The Big Talk with Tricia Brouk

Today on The Big Talk, I'm sharing with you exactly why I believe in memorization. Many speakers begin their journey working with me adamantly opposed to memorizing their talks. They don't want to sound like a robot. They want the freedom to say what comes to them. They want to channel and be in the moment. And if this method works for you, amazing. I'm always here rooting you on! And I am also a fan of memorization. As a lifelong performer, it has served me and many of my fellow actors, dancers, and speakers very well. And I believe it can serve you, too. Not only that, I believe it can allow you to speak with more freedom and be more in the moment than ever before. When you move past the threshold of being memorized into the place where the material is part of your DNA, you're not robotic. You're not preventing yourself from having an experience that is in real-time. You're literally free to play.

Today's show is another in a series of bonus episodes each featuring one of the powerful talks given by my participants in The Big Talk Academy as a part of our Virtual Showcase. This showcase is the culmination of their hard work as they cross the finish line to becoming certified speakers. These episodes give you a peek behind the curtain to witness the amazing Big Talks presented, and also give you exclusive access to my live feedback and direction I give to each speaker immediately following their performances. This week's episode features Gina Jenkins and her talk, Transforming Narcissism: A Total Brain Rewire. Gina is a wife, mother of 3, yoga instructor, speaker and transformational coach. She owns both Ya'da Yoga and She Incorporates where she offers different packages for people seeking support in various ways. Her message is that deep healing and restored relationships are available to all, even the narcissist. In her uplifting and insightful Big Talk, Gina discusses the power of rewiring your brain and how even a narcissist can be transformed and renewed. She shares how our brains are designed to seek joy and connection with others, and how we're all capable of these experiences if we're willing to put in the work. There is hope for all of us.

On today's show, I am sharing with you my interview with the incredible Taylorr Payne. Taylorr is the CEO and Co-Founder of SpeakerFlow. He has generated millions of dollars per year in both offline and online settings. He's also been named by MADcon as the Top 100 Marketing and Advertising Leaders in the world. His company, SpeakerFlow is now an industry leader who helps thought-leaders sell more, serve better and save time through technology, strategy, and community. In true Big Talk fashion, we start this episode with Taylorr's beginnings and uncover some foundational stories from his early life. He grew up in a low income family, however, he always had a huge drive for more and pushed himself hard academically. After being passed over for the Ivy League schools he pursued, Taylorr began college at Arizona State working toward a degree in chemistry when he found himself called to being an entrepreneur instead. Taylorr became an expert in growing small businesses and after success in helping companies across several industries, he fell into promoting speakers — where he discovered his true passion and SpeakerFlow was born. Taylorr now helps speakers around the world make an impact by giving them the systems they need for support, the strategies they need for growth, and the community they need along the way. His business knowledge for professional speakers is so vast and he's sharing some amazing tips with us today.

On today's show, I am sharing with you my amazing conversation with Elizabeth Wellington — a writer, reporter, agitator and lifestyle columnist with The Philadelphia Inquirer. As a journalist, she writes about everything from gender and race to fashion, culture and wellness. She shares her personal take on the way we live and how we style our lives. I asked Elizabeth to be on the podcast and intentionally interrupted our normal release schedule to bring it to you as soon as possible because I knew this was a conversation that would resonate. Elizabeth, a fellow New Yorker, who was born and raised in the city — although, she now calls Philadelphia home. In our conversation, she shares that her desire to become a writer began here in NYC at the age of seven and has only blossomed from there. While she originally wanted to write a novel (which is now working on), her career path has taken her into the world of journalism as a lifestyle columnist. She has written on everything from fashion week to wellness to racial equality. In our time together, Elizabeth and I discuss how we can all be a part of the solution to the racial injustice we are seeing in the world. I had the privilege of being interviewed by Elizabeth as a part of a recent piece she wrote in The Philadelphia Inquirer titled, "Race-based hate is out there, but it's inside of us, too. Here is how to disrupt the pattern." And I am honored to continue this important discussion with her today.

Today's show is another in a series of bonus episodes each featuring one of the fantastic talks given by my participants in The Big Talk Academy as a part of our Virtual Showcase. This showcase is the culmination of their hard work as they cross the finish line to becoming certified speakers. These episodes give you a peek behind the curtain to witness the amazing Big Talks presented, and also give you exclusive access to my live feedback and direction I give to each speaker immediately following their performances. This week's episode features Maria Johnson and her talk, Choosing Possibility Over Disability. In 2013, Maria experienced severe vision loss in both eyes and was diagnosed with a rare condition called Lebers Hereditary Optic Neuropathy - LHON. This diagnosis caused her to become legally blind in a matter of months. It also led her to create and launch her website and blog "Girl Gone Blind" in early 2014. She is a mom of two kids, group fitness instructor, blogger, podcaster, and speaker living in San Diego, CA. In her touching and powerful Big Talk, Maria shares her own journey of choosing possibility over disability when she lost her sight. She walks us through how she went from the consuming devastation of her sudden disability to the sparks of strength and determination she found to make it through. Life will blindside us all at some point. However, you always have a choice. You can let the situation crush you or you can get up and crush it.

