Toastcaster Speakcast for Toastmasters

[39:59] In this insightful and timely episode, host Greg Gazin delves into the realities of the refugee experience with accomplished entrepreneur, advocate and author, Dalton T. Sirmans. They unpack the common myths and misconceptions surrounding refugees, moving beyond the headlines to reveal stories of incredible resilience, ingenuity, and significant economic contribution.

Dalton introduces the core message of his book, "The Refugee Advantage," highlighting the remarkable strengths and hidden potential of those forced to flee their homes.

Dalton shares his personal journey from the fintech industry to becoming a passionate advocate for refugee empowerment, a path that led him to at 60, pursue a Master's in International Relations at Harvard University to better understand the global challenges of displacement. He discusses the work of his firm, Amplio Ventures, which invests in refugee-led businesses and aims to create remote work opportunities for those in camps.

Throughout the conversation, Dalton provides powerful examples and statistics that counter the narrative of refugees as a burden. He shares inspiring stories taken from his book of refugee entrepreneurs who have achieved remarkable success, including:

Andrew Ly, a Vietnamese refugee who, along with his brothers, reimagined a corner coffee shop the Sugar Bowl Bakery, now one of the largest Asian-owned bakeries in the United States.
The Haddad Family, Syrian refugees in Canada who started the internationally recognized chocolate company, "Peace by Chocolate," becoming a major employer in their new community of Antigonish, Nova Scotia.
"JB," a former gymnast from Central Asia who, after becoming a Christian, facing persecution and imprisonment, built a successful set of gyms in Texas.
TesfaMichael Yohannes's twin daughters, who fled Eritrea and later founded the successful 2•4•1 Cosmetics company, featured on Oprah's Favourite Things.

Dalton explains that refugees often possess unique entrepreneurial qualities honed by their experiences, such as profound resilience, resourcefulness, and a refusal to accept failure. Statistics from a 2005-2019 U.S. study are shared, indicating that refugees contribute billions to the economy and become net-positive taxpayers faster than any other immigrant group.

The conversation also touches on the quiet, yet significant, social and cultural impacts refugees have on the communities where they resettle, like in Clarkston, Georgia, known as the most diverse square mile in America.

Dalton T. Sirmans is an accomplished entrepreneur, author, and advocate for refugee empowerment. He co-founded Amplio Ventures, an investment firm supporting refugee-led businesses, and previously served as the CEO of Main Street Technologies. He holds a Master of Liberal Arts in International Relations from Harvard University and is the author of The Refugee Advantage, a book that blends research and storytelling to highlight the resilience and contributions of refugees.

To learn more about these inspiring stories and the research behind them, visit TheRefugeeAdvantage.com where you can pre-order Dalton's book, The Refugee Advantage.

Dalton lives in Palm Coast, Florida, where he lives with his wife Margie. He can be reached at Dalton@AmplioVentures.com .

[14:51] In this episode, GadgetGreg explores why your phone, laptop, or tablet battery seems to drain faster over time and what you can do to extend its life. Learn about the impact of charge cycles, what drains your battery the most, and practical strategies to keep your devices running longer. Plus, discover Leo, a smart charging gadget that optimizes battery health and has won a CES 2025 Innovation Award.

Topics Covered:

Why lithium-ion batteries degrade over time

The biggest battery-draining culprits

Best practices for extending battery life

Environmental factors affecting battery performance

Introduction to Leo , the battery life extender

Reducing e-waste with smarter charging habits

This episode originated as an article originally published by Active-Life Magazine, GadgetGreg.com and a syndicated version by Troy Media .

[32:25] In this episode, we speak with Rick Voight, CEO Vivid-Pix where we dive into the concept of reminiscence therapy, focusing on photo reminiscence and its powerful role in enhancing mental well-being and how Vivid-Pix technology technology can be used to enhance that experience.

Reminiscence therapy uses personal memories to improve cognitive function and emotional health, and photo reminiscence specifically leverages cherished photographs to evoke memories and connections.

We’ll explore how Memory Station by Vivid-Pix is a hardware/software solution that uses cutting-edge technology to support this therapeutic practice by offering advanced photo-restoration and digitization services.

Rick will walk us through how Memory Station works, explaining their innovative approach to revitalizing old photographs and capturing memories. Discover firsthand how their system make vintage photos more accessible and meaningful, contributing to improved mental health outcomes. You'll hear stories about the benefits of photo reminiscence therapy and how it helps individuals reconnect with their past.

Memory Station can be useful in several contexts:

Reminiscence Therapy: For individuals in therapeutic settings, especially those dealing with dementia or Alzheimer’s, Memory Station helps restore and digitize old photographs, making them accessible for reminiscence therapy. This can aid in memory recall, improve mood, and foster emotional connections.
Family Archives: Families can use Memory Station to preserve and digitize their photo collections, ensuring that important memories are not lost over time. This is valuable for creating digital family albums and sharing historical photos with future generations.
Historical Preservation: Memory Station can assist historians, researchers, librarians, genealogical societies and others in digitizing and preserving historical photos and documents. This helps in maintaining historical records and making them available for study and education.
Personal Projects: Individuals can use the services for personal projects, such as creating photo books, slideshows, or other keepsakes that feature restored family photos or significant life events.
Event Planning: For events like anniversaries, reunions, or memorials, Memory Station can restore and prepare old photos for display, enhancing the event’s nostalgic and emotional impact.

