The hot topic right now is online presentations and how to do them so you feel good and your audience pays attention. The areas of interest range from feeling comfortable in front of the camera to how to use the tech and engage the audience throughout your meeting. Fear not! I have answers for you and I even created an entire course on the subject that starts this Monday, September 21st. If you want more information than what I cover on today's episode, take a look at the course and get yourself a seat before registration closes on Sunday.  Here are the questions I answer on today's show: How do I setup my computer and lighting to get the best look? How can you create engagement when people don't have their camera on and you can't see them? How can I build an instant connection with a virtual audience? I want to have an engaging opening and usually I just feel like everyone is bored as soon as I start. I hate being on camera! How do I get over this? How do I field questions while trying to present? What if I don’t know the answer to a question? How do I deliver a script when it’s not possible to memorize it? Want to learn more?  Introducing my new course, Online Presenting Made Easy! This course is designed to take you from anxious and unsure to actually enjoying presenting (yes it is possible!). You’ll learn how to: create content that is meaningful, informative, and not salesy keep the audience engaged from start to finish so you’re not left wondering if anyone heard anything you said use the technology so it enhances your presentation instead of being a source of frustration present yourself with authenticity instead of sounding robotic and boring You’ll also get a chance to try out what you are learning in small group breakouts so you get immediate feedback and practice. The format of the course is four 75-minute live classes on Zoom each Monday night from 7:00-8:15pm ET starting September 21st. (September 21, 28, October 5, 12.) 45 minutes of each class are for teaching and the other 30 minutes are for you to practice. Want to learn more? Registration is now open! If you can’t make it live, all the classes will be recorded and available to watch anytime. I’ll be sending the recording link out every week after class for anyone who missed it. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Claim the Stage: A Public Speaking Podcast for Women

Ep 145 Q&A Episode: Online Presentation Edition

Today's show is taking a rare turn into the world of mental health and trauma and how it influences our ability to use our voice. My guest is Dr. Omar Reda, a board-certified psychiatrist, Harvard-trained trauma expert, and Founder of Project Untangled, a model of care for trauma survivors. He has extensive experience and expertise in trauma-informed care, art and play therapy, refugee mental health, Muslim mental health, and the use of dialogue to combat hate. He is also the author of the book Untangled, A Go-To Guide for Caregivers of Traumatized Children, Families, and Communities. We discuss: The role of parents and what happens when they don't do their job What attachment is and why it's important for speaking up Types of trauma and how these experiences affect adults Why people who experienced trauma as children metaphorically lose their voice Strategies and tools for adults to learn how to speak up now Approaches for breaking the cycle of trauma and loving yourself more ________________________________________ Learn more about my new course, Online Presenting Made Easy! Registration is now open. Class starts September 21st. See you there! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Ep 144 How Childhood Trauma Can Steal Your Voice as an Adult with Dr Omar Reda

I'm excited to bring you a new series I'm calling "Four Minutes of Truth." It features women who are sharing something that is true for them in a four minute recording. Today's episode features five women I asked to participate to kick off the series, but my hope is that future episodes will include submissions from listeners like you! The five women are all Speaker Sisterhood club leaders who were once members (and some still are). You'll hear about topics like friendship, loneliness, self-awareness, the importance of speaking up, sensitivity as a strength, and new habits formed during the pandemic.  You will hear from: Becky Vesce, virtual club and Enfield, CT club leader Julie Bermant, Amherst, MA and Holyoke, MA club leader Janelle Anderson, Christiansburg, VA club leader Jennifer Cummings Hillery, Melrose, MA club leader Shauna Gullbrand, Salem, NH club leader All of these clubs are meeting virtually for the foreseeable future and you are welcome to attend as a guest for free at any time. Email them by clicking the link above and filling out the contact form on their page.  If you would like to share your four minutes of truth, email me your recording to angela@speakersisterhood.com. The only requirement is that it starts with "Hi, my name is and this is my four minutes of truth." Don't overthink it and don't write a script. Just freestyle something and see what comes out.  To take the survey for my upcoming course on online presentations, click here. The survey will be live until Saturday, August 29th at 12pm ET.  Want to learn more about what Speaker Sisterhood is all about? Get started here. 

