Create Your Last Lecture

Eleni KelakosAudience Connection, Audience Engagement, Lecture Writing, Professional Tips, Strategic Tips, Writing Tips

Ron had a remarkable story. After buying and selling several successful businesses, he transitioned into consulting, eager to share the lessons he’d learned. However, his desire to create a signature keynote presentation left him stuck. “I can’t seem to pin down a specific topic,” Ron admitted during our first meeting. To help him break free, I asked a simple but profound question:“If you could only speak publicly one more time in your life, who would you want to speak to, and what’s the message you’d want to relay?” Without hesitation, Ron replied, “I’d want to speak to visionary business owners …

5 Practices for Presence & Presentation Mastery

Eleni KelakosAudience Connection, Executive Presence, Peak Performance, Performance Techniques, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips, Professional Speakers, Public Speaking, Strategic Tips

When it comes to presentations, how skilled are you at giving them? How activated and consistent is your Charismatic Presence, the magnetic life-force that draws people into you? No matter where you are in your journey as a speaker or communicator, you’re never truly “done.” There’s always room for improvement, and peak performers know that mastery is a lifelong pursuit. They understand the importance of stepping into discomfort again and again to grow beyond their current skill set. Think Like An Actor And Move Towards Mastery Adopting an actor’s mindset can be invaluable for your journey toward mastering presence and …

Giving an Introduction? Get it Right!

Eleni KelakosAudience Connection, Peak Performance, Performance Techniques, Professional Speakers, Public Speaking, Strategic Tips

Have you ever found yourself tasked with introducing a speaker or dignitary before they step onto the stage to deliver a speech or receive an award? The pressure to “get it right” in these situations can be overwhelming when all eyes are on you. It is especially nerve-wracking when you are faced with names or phrases that are difficult to pronounce—something many of us can relate to. Take Vice President Kamala Harris, for example. Despite her nieces demonstrating how to pronounce her name during the Democratic National Convention—“Kama” like “comma” and “La” like “La La La”—mispronunciations still occur. It’s a …

Kick Off Your Presentations With a Bang!

Eleni KelakosAudience Connection, Exciting Presentations, Performance Techniques, Presentation Tips, Professional Speakers

The Importance of a Strong Opening In a business pitch workshop I recently conducted, I observed a common challenge faced by many presenters: capturing the audience’s attention right from the start. David, one of the participants, struggled with this while presenting his product—a clever device that prevents electrical cords from tangling. Despite its simplicity and potential value, David’s delivery fell flat. His lengthy introduction and lack of focus lost the audience’s interest almost immediately. I decided to step in. “David,” I said, “there’s a way to make your point simply, quickly, and compellingly. Let me demonstrate.” I grabbed a tangled …

Presentation Tip: Managing The Moment Before

Eleni KelakosAudience Connection, Executive Presence, Peak Performance, Performance Techniques, Presentation Skills, Professional Tips, Public Speaking, Strategic Tips

Recently, I had the opportunity to watch Sing Sing, a film that tells the inspiring story of inmates at the famed Sing Sing prison who participated in a transformative program called Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA). This powerful film, enacted predominantly by actual RTA participants, centers around a character named Divine G, played by the incredible Colman Domingo. Divine G is an inmate wrongfully convicted of a crime, but he discovers a renewed sense of purpose through his involvement in a theater group alongside other incarcerated men. The film’s portrayal of how the essential elements of acting—trusting oneself and others, …

21 Ways to Give Better Virtual Presentations

Eleni KelakosAudience Connection, Professional Speakers, Strategic Tips, Virtual Presentations

Giving virtual presentations is a challenge for even the most seasoned professional speakers. However, with a few strategic adjustments, you can make your virtual presentations engaging and effective. Here are some suggestions to help make presenting virtually more palatable for both you and your audience. 1. Be Bossy At the beginning of your presentation, set clear expectations for your audience. Let them know what you need and expect from them. If you want them to show their faces and not turn off their video, tell them. If you want them to participate actively and be prepared to be called on …