Memory Station comes in various configurations including free trial software.

For more details on Memory Station and to learn how technology is bridging the gap between the past and present, enhancing our connection to treasured memories visit Vivid-Pix.com or MemoryStation.com and reach out through the contact page.

You can also view the Transcript of this episode on Apple Podcasts.

[08:35] April Fools’ Day – April 1st, is an extension of a centuries-old tradition to entertain and trick, – or is it? In today's episode we unravel this annual enigma that today we call April Fools’ Day.

This is the audio from the article published at Troy Media & Gadgetgreg.Com. The text, while not exactly a transcript is below:

Here's the Article:

In the modern era, we find ourselves ever vigilant on April 1st, wary of pranks, hoaxes, and fake news. Yet, these antics have roots that delve deep into the past, to a time when court jesters were commonplace and laughter was the order of the day.

Long before the advent of television, movies, or the Internet, jesters, jokers, and fools roamed the land, captivating audiences with their quick wit and comedic talents. Originating in the Medieval and Renaissance periods, these entertainers often began their careers as nomads – performers, traveling from town to town, accompanied by minstrels, and regaling crowds at fairs and markets with their humorous tales.

However, it was those jesters who found favor in the courts of monarchs and noblemen who truly rose to prominence. These quick-witted individuals became valued members of the household staff, their jests serving as a welcome reprieve from the rigors of royal life.

But competition was fierce, the court jester being the career pinnacle for a talented few. Successful candidates could rise above the simple nomadic existence, entertaining peasants living in poverty surrounded by disease and filth. Their new life would be to entertain a captive audience, and enjoy stability, shelter and more to eat in one meal than others had in a week.

No doubt, everyone wanted the top job, but the supply of fools always exceeded the demand. There were no employment agencies and Monster.com was still almost 5 centuries away.

To get the attention of potential employers, jesters would take any opportunity to perform in front of the wealthy – not unlike what the paparazzi do to celebrities today.

Except you can’t behead a paparazzo, as King Henry VIII did to one fool on New Year’s Eve 1544 outside the Palace of Whitehall in London. In fact, in that era, beheadings were as common as weddings and banquets. Despite being warned, this fool pushed the monarch too far.

That night, as Henry’s temper flared, even the king’s personal jester, Will Sommers, couldn’t amuse the angry monarch. According to Sommers’ diary and stories passed down over the centuries, the ongoing commotion and Henry’s drunken rants marred the evening, with the king threatening to cast away the ships of fools and behead each and every one of the jesters.

Sommers had been serving the king for years and had become his friend, confidante and earning his trust.

Legend has it that when asked why, in all that time he didn’t fear the king’s wrath, Sommers replied, “Why should I fear a man who couldn’t keep a wife?”

At the risk of his job, and perhaps his life, he tried to convince the king that serial execution of fools wasn’t in his majesty’s best interest. Perhaps Sommers made the appeal for selfish reasons, coming from a family of fools. He attempted to convince the king that he needed to laugh, that all people need to laugh in tough times. Henry had just buried yet another wife, Catherine of Aragon, so his temperament was certainly suspect.

Failing to make an impression, Sommers eloquently reminded the king of their first meeting and how he had made a life-changing impression on his majesty. His words struck a chord with Henry, eliciting a rare smile from the monarch.

With the Kings fiery temper subsiding, for now, Sommers confessed he had concerns about his own longevity. Sensing an opportunity to diffuse the tension, instead of waiting for his demise – natural cause or otherwise, Sommers proposed a novel solution—a grand audition, if the king so wished. This could uncover fresh talent for the court, sparing his fellow jesters from further retribution, i.e., the ultimate job dismissal.

Henry, intrigued by the idea, granted Sommers full authority to organize the auditions, scheduling them promptly upon his return from Versailles on April 1st.

The auditions proved a resounding success, with laughter echoing through the halls of the palace like never before.

Henry was so delighted by the spectacle and thrilled by the outcome of finding a suitable successor for Sommers, he declared April 1, as the “annual Night of Fools,” as a testament to the enduring legacy of jesters in his court.

The King would only enjoy a few of these events since he died in 1547, just three years later.

Sommers outlived his master, carrying on Henry's tradition, honoring his legacy, and entertaining Queen Elizabeth I until his passing in 1560 – of natural causes.

In the years that followed, the tradition progressed, taking on new significance and acquiring yet a new name. In 1582, the Day of Fools was officially christened April Fools’ Day, aligning with the introduction of the Gregorian calendar by Pope Gregory XIII. This change, while seemingly minor, served to solidify the holiday's place in the calendar and cement its enduring legacy.

April Fools’ Day continues to evolve, adapting to the changing times and embracing new forms of humor and mischief. Today, people across the globe eagerly anticipate the arrival of April 1st, eager to partake in the age-old tradition of pranks and practical.

