Ditch the Slides, Keep the Story: A New Kind of Speaking ROI - EP 07, Speaking of ROI
In this episode, we explore how speaking becomes a practice of personal growth, not just audience impact. Why Stacey chose to leave behind slide decks in favor of intuitive, audience-centred delivery. From ROI to nervous system awareness, she offers a grounded, empowering perspective on what it really means to show up on stage
Highlights
[00:01:10] Intuition and Self-Trust
“If I get quiet enough, if I pause, if I take a breath… I know exactly what I want and where I need to head.”
[00:02:00] Her Planning Process
“I had built out the components of my story that I knew would resonate with this audience… Then I turned it on to some introspection and some curious questions.”
[00:03:12] Tailoring Every Talk
“Yes, yes, because I’m a new person… new concepts, new insights that I’ve gleaned that might be now relevant.”
[00:05:00] Why Slides Don’t Work for Her
“I am awful behind a slide deck. It doesn’t work for me… I can feel an unnatural tension in my throat.”
[00:06:30] Minimal Prep, Maximum Presence
“I went and walked the dog… I knew I had 30 minutes to prep before the event, and I just grabbed my notebook.”
[00:07:00] Martin’s Take on Conference Slide Culture
“You are present in the two weeks before when you sent the slide decks in… for the convenience of the event organizer. And they don’t get priority. The person on stage gets priority.”
[00:08:43] Trust the Moment
“You are the speaker. You own that space. You own that stage. And it is to the benefit of the audience… Follow your gut. You’re going to learn something either way.”
[00:11:00] The Moment She Let Go of Slides
“Afterwards, I said to her… it felt really off. I didn’t feel myself. The energy didn’t feel right. I didn’t feel comfortable. And she said, ‘Yeah, I noticed that.’”
[00:11:40] Experimenting Until It Clicked
“Let me try it again. Nope. Still sucked. Still felt terrible. So that was, that was the process.”
[00:12:13] Dispelling the Myth of the Polished Pro
“I had some sort of a mindset and a belief that… only the really polished, professional, like Mel Robbins, or the spiritual gurus, right… I didn’t think that was me.”
[00:13:00] Becoming a New Speaker
“I’m really in a very new place… 2025 I’ve been very challenged inside to feel like I need to put myself out there.”
[00:14:00] Audience Connection over Performance
“We’re sharing the behind-the-scenes or the touchline moments… the mornings at the gym where you’re literally just putting the reps in.”
[00:15:50] Nervous System Awareness
“2024 to 2025 has revealed to me how important our nervous system is… If you become very good at really knowing what your nervous system is showing you… when the big opportunities come, you will be ready.”
[00:17:10] Martin’s TEDx Experience
“I spent more time working on the slides and the script than I did the performance… Everything felt like it went black and white… From that point on, forget the slides.”
[00:18:20] Advice for Seasoned Professionals Feeling Stuck
“First ask yourself, why do you want to speak? Like, what is your ethos around it?”
[00:19:10] Pre-Speech Visualization Exercise
“The speech is over, and all the people are walking away… Let’s make a list of the things they are saying about your talk in quotations.”
[00:20:00] On Getting Started
“No event, no invitation is too small. You’re not above it, especially if you’re first starting.”
[00:21:04] Unlocking Stories from Life Moments
“She literally slipped and fell, but the slipping was… you were slipping in other areas. Let’s unpack this.”
[00:21:30] The Power of Verbal Processing
“People need to verbally process. So hiring a coach like you, somebody who can listen to you, help you put some things in a framework—that’s a beautiful place to start.”
Links
Stacey Gonzales, Ed.D. on Linkedin
Website
Other Links
Martin on Linkedin
ROI From Speaking self assessment
