Podcasts about Toastmasters International

Fr. Nathan is accompanied by therapist and prayer partners Karen Saliba and Kim Sharp as they discuss practical steps for finding joy in difficult times. Karen Saliba, PsyD, MFT, is a psychoanalyst, working with couples and individuals who want to live in healthy harmony with one another, their families, and their communities. She believes that we can be healed from our Earthly life hurts by engaging in dynamic and compassionate relationships. As a prayer partner with Father Nathan, she has learned so much about love, spirituality and how we are never alone. Her husband and two daughters support her endeavors to inspire hope for those in this life and afterwards. Her relationship to athletics and pickleball is also very close to her mind, body, and soul. https://www.karensalibatherapy.comKim Sharp, LMFT, DTM, is a psychotherapist working in San Pedro, California. She loves helping people connect with the deepest part of themselves, which can promote joy, peace, and relief in their lives. Functioning from a mind-body-spirit perspective, she has witnessed how when we do our own inner work, it can lead to a deeply meaningful and fun life! Working as a prayer partner with Father Nathan, Kimberly is continually reminded of how benevolent and loving the “other side” is, and has been amazed at the creative ingenuity that is employed by heavenly helpers to support souls on their journey in the afterlife. When Kim isn't working with clients or assisting Father Nathan, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, working out, dancing, sailing, and singing. She also enjoys volunteering in various capacities with Toastmasters International and in her home parish of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in San Pedro, California. You can find more about her work at https://www.kimberlysharpmft.com. Click this link and let us know what you love about The Joyful Friar Podcast! Support the show​Connect with Father Nathan Castle, O.P.: http://www.nathan-castle.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/fathernathancastleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/father_nathan_castle/?hl=enYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FatherNathanGCastleOPListen to the podcast: https://apple.co/3ssA9b5Purchase books on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/34bhp2t4 Donate: https://nathan-castle.com/donate My Dominican brothers and I live a vow of poverty. That means we hold our goods in common. If you enjoy this podcast, please donate. 501©3 of the Western Dominican Province.#fathernathancastle, #nathancastle, #thejoyfulfriar, #afterlifeinterrupted, #Interrupteddeathexperience #consciousness #lifeafterdeath, #lifeafterloss #spirituality #awakenings. #nde, #ste, #ide

Have you ever wondered if being an introvert means public speaking isn't for you? In this thought-provoking episode of The Quiet And Strong Podcast, host David Hall sits down with Jenn Espinosa-Goswami—ICF certified public speaking coach and founder of Weightless LLC—to show that not only can introverts succeed on stage, they can truly shine.Whether you're curious about how introverts prepare for speeches, looking for ways to engage any audience (even virtually), or want to find YOUR unique speaking style, this conversation is packed with practical tips and empowering stories. Jenn and David bust common myths, explore the strengths introverts bring to public speaking, and share actionable strategies for building your signature speech and finding the right speaking opportunities for your lifestyle.Listen in to discover:The “three E's” that make a presentation memorable: Entertain, Educate, and EngageHow stories (especially your own!) can make your message truly resonateWhy it's important to lean into your strengths and create a preparation process that works for YOUEncouragement for anyone who feels called to speak, but worries their voice won't get heardTune in for inspiration, expert insights, and practical advice that will boost your confidence on any stage—and be strong.Episode Link: QuietandStrong.com/233Jenn Espinosa-Goswami is an ICF-certified public speaking coach and Founder of Weightless LLC. A former Toastmasters International officer and graduate of the Masters of Leadership program at Augsburg  University, Jenn helps leaders speak more clearly, consistently and confidently on stage to increase their impact and income. Over the past 10 years, Jenn has presented to thousands of executives and entrepreneurs, and was recognized by Influence Digest as top 15 coaches in Minneapolis. Prior to starting her company, Jenn served as a certified fraud examiner for 16 years within Fortune 500 financial companies.Get Jenn's Speaker TemplateConnect with Jenn on socials: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | Facebo- - -Contact the Host of the Quiet and Strong Podcast:David Hall Author, Speaker, Educator, Podcaster quietandstrong.comGobio.link/quietandstrongdavid [at] quietandstrong.com Take the FREE Personality Assessment: Typefinder Personality Assessment Follow David on your favorite social platform: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube Get David's book:Minding Your Time: Time Management, Productivity, and Success, Especially for Introverts You may also like:Quiet & Strong Merchandise