So, today as we celebrate April Fools’ Day, let us pause to reflect on the origins of this beloved tradition and the jesters who helped shape it. And if you find yourself on the receiving end of a prank, - like this one, remember to laugh along—it’s all part of the fun!

April Fool!

This is an updated version of the podcast originally released as episode 80. Toastcaster 80 The Origin of April Fool's Day.

[11:46] In this episode we change up the conversation and speak on Tech Leadership – kicking it off talking about safety. Of course, when we think of safety, the idea of personal or property typically come to mind, but not data safety – particularly with respect to USB Flash Drives, a.k.a USB sticks or Thumb drives

The solution?

U.K.-based iStorage Ltd seems to have come up with a solid solution. You’ll be introduced to the datAshur PRO+C , a literally indestructible and secure USB thumb drive with encryption and PIN protection that can protect our data from hackers, prying eyes and accidental destruction.
You’ll get some technical details, but also how it might fit into your personal or professional life, give you peace of mind and keep your data secure.

Find out more at iStorage https://istorage-uk.com/product/datashur-proc/

There will be a forthcoming article to be published at Troy Media, Active-Life Magazine and at Gadgetguy.Ca. The link will be posted here when it’s available.

[21:02] Video Bios are a great way to supplement your CV or Resume and an effective way to help show people who you are and what you do.
In this episode we speak with Heather Flanagan who recently created her first Video Bio.
Heather is one of those individuals that unless you are familiar with her industry, you may not truly understand what she does - but her Video Bio helps demystify that.

Heather shares with us how she came out of her comfort zone and why she decided to create a Video Bio; what she learned about the process and about herself along the way.

She also gives us tips and advice on creating a Video Bio and even how she used ChatGPT as part of her process.

We also review her first video - with a Toastmasters style evaluation and go over what she really did well and how perhaps she can add more value and more punch to improve her next one

Heather Flanagan is the Principal and Owner of Spherical Cow Consulting , a firm that helps organizations build a trusted and collaborative Internet. She is also the founder of The Writer's Comfort Zone, a community for people passionate about supporting each other as writers.

Heather's passions and expertise lie within: Digital Identity, Identity Standards Development and Multi-Stakeholder Collaborations.

I had the honour of of being a guest along with Heather on Oscar Santolalla on Time to Shine #196 where we had a wonderful fireside chat on How to Give a Tech Talk successfully .

Heather lives near Seattle, WA and can be reached via LinkedIn or her blog, Spherical Cow Consulting .

TC179: How Video Bios Supercharge your Personal Brand & CV – Heather Flanagan

[36:11] In this fun and entertaining episode, Greg speaks with first-time novelist Jock Mackenzie who shares some of his adventures and misadventures in creating, writing, publishing and then promoting his newly published crime-novel, Dealing with Dymans.

Jock shares stories and offers some insights on how the novel came to be, including the creating and naming his characters. We hear how he leveraged resources with writing groups, experiences with editors, looking for publishers and how he went about finding places to promote and sell his book beyond places like Amazon.

And of course, as a former teacher Jock wares his heart on his sleeve with some of what he had gone through and deals out tips and advice for those who might be thinking of writing a novel, but may have this fear of starting or plagued with writer's block.

Jock also introduces us to the Scattergram (see below), a pencil and paper picture outline method he uses to organize his thoughts and prepared himself for this interview.

Jock Mackenzie is a former teacher and administrator with the Red Deer Public School Board in Alberta Canada for 31 years. A long-time Toastmaster, Jock has enjoyed speaking at teacher conferences across Canada as well as emceeing a variety of events.

He's also the author of a teacher reference book on essays, Essay Writing: Teaching the Basics from the Ground Up (2007), numerous magazine articles.

More recently, Jock has self-published a crime drama, Dealing with Dymans, about a shyster jeweler who switches out real gems for fake ones. Ex-RCMP officer, Jack Schmidt, finds out and the fun begins. And you don’t know Jack Schmidt until you’ve read it. You can get it directly from Jock and find it on Amazon .

Jock also appears on Episode 104 - 3I-Racer Technique for More Engaging Storytelling .

Jock Mackenzie can be reached by e-mail mackenzie.jock AT gmail.com and on his blog, Teacher Man, Teacher Ms .

[26:57] Yoga is something in the past this podcast host (Greg Gazin) would have never considered. The way it’s portrayed, it conjures up images of slim fit women who contort themselves into pretzels. But now I truly think different. I realize that Yoga is really for everybody. In fact I now practice it weekly and it’s been transformational in terms of my well being.

In today's episode we speak with Sharon McMullan-Baron, a yoga instructor but also a cancer survivor who I met through Wellspring Alberta.

Sharon's motto is: Remember to Live Simply, Speak Kindly, Care Deeply and Love Generously - and in this light-hearted episode, Sharon generously shares a little about her inspiring journey, how she discovered Yoga, what it has done for her and what it can do for you so you can take leadership of your mind, body and soul - regardless of age, gender or physical condition.

