 041) http://2minutetalktips.com/2017/12/19/episode-041-listen-actively-and-apply-the-addie-model-to-public-speaking/ Talk Like Ted Book Review (2-Minute Talk Tips Episode 005) http://2minutetalktips.com/2017/01/24/episode-005-arriving-the-day-before-and-a-revew-of-talk-like-ted-by-carmine-gallo/ Tim Garber Part 1 (2-Minute Talk Tips Episode 010) http://2minutetalktips.com/2017/02/28/episode-010-parallel-structure-and-tim-garber-part-1/ Tim Garber Part 2 (2-Minute Talk Tips Episode 011) http://2minutetalktips.com/2017/03/07/episode-011-record-yourself-and-tim-garber-part-2/ Secrets of Dynamic Communication by Ken Davis https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Dynamic-Communications-Prepare-Deliver/dp/0849921902/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1545036770&sr=1-1&keywords=secrets+of+dynamic+communication   Call To  Action   What did you hear from Dave today? Let us know in the comments below. Check out Dave's School of Podcasting if you're thinking of starting a show or just want to learn more about the insides of a podcast Next time you're speaking, greet the early arriving audience members personally. Share this episode with anyone thinking of starting a show by giving them the link http://2minutetalktips.com Subscribe to 2-Minute Talk Tips for free in your favorite podcast app Don't get best…get better

  2-Minute Tip: Describe your Audience   Back in 2008,  Best Buy described 4 personae who represented their target customers. The even started designing different stores to appeal to Buzz, Barry, Ray, or Jill. They had detailed descriptions for theses archetypes.   I'm not sure if it's the best approach for a big-box retailer, but it can help your talks.   It's important to understand your target audience. Start by describing the one person you wan to reach. Who are they? What do they do? What do they wear? Where do they work? What is family like? Why do they need to hear your message? What will happen to them if they don't heed your call to action?   This exercise provides a useful framework for understanding your audience and tuning to message to maximize it's effectiveness. After all, it's hard to tell a story when you don't know who you're telling it to.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Phillip Andrew   Phillip Andrew is a speaker and TV producer with a special interest in the youth market. And he is a delight to talk to. I wanted go even deeper into a whole bunch of areas, but this would have been a 5 hour episode.   As it is we covered topics as far ranging as: The impact of YouTube on speakers The variety of kids a speaker must address And the value The value of coaching   Plus, did you ever wonder what a TV producer does? Phillip Tells us.   Overall, Phillip is just an engaging conversationalist who brings tremendous energy to everything he does.   Phillip Andrew is a speaker, author, media coach, Emmy-Nominated TV producer, DJ and more. Based in Los Angeles, he travels around the country educating and encouraging High School and College Students through high energy entertainment and unforgettable storytelling. He's passionate about educating, entertaining, and connecting with people in a way that encourages, empowers, and provokes insight.   He began drinking at age 11 and lost his mother in High School. Today, he lives a life in recovery, speaking with kids about overcoming addiction, surviving the loss of a parent, and how learning to take ownership over his life and became a catalyst for the positive change that helped him create a life he is proud of today.       Links   Phillip Andrew Website http://phillipandrew.co Phillip's Email phillipandrewla@gmail.com Phillip on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/phillipandrewla/ Philip on Twitter https://twitter.com/PhillipAndrewLA Philip on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/phil.barbb Philip on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/philbarbb/ Philip's Blog https://www.phillipandrew.co/blog   Call To Action   Check out Phillip's website at https://www.phillipandrew.co/ Write down a description of your target audience member so you know how to build your talk for them. Share this episode with a friend, colleague or relative by giving them the link http://2minutetalktips.com/phillip Don't get best…get better