About 22% of adults age 65 and older reported volunteering in 2021, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Volunteering and Civic Life Supplement. Around 22% of people in their 70s and 80s volunteer on a weekly basis, which is higher than the rate among older adults in their 50s.  This week on the Swimming Upstream Radio Show, we'll meet two people repelling for a cause and one who says public speaking is a path into lending a hand to people Repelling for a Cause Meet Jon Hubble, age 84, and Diane Malone, both members of a senior residential community,  They're choosing to raise money for an important project by repelling (that's dropping down with a rope).  Anyway, they'll be coming down the front of a four story building. They'll be back next month to tell us how it went.  Bil Lewis, Toastmasters Bil Lewis is a Computer Scientist and has worked in research and taught most of his life, most recently doing Genetics Research at MIT. He has taught at Stanford and Tufts Universities and worked for FMC, Sun Microsystems, and Nokia Data. Bil is a Past District Governor for Toastmasters (Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island), an Eagle Scout, a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, and a Patriotic Citizen of the United States. Bil joined Toastmasters when his mother dragged him by the ear to a meeting after he graduated college. Bil discovered that being able to speak well in public was a very useful skill, which he was weak in. He has improved.  Using his speaking skills, Bil ran his own company for a decade, teaching and consulting in Computer Science. In 2015, Bil took on the persona of James Madison and began performing for schools, libraries, and conferences. As a District Governor, Bil got to practice his leadership skills. He had 50 direct reports and 3,000 members, with a budget of $50,000. He ran two major conferences and organized 100 contests and trainings. He learned a lot. All because of Toastmasters. Links: Bil Lewis on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bil-lewis-4986314/ Toastmasters International - https://www.toastmasters.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I always enjoy having the opportunity to speak with business professionals and leaders. Fidel Guzman not only is such a professional, but he also works in the corporate training arena teaching his company's employees and leaders about leadership and continuous improvement. Fidel comes by his talents honestly. He grew up in an environment where he needed to learn and grow. He secured a Bachelor's degree and an MBA both from Northeastern Illinois University where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. Fidel started out wanting to be a kindergarten teacher, but he ended up taking a different road. He went to work for a company where he helped people progress within various industries. The company he worked for was bought by ION Group in Chicago, IL. Fidel flourished and became the Manager of Internal Training for the company. Mr. Guzman is quite adaptable and can train people within the organization even though they may well have their own expertise in different industries. Fidel and I talk about everything from leadership, the future of corporate training and we even take time to explore how AI is and will become more a part of his work and the work we all do. When not working Fidel has various outside activities. His most loved efforts go, of course, into being part of a family. He also serves as Vice President of Education for Toastmasters International. He loves to be involved in Mixed Martial Arts. He keeps quite busy at a variety of activities and clearly loves the challenges he gets to address along the way. About the Guest: Fidel Guzman is a dynamic and enthusiastic Learning & Develoment professional with a proven track record in instructional design, project management, and training development. With a Master of Business Administration from Northeastern Illinois University, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude, Fidel has consistently demonstrated his commitment to excellence and continuous improvement. His extensive experience spans various industries, including finance, telecommunications, and fitness, showcasing his versatility and adaptability. Currently serving as the Manager of Internal Training at ION Group in Chicago, IL. Fidel and his small but mighty team facilitate onboarding programs and training initiatives for over 13,000 employees globally. He has experience developing comprehensive new hire onboarding curricula and career progression pathways for multiple departments, ensuring effective and innovative learning solutions. Fidel's leadership extends beyond his professional role, as he actively participates in numerous company committees focused on community volunteer events, work-life balance education, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Fidel's passion for personal and professional development is evident in his certifications, including “Creating a Coaching Culture” from SHRM and “Coaching Skills for Leaders and Managers” from PMI. Fluent in both Spanish and English, he leverages his bilingual skills to connect with a diverse audience. Outside of his professional endeavors, Fidel enjoys podcasting, judo, triathlons, hiking, and poetry, reflecting his well-rounded and adventurous spirit. In addition to his professional achievements, Fidel has a strong commitment to volunteerism and community involvement. He is serving as the Vice President of Education for Toastmasters International and has been an MMA class instructor and coordinator at St. Bruno Elementary. His dedication to helping others is further demonstrated through his role as an academic tutor at Berwyn Public Library. Ways to connect with Fidel: (1) Fidel Guzman, MBA | LinkedIn New Podcast- The Hero in the Mirror on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/44xD76FcF5YFMNyuigFmBm?si=2so3OWJdQby6F91ZaY1AUg The Hero in the Mirror also on Youtube: (3) HerointheMirror - YouTube About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:21 Greetings, everyone. I am Michael Hingson, and you are listening to unstoppable mindset where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet, and today we get to do the unexpected. And of course, what the unexpected is is anything that doesn't have anything to do with inclusion or diversity. So that's most things you know, in a lot of ways. Anyway, our guest today is Fidel, and am I pronouncing it right? Guzman, yes, you got it. Oh, my goodness. Comes from listening to Guzman's who play baseball. Okay, I'll take that. That's a way. So Fidel reached out to me some time ago. We're going to be doing some speaking to his company ion. But in the meanwhile, I also convinced him that he had to come on unstoppable mindset and talk with us, tell us about himself, tell us a lot about what he does and why he does it, and help to contribute to our general theme, which is that we're all more unstoppable than we think we are, and we usually underrate ourselves. So we we try to improve by discovering that more people are unstoppable than we think they are, and that we thought they were. So that works out. Well, Fidel has a degree in business. He has a Masters of Business Administration. You graduated sigma cum laude, which is pretty cool. And I did cum laude, but I didn't get to do sigma or Magna, but that's okay, but that's okay anyway. Fidel, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here.   Fidel Guzman ** 02:56 Michael, it's a pleasure to be here. Thank you for having me.   Michael Hingson ** 03:00 Well, my pleasure, and I'm looking forward to to chatting and talking about some businessy things and anything else that you want to talk about. So let's start this way. It's always fun to do this. Why don't we start by you telling us kind of, maybe, about the early Fidel growing up and some of that stuff, and what got you started down the road of life as it were.   Fidel Guzman ** 03:20 Yeah, yeah, that's all right, yeah, let's let's go back. Let's go back to where it all started,   Michael Hingson ** 03:25 long time ago,   Fidel Guzman ** 03:30 definitely. So I'm born and raised in Los Angeles, Compton, Huntington Park area. I come from Mexican parents. They they they came here to the United States to give their their family a better future. Some first generation Mexican American, very proud. So actually, we do have a little diversity in here on this call. Oh, good. There we go. Yeah. So first generation Mexican American, my family traveled a lot when I was young. My dad's a truck driver, so wherever there was work, he would take us along. So we grew up and raised Los Angeles. I was seven or eight, then we ended up going to Mexico for a couple years, in Dallas, then St Louis, and then we ended up here in Chicago, here in the Midwest. Wow. Winter, the winters here were a bit surprising and tough. When I was in elementary school, I remember the first snow that I saw. It was, it was beautiful. After two weeks, I was like, All right, when is it? When is it gonna go away? And I was in for the the rude awakening that it's gonna it's gonna stick around for, for a few months or so, yeah, but I've had, you know, since then here, here in Chicago, we started to grow our roots. And I have five brothers and a sister. So I have a big family, a big Hispanic family, and I went to high school. My freshman year, I went to Lane Tech. Tech for all my folks who are familiar with the Chicagoland area. And then I ended up going to transferring over to Morton West in Berwyn. After I graduated high school, I went to Northeastern Illinois University, my alma mater, I got my undergrad in business management and marketing, and also got my Masters in Business Administration. So I am a proud double alumni from Northeastern Illinois University, and I really owe this, this community of Northeastern Illinois University, a lot with respect to the great teachers that they have there, the community that they try to build, and the friends and that I made along the way, as well as the education, of course, that helped, really helped me expand my career opportunities. After I graduated from Northeastern Illinois University with my undergrad, I started my first real corporate role inside of backstop solutions. And backstop solutions was a still, you know, it was a great company to be a part of lots of mentors. If I can, actually, I would like to give a quick shout out to a few mentors that I had along the way, such as Deanne Falk, Richard fu our CEO, our legacy CEO, Clint Coghill, Sarah Schroeder, and the current head of learning and development under ion. Alexander Lloyd and I really want to thank them for all their mentorship and leadership, because it's really helped me get and grow to the person that I am today. So with that, yeah, I am the manager of internal training at ion. We came I came in via an acquisition, when backstop was acquired, and throughout that period, like I was, I had some some free time, so to say, and ended up getting my Masters in Business Administration.   Michael Hingson ** 06:48 And so along the way, did you get yourself married and all that? Oh, my   Fidel Guzman ** 06:52 wife is going to kill me. Yes. Along the way, sorry about that. No, yeah, yeah, of course, yeah. Can't forget, can't forget about those significant others. But yes, I am married. My wife has a master's in occupational therapy, so she's in the medical field, and I'm in, like, the business learning and development side of things, so our conversations are pretty interesting, as well as our perspectives on things. I also have a daughter. She's 16, going on 17 people are usually very surprised when I tell them the age of my daughter, but had her early when I was in my early 20s, so young dad and she was a blessing. I wouldn't, wouldn't have it any other way.   Michael Hingson ** 07:33 That's that is great. Why did you decide to go into business and study business in college.   Fidel Guzman ** 07:42 So interestingly enough, when I got into college, I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher. I wanted to be cool Mr. Guzman, because I also really I love kids. I love working with kids. I was also a mixed martial arts program coordinator and instructor at an elementary school on the south side of Chicago for three years, and that was during my undergrad. And I taught all grades kindergarten through eighth grade, some of the basics in boxing, wrestling, jiu jitsu and kickboxing, so a bit of both. But as I was going through through my clinicals, as I was going through the the Yeah, the education aspect of it, I ended up wanting to switch majors. So I was like, I was like, hey, there's probably a lot more opportunity, a lot more opportunity for growth inside of the business segment. So I ended up switching my majors to business management, marketing, and somehow learning just found its way back into my life. So a lot of the stuff that I learned from some of those, those preliminary courses in in education. I mean, still, still resonate to this day, right? Understand your audience. Understand which students are visual learners, which ones are experiential learners. Which one need more repetitive exercise to to drill something in? So, yeah, the universe did not, did not lead me too far away from, from from teaching and being an instructor, and here I am. I know   Michael Hingson ** 09:08 that feeling well. So a couple things. First of all, I was born in Chicago, but we moved to California when I was five, but in Chicago, you start kindergarten at the age of four. So I went for a year to a special kindergarten class that my parents and others advocated for, for premature, blind kids, because there were a whole bunch in the Chicago area during the whole baby boomer area, a number of children were born prematurely and given a pure oxygen environment, which caused them to lose their eyesight. And so the bottom line is that happened to me among others. And so I went to the Perry school. I don't even know if it's around anymore. Somebody told me it wasn't around anymore, but that's where I went to school. And went there for a year of kindergarten, learned braille and other things. And then we moved to California. So I always wanted to be a teacher as well, and I came at teaching from a different standpoint, as you did. That is to say, Well, I wanted to be a teacher. My first job out of college wasn't directly teaching, except I ended up having to write training materials and do other things like that, and then I ended up going into sales, and what I learned is that the best sales people are really teachers. They're counselors. They guide and they help people, especially when you're dealing with major account sales, they help people look at products. They teach about what their product does and the really good sales people are brave enough to admit when their product might not be the best fit for someone, because it's also all about building trust. And good teachers are concerned about building trust as well. Of course.   Fidel Guzman ** 10:57 Yeah, one of my teachers when I was close to graduating, you know, one of the things that you know this teacher, Dr funk, if I remember correctly, he instilled in us, if you're able to synthesize what you learned and explain it to a five year old, you've done a good job. Like you, you you yourself understand that particular concept or that particular topic. And I really took that to heart. So now, you know, and a lot of these roles, if, from the the main instructor, I want and need to be able to explain it, you know, to my kid, to explain it in in simple terms. And, of course, you know, expand on it if needed. But, but   Michael Hingson ** 11:40 it ultimately comes down to you can provide all the information you want, but they have to teach themselves, really, and they're not going to do that, and they're not going to listen to you if they don't trust you. So trust is a vital part of what we do,   Fidel Guzman ** 11:56 exactly spot on,   Michael Hingson ** 11:58 and I have found that that developing that trust is so extremely important. I learned a lot about trust from working with guide dogs, right from the very first guide dog that I obtained back in 1964 when I was 14. It was all about building a team and I and although I didn't know how to really externally, say it necessarily, until many years later, internally, I understood that my job was to build a relationship and that I was going to be the team leader, and needed to be able to gain trust, as well as trust my teammate in in what we did. So worked out pretty well, though. So, you know, I was that was pretty cool. So what does ion do? What is ion?   Fidel Guzman ** 12:49 Yeah, I yeah for sure. So ion is a essentially, you can, you can think of it as a software company for the investment community. We provide a number of different platforms for them to streamline their processes and track information, or be end users of that of data.   Michael Hingson ** 13:07 So people buy your software and do what   Fidel Guzman ** 13:11 they can either leverage the data that's being provided to them, or they can include data within specific platforms.   Michael Hingson ** 13:20 Are you starting to see that this whole concept of so called AI is valuable in what you do, or, as I am working with that yet,   Fidel Guzman ** 13:30 yes, definitely, we are big on streamlining processes and making sure that we're maximizing the best use of everyone's time, and AI really has a really important component in that. So for for learning and development, one of the ways that we're using AI is for content creation, so whether it's just creating a simple outline for a course or starting to use that to create slides, but there, we're also taking a look at the way AI can be used on a regular basis to provide feedback for reps like let's say someone finishes a demo. If they want to do some self reflection, they can leverage AI to get some feedback on what worked well what didn't. Was there enough engagement? How was my use of technology, so on and so forth. So not only is AI being used from, you know, creating content, but also as, like a ad hoc instructor and and way to generate feedback,   Michael Hingson ** 14:31 well, and it offers so much versatility, you can really have it go many different ways. So it is very possible it can be an instructor, as you say, an ad hoc instructor, but it really can present its information in a good teaching way too. So you can have conversations with it. You can do the same sorts of things that you would do with a teacher. I think that AI clearly, is here to stay, but I think. Think over time, AI is going to evolve a lot. I am not of the opinion that AI will replace people for a variety of reasons, but I think that it's here and it's up to us to be smart as to how we use it.   Fidel Guzman ** 15:14 Definitely. I think one of the the tips that we always give people is AI does a really great job of a number of different things, but it's always going to need that human touch at the end of at the end of the day. So don't just take don't just take some content that AI has created and take it to heart. Make sure to review it. Make sure to put that personal touch on there and have it speak your language. Have it really resonate with the audience as well, especially that, oh, go ahead. Or also just on Super mechanical, super scripted,   Michael Hingson ** 15:49 well, and I think as AI grows, it's going to try to emulate, or we're going to use it to try to emulate people more and more, but it still isn't going to get to the point where it truly is me or you, and we do have to put our mark on it. I've used it to help create several articles, and what I've done when I do that is I'll tell it what I want it to write about, and let it do it, and it comes up with some pretty good ideas that I incorporate into the article, that I create, between what it provides and what I add to the mix. And it really should be that way. Exactly what I've really found interesting is the number of people like in classrooms, who say teachers, who say, you know, it's really harder and harder and harder to tell when a student uses AI to write a paper or if the student is doing it themselves. And the first time I heard that, immediately, my idea of what to do was something like this, let the student use AI if they want to, let the have ai do the whole paper. What you ought to do is to have one day after all the students turn their papers in, where you bring each student up to the front of the class and say, defend your paper. Now you have one minute if they don't really know, yeah. I mean, if they don't know what's going on, then they're not going to be able to do very well, and they fail.   Fidel Guzman ** 17:19 Yes, I am a big proponent of comprehensive exercises and also public speaking. How well? How well can you articulate the thought that you gave in that paper? Right? Some of those different talking points, right? Can you convey the same message in front of the classroom?   Michael Hingson ** 17:38 Yeah, and, and, you can tell if a person is just not necessarily a great public speaker, they're nervous, as opposed to whether they know the subject. And those, in a sense, are two different things. But you can use the fact that students are at the front of the classroom to help make them better speakers, too, which is a good thing.   Fidel Guzman ** 17:59 Yeah, no, yeah. I agree with you. If they are using AI, just, you know, turn around a paper, have them present in front of the classroom. Yeah, let's, let's talk a bit more about your paper, yeah, and, and really have it be an interactive exercise. I think that's really where the end goal is going to be, now that AI has really taken over the way the classroom dynamic has changed. So having more of those interactive exercises, really taking a look at comprehension, whether somebody really understands that topic, and giving giving students and an audience an opportunity to discuss, how do we how do we create a hive mind mentality around this particular topic, especially in a classroom, right whether, whether that's in a school setting, in academia, or whether that's in a corporate setting, inside of an office.   Michael Hingson ** 18:54 Several months ago, we had a guest on unstoppable mindset, who's an executive leadership coach in Northern California who was a major proponent of AI. And when he worked with companies, and especially with presidents and leaders who were stuck on how we evolve and how we grow, he would bring AI into all those meetings, and one day he was dealing with one such situation where he told the president, you got to use you ought to use AI to get some great ideas. The President took that to heart, called his senior leadership staff in and said, take the rest of this day and create ideas about how you think we ought to do things better, and so on, and use AI to do it. And when everyone came in the next day, they had a lot of innovative and creative ideas, and all loved the fact that he encouraged them to use AI. And that led to. Us having a discussion about, is AI going to really take over the jobs that people do? And both of us agreed, no, AI won't. Ai can't replace anyone. We can fire somebody and then put AI in their place, which doesn't really work well. But what is a better thing is let ai do what it does well. So example that he gave was say, you have autonomous vehicles. As autonomous vehicles become more and more prevalent, like trucks that are delivering supplies, like shipping vehicles and so on, let the autonomous vehicle drive, but the driver needs to still be in the cabin and needs to be behind the wheel, even though they're not doing anything, because they are going to let the autonomous vehicle do what it can do. But you can give those people other assignments to do for the company that will keep them busy and do things that otherwise might not be done quite as efficiently. So the bottom line is, you keep people busy, you use the autonomous vehicle, and it's a win win situation all the way around.   Fidel Guzman ** 21:08 Yeah, great. I I've heard something very similar to that, and maybe if I can, if I can synthesize this, it's going to be that we want to remove manual task out of people's times, and we want them to focus on more higher value add activities. Do   Michael Hingson ** 21:29 you think that's fair? I think that's true. Isaac Asimov, years ago, the science fiction writer, wrote a really wonderful science fiction story about a young man who lived in a society where everyone had a particular job to do, and you were matched with your talents. And so there you you're you take a test when you're, like, eight years old and or or even younger, and that starts you down the road of what it is you're supposed to do for the whole country. And then you take another test several years later, and that locks you into what you're trained to do. So you always do the same task, but you do it well, because that's what you're trained to do. Well, this kid was in the whole process taking his tests, and he just wasn't comfortable with what was going on. And eventually he ran away. And what, you know, he he took the last test, apparently they looked at him kind of funny when they looked at the results and he didn't like what was going on. And he just left. He said, I'm not going to do this. I don't, I don't. I don't want to be an engineer. I don't want to do whatever it is that they want. And they eventually caught up with him, and they caught him, and they said, Why'd you run away? And he told them, and then said, No, you don't understand what just happened. Some people in society are the people who create the tests, create the processes, and don't get trained to do a specific thing, because they're the innovators and the inventors that keep society going, and you're one of those kids, and this was like, what, 50 years ago that he wrote that? So it's, it is, it is really interesting, but, but very true and, and the reality is, we can be as creative as we choose to be, and some people are more creative than others, but there are always tasks that we can find for anyone to do, and that will make them very happy,   23:40 absolutely, definitely.   Michael Hingson ** 23:42 So it works out. You know, it does work out really well. Well, a question for you. You have a leadership philosophy, needless to say, and you lead a lot in instructional design, what, what are the core principles, or what are the things that kind of make up how you teach leadership, and what it is that you teach people to do, and how do you go about team development?   Fidel Guzman ** 24:13 Yeah, I think some of the core principles that I that I really focus on with learning and development and instructional design. Number one, it has to be collaboration. It really does take a community to put some some really good training sessions and training opportunities in place, and it's really leveraging all the expertise from different subject matter experts. Give them a chance to share their perspectives and their insights on certain things, but also, really, just to enhance, you know, the the use of these training programs, because people are more keen to listen to like, oh yeah, this guy's a subject matter he's an expert in this particular. Their space and for them to to hop on. So I think that collaboration aspect is, you know, getting the Lean In from managers like, hey, this training is important. Your employees are going to benefit from this training, whether it's just for to develop their their education, to develop their career, whatever that may look like. But I want to say one of the, the first guiding principles is going to have to be collaboration. The second one is going to have to be most likely continuous improvement. As we start to roll out a lot of these different training sessions, whether it's public speaking, whether it's product training, whether it's industry training, if we roll it out, we keep our ear to the ground and make sure that we're receptive to the feedback. We take a look at what works well, what doesn't work well, what needs to be tailored. How can we, how can we also manage this across different time zones? So ion is super global company, I want to say, over 13,000 employees in over 13 plus countries. So also managing what those training programs look like for everyone, for everyone, across the board. So besides the collaboration, besides the continuous improvements or the I like to also say that the Kaizen, the Japanese philosophy of Kaizen, right, making those small improvements, the last one I want to say is going to be innovation. How can we incorporate, right? We were talking about AI. How can we incorporate some of these ladies, latest tech trends into what our training delivery looks like, whether it's something as simple as, how do we include more polls throughout a lecture to keep people engaged and participate? How do we include knowledge checks at the end of every session to make sure that people are walking away with some of the key takeaways. So, yeah, collaboration, continuous improvement and innovation. Yeah, how do we stay innovative and stay creative? I think having having some fun, staying creative along the way Definitely, definitely resonates with your audience as you're trying to do different things and trying to keep things as engaging and and fun as possible.   Michael Hingson ** 27:06 What do you say to someone who says, Look, I've really learned all I need to learn. I'm not really interested in learning anything new. That is, I know, isn't that? Yeah, but you hear it a lot, I'm sure, or too much. I   Fidel Guzman ** 27:22 think some people get comfortable right, like, Hey, I'm comfortable with what I know. And learning does require a certain level of mental energy, and it also requires a certain level of you being willing to take on a new challenge, to take on and learn something new. So to them, I would genuinely ask, what's your interest? How can we supplement what this interest looks like? You know, what are your interests in other avenues? And I think that will plant a seed to let them know that learning and development should be something learning, right? Just learning in general, it should be something that you should do throughout your life. I recently started a podcast called the hero in the mirror, and I wanted to take a moment and actually, thank you, Michael. I don't know if you remember our initial conversation. But we were talking, we were talking about, you had asked me, What ideas do you have? What are you working on? Are you working on, any books, any podcasts? And I had mentioned, I was like, Hey, I actually have an idea for a podcast. And you pause for a moment, and you were like, what's stopping it? Yeah, and it was, it was kind of like, it kind of took me back. I'm like, What? What is stopping me? Right? And sometimes, and in coaching, we call it interference, like you're you probably have a fear of failure. You have a fear that something's not going to go right, or this task seems enormous, that you don't know where to start. Yeah, so making small, small mental changes, making small steps, I think, definitely add up. Since then, Michael, I've had I've had three episodes. I've had some great guests hop on and share their story of resilience and triumph. And as I'm starting to do more episodes, I'm I'm hearing stories of people willing to have that, that mindset of, I want to continue to learn, I want to continue to expand on the person that I am and make myself well rounded in these different, different areas. So So, long story short, if somebody says I don't, I don't need to learn anything, there's always room for growth. There's always room for interest, what, what interests you, and how? And how can we follow that interest and and supplement it with some some training content.   Michael Hingson ** 29:49 I know, for me, I'm extremely comfortable with what I know, and I'm extremely comfortable with what I've learned, but I'm also very uncomfortable in knowing there's a lot of stuff I don't know and that i. Still need to learn. So I love to learn right from the very beginning, when I first discovered the internet, I regarded it and still do, no matter what there is with the dark web and everything else, I think the internet is a treasure trove of information, and it's so fun to discover new things online. And there's so many ways to go. We've got so many places where we can go get books that we never had access to before all of us. There's so many places where we can go to learn about organizations, about people. They're just so many wonderful things, and it's only one way, because I also think there is a lot to be said for real personal interactions, but I think the internet is a wonderful treasure trove that gives us the opportunity to learn a whole lot that we don't necessarily know about, subjects that we don't know anything about.   Fidel Guzman ** 30:55 The Internet is a double sided sword. It is. You can find information that will support right? Maybe you know an opinion that you have on the other side of that, you can find lots of information that does not support independent opinion that you have. And also it's a rabbit hole. Soon as you start going out that rabbit hole. But the one thing I do appreciate from the internet is the channels of communication that it's built. Yeah, and I'm appreciative of being able to have connected with you on LinkedIn, and that's turned out to us having this podcast here today.   Michael Hingson ** 31:34 I think that for me, I'm not as interested on going online and in finding something to change an opinion as much as I am finding something that will tell me about something that I didn't know as much about. Now I might change my opinion from what I thought it might be, but I I really love to try to really get as much as possible into dealing with facts or substance to teach me things, and then I'll form my own opinion from that. Yeah, you know what I'm saying. Of course,   Fidel Guzman ** 32:11 gets a good grounding of all the all the materials, synthesize it yourself.   Michael Hingson ** 32:19 Yeah, I think we should do that. I think we have to be the one to synthesize whatever it is we're dealing with. That's That's our responsibility, and that should always be the way it is, which is, and I don't want to get political or anything, but which is one of the reasons that I say any politician who says, Trust me will be the first person I won't trust until I verify. I am a firm believer in trust, but verify. I don't care who it is. I think it's so important that we really take the time every single person needs to take the time to study what's going on, and and, and really look at all sides of something. I think that's important. I listen to newscasts regularly, and I like to listen to newscasts from all sides. Some I find why I don't want to listen to them very much, because of what they do or don't do, but I still think that it's important to really understand all sides of a subject.   Fidel Guzman ** 33:29 Absolutely, I totally agree with you.   Michael Hingson ** 33:32 So you know, I think it is kind of neat to to have that opportunity, and I think we learn so much when we take the time to really study. I'm amazed. I was at a restaurant once, and my wife and I were there. We were talking about newspapers and what we get from newspapers or online, and our waitress came up and Karen said, so do you read the newspaper? And this woman's 30 years old, and she says, No, I don't. I don't have time, you know. And how little she learns, because she doesn't really seek information, which is too bad.   Fidel Guzman ** 34:07 Yep, you people have to be receptive. People have to be receptive to to gaining new bits of information. And sometimes people are just happy knowing like you, like you mentioned earlier, just happy knowing what they're what they know, just comfortable in in their own space, until some more power to that, more more power to them, more power to them,   Michael Hingson ** 34:31 until something happens to disrupt the happiness and surprises them, because they really didn't learn enough to know that that was a possibility. Yep, I never thought I would be doing a podcast, but when the pandemic occurred, I started to learn about it, and learned all the value of it. Now, I had been at our campus radio station at UC Irvine for six years, and I was program director one year, so I understood radio, and when I started learning about podcasts. They went, this is really pretty cool, and I had never thought about it, and had never been interviewed on a podcast, but I realized I know what I can can do with this, and I know that I can sound intelligent on the air. And so I started to learn about it, and here we are now, just today, actually, we published online and in YouTube episode 324 of unstoppable mindset since August of 2021 Congratulations, Michael. Well, thank you. It's a lot of fun. We actually went to two episodes a week in August of 2022 Oh, wow, because we had such a huge backlog. Yeah, and I don't mind having a huge backlog, but it was growing way too much. So we went to two episodes a week, and and it's a lot of fun to to do it. And as and as I love to tell people, for me, the most important thing is I get to learn from every single person who comes on the podcast. It's so neat to be able to do that, of course. So it works out really well. Well for you, what kind of challenges have you faced? What have you done to overcome challenges, and what are some of the biggest challenges you faced, and how you did you deal with them?   Fidel Guzman ** 36:17 Okay, yeah, that's great. That's some of the questions I use on on my podcast, here in the mirror. So I'm on the I'm on the other side of that chair today. Yes, no, it's good. It's good. It's a good question. So I want to say, you know, there are, there are three main, three main challenges that really stand out for me. One I'm very vocal about, and that is my speech impediment, my stuttering problem. It was really bad when I was little kid. I had a speech pathologist. Even now, talking to you on this podcast, I have to be very conscious with what I'm saying. Some of the listeners might might have caught it in the beginning when I get too excited about a particular topic, or if I haven't formulated my thought yet, but the speech impediments is something that has really made public speaking a passion for me. It was hard for me to have a voice when I was a little kid, I used to try to raise my hand and answer a question when I was in elementary school, and the teacher would be like, All right, next one like you had, you had your turn. And so I, you know, I've struggled, you know, to have a voice. I struggled with just completing sentences, and the way that I overcame that is through a speech pathologist that really gave me the confidence to believe in myself. I remember one exercise she gave me one day is she grabbed me from my classroom. She would pick me up from my classroom every Tuesday and Thursday, and she picked me up one day, and I was kind of down in the dumps. I didn't really like going to the class. We weren't really advancing much. And she's like, Hey, we're going to try something different tonight. Different today. She's like, today I'm going to have the order of pizza. And I was still a little little fat kid, like fourth or fifth grade, so I was like, oh, yeah, I'm all for it. What's going on here? And she was like, but the catch is, you need to order this pizza without stuttering. And you know, right away, kind of my heart dropped. And she's like, okay, like, don't, don't worry, we're gonna practice exactly what you want to order. And she's like, What do you want? And I'm like, Well, I want a large pepperoni pizza with an RC, a two liter RC Cola delivered to McPherson Elementary. And she's like, okay. She's like, write it down. I'm like, Alright, great to like, write it down again. I must have written it like, 10 times. She's like, No, now practice it. So about 15 minutes of doing that, she was like, All right, I think you're ready. She hands me the phone and, you know, I pick it up. My heart's in my throat, and I'm just like, like, I'm like, hi, you know, I want to order a large pepperoni pizza with a two liter RC Cola delivered to McPherson elementary for Fidel Guzman, and I was just astonished. I hung up the phone. I was happy for two reasons. Number one, I was going to get some pizza. Number two, I was able to say it a complete, full sentence without stuttering. And she she really believed in me and instilled in me that confidence that I could overcome this. But it wasn't an overnight success. It still required me go going to the speech pathologist, you know, throughout my elementary school, throughout all those years, and even as an adult, continuing to practice and hone that in in high school, doing presentations, in college, doing presentations. So right now, I am the VP of education for our America's Toastmasters Club, and this is one story i i always tell people, and they're like, No, you don't stutter. I'm like, if I get too excited, I'll lower my words. But that was that was one challenge, that was one challenge, and it's. Is it's still something I have to be very conscious of. And I've caught myself a couple times earlier in this podcast where I kind of mumble a little bit or get caught up in a particular word. But besides that one, I want to say that the second one was more of my in college. In college, I struggled paying for school. I mentioned I'm first generation Mexican American, and I was one, one of the first, first of my brothers to attend college full time. And I did all I could to make ends meet, two, three jobs, just paying for tuition. Financial aid was great, you know, it really helped me with a portion of that, but a lot of it really ended up, you know, being due onto me. And then I had my daughter, and it was just a struggle. I was like, How can I be a dad? How can I be a student? How can I work on my career? And I had gone to a financial aid workshop, and the one thing that stood out in this workshop was when they were talking about scholarships granted in high school when you're about to graduate, they talk to you about it, but it doesn't. It doesn't really materialize until you're until you receive that bill. Yeah, you're just like, hey, here's, here's a $2,000 bill for this college class. And you're like, oh, man, this is, this is not, this is not cheap. It's pretty expensive. And the one thing you know that stood out was, you know, let the scholarships, and they started talking about scholarship applications, and I found that there were a couple common denominators with the scholarships. Number one, they wanted two letters of two letters of recommendation. Number two, they want an essay. What are you going to do with your degree? How are you going to make a positive impact in the community? And number three, sometimes, typically an interview. And so I ran with it. I was like, they want two letter, letters of recommendation. They want one essay. They want an interview. No problem. And I made that my part time job. On the weekends, I would just apply, apply, apply. And I started getting some small wins. I started getting a $250 scholarship here, a $500 scholarship there, $1,000 scholarship, you know, here, and all of it started to add up, and it started to gain momentum. And I was lucky enough to get, get, get accepted for a number of different scholarships and complete my my college education, and even, you know, be strong willed enough to go back and do it again and try to try to get my masters. So those were two, two big ones, but I'll pause here and see if you have any questions around those two challenges for me. Michael, no,   Michael Hingson ** 42:41 but I I really admire what you did. You You made a choice and you followed it through. And I think that's of course, the whole issue is that we have to make choices and we need to follow through. And if we find that, we need to refine our decisions. We do that. I know when I was a student and a program director at the university radio station, I wanted everyone to listen to themselves. I thought it was a great idea to have everyone listen to themselves on the air. And the way you do it is you record it and you give it to them. And I didn't anticipate how hard that was going to be, because for me, I was used to doing it for myself, yeah, but I I didn't realize how much resistance I was going to get from literally everyone at the radio station, they were not interested in and I'm thrilled about doing it at all. What I and the engineer at the station did eventually was to put a cassette recorder in a locked cupboard, and whenever the microphone was activated, the recorder would go on. So, you know, you didn't have to hear the music. You just wanted to hear yourself talk. And we, we really took a major step and said, You have to listen to these recordings. We gave each person a cassette. We expect you to listen to these recordings and improve accordingly. What I didn't say much was, I know what it's like. I'm my own worst critic, and I have to listen to it, so you guys do now. I've changed that, and I'll get to it in a second, but we pushed everyone to do it, and it wasn't long, not only before we started seeing improvement, but before the people themselves started recognizing that they were really getting comfortable listening to themselves and that they were taking this to heart, and by the end of the year, we had people who were loving it and wanting their cassette every day or every week, and also a. Some of them went into broadcasting. For me, what I learned, and it took many years before I learned it is I'm not my own worst critic. I shouldn't be negative, as I said earlier, I'm the only one who can really teach me. I'm my own best teacher. And I think when you make that mind shift from being your own worst critic to your own best teacher, it really puts things in a much more positive light. And I've said that before on the podcast, and I will continue to say it, because I think it's a very important   Fidel Guzman ** 45:29 concept. We actually have a similar exercise for our America's Toastmasters Club, where we'll we'll record some speeches, and we'll have people listen back to their recorded speech. And a lot of people say like, man, it's cringe to hear yourself on the on the other side, on the other side of those iPhones, but it is a very useful exercise. You get a better understanding of your your filler words, your eyes, your arms, your vocal variety, your body language. And if you're looking to be a great, I don't want to say public speaker, but if you're just looking just to speak better in general, even when it's an on a presentation, on a call, or if you have to give up a toast at a wedding or a quinceanera, for you to be able to, yeah, critique yourself and gather feedback from your from your own recording   Michael Hingson ** 46:23 well. And the reality is, the more of it you do, and the more you listen to it, having been up there in front giving the speech, you also see how people react. And if you continue to observe and listen to the recordings as you go forward, you will improve, yeah, for sure, which is which is really important. And one of the things that I try to do regularly now is to record talks. When I go and give a speech somewhere, I will record it so that I can listen to it and I enjoy it, because I discover Did I really say that I shouldn't have said it quite that way, but I'll do better next time. But listening to it helps such a tremendous amount,   Fidel Guzman ** 47:13 especially with those filler words. So when you really listen to the recording, you'll be like, Man, I use a lot of likes or SOS or ands or buts, and if you want to speak eloquently, it is, I mean, like anything, you just gotta practice it. You gotta practice it, and you have to be receptive to that, the feedback. And you have to also celebrate the small wins. One thing I am a big proponent on is celebrate the small wins. Yeah. So if you are able to do your your first speech at a Toastmasters clubs like we, we give you tons of accolades, because it is not an easy fit, an easy feat. If you're able to do the second one, even better. You're, you're progressing, and you're, you know, you're increasing your understanding of some of the fundamentals of public speaking. Yeah, so you're preaching to the choir here.   Michael Hingson ** 48:05 Yeah, no, I understand. Oh yeah, it's good, but it is really important to do, and it's fun to do. If you decide to make it fun, and if you decide that you want to become a better communicator there. There are lots of us and all that sort of stuff that people do. I've heard some people say that's really not such a bad thing. Well, I've got to say that I've never really been used to having a lot of us. And you know, there's a guy out here who I don't think he's alive anymore. He used to be a sports announcer out here. His name was Jim Healy, and you may have heard him when, well, out here in Los Angeles, anyway, he was on K lac, and he had somebody, well, he had a recording of somebody, one of the sports jocks, and he announced that he was going to play this recording, and what you're going to hear is this guy in 60 seconds say, you know, 48 times, that's and he did what's amazing, that   Fidel Guzman ** 49:17 when you when you get to Some of those, it's like, what do they say? Nails on a chalkboard? You're like, Oh, yeah. Like, what are you trying to say? Just, just say it. To say, to say the damn thing.   Michael Hingson ** 49:30 Yeah, talk a little bit slower and just say it.   Fidel Guzman ** 49:33 One thing that I'm trying to be conscious, more conscious of is pauses, like those deliberate pauses, those deliberate pauses to collect your thoughts, like I often need, just to collect myself, but also to build suspense the message and the message that you're trying to give, especially when you're in front of a group of people, in front of an audience, and you're pausing there, they're just like, oh, what? So what is he? What is he gonna say next? What's up? What's going on with this pause? So it's also you have this arsenal of tools when it comes to to public speaking and to engage with an audience and to keep them, to keep them interested in what your next thought is going to be. What What am I going to say next? How am I going to, you know, align this topic to something else that I want to discuss.   Michael Hingson ** 50:24 I love, yeah, I've discovered the value of pauses. You can make a pause last too long, and one of the things you learn is how long to make a pause. But I love pauses. They really do add a lot of value. There they get. Well, you talk a lot about continuous improvement, and clearly you you really love the whole concept. What's an example of a project where you instituted continuous improvement, and how do you make that happen? Thanks, Michael.   Fidel Guzman ** 50:56 Let's pause again. Yeah, right. I know. Yeah. All right. Michaels, Michaels, throw me. Well, not much of a curveball, but yeah, no, that's good. So I know continuous improvement. And one project that I worked on, I want to say one that comes to mind is last year I hosted a series of product boot camps. And what these product boot camps really were, were product training and networking opportunities within ion. I had just gone through the acquisition of backstop into the into the ion family, and I saw a need. I saw a need there for some product training. And what I did is I started to coordinate with subject matter experts, hence the collaboration and community principles that I have with learning and development. And started to piece together a boot camp. So a series of training sessions, and we discussed location, we discussed different components that we can include on there. We discussed remote hybrid in person, what some of those options were, and we had about, I want to say, five or six of these boot camps in 2024 and what I noticed is that for each of the boot camps we would tailor it a little bit, because each of these different products that were under specific umbrellas were for certain audiences, you know, for certain segments of the business. So we had to, I had a template, but we had to tweak that template a little bit. Who do we want to come in here? Who do we want to come in for this particular topic? When do we take breaks? If it's in person, you know? Do we take longer breaks if it's in person? How do we include some interactive components to it? How do we test people's knowledge, whether it's through live polls, whether it's using an LMS platform to do knowledge checks? How do we create a certificate based program around this? And for each of those, it was a learning experience. It was a learning experience because we, every subject matter expert, is different, right? You're building different relationships with different people, and even their style of talking or their style of teaching on a particular topic is going to be different. So those continuous improvements throughout each of those boot camps really started to to resonate and just to showcase themselves. And for each of those, we had a similar template for all of them, but we made minor tweaks to make sure that it was as engaging and and thoughtful as possible.   Michael Hingson ** 53:36 Wow. Well, that's pretty cool. Um, and I think that the very fact that you would make the tweaks and you recognize the need to do that was pretty insightful, of course, because for me, I know when I speak, some people early on told me you should write a talk and you should, you should just give that talk. I tried that once. I didn't like what I sounded like when I read a talk, and I haven't done it since. And I also realized that I do better, and sometimes it isn't necessarily a lot, but when I customize every talk so I love to go early and try to hear speakers who speak before me, or get a chance to meet people at an event, because I will learn things invariably that I will put into the talk. And sometimes I'm tweaking talks up to and including the start of the talk, and sometimes I will tweak a talk when I'm speaking and I'm getting the impression just from all the fidgeting, that maybe I'm not getting through to these people, or I'm not really doing this in the best way possible. And I will change until I get what I expect to be the audience. Reaction, because I know what an audience is like when they're fully engaged, and I also know that not every audience is the same, so I hear what you're saying. I think it's important to do that.   Fidel Guzman ** 55:13 Yeah, for you to be able to do that on the fly, kudos, kudos to that. But yeah, we you got to be able to understand that audience, understand that audience, understand what's what's going on, the dynamic of that, of that situation. So you're, you're a veteran at at this, so no surprise there.   Michael Hingson ** 55:31 Well, that's a lot of fun. Well, what do you do when you're not working you, I know you're involved in various activities and so on. So what do you do when you're, yeah, not an eye on writing, doing, training, stuff and all that.   Fidel Guzman ** 55:45 A number of different hobbies. My wife calls me the Energizer Bunny, because I'm always running around doing something, but some of my main things is right now judo. I did wrestling in high school, and I did mixed martial arts when I was getting my undergrad. And I love martial arts. I think iron sharpens iron. It's good to be around a good group of, good group of people, people who are who are like minded, people who are looking to continue to develop themselves. And yeah, if you're in a room full of tough guys, you have no other choice than to start to be a tough guy yourself. So I love martial arts. I did a couple Judo tournaments, judo and jujitsu tournaments last year, where I placed. And let's see, besides that, triathlons, I love to run, I love to bike, I love to swim. I did my first triathlon last year. I really enjoyed it. I thought it was a phenomenal experience. I mean, it's two three hours of non stop movement, but it was, it was great just to be part of that, of a huge event like that, besides the martial arts and the constant running and swimming and biking, the last thing I want to say is writing and poetry. I have started to compile all all my poems. Hopefully, in the next year or so, I'll, I'll launch a small book of poems. And, yeah, I'll keep you, I'll keep you posted on that. But I do, I do like to write on the sign, you know, hopefully a book of poems. And, you know, since since having my daughter, I've always liked children's books. I would, I would love it if I could launch my my own series of children books, and I'm working on a couple templates with that. So, yeah, stay staying busy, staying busy, physically active, but also mentally   Michael Hingson ** 57:40 active. So you haven't written any books yet. I have a   Fidel Guzman ** 57:44 couple ideas, a couple ideas of what, what kids books want to do, but you don't have any books published yet? No, none yet. None yet. Well, we're anxious to see that happen. You got, you got it, you're gonna, you're gonna light that fire. You're gonna light that fire as well. No, and again, right? I do appreciate you for for really, really motivating me to start my own podcast, because you had really said, like, what's stopping you? Like, like me, I'm stopping myself, you know. But even yet, yeah, even like, you know, being an author, I know that you're an author, you know, I would love to have a conversation offline with you. You know what that publishing experience was like, because I think that's my biggest interference right now with that, is like, I don't know where to start with the publishing. I know I can self publish. I know I can go through publishers and like, the internet, like we said, a double sided sword, yeah, you have information that tells you you should just self publish, and then you have other bits of information. Was like, You should go through a publishing company and just like, where do I Where do I choose? But I think that's why having mentors, you know, and getting to network with people who are experienced, such as yourself, and these different avenues of public speaking and being a keynote speaker and having a podcast, being a podcast host and being an author. I think, I think it's great, and you are definitely an inspiration to me. Michael, well, thank you.   Michael Hingson ** 59:11 You're familiar with Jackson Hewitt, the accounting and tax company. You got it? Okay? So I can't remember whether it was night, whether it was 2016 or 2017 but I got invited to go speak at one of their events, and I did. And while I was there, I met a woman, and I didn't know what she did, and she she, she worked at a Jackson Hewitt, and I just happened to say, what do you own of a firm? Because most of the people there were supposed to be company owners. And she said, No, maybe someday. And I said, why not? You ought to own a company. You ought to you ought to become a company owner. You'll go further Anyway, last year, she sent me an email, and she said, I've never forgotten that, and I think it was like a year later, or two years later, she's. After I and she met, she said, I got my first company, and I now own 10 branches. Wow. Back, I said, that's pretty cool. Oh,   Fidel Guzman ** 1:00:09 Michael, Michael, you are just making ripples in the universe. Just ripples doing something. Yeah, that's good. I don't want to get too religious, but you're doing God's work, man, well,   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:18 I hope so. You know, expect Hill. Hill. Guy, guide, or she'll guide, yeah, but so what do you think is the future of work, of workplace training and learning?   Fidel Guzman ** 1:00:30 Yeah, I think we, we touched a little bit upon this. But you know, AI, you know, definitely, how can we leverage AI for content creation, creating outlines and also using it as feedback. But I also want to to bring back the the in person training. I know we've all gotten very comfortable with, you know, doing stuff remote, but similar to the example that we talked about earlier, where that teacher was like, oh, all these, all these kids are using AI for these papers, and how do I really test their comprehension? That's, that's something you know, that in person activity, yeah, I think definitely has a tremendous amount of value, not just for the instructor, but for the end learner. Yeah. So I think, I think a mixture of like, okay, great, you know, how can we use AI to create content? How can we use it to provide, you know, feedback for people to continue to improve on certain areas. But how can we bring back that in person component?   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:38 Well, see, oh, go ahead,   Fidel Guzman ** 1:01:39 yeah, to, to to unify. It was probably that pause, that to to unify, to unify a vision, you know, a vision of of continuous improvement. You know that to unify, that vision of what a team might be aiming for, yeah. So, yeah. So, I think, I think, you know, long story short, it's going to be, you know, leveraging a bit of AI and still bringing back that, that in person aspect. Well,   Michael Hingson ** 1:02:05 you know, I I've done virtual presentations as well as, of course, lots of in person presentations. I much prefer in person to virtual but my main reason for that is that I can tell what the audience is feeling. I get a lot more information if I'm doing an in person talk than I would get if I'm just doing a virtual talk. Now I've done it long enough that I mostly can do pretty well at a virtual talk, but it's still not the same, yeah, and I still don't get exactly the same information, but I can do virtual talks, and I do and it, and it's fun and and I can play games with it, because I can always turn my video off and really drive people crazy. But you know what? What advice would you give to an aspiring leader who wants to to evolve and make make changes to their organization or to themselves and so on.   Fidel Guzman ** 1:03:06 So advice I would give for aspiring leaders. I think the the main one that I really focus on is opportunities and challenges. Be ready to embrace any opportunities that come your way, but just know that each of those opportunities, it's going to come with its own set of challenges, and be prepared for both, and be okay with dealing both at the same time. And you know last, but you know not least, is that there are there are lots of stories of triumph, and to really curate yours. What does your story of triumph look like? What is your passion and how does, how does all of that connect?   Michael Hingson ** 1:03:53 And it may be evolving, and it may be different in five years than it is today, but both memories are important, yeah, which is cool. Well, Fidel, we've been doing Can you believe we've been doing   Fidel Guzman ** 1:04:08 this for over an hour? Time flies and you're having fun,   Michael Hingson ** 1:04:12 absolutely. And I really appreciate you being here and being a part of this, and I really appreciate all of you who have been listening to us and watching us. We're really excited that you're here. I hope that this has been valuable for you as well, and that you've learned something. Fidel, if people want to reach out to you, how can they do that? I   Fidel Guzman ** 1:04:31 want to say LinkedIn, feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn. What's your LinkedIn identifier? You can find me as Fidel Guzman, comma, MBA, and I'll also give you a link so you can, you can accompany it alongside this episode, yeah, but feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn. That's going to be the easiest way to get in touch with me. And I'll also have some links if you want to check out my podcast. And hopefully I'll have, I'll have that book of poems out, yeah, soon.   Michael Hingson ** 1:04:59 Well, that will be. Good. Well, thank you again and again. Thank you, all of you. If you'd like to reach out to Fidel, I'm sure he would appreciate it. I would, and you're welcome to reach out to me.

