Ever since I had the epiphany that the use of filler words are at epidemic proportions, and that an app could help us all be better speakers, I have been frustrated by the lack of words to describe this pervasive phenomenon. … Continue Reading
How NOT to Sustain an Injury During a Presentation #SpeechFitness
I remember my first middle school presentation as a blur of me stuttering profusely right before tripping over an overhead projector cord into the whiteboard, which left me with a bruised face, broken ego, and my teacher’s reassuring words that … Continue Reading
How I Turned My Gift for Gab into Speaking Out #Feminism #InternationalWomensDay
When my parents decided to name me Gabby, it was more of a premonition than a name. I don’t hide the fact that I am a bit of a talker. I am not a wallflower nor do I wish to … Continue Reading
You CAN Take the Valley Girl Out of the Valley! Meet Ella Michaels, USA Debate Team Member
Sixteen-year-old Ella Michaels is from the San Fernando Valley in California where Valley Girl-speak was born, and according to Ella, is still alive and well (like, totally!). Ella also happens to be a member of this year’s USA Debate Team, … Continue Reading
How Did 5 Millennials Score Playing LikeSo App on CNBC? It’s Like, Totally, Revealing!
My favorite moment in CNBC’s video coverage of LikeSo: Your Personal Speech Coach happens halfway through the mustached millennial’s TalkAbout session. He has a realization that he is “…thinking more about my words than I am about the question, okay?!” … Continue Reading
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
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
Students Should Like, Totally, Speak More Confidently, Ya Know?
Shaky hands, two hours of sleep and some sad looking index cards: the winning formula for a killer class presentation. When you stand in front of the class to give a presentation, you pray that what comes out of your … Continue Reading