Ep 143 Four Minutes of Truth Series, Episode 1

If you missed the last episode, listen to that first! Today's show shares responses from you, the listeners, and observations of apologizing from other women in the world. I also shared an insight I learned from the apologizing challenge. If you have ideas for upcoming episode topics or would like to suggest a guest, email angela@speakersisterhood.com. You can also share your insights from the challenges at this email address as well. It may be a little longer than usual before the next podcast episode comes out - I have something different and big planned! Stay tuned...

Ep 142 The Results: Being More Unreasonable and Apologizing Less

Today's episode is another one from the road. Pushing my son's carriage leads to many ideas and thoughts that need to be captured immediately! I smooshed two important topics together in hopes to inspire some thought around our behavior. The topics?Being unreasonable and apologizing. I put these two topics together because I think they are two things we could all work on and learn from. You'll hear more about why I'm bringing these things up now and how you can participate in sharing what you're learning about them too! Email me at Angela@Speakersisterhood.com to share a text update or record your voice and send an audio file that could be on the next episode. I think it'd be really interesting to see what we all learn.  Enjoy :)

Ep 141 Being More Unreasonable and Apologizing Less

Here is the sequel to my most popular episode ever, Episode 108: Four Ways to Look and Feel Powerful, Confident and Relaxed While Speaking. On today's show, I share an update on what happened after recording "The Answers Episode" and offer the following four tips: 1. Perfect is boring. Don't aim for perfect, aim for real. 2. Nail a few key points. Don't overstuff your burrito. 3. Know your weaknesses and fears so you can plan for them. 4. Embody your love for the topic (energy matters).  I share lots of stories and examples that'll help you integrate these tips into your speaking both on stage and online. Also, here are a couple links I mention in the episode: Episode 108: Four Ways to Look and Feel Powerful, Confident and Relaxed While Speaking Episode 45: Captivate with Vanessa Van Edwards (or listen where you download podcasts) Hurry Slowly podcast episode: What If You're Not Broken? Have a topic you want to hear covered or want to sponsor the show? Email me at angela@speakersisterhood.com  

Ep 140 Four More Ways to Look and Feel Powerful, Confident and Relaxed While Speaking

The most frequently asked question I've heard in the last three months is something along the lines of, "How do I give an online presentation that doesn't suck?" First off, it's hard! Second, it requires a little more thought than just showing up and talking. I put together a list of seven ways to improve at online presenting. But first, here are the seven reasons you suck at it: 1. You lost them at the seventh second when you hit a technical glitch related to your slides. 2. You're boring. 3. You won't turn your camera on. 4. Everyone sucks at online presentations. 5. You're talking AT your audience. 6. You didn't think about your audience. 7. You ONLY thought about your audience.  See the full list including tips to improve here.  Got a topic you want covered on my show? Email me at angela@speakersisterhood.com and you may hear it on an upcoming episode!   

Ep 139 Seven Reasons You Suck at Online Presentations

I'm 5% ready for this episode to be out in the world, but waiting to release it won't solve anything. On today's episode, I share the "answers" to the questions I posed in the last episode. I get into invisible privilege, how learning about my addictions made me aware of my own complacency in other areas, how epigenetics plays a part in our trauma and healing, how focusing on one problem to solve has been problematic for me, and what I am doing to make a difference going forward. I hope you'll share what you thought of this episode or share your own thoughts by emailing me at angela@speakersisterhood.com. Listen to David Foster Wallace's "This Is Water" Download the questions from episode 137 Check out a Speaker Sisterhood club Watch Mark Wolynn's video on epigenetics "It Isn't Your Fault"  

Ep 138 The Answers Episode

Hiiii!! It's me again. It's been two months and I'm excited to get back to the show with a big episode of questions. These questions were designed to help you do some self-discovery during this time of change. They are also there to help you see things about yourself you may not want to look at because this is where the truth lives! Ready?  Download your copy of the questions here.  Email me your answers for the next episode to angela@speakersisterhood.com by June 15th. Let me know if you want to be anonymous or not. Would love to include you! If you'd like to attend a Speaker Sisterhood meeting to share your answers and check out our clubs, view our list of groups here.  Learn more about the International Institute for Restorative Practices here. 

