Hey friends! Welcome to my first episode of 2017. I'm back!

Rather than create another boring slide show or endlessly rattle through tons of data, what if you could learn an approach that teaches you to build a presentation that showcases your personality, highlights your unique experiences, and allows you to deliver your stories and information in a way that feels good to you? 

After giving 700+ talks, I’ve realized there is a formula for being yourself on stage. I put it all together and created the STAGE System which is an acronym for style, truth, art, group, and energy. It gives you a chance to pause and ask yourself who you want to bring to the stage. If you are naturally funny, how can you incorporate some humor into your talk? If you went through a life-changing experience, how can you tie that into your subject? If you love interacting with the audience, how can you make that a big part of your speech? By using the STAGE System as your guide, you build your talk so you are in your element and really shining on stage. 

If you want to craft a speech that puts your personal stamp on every presentation, you are going to love this episode.

Are you aware of how often you use weak language? In this eye opening episode, Dr. Phyllis Mindell, a pioneer and expert on professional communication, walks us through the many mistakes women make when it comes to sharing our opinions, giving feedback, presenting our work, and asking for what we want.

She tells us:

--the ONE word we must avoid almost all the time when speaking

--why you should take a second before you speak and the questions you should ask yourself before you open your mouth

--when women tend to use weak language the most

--how to rephrase your statements so you are not in opposition with your audience

--how to be a sweet, gentle, tough broad

--the one statement you never want to use at work and should also avoid at home

--the four most common mistakes women make on stage and what to do instead if you want your audience to trust and respect you

--the secret of all good communication

Find out more about Dr. Mindell's work at www.thewordgrandma.com launching on her 80th birthday, January 30, 2017.

Kara Martin Snyder has made a career of turning around chaotic, painful situations ranging from bankruptcy cases to constipation. Her wide ranging skills come from making a huge shift in her 20s when she realized her job was killing her. What she has done for herself and others since then is inspiring and a great example of how you can take a literally shitty situation and turn it into a whole new career path. Kara shares how she helps frazzled, Type A women to face their health concerns and feel better through her coaching, podcast, and speaking engagements. 

In this episode, you'll learn how Kara prepares for her talks by tempering her ego and her pacing. She shares her advice for cutting down your material so you don’t overwhelm your audience, we discuss the value of hydration, a good meal, and sleep as speech preparation, and you'll learn how to rescue yourself and your audience from a tanking talk. Kara also shares why you should start speaking now and say yes to opportunities even if you think you’re not ready. You'll also hear the cringe worthy story of a moment that went being the most shameful event of her life to an enlightening revelation that changed her course forever. 

Alison Podworski knew at the age of 9 that she wanted to be a television news reporter. After years on TV, she transitioned to work in PR and opened her own agency to assist small business owners, speakers, authors, and other types of clients with their PR needs. In today's episode, Alison shares her #1 piece of advice for every business owner, no matter what age or stage. She tells us what PR really is and why speakers need a PR strategy, how to get national attention by focusing on local media outlets, popular misconceptions about PR, what a PR agency does and how they help increase your chances of getting media attention, how to create a compelling angle when pitching yourself to the media, steps to take to promote your speaking gig yourself through social media and press releases, what to do if you have a limited budget but want to start building up your PR opportunities, how to think of yourself as an expert if you don’t think you are ready for that title, and so much more! This episode is action packed with all things PR. If you're ready to get noticed and start building your brand in a big way, you'll love what today's show has to offer. Enjoy!

“Speaking is a great way to demonstrate thought leadership, expose your brand, and get business. Speaking is a business development effort.”-Steve Markman

Today's guest is Steve Markman, president of Markman Speaker Management, a speaker placement firm. Steve helps speakers get both paid and unpaid speaking engagements by using his 30 years of event and conference experience. In this interview, he shares with us the most important thing a conference organizer is looking for when they hire a speaker, the falsehood among speakers that stops them from landing big speaking gigs, the one thing a paid speaker must have on their website to get hired, what your speaker video should include to showcase you as a speaker, and the #1 reason you won’t get hired for a speaking gig. Steve also shares the most common negative feedback speakers receive and how to avoid it, and how to present like a pro. Find out the three most important questions to ask yourself to get started as a paid speaker, and much more! Steve really knows his stuff and this is the perfect episode if you have any interest in being seen as a leader or speaker in your field.

