Presentation Thinking

When you hear the phrase “timeless presenter”, you might think of MLK, Steve Jobs, Oprah... For us at Presentation Thinking, we’re adding Andrea Pacini to that list. 

Andrea Pacini is the head of Ideas on Stage UK and a decorated presentation coach with a slew of cool awards.

Having already had a few epic conversations together on the pod, we were excited to hear all about Andrea’s latest book, Timeless Presenter. 

This book is not a one-size-fits all framework, nor is it a recipe for success. It’s a bullet journal-like presentation of some of the most core principles in presenting. 

From data viz examples that work to research-backed audience psychology to real-life anecdotes, Andrea has put together something truly—all together now—timeless. 

This is an episode for: storytellers, presentation designers and speakers of all levels.

What’s in the Spice Cabinet? 

A couple of ways to get your hands on Andrea’s book, Timeless Presenter: Principles for Making Your Ideas Impossible to Ignore:

• Purchase here

• Get a FREE copy here

Assess your presentation skills in less than 3 mins: 

• The Confident Presenter Scorecard

Want to take it a step deeper?

Montana Von Fliss exudes confidence…even if she’s not actually feeling confident. How? 

Like any good actress and executive speaker coach, she’s got a secret sauce—or, silent sentence—to share with us Presentation Thinkers. 

In her 2025 TED Talk called How to Be Confident (even if you’re not), Montana runs through her tried and true tips for oozing confidence on any stage. Things like pausing for emphasis and employing the Superhero stance may sound like familiar wisdom, but Montana’s “Silent Sentence” is the piece tying all standard presentation advice together. 

When utilized strategically, it’s the thing you don’t say out loud that can have the loudest impact. Understand your presentation purpose and craft your own Silent Sentence with Montana.

This is an episode for: strategic storytellers and presenters of any kind. 

What’s in the Spice Cabinet? 

Watch Montana’s TED Talk for yourself

• How to Be Confident (even if you’re not) 2025

Follow Montana for more of her work

• MontanaVonFliss.com

• On LinkedIn!

Sign up for Story Camp 2026

• StoryCamp.com

Rick Altman has been around PowerPoint since its inception. As an early adapter of graphics and publishing software and later the founder of the Presentation Summit, Rick’s experience with presentations has amounted to an expert-level body of experience.

The latest installment comes with his new book, Crush Your Next Virtual Presentation: A Modern Guide for the Modern Communicator.Seeing a serious lack in the presentation advice space for virtual versions, which only grow each year, Rick has stepped up with an insanely useful guide. 

There are visual examples at every turn, technical advice for ways in which to upgrade your camera, and breakdowns of the physicality (and psychology) of virtual spaces—all written with Rick’s witty wry voice, making the book anything but boring.  

Zoom webinars and virtual conferences aren’t going away and Rick, as usual, finds himself thriving on the wave of adaptation. 

This is an episode for: presenters of all kinds, but especially anyone that has to present virtually.

What's in the Spice Cabinet?

Get Rick’s book for yourself

• Crush Your Next Virtual Presentation: A Modern Guide for the Modern Communicator

Attend the virtual Presentation Summit:

• Presentation Summit 2026: September 13th-16th

Where is Rick getting inspiration right now?

• Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir

Follow Rick:

• BetterPresenting.com - “That’s my front door”

• On LinkedIn

Rick’s walkout song?

• Midnight at the Oasis - Maria Muldaur

Angus Fletcher is the ultimate Presentation Thinker. 

Currently the Professor of Story Science at Ohio State University’s “Project Narrative”, the world’s leading think-tank for the study of how stories work, Angus started out in neuroscience, realized the brain isn’t data-driven, got into the story science and walked away with a PhD in Literature from Yale. (Phew!) He worked in Hollywood, helped design AI and now writes books and teaches.

This varied background provides unique insights into niche perspectives such as the one provided in this 2025 TED Talk, Twist Your Fate: Overcoming Adversity with Your Story. Angus shares that a group of veterans were working through depression and PTSD and it wasn’t until trying journaling that there was a breakthrough. 

It wasn’t necessarily the content of this veteran’s particular story, but the plot twists that allowed its author to realize what they were capable of. Angus dives into the science behind this story device and how it can help us in work and life—and, of course, presentations. 

This is an episode for: speakers, writers and story nerds of all kinds.

What’s in the Spice Cabinet? 

Watch Angus’s TED Talk

• Twist your fate: Overcoming Adversity with your story

Follow Angus’s work:

• His website

  We’re particularly obsessed with his FAQ page

While the biggest Oscar buzz is reserved for flashy celebs and viral moments, a category usually overshadowed by those little golden statues is “Best Animated Short Film.”

Animated shorts provide a masterclass in highly efficient storytelling, interesting visuals and proof that a film's runtime doesn't have to be over 2 hours to win an award (THERE, I said it!!). 

Ranging from silly to heavy to wholesome, this year's nominees include incredible Wallace & Gromit-style stop-motion (The Girl Who Cried Pearls) and Domhnall Gleeson's sweet Irish voice narrating a classic 2D hand-drawn style (Retirement Plan). 

Filmmaker and Designer Asha Alaji-Sharif joins Molly on this special podcast episode to dissect the storytelling strategies—both visual and structural—employed in these films and what we, as business-minded presentation enthusiasts, can learn from them.

This is an episode for: designers and visual strategists, animation fans and anyone that gets inspired by film.

What’s in the Spice Cabinet? 

The five Oscar-nominated Animated Short Films from 2026

1. The Girl Who Cried Pearls

2. Retirement Plan

3. Forevergreen

4. Butterfly (Papillon)

5. The Three Sisters (We don’t believe this is anywhere online so we didn’t watch. If you have a link or know where to stream, please reach out!) 