Sharon dispels some of the myths about Yoga - how easy it is for anyone to do and how it's more than just a series of body movements.

We learn about Wellspring - a no-cost, donor-funded, registered charity, community-based non-medical centre of support for cancer. Wellspring Alberta in Edmonton is where Sharon delivers her classes and has been instrumental in bringing her Yoga Thrive for cancer patients program to help them and their caregivers through challenging times.

You'll also hear about how you can get started practising Yoga. Sharon shares resources - books, videos, names of people she admires in the Yoga world so you can check them out. .

We also get a little hands-on Yoga practise you can do in real time while you are listening to the episode.

Resources mentioned:

Wellspring Alberta and Wellspring (National)

Book: Meditations from the Mat - Daily reflections on the Path of Yoga - Rolf
gates and Katrina Kenison.

Companion book : Meditations on Intention and Being - daily reflections
on the path of Yoga, Mindfulness and Compassion by Rolf Gates

Yoga teachers:
Peggy Cappy - PBS programs for USA listeners, videos and books

Susi Hately - Co-creator of Yoga Thrive - the hatha and restorative yoga
program for those touched by cancer. Her website Functional Synergy has
many resources.

Yoga sutras by Patanjali.

About Sharon

Sharon McMullan-Baron has been teaching Yoga since 2009 focussing in the areas of Restorative Yoga and Hatha Yoga. Her certifications include Hatha Yoga, Yoga for the Low Back, Yoga Thrive for Cancer Patients, Healthy Breast, Tru North (a prostate cancer programme) Relax and Renew and more.

A cancer survivor herself, diagnosed in 2006, Sharon was instrumental in bringing, Yoga Thrive for cancer patients to the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton in 2010 and to Wellspring Edmonton when it opened its doors

Sharon strives to keep a balanced approach to every day.

When she’s not on her mat, her survivorship includes a dedication to family and friends, extensive volunteer work, athletic, artistic and creative pursuits which may include wordsmithing poems and stories or playing with fabrics, creating quilts and other textile treasures. You can catch her on the bicycle or XC ski trails, or out with her dog, if you can!

Sharon lives in Edmonton, Alberta Canada and can be reached via email or via LinkedIn .

[35:25] In this episode speak with Matt Abrahams—a return guest and a name synonymous with spontaneous speaking - about mastering the art of speaking on the fly.

This is a special cross-over companion podcast to The Toastmasters Podcast with Greg Gazin & Ryan Levesque #235: Think Faster, Talk Smarter in the Moment with guest Matt Abrahams.

We're also thrilled to have Ryan Levesque also co-hosting today's episode.

Today's episode

Today we dive a little deeper into the concepts in Matt's book. He starts off by sharing what it's about and how you can use it.

Matt explains why there’s no right or wrong way to communicate–only better and worse ways. He demystifies a cognitive psychology concept of heuristics and explains their importance.

Matt suggests a helpful reframing of speaking opportunities as “Conversations, Not Performances.”

He touches upon how improv has shaped his approach to communication and introduces us to the playfully-named “F-Word of Public Speaking.”

Matt offers additional examples of structures you can use to master your Q&A session, gives an easy-to-use format for apologizing successfully, and more. Sorry about that! :)

Matt Abrahams is a Lecturer at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. He’s the author of two books, Speaking Up Without Freaking Out, and his brand new book, Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You’re Put on the Spot, and the host of Think Fast, Talk Smart: The Podcast.

You can reach Matt and get his book at MattAbrahams.com . You can also find him on LinkedIn.

Resources from Matt Abrahams at FasterSmarter.io .

TC176: Think Faster, Talk Smarter—A Deeper Dive – Matt Abrahams

[41:08] Being a Buddhist and a CEO may seem like two extremes – one symbolizes Zen and calmness and the other the epitome of corporate chaos. But Thane Lawrie - a.k.a The Buddhist CEO is both, and successfully so and has seemed to have found just the the right balance.

In this episode we speak with Thane about his journey but also about his new book - appropriately titled The Buddhist CEO. It's classified as a fictional biography but as we find out in out chat, it's loosely based on his life.

Thane shares his thoughts on Buddhism and how some of its principles from his perspective that resonate with him can really apply to anyone of any faith for betterment of one's personal and especially in one's corporate life.

He also shares some leadership tips by enlightening us with stories and explanations of some of the stories from the book - and more.

We also hear how he created a Fellowship of CEOs - where CEOs of different companies can share and help one another when they they find themselves alone at the top.

Thane Lawrie is an award-winning CEO in his home country of Scotland. A graduate of the University of Aberdeen and University of Glasgow, Thane has had a diverse career, culminating in leading and transforming a once struggling social enterprise and going on to win numerous prestigious business awards both locally and nationally, including being placed in the Sunday Times top 100 companies to work for in the UK. Thane is married with two sons and has been a practicing Buddhist for over twenty years.

You can reach Thane Lawrie at ThaneLawrie.com where you can also find ways to purchase his book in addition to Amazon & Barnes & Noble. On his site he also has a blog where he discusses leadership topics in his own way, progress on the book also some of his poetry.

