Lawrence Watkins: an engineer investing in the future

Lawrence Watkins is not your typical engineer. He has formed companies, worked in the investment sector, and is now the managing partner of Malcolm Garvey, helping organizations, business owners, and families use practical, market-driven approaches to improve the overall well-being of Black communities. I’m keen to learn more about the differences between entrepreneurship and corporate life, making the transition from one to the other, and the work he does now with Malcolm Garvey.

To learn more about Lawrence, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencewatkins.

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TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com)

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How to Ensure Your Audience Remembers What you Said

Last week we talked about making presentations less boring. This week, we take it a step further: how do you make sure your audience actually remembers what you said?

In this episode, I share practical tips for technical professionals to:

a. Craft a clear, memorable key message

b. Structure presentations so your audience can follow along

c. Use stories and examples that stick

d. Check understanding before it’s too late

Whether you’re presenting to colleagues, clients, or at a conference, these strategies will help your message land — and stay.

💡 For more tips on communicating complex ideas clearly, visit http://teachthegeek.com

Why Brilliant Engineers Give Boring Presentations and How to Fix it

Brilliant engineers often struggle to give presentations that are clear, engaging, and understandable — especially for nontechnical audiences. In this episode of Teach the Geek, I explain why technical professionals stumble in front of an audience and share practical tips to fix it:

✅ Avoid the curse of knowledge

✅ Use slides to support, not replace you

✅ Let go of perfection and connect

✅ Focus on what the audience cares about

If you lead technical teams or want to communicate your ideas more effectively, this episode is for you.

🌐 Learn more at teachthegeek.com

Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Speaker and STEM Advocate

Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur is an engineer with over 22 years of experience in the entertainment industry, leading projects in engineering, design, and technical management for major theme parks. Outside of work, she’s also a speaker and STEM advocate, inspiring the next generation of STEM workers. I’m interested to learn more about her work in entertainment, her STEM outreach, and speaking of course.

To learn more about Elaine, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaineschomburglafleur/.

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TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com)

Prefer video? Visit http://youtube.teachthegeek.com

Get Public Speaking Tips for STEM Professionals at http://teachthegeek.com/tips.

Dianna Deeney: A Coach of Quality

Dianna Deeney is an engineer, product development coach, and founder of Deeney Enterprises. With over 25 years in manufacturing, she’s worked her way up from the plant floor to leading product design and quality engineering teams. She’s also the author of the book “Pierce the Design Fog”, showing how leaders can bridge the communication gap with engineers. I’m curious to learn more about her founding of Deeney Enterprises, her motivation to write her book, and the ways in which becoming an effective communicator has benefited her.

To learn more about Dianna, visit https://deeneyenterprises.com/

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TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com)

Prefer video? Visit http://youtube.teachthegeek.com

Get Public Speaking Tips for STEM Professionals at http://teachthegeek.com/tips

Dr. Harold Lee III on life in corporate, founding a consultancy, and giving technical presentations

Dr. Harold Lee III is the founder of the Preferred Thinking Group, a consultancy that provides services such as soft skill development, career readiness training, and project management. I’m curious to learn more about his work in corporate, his motivation to start the Preferred Thinking Group, and the ways in which becoming an effective communicator has benefited him.

To learn more about Dr. Lee, visit https://thepreferredthinkinggroup.com/

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TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com)

Prefer video? Visit http://youtube.teachthegeek.com

Get Public Speaking Tips for STEM Professionals at http://teachthegeek.com/tips

Jenn Stevens on Working with Technical Professionals on their Communication Skills

Jenn Stevens is the founder of Presence Coaching & Consulting, working with growing tech companies on the human side of technical problems. She has spent her career helping leaders discover that their biggest challenges aren't technical but are about communication, leadership, and navigating organizational complexity. I’m keen to learn how an organizational development consultant became the go-to person for leaders in tech companies when they realize they have people problems, not technology problems.

To learn more about Jenn, visit https://presenceod.com/.

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TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com)

Prefer video? Visit http://youtube.teachthegeek.com

Get Public Speaking Tips for STEM Professionals at http://teachthegeek.com/tips

Jacques the Party Scientist is Bringing Joy to the World

Jacques The Party Scientist ditched his career in pharmacology to, among other things, develop the Joy Bootcamp, the first joy-based leadership retreat. We chatted about his corporate life in Medical Devices (something we have in common), his transition to self-employment, and the ways in which he uses speaking to spread his message of joy.

To learn more about the Party Scientist and Jacques, visit https://thepartyscientist.com/

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TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com)

Prefer video? Visit http://youtube.teachthegeek.com

Get Public Speaking Tips for STEM Professionals at http://teachthegeek.com/tips

Darnell Dixon on STEM Advocacy, Being a Manager, and Technical Speaking

Darnell Dixon is an engineer and STEM advocate, working with local schools and organizations to inspire the next generation of engineers and scientists. I’m keen to learn more about his journey in Engineering, his advocacy efforts, and the ways in which speaking has impacted him.

To get in touch with Darnell, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrdixon/

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TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com)

Prefer video? Visit http://youtube.teachthegeek.com

Get Public Speaking Tips for STEM Professionals at http://teachthegeek.com/tips

Engineer Kim Burton on being a Pilot, Giving Presentations, and Managing Others

Kim Burton is a director of project engineering. She’s a pilot, too. I’m curious to learn more about where her interest in Engineering came from, her work in industry, and how speaking has benefited her work life.

To get in touch with Kim, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-burton-2898b9a/. You can also find her on IG and X @kimengineers.

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TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com)

Prefer video? Visit http://youtube.teachthegeek.com

Get Public Speaking Tips for STEM Professionals at http://teachthegeek.com/tips