Ep. 173 – Review and Renew! Do you have a presentation that has served you well for quite a while? Have you made any modifications recently? Could it be time for a ‘refresher’? Today Mark and Darren have a frank discussion about REVIEWING and RENEWING your presentation. They extend their conversation to examine how you…
Ep. 172 What’s Casual Costing You? With experience comes the risk of being comfortable and too casual. Today Mark and Darren look at areas where presenters can become casual, and how costly it can be. They share behaviors to avoid…and confess to having been guilty of some…and offer practices that can help any presenter stay…
CHAPTER 10: The Underdog Effect Back in my early comedy days, I was taking to heart what my mentors had told me. I did whatever they said, even when it was uncomfortable. When they said jump, I didn’t just say, “How high?” I also said, “How often?” I was open, eager, and, you might say,…
Ep. 171 – 7 Steps To An Engaging Introduction You’ve invested hours preparing to deliver your unforgettable presentation, and you are READY! Right before you take the stage, the MC recites your bio or decides to ‘wing it’ after a quick glance at your LinkedIn profile. Maybe they decide to tell a 4-minute story about…
“Darren, how do I write a funny speech?” I get this question constantly from speakers. Personally, I don’t believe it’s about writing a funny speech at all. If you want to write a funny speech, that’s writing fiction. Even the best fiction is based on some truth. Your starting point is crucial. Where do you…
Ep. 170 Thanksgiving Brainstorming? In North America, Thanksgiving is a time for food, fun, and family. In this first LIVE brainstorming session, Mark and Darren come up with ideas for gleaning story and presentation ideas from the Thanksgiving holiday…and any other traditional family holiday experience. They reveal the what, the how and the why behind…
Ep. 169 – Create An Unforgettable Experience With The Brothers Koren From playing in empty ‘dive bars’, to playing for millions and earning a gold record, to helping individuals and organizations ‘find their voice’. This has been the journey of Isaac and Thorald…The Brothers Koren. They talk with Darren and Mark about serving our audiences…
We all have a past. Some memories are good, and some memories painful, but they all make us who we are. Adversities and lack of misfortunes shape us, like it or not. I was fortunate to grow up in a loving home in Auburn, a small town in central Massachusetts. My dad, a Veteran, worked…
Ep. 168 – Reading Your Audience With Human Lie-Detector Annie Sarnblad Today’s guest Annie Sarnblad is a global expert on microexpressions…facial expressions that last a short time but reveal a great deal about us. In this lively and enlightening conversation, Darren, Mark and Annie discuss how microexpressions show our true emotions, help us read our…
Ep. 167 – Unforgettable Connections With Thom Singer As important as our unforgettable presentations may be, let’s not neglect the impact of our relationships and our network. They help us make connections with our audiences, our clients, and our world. This is just one nugget of wisdom that Mark and Darren get from the author,…