[39:37] Wonder what it takes to be a great Emcee and Host? It takes more than just being able to be a good talker with an ability to wing it off the mic. Our special guest today Nathan Cassar is an award-winning professional and one of Australia's Premier Wedding & Corporate Emcees and known as the go-to guy for making any event unforgettable.

Nathan Cassar has over a decade of experience and a strong reputation in the entertainment industry, this includes being a former Entertainment Host for prestigious Princess Cruise Line for several years. Nathan has also had the privilege of performing for thousands of happy guests spanning 40+ nationalities across the globe.

Nathan shares with us a little about his journey starting with his humbled origins as a young bullied introvert who overcame adversity to today where he has become a world-class host and Master of Ceremonies.

Nathan also shares many tips and best practices on what makes a great emcee for those who may want to entertain that career path.

You’ll also hear many do's and don'ts and learn how to create your own improv treasure chest that can be used both onstage and offstage and in many other impromptu speaking environments. In addition to many entertaining stories full of his invaluable wisdom, Nathan also shares tips on what to look for if you are searching for an emcee for your event and more.

Nathan Cassar lives in Sydney, Australia an can be reached via his website NathanCassar.com.au as well as on his various social media platforms below.

Facebook :
Instagram :
LinkedIn :
YouTube :

TC 174: Tips on Becoming a World Class Host & Emcee – Nathan Cassar

[56:30] In the first half of 2023, Generative AI and apps like ChatGPT have hit us like a tidal wave and is already impacting our lives. Our expert guest today, Robert Lavigne always seems to ride ahead of the curve. Rob is a Generative AI and Digital Media Specialist and joins us today to help demystify this wild frontier for both techies and those new to AI.

Robert Lavigne is a Generative AI and Digital Media Specialist with a passion for audio podcasting and video production. He is the owner of The Digital Grapevine committed to serving as a thought leader in aligning digital branding and marketing strategies with a client’s business goals and objectives. With decades of experience, Robert helps guide clients in defining their digital vision by helping structure and present digital programs and recommendations to business owners and their respective decision makers He also provides ongoing support, mentoring, professional development and training to staff of client establishments when required.

In addition, Robert is also the host / producer of numerous podcast and video interview series. The Digital Grapevine recently re-launched their Content Creator For Hire platform to focus on Generative AI projects.

Rob is also the first person on the planet to have his own digital avatar complete with synthetic speaking in 10 languages modeled in his own vocal tone.

Robert Lavigne is from Brantford, Ontario, Canada. He can be reached on LinkedIn (rlavigne42) and at The Digital GrapeVine . You can also view many of his creations on YouTube .

=======

Rob generated the show notes below by feeding his side of the audio into AI tools.

AI Generated Show Notes:

Generative AI: Lavigne discusses the domains of generative AI, which include text, audio, video, and image generation, and stresses that they are machine learning systems, not self-aware entities.

Applications of Generative AI: Potential applications are identified across various sectors, including both white-collar and creative industries. Lavigne cites his use of ChatGPT-4 as a valuable tool in his creative process.

Concerns over AI (The Ugly): Job loss, misinformation, deepfakes, and potential misuse are cited as major concerns around AI. The potentially devastating impacts of AI misuse are likened to that of a nuclear bomb.

AI and Work: The potential for AI to take over mundane aspects of work is discussed, along with the challenges of achieving this ideal state.

Impact on Jobs (The Bad): Lavigne talks about how the rise of AI and automation, along with remote work and the gig economy, is intensifying competition for jobs.

Benefits of AI (The Good): Despite the potential downsides, Lavigne appreciates how AI has helped him deliver complex projects rapidly and improve the initial stages of his work.

AI in Creative Writing: Lavigne discusses his project, "The Digital Revolution," entirely written by GPT-4, highlighting the use of AI in creative writing.

Role of AI in His Work: Lavigne uses AI as a tool for producing desired outputs, leveraging its capabilities to aid his creative process.

Process of Using Generative AI: Lavigne explains his method of seeding the AI with basic factual information, leading to accurate, relevant outputs that can be used to generate impactful quotes and FAQs.

Quality of AI Outputs: The concept "garbage in, garbage out" is applied to AI, emphasizing the importance of good quality input to obtain valuable output.

Role of Prompt Engineers: The emerging role of "prompt engineers" who formulate prompts for AI is discussed, noting that those with a better understanding of language and question formulation tend to be more effective.

OpenAI and GPT-4: Lavigne speaks about OpenAI's role as a leading AI development company and their products such as GPT-4. He also talks about his use of ChatGPT, a product of OpenAI that uses GPT-4.

OpenAI and Microsoft Partnership: The partnership between OpenAI and Microsoft is discussed, with GPT-4 now powering Microsoft's Bing search engine.

New Features in GPT-4: Lavigne introduces the new features in GPT-4, including plugins that allow the AI to interface with other software and data.

Interpreting Internet Content with GPT-4: Lavigne uses GPT-4 to interpret web content directly, bypassing manual website navigation. He predicts this capability may change the future of SEO and web traffic patterns.

