Speak! The Class of 2020 Needs Leaders.

posted in: Blog, Uncategorized

Speak now or forever wish you had. As college and university presidents cancel commencement and scramble to figure out how to reward graduates who have worked SO hard…I beg you to give them a gift greater than a ceremony. Give them a commencement speech. This moment in time is an incredible opportunity for leaders to prove that they are in fact leaders. This moment in time is an incredible opportunity for creative thinkers to dig deep to inspire the future … Read More

Stay In Your Lane

posted in: Blog, Uncategorized

“I’m not an expert but…my cousin heard that we will be in quarantine for a year.” “I’m not an expert but…I thought I would share this news I saw on FB.” “I’m not an expert but…here is what I think is going to happen.” Stop. Please. Just stop. I understand that in a time of unprecedented uncertainty the urge to share is great. We are all plugged in, logged on and desperate to capture the latest bit of news and … Read More

Do You Give a SH*T???

posted in: Blog, Uncategorized

What are you trying to say and does anybody give a shit? Really, I am asking not to be flippant, but because I think it is the most important question you should ask yourself when you are tasked with communicating with another human. This sentence has become my tag line, my calling card and the best way I can gauge what a client really needs from me. Whether you are giving a keynote speech, presentation to the board, writing an … Read More

“How Dare You!”

posted in: Blog, Uncategorized

“How dare you!” Three words recently spoken by a 16 year old who has turned the climate change discussion into an international movement and dinner time argument. Impressive. Greta Thunberg is trending across the internet and across the globe for her impassioned speech at the UN. Some are standing and cheering for this pint sized planet pioneer who can make grown men cry. Some however, are vigorously shaking their heads in disgust at her bold delivery and audacious tone, believing … Read More

Tell Me About Yourself

posted in: Blog

“Tell me about yourself?” Short question, seems easy right? You have known yourself for a really long time so start talking! Quickly you rattle off your name, your degree, your title….then, there is silence. You swallow hard and look to the floor. What should come next? Glad you asked! Coming up with your “story” and making it interesting to an audience other than your Uncle Phil or your mom is complicated, intimidating, and kind of weird. I recently completed a … Read More

What Are You Afraid Of?

posted in: Blog

What are you afraid of? Tough question, right? Some of us are afraid to take risks…some are afraid of not taking enough. Fear is one of those things that can live dormant in your gut, then suddenly fester and take over in the most cruel ways. Fear of public speaking is real. People have told me they would rather drink poison, stab themselves in the eye, or worse, than step foot in front of an audience. I get it. I … Read More

The 3 "C"s to Success

posted in: Blog

I will never forget the first time the teleprompter died when I was anchoring the news. There I was staring at frozen words on a screen. Nothing was moving…no words were coming and I had no idea how to save myself.  All I knew is that someone was on the other end of the lens wondering why I wasn’t speaking. After the wave of nausea subsided…I looked at the paper script at my hands and I read. I never picked … Read More

"All Good??"

posted in: Blog

Every time you open your mouth and mention your company in public..it is there. Forever. It can be found and used FOR or AGAINST you until the end of time. One Google search of your name can reveal all.  Great! Unless what you said is not well thought out, untrue, off the mark, or just plain “not good.” Now more than ever you have one shot to get it right. One shot to say something useful…and if it is said … Read More

Do I need therapy?

posted in: Blog

I was recently having a casual conversation with a woman talking about what I do. She had the usual questions, “who do you work with?”, “how did you get started?”, “so you’re a speech therapist!?”.  I tilted my head a bit and thought about that last question. My first inclination was to laugh and correct her. Then it hit me. Speech therapist. “I am a kind of a speech therapist!”, I thought. It’s a hell of a lot more descriptive than … Read More

Is it more important to know what you ARE or what you are NOT?

posted in: Blog

In my first blog I wrote about what I do. It’s important to know what you do and be able to articulate that. Agreed.  But I was recently preparing for a new business call and had a thought. “Why do people work with me? Why should this guy work with me?” They already know what I do therefore they know basically what I “am” in the professional sense. So what is it that sets me apart? In this case I decided … Read More

Linked In… or not?

posted in: Blog

I recently posted my first blog. It was a big deal for me. Not because I am afraid of writing or expressing my thoughts and insights…it is because I wonder “who is listening?????” I posted it on LinkedIn…I think. Full disclosure…technical things like LinkedIn (and I realize it is NOT that technical) intimidate me. I have no idea if I posted it correctly, or moreover if anyone would  actually read it. Truth be told I am pretty sure I did not … Read More

"So what exactly do you do?"

posted in: Blog

I am always asked what exactly I do for work. For many people if I answer with the words “media trainer” and “message development specialist” I get a polite smile and we move on.  Say “PR consultant”….same result.  I don’t have job title per say…I have a mission and a message.  Most of the time I have about 20 seconds to tell you what I do and why. That is about the same amount of  time you have when you are talking … Read More