The Toastmasters Podcast

Sara is a Distinguished Toastmaster, currently serving as the Program Quality Director for District 3 in Arizona. She wrote an article in the July 2023 issue of the Toastmaster magazine called "Are Your Behavioral Patterns Causing Burnout? Advice for managing your mental state."

Read Sara's article: https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2023/july/burnout

Listen to Sara's podcast, Bold Goal Crusher: https://app.kajabi.com/podcasts/2147493967/feedhttps://app.kajabi.com/podcasts/2147493967/feedhttps://www.saramayer.com/podcasts/bold-goal-crusher-podcast

Visit Sara's website: https://www.saramayer.com.

If you would like to hear another podcast on burnout, please check out episode #248:

#248: How One Person Beat Burnout Through Personal Daily Routines – Olya Amelina

[27:39] Traveling internationally can open our eyes to a whole new world of experiences, especially for Toastmasters, given there are clubs located all over the world. Back for the third time, our guest today Maureen Zappala has connected with several members with Toastmasters-inspired experiences and stories and shares them with us today. She also offers tips for enhancing your travel abroad by visiting clubs and making new connections.

Maureen Zappala is a Distinguished Toastmaster and a former NASA propulsion engineer. She’s also a professional speaker, author and presentation skills coach, as well as founder of High Altitude Strategies, a coaching and speaking service. 

You can read Maureen's article: Toastmasters on Vacation: The benefits of international travel are boundless in the June 2023 issue of the Toastmaster magazine.

Maureen can be reached at MaureenZ.com.

You can also listen to Toastmasters for the Holidays, a short ToastCaster podcast mentioned in this episode.

Diane Windingland, DTM is an author, speaker, and presentation coach from St. Paul, MN. She is a member of two clubs: PowerTalk Toastmasters and Readership Toastmasters, and the author of over 10 books related to communication. Diane wrote an article in the December 2022 issue of the Toastmaster magazine called 7 Tips to Brush Up Your Small Talk.

Diane's article: https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2022/nov/small-talk

Create a Conversational Resume: https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2022/dec/conversation-resume

Diane's website: https://www.virtualspeechcoach.com/

Diane's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianewindingland/

https://www.amazon.com/Impromptu-Speaking-Strategies-Without-Tripping/dp/B09XLQ9H8Z/

Diane's Most Recent Book: Impromptu Speaking: 10 Strategies to Think on Your Feet Without Tripping Over Your Tongue https://www.amazon.com/Impromptu-Speaking-Strategies-Without-Tripping/dp/B09XLQ9H8Z

Diane's Book on Small Talk: Small Talk Big Results: Chit Chat Your Way to Success!  https://www.amazon.com/Small-Talk-Big-Results-Success/dp/0983007802

Webinar related to my Diane's small talk article (with a holiday gathering focus: https://www.toastmasters.org/Resources/Video-Library/holiday-webinar)

Eddie’s article, It’s Your Turn to Toast: Get past your fear by learning to C.H.E.E.R.S. will appear in the June 2023 issue of the Toastmaster magazine. 

Eddie Rice  is a professional speechwriter with over a decade of experience in helping business leaders, keynote speakers, TED talk presenters, nonprofit organizations and everyday people, enhance the messages they tell through great storytelling and structure.

Types of speeches include: Keynotes, TED and TEDx Talks, nonprofit advocacy speeches and of course Ceremonial speeches like the TOAST which he covers in his award-winning and best selling book - TOAST: Short Speeches, Big Impact.

Eddie is a member Eastside Toastmasters #6500 in Shaker Heights, Ohio.

You can also listen to a previous interview Eddie has with Greg on Toastcaster 160: The Toast: Short Speech with a Big Impact – Eddie Rice where Eddie shares a little more about his journey and how Toastmasters came into play. He also dives into what makes for a great toast; His 7-Step process on creating a Toast - for yourself or others.

As an additional resource, here's a link to Eddie's post "Ask me anything" on Reddit he made reference to in the interview when he first launched his book. 

Eddie can be reached at https://www.ricespeechwriting.com/ 

Jolene Stockman is an award-winning writer, author, and TEDx speaker. She is a Master of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, and one of the youngest people in the world to achieve the Distinguished Toastmaster Award. Jolene lives in New Zealand and speaks globally through the International Indigenous Speakers Bureau.

You can read Jolene's article, Learning to Love My Autistic Identity: Toastmasters turned out to be the perfect place to do that, in the May 2023 issue of the Toastmaster magazine.

