When you hear the word “Grace,” what goes through your mind? What images and feelings bubble up? To be fully transparent, for most of my life, it never really meant much to me. I didn’t fully understand it. In fact, the song Amazing Grace seemed to move people, but it did not really affect me.…
Ep. 28 The Stories & Lessons Behind Kevin Burke’s 4,000 Performances as the Caveman Same presentation again? How do you keep it fresh and make it UNFORGETTABLE? Ask Kevin Burke, who has performed as a Vegas Headliner, for a One-Man Broadway show over 4,000 times. Hear his inspiring journey and the lessons he learned along…
Do you study the best people in any industry to see how their expertise applies to you? On Mother’s Day, a few years ago, I went to see Neil Diamond in concert. He is an amazing performer, especially considering that he was 74 years old. It is hard for me to take off my presentation…
I can clearly see now that I was very much a dreamer, much more than a doer in my early days. I have to admit I have always been a bit enamored with very famous people who had significant accomplishments. I’m not saying it’s good. In fact, many times, it’s not good at all. It…
Before you jump to conclusions, hear me out. It’s not what you may be thinking. Sometimes little moments from our youth, seemingly random, but the way they strike us, they can really stick. This was one of those moments. One of my mom’s closest friends was Sharon, who lived across the street. Her son Derek…
LEAST LIKELY: CHAPTER: THE PIPE DREAM It was 1989, and I had graduated from business school. I don’t remember where the idea came from, but I had a secret dream. I wanted to be an actor. Yeah, I’ve always loved movies and put famous actors on a pedestal. Somehow, I thought they were extra special.…
CHAPTER: THE BIG DECISION Have you ever looked back at some of your life-changing decisions? What prompted it? What was your thinking? Would you do it over again? Was it a good decision? Why was it good? Why was it not good? Once a decision is made, your outlook changes, and so does the world…
CHAPTER: DR. BOSE; THE TWO MIT STUDENTS It was just another Direct Marketing Group, “Good News” team meeting at Bose. They did make them fun and interesting, and it was a welcome relief from being on the phones all day. I had heard that Dr. Amar Bose, the founder of Bose, would be speaking…
If you like this article, check out the other speech critiques: Matthew McConaughey Denzel Washington What would a speech coach say? Jim Carrey’s Commencement Address at the 2014 MIU Graduation First, let me say that Jim Carrey is a movie star and not a professional speaker. He’s a celebrity brought in to give an inspiring…
Ep. 99 The 2021 Master Of Influence Since 1993, the National Speakers Association (NSA) has recognized those who have influenced the speaking profession in a significant way with the Master of Influence Award. In 2021, that honor was given to Toastmasters International. How are the organizations different? How can they complement each other? Mark and…