When Stacey Shipman was in 6th grade, she won the "Quietest Girl" award and now she is a brave communication expert who helps people do things they think they can't do. This episode is all about the art of the interaction and how to create a genuine connection with your audience through engagement. She teaches us the first step to go from presenting a monologue to creating an interactive experience, what the "Rule of Threes" is and how to use it, how to incorporate humor into the questions you ask your audience, and she tells us the biggest mistakes speakers make when trying to engage the crowd. She says, "A presentation is a work of art. It's a creative opportunity to put words together and deliver them verbally. It's a living thing." She also shows us a unique way to quickly build trust with our audience, how to show up as yourself instead of someone you think you "should" be, and so much more. If you want to learn how to build a meaningful conversation and a memorable experience for your audience, you don't want to miss today's episode of Claim the Stage! 

What is "embodiment" and why will it make you a better, less fearful speaker? My guest Donna Brooks says, “Embodiment is living the fullness of your incarnated experience. It’s that moment when you feel rich and full of life in yourself. Without that, it doesn’t give our audience the fullness of what we can offer and express to them.” In this week's episode, we're taking a whole new approach to speaking by using fear as the doorway to connecting with your audience. You'll learn how to create a playful, fun, light experience for your audience rather than putting them under stress and wondering when it will end. Donna will also teach you how to reduce fear over time and use it to energize your speech, how to stop abandoning yourself on stage to create a better experience for you and your audience, why you should stop trying to entertain your audience (and what to do instead), and you'll learn the two questions to ask yourself before every talk. And, great news! You don’t have to follow the old fashioned public speaking rules to be an effective speaker. Find out how to do all of this and more on today's episode of Claim the Stage! 

How do I book my first gig? What if I'm not an expert? How do I know what my value is? In this special episode, instead of me asking the questions, you're the guest interviewer! I took your questions from social media and email and compiled a list of the top six. If you're interested in writing a book, learning how to build a speaking business while working full-time, how to determine how much information is too much in your speech, what to do when you feel like everyone around you is a success (and you aren't), and how to find your authentic voice, you've come to the right place. I tackle all of these topics and more in today's episode of Claim the Stage. PS: I'll be doing more episodes like this, so keep the questions coming! You can submit yours at [email protected]. Enjoy! 

Lara Hogan's first public speaking experience was horrifying to say the least. Not only did she live to tell about it, she also continued speaking and has become an authority on the subject. Besides presenting on stage, Lara is also the author of the new book, Demystifying Public Speaking and an Engineering Director at Etsy. In this episode, Lara shares why being an actual human helps you to be a better leader, how to create a conversational tone while also being rehearsed, how to use notes effectively in your speech, why it’s important to know what you’re actually afraid of when it comes to public speaking (and what to do about it), how to feel like a superhero on stage by wearing the right clothing, how to get started as a speaker if you are not the typical expert/guru, why you should challenge yourself to say “I don’t know” five times a day, and so much more. You'll also find out why donuts should be part of your regular celebrations. Get Lara’s book at www.ABookApart.com and find out more about Lara at Larahogan.me.

We often hear that being our "authentic self" is the best way to connect with our audience and build a strong personal brand. But how do you show up on stage as yourself if you're new to speaking, scared of doing it wrong, and worried about where to put your arms? In this episode, speaker coach Sally Zimney gives us practical advice to find our authentic voice on stage, teaches us the common misconceptions of what it means to be a great speaker, and shows us how to create a memorable talk every time. Sally's experience as an actor and speaker combine to create her philosophies and unique take on what it means to be a speaker who creates an amazing experience by simply being you.