Conflict makes a story interesting and suspenseful. It also engages the audience, especially if they identify with the conflicted character. But how can you use conflict effectively? Darren and Mark discuss the role of conflict, and they offer 3 keys to using conflict successfully. In this episode, find out how well-managed conflict can help to…
From 14-year-old sports commentator, to movie reviewer, to being hired by Arnold Schwarzenegger to speak at the White House, Scott McKain has had a distinctive career. What steps did he take? What did he learn? How does he continue to be distinctive? Mark and Darren have a heart-to-heart with Scott, gleaning nuggets about crafting unforgettable…
In early 2019, a particular phenomenon took social media by storm…the 10-year Challenge! To participate, you had to post a photo of yourself from 2009, and another from 2019, to show how you had changed in 10 years. The photos had to be in a COLLAGE format, with your ‘before and after’ photos juxtaposed, and…
One of the strengths of every presentation is the MAIN CHARACTER in a story. But how do you get the audience to SEE, FEEL & HEAR them? And how important is the ‘supporting cast’? How pivotal can THEY be if they are portrayed well? Darren and Mark take a in-depth look at techniques for ‘becoming’…
You have to deliver a presentation, provide a corporate update, facilitate a workshop, host a seminar, or moderate a panel. But you have to do it VIRTUALLY…for the first time. Presentation delivery methods are changing…and so must you. Where do you start? What application do you choose? How will you get an online audience to…
As I type this, I’m home in my workspace, having faced TWO program cancellations this week, no thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. This phenomenon has changed the world, and in these unprecedented times, it’s easy to feel like we are all drifting at sea, trying to navigate uncharted waters. None the less, we can find…
How do you transform a FRAUD INVESTIGATOR into ‘The FUNNY FED?’ What’s the magic behind taking a so-so story, and making it hilarious? How can you deliver serious messages with humor and hilarity? Mark and Darren hear first hand from Hall-of-Fame speaker and renowned humorist Tim Gard about the how to find funny in everyday…
How do you perform at 100% when PowerPoint fails, you’re not physically at your best, the meeting planner is pulling their hair out, you have to follow a powerful presenter, or you have a family or business challenge? In this must-listen episode, Mark and Darren get answers from “America’s Stress Coach”, psychologist, author & speaker…
Same presentation again? How do you keep it fresh and make it UNFORGETTABLE? Ask Kevin Burke who has performed as a Vegas Headliner, for a One-Man Broadway show over 4,000 times. Hear his inspiring journey and the lessons he learned along the way starting, out as a clown for Ringling Bros. Greatest Show on Earth.…
“You always say that my personal story is important, but I also hear that I need to make my message ‘audience-focused.’ That seems like a contradiction. How do I make that work?” That’s a valid question, and one that I’ve heard from experienced and emerging speakers alike. As I always say, “Your life tells a…
How can you deliver stories that pack an emotional punch…even if the story is simple, with only a few characters, and is fewer than 20 seconds long? Darren and Mark break down one of Darren’s shortest stories using the STORYTELLING DIAGRAM, showing how the combination of the setup, the characters, and the emotional shifts, can…
If we all decided to take stock of the time we invest in our relationships, compared with the time we invest in professional advancement, earning income, getting ahead, earning a recognizable name for ourselves, and achieving our ‘dreams’, what would we learn? I don’t know about you, but for me, that’s a seriously challenging question.…