The Public Speaking Podcast

What happens when a live stage experiment fails so hard that half your audience is gone?

In this raw and transparent episode of The Public Speaking Podcast, hosts Lucas Reuterstig and Alexander Grabner Jarlung explore the high-stakes world of stage risks, bombing, and resilience. Lucas opens up for the first time about his biggest presentation failure, where everything went disastrously wrong.

Lucas and Alex dissect the psychological recovery process after taking a massive hit on stage, and also explore why great speakers are like performers in a rock band, how failing with pride builds long-term authority, and the exact 3-step framework for analyzing risk versus reward before trying something radical in front of a live room.

Connect with Alex

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jarlung/

Linkedin: https://se.linkedin.com/in/alexander-grabner-jarlung

Connect with Lucas

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mr_reuterstig/

Linkedin: https://se.linkedin.com/in/reuterstig

Follow us on social media

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headgain.co/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepublicspeakingchannel

Website: https://headgain.com/

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Get started on your public speaking journey today at https://skool.com/speak

It's where we host classes, courses, live calls and much more!

Join the Best Speaking Community on the Planet! 👏

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"So... any questions?"

In this episode of The Public Speaking Podcast, hosts Lucas Reuterstig and Alexander Grabner Jarlung unpack one of the most common, and dangerous, mistakes presenters make: handing the final impression of their entire talk over to an unpredictable room.

Just like landing an airplane, the final 60 seconds of your presentation require maximum precision. Lucas and Alex break down the psychological reasons why audiences remember the ending above all else, how to handle running out of time, and the exact 4-step strategy to close your speech with authority, impact, and a lasting emotional payoff.

Connect with Alex

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jarlung/

Linkedin: https://se.linkedin.com/in/alexander-grabner-jarlung

Connect with Lucas

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mr_reuterstig/

Linkedin: https://se.linkedin.com/in/reuterstig

Follow us on social media

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headgain.co/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepublicspeakingchannel

Website: https://headgain.com/

Join our community

Free skool community: https://www.skool.com/beginner

Paid skool community: https://www.skool.com/speak

Get started on your public speaking journey today at https://skool.com/speak

It's where we host classes, courses, live calls and much more!

Join the Best Speaking Community on the Planet! 👏

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did you know that most speakers lose their entire audience within the first 60 seconds of walking onto stage?

In this new episode of The Public Speaking Podcast, Lucas Reuterstig and Alexander Grabner Jarlung break down the silent killer of keynotes and corporate presentations: weak, forgettable openings.

Alex shares a recent real-world story where he put an entire audience through a 15-second "stress test" in the opening minute, proving why interactive hooks completely disrupt the room and demand instant attention. Together, they discuss the worst stage habits that you could do in real life.

Whether you're presenting quarterly financial reports or delivering a keynote, this episode gives you practical ways to make your opening personal, high-energy, and completely impossible to ignore.

Timestamps

00:00 - Intro

02:00 - Gone in 60 Seconds: How Speakers Lose the Room

03:34 - The 15-Second "Stress Test" Stage Opening

06:28 - Observations from the Amazon Nordic Event

08:32 - The Worst Ways to Start a Speech

10:11 - What Makes a Really Good Stage Hook?

12:00 - Entertaining the Brain While Delivering Facts

14:24 - How "Berta" Should Hook an Audience with Boring Numbers

16:00 - Shaping Audience Emotion from the First Impression

19:42 - Scanian Dialects & Authentic Persona on Stage

22:00 - What's the Worst That Can Happen? Taking Stage Risks

25:00 - How to Build Confidence in 14 Days

27:05 - Outro

Connect with Alex

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jarlung/

Linkedin: https://se.linkedin.com/in/alexander-grabner-jarlung

Connect with Lucas

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mr_reuterstig/

Linkedin: https://se.linkedin.com/in/reuterstig

Follow us on social media

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headgain.co/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepublicspeakingchannel

Website: https://headgain.com/

Join our community

Free skool community: https://www.skool.com/beginner

Paid skool community: https://www.skool.com/speak

Get started on your public speaking journey today at https://skool.com/speak

It's where we host classes, courses, live calls and much more!

Join the Best Speaking Community on the Planet! 👏

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you go from living in a $20-a-month shack surrounded by mice to generating $50M+ in sales and standing on global TEDx stages?

In this explosive, high-energy episode of The Public Speaking Podcast, hosts Lucas Reuterstig and Alexander Grabner Jarlung sit down with international speaker and investor, Steven Dossou.

Steven shares his personal story where he went from hawking vacuum cleaners door-to-door in South Africa to scaling multi-million dollar organizations and building a global public speaking business.