Visit Jolene's website: http://www.jolenestockman.com

Watch Jolene's TEDx: https://youtu.be/vSLdzdwlb_I

Check out Jolene's latest book, Autistic World Domination: How to Script Your Life: 

http://www.amazon.com/Autistic-World-Domination-Jolene-Stockman/dp/1839974443

[24:35] As a teenager, Diana Robertson was crushed when her Father told her she didn't have what it takes to be an entrepreneur. She set out to show him otherwise.  In this episode, Greg speaks with Diana about how this once shy introverted young woman overcame challenges through a mix of determination and help from Toastmasters in both Russia and the U.K. Diana's journey included participating in speech competitions, taking on leadership roles within her Club and District, and even chairing a District conference in 2020.

You'll also hear about the important role of positive feedback played a part in her transformation, how her Toastmasters experience differed in Russia versus the U.K, and more. 

Diana is featured in the February 2023 Issue of the Toastmaster magazine, in a Member Moment by Paul Sterman entitled, A Daughter Defies Expectations:  Leadership lessons help U.K. member prosper.

Diana Robertson is an award-winning speaker, communication skills trainer, TEDx speaker & coach, and founder of Skillsme Academy, one of UK’s top virtual schools for developing soft skills. Having been a shy introvert herself, she has devoted her life to helping people unleash their potential with the power of communication skills.

You can also listen to her presentation, “How to Learn Communication Skills,” from the London TEDxYouth event in late 2022.

You can reach Diana Robertson on LinkedIn or at https://skillsme.co.uk/

To help listeners with their vocals, Jillian offers 5 Exercises to Vocal Tone.

Jillian Mitchell is a vocal coach, recording artist, vodcast host, writer, and all-around voice advocate. She is the founder of Voxsana, an online platform dedicated to voice empowerment. Jillian lives in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, with her husband and two children. Jillian penned an article published in the April 2023 issue of the Toastmaster magazine called "Tone It Up! How to use your voice for powerful effect."

Visit Jillian's website: https://voxsana.co/

Follow Voxsana on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/voxsana.co/

[27:54] In the latest episode, co-hosts Greg Gazin & Ryan Levesque offer insight as a follow-up to the March 2023 article in the Toastmaster magazine: Tune In to The Toastmasters Podcast: Learn about the organization’s official podcast series and its hosts, written by Shannon Dewey. The hosts share their experiences, starting with how the podcast began, the partnership with the Toastmaster magazine, the show's raison d'être, and more.  

You also hear Greg & Ryan reminisce about lessons learned, memorable episodes, miscues, and more. They also share resources to help you begin your own podcasting journey or possibly be featured as a guest.  

Selected Podcasts and Resources mentioned in the episode:

• Creating Interesting Podcast Content – Part 1 (#157) and Part 2 (#158)

• Surviving Everest & the Nepal Earthquake – Sara Safari (#104)

• Confessions of a Podcast Host - Greg Gazin & Ryan Levesque (#172)

• Don't Let Fear Hold You Back – Robert A. Navarez (#208)

• Enhance Any Presentation with Clown Presence – Don Colliver (#222)

• ToastCaster Communication Leadership and Learning Lab - Podcast

Article from the January 2021 Toastmaster magazine, “Is There a Podcast in Your Future?”

Podcasting Level 4 Elective in Pathways.

Toastmaster Magazine Submissions:  Everything that you need to do to submit to the magazine, including helpful do’s and don’ts.

Toastmasters Podcast Twitter: @theTMPodcast.

[29:55] Many in their retirement years may not know what to do with themselves. Some may feel a loss of purpose because some define themselves by their jobs or feel they are too old to do new things. Our guest today is Jean Small. At 88, she seems unstoppable and today she'll  illustrate with a glimpse into her ongoing incredible journey that anything is possible.

Jean retired in 2003 at the age of 68, and then joined a Toastmasters club in Jamaica. In 2021, she joined a club in Haiti to continue practicing her French by giving speeches. At 88 years old, Jean is one of the Toastmasters highlighted in an article of the March 2023 issue of the Toastmaster magazine called, “5 Ways to Reinvigorate Yourself After Retirement.”

Jean was born in the South American country of Guyana, Jean has taught French in multiple locations, including Nigeria, Australia, Jamaica, and Guyana. As a French teacher, Jean received multiple prestigious awards from the government of France for her contributions, including being named a Knight in the order of the Academic Palms. In 2011 she completed her Doctorate which promotes the application of theater techniques as the best tool for learning the French language.

Jean Small lives in Jamaica and can be reached on LinkedIn.

Dave is a member of Bromley Speakers based in Kent, England.

His article, “5 Basic Tips for Effective Slide Presentations,” can be found in the February 2023 issue of the Toastmaster magazine. 

Read Dave's article: https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2023/feb/effective-slide-presentations

Visit Dave's website: https://www.theslidepresentationman.co.uk/

View Dave's PowerPoint animation webinar: https://youtu.be/QE3SEe_Ngd0

Watch Dave speak about the effects of bad slide presentations: https://www.theslidepresentationman.co.uk/speaking-slides/

Connect with David Henson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidhensonpresents/