The Journey To The Stage

Speaking is a great love of mine. Whether it be to a small group or a massive auditorium, getting on the stage to share a message I believe in and sharing expertise or value with others brings me great joy.

I’ve had the chance to speak for many organizations and conferences, even virtually,  and I have met amazing people through those experiences. 

One of my bucket list items was to give a TEDx talk and as you know, I recently had that opportunity at the beginning of the month. I wanted to share some thoughts about the process, the journey and the actual day I stepped onto that stage. 

Applying was certainly a task. I didn’t add up all the applications I sent, but it had to be close to a few dozen. Some cities were close by, others were on the other side of the country. My topics evolved. My submission videos got better. My writing got stronger. My confidence, on the other hand, was a bit lacking.

Would this ever come through? Was it just too competitive? Why did I want to do this?

I wanted it for several reasons. One, I think it gives great credibility to be chosen to stand on a stage for TEDx. Two, I felt I had a really important topic to share with the audience. And three, it felt like a personal challenge for me. Something that I would have to work hard on from the beginning to the end and I wanted that challenge. 

So, I kept applying. I persevered and it took over a year for one to come into my life. And when I got that email, let me tell you, my dancing background took over and I was jumping around my house. 

I spoke at TEDx Deer Park, which is not too far away from my home in NYC, on personal awareness and how this impacts our business, careers, and life. My family and friends came from all over to hear me speak, which made the day even more special.

Stay tuned for when we receive the link and I’ll share it here and on social media. 

Preparing for the talk meant a lot of rehearsal and a lot of breathwork. I wanted to make sure I could get up on the stage and know my material inside and out so that I could present it to the best of my ability. 

I’m used to walking around a stage in heels and having bright lights shining on me, and this one was no different. I could feel the energy in the room and the 12 minutes went by so fast I couldn’t believe it was already over. So fulfilling and bittersweet.

After the event, I did celebrate with my family the following night.  I was diligent on Linked In connecting with the other speakers and the organizers of the event.  In my heart and beliefs, it is always about connecting and building relationships.  

I have several other speaking engagements coming up this week and for me every opportunity when you take the stage is about delivering valuable content and creating true connections both short and long-term with the audience.  This is a great way to make an impact and build your business.