Steven pulls no punches when breaking down the reality of getting booked. He opens up about applying to over 150 TEDx and also explains the critical differences between getting booked in Europe versus the US, and breaks down his daily routine for unbreakable confidence. Plus, he introduces Real Speaking Gigs, an AI-powered tool trained on a decade of outreach data to help speakers connect directly with event organizers and land paid stages.

Timestamps

00:00 - Intro

02:18 - The Speaker Agency Dilemma: Exclusivity vs. Freedom

05:58 - 10 Tough Thoughts with Steven Dossou

07:08 - Growing Up in a $20 Shack in Togo

08:54 - Door-to-Door Vacuum Sales to $50 Million in Revenue

11:13 - Losing Everything & Finding His True Calling in Speaking

13:49 - Cold-Pitching Directors to Build a Career

15:57 - The Truth About TEDx

18:31 - How Credibility Precedes Paid Gigs

19:11 - Getting Booked in Europe vs. The US (Market Realities)

22:07 - Finding Your "Touchstone Message" & Signature Speech

24:51 - In-Person Stage Energy vs. Digital Speaking

28:02 - 3 Daily Habits for Unstoppable Confidence & Resilience

32:59 - Guest Recommendations

35:03 - How "Real Speaking Gigs" AI Helps Speakers Land Bookings

37:30 - Where to Connect with Steven Dossou & Outro

Connect with Steven

Linkedin: https://fi.linkedin.com/in/steven-dossou-action-man-3623b5106

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steven_dossou/?hl=en

Website: https://stevendossou.com/

Follow us on social media

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headgain.co/

Join our community

Free skool community: https://www.skool.com/beginner

Paid skool community: https://www.skool.com/speak

Get started on your public speaking journey today at https://skool.com/speak

It's where we host classes, courses, live calls and much more!

Join the Best Speaking Community on the Planet! 👏

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are facts, stats, and logic completely failing to win people over on stage?

In this electric episode of The Public Speaking Podcast, hosts Lucas Reuterstig and Alexander Grabner Jarlung sit down with world famous speechwriter and author Simon Lancaster. Having crafted speeches for UK Cabinet Ministers, global CEOs, and world leaders for nearly 30 years, Simon reveals what actually makes words have power over an audience.

Simon breaks down why he is sick of generic AI speeches and explains why true connection requires raw humanity, ancient rhetoric, and a bit of rockstar energy. His story going viral on social media From analyzing how Aristotle’s Ethos, Pathos, and Logos combine with modern neuroscience, to the psychological power of strategic swearing and why you should ignore everyone else’s advice when taking the stage, this episode is a masterclass in modern influence.

Connect with Simon

Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/simon-lancaster-speechwriter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespeechwriter1/?hl=en

Website: https://bespokespeeches.com/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thespeechwriter1

Follow us on social media

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headgain.co/

Join our community

Free skool community: https://www.skool.com/beginner

Paid skool community: https://www.skool.com/speak

Get started on your public speaking journey today at https://skool.com/speak

It's where we host classes, courses, live calls and much more!

Join the Best Speaking Community on the Planet! 👏

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What separates the top 1% of paid speakers from the 80% who leave audiences completely disconnected?

In this episode of The Public Speaking Podcast, hosts Lucas Reuterstig and Alexander Grabner Jarlung sit down with Mary Tillson-Wharton, Head of Speaker Coaching and Momentum at the Speaking Business Academy. Drawing from her background as a private investigator and decades in learning and development, Mary reveals why 80% of speeches fail the audience and how elite speakers use "scoping" to ensure they nail their delivery every single time.

Mary breaks down on the 4 Critical Questions, and explains why you should never deliver the exact same speech twice. She also introduces her famous WOMBAT framework, a step-by-step tool for structuring customized, high-impact presentations on short notice.

Whether you are a seasoned keynote speaker or just starting out, this episode will transform the way you approach your audience, your client conversations, and your stage prep.

Connect with Mary

Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/marytillsonwharton

Academy: https://www.mariafranzoni.me/

Follow us on social media

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headgain.co/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepublicspeakingchannel

Website: https://headgain.com/

Join our community

Free skool community: https://www.skool.com/beginner

Paid skool community: https://www.skool.com/speak

Get started on your public speaking journey today at https://skool.com/speak

It's where we host classes, courses, live calls and much more!

Join the Best Speaking Community on the Planet! 👏

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you respond when life completely strips away your voice and paralyzes half of your body?

In this deeply moving episode of The Public Speaking Podcast, hosts Lucas Reuterstig and Alexander Grabner Jarlung sit down with motivational speaker Tony Mulligan. Diagnosed with a recurrent brain tumor 12 years ago, Tony has survived four major brain surgeries and after losing his ability to speak and battling severe left-side paralysis.