STORYPOWER TV INTERVIEW J LOREN NORRIS WITH BETHANY JOY BORINGBethany Boring is a certified Christian mental health coach committed to helping solo Christian counselors and leaders excel by forming transformative groups. She has been coaching professionally for 10 years and has over 20 years of church ministry leadership role experience. Her background includes roles such as Freedom & Care Ministries Coordinator at Lifepoint Church Palm Bay and Director of Children's and Family Ministry at Palm Bay Christian Church, as well as engagements with organizations like LK10, the CHARGE Syndrome Foundation, Table & Well, Trauma Healing Institute, and Toastmasters International. Her expertise covers team building, public speaking, mental health coaching, and leadership development. Bethany created TIP Groups to support Christian mental health professionals and pastoral care leaders. She also runs the "Radical Care For Christian Counselors" podcast. As a speaker, she's acclaimed for her compelling storytelling and ability to inspire through faith, resilience, and fostering meaningful connections, aiming to develop thriving, impactful communities. She is a proud momma of 3 growing boys and manages to keep food in the house! Invite her for coffee, to watch a sunrise or go for a skydive, she is ready to walk with you through any life challenge. Dare to do more than just survive, Step Out & Thrive!https://www.amazon.ca/Joy-Catcher-Bethany-Boring/dp/B0F2JJG8CN#STORYPOWER @STORYPOWERTVCATCH THE 6-26-25 EPISODE ON SPOTIFY: Online Academy for Leadership & Communication:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.StoryPowerAcademy.comhttps://my.linkpod.site/Jlorennorris⁠⁠Follow J Loren Norris on Spotify ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/0b...______________________________Leadership Training, Interviews and EntertainmentVisit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.StoryPowerAcademy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more training material#leadingleaderspodcast #storypower #transforminggracetv #jlorennorris- OBBM Network TV- WorldTrumpetTV- Apple Podcast- Spotify- Amazon- RumbleCopyright 2025 Tell It Like It Is Inchttps://my.linkpod.site/Jlorennorris

STORYPOWER TV INTERVIEW J LOREN NORRIS WITH BETHANY JOY BORINGBethany Boring is a certified Christian mental health coach committed to helping solo Christian counselors and leaders excel by forming transformative groups. She has been coaching professionally for 10 years and has over 20 years of church ministry leadership role experience. Her background includes roles such as Freedom & Care Ministries Coordinator at Lifepoint Church Palm Bay and Director of Children's and Family Ministry at Palm Bay Christian Church, as well as engagements with organizations like LK10, the CHARGE Syndrome Foundation, Table & Well, Trauma Healing Institute, and Toastmasters International. Her expertise covers team building, public speaking, mental health coaching, and leadership development. Bethany created TIP Groups to support Christian mental health professionals and pastoral care leaders. She also runs the "Radical Care For Christian Counselors" podcast. As a speaker, she's acclaimed for her compelling storytelling and ability to inspire through faith, resilience, and fostering meaningful connections, aiming to develop thriving, impactful communities. She is a proud momma of 3 growing boys and manages to keep food in the house! Invite her for coffee, to watch a sunrise or go for a skydive, she is ready to walk with you through any life challenge. Dare to do more than just survive, Step Out & Thrive!https://www.amazon.ca/Joy-Catcher-Bethany-Boring/dp/B0F2JJG8CN#STORYPOWER @STORYPOWERTVCATCH THE 6-26-25 EPISODE ON SPOTIFY: Online Academy for Leadership & Communication:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.StoryPowerAcademy.comhttps://my.linkpod.site/Jlorennorris⁠⁠Follow J Loren Norris on Spotify ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/0b...______________________________Leadership Training, Interviews and EntertainmentVisit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.StoryPowerAcademy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more training material#leadingleaderspodcast #storypower #transforminggracetv #jlorennorris- OBBM Network TV- WorldTrumpetTV- Apple Podcast- Spotify- Amazon- RumbleCopyright 2025 Tell It Like It Is Inchttps://my.linkpod.site/Jlorennorris

Billy Hofacker has been a personal trainer for over 25 years. He built and sold Total Body Boot Camp and Performance Center, which included successful facilities in the hyper-competitive market of Long Island, NY. After several years of being a full-time professional martial artist and BJJ black belt, Billy is now passionate about helping Fitness Professionals win with money. He is the author of Fitness Profits and the host of the leading financial podcast for Fit Pros, Your Fitness Money Coach Podcast (top 1.5%). Billy is regularly an expert guest on local and national podcasts and media. He is also a Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) with Toastmasters International. Billy is a highly sought-after speaker presenting for the industry's most respected organizations like Perform Better and the Functional Aging Institute. Billy's Website: https://yourfitnessmoneycoach.com/ Connect with Billy on IG: https://www.instagram.com/BillyHofacker