Where to follow Asha’s work:

• On Instagram

• At the Atlanta Film Festival - she is starring in 500 Seconds To Tell You

• Her own film, The Four Noble Truths, just won the award for Best Social Impact Documentary at the Atlanta Documentary Film Festival 

What type of presentation podcast would we be if we didn’t discuss the actual presentations that we gave??

We’ve been tracking Mikey’s Road to the TED Talk since the inception of this podcast—and a few weeks ago, he got one step closer. 

Invited to speak at his Alma Mater, DePauw University in Indiana, Mikey infused today’s liberal arts pupils with a manifesto keynote in letting your creative pursuits fuel everything else in life. 

Inspired by Nike’s tagline story and (of course) Steve Jobs’ quote that says “Creativity is just connecting things”, Mikey shares how he went about putting together this fresh talk, his implementation of Claude as a research partner, and how it all landed with the students in the room. 

This is an episode for: emerging speakers and anyone putting together a new talk.  

What’s in the Spice Cabinet? 

Follow more of Mikey’s writing

• Via “The Dispatch” on LinkedIn

Join us at Story Camp!

• November 3-6, 2026 in Boulder, CO

Mikey’s walkout song (for this particular talk)?

• Steely Dan - My Old School

• (Or anything Beastie Boys)

World’s funniest conversion copywriter Lianna Patch and founder of Punchline Copy joins Presentation Thinking (again!) to revisit our conversation from the early days of the podcast (Episode #39). 

We get into what’s changed in the presenting world, what’s constant, and her latest talk called “Stage Presence in a Can.”  We also discuss the ways AI is affecting both copywriting and presenting and how best to leverage it as a tool.

If you want to infuse your brand with a more authentic (and funny) voice and bring JOY to corporate culture, start with Lianna’s advice. Sonic signatures, dynamic voice, establishing rapport with the audience—Lianna has tons of real-life experience and really funny anecdotes. 

This is an episode for: copywriters, presenters and comedy fans.

Find more of Lianna’s funny work

• PunchlineCopy.com

• Follow her on LinkedIn

• Listen to the first time Lianna joined us on Presentation Thinking: Episode #39

Recent comedy faves:

• “Prodigal Daughter” - Taylor Tomlinson

Book and podcast reccos mentioned:

• Death, Sex & Money (podcast)

• Bad at Keeping Secrets (podcast)

• David Nihill - Do you talk funny? (book)

Advice for nervous presenters?

• “Everybody there wants to see you win.”

Lianna’s walkout song? 

“What can screenwriting teach us about presentations?”

That’s the question Mikey and Molly continue to answer in Part 2 of their Book Club style episodes on Blake Snyder's famous Save the Cat! Screenwriting book.

In this episode, they break down Snyder’s 15 beats of storytelling and equate each to a “Beat Sheet for Business Storytelling.” A “beat” can be interpreted as a slide or handful of slides that establishes an “emotional change” within a presentation, moving your narrative forward. 

Snyder’s storyboarding advice in Chapter 6 and his “immutable laws of screenplay psychics” in Chapter 7 are also very useful for real world presentation applications. 

This is an episode for: film nerds, writers, presenters and anyone working with slideware. 

What’s in the Spice Cabinet?

Read Save the Cat! For yourself:

• Get the book (on Bookshop.org!)

Another screenwriting classic

• Syd Field’s Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting

Check out Blake Snyder’s “Beat Sheets”

• Beat Sheet Analysis

Blake’s Walkout Song? (According to Mikey)

• Beat It by Michael Jackson

Claim your spot for Story Camp 2026

• November 3-6 in Boulder, CO
  

If you’ve ever been in a film studies class, you might’ve heard of Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat! billed as one of the ultimate guides to screenwriting. 

As students of storytelling, Mikey and Molly finally dive into this 2005 guide to see what’s still useful for storyboarding, visual storytelling strategy and how to keep an audience engaged throughout a film or presentation.

Now, you may be wondering: “What can screenwriting teach us about presentations?”

Since the dawn of cinema, screenwriting has become one of the most effective mediums of storytelling, creating universal classics that are quoted and referenced for years. If even a quarter of PowerPoint presentations had that kind of impact, we wouldn’t have the phrase “Death by PowerPoint.” 

Join Part 1 of this Book Club style episode to learn more! 

This is an episode for: film nerds, writers, presenters and anyone working with slideware.

What’s in the Spice Cabinet? 

Read Save the Cat! For yourself:

As SKO (Sales Kickoff) season falls behind us in the calendar year, GhostRanch reflects on the amazing opportunities provided to us by clients to support their large-scale SKO storytelling. 

THEMES are a common storytelling device for SKOs because they can help introduce a new product or hone in on an area of focus while still tying into an over-arching brand story. 

Such was the case for Associate Creative Director Kaitlyn Hines who helped to create a cool series of themes like mountain climbing and F1 racing for a tech client. 

We dig into Kaitlyn’s design process for strategic visual storytelling, as well as show off some slide-specific examples to serve as inspiration for your next presentation! 

This is an episode for: slide designers, big conference storytellers and anyone that touches SKO planning.

What’s in the Spice Cabinet? 

What tools are you using for inspiration collection these days? 

• “Pinterest—I use if for my DIY and I use it for my design thinking…it’s just the easiest to stay organized.”

Favorite designers or people to follow? 

• Steven Harrington - fun, creative illustrator. LA-based.

• Aaron Draplin - “great designer and killer presenter”

Walkout song? 

• The SpongeBob Squarepants Theme Song