This conversation goes far beyond presentation techniques, it is a raw, emotional masterclass on how to never lose your purpose will guide you into use your darkest moments to give hope to others.

Tony shares how he conquered the terror of stepping onto stage with an uncertain voice, why saying "yes" to terrifying opportunities will transform your life.

If you want to enjoy Tony’s SPEAKERx video, here’s the link: https://youtu.be/A7VWiHUsC-o

Connect with Tony

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonysmulligan/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonymullspeaks?igsh=a3drMmJ4aWZqOXgw 

Follow us on social media

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headgain.co/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepublicspeakingchannel

Website: https://headgain.com/

Join our community

Free skool community: https://www.skool.com/beginner

Paid skool community: https://www.skool.com/speak

Get started on your public speaking journey today at https://skool.com/speak

It's where we host classes, courses, live calls and much more!

Join the Best Speaking Community on the Planet! 👏

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We always say that every single day in life is just a practice of how you speak, and what happens when there are no guests, no scripts, and zero filters in the studio? This is a funny episode.

In this edition of The Public Speaking Podcast, hosts Lucas and Alex turn the micro-interrogations on themselves!

Our famous "10 Tough Thoughts" rapid-fire quiz is being asked to both of them, uncovering hilarious personal truths, unexpected preferences, and the exact reasons behind their stage philosophies.

You’ll have the chance to sit and laugh while you’re getting to know our hosts better.

This unscripted conversation proves how authentic, improvised banter can build undeniable presence and connection.

Follow us on social media

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headgain.co/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepublicspeakingchannel

Website: https://headgain.com/

Join our community

Free skool community: https://www.skool.com/beginner

Paid skool community: https://www.skool.com/speak

Connect with Alex

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jarlung/

Linkedin: https://se.linkedin.com/in/alexander-grabner-jarlung

Connect with Lucas

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mr_reuterstig/

Linkedin: https://se.linkedin.com/in/reuterstig 

Get started on your public speaking journey today at https://skool.com/speak

It's where we host classes, courses, live calls and much more!

Join the Best Speaking Community on the Planet! 👏

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you ready to step into the $1.6 trillion paid speaking market?

In this extraordinary episode of The Public Speaking Podcast, hosts Lucas Reuterstig and Alexander Grabner Jarlung sit down with former speaker bureau executive, commercial strategist, and author of The Bookability Formula, Maria Franzoni.

This might be controversial but Public Speaking for free is holding you back, that’s one thing, of many we’ve learned in this episode.

Maria reveals the biggest myths in the industry and breaks down the epidemic of a term called “infobesity” explaining why modern audiences demand endless slides of information. She also strips away the fluff of the "public speaking" world and gives you the exact tools to make yourself ridiculously easy to book.

Whether you are an executive entering the speaking circuit or a working presenter looking to double your fees, this episode is more like a masterclass that left our hosts completely thrilled, amazed, and practically speechless.

Connect with Maria

Buy Maria's book: https://mybook.to/Bookability

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariafranzoni/

Website: https://www.mariafranzoni.me

Follow us on social media

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headgain.co/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepublicspeakingchannel

Website: https://headgain.com/

Join our community

Free skool community: https://www.skool.com/beginner

Paid skool community: https://www.skool.com/speak

Get started on your public speaking journey today at https://skool.com/speak

It's where we host classes, courses, live calls and much more!

Join the Best Speaking Community on the Planet! 👏

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is it really possible to go from being super shy to speaking on international stages?

In this episode of The Public Speaking Podcast, hosts Lucas Reuterstig and Alexander Grabner Jarlung sit down with PhD scientist, international keynote speaker, and author of Neuro Excellence, Dr. Biliana Tod, who breaks down the neuroscience of fear, explaining why waiting until you "feel ready" is a trap that keeps 99% of aspiring speakers silent.

She dives into how she built her personal brand by documenting real-life brain experiments, the story of her first speaking agency representation, and why embracing discomfort on stage is the key to unlocking authentic communication.

Whether you are a corporate leader struggling with presentation anxiety or an aspiring speaker looking to turn your scientific expertise into a lucrative keynote career, this episode will provide the exact roadmap to develop your courage and take action.

Connect with Biliana

Website: https://bilianatod.com/en/home/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bilianatod

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/biliana-todorova-phd-🧭-8984647b 

Follow us on social media

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headgain.co/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepublicspeakingchannel

Website: https://headgain.com/

Join our community

Free skool community: https://www.skool.com/beginner

Paid skool community: https://www.skool.com/speak

Get started on your public speaking journey today at https://skool.com/speak

It's where we host classes, courses, live calls and much more!

Join the Best Speaking Community on the Planet! 👏

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.