In this recap, Lesley and Brad reflect on their convo with Aletta Rochat, a trailblazing and executive presence coach, who shares what it really takes to show up with confidence. Together they unpack why owning your strengths—and saying no when it matters—can shift how you lead, speak, and connect with others. With this episode, you'll leave feeling grounded, energized, and ready to give yourself full permission to belong. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co.And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe.In this episode you will learn about:The real-world script for gracefully exiting client relationships.Why permission and belonging unlock authentic confidence.The danger of saying yes out of guilt or reflex.The difference between reaction and intentional action.Why your greatest strengths may be things you take for granted.Episode References/Links:OPC Summer Tour https://opc.me/eventsOPC UK Mullet Tour https://opc.me/uk eLevate Mentorship Program - https://lesleylogan.co/elevatewaitlistPilates Income Accelerator … prfit.biz/accelerator Cambodia October 2025 Waitlist - https://crowsnestretreats.comAletta Rochat Website - https://www.alettarochat.comFemGevity - https://www.femgevityhealth.com/?via=lesleyCliftonStrengths by Gallup - https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/ Resources:·        Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-g·        Lesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/·        Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/·        Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/·        Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQ·        Profitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/ Follow Us on Social Media:·        Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/·        The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-g·        Facebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilates·        LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/·        The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Brad Crowell 0:00  Because we don't recognize this as a strength, we hold back articulating our value. We don't identify that we have something that most people might not have, and that becomes our superpower. Lesley Logan 0:13  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started.Lesley Logan 0:55  Welcome back to the Be It Till You See It interview recap where my co-host in life, Brad, and I are going to dig into the emboldening convo I had with Aletta Rochat in our last episode. If you haven't yet listened to that episode yet, you are missing out. She's amazing. She's a badass. You're gonna wanna listen to it after you listen to this one, if you can just go back into your feed. I mean, she's the first president-elect who's a female for the International Toastmasters. Brad Crowell 1:19  Yeah, international president-elect, yeah. Lesley Logan 1:21  Insane, amazing. And that's not even what she went to school for, or thought she'd be doing. So I just think it's great. We'll get into her in just a second. But first, today is May 29th 2025 and it's World Digestive Health Day. World Digestive Health Day is celebrated every year on May 29th around the world. I think it's really funny whenever they describe the day, and then the description is the same thing with the words. Brad Crowell 1:44  Yeah, it's also like today is May 29th. On May 29th we celebrate. Yes.Lesley Logan 1:51  The holiday provides resources and tools for gastrointestinal (G.I.) diseases to help more people in the general public make better decisions around their health. Awareness can lead to early diagnosis and treatment of G.I. diseases including cancer. It should also be known that G.I. diseases can lead to obesity. It can also create more understanding and better support for patients experiencing digestive diseases when their issues and conditions are better understood by the general public. I just think it's so important, if you are dealing with some stomach stuff, most people are not realizing how long they've been dealing with it, and it can lead to, as I mentioned, diseases, cancer, crazy stuff. You can have an imbalance of hormones, your mind, your actual mindset, how you feel, your emotions, are related to your gut, and if your gut biome is a fucking mess, and then you are also like, why does the world hate me? No amount of therapy is going to help you if your gut is telling your brain some other things. And so I highly, highly recommend, if you've got gut stuff going on, go advocate for yourself. If your G.P. is not listening to you, go talk to somebody else. We just had someone come to the house, which blew our mind. Our crappy insurance sent works to the company, and that company came to our house and literally sat down was like, what doctor referrals do you need? And I was like, oh, you can do that for me? And so you all know from over the last year how much FemGevity helped me with my gut stuff. Like, it's been really amazing to know the difference between like, I'm not feeling awesome, and, oh, this is my gut problem and. Brad Crowell 3:22  But it still doesn't change the fact that you have to go to a doctor locally to get blood drawn or things like that, right? Lesley Logan 3:28  Yeah, you still have to go do stuff, yeah? Well, FemGevity sends something to you, but you don't have to use it, like, you have to go, like, it is annoying to go advocate yourself. It is annoying to feel like you're crazy. It's annoying to feel like you're not being listened to. But literally, if you have H. Pylori, and you let it go on its own thing, it can lead to cancer, okay? If you have other things, it can lead like you don't get to ignore your gut, you don't get to. So I'm really excited that this day has its own day, which is May 29th, and it's a world holiday. Brad Crowell 3:56  It's a world holiday. Lesley Logan 3:58  Go talk to your G.I. about your shit, like literal shit. Okay, OPC Summer Tour tickets.Brad Crowell 4:06  Don't tell us about your shit when we meet you on tour. Lesley Logan 4:09  No, please don't. I don't want to hear it. I don't want to talk about my shit. I don't want to hear about your shit. But do you want to go on the West Coast tour? The tickets are already available. I actually don't even know how many cities we're going to at the time that we're recording this, but the team does.Brad Crowell 4:22  I haven't actually. Lesley Logan 4:22  We are, here's what I do know, we are spending a fuck ton of time and money to cross the border and go to Canada. So we are finally adding an international options to our West Coast tour. And so you're going to definitely want to the other Canada stops and or I know that we're hitting when I say West Coast, I mean California, Oregon, Washington. I know that we are hoping to do Idaho and Utah. Obviously while we're recording this, I don't have it in front of me, but I do know that the tickets sell fast, because our seventh tour, which is our winter tour, our last one, had literal cities sell out in 24 hours. So go to opc.me/events to see all the locations. Next up is September. We're going to be in the U.K. We have two cities with two day events at each one, Leeds and Essex.Brad Crowell 5:06  Nineteen.Lesley Logan 5:08  19 cities? Brad Crowell 5:08  I think we're on track for 19 cities with classes. Lesley Logan 5:12  Cool. Brad Crowell 5:12  Yeah, on the Summer Tour. Lesley Logan 5:13  Okay, well, thank you. So now we're on to Essex and Leeds and so this is our business in the front, Pilates in the back event, and it's two days long. Super fun, super affordable. You get six workshops, two classes for 550 pounds. Brad Crowell 5:29  I mean, it's kind of a steal, not a lot, yeah. Lesley Logan 5:32  Yeah, it's nuts, it's insane, and it's really fun. We get to spend a lot of time together, and the space is really limited and Leeds is like (inaudible).Brad Crowell 5:38  I think it's 485 pounds, 400, it's like 500 pounds. Somewhere around. Lesley Logan 5:41  Oh, maybe it's only 500 pounds. Brad Crowell 5:42  Yeah, because this is exchange thingy, so I can't remember exactly, but. Lesley Logan 5:46  Don't, don't listen to either of us quote a price. Just go to opc.me/uk. Brad Crowell 5:51  Yes. Lesley Logan 5:51  Because the early bird is over, but they're still a deal. Because the actual events, if we were to charge you for each one by itself, is like 2000 pounds, it was something ridiculous. Brad Crowell 5:59  That's way, way, way, way, way more. So yeah. Lesley Logan 6:02  So, opc.me/uk for the Leeds event or the Essex event. Leeds only has 16 spots, and I know we only have four left at the time we're recording this and then (inaudible).Brad Crowell 6:11  And it's not just Lesley who will be teaching, it'll be me, too. I'm actually gonna be there helping out. We're gonna do a couple of business life workshops, and then we're gonna do four Pilates workshops where you're digging into actual Pilates stuff, then I'm not teaching those. And then Lesley is also going to do a couple of classes and all the things, and then we're going to hang and, you know, all of it's going to be a blast, so. Lesley Logan 6:32  It's going to be so fun. And here's the deal, if you're like, oh, I'll go to the next U.K., I'm already in talks. Brad Crowell 6:37  Literally don't know when that's going to be. Lesley Logan 6:38  Yeah, I'm already in talks with several other countries that are across the world. And to be honest, Brad and I actually do like living in Vegas. So we are no longer doing multiple 12 hour flights in a year, just like not a thing for us. So I don't know that we'll hit the U.K. in the next two years after this. Brad Crowell 6:57  Yeah, at least.Lesley Logan 6:57  Even though that Brad loves it, we'd be there for vacation and not for work. So opc.me/UK is where you get your tickets there. What else, Brad? Brad Crowell 7:04  Okay, next up we got eLevate, y'all. If you've not heard of it, it's Lesley's Pilates mentorship program. It's a nine-month program, and you should do it, because it's going to change the way that you teach in incredibly dramatic way. You're going to feel way more confident about everything. People who take this program have told us they've stopped class planning. Their voices are not shot by the end of the day. They are not afraid of a random client walking in the door that they wouldn't necessarily know what to do with or prepare for. They don't have to do those things anymore, because when you go through this program, what you're going to do is you're going to dig in to all the different pieces of equipment, okay? And you're not just like learning exercises on them, although you will do that, you will learn everything that Lesley learned from Jay Grimes over the more than 10 years she studied with him and with Sandy Shimoda. You are actually going to be connecting the dots across the pieces of equipment that is going to allow you to understand why are you doing this thing with this person on the chair? Why would you then take them over to the barrels and do this other thing over there? And then, you know, because ultimately, you're understanding what their goals are, and then you can create the path through the equipment and through the exercises for them to reach their goals. Okay, how cool is that for you to just be able to understand that and not necessarily have to, like, go hit your books and be like, oh, I can't remember what I need to do with this person. No, when you go through elevate this stuff really comes together. And the the amount of confidence that has brought the people who have finished, which at this point, we got about 50 grads and 25 more people going through it this year. It's just been overwhelming feedback and in a positive way. And we want you to come. We're gonna do just the workout. Come get you know, move with Lesley, and then hang out afterwards. We're gonna do a Q&A talk all about eLevate. We are literally more than 50% sold out for 2026 so there's not that many spots left, but to find out about when this class is going to happen, go to lesleylogan.co/elevatewaitlist elevatewaitlist.Lesley Logan 9:09  I love this program so much. It's so much fun, and I'm really excited because next year we are going to do the two, two rounds again. We're not going to do it for the following year. This is the last time we can really commit to doing that, mostly because we just had so many people interested. We really, really didn't want you to wait. So we opened up another section, and like Brad said, it's almost sold out. It's just one of my favorite things. I get to spend so much time with you guys, and you, the progression, and then also, when you graduate, you're in the alumni group, and then I get to and then we're still together, and I'm still watching people elevate it's just (inaudible).Brad Crowell 9:25  We actually have a smaller group inside of the alumni who all virtually get together once a week to take an OPC class together and encourage each other and just get their movement. Lesley Logan 9:51  From around the world. Brad Crowell 9:52  From around the world. It's super cool. You know, we didn't set that up. They set it up. It's awesome. Anyway you want to be at this class. Go to lesleylogan.co/elevatewaitlist that'll be this summer. Brad Crowell 10:04  All right, next up, we got the Pilates Income Accelerator. If you are taking money from any person to teach them anything, whether that's Pilates or yoga or whatever, probably Pilates, because of who our audience usually is, I want you to come to this free workshop that I'm doing called the Pilates Income Accelerator. Go to prfit.biz/accelerator that's profit without the O dot biz slash accelerator. We're going to be covering three major secrets, about mindset, about money, about the numbers, and about marketing, and the messaging, the language you're using. We're going to be digging into those things, and then afterwards, I'm going to be able to answer questions about your business. So you can send in a question early, and I'll have it prepared so I can read through these questions and make sure everybody gets some kind of an answer here. I want you to come. It's free. You should do it. So go to prfit.biz/accelerator. Finally, Les, where are we going in October?Lesley Logan 10:59  Crowsnestretreats.com that's where we're going. We're going to our house in Siem Reap we have a lovely retreat planned for you. Oh my goodness. It's so wonderful. It's so cozy. It's a small group that can attend this event. We do Pilates five days. We go to the temples for two days. We take you to a lotus farm. We take you on a water tour. You get massages, and you also get to, like, really figure out what it is that you want when you leave, when you go home from the retreat. Brad Crowell 11:26  Yeah, so those are all what are we doing, but why would they go? Lesley Logan 11:30  Oh, I mean, because you're gonna feel like a freaking rock star when you come back, like you're actually gonna feel so good, you're gonna feel like you actually were in wonderment for a week. Wouldn't you like to get in wonderment for a week? I think so.Brad Crowell 11:43  Yeah. Wonder. Lesley Logan 11:45  Why do you think? Brad Crowell 11:46  When you think about Angkor Wat, it does create that intense curiosity, that wonder. How was it possible that they did what they did 1000 years ago, and for it to still be standing today, with all this epic, intricate carvings and all this stuff. You know, when you go on a journey like this, it's an adventure. You get to meet other amazing, adventurous people. We've also had, similar to eLevate, we've had retreaters stay connected afterwards. We've had like group retreat calls afterwards. We've had retreaters come back, bringing other people, because it was so inspirational. Lesley Logan 12:24  This coming one in October has someone from the last one, and then someone she's bringing her friend. And then last October, we had someone coming for the second year in a row, so like, just fun. Brad Crowell 12:34  Three or four times now, you know, yeah, we've had it happen over the years. Lesley Logan 12:38  It's a true like, when we hear the word retreat, it's like a true retreat. You get to really turn off what's going on in the world and focus on you and being in awe.Brad Crowell 12:47  Yeah, that's what's in it for you, y'all and you should join us. Go to crowsnestretreats.com. Before we get to Aletta, we have an audience question but. Lesley Logan 12:55  Yes, okay, I'm hijacking the questions again. Brad Crowell 12:57  Yeah, before you ask the question, I'm just gonna give it a quick preface. We spent the better part of a year building a tool that allows you to effectively have your own internal Google search situation going on through an AI tool that allows you to understand all the answers that Lesley and I have been giving to people for the past 10 years of coaching for fitness business. We call it the Pocket LL. And this tool, it was trained on 10 million words, where blog posts, webinars, courses, coaching, calls, group coaching calls, all these things where we're answering all these questions. And then we compiled it all into this insane database. And then we've got this awesome tool that you get to use when you're an Agency member. And today, we wanted to feature a question anonymously. We're not going to say the person's name, but we're going to feature a question that somebody actually asked the Pocket LL, so here you go.Lesley Logan 13:48  Yeah, so I have a problem client that gives me anxiety every time she comes in, but I owe her another six sessions in her 10 back. How do I fire her? Brad Crowell 13:57  That is, that's tough. Lesley Logan 13:58  And Pocket LL, said firing a client is never easy, but it's often necessary for your peace of mind and the health of your business. The image you see here captures an essential truth, it will never feel good to fire a client, but the sooner you take action, the fewer issues you'll have. Holding onto a problematic client can cost you more than just your sanity. It can affect your energy, your other clients and even your team. Here's how you can handle this gracefully. One, acknowledge sessions owed. You can refund the remaining six sessions or offer them to another instructor if you have one available, this ensures you're honoring the financial commitment without continuing the relationship. Two, be direct, but kind, say something like, thank you so much for working with me. I've realized that I'm no longer the best fit for your Pilates journey. I'd be happy to recommend another instructor or studio that might suit your needs better. Three, stick to your boundaries. If this client has been violating your policies or creating undue stress, don't feel obligated to explain or justify your decision. As I said before, you're not going to convince crazy. Keep it professional and move forward. I love when she quotes herself, which is me. Brad Crowell 15:00  You're not gonna convince crazy. That is amazing.Lesley Logan 15:03  I know. I mean, like I said that, so that's what I love about this. Okay. Four, prepare for pushback. Some clients may try to argue or guilt you into staying. Stay firm. Remember, you're creating space for better clients who respect your time and energy. And number five, focus on the opportunity. Once this client is gone, you'll have room for someone who uplifts you and aligns with your business values. Trust that the universe will fill that space with someone amazing. And then she always prompts with other questions. If you want to continue the conversation or you can just go start it's all good. Brad Crowell 15:32  Yep. Yeah. I mean, listening to those answers, I actually know the story behind every piece of that answer, because it's multiple conversations, over multiple calls, over multiple years, over multiple courses. And it's amazing that this, this tool is a, this search tool, is able to gather all that information and turn around and present it to you in a way that is cohesive, concise, and also you can actually use to take action. So. Lesley Logan 15:57  And it's and it's from all the years of experience of coaching thousands of businesses, and also all of my years of being and everything in this industry you could be. So I just really am so proud of the Pocket LL. And I do go through once a week and edit anything. And I'll, first, I stick with the things where people trigger an alert, because you could say avocado, if she makes sense to you. And then also I'll just go through for quality control and just read some of our answers. Sometimes I add another sentence because I'm like, oh, here's another idea. You know, now that I'm this many more years or I've helped this many more people, so it's always evolving. It's always getting better, and it's there for you no matter where you live in the world, as long as you're an Agency member. Brad Crowell 16:36  Yep, yeah. So if you're interested in what that even means, what that is, come to my free webinar like I was talking about go to prfit.biz/accelerator we will talk about Agency at the end, before I answer questions and come check it out.Lesley Logan 16:48  And then also, we'll go back to answering the questions you send in. I just wanted to hijack it because it's my podcast. Brad Crowell 16:53  I love it. I love it. All right. Well, stick around we'll be right back. We're going to dig into the conversation you have with Aletta Rochat. It was very inspirational. She is really good at bringing out excellence in people, so we'll be right back. Brad Crowell 17:09  All right. Welcome back. Let's talk about Aletta Rochat. Aletta is a public speaking coach and executive presence mentor based in Cape Town, South Africa. So an executive presence mentor, okay? She coached and trained in 21 countries, and will soon become the first woman from Africa the and only the 10th woman in 100 years to be the international president of Toastmasters International. So the 10th woman in the in what the last 100 years. She helps clients become more confident presenters by communicating with clarity, owning their presidents and reclaiming their sense of belonging. She also has been involved with Toastmasters since 2008. She has gone through all their educational material, and she's like the highest educator that they certify all the things she actually had a really great story about how she started to realize public speaking became like her survival mechanism, and then how it went on to now become her, you know, how she's supporting others succeed. I thought that was pretty cool. Lesley Logan 18:10  I also just, you know, like you like you hear, I heard about Toastmasters, like. Brad Crowell 18:14  I've heard about it so many times and I've never done, I don't even know what it was. Lesley Logan 18:16  And you kind of think like, oh, it's kind of like a Moose Club, like the Moose Lodge. Like, it's just, you know what I mean, but it's not, it's like, still going so strong, and it's helping a lot of people.Brad Crowell 18:26  She said they're in 150 countries. Lesley Logan 18:27  Yeah and it made me go all the people who are like, I need a friend. Go to fucking Toastmasters. Like, hear their stories. You'll connect. Yeah, you have to publicly speak, but you're gonna be around people.Brad Crowell 18:37  Well, she said you're guaranteed claps and guaranteed support, or you're guaranteed an audience and you're guaranteed claps. Lesley Logan 18:43  It sounds better than AA, where you also get both of those. I just think it sounds amazing. I'm so excited we're gonna highlight this. She said, "I show up differently when I think I belong." And she said that someone once told her, remember that you belong. That phrase helped her stay relaxed and be more spontaneous and likely to share her ideas. And I think that that's so important because for her to be where she's at in, in the world, but also in Toastmasters, each time she leveled up, there'd be, like, a reason to go, oh my God, who let me in here? They're gonna find out, like Maya Angelou is like, someone's gonna find out that I don't know what I'm doing. But if you remember that you belong, it changes how you show up. And you show up willing to be more yourself, which is going to allow you to connect with more people. And it's just so, so important. Brad Crowell 19:32  Well, I think also not only the vibes, the vibes are weird when you feel like you don't belong, but when you feel like you belong, you will approach the group, the conversation, the experience, in a much different way, because you're gonna participate. I mean, honestly, that's like the biggest thing. When you feel like you belong, you feel like you're allowed to participate, and if you feel like you don't belong, what do you do? You stand there and listen. You don't talk, you don't do anything. So I thought it was really, also, like, amazing that advice, hey, remember that you do belong. Remember that you do and she said, this was instantaneously a life-changing statement for her. Lesley Logan 20:11  Yeah. And so she even said, even though it wasn't a Be It Action Item yet, she said, "If you belong, how would you show up? How would you speak up?" And she says, like, it's like a fundamental building block of confidence and executive presence. And I just thought, yeah, we need to put that on our mirrors everywhere we can read them before we walk into a room where it's new for us. We're feeling a little nervous. I just thought was brilliant.Brad Crowell 20:32  I really dug in when she was talking about when to say yes, because you, you were asking her, it's like, wow, you seem willing to say yes to things. And she said, to my own detriment, sometimes I've said yes when I shouldn't have, but she said, the worst thing you could do is say yes to something that you don't want to do. And she was talking about, I think her example was like the Boy Scout troop, they asked her to do some specific role and and she said, thanks, but that's not the right role for me. I you know, she said there was nothing about it that lit me on fire, nothing that was exciting in any way to me, and to other people it might be really exciting, but for her, it wasn't. And she she said something very specific. She said when you say yes to something that you don't want to do, you literally start off building resentment from the, from day one. Lesley Logan 21:19  Yeah, she's correct. Honestly, I can look back going to the question, like, how do we fire a client? I remember taking the check going, I don't really want to teach her. And then the moment she texts me the next week, can I change my time? I'm like, like, it was, like a zero to 60 resentment, as opposed to someone I was really fired up to teach but like, oh yeah, this is your first time. We can do it, but not after that, you know. So she is 100%.Brad Crowell 21:44  Yeah, that was so poignant that she identified the resentment factor right out of the gate, you know. And we, why do we say yes to things that we don't want to do? Probably because we feel stuck, you know, like we feel like we have to. We feel like we're, you know, social pressure, guilt, money, something. There's underlying fear there that is making us do it. Could be family. That's like forcing us to do it, and it just builds that resentment. She said it should be both sides of the coin. You want to say yes because you want to do it and you also want to learn. I mean, what are the stories we tell ourselves? I have to say yes because I'm the right person for the job. I have the most experience. I just have to do it. No one else is going to do it, so I'm going to do it. These are a lot of reasons why we say yes, but we don't want to. Ultimately, it's important to offer service. I'm not arguing that we shouldn't be serving people, but even that service should be also doing something for you.Lesley Logan 22:37  Yeah, because you won't show up the same you just won't show up the same way. And I had someone who we actually really love and support in a lot of ways financially, and they'd ask me to be on a board. And if you guys have ever been around me, you know I've been on a board before I got burned. It was traumatizing. It was a whole thing. And I was like, I'll never be on an unpaid board again. And of course, I get this invite to apply. And I was like, there's a part of me is like, oh, they want me. And then I was like, oh, I can't do this. And then I was like, oh, I'm gonna let them down. I have, I know they need someone. Maybe I could do it if it's just, like, this much time a week, I was literally doing like, mental gymnastics to figure out how to say yes to the thing I already knew would not be the right thing. And then it took me forever to write up a thank you. But no, thank you. And you know what they said? We totally understand and thank you for being so honest. We don't want anyone to do this because they feel obligated, you know, and know that the door's always open if you, if anything ever changes and I was just like, oh, it could be that simple. It could be that simple. And honestly, if they'd answered any other way, I've been like, we're so disappointed. That is a fucking red flag to run away from. But if they're willing to be grateful, and you know, if they asked me, like, Who else do you do you know anyone else who could be right for this? I would have absolutely sent them some people, you know. So I just think that, like you can also see the true colors of the person if you're, if you're being authentically honest about whether you can say yes or no. Brad Crowell 24:09  I was laughing when she started to, to, she basically said, if you have helium hand, where just your hand goes up and you can't seem to stop it. I was laughing. I was like, what did she say? I literally rewound it. Listened to it twice. She said she's now learned to sit in her hands every now and again. So, good for her. And she said, you know, just make sure saying yes is not a reaction or a reflex reaction, but it's a concerted action. It's a decision that you're making. So awesome. Brad Crowell 24:37  Well anyway, great takeaways right there from Aletta. Stick around. We'll be right back. We're going to dig into those Be It Action Items. Brad Crowell 24:46  All right, welcome back. Let's dig into those Be It Action Items from Aletta Rochat. What bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted action items can we take away from your convo? She said, hey, here is how you identify your superpowers, which I'm all about. She said what are the clues to your superpowers? It's what other people keep asking you for help with. What is, what is it that you are consistently asked about, like, hey, can you help me, like, prep this thing or cook this dish or organize this event or be on the board or whatever. What is the thing that you keep being asked to do? She shared that most people overlook their strength, strengths because A. they come supernaturally to you. You might not even realize that they are a strength that you have, that others don't. They often become the most powerful gifts, right? Like, my mom has the gift of gab. That's what everybody said. Wow your mom, she's amazing. She talks to everybody. She's got the gift of gab, right? Well, sometimes the gift of gab was like, my dad was like, are we ready to go? Are we ready to go? So the way that I grew up, sometimes the gift of gab was a negative thing, because it was like, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, right? And it wasn't until later that I realized that it can also be a positive thing. So sometimes we look at what actually is a strength in the wrong light.Lesley Logan 26:04  Because somebody may have told you, yeah, told you you talk too much, or you're a big jokester, or you don't take things seriously, but there's always a positive side to a coin. Brad Crowell 26:12  Yeah, and I'm not trying to do my dad a disservice there, but I called him out, that's not what I meant.Lesley Logan 26:17  If Steven listens to this. Hi, Steven. You can come visit anytime.Brad Crowell 26:30  Aletta said that somehow society, that's a very inside joke, y'all, and I don't think literally, anybody except for my family, would get that. Aletta also said somehow society has conditioned us that we tend to verbalize what we're good at saying, oh, it's nothing, no big deal. Oh, yeah, you know, glad to help. You know, but we don't actually identify that it's really a superpower. An example that I didn't understand when I was in my band in when I first moved out to L.A. and I'm like, running around getting us set up to do the get the show, I talked to the venue owner, I like, figured out the night of the week that the band could do it. We rehearsed. We had to do a bunch of rehearsals. We get in there. We made a little marketing flyer. We distributed the marketing flyer, got it out into the community. All to do what? I just wanted to play. I just wanted to play on stage, right? And so I'm doing all the things to so that I can get up on stage and play. And what I didn't understand was that doing all those things that's actually part of my superpower. I saw the path through, how do I get to the end goal, you know? And then what are the steps that we need to do to do it? And ultimately, when I, when I finally identified that this was a strength of mine by doing the Strengths Finders exam, the first time I took it in 2010, it was this mind-blowing thing, because I was like, oh, everybody doesn't do that. I thought this was just the what you just do, what you have to do. I guess. That's the way I saw it. And it wasn't until I understood that this was actually valuable that I was able to go get a job to do literally that, and that's how I got into operations instead of companies. Kind of crazy. (inaudible) Yeah, you know, she said, We trivialize it because we don't recognize this as a strength. We hold back articulating our value. We don't identify that we have something that most people might not have, and that becomes our superpower. It can, it should. When we look at it through that lens, suddenly you're like, oh, this is something I'm inherently good at, and that is really a superpower. It's amazing. Like my mom's gift of gab is a superpower. You know, figuring out a way through the chaos is my superpower. But how do you identify that? Right? Then, when you finally are able to identify that again, I do recommend Strengths Finders, Clifton Strengths, they call it now. Now you get to finally say, my superpower is x, right?Lesley Logan 28:48  Yeah. Brad Crowell 28:49  What about you? Lesley Logan 28:50  Okay, so I said it before, but I think it's real. I really love that it's back here in the Be It Action Items, just in case you need to hear it again. She said, reclaim your sense of belonging and give yourself permission to belong. Aletta urged us to reclaim the feeling of belonging if we've lost it. She emphasized, it's within our power to grant ourselves permission to belong. And once you reclaim it, start playing with it. You can start thinking and start speaking and start acting as if you belong. It might feel like you're this is like the true be it till you see it, it's gonna feel like you're acting. There was an interview that's coming out, or it may have already been out, where someone talked about how they love the podcast name, because every day, we allow actors to play a role in a movie, and we believe them, right? We believe that they are that person for that period of time. And being it till you see it is like acting as it. And so you are going to reclaim it, and you're gonna play with it. You're gonna play with belonging, all that stuff, and before you know it, you'll have played it so much that you become it. That's it. You become the person that belongs. You're giving yourself permission. So I just thought, I was like, that's a be it till you see it right there. That's why this exists. So thank you, Aletta, for being you. You're so amazing. I'm so glad we're able to make this happen. I'm Lesley Logan. Brad Crowell 30:03  And I'm Brad Crowell. Lesley Logan 30:04  Thank you so much for listening. I hope this was really awesome for you. I really loved it. I also just love her voice. I love the way she explained things, the helium hand, like there's just so many things to go back to and listen. So please take another listen through if you haven't already, share it with a friend who needs to hear it, especially the ones who need to sit on their hands, but also the ones who need to be reminded that they belong and until next time, Be It Till You See It. Brad Crowell 30:26  Bye for now.Lesley Logan 30:28  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod. Brad Crowell 31:10  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 31:15  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 31:19  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 31:26  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 31:30  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Lesley Logan sits down with public speaking coach Aletta Rochat—president-elect of Toastmasters International—to explore how communication shapes confidence, leadership, and executive presence. If you've ever held back your voice or downplayed your strengths, this is your reminder to reclaim your space, speak with purpose, and lead with clarity. Whether you're leading a team or learning to own your story, this conversation will change the way you show up and speak up. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co.And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe.In this episode you will learn about:Why your “yes” should come from alignment—not fear.How to use your voice with clarity and intention.The power of naming and owning your superpower.What executive presence really is—and how to build it.Why Toastmasters helps far beyond public speaking.Episode References/Links:Aletta Rochat Website - https://www.alettarochat.comAletta Rochat Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alettarochatAletta Rochat Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/aletta.rochatAletta Rochat Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alettarochatToastmasters - https://toastmasters.org"I Belong" Playbook - https://beitpod.com/belongingMastering the Art of Exercising Authority - https://beitpod.com/exercisingauthorityThe Artist's Way by Julia Cameron - https://a.co/d/9CwCcIpGuest Bio:Aletta Rochat is a certified World Class Speaking Coach, professional speaker, and president-elect of Toastmasters International. Based in Cape Town, South Africa, she has coached clients in over 21 countries and is the first woman from Africa elected to lead Toastmasters in its 100-year history. Aletta helps leaders and professionals communicate with clarity, confidence, and executive presence—whether they're stepping into boardrooms, big stages, or everyday conversations. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Witwatersrand and a diploma in marketing management from the University of South Africa. Aletta is also the author of two books on public speaking and the creator of the “I Belong” playbook, a self-reflection tool designed to help individuals reclaim their sense of belonging. Through one-on-one coaching and group programs, Aletta empowers people to lead not by being the loudest voice in the room—but by being the most intentional. