Ep. 318 LAST STORY STANDING WINNER MICHELLE HUTCHINGS-MEDINA

Imagine a life-threatening tragedy, a miraculous fight for recovery, later speaking to more than 2,700 global audiences, and then the international release of a major motion picture about your life.   That’s the story of today’s guest as Mark and Darren have a heart-to-heart chat with John O’Leary, subject of the 2025 film SOUL ON FIRE. John shares his journey and offers firm yet loving advice on professional speaking. He also dispenses wisdom and encouragement on living a meaningful life, from a perspective that will help any presenter to become unforgettable.   SNIPPETS:   • Don’t run from your scars   • Don’t seek an average life   • Say “Yes!”   • Love your life even when it’s ugly   • Your life: What  GIFT   • You’re invited to become a hero   • Remind others what courage looks like amidst pain   • You must step through the process of building your presentation   • Become better at building your business   • Tell the truth   • Be wide open to feedback   • Seek bigger impact; bigger stages and bigger paychecks will follow   • Focus on your craft and be humble   Check it out: https://soulonfiremovie.com/  

Perhaps you’ve heard a speaker say something like, “Excuse my slide!” Today Darren and Mark talk frankly about why speakers make excuses for poor slides and offer firm suggestions for preparing and presenting effective, professional slides.   SNIPPETS: • One slide, one point   • If you have  a lot of detail, put it in a handout   • You must be able to defend your slides   • Think of what the audience sees   • What does the audience need to know?   • Simplify your slides   • Use fewer words on the slide, then explain as you present   • Magnify the point you wish to make   Work with Mark and Darren: https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/   Check Out Stage Time University: https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com  

What does it take to win the National Speakers Association’s LAST STORY STANDING competition?   Today, Mark and Darren get answers from the 2025 winner, Michelle Hutchings-Medina. She shares her journey, her process, and the lessons she learned along the way. Her wisdom will help any presenter on their path to delivering an unforgettable presentation.   SNIPPETS: • Rethink how you use your voice   • Marry your creativity to your desire to have an impactful message   • Spend an hour every day working on your speaking   • Do your best around your intention and let go of the outcome   • Sometimes your message isn’t for a particular audience   • Much of the exposition in your stories is not relevant   • In rehearsals, ask for specific feedback   • Your story is like having a conversation with the audience   • Stay in touch with yourself, your values, and your why   • On contest day, get rest, do vocal exercises, pray/meditate   • For contests/timed talks, factor in beats for gasps and laughs   • Speak to let the audience feel something different Work with Mark and Darren: https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/   Check Out Stage Time University: https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com  

The use of AI has become prevalent, but how much should you use AI to develop and present your speech?   Today, Mark and Darren are joined by their fellow World Champion and Certified Speaking Professional, Ed Tate, as they discuss ways to ethically use AI as you create your unforgettable presentation.   SNIPPETS:   • AI can be relied on too heavily   • There always has to be a human in the middle   • Be committed to YOUR content   • Be connected to YOUR content   • Use AI as an intern   • Let AI help, but don’t rely on it   • Use YOUR voice   • Own your speech   • Don’t be lazy   • Bring your personality to every presentation   Work with Mark and Darren: https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/   Check Out Stage Time University: https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com  

Darren freely admits that early in his career, he resisted writing out his presentations because he always spoke from the heart. In this brief episode, he and Mark discuss the value of speaking from the heart, and the additional benefit of doing so with the right preparation and structure.    SNIPPETS: • Speaking from the heart is good, but passion doesn’t equal effectiveness   • The heart isn’t the best editor   • You can’t edit what isn’t written   • What’s in your mind doesn’t always come out of your mouth   • Speak in a way that the audience can absorb the message   • Speak from your heart into a device/app that can transcribe it   • Edit your transcript, use a proper structure, and prepare to present   • Words prepared from the heart, spoken from the heart, will land on the heart   Work with Mark and Darren: https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/   Check Out Stage Time University: https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com

