Public Speaking: How Not To Freak Out

75% of people are scared of public speaking.

I’ll say that again.

75% of people are scared of public speaking. It’s even got a fancy name - “glossophobia”.

That’s a lot of people getting unnecessarily stressed, anxious and losing sleep; over preparing and spending far far too much time freaking out about overwritten slide decks; people who are looking to survive but not thrive within this environment.

You don’t have to be part of that 75%. 

Remember this:

-- Charisma is not something you’re born with. 

-- Charisma is not a gift bestowed exclusively to the extroverted.

-- Other people aren’t automatically and inherently better than you.

You can excel as a presenter, public speaker and communicator. Whether you’re leading a town hall or simply sharing ideas in a meeting, you can do it and can feel good whilst doing it.

How do I know?

I’ve helped hundreds of people excel as public speakers, from Heads of Global businesses to people who struggle to introduce themselves.

And this is what I tell them:

I’m a Public Speaking Coach and I hate public speaking: I get it. I understand why it’s intimidating and quite often I’d prefer to do anything else.

I know what it’s like to stand in front of 2,000 people and lose them in a heartbeat.

I know what it’s like to forget my lines.

I know what it’s like to fall over on stage.

I even know what it's like to faint on stage only to feel the backstage crew put a costume on me as I lay there in a blackout (thanks Beauty and the Beast, Leamington Spa 2008!).

But I also know what it’s like to have 2,000 people in the palm of my hand night after night after night.

How do you do that? 

It’s not what you think.

When I changed careers in 2016 and co-founded FROM:TODAY our first offering was Executive Public Speaking coaching. In preparation for going to market Chris, my Co-Founder, and I had spent a great deal of time analysing the skills of an actor, more specifically, the moment you ‘have them in the palm of your hand’. 

We discovered that Public Speaking is being taught all wrong, with too much focus and value put on what you do with your hands, body and voice, too much focus on slide decks and hardly any focus on connection, influence and generosity.

So we designed a programme that did the latter and the results for the participants were genuinely a little overwhelming. Not only did it have a marked impact on how well they spoke, their confidence, how they felt about speaking in front of people and how successful they were but also had a tremendous impact on their personal life. 

When you have the confidence to bring your most authentic self into a high-pressured environment, such as presenting, it becomes almost effortless everywhere else.

But don’t take my word for it:

Kate Bright, Founder and CEO at Umbra International: “I highly recommend FROM:TODAY for anyone looking to unlock and enhance their full potential, truly connecting with themselves and their audiences.”

Liz Paradine, COO at 7iM: “It has challenged my thinking and approach not only when presenting but also through everyday management.”

Magda Gonzalez (CFO/COO Monex Europe) “FROM:TODAY’s coaching is like the iPhone. You don’t realise you need it until you have it and then you can’t live without it.”

You don’t have to be intimidated, you don't need to be anxious. We can show you how to prepare properly, how to truly influence, how to excel and how to thrive as a public speaker.

Don’t be part of the 75%.