The TalkXpertise Newsletter** New name. New schedule. New graphical design. Same industry-defining advice. What gives? Let's call it a celebration! Just over a decade ago, I was the 1st in the world to launch an online "TED-style" speaker business. I even coined the term. Go figure. (More about that follows.) In that time, the "short talk" industry (arguably a niche I founded) has exploded β with alumni TED and TEDx speakers (or volunteer staffers) hanging out their coaching shingles. This...
25 days agoΒ β’Β 7 min read
Reader: Youβve been seeing my emails and LinkedIn posts about TEDx lately. That's because this is *the* TEDster season. The season to pause. Dream bigger.Take action! And to finally give yourself the gift of a powerful growth and career catalyzing experience. You see, after the summer family vacation, Iβll be turning my focus to the many-month side of summiting what I call "The Mount Everest of Idea-Spreading" β helping thought leaders land and deliver top-tier TED Talks. Over the course of...
5 months agoΒ β’Β 2 min read
A smooth script is a winning script. When Iβm working with hopeful leaders heading to center stage or center screen, I say imagine: Youβre steering the minivan. Your viewers are seated in the back. Youβre driving along the keynote highway. The overall goal is to ensure a smooth, jostle-free, interesting ride. A message thatβs free from distractions and disruptions. In crafting a next-level presentation, there are obstacles to navigate that can disrupt your messaging highway. These road...
5 months agoΒ β’Β 3 min read
Joyce sat in the darkened theater, notebook balanced on her lap, heart pounding harder than it should for someone *not* about to go onstage. She was at TEDxCambridge β the largest TEDx venue in the country. But she wasnβt backstage. She wasnβt micβd. She wasnβt giving the talk she knew she was born to deliver. She was in the audience. Again. She watched, speaker after speaker stepping onto that iconic red stage, each one sharing a message that echoed across the auditorium. With every standing...
7 months agoΒ β’Β 3 min read
Some stories land. Others miss the mark. But the ones that stick β the ones that make people lean in β hit the bulls-eye and are repeated. In my STICKY Stories training, I call it βBulls-Eye Storytelling.β That's because the closer you get to the center, the more powerful the connection. Weβve all heard stories that float somewhere out there in the narrative ether: βI heard from someone who read it somewhereβ¦β That kind of story is fine. It can teach. It might even inspire. But what grabs...
7 months agoΒ β’Β 3 min read
In an era flooded with content, authority has become the rarest currency. - Anyone can post daily on LinkedIn- Build a brand with AI "insights"- Launch a podcast But letβs be honest β views donβt equate value. And virality doesnβt mean credibility. And "thought leadership" isn't self-declared. The audience watching TED Talks by the millions each week isnβt looking for more noise. They want: - Ideas with depth- Leadership with proof- Results-driving frameworks Going viral shouldn't be the...
8 months agoΒ β’Β 5 min read
I always say that a TED Talk delivery, at the highest level, is akin to watching a Cirque du Soleil solo. Think about the last time you watched a world-class performance β whether an acrobat soaring through the air or a musician lost in their melody. The best performers donβt just execute their craft; they embody it! When a Cirque performer steps on stage, they arenβt simply recalling choreography. They are living the performance: deeply connected to the moment and effortlessly adapting to...
10 months agoΒ β’Β 3 min read
This year I'm fortunate to celebrate a number of career milestones. A nifty one, tied to the first week of January is the tally of one million views of a TEDx Talk by Dr. Robert Waldinger. It was nine years ago this week when his talk released on YouTube (Nov. 2015). The TED headquarters team then re-edited and shared it on their website, the night before Christmas. By New Years... Dr. Waldinger was one of my 1st TEDx clients, back in the day. He was also the very, very first to reach those...
11 months agoΒ β’Β 4 min read
TED Talks have forever redefined public speaking β how we share and spread ideas on stage and screen. At the heart of this phenomenon is a distinct speaker prep approach that Iβve coined The Maximized Messaging Methodβ’ (M3). The M3 framework distills core elements of successful TED Talk prep, emphasizing clarity, storytelling, and calls to engagement. A signature example of the M3 approachβs effectiveness is the TEDx Talk** by Harvard's Dr. Robert Waldinger: What makes a good life? Lessons...
12 months agoΒ β’Β 6 min read