The Toastmasters Podcast

[28:42] Are you truly engaging your audience or merely speaking to them? If you want to increase your platform effectiveness, today's guest will show you the way. Cathey Armillas shares the mindset and techniques needed to break through that "invisible wall" to help you powerfully connect with your audience. Cathey is a three-time Distinguished Toastmaster, international speaker, marketing expert, TED Coach, and author of How to Rock a TED Talk. Her article, "8 Tips for Engaging Your Audience: Break through the 'invisible wall' with questions, stories, and more" appears in the January 2022 edition of the Toastmaster.Follow-up with Cathey at her website: CatheyArmillas.com

Today's episode is a follow-up to Ryan's article which appears in the January 2022 issue of the Toastmaster, "Toastmasters Take Virtual to a New Reality: How some members are using virtual reality technology to improve communication skills."Ready to continue your communication and leadership journey in the metaverse? Join Ryan and friends in launching the first 100% Virtual Reality Based Toastmasters club. Interested? Visit VRToastmasters.com and complete the interest form. To follow-up with Melanie Stark, find her on Facebook, or email her: melanie at melaniestark dot com. To connect with Roberto DaCosta, visit his website, find him on LinkedIn, or email him: roberto at coninvr dot com

Tuff shares stories from his personal, professional and Toastmasters journey and his road to becoming an Accredited speaker. We also hear about some of the obstacles including a life threatening one he had to overcome to bring him to where he is today.Distinguished Toastmaster Forrest Tuff is the Founder & CEO of One Vision Productions, an award winning multimedia production and branding agency. Forrest is a Certified Master Life Coach, a SCORE mentor, accomplished film producer and now, the world’s newest Accredited Speaker. Forrest is also profiled in the January 2022 issue of the Toastmaster magazine. He can be reached at ForrestTuff.com.Learn more about the Accredited Speaker program. 

[29:22] As Toastmasters, we’re all about improving and enhancing communication and harnessing its power to lead others to achieve a common goal - usually with human beings. In this fun episode we speak with Claudia Hehr.  Hehr has been called a modern day Dr. Doolittle who pushes the boundaries of communication to include communicating with...animals. Today she'll help us explore this form of communication and how you can improve your relationships with your animal companions.   Claudia Hehr is an internationally-respected animal communications expert, author, speaker, and coach. Claudia has appeared on television networks like the Discovery Channel. She’s also been profiled on international radio broadcasts and in newspapers and magazines like Animal Wellness, Modern Dog, The Globe and Mail, and Toronto Life.This podcast will make a great listen to accompany the December 2021 issue of Toastmaster magazine fun article entitled: A Toastmaster’s Best Friend: Pets provide loyalty, laughs, and “pawsitive” reinforcement to members around the world. 

[28:05] An effective training session requires more than just a polished presentation. Today's guest, Gavin Meikle, DTM, a trainer for 25+ years, unpacks the skills necessary to facilitate learning and deepen one's training impact. Gavin compares the mindset of a trainer vs. speaker, and reveals his favorite training activities. He also shares hard-fought wisdom on dealing with training challenges like skeptical attendees and unruly participants.   Gavin's article > "From Toastmaster to Trainer" (featured in the November 2021 issue of the Toastmaster magazine)Gavin's Book > The Presenter's Edge: How To Unlock Your Inner SpeakerConnect with Gavin Meikle >Email > gavin at inter-activ dot co dot ukWebsite > http://www.inter-activ.co.uk

We also hear a little about her personal and Toastmasters journey and her view on how millennials can benefit from being a Toastmaster. Amanda Mae hosts the Savvy Skills for Speakers video series on YouTube, as well as the Yes You Mae Livestream Podcast. Amanda Mae Gray is from Atlanta, Georgia and can be reached via her website, AmandaMaeGray.com.

Joze credits a combination of speech therapy and Toastmasters training that helped propel him to new heights. Today, he makes audiences around the world laugh and also inspires them with his message: If fear is holding you back, you can turn your fear into action, overcome your "inner stutter," and unlock your true potential.  Joze's Website > https://www.jozepiranian.comJoze's Instagram > https://www.instagram.com/yeswayjozeJoze's LinkedIn > https://www.linkedin.com/in/jozepiranian

[25:57] Meet Verity Price, the 2021 World Champion of Public Speaking. Hailing from Cape Town, South Africa, Verity is the first Toastmasters World Champion to emerge from the world's second largest continent, and the sixth female to hold the title. Verity's winning speech, "A Good Read," tells the story of how coming across a letter from her late father during a dark period inspired her to "write a different story" with her life. Verity shares insights with Greg and Ryan related to delivering in a virtual environment, how she incorporated global feedback to prepare her speech, and the psychological principles that underpin the content of her speech.Verity also shares about her background as a singer, songwriter and actress—including how she inadvertently became a crowdfunding pioneer.Watch Verity's Prize-Winning Speech > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k24vGzEjePoVerity's Website > https://www.iamverity.comLinkedIn > https://www.linkedin.com/in/veritypriceFacebook > https://www.facebook.com/iamverityIf you've enjoyed this episode and found it valuable, please make sure to share it with a friend, family member college or anyone else you feel may benefit from listening to this podcast.   

[29:16] In this episode Greg and Ryan speak with Dennis Chase who's 30 year dream of making it to the Jeopardy stage and eventually winning came true. Dennis tells us a little about his journey to a $50K Jeopardy payday; a little about his preparation process and how his Toastmasters skills had come into play both prior to taping during the interview process and throughout the shows' tapings.    (more)  You'll also hear about how he used his winnings to help out a family member and more.Dennis is profiled in the Member Moment in the September 2021 issue of the Toastmaster Magazine with an article entitled Jeopardy! Trivia Buff Credits Toastmasters for Game Show Win.Dennis Chase can be reached at DChaseSFO at Gmail dot com.If you've enjoyed this episode and found it valuable, please make sure to share it with a friend, family member college or anyone else you feel may benefit from listening to this podcast.   

[28:42] On today's show, Greg and Ryan have the delightful honor of speaking with Margaret Page, DTM, our new 2021 - 2022 International President, Toastmasters International. In this inspiring episode, you'll get a chance to hear directly from our illustrious leader as she gives us a peek into her past and her leadership journey, including divulging the embarrassing professional experience that led her to join Toastmasters. You'll take away Margaret's simple yet powerful "3-2-1" model for getting the most out of every Toastmaster meeting or event. Finally, Margaret spotlights examples of members leading the way during times of change—including heartwarming stories of members going above and beyond the call of duty to serve others. Look for a profile of President Page in the September 2021 issue of The Toastmaster.