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/ Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/ Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Aletta Rochat 0:00  We hold back articulating our value and how we can help solve problems and how we can move projects forward, because we somehow have this incredible anxiety around saying what we're good at. And once you get over that and saying, my superpower is, and this is how it can help you, you become someone who contributes to problem solving on a personal level, in your job, in your community.Lesley Logan 0:27  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started.Lesley Logan 1:05  All right, Be It babe, this is for you. If you have ever downplayed an idea or thought about doing something on a whim, maybe you've downplayed yourself. Today's guest went from like being a stay at home mom to kind of following this urge to go to a Toastmasters to then being, correct me if I'm wrong, Aletta, but like, the head of Toastmasters for the world, 150 countries and like that. So I am really excited because we talk about public speaking, but we also talk really about how to belong, and I think it's an important message that every single one of you needs to hear. And hopefully, we inspire you to check in with yourself, and maybe, and maybe think about the words that you want to communicate in this world, and how you can get them out there and not be super scared about it, because we all actually are so blessed and so lucky to have special gifts and superpowers. And Aletta Rachat, our guest here today, really helps you kind of be proud of that and own that. And so here she is. Lesley Logan 2:12  All right, Be It babe, we're about to have a very fabulous, wonderful conversation, and I think you're also just going to love to listen to our guest, because she's got one of those accents you just want to all the time. Aletta Rochat, thank you so much for being here. Will you tell everyone who you are and what you rock at?Aletta Rochat 2:26  Thank you, Lesley, wonderful to be with you. My name is Aletta Rochat. I'm speaking to you all the way from beautiful Cape Town South Africa. And my passion is helping people be more successful through the way they communicate. And the first person from Africa, never mind the first woman from Africa, who will soon be the international president of Toastmasters International, which I'm so excited for, and only the 10th woman in 100 years of the organization's history. So we are really helping, hopefully inspiring many other women to follow in my footsteps. I've coached and trained in 21 different countries, and I currently spend a lot of my time coaching clients to build executive presence, which is rooted in the way we communicate with each other and what we think about who we are and what we have to offer the world. And the author of two books on public speaking, so you can see, I'm just in the communication game. I love it. Lesley Logan 3:27  Okay, so first of all, congratulations. That is amazing, the accomplishments, and it's a little shocking in the length of time that you'll be the 10th but I, but I love that. I think it's important. I was really drawn to you because so many people are afraid of public speaking. So many people have a desire to share a story. Now, more than ever, I meet people who want to talk about the things that they do. They want to help people. They want to take their story and give it out there. But they could write the book. They could put the posts, but once they have to actually, like, put their face to words in front of people, and now public speaking isn't even just being on stage it's even just like putting stuff out on social media, people have a hard time communicating because they get so scared. Aletta Rochat 4:09  Yeah, they do. And it's, you know, people are scared for different reasons. Sometimes it's you've had a bad experience when you were at school and somebody laughed when you spoke up. Sometimes it's a comfort zone thing. So you find speaking to your friends, but should you be in a meeting at work and speaking to senior management? Suddenly your brain evaporates and you just can't get out. And it's not that the thoughts aren't within you. You've got the ideas, you've got the talent, you've got the commitment, but somehow articulating that in front of people can be very difficult. The thing that I've noticed in myself and other people, when you get anxious, your brain is thinking, oh my gosh, what am I going to say? And you're trying to formulate those words. At the same time, you're watching yourself make a fool of yourself. So the anxiety just explodes and it becomes almost impossible to be you. And ultimately, if you and I were sitting across the table having a cup of coffee together, you'd easily be able to tell me what your ideas were and why they're important. But, somehow, some context freak people out and then they just shut down. And then we don't see the real them. We don't see the value that they can offer.Lesley Logan 5:24  Yeah, well, thank you for, like, kind of normalizing it, because it's a common thing that people are going through. So, can we go back how did you get started in even helping people speak and communicate? Because that's not something, when you're a child, I wonder, like, is that something you dreamed of doing? Well, how did you get into this?Aletta Rochat 5:42  It was a survival skill. I had a very nomadic childhood. My dad was in mining, and from a very young age, we moved around a lot. So I was born in South Africa, we moved a couple of times there. By the time I was five years old, we moved to Zambia, and then we moved to Canada, and then we moved to Tasmania, and then we moved back to South Africa. So I can have I've got such a clear memory of being about eight years old, going to my next new school on my third continent, and standing in front of this classroom of people I didn't know, and innately knowing that the way I spoke to them would determine whether or not I had friends at break time. And of course, very importantly, if you're eight years old, whether or not you get an invitation to a birthday party. And I remember holding my mom's hand, you know, before she said goodbye and saying to myself, Aletta, you've done this before, you can do it again. And at that young age, I figured out a few basics. When you're new in an environment, you listen before you speak, because you've got to find out what's important to that group. And once you know what's important to them, then you can slot in on the conversation. That type of thing. So I had many opportunities to practice that as a child, I was always a kid with a funny accent, the one who started not at the beginning of the year, but midterm. And that happened again and again. And as an adult, with my husband's job, we moved and stayed in America, in Pittsburgh for a while. We lived in London. So, I got to repeat those practices many times. And then when I started coaching, I suddenly thought, where did I learn this? And it all went back to my childhood. So it was just very important to me to fit in, like for all of us, whether it's a new job or a new team or, you know, you're dating someone and they've got friends and family you want to fit in with, these skills are applicable in all those situations.Lesley Logan 7:40  Yeah, thank you for saying that because I also think people could hear, like, you're Toastmasters or not, because I could get coached for these things. But really, we all need these skill sets, even in family dynamics, especially now in family dynamics, not everyone agrees. How incredible, as a child that you're like you learn to observe and also to clearly state who you are and what you like, so that you could be accepted in. That's a superpower that you have. They were traveling and everything. But how did you get into Toastmasters and public speaking? Did your job have you doing presentations or did you decide, because you're a coach, you wanted to go out and talk? What was the impetus to make you want to go out and speak more?Aletta Rochat 8:20  So Lesley, I'm one of these strange people that actually has always enjoyed public speaking. I know I'm not the normal. But it never, it never freaked me out. So I've always enjoyed it, and I did it as part of my job, before I started raising kids, and then I got to the point I had three beautiful children and love being a stay-at-home mom, but I was wanting something for me, and when I went to my first Toastmasters meeting, it wasn't to become a better speaker. I joke that I was running away from my kids. I just wanted me time. And when I got there, I want to, I'm a lifelong learner. And immediately, I was so impressed with the people who were, you know, speaking that evening, and I knew I could learn, so I just followed the desire to learn. And of course, I loved communicating in any event. And I just there was a path I could never have foreseen that I would become the leader of this global organization at the time. But I just kept on saying yes to the next opportunity. They started asking me to do PR for the club, and I said yes. While I was doing that, someone called, and I said, well, come along to our meeting and see what it's like. And then she said, I'm phoning for my boss. He's too busy. Can't you help him? So I just said, oh, yes, I can. And that became my first client. And so it was an unintended consequence of joining Toastmasters was stepping into this role of coaching other people, and subsequent to that, I've got coaching certifications, and it's really my happy place training and leading and coaching is, feeds my soul, so I really enjoy it, and that means it doesn't feel like work.Lesley Logan 9:56  Yeah, you are seeking out things and then you would say yes to things. And I wonder, you know, some of the people who listen get themselves into places because they say yes too much. How did you make sure that when you were saying yes to things, that it actually was enhancing what you were doing and not compounding or stressing or causing you to not be able to do the things that you love? Is there something that you, you measured each yes with? Was it like a gut feeling? How did you do that? Because I'm wondering how we can take your like saying yes to these amazing things, to people who might be saying yes to not amazing things.Aletta Rochat 10:33  I think the reason you've got to, you've got to understand why you're saying yes. So if you're saying yes to get validation or you're saying yes to feel accepted, or you're saying yes because you're afraid of saying no, those could all lead you down very strange paths. So you've got to say yes to something that means something to you. You know, I've always been a volunteer. I love volunteering, but I remember when my kids, my son, was involved in scouting, and they wanted me to take on a role of quarter master, which was looking after all the scouting equipment. I just knew I had to say no because it didn't feed my soul, you know, I couldn't imagine anything. You know, I know they're talented people who do that job, but it wasn't me. So you've got to be true to yourself when you say yes, and it's got to bring you joy at some level, but it's not yes out of a sense of duty, and then you've got resentment for it. It's got to be something where you say yes because you want to give and you also want to learn. So to me, that, it's both sides of the coin. You can't just say yes to give and you're not learning or getting anything back. There's got to be value in it for you. And we've all got busy lives, and we've got to fit this into whatever else you've got going, your job, your family, looking after you as a person, your emotional and physical well being. So sometimes we get it right, sometimes we get it wrong, but I've always been one of these ones. I joke that I suffer from the Helium Hand Syndrome. So when people say, do you need anything? The hand magically goes up and, to your point, I've said yes to too many things in the past and then been burnt out. So I've learned to sit on my hand every now and again and make sure that I don't just it's not a reflex reaction. It's a considered action where I can add value and where it adds value to me.Lesley Logan 12:20  I love that you broke down all of that. And why are you saying I think that that is so important, you guys, I think you can all just take that clip apart. Everyone could just put it as a little card. Am I saying yes because I'm afraid of saying no. Am I saying yes because it's like, I'm like, you know, until it becomes an innate muscle, you know? I think that's really helpful because it is true. I know I had someone to send me a thing, and of course, I wanted to say yes to it. The yes was, like, a no brainer. The reason I said no is because the timing that just didn't work. There was no way I could do it. And so there's that part, that old version of me who's like, oh my God, if you say no to this, they're never going to ask again. And it's like, that is actually a story. If they are never going to ask me again, because I said no one time, I probably don't want to actually be with that kind of demanding space. But typically, I said, Oh my God, I'm so thrilled you asked me. I'm, I would love to do this. The date is wrong. I could do the weekends before, I could do the weekends after. I can't do that weekend. So you know, if the date changes, please consider me again. And they respond, of course, like that would be, thank you so much for letting us know. So it's like, you know, it's not, sometimes we, like I, could I have moved my other things to say yes? Not really. So I think it's really important for us to kind of understand why we're saying yes and what fears are coming up if we are struggling with it, you know, just paying attention to that stuff. What are some of the things that you, tools or sayings that you have that help you show up for all the things you want to do. Is there, like, a saying that you have, or something that someone taught you that helps you because you have so much confidence, and I imagine there was some of that you were born with, but like, what keeps you going in that way?Aletta Rochat 14:01  When I was running for election to a position, I've spent a lot of time speaking to past leaders and trying to glean information from them, and I'd chat to them and get their ideas and share my ideas, and at the end of every call, I would always say to them, what's the one thing in your opinion that I should remember as I go on this journey? And there was one of my colleagues who was senior to me in the organization, and he said words I've never forgotten, and he said to me, Aletta, remember that you belong. And that, to me, was so profound, because if I believe I belong, I'm likely to be more relaxed, more spontaneous, I'm more likely to share my ideas, and if I believe I belong, then I would probably be thinking at a different level. If I'm aiming for a senior position. And I thought, well, if I was in the C-suite, what would be important to me if I belonged, if I already had that position? How would I approach this? And that, to me, became quite a powerful mindset shift to check whether I'm waiting for someone else to tell me I belong, or whether I'm taking ownership and reclaiming my sense of belonging. And when I realized that I show up differently when I think I belong, and I thought, well, why don't I grant myself permission? Why does it have to be delegated to the world to give me a tick and say, yes, you can go the next step? So it's a powerful concept that's meant a lot to me personally, and when I've shared it with clients, it somehow resonates with people. If you belong, how would you show up? How would you speak up? Why would you share your ideas, or why wouldn't you share your ideas if you belong? So for me, it's almost like a fundamental building block of confidence and executive presence is this concept of belonging, but we can't give it to ourselves, and that was a game changer. Lesley Logan 15:55  Aletta, I'm obsessed with this because that is Be It Till You See It. If I belong, I show up differently. If I believe I belong here, if I believe I belong in the role I'm applying for, if I do that, your energy is different, how you answer the questions, you're not waiting for validation. I'm obsessed with this whole thing. So is this a mantra that you have people say? Is this something you repeat to yourself? Is it on Post-It notes like, how do you how did you incorporate it. How did you remind yourself?Aletta Rochat 16:22  It was so powerful to me that it suddenly became part of everything I did. If I belong. Because as soon as I felt as if I didn't belong, the clue was, that's when I'm not so sure of myself, and I start doubting myself. Where I start saying, well, you know, why am I here? So and so is better than me. Any of those negative voices that camp in your head. As soon as they became prominent, then I'd start to say to myself, but no, calm down. Take a step back. You belong. And if I can get into that calm state and say, actually, I do belong, then it's like a whole, my body calms down, my anxiety goes down, and then I can have clarity of thought, because it's not the anxiety tripping me up. So to me, it was just such a powerful saying that it I just embraced it and didn't let go of it. And now I've woven it into the coaching tools I have. I've created the I Belong playbook to get people to start thinking which areas of their life do they have a sense of belonging, and which is there a lack of a sense of belonging, and can we fix that by spending some time and saying, actually, if I did belong, what would I do? And a lot of that is linked in with self-acceptance, because if you belong, you're not wanting. You are enough if you feel you belong. And that's such a empowering thing. And it also just allows you to relax and be you, as opposed to trying to be something that you wish you would be, or you think someone else needs you to be. So it gives you permission just to just make it so much easier. Lesley Logan 17:56  Yeah, oh, my God, it there is an easy button. It's that mantra. But I, I, you hit something, you hit like on self-acceptance. And I think that is difficult. I think we have a lot of perfectionists who listen, a lot of over achievers, a lot of women. They're so amazingly powerful. They're awesome. They handle everything. They're handling their parents, health that's going on. They're handling their work, they're handling their kid's stuff. And yet I feel like sometimes they're where, like you can have the I belong in some areas, I feel like there is a lack of feeling they belong in the areas that they want to be going towards. And it's easy for them to use all this other stuff as an excuse, as a distraction to maybe not exploring the I belong, but also, like self-acceptance on that thing that they're desiring. Do you find that, like, have you worked with people in your coaching practice who, like, they can, they have some amazing areas where they belong, and then they're just not accepting themselves in the area that actually is where they desire to grow?Aletta Rochat 19:00  Exactly. One of the starting points for any coaching conversation I have with clients is trying to identify their superpowers. We all have them. But somehow society has conditioned us to say, oh, it's nothing. I can do this. It's nothing. It's, then we trivialize it, and once I start asking questions like, one of the clues to your superpowers is, what do other people ask you for help with so now you're really good at doing Excel spreadsheets and pivot tables and all this. And people come to you because you can do it in a heartbeat and they take three hours. You think it's nothing, because it's innate to you, but it's a gift you've been given. But where I find the disconnect is we know, maybe at a deep level, we're good at something, but we're almost scared to admit it or to articulate that to someone else, and therefore we hold back articulating our value and how we can help solve problems. And how we can move projects forward, because we somehow have this incredible anxiety around saying what we're good at, and once you get over that and saying, my superpower is, and this is how it can help you, you become someone who contributes to problem solving on a personal level, in your job, in your community, but if you aren't willing to share your God given talent, we don't know how wonderful you are, and you get overlooked. So that sense of belonging often is related to this trivialization of what we're good at, and if we can get over that, so much opens up. Lesley Logan 20:37  Yeah, yeah. I think it takes time. It always takes an outsider to help you with that. It's kind of hard to do, you know, like, there's some things you become aware of on your own, and some people a light bulb can turn on, and there's like, a lot like, I remember I did The Artist's Way once, and I was answering one of the questions, and I had an aha moment that I never had, ever thought about. And I was like, oh, no wonder I never cook. Like, when I was eight years old, my grandfather told me, like, are you fucking idiot? Why would you do this with the bread? And I did not realize that, oh, at a young age, I just kind of learned, you know, even though I was following a recipe, you know. So sometimes things can be done with an, with an, a book or, or a hearing something, and then other times, if you are hearing it and you know it, and you're struggling with it, you need support of someone to kind of guide you. How long have you been coaching and what drew you to supporting others?Aletta Rochat 21:29  I've been coaching probably for about 15 years now, and what drew me towards it? It's I get such a kick out of seeing other people blossom. It, to me that's, the best reward ever is when I share something, someone takes action on that, and they sent me a letter it worked. And to see clients growing in confidence, in whichever way is important to them. You know, it doesn't matter whether they're IT professionals or entrepreneurs or whatever, but to see them grow is just so powerful. So that feeds my soul, and it's something that I just as I say, it doesn't feel like work to me. I feel it's my purpose in life. That's my God-given talent is helping other people be more successful. So, for me, it's just natural to do it, and I enjoy doing it. And you know, I do it one-on-one. I do it in group coaching programs. I do it often with no reward whatsoever, just because I love it and it feeds my soul. So it makes sense. Lesley Logan 22:30  I think that's so fun about a lot of things we get to do on this world now. And so many of us have a superpower, and then we can make it be the thing that we do. And it doesn't have to feel like work. It can feel like part of any wonderful day that we're given to do. I have some questions, because I know some of our listeners have probably heard Toastmasters, but probably thought it was like the thing that their parents did in the 90s. Is that something that everyone should be doing, is it something only people who wanna publicly speak do? What drew you to it? I mean, obviously you run it, so obviously you're obsessed. But I would just like to know, because I remember when I was a young adult hearing about Toastmasters, but not necessarily something that, I've been told I should do it, and I just never did it. So I would love I'm curious now I'm asking you.Aletta Rochat 23:15  Toastmasters, for those who aren't aware of it, is an organization that teaches people public speaking and leadership skills, and we do that in clubs. So clubs usually about 20 people, some of them are bigger, some of them are smaller. And you come to club meetings and you choose your own speech topics. There's a curriculum that you can personalize. We call them pathways, and you decide which one you want to go to. And your first project, for instance, is called your icebreaker, where you simply introduce yourself to the club. We give you a few criteria. We tell you how long to speak for. So we time everything to try and train people not to go on and on or speak too short. And the beautiful thing about Toastmasters is two things, you're guaranteed an audience which often is hard to find, and you're guaranteed applause, and then, which is something very precious. And then in that audience, somebody will be given the task of giving you feedback. And if you were speaking, let's say, Lesley, we love that you did this, this, and this. Next time, challenge yourself. Here's my suggestion to improve that. So it's an incredibly positive, supportive environment. Everybody is there for the same reason. So it's an incredibly safe space. If you want to make mistakes, that's the place to make it. But that if you participate, within three months, you see such a tangible increase in confidence, which you take back to your family, your community, your career. So my advice is go to toastmasters.org and there's a Find a Club feature, and look for clubs in your area that meet at a day or a venue that suits you or a time, and go and visit a few clubs. They've each got their own personality. And don't be put off if they look different to you. They're older or younger than you. Just go and give it a go. You actually will be amazed. And one of the best things about it is you meet people that are different to you, people from different backgrounds, different experience sets, so your life, just by hearing their stories, is enriched. But it's a lot of fun. But you know, it's the best way to do it is just go attend a meeting and see what you think. Lesley Logan 25:23  What a fun hobby. I think that could be, even if you're not wanting to, I love that you brought up like you bring the confidence to the other parts of your life. We hear a lot of people, they struggle to make friends as an adult, because it's so much harder, like especially when you have kids, if you move to a new city, good luck making new relationships, new friends. It can be really difficult. But I sound, it sounds like Toastmasters would bring multiple facets of people to the same place, and so you can connect with other people. I mean, guaranteed applause. Who doesn't want that? But also, like. Aletta Rochat 25:53  In 150 countries all over the world, so, it's very hard to find a country that there isn't a Toastmasters club. So it's probably closer and easier than you imagine.Lesley Logan 26:02  I'm gonna look it up after just to see, because I've lived in the city four and a half years, but I find I have a great group of connections. But also I'm like, well, how would I meet more friends if I wanted to add more friends? Because, you know, it becomes, the city can come really small, if you like, stay in your group and you just have that network. So I think that it could be really cool. And also not that you have to want to go and be a public speaker, but also if you want to present in your office. You know.Aletta Rochat 26:26  In your office, at a wedding, at a friend's birthday, at a funeral. You know, there's so many opportunities we get to, especially these special occasions, speaking, where your speech is a gift that only you can give and you really want to do it well, you know, whether it's a friend or someone who's retiring or someone getting married, what a wonderful way to pay tribute to someone. And if you have a bit of practice, and you can even practice those speeches at Toastmasters and get feedback before the event, so that when the day comes, you can shine.Lesley Logan 26:59  Ah, that's so cool. That would have been very helpful when I had to speak at a funeral a few years back. Aletta Rochat 27:05  It's just so hard to do. It's not easy.Lesley Logan 27:06  So hard, you're so, you're so emotional, you're trying to, like, share your love, but you're also feeling your emotions. But I mean, you know, even though it's my company that I'm running, sometimes I have to present an idea. We talked about, at the beginning of this, it's like getting, in one-on-one, I could, like, totally share the idea, but then you got to present the idea to people who are the marketing department for it. They're the payroll department going, can we afford this? They're the ops department who has all these questions. And sometimes you're like, okay, now my idea doesn't, I don't have as much confidence in it. I feel a little muddy around it. I'm actually nervous, because now I have to translate it to all of you and get you excited, because I want to do it. It's hard. Aletta Rochat 27:45  Yeah, it's not easy, but with a bit of practice, you'll be amazed at how much easier it will get and how quickly you can achieve that.Lesley Logan 27:52  This is, I love this a lot. So what are you most excited about right now? We're in the new year when we're recording this. Is there something that you're super excited to do this year that you haven't been doing before, or is it more of the same?Aletta Rochat 27:59  I think it is growing what I've already done. I've got a beautiful group coaching program, and I want to invite more people into that, where I mentor them for a 12-month period on executive presence, and that group has just achieved so much that that is very exciting. I've also planning to publish a book on executive presence, putting all the tools that I've created and publishing that. Don't ask me for a publication date, because I don't know yet. I'm still trying to get it done, but it's a dream that excites me. Lesley Logan 28:37  Oh, around here, we love reading books, so you'll just have to let us know if there's a waitlist thing or something. Executive presence, is that something we all have inside us innately, or is that something that we have to cultivate?Aletta Rochat 28:49  I think people probably have an ability for it. Whether they nurture that ability is a different question. I remember when I was at school, the headmistress of my school, describing in a reference she wrote for me, she said a letter has a quiet authority, and in those days, maybe that was what executive presence was. So you don't have to be the loudest voice in the room. You don't have to be the best brain in the room, but if you have executive presence when you speak, people will listen because you're adding value, and you will speak in a way that contributes to the group and contributes to the bigger picture. So I believe everybody needs it and can cultivate it and can benefit from and it covers so many things. It covers the confidence, the self-belief, the sense of belonging, the way you articulate your message. So whether you're having to say no to someone, or whether you're giving feedback, or whether you're inspiring a team, if you've got executive presence, it's easier. So it's something that I think all of us should develop as a muscle, because the benefits are multifaceted, and it's not out of reach of anybody. We just have to become self aware, and then learn a few tips and tricks, and then have, build our awareness of others, because that's also part and parcel. You can't just be an island with your executive presence and nobody around you. You've got to learn to get the best out of people and give the best to people so that we all benefit.Lesley Logan 30:16  Beautiful. I think that what you're doing is really cool. You have such a calm, like this headmistress said, like this calm leadership about you, there's just something, and I think that's so nice. Sometimes people have so much fluttering energy. And there's something about you that everything that you say feels possible and doable, even, even if I've heard it before, but the way you say it, it's easy, like the I belong, and how that that can change the way we feel, and how all that can work. Lesley Logan 30:44  I wonder, before we take a brief break, what are the ways that you prioritize yourself because you are so passionate helping people and it doesn't feel like work, how do you make sure that you are prioritizing you in your day?Aletta Rochat 30:58  Got quite a good sense of when I'm not feeling at my best, and when that anxiety comes up when I'm just kind of not feeling me, my remedy is to go into nature, either go walk the garden, or take a dog for a walk or to have a run. Exercise and outdoors really helps me. My husband is very good. He'll just say, you know, what's going on? You know when, if it's Toastmasters related, he'll say, you joined to have fun. If you're not having fun, change something. So I'm also very aware of my energy levels. So, you know, I try and surround myself with people who lift my energy, and hopefully I do the same for them. So I've learned over the years to say no to things that aren't good for me, but I think it's just, it's almost like that barometer you've always just got to check how you're feeling today and if you're feeling off, why? I was trying to track it back, when did it change and what was it? And sometimes it's anxiety. You're worried about something, and then suddenly your energy changes, and then you become contracted inside, and then you can't be at your best. So how do you remedy that? Is it going back inside and reminding yourself that you belong? Is it taking a walk? Is it phoning a friend? It's just being aware of when you can recalibrate to get back into the position that you can be creative and spontaneous and add value, but knowing what it feels like when it's right and knowing what it feels like when it's wrong is a key to looking after yourself.Lesley Logan 32:29  I love that. I think that that's important to give ourselves time to do that, you know, I think that's really key. And it takes, it takes a muscle, it takes practice. I'll let everyone take a brief break and then find out how people can find you, follow you, work with you, and your Be It Action Items. Lesley Logan 32:44  All right, Aletta, you mentioned you have a I Belong playbook. I would like to know more, because I feel like that is the be it till you see it playbook right there and you've made it. So we may as well make sure people have it.Aletta Rochat 32:58  Well, I created it in the process of trying to challenge myself to identify which parts of my life I belong and which I don't feel I belong and why, and to kind of have a playbook where I can say, okay, that's the area I want to pick up on. So it's very simple. It's just prompts for you to follow. But the idea is that you do an inventory of your belongingness, of I can put it that way, I've never expressed it quite like that, and then that'll help you take the next step and inform yourself and just create that awareness that you can take further to get that sense of belonging and to cultivate it, nurture it. Because it's not a once and done deal. It's a practice, yeah, but it's a very powerful practice. So if people would like to download that they go to, I'm going to give you lots of letters here, H-T-T-P-S, you know the story, coaching.executivepresenceformula.com/belonging.Lesley Logan 33:55  We will put that in the show notes, guys. We will put that in the blogs. It's easy to click. Yes, that is wonderful. And do you hang out on any of the socials that people can find you, follow you on?Aletta Rochat 34:07  The best one to find me on is LinkedIn. And if you just Google my name or search my name on LinkedIn and send me a message, I'd love to have a conversation with you, and it's just, yeah, finding out, when I have a conversation with you, how I could be of service and, you know, whether we're a good match. And a conversation is the easiest way to determine that and then to see what's next.Lesley Logan 34:31  Love that. I love that. Thank you for that. Okay, you've actually given us so many great things. But for the people who may skip to the end, or they get to hit this point, and they are like, okay, but what, what should I do next? The bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted steps people can take to be it till they see it, what do you have for us?Aletta Rochat 34:48  The first thing I have is to own your sense of belonging, reclaim it if you've lost it. Second thing is you be the one to grant yourself permission to belong. It's within your power. You've got agency. It's a choice you have. And the third one is then start playing with it, start thinking, start speaking, start acting as if you belong, and watch the difference that results once you have that mindset. So it's reclaiming our sense of belonging. And that'll unleash so many possibilities for you, and it's something it's a gift you give yourself. Lesley Logan 35:26  Yes, yes. Oh my gosh, I love this so much. I think it's a great reminder and a wonderful tool. And so also, thank you for your playbook, because I do think the inventory of belongingness is, is key. People who listen to this, obviously, y'all want to know more about yourself, and I think what a great place to evaluate and have some aha moments. So, Aletta, thank you so much for being here and sharing your gifts with us and your positivity and your tools. You are wonderful. and you're doing great work. Lesley Logan 35:56  Y'all, make sure you share this with a friend. Share this with someone who needs to hear it. Make sure you hit up Aletta on LinkedIn and let her know your favorite takeaways and until next time, Be It Till You See It. Lesley Logan 36:05  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod.Brad Crowell 36:49  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 36:54  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 36:59  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 37:06  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 37:09  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What happens when someone dares to speak up—not just clearly, but confidently—in the moments that matter most? Aletta Rochat, International President-Elect of Toastmasters International, joins Mary Ann Faremouth on this episode of Career Can Do to explore how powerful communication and leadership skills can shape careers, strengthen confidence, and create lasting personal impact. Aletta shares insights from her global leadership journey, emphasising the unifying nature of Toastmasters: “We come from different countries who might speak different languages and have different cultures. But as Toastmasters, we unite and connect. And we're there for a common purpose. And that's why it works so well.” In times of crisis, communication can be your greatest tool. Aletta recalls a moment shared by a longtime Toastmaster she mentored: “Suddenly, with the confidence she built up through Toastmasters, she was able to take charge in a very stressful moment… and to keep calm in the midst of something that could have been exceptionally stressful.” Experiences like these, she says, highlight how communication skills, built over time, become instinctive when you need them most. She also tells the inspiring story of Emil, a new member who gave his first speech—despite a profound stutter: “It took him 16 agonizingly long minutes to get those words out.” With ongoing support, Emil went on to become a confident leader. “He learned, and he improved because of the support of the members around him. He couldn't have done that by himself.” Looking ahead to her conference session, Building Clubs That Are Member Magnets, Aletta promises to keep things practical and impactful: “I'm not going to give you the theory. I'm going to give you the stuff that works.” Reflecting on her 16-year Toastmasters journey, Aletta sums it up in one word: “Enriching.” She explains, “Toastmasters is not a spectator sport. The more you get involved, the better the return on investment.” This episode is a powerful reminder that communication isn't just a skill—it's a life-changing asset, and one that's more essential now than ever. Resources Toastmasters on the Web | District 65 Annual Conference 2025 Aletta Rochat on the Web | LinkedIn Mary Ann Faremouth on the Web | X (Twitter)

