In this episode we examine ways to prepare and eventually share your big idea with the world through public speaking. My guest is Diane DiResta, a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) and Founder and CEO of DiResta Communications, Inc., a New York City consultancy serving business leaders who deliver high stakes presentations— whether one-to-one, on stage, or from a virtual platform.
Diane started in the communications/speaking world working with children in the New York City schools who had speech and language disorders and delays. From there she made a career change and started doing stand-up comedy training for a public speaking company that worked with corporations. That was a real grounding in this kind of a skill. From there she spent years training people in Corporate America in communication skills. After Corporate America she started freelancing and eventually started her own training company.
Got a Big Idea to Share?
For people that have a big idea and want to get it out but they’re afraid, you’re too focused on yourself. It’s not about you, it’s about the audience. When you change your perspective and focus on how you can serve the audience you start to lose your self-consciousness. You then need to bring yourself into the present moment and you do that through your breathing. A lot of times when we get nervous, we hold our breath. Instead of doing that focus on your big idea and getting your message across to your audience. Come from a place of serving and you won’t be as nervous.
In this episode we also discuss:
- Diane’s first speaking engagements and how she honed the craft of public speaking.
- Why gifted speakers are born but effective speakers are made.
- What not to do while speaking to an audience and what to do instead.
- How to leverage storytelling to get your big idea across.
- Ways to engage your audience and keep them off their phones.
- The starting point of sharing your big idea with the world before you ever step onto a stage.
- How and when to step onto the stage.
- How to get your first speaking engagements.
- The do’s and don’ts of networking in the speaking world.
- How to create ambassadors that will share your big idea with their networks.
- How to know when and if you’re ready to write a book about your big idea.
- How to get publicity for your big idea.
- How to find the right audience for your big idea.
…and more golden nuggets of advice!
You can get my book here: “Idea Climbing: How to Create a Support System for Your Next Big Idea”
About the Guest
Diane DiResta, Certified Speaking Professional, is Founder and CEO of DiResta Communications, Inc., a New York City consultancy serving business leaders who deliver high stakes presentations— whether one-to-one, on stage, or from a virtual platform. DiResta is the author of “Knockout Presentations: How to Deliver Your Message with Power, Punch, and Pizzazz”, and has spoken on four continents.
Diane is Past President of the NYC chapter of National Speakers Association. She was featured on CNN, and quoted in the NY Times, Wall Street Journal Her LinkedIn Learning course, Speaking Confidently and Effectively ranked in the Top 20 Most Popular Courses for two consecutive years and made the list of Top 20 Speaker Coaches and Trainers by ZoneofGenius.com