Real Data as Input: The importance of using real data to seed GPT-4 is emphasized to prevent the AI from generating unfounded information.

Impact on Industries: Lavigne discusses the potential impacts of AI on various industries, including job loss, especially in content creation and curation roles.

Advancements in Chatbots: The use of GPT-4 in newer chatbots, which can be trained on a document and interact in any language or style, is discussed.

Data Hallucination: Lavigne addresses the issue of data hallucination, where AI generates information that isn't based on input data, stressing the need for safeguards.

Importance of AI Ethics: The crucial role of ethics in AI development and use is emphasized, particularly given the potential for misuse and the inherent biases that can be reflected in AI outputs.

AI Legislation: Lavigne discusses the current state of AI legislation, stressing the importance of global cooperation in setting standards and regulations.

AI's Influence on Content Creation: Lavigne explores how AI is reshaping content creation, from writing scripts to editing video. He predicts that AI will allow creators to produce more while maintaining quality.

Future Predictions: Lavigne shares his predictions about how AI will evolve, especially in the context of content creation, and what implications this might have for society.

End Note: Lavigne wraps up by encouraging listeners to stay informed about the rapidly changing landscape of AI and to approach the technology with an open, but critical, mind.

Toastcaster 173: Demystifying Generative AI & ChatGPT - The Good, Bad & The Ugly - Robert Lavigne

[32:54] In this episode, Greg speaks with Oscar Santolalla about the Fireside Chat – a great alternative to a typical Q & A style one-on-one podcast interview. Oscar introduces us to the concept, where it originated and how he successfully adapted this 90 year old delivery format to his podcasts.

You'll also hear the pros and cons of the format and what you can do if you would like to try one for yourself.

Greg's shares his first experience with a recent Fireside chat on Oscar's podcast - what he learned, what surprised him - and more.

Oscar Santolalla is an accomplished speaker, author, coach, and Sales Engineer and Trainer for Ubisecure. His mission is to help people in technology companies present better, inspire others, and sell more.

Oscar is this author of: Rock the Tech Stage and Create and Deliver a Killer Product Demo. He also hosts Time to Shine , a podcast about public speaking and as his company's podcast, “Let’s Talk About Digital Identity.”

You can find Oscar's interview on The Toastmasters Podcast about using Metaphors - to power your presentations - episode #218.

An example of a fireside chat: How to Give a Tech Talk Successfully with Greg Gazin & Heather Flanagan on Time to Shine Podcast #196 .

Oscar Santolalla lives in Helsinki, Finland but is originally from Peru.

You can reach him at RockTheTechStage.com or on LinkedIn .

[12:35] Today, March 31st is #World Backup Day. This reminded this Gadget Guy of an article I was inspired to write for the Edmonton Sun 22 years ago not after watching the news or a show about Technology, but rather a TV Show about Women – specifically Bravo’s Sex and the City.

It's an update to the 2001 article with a humorous look at how I went about writing the article what transpired in Season 4 Episode 8 appropriately titled: My Motherboard, My Self, where Carrie Bradshaw - played by Sara Jessica Parker has her Mac PowerBook G3 laptops crashes and all the trials and tribulations around it including her questioning her relationship with her then boyfriend Aidan who interestingly is a PC user.

The podcast also talks about backups and the importance of them as well a lessons Carrie learned about backups and relationships.

So do your part, take a pledge and take action on #WORLDBACKUPDAY . You can also visit WorldBackupDay.com for more info.

You can also read the updated article at Troy Media .

[56:05] The Accredited Speaker (AS) designation is reserved for Toastmasters who combine subject mastery with professional speaking skills at the highest level of proficiency. Since the program started in 1981, there have been fewer than 100, 90 to be exact at this time who have earned the coveted title.

This is the audio for the unique webinar: How to Earn the Toastmasters Accredited Speaker (AS) Designation.

It was hosted in January 2023 by AS We Speak, an advanced club dedicated to supporting members who are pursuing applying for the designation.

Sheryl Roush, DTM, AS, PDG, CVP (right) who earned her credential in 1993, invited her fellow AS colleagues to join the conversation and leads the session.

You will hear them share their journeys, professional speaking suggestions, and tips not included in the official handbook.

If you are already familiar with the AS, please note the Board recently made changes in the Accredited Speaker program for 2023.

You can also view the full webinar - video at https://youtu.be/wXeNeePm15M .

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[37:29] Think of AI (Artificial Intelligence), particularly health care and your brain might conjure up The Doctor - the Emergency Medical Hologram from Star Trek Voyager. But AI in healthcare is here, it’s real and it’s already disrupting healthcare and changing the ways in which we can - in the words of Mr. Spock, “Live Long and Prosper.”

In this non-technical and eye-opening episode, Greg speaks with Harry Glorikian —an influential healthcare entrepreneur, author, podcaster, and company leader—has been at the intersection of the fast-moving science and business of healthcare and biotechnology.

Harry offers us a number of insights from his new book: The Future You: How Artificial Intelligence Can Help You Get Healthier, Stress Less, and Live Longer - how AI is disrupting healthcare and what you need know to successfully navigate through it.