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM FULL SHOW NOTES https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/687 What happens when a finance professional clicks a mysterious purple icon in Excel and discovers a whole new world? For Mate Tóth, that moment sparked a journey from spreadsheets to becoming a Microsoft MVP. In this episode, Mate shares how curiosity, community, and a passion for learning transformed his career. From building his first Power App in production to leading Hungary's Power Platform user group, Mate's story is a masterclass in grassroots tech leadership and the power of showing up.KEY TAKEAWAYSStart Small, Think Big: Mate's Power Platform journey began with a single Excel task—proof that big transformations often start with small curiosities. Community as a Catalyst: His involvement in Toastmasters and local tech groups helped him grow as a speaker and leader, eventually leading to his MVP nomination. Localization Matters: Language barriers and cultural nuances shape tech adoption—Mate shares how he's bridging gaps in Hungary's tech scene. AI with Purpose: While enthusiastic about AI, Mate emphasizes ethical considerations and the importance of understanding each model's strengths. From Goals to Impact: Ironically, Mate became an MVP the year he stopped chasing the title and focused solely on helping others. RESOURCES MENTIONED

Episode 58 Stagefright, or even a little relunctance to stand up in a meeting and express ourselves, can be inhibit our growth and advancement in our jobs. Toastmaster is a perfect place to overcome that anxiety. I'll tell you about a great place to overcome all that here in Lexington, Kentucky. Bluegrass Region Voices and Views...hosting conversations with creative and inspiring people and spotlighting engaging activities, organizations, and places around the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky. You can find complete show notes, links, and photographs on my website at: https://www.bluegrassregionvoicesandviews.com/club Thanks for listening. -Tom Hailey    

On this episode of Mastery Unleashed, Christie Ruffino sits down with Renee Cooper, an accomplished speaker, corporate fundraising expert, and Toastmasters leader, to discuss the art of speaking with confidence and connecting with an audience.Renee shares her inspiring journey, from a childhood dream of becoming the next Oprah Winfrey to overcoming self-doubt and societal expectations, ultimately stepping into her true calling as a speaking coach. With over 15 years of experience in corporate fundraising and public speaking, Renee reveals how storytelling is the key to capturing attention and making a lasting impact.She provides three powerful strategies to help entrepreneurs, professionals, and aspiring speakers connect more and present less:Know Your "Why": Stay grounded in your message and ensure clarity in your purpose.Start with a Story or Powerful Question: Grab attention immediately and engage your audience emotionally.Master the Power of the Pause & Nonverbal Communication: Own the stage, make eye contact, and let silence work for you.Listeners can download Renee's exclusive empowerment speaking tips, a printable resource to boost confidence and elevate their speaking skills in any setting.ABOUT RENEERenee is a Communications expert and has been a Speaker for 15+ years, raising millions of dollars in Corporate Fundraising. Along her journey, many executives and leaders on all levels would ask her how she enjoys speaking so much and how they could consistently appear more authentic. Renee turned her lifelong love for speaking and educating to mentoring, coaching, and training individuals, teams, and organizations to improve their sales and leadership skills, by discovering, developing, and amplifying their voice, the most important instrument we were given. Renee uses a unique and customized interactive approach to help her audience's create authentic and engaging connections with their audiences, big or small. By using science-backed techniques including Improvisation, coupled with specific voice techniques and her own story overcoming adversity in the workplace, Renee is passionate about improving Communications in the workplace by getting her clients and audiences to walk through the discomfort of speaking, or working through conflict by doing a deep dive in Communications Training so they can reach the next level in their success journey - personally or professionally.Renee is a Toastmaster through Toastmasters International and a graduate of Dale Carnegie Leadership program. Renee is a speaker for the United Way of Broward County, has been a Speaker for Eagle's Haven in Coral Springs, FL, appears on Virtual Stages, leads Communication Masterclasses on Eventbrite, and runs a private Communications Coaching practice as a Transformative Communications Coach, supporting individuals and leaders in all industries in person and via Zoom. Renee, an educator by heart, was an Improv teacher and has led Improvisation classes at her local community center, to give back to her community.We have been conditioned, especially throughout school and in our careers, to get our presentations done and over with. Yet most people throughout every industry are still simply presenting. This is because most people simply share their message and hope that it will land for their audiences. Having the ability to take your message, while being able to transform your experience with them, through your voice, so that your audience will step into that message with you, is where authentic connection happens as a Speaker.GET RENEE'S GENEROUS GIFTSelf-Trust, Empowerment Tips when you speak to ANY-sized audienceACCESS THIS GIFT AND MANY MORELINKS...

https://megashia.comBioBorn in Kansas City and raised in Los Angeles, Megashia Jackson is a comedian, musician, model, motivational speaker and mother of three who has overcome a multitude of challenges to become the woman she is today.At the tender age of four, a babysitter poured hot water on her as punishment for being too noisy. She received second and third degree burns over fifty percent of her body, was taken away from her mother, hospitalized and in recovery for over a year. When she was finally well enough to go to school, she was mercilessly teased about her burn scars. But she had two secret weapons: a mind of steel and laughter. After learning “fire breathing” techniques as a way to deal with her physical pain, Megashia wasn't affected by the hurtful taunts of her classmates. And when she realized that laughter was the best way to fight her bullies, she became the class clown and started to develop her gift for comedy.Megashia's grandmother owned a record store, and she was exposed to many genres of music there. She soon began to pursue her own musical interests, playing brass instruments in several school bands before settling on her true love – percussion. A career in music was put on hold when she had children and needed to do something more practical.Coming from a long line of beauticians, Megashia decided to go to cosmetology school. It turns out she also had a talent for making her clients look and feel beautiful, opening a thriving hair salon and creating a line of hair care products.Today Megashia's biggest goal is to inspire other women. She completed the leadership program at A New Way of Life, an organization helping formerly incarcerated women reconnect with their purpose. She is an ordained minister specializing in the Ministry of Music, using traditional African Drumming and healing principles to uplift and connect with women who are going through their own challenges. She composed and recorded jazz inspired songs for the First Woman's Church's Music Ministry and drummed for campaigns supporting immigrants' rights and prison reform. She is also an active participant in Toastmasters International, winning awards for her use of humor in her speeches. She enjoys speaking to young women about self-care and increasing self-esteem.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/creator-to-creators-with-meosha-bean--4460322/support.

Jenn Espinosa-Goswami, ACC, MAL is an ICF-certified public speaking coach and Founder of Weightless LLC. A former Toastmasters International officer and graduate of the Masters of Leadership program at Augsburg University, Jenn helps entrepreneurs speak more clearly, consistently and confidently on stage or camera and get paid for their expertise. Over the past 10 years, Jenn has presented to thousands of executives and entrepreneurs, and was recognized by Influence Digest as top 15 coaches in Minneapolis. Prior to starting her company, Jenn served as a certified fraud examiner for 16 years within Fortune 500 financial companies. Jenn's Website: Home - Weightless Chronicles

Send us a textIn this episode, Erin shares her insights with Mark on how art mirrors society, the hidden influence of women's history, and the importance of staying curious rather than judgmental. With heartfelt stories about her pioneering grandmothers, she illustrates the power of taking risks and finding true purpose. Erin's thoughtful reflections on self-doubt, incremental progress, and the need for meaningful connection offer a refreshing perspective in a world often driven by surface-level interactions. Erin McDonald is a visionary leader, cultural strategist, and captivating speaker based in Edmonton, Alberta, advocating for equity, imagination, and resilience across Alberta's cultural landscape.With an MBA from the Australian Institute of Business and a Master of Cultural Heritage from Deakin University, Erin brings sharp analysis and heartfelt commitment to every table they sit at. An Edmonton Top 40 Under 40 recipient, Toastmasters International-certified communicator, and neuroqueer creative, Erin navigates complex systems with grace, wit, and cinematic flair.Known for their presence, expressive storytelling, and a blend of elegance and warmth, Erin is drawn to the quiet glamour of Old Hollywood and the grounded beauty of the lived experience. Whether reimagining funding models, curating inclusive celebrations, or championing underrepresented voices, Erin's work radiates integrity and intentionality.Erin founded EM Museum Consulting, bringing lived experience, humour, and fierce kindness to their leadership practice. Erin lives by the principle that reinvention is a form of resistance—and that true power lives in authenticity.Image credit: Janice Saxon-- Better pass boldly into that other world,in the full glory of some passion,than fade and wither dismally with age                                Joyce, Dubliners About Mark Laurie - Host.Mark has been transforming how women see themselves, enlarging their sense of sexy, and expanding their confidence in an exciting adventure that is transformational photography. http://innerspiritphotography.comhttps://www.instagram.com/innerspiritphotography/Sound Production by:Lee Ellis  - myofficemedia@gmail.com

Doug is joined by John Drinkwater, known as toastmasters Lord Zoom. John talks to Doug about how he became a Zoom expert during the pandemic, creating virtual Toastmasters events including TV productions that drew global audiences. He shares Zoom's AI capabilities, content creation strategies and his unconventional approach to goal setting. KEY TAKEAWAYS John describes himself as either fully committed or completely disengaged, which explains his approach to goals as ‘dangerous rabbit holes’ that consume his focus once he commits to them. After closing his business to care for his parents, John joined Toastmasters International for mental stimulation, becoming involved just before COVID forced everything online, positioning him perfectly to become a Zoom expert! When faced with hosting a Toastmasters conference online with no budget, John engineered a complex computer setup that transformed Zoom meetings into a TV-show experience, earning him the nickname "Lord Zoom" and attracting nearly 1,000 viewers globally. John believes effective online presentations should combine public speaking skills, marketing techniques, acting methods, and video production knowledge. Being reasonably good at all four areas beats being excellent at just one. Zoom's built in transcription, caption capabilities and companion AI can work together to capture meeting content and refine it, with the AI able to process transcript content into polished, concise material that preserves the speaker's intent. For ambitious goals, John recommends multiplying your target by 10-100x to make it ‘stupendously stupid’, even if you fall short, you'll achieve far more than with modest goals, while pairing this with more realistic short term milestones. Creating scarcity through limited availability (like offering only 500 spots for a program) generates FOMO (fear of missing out) and makes people more likely to commit, even when pursuing extremely ambitious targets. Rather than giving all content away free, John advises offering enough value to inspire interest, then creating interactive coaching programs where people work through processes together, as group coaching provides multiple perspectives and is more scalable than one-on-one sessions. BEST MOMENTS "I'm a very binary guy, I either sit there and don't say a word, or you can't shut me up.“ "I basically just told my customers, I'm terribly sorry, but I'm going to stop trading in a couple of months time because I've decided that I love my parents so much that I want to look after them in their final years... and I disappeared for ten years." "If you're going to do it, you need to have an overriding ridiculous goal and whatever your overriding ridiculous goal is, you probably need to multiply it by 10 or 100 to turn it into absolutely stupendously stupid goal." "If you think half a million is good, then why not a million? And you think a million is not good, why not aim for five million? Now if I fail miserably and I get five hundred thousand, it's still a brilliant goal." "If people are gonna watch you, then you should take some effort to make it more interesting.” ABOUT THE GUEST https://www.linkedin.com/in/johndrinkwaterlordzoom/ VALUABLE RESOURCES Website: http://dougbennett.co.uk/ Email: doug@dougbennett.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/financialdoug/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FinancialDoug Facebook Wealth Tribe: https://join.dougbennett.co.uk/ Download Your "Ten-Step Guide To Financial Freedom" Here: https://bit.ly/Struggle-Success BOOKS: Goals Do Come True is now live and available to buy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3phcy6Z Think Simple, Win Big is now live and available to buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Think-Simple-Win-Big-Business/ Enjoy, and come back for the latest podcast each Wednesday. Thank you for listening.