This week on The Big Talk, we're starting at the beginning and talking all about the hook, the phenomenal way in which you pull an audience in. Now, sometimes you'll be gifted with the perfect hook — like the time I spoke at James and Emily William's first I Heart My Life Live event. Let's just say the introduction I got definitely piqued the audience's interest. (You'll have to tune in for the amazing details.) However, normally it's up to you to deliver the hook and captivate the people you're speaking to. And today we're unveiling how you do just that. When you take a stage you have mere seconds to draw your audience in before their minds begin to wander or their interest wanes. That's why this topic is so crucial and I'm beyond excited to be sharing my best secrets for perfecting your hook now, so your Big Talk can have the impact you desire.

Today's show is another in a series of bonus episodes each featuring one of the incredible talks given by my participants in The Big Talk Academy as a part of our Virtual Showcase. This showcase is the culmination of their hard work as they cross the finish line to becoming certified speakers. These episodes give you a peek behind the curtain to witness the amazing Big Talks presented, and also give you exclusive access to my live feedback and direction I give to each speaker immediately following their performances. This week's episode features Cynthia Nakao and her talk, The Successful Bureaucrat Is a Selfless One. Cynthia is the "Ethics Guru" for criminal justice professionals. As an advisor for the largest prosecutorial agency, she has a creative flair for inspiring the right action for the right reason. Cynthia has presented to numerous government entities and associations. She is also an admitted foster dog failure. In her informative and engaging Big Talk, Cynthia reveals how a successful bureaucrat is truly a selfless one. Negative images of the bureaucrats have become the prevailing attitude, and in her talk, Cynthia shows us how we all need a refresher in the decency and importance of public service. She discussed the power of selfless excellence, selfless courage, and selfless integrity. In our own way, we should all seek to be that selfless bureaucrat.

Today's show features an amazing guest, Irina Soriano. Irina is the Head of Enablement at Seismic, the industry's leading enablement solution and storytelling platform. While being based in EMEA, APAC, and the US, she built several global enablement functions for professional service and Saas companies. Irina is currently leading the New York chapter for WiSE (Women In Sales Enablement), is a Forbes Council member, and an experienced webinar, podcast, and keynote speaker. She recently published her first book, Generation Brand: Controlling Your Life-Brand for Likes, Loves and Career Advancement. We begin our interview with Irina's backstory which truly takes us on a world tour. She grew up in Germany, went to school in France, and has worked in London and in Asia — where she met her husband. Now, she is living in the U.S. and proudly calls New York her home. She and I actually live 20 blocks from one another in the city and are still patiently waiting to meet in person when the pandemic ends. While she works in the tech industry, Irina has a deep passion for global impact in many areas as she strives to empower women, promote gender equality in the workplace, and educate the next generation about the power of harnessing your life brand and voice on social media.

Today's show is another in a series of bonus episodes each featuring one of the powerful talks given by my participants in The Big Talk Academy as a part of our Virtual Showcase. This showcase is the culmination of their hard work as they cross the finish line to becoming certified speakers. These episodes give you a peek behind the curtain to witness the amazing Big Talks presented, and also give you exclusive access to my live feedback and direction I give to each speaker immediately following their performances. This week's episode features Dr. Kristen Donnelly and her talk, The Great Failure of Tolerance. Kristen holds a Master's degree in international social work and one in cross-cultural religious anthropology (both from Baylor University) and a Ph.D. in sociology from Queen's University Belfast. Throughout all of those programs, she learned three key things about humanity: it's the same everywhere, different people are different, and everyone is more complicated than we give them credit for. Professionally, she's one of The Good Doctors of Abbey Research, and COO of Abbey Companies. In her passionate and persuasive Big Talk, Kristen addresses the great failure of tolerance. She discusses the truths that diversity is reality, inclusion is the goal, and tolerance is the cheap imitation of both. Tolerance ignores diversity. Inclusion celebrates it and activates it so that we can know each other better instead of just existing in the same general vicinity. She encourages us to keep going until our first reaction to difference is curiosity and empathy.

Today, I'm giving you an inside look at the beginning of my new book, The Influential Voice: Saying What You Mean for Lasting Legacy — which will be available soon on April 27, 2021. This book is more than a guidebook for speakers seeking to be on big stages. It's truly a book about how to be a good human being, disguised as a book on public speaking. I actually wrote the complete first draft of this book in the ten days I was supposed to be on vacation in Mexico with my husband, Joe celebrating our anniversary. When our trip was canceled due to the pandemic, instead of settling in for a relaxing staycation or resuming business as usual, I chose to write instead. This book is incredibly personal and hopefully incredibly informational for you as you prepare to share your story with the world. In chapter one of The Influential Voice, I start with the vital question of purpose. You have a purpose. You absolutely have a why, and we're going to figure out how to identify it together today. You can make an impact in the world with your influential voice and I'm here to help you on this journey.