In our conversation, Harry also helps demystifies the term AI. He illustrates some of the ways it’s being used in research, at your local healthcare provider, at home and in everyday gadgets. You’ll hear AI is about playing a role with vaccine development and how technology is being used to proactively identify individuals who may be predisposed to certain types of cancers.

You’ll also be inspired on how this advancing technology can help us improve preventative and preemptive care (before things happen) vs sick-care (after the fact).

Harry also impresses upon us how we are still very dependant on the human brain. However, given the ability of a machine to handle lots of data along with AI technology, you’ll hear how the two together can help predictability that someone may be predisposed to a certain condition. You also be introduced to the term Digital Therapeutics on how non-medicinal treatments in some areas are already FDA approved to replace the need for meds.

Harry also shares a number of personal stories and how he himself uses technology to better his personal health, and more.

Harry Glorikian lives int the greater Boston area and can be reached via LinkedIn or Glorikian.com .

His book The Future You: How Artificial Intelligence Can Help You Get Healthier, Stress Less, and Live Longer is designed for anyone and includes over 50 pages of references, You can find the book on Amazon .

ToastCaster 169: How AI Can Help the Future You Live Longer & Prosper – Harry Glorikian

[27:53] In this episode Greg speaks with Varun Puri co-founder of Yoodli a web-based platform, that helps individuals practice, record, upload and store speeches or interviews and provides feedback and AI enabled analytics as well as an auto-generated transcript of the speech.

In our conversation, Varun enlightens us on a little more of what Yoodli is, why it was created it, how it was funded, how it works and why he refers to it as a “smart- mirror.”

He gives us a few examples and explains on how Yoodli, in real-time, provides users with personalized feedback such as filler and repeated words, body language, word pacing and more. We’ll also hear about the added bonuses like games you can play to further step-up those skills.

We also hear a little bit about the recent partnership between Toastmasters International and Yoodli, giving Toastmasters members, at no-cost, a customized version of the Yoodli platform tailored to the Toastmasters experience including the ability to practice your Table Topics (impromptu speaking).

We’ll also hear about how you can get your analytics on your Zoom communication by inviting Yoodli to join your meeting through a pasted link or your calendar. (Public version only)

And finally Varun shares with us how the platform has helped him in fine-tuning his own communication skills.

Varun Puri, Co-Founder, Yoodli is based in Seattle, Washington and can be reached at Yoodli.ai where you can also access the public version of Yoodli.

Toastmasters members are encouraged to access the Toastmasters Yoodli by simply logging onto their accounts at Toastmasters.org/myhome .

You can also read more about Yoodli and the partnership in Laura Mishkind's new article on Yoodli in the Toastmaster Magazine On-line .

[29:17] “How Far? A Tale of Determination, DNA, and Drama” by Bob Wilber is a book written in the "historical fiction" genre, and features two fictional characters who "write" the book in their own voices. One is a baseball player from Southern California. The other is a hockey player from Roseau, Minnesota. When their very different lives intersect, they become friends and the drama begins.

It’s a life book told through a sports lens and - everyone can relate to it. It’s not only an incredible read and a great story but it’s also full of life and leadership lessons that anyone can benefit from.

In this episode we speak with the author about his book and why he wrote it and what's unique about it. We get to better understand about the genre of historical fiction and how it can be used for any type of storytelling.

We learn more about who Bob is, the skills he acquired including wisdom from his writing coach and the lessons he learned about himself on this journey and much, much more.

ABOUT Bob: Bob Wilber has been writing creatively since grade school and first published at age 16. He is the son of a former Major League baseball player and a mother who passed along her communications and public relations skills to her youngest son.

After earning a full athletic scholarship to Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville, he spent six years in professional baseball as a player, coach, and scout for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Bob then moved on to international sports marketing and eventually spent 22 years in the world of NHRA Drag Racing, as a PR representative and team manager for Funny Car drivers Del Worsham and Tim Wilkerson. In 2017, he published his autobiography "Bats, Balls, & Burnouts" and his latest book is "How Far?" A Tale of Determination, DNA, and Drama.

Bob lives in Minnesota with his wife Barbara and their cats Boofus and Buster. You can reach him at BobWilber.net where you learn more about Bob and purchase the book through links to Amazon.

[05:31] When you play a round of Golf, chances are that you will use more than just a putter. So why is that businesses sometimes have only one message or one sales strategy regardless of the demographic or who the potential client is?

Same goes for communicators. Some deliver the same speech verbatim regardless as to whom their audience is.

Sadly the results are not always as you think.

Listen on few a few tips - for business, not golf! :)

Image by Kevin Phillips from Pixabay

[11:59] It’s Halloween time. Let me share with you something that’s perhaps a little scary and that’s email. Boo! Before you chuckle, I want you to think about this...

You’re trying to lead your team, get your projects done and get ready for that next meeting. You’re obviously multitasking and in so much of a hurry, you don’t realize that opening just that one email could not only put you behind time, it could potentially create your worst possible nightmare - a phishing email which you've been oblivious to. Don't be afraid! Listen on. You can also read my previous article on the topic at Gadgetgreg.com .

