Thx Social Media, But What About the Deeper Connection? Try LikeSo

Contributed by Gabrielle Marino, Junior at UNC School of Media & Journalism, Chapel Hill Thanks to social media, I know a lot about my friends. I know Erin is “Facebook official” with a frat guy she has been seeing (that’s “Millennial” … Continue Reading

SNL Debate 3 – bostonglobe.com

No, I Didn’t “LikeSo” the Debates – But, See What Happened When I “LikeSo’ed” the Eloquent Michelle Obama!

No, I didn’t “LikeSo” the Presidential debates. Honestly, I was too busy hiding my eyes behind my hands, gulping my wine, and following the Twitter feeds that somehow managed to make the consequential spectacle bearable. With the speech app, LikeSo, in … Continue Reading

“My Mom is Like…Whatever!” – Life, liberty and the inherited teenage right to speak with conviction (but can we reduce the number of “likes”? And, are we to blame?)

It is the right of every teenager to find their parents exceedingly annoying and embarrassing.  And, as parents, it is our duty to have a thick skin and to stay the course, giving them the assist, the emphatic push, the knowing … Continue Reading

Washington Post: Michael Phelps vs. Ryan Locht

Michael Phelps’ Interview Reminds Us – Don’t Forget to Train Our Most Powerful Muscle! #SpeechFitness

Our Olympians blow me away. Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, Simone Biles. Forget about Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 hours of practice. These exquisite athletes must practice millions of hours to achieve their fitness level and athletic mastery. In the spirit of the … Continue Reading

“Like” in Every Language: Is it Just American-Speak or do Filler Words Cross the Borders?

Could it be that the “like, ya know syndrome” has gone viral and global? At my last Say it Like You Mean it! panel presentation, an audience member asked whether the American epidemic of peppering our speech with filler words was also … Continue Reading

Girls talking at a slumber party

Truth or Dare? Apps & the Modern Day Sleepover

Truth. I both loved and feared playing Truth or Dare. At sleepover parties, it seemed to be a secret but friendly truce written in invisible ink on the invitation. It was played when parents said their final good night, doors were … Continue Reading

Vocal Fry: Hot Pop Music Trend or Bane of Cultured Communication?

I was thrilled to reunite with a friend from my Broadway theatre days when we were “younger than springtime,” “just starting to rise up,” and dared to “dream the impossible dream.” No, we were not performing on-stage, but the junior … Continue Reading

Get Real with Yourself – and with Friends – with LikeSo’s New “Teen Scene”

Do you care about popularity?  Have you ever been cyberbullied? Do you sing in the shower? When I was growing up, I kept a diary – my own private place to let it all out, and work things out. Today, texting … Continue Reading

It’s Wedding Season – Tips for an Epic Toast to the Bride and Groom

The toast: At wedding receptions, it’s the chance for a heartfelt, sometimes jocular, and sometimes spectacular, tribute. It’s the vital link between the formality of the wedding and the casual camaraderie among the guests. It’s a quieting down in the … Continue Reading

“Be Powerful, Influential and Persuasive” – Interview with Speech Coach Ita Olsen

Professional speech coach Ita Olsen believes that our ability to communicate is the single pivotal skill that can get us what we need out of life. She has dedicated her career to help us all become powerful, influential and persuasive speakers. Ita is one … Continue Reading