From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021. Our interviews on Entrepreneurs On Fire are meant to be evergreen, and we do our best to confirm that all offers and URL's in these archive episodes are still relevant. Les Brown is regarded as one of the Top 5 Motivational Speakers of all time and was the recipient of the Golden Gavel Award, the highest honor awarded by Toastmasters International. He has spoken to audiences as big as 80,000 people and has worked with countless fortune 500-companies. Known for being the ultimate Storyteller, Les is dedicated to showing the world that you can't afford to be complacent and that it is your duty to aim high, achieve your goals, and live a life that will outlive you! Now, Les is dedicated to training and coaching the next generation of "motivators" who will go out into the world and make a positive impact! Top 3 Value Bombs 1. You have to have the feeling and determination to do something different in your life. 2. When your prayers aren't answered, you keep your faith in your faith. 3. Whatever you are going through, you will learn strategies and techniques to turn adversity to your advantage. Get your copy now on Amazon - You've Got To Be Hungry Sponsors ThriveTime Show Attend the world's highest rated business growth workshop taught personally by Clay Clark & NOW featuring Rich Dad Poor Dad Author Robert Kiyosaki and Eric Trump at ThrivetimeShow.com/eofire Author100 A 100-day program where I will personally guide you 1-on-1 to create, write, publish and market your book. If you want daily guidance and mentorship from me, JLD, then head over to Author100.com to sign up for a free call to chat about the details Airbnb If you've got an extended trip coming up and need a little help hosting while you're away, hire a co-host to do the work for you. Find a co-host at Airbnb.com/host

From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021. Our interviews on Entrepreneurs On Fire are meant to be evergreen, and we do our best to confirm that all offers and URL's in these archive episodes are still relevant. Les Brown is regarded as one of the Top 5 Motivational Speakers of all time and was the recipient of the Golden Gavel Award, the highest honor awarded by Toastmasters International. He has spoken to audiences as big as 80,000 people and has worked with countless fortune 500-companies. Known for being the ultimate Storyteller, Les is dedicated to showing the world that you can't afford to be complacent and that it is your duty to aim high, achieve your goals, and live a life that will outlive you! Now, Les is dedicated to training and coaching the next generation of "motivators" who will go out into the world and make a positive impact! Top 3 Value Bombs 1. You have to have the feeling and determination to do something different in your life. 2. When your prayers aren't answered, you keep your faith in your faith. 3. Whatever you are going through, you will learn strategies and techniques to turn adversity to your advantage. Get your copy now on Amazon - You've Got To Be Hungry Sponsors ThriveTime Show Attend the world's highest rated business growth workshop taught personally by Clay Clark & NOW featuring Rich Dad Poor Dad Author Robert Kiyosaki and Eric Trump at ThrivetimeShow.com/eofire Author100 A 100-day program where I will personally guide you 1-on-1 to create, write, publish and market your book. If you want daily guidance and mentorship from me, JLD, then head over to Author100.com to sign up for a free call to chat about the details Airbnb If you've got an extended trip coming up and need a little help hosting while you're away, hire a co-host to do the work for you. Find a co-host at Airbnb.com/host  

Die Schweizerische Bundesbahn (SBB) hat ca. 35'000 Mitarbeitende, 150 verschiedene Berufsgruppen und kommuniziert auf Deutsch, Französisch und Italienisch - eine spannende Umgebung für Verantwortliche für Awareness und Kulturentwicklung wie Manu Alexander. Der Fachexperte für Konzernsicherheit gibt einen Einblick in das aktuelle Programm, selbstentwickelte Tools, den Escape Room uvm. Manu spricht mit Marcus und Katja über Techie-Weltsichten, Japan und wirklich coole Ideen.   Manu Alexander auf Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manu-alexander/ Übersicht über alle Rhetorik Clubs von Toastmasters International in der Schweiz: https://www.rhetorikclubs.ch/alle-toastmasters.php   Rhetorik Club Zürich (Hier ist Manu Mitglied) https://rczh.ch/   Fachausbildung Digital Collaboration Specialist: https://www.ict-berufsbildung.ch/weiterbildung/fachausweis/digital-collaboration-specialist?gad_source=1   Kurs auf edx.org über Hongkong Filme (The University of Hong Kong): https://www.edx.org/learn/film/university-of-hong-kong-hong-kong-cinema-through-a-global-lens-quan-qiu-hua-xia-de-xiang-gang-dian-ying   Kurs auf edx.org über Städte (Harvard University) https://www.edx.org/learn/urban-planning/harvard-university-citiesx-the-past-present-and-future-of-urban-life   Talk von Manu am Swiss Security Awareness Day 2024: https://switch.mediaspace.cast.switch.ch/media/6+-+Manu+AlexanderA+Security+Awareness+%40SBB/0_owl8u9hd   Take-Aware In Wuppertal vom 21.-22. März in Wuppertal:  https://www.take-aware-events.com/events/take-aware-2025-wuppertal  

Julian Treasure is a sound and communication expert, author and international keynote speaker. His five TED talks and 11 TEDx talks have been viewed more than 150 million times, and one of them is the sixth most viewed TED talk of all time. ---    Upgrade Your Brain  Unleash & Use Your Uniqueness    ⁠⁠https://braingym.fitness/⁠⁠   Find a Virtual Assistant at va.world All about Roy https://roycoughlan.com/ ------------    Speaking Podcast Social Media / Coaching My Other Podcasts  ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠  ------------------    About my Guest Julian Treasure: Julian Treasure is a sound and communication expert, author and international keynote speaker. His five TED talks and 11 TEDx talks have been viewed more than 150 million times, and one of them is the sixth most viewed TED talk of all time. He has been widely featured in the world's media, including TIME Magazine, The Economist, Vogue, The Times, TV and radio stations including NBC's Today Show, BBC TV and radio, and many podcasts. He has been honoured with both Toastmasters International's Golden Gavel Award and the International Listening Associations's Special Recognition award. Julian's first book, Sound Business, is the seminal work on effective business sound. His audio branding company The Sound Agency works with major brands worldwide, proving that good sound is good business by designing excellent customer experience for the ears. Julian's second book, How To Be Heard: Secrets for Powerful Speaking and Listening, is a practical guide to improving personal communication skills. The audiobook version won both the SOVAS and Audie global awards for best business audiobook of the year. His seven-hour online course How To Speak So That People Want To Listen includes modules on public speaking and wellbeing for presenters. Before The Sound Agency, Julian founded, grew and sold leading UK contract publisher TPD, during which time he was chairman of the Association of Publishing Agencies, a director of the Periodical Publishers Association, chairman of PPAinteractive and chairman of the UK government's Digital Content Forum. In 2002, he received the PPA Chairman's Award for services to the UK magazine publishing industry. Julian is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Marketors, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a long time musician, remembering with affection his two 1981 BBC John Peel sessions (the bands were Transmitters and Missing Presumed Dead) and scoring Sounds magazine's single of the week with Fish Turned Human. What we Discussed:    - How he got into Public Speaking (1 min) - The biggest problem in relationships is listening (7 mins) - Hearing V's Listening ( 8 mins) - Techniques to be Fully Preesent when Listening (12:30 mins) - Be present when listening (16 mins) - Can we comprehend if we listen at x2 times (18:30 mins) - What not to say as a CEO (23:15 mins) - Speaking from the Heart V's teleprompter (26:30 mins) - How he prepared his 5 TED speeches ( 29 mins) - Stop winging it ( 36 mins) - Why you need more than just Toastmasters (38:30 mins) - You do not need to be screaming in a Noisy Bar (43:30 mins) - The Power of Sound (48:30 mins) - Winning an Audio Book award ( 52:30 mins)   Where to find Julian Treasure:  http://www.juliantreasure.com http://www.speaklistenbe.com http://www.thesoundagency.com http://twitter.com/#!/juliantreasure http://www.linkedin.com/in/juliantreasure http://www.instagram.com/juliantreasure ------------------------------ More about the Awakening Podcast: All Episodes can be found at ⁠⁠http://www.speakingpodcast.com/⁠⁠   All Social Media + Donations link ⁠⁠https://bio.link/podcaster⁠⁠   https://roycoughlan.com/ Our Facebook Group can be found at ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakingpodcast⁠

With over a decade of experience in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry, Eslyn started her journey at the tender age of 17 as a trainee in the Entertainment Department at one of the World's Leading Hotel Chains in the Caribbean, Sandals Resorts. Eslyn's dynamic personality, whit and charm was quickly noticed by many including the management, staff and returning customers to the resort hence earning her the youngest to win the coveted title of Ultimate Prestige Team Member. She migrated to the United States at 27 years old and started her entrepreneurial career. This change thrust her into the world of Personal Development. Eslyn is a member of Toastmasters International and has served on the board for her local chapter as Vice President of Membership and Club President. She led the Brandon Toastmasters Club in accomplishing the President's Distinguished Club award/ She  currently serves as Area 33 Director for District 48. This fiery Caribbean Native believes that servant leadership is the catalyst to impact anyone to lead  an organization. She continues to be a student first always learning, sharpening her skills to continue being of service and making a positive  impact where ever she can and goes.

What did you think of this episode?Are you struggling to get your writing started? Award-winning author Lori Hatcher shares five tips to help us increase our writing output. Welcome to Your Best Writing Life, an extension of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference held in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of NC. I'm your host, Linda Goldfarb. Each week, I bring tips and strategies from writing and publishing industry experts to help you excel in your craft. I'm so glad you're listening in. During this episode, you'll learn Five Tips to Increase Your Writing Productivity. My industry expert is Lori Hatcher. Lori inspires and equips others by sharing high-impact stories for spiritual transformation. A popular women's ministry speaker and writing/speaking instructor, Lori is an Advanced Communicator Gold and Advanced Leader Bronze with Toastmasters International. She writes for Our Daily Bread, Guideposts, Revive Our Hearts, and Crosswalk.com.Lori, welcome to Your Best Writing Life!Five Tips to Increase Your Writing Productivity Tip one – Write in order of priorities, not preferences. Release the tyranny of the urgent: at the end of the day, what is most important for me to accomplish today?Tip two – Use the four-bucket method, with either hard copies or digital folders. Notes app for iOS:Bucket of ideas: choose the one that resonates.Bucket of first drafts: write 500 words or one timer's worth (check this bucket first).Bucket of ready-to-edit: a complete piece (go to this second).Bucket of ready-to-submit: a go-to list of places to submit or in your book manuscript. Tip three: Use the Pomodoro method, intentionally moving up and down. Work for 25 minutes, then take 5 minutes off. Write in sprints (or more, perhaps 55 minutes on, followed by a 15-minute mental break during which you change locations and physical positions). Tip four: Create a page or word count goal for each chapter or element to ensure cohesiveness. This will also help you write tightly.Tip five: Pray before you write. God knows the words we need. Pray while you write, and pray after you write. Make time with God a top priority and release your work to Him. He always accomplishes what we need to do. Ask Him to give us His heart for our writing readers.LINKS A WORD FOR YOUR DAY: 66 DEVOTIONS TO REFRESH YOUR MIND, from Our Daily Bread PublishingLORIHATCHER.COM Visit Your Best Writing Life website.Join our Facebook group, Your Best Writing LifeYour host - Linda Goldfarb#1 Podcast in the "Top 50+ Must-Have Tools and Resources for Christian Writers in 2024". Awarded the Spark Media 2022 Most Binge-Worthy PodcastAwarded the Spark Media 2023 Fan Favorites Best Solo Podcast

Michelle Gladieux, a communication expert, debate coach, executive coach, and author of “Communicate with Courage: Taking Risks to Overcome the Four Hidden Challenges,“ brings years of experience in training leaders in almost every industry for more impactful presentations.  Four personality skills consist of: 1) driver for highly assertive person; 2) analyst is great at details; 3) amiable means you are flexible; 4) expressive style is one who is gregarious and loves to talk.  The four challenges: 1) hiding from risk when the risk should be confronted; 2) defining to be right and confident; 3) rationalizing the negative and being afraid to bring it up; 4) settling for just “good enough.” Example of ProMoves is just doing a little more than the average reaction. Mainstream media was accurately criticized for biased, unprofessional coverage of the Trump-Harris Campaigns, especially by consistently burying many of Trump's acerbic inaccurate statements such as imprisoning some political opponents.

Overcoming Fear and Anxiety in Leadership Communication How to Self-Soothe Before Difficult Conversations Episode #237 (George is based in New York City) In this conversation with George J. Rivera we explore: The deeper meaning of behavior and communication, and why understanding the 'why' is essential for meaningful interactions. How to handle difficult conversations with strategies like mental rehearsal and reflection for improved outcomes. The role of leaders in shaping physical and emotional environments to support team success. The importance of psychological safety in fostering creativity, collaboration, and authenticity in teams. Techniques for using humor and empathy to reduce stress and enhance communication. The critical connection between leadership and environmental awareness, from physical settings to cultural dynamics. Lessons from nature, like mangrove trees, that reveal how creating the right conditions enables people to thrive. The value of self-awareness in leadership and its impact on team dynamics and organizational culture. ----- About our guest George R. Rivera: A member of Toastmasters International for the last 26 years, and serving as the District 46 Director this year. District 46 includes north of 34th street through Westchester NY.   Behavior Analyst the last 20+ years serving families, school districts, and hospitals in the Tri-State area.    Fun fact: Cast and performed in a few Off-Broadway productions including Assassins, Bellevue Sketches, and Man of La Mancha.    Connect with George https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-j-rivera-msed-9b689a5/ -----   Here are the key learning points from the interview with George Rivera: 1. Understanding Behavior and Communication Behavior is not labeled as "good" or "bad"; it always serves a function based on context and underlying motives. Language itself is considered a behavior and reflects deeper thought processes and emotions. 2. Strategies for Handling Difficult Conversations Self-Soothing Techniques: Use cognitive behavioral exercises like "time travel" to mentally rehearse the conversation and reflect afterward. Anticipate possible responses and prepare for them to maintain composure and improve outcomes. Acknowledge and manage perceived consequences to reduce avoidance or fear. 3. Leadership and Environmental Awareness A leader's awareness of the physical and emotional environment is critical for team success. Environmental factors, such as physical space, communication systems, and the leader's demeanor, significantly impact team dynamics. Leaders themselves are a central part of the environment they influence. 4. Psychological Safety in Teams Creating a sense of psychological safety fosters risk-taking, creativity, and authentic communication within teams. Leaders can encourage openness by modeling vulnerability and gradually introducing opportunities for team members to share thoughts and feelings. 5. Building Better Team Communication Structure communication to suit the needs of the team, balancing technology (e.g., email, messaging) with opportunities for live interaction. Recognize environmental stressors, such as overcrowded or noisy spaces, that can hinder communication. 6. Using Humor and Empathy Humor, particularly self-deprecating humor, can reduce stress, build trust, and foster openness in communication. Empathy allows for better acknowledgment of others' perspectives, reducing defensiveness and conflict. 7. Lessons from Nature: Mangrove Trees and Leadership The mangrove tree analogy highlights the importance of creating an environment conducive to growth and thriving, much like the tree's ecosystem supports unique organisms. Leaders should act like "mangrove trees," fostering collaboration, diversity, and interconnectedness. 8. Encouraging Collaborative and Inclusive Leadership Leaders should: Reflect inwardly on their role in shaping the environment. Promote open and honest communication over time. Foster collaboration and a shared purpose to reduce stress and enhance teamwork. Would you like these summarized for a specific audience, such as LinkedIn readers or podcast listeners? ----- ----more---- Your host is George Torok George is a specialist in communication skills. Especially presentation. He's fascinated by the links between communication and influencing behaviors. He delivers training and coaching programs to help leaders and promising professionals deliver the intended message for greater success.   Connect with George www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/ https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills https://www.instagram.com/georgetorok/  

Text us to share your thoughts In this fascinating conversation we have a chat with Riccardo an expert storyteller who shares his background and why he fell into storytelling and its importance on leadership Here are the key talking points from our conversation:

Holly Keily, Ph.D. is Research and Analysis Department Manager at Toastmasters International.  In this episode, Holly talks about growing up in Denver, family, childhood interests, french language, international business, communications, Hawaii, Milwaukee, Buffalo, career, and Toastmasters.

My guest today is Jenn Espinosa Goswami. Jenn Espinosa-Goswami, ACC, MAL is a certified public speaking coach at Weightless LLC. A former Toastmasters International officer and contest winner, Jenn helps service-based entrepreneurs leverage their leadership through paid public speaking. Jenn holds a Bachelor's degree in Global Studies and German from the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities Campus, and a Master's Degree in Leadership from Augsburg University. She has served on two non-profit boards, including Women Entrepreneur's of Minnesota and International Coaching Federation Minnesota Chapter. Prior to starting her public speaking company, Jenn served over 16 years as a corporate fraud analyst for Fortune 500 companies, where she conducted both internal and external investigations. Recognized as a top 15 coach in Minneapolis in 2024 and a finalist for Coach of the Year from International Association of Women in 2022, Jenn is an international speaker. Her 100- pound weight loss story has been featured on Authority Magazine, Thrive Global, Women's Health, and international podcasts. Jenn shares powerful speaking tips on her YouTube channel and is happiest on one of 10,000 lakes in Minnesota. A mother of two beautiful daughters and wife of 20 years, Jenn loves to cook spicy food and travel to new destinations. In this episode we discuss public speaking, paid speaking gigs, leadership and crafting your signature talk.Website - https://www.weightlesschronicles.com/IG - https://www.instagram.com/jennspingoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jego3YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JenniferEspinosaGoswamiIn this episode you will learn:1. The importance of taking consistent action in order to build confidence, personal growth and improve as a speaker.2.Tips for navigating public speaking challenges.3. Why you should develop a signature talk and the power within that. “This is something that not everyone outside of coaching might be aware of, but coaching is actually permission-based. And this is what that means. Sometimes if you've worked with a coach before and had a negative experience, it's because it wasn't coaching.” - 00:08:23“When I'm working with clients we work first on what would what do you want public speaking to do for you?” 00:23:28“Purpose is a loaded thing. It feels heavy, It feels overwhelming sometimes.” 00:38:11

Blanca Rodriguez is the owner and CEO of Wounded Healer, LLC.  Her mission in life is to help others improve quality of life, no matter what age we are.  She has been a licensed massage therapist for 19 years, certified canine massage therapist for 8 years, Fitness instructor for 45+ individuals and Zumba and dance teaching for 40+ years. Amazon bestselling book coauthor, Holistic life coach, motivational, inspirational speaker, educator, and volunteer. Blanca is a member and mentor at the American Massage Therapy Association, member, mentor and vice president of education at Talking heads of Stuart Toastmasters, member of Puerto Rico Toastmasters club, and Area Director for Toastmasters International. #drdanamzallag, #drdanpodcast, #Happinessjourneywithdrdan, #ddanmotivation, #inspiringinterviews, #drdancbt, #drdantherapy, #drdancoaching, #drdanhappiness,   --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/happinessjourney/support

Welcome to the Personal Development Trailblazers Podcast! In this episode, we'll uncover the hidden beauty in life's twists and turns, and learn to view change through a different lens. Blanca E. Rodriguez is the owner/CEO of Wounded Healer, LLC. She has been a licensed massage therapist for 19 years, certified canine massage therapist for 8 years, Fitness instructor for 45+ individuals and Zumba and dance teaching for 40+ years. Amazon bestselling book coauthor, Holistic life coach, motivational, inspirational speaker, educator, and volunteer. Blanca is a member and mentor at the American Massage Therapy Association, member, mentor and vice president of education at Talking heads of Stuart Toastmasters, member of Puerto Rico Toastmasters club, and Area Director for Toastmasters International. Connect with Blanca  here:  https://www.facebook.com/r.blancae https://www.facebook.com/Woundedhealer1965 https://www.linkedin.com/in/blanca-e-rodriguez-58b20490 https://www.instagram.com/woundedhealer.blancae/ https://www.threads.net/@woundedhealer.blancae https://www.tiktok.com/@woundedhealer.blancae?lang=en www.woundedhealer.us Grab the freebie here: Contact Blanca for a FREE 1 to 2 hour complimentary holistic life coaching session! =================================== If you enjoyed this episode, remember to hit the like button and subscribe. Then share this episode with your friends. Thanks for watching the Personal Development Trailblazers Podcast. This podcast is part of the Digital Trailblazer family of podcasts. To learn more about Digital Trailblazer and what we do to help entrepreneurs, go to DigitalTrailblazer.com. Are you a coach, consultant, expert, or online course creator? Then we'd love to invite you to our FREE Facebook Group where you can learn the best strategies to land more high-ticket clients and customers.  Request to join here:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitablecoursecreators QUICK LINKS:  APPLY TO BE FEATURED: https://app.digitaltrailblazer.com/podcast-guest-application GET MORE CLIENTS: https://app.digitaltrailblazer.com/client-acquisition-accelerator-pdf DIGITAL TRAILBLAZER: https://digitaltrailblazer.com/ JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitablecoursecreators

Bryan discusses his recent experience making it to the Semi-finals of the World Championship of Public Speaking hosted by Toastmasters International.Fresh off this experience, Bryan shares with Greg why public speaking can be an invaluable skill for any fundraiser to develop.

