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.