Ep 137 Who Are You Today? The Questions Episode

Hi friends. Your host, Angela here. :) How are you doing during these strange times? I recorded a short episode on a walk around my neighborhood today while trying to get my eight month old son to take a nap. Just checking in to say hi and see how you're doing. If you want to shoot me a note, my email is angela@speakersisterhood.com. Hope you're finding peace during this time. 

Ep 136 Hi. How are you?

Do you speak about a topic that most people would rather avoid than have to deal with? Topics that make your target audience uncomfortable can be hard to market because they may not want to face that discomfort. On today’s episode, I interview Rachel Richards, a former financial advisor who has made a name for herself in the personal finance realm. She is the bestselling author of “Money Honey” and “Passive Income, Aggressive Retirement.” Her valuable money lessons have helped thousands of millennials work their way out of financial despair. She has successfully done what no one has done before: made the topic of money management fun, entertaining, and simple. We cover: How Rachel got into money management as a career focus How she took a topic that is typically dry and difficult to follow and made it fun and simple Tips to turn an emotionally-charged topic into something people want to learn about How she approaches this topic when putting together a speech How she creates compelling content for social media What she did to change her mindset from seeing this topic as hard and difficult to simple and easy Customer research she did to learn about how her audience talks about finances How she has gotten so much attention for the book Advice she would give as a starting point for other speakers and aspiring authors who are trying to make their topic more attractive and are struggling with it Learn more about Rachel Richards here Buy Money Honey here Buy Passive Income, Aggressive Retirement here Follow her on Instagram Facebook and Twitter  

Ep 135 How to Make an Emotionally-Charged Topic Approachable and Fun with Rachel Richards

Welcome to a special bonus episode! Today we're talking all about gaining confidence to speak up. My guest is Dr Joli Hamilton (you heard her on our last episode, #134) and we're sharing our experiences with speaking up, advice on how to do it, and what to do when speaking up goes wrong. This is a super popular subject and we're excited to share some tips to make this practice easier for you. We also talk more about our upcoming weekend retreat we're doing in Western Massachusetts in June. Get all the details, find out why you might want to be there, and apply here.  More about Joli: Dr. Joli Hamilton has a doctorate in depth psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute where she specialized in Jungian and Archetypal Studies. Joli also earned a certificate in holistic sexuality education from the Institute for Sexuality Education and Enlightenment, where she is now faculty teaching intimacy, communication, theories of sexuality education, and kink awareness for new sex therapists and educators. She is an AASECT board-certified sex educator and is currently the Chair of the Continuing Education Committee for AASECT. Joli is also a professor of human sexuality where she is constantly finding new ways to teach people how to lean into their curiosity about sex, love, and connection. Want to get your copy of Secrets of the Sisterhood? This book is a compilation-style publication that features speeches written by Speaker Sisterhood members. The women between the pages of this book are courageous, powerful truth tellers. These 45 speeches were originally delivered in Speaker Sisterhood clubs across the U.S. between 2016 and 2019. You’ll read stories of believing, seeking, becoming, and so much more. This book also serves as a fundraiser for our scholarship program, The Gratitude Fund. 50% of profits will go towards this fund to help more women access the power of the Speaker Sisterhood. Get your copy of the book by clicking here.

Bonus Episode: How to Gain Confidence to Speak Up with Dr Joli Hamilton

I'm baaaaack! I mean, the show has been running, but I haven't really felt like I'm "back" until now. 2019 brought all kinds of challenges and every time I thought I got up, I was kicked down again. On today's episode, I invite my friend Dr. Joli Hamilton to join me to talk about a big secret project we're unveiling right here, right now. We also talk about how this project came to be and the steps we've taken to make it real. I go over all of this in the hopes that it will provide some sort of roadmap for you, if you want to do something similar. We're VERY excited about this new offering and hope you will join us for the fun in June. To learn more about it and apply, go here. Learn more about Dr. Joli Hamilton here.  Have an idea for an upcoming topic or guest you'd like to recommend? Email me! angela@speakersisterhood.com