TIMESTAMPS00:00 Meet Cathy01:21 Changes in Healthcare and Talent Acquisition04:04 Short-Term Strategies: Social Media Recruitment and In-Person Events06:54 Long-Term Strategies: Early Talent Development09:39 Attracting Candidates with Sustainability and Purpose12:02 Retaining Talent: Career Paths, Education Programs, and Flexibility13:51 Measuring Success: Metrics in Talent Acquisition and Retention20:12 The Future of Healthcare: Telehealth, Flexibility, and Change Management26:12 Closing Remarks and Promotions ABOUT CATHYCathy brings over 20 years of experience in the recruiting and staffing industry and holds an MBA in Human Resource Management from Texas Tech University, along with an undergraduate degree in Business Management. Her expertise spans training recruiters, developing innovative processes, and crafting new recruiting strategies. Cathy has been a featured speaker at numerous industry conferences, including the ITAA CEO Summit, ERE Expo, SHRM Regional meetings, and NACCB conferences, as well as local organizational events. She has also represented the staffing industry in Washington, DC, as a lobbyist for the Immigration Visa Quota bill.Cathy has achieved the highest distinction with Toastmasters International, earning the title of Distinguished Toastmaster. She holds several certifications, including Certified Internet Recruiter from AIRS, Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) from HRCI/SHRM, Just Culture Expert, Green Belt in LEAN/Six Sigma, and Certified LinkedIn Recruiter.Connect with Cathy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathyhenesey/ABOUT KERRYKerry Perez leads the design and development of enterprise strategy in addition to overseeing Marketing, Corporate Communications, and Creative Services.Ms. Perez joined AMN Healthcare in 2007 and has held various roles during her tenure, including recruitment, marketing, innovation, strategy, and M&A. She most recently served as the company's Vice President of Enterprise Strategy. She also stood up AMN Healthcare's Diligence and Integration Management Office, which led the strategic and functional integration of new acquisitions to drive synergy. She was named among Staffing Industry Analyst's Top 40 Under 40 in 2001, and she hosts the AMN Healthcare podcast, Elevate Care.Ms. Perez maintains the guiding principles of being customer obsessed, thinking big and delivering results. She has a passion for mentoring emerging leaders and building effective teams.Ms. Perez holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Economics and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from the University of California at Santa Barbara. For more than four years, she has served on the board of Dallas-based nonprofit, CitySquare, which focuses on fighting the causes and effects of poverty.  ABOUT THE SHOWElevate Care delves into the latest trends, thinking, and best practices shaping the landscape of healthcare. From total talent management to solutions and strategies to expand the reach of care, we discuss methods to enable high quality, flexible workforce and care delivery. We will discuss the latest advancements in technology, the impact of emerging models and settings, physical and virtual, and address strategies to identify and obtain an optimal workforce mix. Tune in to gain valuable insights from thought leaders focused on improving healthcare quality, workforce well-being, and patient outcomes.Learn more about the show: https://www.amnhealthcare.com/campaign/elevate-care-podcast/ FIND US ONWebsite – https://www.amnhealthcare.com/podcast/elevate-care-podcast/YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@ElevateCarePodcastSpotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/5R2oWLZXYfjtPGW7o5KpuoApple – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elevate-care/id1710406359Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/amnhealthcare/LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/amn-healthcare/X – https://twitter.com/amnhealthcare/Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/amnhealthcare/ Powered by AMN Healthcare

Jesse Oakley is a longtime member of Toastmasters International who has leveraged the organization to improve his public speaking skills, find his wife, and even write a book called "Greetings, Happy People." In this episode, he shares his inspiring stories and insights on how Toastmasters has impacted his personal and professional life. Standout Quotes: "If you are yourself, then you can realize that no matter what happens, whether the date goes well or not, it's a learning experience." – Jesse Oakley "Find a common interest or hobby with your partner, as that can be the bridge to connect and communicate with each other." – Jesse Oakley "Communicating with one person can be just as difficult as speaking to a large audience." – Jesse Oakley Key Takeaways: Find a local club to improve your public speaking and communication skills. Reflect on your own goals and dreams, and consider how you can turn them into a tangible project or book. When going on a first date, focus on being authentic and true to yourself, rather than trying to impress the other person. Embrace any rejections as learning opportunities. Identify a hobby, interest, or skill that you share with a potential partner, and use that as a way to build a stronger connection and facilitate better communication. Practice having difficult conversations, such as delivering tragic news to a loved one, by considering how you would approach the situation with empathy and composure. Episode Timeline: 0:00:02 - Introduction and guest introduction 0:01:54 - Jesse's book "Greetings, Happy People" and the story behind it 0:04:52 - How Jesse met his wife Dana through Toastmasters 0:08:41 - Jesse's experience serving on the Toastmasters International Board of Directors 0:12:33 - Advice on being authentic and embracing rejection on first dates 0:15:18 - Jesse's journey into public speaking and Toastmasters 0:21:11 - The most challenging communication experience of Jesse's life Resources: Greetings Happy People by Jesse Oakley on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Greetings-Happy-People-Jesse-Oakley/dp/1456819763 Visit Toastmasters International - www.toastmasters.org Jesse Oakley on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesseoakleyiii/

Welcome back to America's #1 Daily Podcast,  featuring America's #1 Real Estate Coaches and Top EXP Realty Sponsors in the World, Tim and Julie Harris. Ready to become an EXP Realty Agent and join Tim and Julie Harris?  Visit: https://whylibertas.com/harris or text Tim directly at 512-758-0206. IMPORTANT: Join #1 Real Estate Coaches Tim and Julie Harris's Premier Coaching now for FREE. Included is a DAILY Coaching Session with a HARRIS Certified Coach. Proven and tested lead generation, systems, and scripts designed for this market. Instant FREE Access Now: YES, Enroll Me NOW In Premier Coaching https://premiercoaching.com As an award-winning real estate agent with eXp Realty who has performed in the top 1%, worldwide for over two decades, Kevin Yoder innately understands the profound benefits of intention, attitude, and relationships on both personal and professional success. Kevin is a certified Bob Proctor Mindset Performance Coach with a focus on elevating and empowering entrepreneurs, and is recognized as an award-winning speaker by Toastmasters International. Kevin's talents extend far beyond those of a traditional life coach. Instead, he works as a true Life Strategist cultivating a multi-faceted approach to personal potential that encompasses balance, connection with others, financial success, and self-fulfillment. He lives the Lessons on these pages everyday and has seen, first-hand, how these seemingly simple principles have dynamically transformed his life and many others. HUGE Announcement: You will love this! Looking for the full outline from today's presentation? Our DAILY Newsletter featured lead generation systems, real estate scripts, daily success plans and (YES) the notes or today's show. Best part? The newsletter is free! https://harrisrealestatedaily.com/

Something a little different this week. This week we look at a convention going on next door to Disneyland. Dive into the history of Toastmaster International an organization formed just down the street from the park...and some orange trees.   Below are some of the regulars on Art Throw Down, Follow all of them on Instagram anyway for great art and postcards in your Instagram feed: Hipstadufus, luluvision, jlynch9923, greenmosspaper, georgemailsart, state_of_the_funyun, RussRomano2021

Stephen Shaner has been studying the concept of “attitude” for more than 35 years. Specifically, his interest has focused on how attitude affects people and those around them. He has incorporated learning experiences from many sources, research, and training concerning behavior, attitude, ethics, and business and personal relations. Stephen, as a facilitator of Stephen Covey's “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" for 15 years, was able to gain powerful insight. These opportunities led him to design informative and relevant presentations. Coupled with his contagious attitude, his extensive experience has made him a popular resource for keynotes, seminars, workshops, private sessions, newsletters, and articles. He is a sought-after mentor for business professionals and individuals seeking for meaningful and lasting improvement. In his professional life, after 20 years of employment with HealthPartners, Stephen recently retired as the Manager of the Regional Technology Center in Duluth, Minnesota. He is an active member of Toastmasters International, where he has held many leadership positions, including District Director for a membership base of approximately 5,000, and Region IV Advisor, with responsibilities covering five U.S. states and three Canadian Provinces. Stephen currently lives with his wife in Tennessee. Stephen continues to incorporate his leadership and communication skills to help professional and private entities meet their specific demands and goals. His success is based on delivering personalized training, guidance, and entertaining messages, as well as his passion for teaching and sharing his knowledge for the benefit of those around him. As an Award-Winning International Speaker, Stephen has developed presentations that address the core of attitude and how having the right one can dramatically change lives professionally and personally. You are invited to explore all Stephen has to offer or contact him to discuss a presentation that fits your needs. Website: www.awesomeattitude.net   Learn more about your host, Kim Lengling: www.kimlenglingauthor.com

[21:34] Host co-chairs enlighten us about Anaheim and give us a sneak-peek around Toastmasters International 100th anniversary event August 14-17, 2024

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In this episode, Bill & Cary Levinson host a live interview with Charles Samuel, an elite sales coach, and creator of the"60-Second Close" presentation! Whether you are new to this industry, or a seasoned pro, this podcast is perfect for you! Charles has developed and perfected various sales concepts and strategies that help maximize productivity and improve core selling skills for Agents, Financial Advisors, and Internal Sales Teams! --------------- Charles Samuel serves as Regional Vice President of Annuity Distribution for a major Insurance carrier. He is responsible for driving results through the sales team and independent distribution partners in the eastern region. Charles also develops and delivers sales concepts and strategies that help maximize productivity and improve core selling skills for agents, financial advisors, and internal sales teams.  He holds several financial service industry designations, including the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®) and the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®), as well as the Series 6, Series 26, and Series 63 registrations with FINRA. His commitment to the pursuit of knowledge allows Charles to effectively address customer concerns and stay on top of current market trends.  As a highly experienced public speaker, Charles is actively involved in Toastmasters International where he is recognized as an Advance Communicator and Advance Leader. Charles is passionate in his commitment to sharing what he has learned with others in a way that motivates them to act.   Check us out online: Agent website: https://www.LevinsonAndAssociates.com/ Facebook: / levinsonandassociates X: / levinsonassoc Instagram: / levinsonandassociates Threads: https://www.threads.net/@levinsonandandassociates  LinkedIn: / billlevinson Bill Levinson Experience Podcast: http://levinson.libsyn.com/ Youtube Library: / thelevinson1

#226 Today we're talking about a topic that I've barely mentioned but is important to me. In 2012 I was in Todd Durkin's mastermind. At that time, he had a “Book of the Month” which was recommended.  One of those books was a Jeffrey Gitomer sales book. In the book, Gitomer recommended that readers join Toastmasters International if they were serious about communication and leadership.  I joined immediately and have been a member for 12 years.  We'll be talking about what Toastmasters is and isn't, how it benefited me, and my suggestions for you! Listen to this episode, apply what you learn, and teach it to others. By the way, be sure to connect with me on Instagram! Listen and grow! Your Financial Coach, Billy  P.S. If you or someone you know is looking for a plan to dial in their finances and achieve some financial freedom, book a short call with me here!  P.P.S. You can book a call at that same link if you are interested in getting your financials dialed in and efficient with bookkeeping.    

In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about how to maximize your executive presence without compromising your values. Too many professionals struggle to make their voices heard because they hesitate to sell themselves and their ideas. But what if there were a way to do all of this and stay true to yourself? This week, I talk with Aletta Rochat, an executive presence coach, who believes that stagnant careers shouldn't happen to good people. Here she shares service-oriented strategies to help us build our confidence, visibility and influence, including specific steps to help you more effectively speak up in meetings, build trust with influencers and showcase your value.About My GuestAletta Rochat is a keynote speaker and Executive Presence Coach. “Most people miss out on opportunities as they struggle to sell themselves and their ideas. I have a process that helps them build confidence, influence and executive presence, so they can excel in their careers.” Aletta works with clients from across the globe and also coaches TEDx speakers. Aletta is the author of Speak Connect Succeed – Build Your Reputation As You Speak Aletta describes leading, coaching and training as her ‘happy place'. She is a Distinguished Toastmaster and currently serves as the First Vice President of Toastmasters International. She lives in Cape Town, South Africa, and loves walking, hiking and running the occasional half marathon.~Connect with Aletta:Executive Presence Self-Assessment™:https://coaching.executivepresenceformula.com/signupLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alettarochat/~Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:https://www.kimmeninger.com/challengeLearn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:https://www.kimmeninger.com/coachingJoin the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6Join the Facebook group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumansSchedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-sessionConnect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/Website:https://kimmeninger.com

In this episode, our 43rd episode, we talk with Stefano McGhee of Weymouth, MA, USA.  Stefano Toastmasters International since 2005.  Stefano is a Distinguished Toastmaster, a 2-time District Director, a Past International Director of  Region 9, and is currently serving as 2nd Vice President of Toastmasters International. In this episode, we discuss: District Leadership aka Leadership Beyond the Club Area Director Components of an Effective Evaluation Stefano McGhee can be contacted via: >LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefano-mcghee/ This podcast episode is sponsored by our 2024 Calendar Year Sponsor District 31 Toastmasters ~ serving Eastern Massachusetts, USA, and Rhode Island, USA.  District 31 (“D31”) helps Toastmasters become better Communicators and Leaders.  Learn how D31 Toastmasters can help you become a more powerful speaker and impactful leader by visiting district31.org/talkingtoastmasters.

In this episode of the Bold Goal Crusher Podcast, host Sara Mayer invites special guest and friend, Stephanie Angelo, to discuss achieving ambitious objectives and the intricacies of building and sustaining positive company culture. Stephanie, who has innovated the workplace through her 'Company Culture' board game and workshops, shares her journey to becoming the 92nd recipient of the Toastmasters International accredited speaker designation. The discussion delves into the rigorous process of achieving this designation, the importance of aligning personal and organizational values to foster thriving workplace environments, and strategies for entrepreneurs aiming to avoid toxic culture in their startups. Highlighting personal achievements and the entrepreneurial mindset, this episode emphasizes the continuous effort required to meet significant goals and the impact of company culture on both individuals and the broader community. 00:00 Welcome to the Bold Goal Crusher Podcast! 00:48 Meet Stephanie: A Master of Company Culture 02:50 The Journey to Becoming an Accredited Speaker 14:14 Stephanie's Path to Professional Speaking 17:46 Creating a Thriving Company Culture 18:30 Advice for Entrepreneurs on Building Culture 28:25 The Impact of Company Culture on Personal Lives 32:20 How to Connect with Stephanie and Wrap-Up Connect with Stephanie: stephanieangelo.com companyculturegame.com

Henry Martyn Robert was connected to multiple historical events, but his most lasting legacy is the set of guidelines he created that offered a standardized way to run meetings. Research:  "Henry Martyn Robert." Encyclopedia of World Biography Online, vol. 21, Gale, 2001. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/K1631007677/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=a6a24976. Accessed 12 Mar. 2024. Doyle, Don H. “Rules of Order: Henry Martyn Robert and the Popularization of American Parliamentary Law.” American Quarterly , Spring, 1980, Vol. 32, No. 1 (Spring, 1980). https://www.jstor.org/stable/2712493 Fishman, Donald. “The Elusive Henry Martyn Robert: A Historical Problem.” National Parliamentarian. Second Quarter 2012. Hansen, Brett. “Weathering the Storm: the Galveston Seawall and Grade Raising.” Civil Engineering. April 2007. Hendricks, George Brian, "Rules of Order: A Biography of Henry Martyn Robert, Soldier, Engineer, Churchman, Parliamentarian" (1998). Legacy ETDs. 755. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd_legacy/755 Kline, Charles R. “Robert, Henry Martyn.” Texas State Historical Association Handbook of Texas. 6/1/1995. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/robert-henry-martyn , Ben and Clio Admin. "Henry Martyn Robert Historical Marker." Clio: Your Guide to History. January 18, 2023. Accessed March 13, 2024. https://theclio.com/entry/163000 National Park Service. “Henry Martyn Robert.” https://www.nps.gov/people/henry-martyn-robert.htm National Park Service. “The Redoubt.” https://www.nps.gov/sajh/planyourvisit/the-redoubt.htm Pillsbury, Avis Miller and Mildred E Hatch. “The genealogy of the First Baptist Church of New Bedford, Massachusetts.” Reynolds-DeWalt Printing, Inc. 1979. https://archive.org/details/genealogyoffirst00avis/ Robert, Henry M. “Robert's Rules of Order for Deliberative Assemblies.” Chicago: S. C. Griggs & Company. 1876. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/9097/pg9097-images.html Saunders, R. Frank, and George A. Rogers. “Joseph Thomas Robert and the Wages of Conscience.” The Georgia Historical Quarterly, vol. 88, no. 1, 2004, pp. 1–24. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40584703. Accessed 14 Mar. 2024. Smedley, Ralph C. “The Great Peacemaker.” Toastmasters International. 1955, 1993. https://archive.org/details/greatpeacemaker0000ralp/ S. Army Corps of Engineers. “Historical Vignette 038 - An Army Engineer Brought Order to Church Meetings and Revolutionized Parliamentary Procedure.” 11/2001. https://www.usace.army.mil/About/History/Historical-Vignettes/General-History/038-Church-Meetings/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mick McGurk is Interim Chief Information Officer at Toastmasters International.  In this episode, Mick discusses growing up in London, England, sports, photography, career, moving to America, Texas, leadership, technology, Toastmasters, and so much more!

In addition to being part of speaking communities, we, as presenters belong to professional, social, charitable, faith-based, and other communities. Today Mark and Darren discuss the power of community, examining the ways that communities make us grow…and change. They offer advice on collaborating with your community, growing your community, and even leaving your community. Using Stage Time University, Toastmasters International, and the National Speakers Association as examples, they show benefits and blessings of being in community with like-minded people and reveal how community has helped them to prepare unforgettable presentations.   SNIPPETS: • Community helps change perspective   • Choose your community   • Use your community   • Serve your community   • Build your community   • Don't be abused by your community, if you must leave, do so with grace                                             • Protect your community   • Don't think NETWORKING; think NETSERVING   • Is your community helping or harming you   • Take inventory of your communities

As one of the world's most renowned motivational speakers, Les Brown is a dynamic personality and highly-sought-after resource in business and professional circles for Fortune 500 CEOs, small business owners, non-profit and community leaders from all sectors of society looking to expand opportunity. For three decades he has not only studied the science of achievement, he's mastered it by interviewing hundreds of successful business leaders and collaborating with them in the boardroom translating theory into bottom-line results for his clients.As a premier Keynote Speaker and leading authority on achievement for audiences as large as 80,000—Les Brown energizes people to meet the challenges of the world around them. He skillfully weaves his compelling life story into the fabric of our daily lives. The thread is forever strengthened, touting why you can't afford to be complacent and to aim high, achieve and actively make an impact on the world.Les Brown never tires of using his energies to transform the world, well-beyond the podium and public appearances, meshing traditional and social media to empower his audiences. Hundreds of thousands are watching him on YouTube and tens of thousands interact with him regularly on Facebook. He has a keen way of turning what he touches into gold. Over 20 years ago, he won a Chicago-area Emmy® for his unsurpassed fundraising pledge drive for the Public Broadcasting System. Followed by several bestselling books and hosting popular national talk shows on television and radio.Addressing audiences from Denmark to Dubai, Canada to the Caribbean, Les Brown is invited back again and again for his powerful message and the ability to connect deeply with people from all walks of life. It isn't just his great smile and his way with words that motivates people to take action like never before; when people face roadblocks or adversity it is the depth of his knowledge on achievement that creates lasting results.Les Brown's straight-from-the-heart, passion and high-energy, motivates audiences to step beyond their limitations and into their greatness in many ways. Over the past decade, Les has expanded his role from keynote speaker to Master Trainer, creating the kind of workshop learning experience that got him committed to personal-and-professional development many years earlier. His charisma, warmth and humor have transformed ordinary people into extraordinary achievers by using his own life, and his in-depth study of others' challenges, to build an understanding of what works, what doesn't work, and why.Revered as an icon by his colleagues, Brown received the National Speakers Association coveted Council of Peers Award of Excellence (CPAE), and ultimately, its most prestigious Golden Gavel Award for achievement and leadership in communication. Toastmasters International also voted him one of the Top Five Outstanding Speakers. Worldwide. Legions of followers flock to stadiums and arenas to hear a man who never stops believing that with proper guidance and training you can achieve anything you desire in life.A stumbling block in elementary school was when he was mistakenly declared, “Educable mentally retarded,” teachers did not recognize the true potential of little Les Brown. However, he used determination, persistence and belief in his ability to go beyond being a sanitation worker to unleash a course of amazing achievements including broadcast station manager, political commentator and multi-term state representative in Ohio.Les Brown is committed to motivating and training today's generation to be achievers and leaders as he introduces new audiences every day to It's Not Over Until You Win, Up Thoughts for Down Times and Fight For Your Dream. Les Brown's audio series,“Choosing Your Future,” remains his all-time bestseller for its acclaimed impact worldwide.In...

This episode is brought to you by Dabdoub Law Firm -  a disability insurance and ERISA law firm specializing in helping people with disability, life, and long-term care insurance claims. Also sponsored by Freed.AI - Get 50% off your first month of using their AI-powered medical scribe software! Just add PGD50 to your cart! Listening is an art, especially in the healthcare profession where it can make a significant difference in patient outcomes. Dr. Scott Abramson, a neurologist with decades of experience, shares his insights on the art of listening, honed through his involvement with Toastmasters. Looking for something specific? Here you go! 00:00:00 - Introduction to Dr. Scott Abramson and Toastmasters 00:01:33 - What is Toastmasters? 00:02:02 - Structure and Pillars of Toastmasters 00:07:26 - The Impact of Toastmasters on Listening Skills 00:07:50 - Dr. Abramson's Journey to Joining Toastmasters 00:10:12 - The Diversity of Toastmasters Members 00:13:42 - How Toastmasters Improved Clinical Practice 00:16:00 - The Joy of Teaching and Preparing Presentations 00:18:10 - The Importance of Human Connection in Medicine 00:19:29 - The Power of One Word: "The" 00:22:15 - The Impact of Empathy and Listening in Patient Care 00:24:16 - Storytelling Tips: Repetition and Pausing 00:29:36 - The Effectiveness of Repetition in Speeches 00:31:15 - How to Find and Join Toastmasters 00:32:44 - Dr. Abramson's Closing Thoughts on Toastmasters and Career Integration 00:33:09 - Conclusion and Book Mention More on Dr. Scott Abramson: Dr. Scott Abramson is a retired neurologist with a career spanning over four decades at Kaiser in Northern California. Passionate about physician communication and wellness, he has been actively involved in improving doctor-patient interactions. Dr. Abramson's journey with Toastmasters International has significantly influenced his approach to healthcare, focusing on the art of public speaking and attentive listening. His contributions extend to the broader medical community through his book, "Bedside Manners for Physicians and Everybody Else," and his educational website, drwisdom.net. Dr. Abramson's unique blend of medical expertise and communication skills makes him a respected figure in the field of healthcare communication. Did ya know…  You can also be a guest on our show? Please email me at brad@physiciansguidetodoctoring.com to connect or visit www.physiciansguidetodoctoring.com to learn more about the show! Socials: @physiciansguidetodoctoring on FB  @physicianguidetodoctoring on YouTube @physiciansguide on Instagram and Twitter

Discover the secrets of true success with Dan Clark, renowned inspirational speaker and leadership trainer. In this episode, Dan challenges conventional notions of success, arguing that the pursuit of money, possessions, and titles often leaves individuals feeling empty. Drawing from his extensive global experiences, Clark references his time-tested three-step A.R.T. process—increasing Awareness, Refining identity and purpose, and creating a Transformational experience.   Dan Clark, a CEO turned New York Times best-selling author and Hall of Fame speaker, shares insights from his remarkable journey. With over 35 books and 5500 speeches under his belt, Clark has worked with Fortune 500 companies, elite associations, NASA, CIA, the United Nations, military commands, and Toastmasters International. He is also an award-winning athlete who overcame a paralyzing injury that ended his football career and shattered his identity.    Join us as we delve into the transformative power of asking 'why' and how perspective shapes our lives. Dan guides us through redefining what is possible, embracing resilient change, and elevating our aspirations beyond conventional success. Together, we challenge established views on success with thought-provoking questions that will revolutionize your perspective on life.   This conversation takes a deep dive into the art of significance and the intentional practice of embracing discomfort for personal growth. Tune in as we explore the profound impact of asking 'why' and learn how to live a purpose-driven life of true significance.       Dan Clark on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danclarkspeak/?hl=en   Dan Clark's website: https://danclark.com/