  2-Minute Tip: Get on Stage More   Ultimately, the most important way to get better as a speaker is to speak more. Find more stages and get on them. Reach out to local clubs and service organizations who are always looking for speakers in your community. Theses gigs may not pay anything, but especially when you're starting out as a professional speaker, you need to get in the stage time. And then you need repeat that. Get more stage time to refine your craft and develop your skills.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Success Coach Donnie Boivin   My conversation with Donnie covered a huge range of topics, including things like defining success, the power of having a podcast, and how to treat chickens with birth defects. What really comes through is the intense, joyful energy Donnie brings to everything that he does. It's a bit of a long episode because every time I thought about cutting something, that conversation would quickly veer into a delightful or fascinating area.   I think many of the things Donnie said will be bouncing around in my skull for some time to come.   On a slight tangent, Donnie mentions Napoleon Hill's book, Think and Grow Rich. It's also a book I heard come up on the Pure Mind Magic Podcast and the Cliff Ravenscraft Show on episodes I listened to over the past week. I think I heard it mentioned on another podcast, too. I guess that's the universe's way of telling me it's time to read it. To the library! But back to Donnie     Donnie Boivin is a former Marine turned sales rep turned National Sales Trainer Turned speaker podcaster, and success coach. He challenges success minded people,  and entrepreneurs to tackle their fears and find success that they know is there.. His no-nonsense "Jarhead Gentle" style inspires people to take action and grow.  Combining his story with those of everyday people who have faced challenges in life, he helps audiences reach their goals.   He coaches speakers, entrepreneurs, and more to reach success however they define it. In his podcast, Donnie's Success Champions, he celebrates Ordinary People, Entrepreneurs, Veterans, First Responders, Business Owners and visionaries that have a story to tell. These champions are pure awesome plain and simple.   Links   Donnie Boivin Website https://www.donnieboivin.com/ Donnie on twitter https://twitter.com/donnieboivin Donnie's Success Champions Podcast http://www.thesuccesschamp.com/ Donnie's Success Champs Website http://successchamps.us Donnie in Instagram https://www.instagram.com/donnie.boivin/ Donnie on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/SuccessChampions Chickens Chickens Chickens https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChickensChickensChickens/ Donnie's Success Champions on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/SuccessChampion/ Think and Grow Rich on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Think-Grow-Rich-Landmark-Bestseller/dp/1585424331   Call To Action   Be sure to check out donnieboivin.com to learn more about Donnie and how you can work with him.  Share this episode with a colleague by telling them to go to http://2minutetalktips.com/donnie. Subscribe to 2-Minute Talk Tips for free in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. Don't get best…get better.        

2-Minute Tip: Practice in a Mirror   The key to success on stage is to practice as much as you can. Prep by using a mirror to give yourself an audience to impress. And often the person in the mirror is the toughest to impress.   Practice with your notes at first, and get good enough so you don't need them. Once you don't need your notes, that means you're protected against something going wrong. When it's time to actually present, though, have your notes available to give yourself that extra little bit of confidence     Post Tip discussion: Meet Andrew "Mecha" Davis   Andrew "Mecha" Davis is a regular at anime cons around the country. He initially fell in love with the genre well before he was 10 years old and it stuck with him into adulthood. He's turned his passion for these multi-faceted Japanese cartoons into a series of presentations at fan conventions, a YouTube Channel, a podcast, a website, and the PopAnimeComics brand. Along the way he added interests in wrestling, comic book investing, Cos-players, and Funko Pops.   This week, Andrew and I talk about the genre of Anime and what it takes to construct a good presentation for a fan convention.   I think my favorite take away from the discussion is that if you want to speak at a con, the process is as "simple" as choosing a topic that appeals to you,. Build it out, and submit it according to the con's guidelines. The cons have a lot of presentation and panel slots to fill and are always looking for great content to fill time.   Not sure what you want to talk about? Make a list of things you love and geek out over. Then look at that list and figure out what 2 or 3 of them have in common. Now you have an idea that could make a good pane topic. Flesh out those common threads and pursue that opportunity to be on stage.   And when you get accepted (of course) do the work, do the prep, and do the practice to wow the audience.   And if the topic doesn't get accepted for whatever reason, try submitting it to another con. Or two. Or 3. Or more. Or turn all your work into a blog post, medium article, or YouTube video.   Do what it takes to share your passion with the world.   Links   PopAnimeComics Website http://PopAnimeComics PopAnimeComics on Facebook http://facebook.com/PopAnimeComics PopAnimeComics on Twitter http://twitter.com/PopAnimeComics PopAnimeComics Podcast on Apple Podcasts https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/popanimecomics-lounge/id1001819369?mt=2 PopAnimeComics on Instagram http://instagram.com/PopAnimeComics PopAnimeComics on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGzNXs3z56N8cXoHehBeDTg Grave of the Fireflies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grave_of_the_Fireflies Outlaw Star https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outlaw_Star Gundam Wing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_Suit_Gundam_Wing Yu-Gi-Oh! https://www.yugioh.com/ Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_in_the_Shell:_Stand_Alone_Complex Catie Harris Episode http://2minutetalktips.com/catie Anime Boston http://www.animeboston.com/ Sakura-con http://sakuracon.org Bill Maher on Stan Lee comments https://ew.com/movies/2018/11/21/bill-maher-stan-lee-comments-reaction/     [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTwCak18Xv4[/embed]   Call To Action   Be sure to check out the various PopAnimeComics online properties in the links above Share this episode with the anime fans in your life by sending them to http://2minutetalktips.com/popanimecomics Subscribe to 2-Minute Talk Tips in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode Don't get best…get better     2-Minute Talk Tips is the public speaking podcast that help you become a more effective speaker in as little as 2 minutes a week.