I learned how to ride an elephant in Madison Square Garden during my first job as a costume designer for Ringling Bros, Barnum & Bailey Circus. That opportunity gave me creative freedom like I never imagined and put me on a first name basis with clowns. One day the clowns, in full comedic regalia, saw me through the window of a busy midtown restaurant where I was having lunch with friends. They came inside just to say hello. As a young professional, I was mortified. I am telling you this because I learned years later that instead, embracing my uniqueness is a story worth telling.

The silence was uncomfortably awkward and what may have been seconds, felt like forever!

I was paralyzed. I was part of an ensemble performance in college and when it was my turn to speak my lines, my mind went blank. I have an outgoing personality, maybe even ambivert but from that day onward, I restricted my speaking to behind the scenes.

My lack of confidence speaking in public haunted me for years. As a Marketing Director and Senior Designer, I was overlooked for job promotions and I let important business connections dwindle. I had this feeling of being left behind as I watched others succeed.

It wasn’t until years later that I became my first client. My journey to improve my speaking skills taught me that every opportunity to present is a conversation. I now speak on stages around the world, am a frequent guest on podcasts and coach high level executives how to be world class speakers.

None of this was my career plan. And here I am, a Keynote Speaker and Corporate Trainer helping others to reach their unrealized potential and achieve success.