When is it too late to start a speaking career? Today Mark and Darren discuss this question with Julia Nicholson and Maria Garaitonandia, both mature presenters, at the beginning of their speaking careers. They talk about their concerns, their plans, and their process for achieving success later in life. Darren and Mark cite examples of well-known speakers who became professionals after the age of 40, and their guests also offer encouragement to anyone who wants to start their speaking journey during their later years.    SNIPPETS:   • Follow your purpose   • Use your experience to shorten your learning curve   • Investigate what it takes   • Join Toastmasters for the art   • Join NSA for the business   • An NSA Academy program is a good investment   • Avoid naysayers and keep the wind beneath your wings   • Connect with pros and build a network   • Have fun and enjoy the journey   • ** Greats like Zig Ziglar and Les Brown began their careers after 40 **     ** SOURCE: ChatGPT

“Can’t I just add a couple of exercises to my keynote and create a killer training program?” Over the past two decades, Darren and Mark have heard that question numerous times, and the short answer is “No.”   Today, they get comprehensive answers from their fellow World Champion and Certified Speaking Professional, Ed Tate...the trainer’s trainer. Not only do they discuss the differences between speaking and training, but they also delve into the mindset and methods that will help you deliver unforgettable training.   SNIPPETS:   • Speaking and training are different   • Keynotes contain a higher level of abstraction   • Keynotes affect thinking, training affects behavior   • Audience engagement is key   • Make ideas actionable   • Instructions have various levels   • Provide content in digestible pieces   • Serve different learning styles   • Repetition is your friend   • Give content in different modalities   • Debrief activities   Check out Train-the-Trainer Workshop: https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/workshops/train-the-trainer/

Well-chosen quotations, song lyrics, poetry and statistics can enhance any presentation. However, it’s important to attribute the sources and let our audiences know the sources for validation. If we don’t attribute, we might become unforgettable…for the wrong reason.   SNIPPETS:   • Provide the sources for polls, studies, statistics, and research findings   • “Studies show”, “research proves,” “a recent poll reveals” isn’t enough   • Attribute lyrics, quotations poetry etc. to their source   • Quote accurately; someone always spots errors   • Misquoting can negatively affect your credibility   • Do your due diligence and verify quotations and sources   • Verify using more than one source   • Don’t use too many quotations/lyrics/statistics, etc.   • Use AI wisely and verify the results that AI provides   • Never plagiarize; you will harm your reputation   Work with Mark and Darren: https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/   Check Out Stage Time University: https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com

Jim Rohn is often quoted as saying, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Today Mark and Darren speak with Julia Nicholson, a former executive who finds value in Jim’s words. She is passionate about spending time with world-class communicators, and she shares lessons that she is learning along her journey to becoming unforgettable   SNIPPETS: • Find your purpose and LIVE your purpose   • Success fills your schedule, significance fills your soul   • Know where you are in your speaker process   • Develop your craft   • Lean in and learn   • There’s no substitute for getting on stage   • Find the coach who is the right fit for you   • You’re more effective when you’re DRIVEN, not COMPELLED   • Don’t just create a speech, create an unforgettable speech

In this second and final conversation about RHETORICAL DEVICES, Mark and Darren once again review Mark’s winning Toastmasters speech, identifying ways that RHETORICAL DEVICES enhanced his presentation. THIS IS PART TWO OF TWO.   SNIPPETS: • Rhetorical devices multiply your message   • A rhetorical device can help to personify inanimate objects   • Rhythmic rhetorical devices make your message more sticky   • Rhetorical questions provide moments of introspection   • Rhetorical devices can provide a frame of reference   • Employ these devices to help your audience to ‘see’ characters and situations   How to Write Your Own Introduction: https://markbrownspeaks.com/set-up-your-success-with-your-introduction/   Work with Mark and Darren: https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/   Check Out Stage Time University: https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com