You have really been enjoying yourself at the party. Your neighbor and host, Deepak, has created a wonderful, celebratory atmosphere. You and 40 others share his joy as he sends his son Ram off to university, with a full-tuition scholarship, to study engineering. Deepak stands and taps the side of his glass with a spoon.…
On a visit to India a few years ago, my wife Andrea and I saw Krishna’s Butterball in Mahabalipuram, India. I could describe it as a large rock, and you could probably visualize it. However, if I were to say that Krishna’s Butterball is an IMMENSE chunk of rock, so massive that we were dwarfed…
In 1970, the film HERCULES IN NEW YORK was released, and it starred an inexperienced 22-year-old Austrian bodybuilder whose name was listed as ARNOLD STRONG “Mr. Universe”. It was the first film for the young man whose given name is Arnold Schwarzenegger. The film isn’t a critic’s favorite but it has become something of a…
What does it take to be successful in one speaking market, then to radically change lanes and become equally successful in a completely different market? Darren and Mark get the answers from Emmy-winning Hall-Of-Fame Speaker Mark Scharenbroich, as he dispenses almost 40 years of wisdom and experience in this humorous heart-to-heart. Learn how awareness of…
So you want to give a TED or TEDx talk. What do event organizers and TEDs coaches look for? What are the DOs and DON’Ts of a successful talk? Darren and Mark chat with experienced TEDx coaches Cathey Armillas and Mike Davis as they pull back the curtain and give the answers to those questions…
WHO ARE YOU? In 2013, I had the privilege of visiting South Africa for the second time in six years. During my 10-day visit, I was asked to speak at several schools, from various economic and social backgrounds and these school visits confirmed one of my ‘Markisms’…a principle that I’ve been teaching for years…“your audience…
Be honest. You’ve seen them. PowerPoint slides with images taken from a Google search. Clip-art that has been on the Internet for years. Stock photography that looks very familiar. Now be REALLY honest. Perhaps you’ve USED a few. Here’s the harsh truth: Clip-art is to your slides what knock-knock jokes are to your presentation. In…
A recent Saturday provided some glorious weather. It was PERFECT for…doing yard work; at least I’m sure that’s how my wife Andrea saw it. In truth, cutting the hedges was MY idea, and it meant pulling out the extension cord reel to accommodate my electric hedge trimmer. The reel had been sitting atop a high…
Special Edition Episode for Speech Contestants: You were SURE that you won the contest. You were set to ‘WOW’ your audience. You were confident that you would ‘ace’ your presentation. But you lost. You forgot your lines. Your speech fell flat. How do you pick yourself up? Mark & Darren get answers from fellow World…
During his journey ‘from pothead to pastor’ as he put it, Manley Miller discovered the power of AUDIENCE CONNECTION, and has been committed to becoming a master connector. “I’m always exploring – how do I connect?”, he says during this frank, in-depth conversation with Darren and Mark. He also reveals his meticulous process of writing,…
The need for virtual presentations has skyrocketed in recent weeks, and as presenters, none of us wants to be BORING. But how can we keep our audiences engaged…especially when they’re bombarded by children, pets, spouses/significant others, TVs, phones, package deliveries, alerts, alarms and more? Darren and Mark reveal 11 PACE ELEMENTS (the changes of pace…
Picture this: All your life you feel awkward, and out of place. You make the commitment to develop your speaking skills. You decide to become an expert communicator. You determine to be an influencer. You are only 10 years old. What? How does those decisions even cross your mind at such a young age? This…