Ep 134 An Announcement and An Offering (and How We Got There)

Selling. It's one of those necessary elements of making your business grow, but how do you do it in a way that feels satisfying and not slimy? On today's episode, I interview Nikki Rausch, a sales coach, author, speaker and founder of Sales Maven. After 25 years of experience selling to such prestigious organizations as The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Hewlett-Packard, and NASA, Nikki decided to start her own business so she could help entrepreneurs sell in a way that builds relationships, creates true connection, and results in more closed deals and long-term clients. Now, Nikki transforms the misunderstood process of “selling” into techniques, tools, and tips that can be successfully incorporated into a process replicable by anyone whose livelihood relies on selling a product, a service, or themselves.  On today's episode we discuss: How Nikki became a sales expert Why the sales process is so misunderstood The "Selling Staircase" and how to use it Nikki's favorite sales techniques when speaking on a stage or using speaking to sell your business The biggest mistakes she sees speakers and business owners make when it comes to selling What Nikki would say to someone who is hesitant to make a pitch because they're afraid of hearing a "no" Nikki has offered all Claim the Stage listeners a copy of her ebook, Closing the Sale, which helps uncover why you might be fumbling sales calls and what to do instead, how to establish yourself as the expert and language to use when asking for the sale. Get it here: www.yoursalesmaven.com/cts Learn more about Nikki and follow her here: Visit Nikki's website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter YouTube Want to get your copy of Secrets of the Sisterhood? This book is a compilation-style publication that features speeches written by Speaker Sisterhood members. The women between the pages of this book are courageous, powerful truth tellers. These 45 speeches were originally delivered in Speaker Sisterhood clubs across the U.S. between 2016 and 2019. You’ll read stories of believing, seeking, becoming, and so much more. This book also serves as a fundraiser for our scholarship program, The Gratitude Fund. 50% of profits will go towards this fund to help more women access the power of the Speaker Sisterhood. Get your copy of the book by clicking here.

Ep 133 The Misunderstood Process of Selling with Nikki Rausch

If you're someone with a big message to share, you may find yourself wondering if your message is too much -- too controversial, too "out there" or too bold for your audience. What if you upset someone? What if you're misunderstood? If you're going against the norm or presenting a topic that will get a big response, you may have concerns and want to tone it down. Today's guest recommends you don't and she'll tell you why. Rachel Braun Scherl, a self-proclaimed "Vagipreneur" is a champion for the business of women’s health and a pioneer in the space, where she has passionately focused on driving the conversation about solutions and options for women’s sexual and reproductive health. She's the author of the best-seller, Orgasmic Leadership: Profiting from the Coming Surge in Women’s Sexual Health and Wellness. On today's episode we cover: How Rachel got into this type of work How she picked the title for her book and the backlash of that decision What a "Vagipreneur" is and why she calls herself that Tips to be bold and find your bold message  How to be an orgasmic leader  Find out more about Rachel:  Rachel's website Rachel's book  Facebook Twitter Want to get your copy of Secrets of the Sisterhood? This book is a compilation-style publication that features speeches written by Speaker Sisterhood members. The women between the pages of this book are courageous, powerful truth tellers. These 45 speeches were originally delivered in Speaker Sisterhood clubs across the U.S. between 2016 and 2019. You’ll read stories of believing, seeking, becoming, and so much more. This book also serves as a fundraiser for our scholarship program, The Gratitude Fund. 50% of profits will go towards this fund to help more women access the power of the Speaker Sisterhood. Get your copy of the book by clicking here.

Ep 132 How to Stand Behind a Bold Message with Rachel Braun Scherl

Claim the Stage is a podcast for women who want to discover, awaken, and create their voice through the art of public speaking. Hosted by Angela Lussier, an award-winning professional speaker, six-time author, and CEO + founder of the Speaker Sisterhood, a network of public speaking clubs for women. Past guests include Seth Godin, Dorie Clark, Vanessa Van Edwards, Josh Shipp, Alexandra Franzen, and more. Learn more about joining a speaking club: www.speakersisterhood.com

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Claim the Stage: A Public Speaking Podcast for Women

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