Chats with Yvonne

When was the last time you sat down to reflect on the words you use to sell your work, tell your story, or lead on stage? And more importantly: are those words actually yours?

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Colleen, messaging strategist and the writer behind Selfishly Expressed. Together, we pull back the curtain on trending marketing buzzwords, discuss the impacts of the #GirlBoss era on how we market and sell, and explore how to sell your services without diluting your authentic voice.

Enjoyed this episode? I'd love for you to leave a review, share it with a friend or fellow speaker, and subscribe.

Connect with Colleen:

Selfishly Expressed via Substack

The Messaging Artist is You: A 3-week email series with 15+ prompts that will show you the gap between your original voice and the one you code-switched to when the pressure to convert entered the room.

Media, Speaking, or Consulting Inquiries: [email protected]

• Website: https://www.chatswithyvonne.com/

About Latina, Presente: https://www.latinapresente.com/

• Your daily speaking practice: The Public Speaking con Cultura practice cards

Host, Yvonne Armenta supports mission-driven speakers and leaders who are ready to step into their voice, share their story, and communicate with confidence, on stages, in their organizations, and within the communities they lead.

The Chats with Yvonne podcast explores the stories, history, and emotion behind how we speak and connect.

Connect with Yvonne.

Learn about the Public Speaking con Cultura practice cards.

In our journey exploring the stories behind the way we speak, we're turning inward. As an introvert, keynote speaker, and coach, I know that standard speaking advice often fails when it feels like it completely contradicts your nature.

We dive into the types of introversion to understand how they manifest in our daily lives.

I then provide commentary on what those specific types can tell us about our power as speakers. This is about centering your lived experience and building lasting communication skills, rooted in who you are:

• We look at the profoundness of our introversion, showcasing why it's an asset, not an obstacle in your journey as a speaker.

• You'll discover how your introversion might provide the most authentic strategy for confident communication.

• I guide you in a reflection to help shift our perspective about introversion and use your built-in strengths to master any stage or room.

This is public speaking, con cultura y a tu manera.

Hola everybody!

Studies show that 99% or more of participants of MLM's lose money.

In this episode, I share a short (and kinda spooky) story about the time someone reached out for help refining their “motivational speech,” only for me to realize they were actually trying to pitch an MLM.

We’ll unpack what multi-level marketing really is, how these companies use public speaking to sell false hope, and why their “personal development” mindset is how they keep people stuck.

As a public speaking consultant, I’m all about helping people tell their story with impact and integrity. We'll chat about the red flags, the lessons learned, and how you can build your own authentic speaker brand while remaining ethical in your approach.

Other episodes mentioned in this episode:

7 Keys to Ethical Storytelling

MLM "Motivational Speakers" Opinion Piece

Hola everybody! Have you ever been invited to speak at an event, only to find out they expect you to pay for the opportunity?

In this episode of Chats with Yvonne, I’m breaking down the truth about pay-to-speak scams, why they prey on speakers, and how to spot red flags before you waste your money.💡 We chat:

• What “pay-to-speak” events really are (and why they’re often a scam).
• The difference between investing in your speaking career vs. being taken advantage of.
• How to evaluate speaking opportunities to make sure they’re legit.

🔔 Subscribe to Chats with Yvonne for more stories & strategies for public speaking, con cultura.

📲 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chatswithyvonne_/

🌐 Learn more: https://www.chatswithyvonne.com/

How to Book Speaking Engagements: https://youtu.be/nYuIfQkkPrs

Latinas make up just 2% of tech roles in the U.S., despite being a powerful and growing part of the workforce. In this episode, we’re joined by Carrie Peralta, Founder of Peak State Coaching and former recruiter at companies like Verizon, Google, and Netflix. Her mission is to empower women and underrepresented individuals to not just survive, but thrive in tech.

Topics discussed:

• Carrie’s upbringing and the family roots that shaped her leadership
• How she pivoted from tech recruitment to purpose-driven coaching
• Tips for underrepresented professionals navigating corporate tech
• How to stop code-switching and start thriving authentically
• What it really takes to walk into rooms with confidence

Connect with Carrie:

• Learn about Carrie's method for negotiations & connect with her further on the Chats with Yvonne Blog
• Book a chat with Carrie.
• Connect on LinkedIn.

✨ The Speaker Spotlight Series is giving a stage to the people with stories to share.

Want to be a speaker on the podcast? Learn more.

Hola everybody!

Stage fright can feel overwhelming, but you still run the show.

In this episode, I’m walking you through what to do before, during, and after a speaking moment to feel more grounded and confident. We’ll talk preparation tips (like mastering your content), how to manage nerves in the moment (grounding techniques and the power of a pause), and how to recover with kindness to self once it’s all done. Whether you’re new to speaking or a seasoned speaker who still get the jitters like me, this one’s for you.

🔔 I'd love for you to:

✔️Subscribe for more speaking tips & thought-provoking conversations on the art of public speaking.

✔️ Rate & review the podcast if you’re listening on Spotify or Apple.

✔️ Speak your mind in the comments!

Hola everybody! Have you ever tried to hold back tears while speaking? How do you think it impacted your delivery?

I was thinking about the last time I cried and realized it was while I was on stage, sharing a story publicly for the first time. I remember feeling overwhelmed by the emotion, a little embarrassed to be crying, but also in a safe space to let it out.

As a public speaking consultant, one of the most common questions I get is: How do I stop myself from crying on stage? In this episode, I’ll share a story from an 8th-grade trip that transformed my relationship with crying. I’ll also talk about how to “practice” the emotion and study yourself as a speaker, plus some fun facts about crying to help normalize it as what it really is: a beautiful emotion.

🔔 I'd love for you to:

✔️Subscribe for more speaking tips & thought-provoking conversations on the art of public speaking.

✔️ Rate & review the podcast if you’re listening on Spotify or Apple.

✔️ Speak your mind in the comments!

Hola, everybody! Right before this speaking gig, I had a wave of self-doubt. I started to question whether the audience would even care about what I had to say.In this episode, I walk through what that moment felt like, the tools I used to shift my mindset in real time, and how I still showed up and did my thing on stage. If you’ve ever had that “Why me?” or "I can't do this" moment right before speaking, this one’s for you.🔔 I'd love for you to:

• Subscribe for more speaking tips & thought-provoking conversations on the art of public speaking.
• Rate & review the podcast.
• Speak your mind in the comments!

Why does it feel embarrassing to admit we don't know something?

In this episode, we chat about one particular barrier that might stop many of us from growing: fear of appearing incompetent. From the pressure to “already know” to the embarrassment of asking questions, we explore why learning out loud feels uncomfortable for many adults and where embarrassment comes from.

I share adult learning theories to make sense of audience insights, pose reflections to encourage us to face our ego in learning as adults, and ground us in our human experience to help normalize learning at every level, even when you're the expert in the room.

Mentioned in the episode:

• Embarrassment: A Form of Social Pain
• The Adult Learning Theory - Andragogy - of Malcolm Knowles
• Amy Edmondson – Creating a Fearless Organization
  

🔔 I'd love for you to:

• Subscribe for more speaking tips & thought-provoking conversations on the art of public speaking.
• Rate & review the podcast if you’re listening on Spotify or Apple.
• Speak your mind in the comments!