Why Speaker’s Coaching?

 

My TED Experience

I have had wonderful opportunities available to onlya few. It has been my privilege to give three TED and TEDxMileHigh talks that have collectively had over nine million views. 

https://www.ted.com/search?q=paula%20stone%20williams

I have had the privilege of serving as a Speaker’s Ambassador for TED at TED’s main event in Vancouver and at TEDWomen, speaking to all the TED speakers about the experience they were about to have, and helping individual speakers along the way. 

It has also been my honor to serve as a Memorization and Delivery Coach for TEDxMileHigh, the largest TEDx in North America and one of the largest in the world. I meet with all of the speakers as they begin their TEDxMH experience, and work with them from script finalization through the moment they walk onto the stage at Denver’s Buell Theater, Ellie Caulkins Opera House, or Bellco Theater, speaking to sold-out audiences of between 2,200 and 5,000 people. Being the first to greet each speaker as they come off the stage after their successful talk is one of my greatest joys.

 

I also frequently serve as emcee for the TEDxMileHigh events. Introducing each speaker and inviting them onto the stage is an extra special joy.

My Background in Public Speaking

The first public speech I ever gave was in the tenth grade. I received a D for the speech, the only D of my entire educational experience. By my senior year, however, I received the award for Best Public Speaker in my school. A single high school speech teacher gave me the confidence I had been lacking, and I never looked back.

For over four decades I have been speaking to in-person crowds of up to 20,000 people, in venues ranging from corporations to universities, churches, government agencies, conferences, and TED events. I have taught speech as an adjunct professor at three universities, two in the United States and one in Europe.

My Work in Radio, Television, and Print Journalism

I served as a radio announcer, sportscaster, and newscaster with an Eastern Kentucky radio station. From 1998 to 2011 I was the head writer and on-air host for PAX-TV’s overnight programming ,seen in 70 markets across the United States. From 2003 to 2014, I was the Editor-at-Large and a weekly columnist for Christian Standard, a national magazine published since 1866.

I have authored eight books with Simon & Schuster, Judson Press, and Standard Publishing. My most recent book with Simon & Schuster is my memoir, As a Woman, What I Learned About Power, Sex, and the Patriarchy After I Transitioned. That book has brought media appearances on ABC/CBS/NPR/PBS/CNN/Washington Post/People Magazine, and a plethora of other media outlets.

How I Can Help You

I know how it feels to be frightened of public speaking.

I still remember that speech in the tenth grade. The speech was about the author Edith Wharton, and her novel, Ethan Frome. I was speaking to an audience of 300 tenth graders in the auditorium of Firestone High School in Akron, Ohio. My teacher, Jack Horner, said I talked so fast that what was supposed to be a five minute speech was completed in two minutes. My legs shook so badly I had to hang onto the podium to stop from falling. Mr. Horner was not impressed, hence the D. 

Over the past fifty years I have spoken thousands of times in venues all over the world. Every single time, whether I have an audience of 50 or 5,000, I am nervous, very nervous. But there is a nervousness that leads to a forgettable speech, and a nervousness that launches you into a stellar presentation. As a speaker’s coach, my job is to help you experience that second kind of nervousness. How do we accomplish that?

First, we do it together. Your speech will be your speech, not mine. I will help you identify your big idea, then hone it into a tight and compelling script. With a great script in hand, we begin to work on your public presentation. You’ll learn about the differences between a big stage and a small one, and how to control either with a commanding presence that makes your audience take notice. Really. I’m not joking! As I’ve proven with scores of TED speakers, with the right material and coaching, anyone can give a great speech. Yes, that includes you!

I cannot guarantee you a spot on a TED or TEDx platform, but I can help you develop a great speech and become an accomplished speaker. If you would like to know more, please reach out to me at paula@rltpathways.com, and we can schedule a free initial consultation. I look forward to hearing from you.