Signature Talk
Are you a chameleon or a peacock?
Chameleons seem pretty cool. They’re brightly colored, adaptable, able to go with the flow and fit in regardless of the environment. I identify a lot with being a chameleon: I can jump from group to group and converse on any number of topics, from code and artificial intelligence to history and politics to business and…
Read MoreBig Changes + Announcement
I made a pretty big decision a couple of weeks ago about my business. (Tbh, I’m hesitant to write and send this email because I don’t want it to come across as self-indulgent. The reason I’m sharing this with you is because seeing behind the scenes in someone else’s business has proven useful to me,…
Read MoreThis will set you apart as a speaker
I’ve been listening to TEDx talks by women to find potential guests for my new podcast. Their talks are well done – good delivery on important topics in women and leadership. But most of them are missing that X factor that makes them intriguing and memorable. They haven’t moved beyond the WHAT into the WHY,…
Read MoreWhat's your twist? Make your talk interesting, not just informative
A couple of weekends ago, I sat staring at my computer. I was working on my TEDx talk about women in leadership and politics – and I knew it was missing something. My first draft was good – about the benefits of having more women in elected office, the gender stereotypes female candidates face, and…
Read MoreHow to talk like a politician (and why you would even want to)
Talking like a politician seems like the exact opposite of what you would want to do, I know. But, hear me out. I’ve been working in politics, on and off, for over 12 years and have helped many candidates with their messaging and speeches. I’m also a political analyst on TV news, so I have…
Read MoreWhere do ideas come from?
Have you ever had an idea, a this-is-it! idea that you got really excited about, whether for a new talk or a new product or a new business or a new way of approaching what you do? And then you come across another person or company that’s doing almost the exact same thing in the…
Read MoreWhy You Should Dream for Your Audience
A dream provides a path forward, illuminated by shared goals and values. “I have a dream” – one of the most well-known refrains in contemporary history. In his famous 1963 speech in Washington, D.C., Martin Luther King, Jr. prodded us out of our complacency, reminded us of our shared values, imagined a better world for…
Read MoreThe Key to Creating a Signature Talk with Impact
There was silence on the other end of the phone. Uh, oh, I thought. Did I say something wrong? “I’m sitting here with my mouth wide open. I’m blown away.” So said my client at the 55 minute mark of our hour-long coaching session about her signature talk. It wasn’t because we had fine-tuned her…
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