[06:31] Greg Gazin is interviewed on CHQR Radio about his Troy Media article Try Nightbuds Earbuds for a good night’s sleep .

For anyone who offers a product or service, or in my case writes about one, it's always important to be ready and always have a few talking points and a story or two in your back pocket in case the media literally comes calling. It's great PR for you and for the product or service you're talking about.

This is also where your Toastmasters International Table Topics impromptu skills come in really handy.

[23:52] Ever wonder how to fill the gaps when business is slow? There are a number of productive things we can do - some we already know but are often forgotten. But what about when things are so slow and choices are so limited that you have to totally reinvent yourself?

Our guest today is an expert in both those areas. Stephanie Northcott, a former corporate project administrator from Calgary, Canada in the construction and electrical utility industries found herself in a position of having no position that fit her skills due to a corporate.

With a decade of extensive experience under her belt, Stephanie decided to take matters into her own hands. She put her administrative skills and strengths to work becoming an entrepreneur specializing in helping sole proprietors and online entrepreneurs as a virtual assistant, relocating her family and now working from the paradise of Guanajuato, Mexico.

In this episode, Stephanie shares a little about her journey, what a virtual assistant does and shares a number of tips that she has discovered and things you can do when business slows to a crawl.

Many of her tips and nuggets of wisdom come from the article: Filling the Gaps when Things Get Slow that can be found on her blog as well as on LinkedIn.

Some of the tips include: Examining your business from the outside in, posting past content and cleaning up those nagging “tolerations” and more.

You can find Stephanie Northcott on LinkedIn or reach her via her website: StephanieNorthcott.com .

[25:23] What can you learn from your first professional speech (outside Toastmasters)?

In this episode Greg speaks with copywriter Kate McClare who pulls back the curtain and shares five powerful lessons and more from her recent live presentation to a group of CPAs. These lessons are basic fundamentals but important reminders that every speaker should remember if they want to make an impact on their audience and of course the organization who engaged them.

You can also hear Kate in her interview with Greg Gazin & Ryan Levesque on the Toastmasters Podcast, episode #201, Powerful Collaboration between Toastmasters International and Rotary Internationa l.

Kate McClare runs a company called Kate’s Copy, a writing and editing service. Specializing in Digital, Video and Print content for Marketing and PR professionals, Web Designers and Entrepreneurs.

Kate is passionate about Language and prides herself with her ability to harness the power of the written word for better storytelling. She’s is also a Distinguished Toastmaster and a frequent contributor to the Toastmaster Magazine.

Kate McClare lives in Hollywood, Florida and can be reached on LinkedIn or at KatesCopy.net .

[31:19] Has the pandemic created for you or someone you know an unnerving unexpected and totally unprepared for, life changing moment? In reality, life-changing moments happen all the time. Many however, are not crises but unrealized opportunities. In fact, some of the best ones are often disguised, pass us by and are only noticed in hindsight.

In his opening keynote session, you’ll hear from Past District 42 Governor (Director) Greg Gazin, DTM. You’ll hear ways you can recognize life-changing moments and learn tips to harness them to help you catch your second wind and keep you sailing in the right direction.

In this light-hearted session, Greg will share some of his epiphanies, adventures and misadventures of transformation both outside and inside Toastmasters as he meandered some of those moments. You’ll also hear how Toastmasters played a role but also mistakes he made and the differences it would have made if Pathways - Toastmasters Educational Program would have come along earlier.

Recorded via Zoom as part of Toastmasters District 42 2022 Spring Conference.

VIEW AS VIDEO: https://youtu.be/ohXygqYKtqA

(Note: In one moment inadvertently said "Toastmaster" when I should have said "ToastCaster." "In 2006, I created the ToastCaster Podcast." The Toastmasters Podcast was originally created by Ryan Levesque & Bo Bennett. I became host and producer of the Toastmasters Podcast in 2014.)

[29:23] Writing and delivering a good Toast might seem to be something you can just stand up and deliver off the cuff but many YouTube #fails say otherwise. A great toast that makes an impact needs to be well thought out, well written and delivered properly.

In today’s episode we speak with professional speechwriter and newly published author Eddie Rice. Eddie shares with us some valuable tips and advice on preparing, delivering and mastering this ceremonial speech. He highlights his 7-step process and offers up some do’s and don’t when it’s time to raise a glass.

You’ll also learn about what the true purpose of a toast is and some of the different occasions a toast can be written for.

A lot of what Eddie shares is from his just released new book,

TOAST: Short Speeches, Big Impact , available on Amazon.

We also learn a little about Eddie, how he transformed his career 180 degrees from being a Science Teacher to a Speechwriter and how Toastmasters helped him and continues to help him through that process. He also pulls back the curtain and shares some of the things he went through when writing his book including how he decided to first get feedback on his extensive outline which he in turn used to write his book.

Eddie Rice is a professional speechwriter with over a decade of experience in helping business leaders, keynote speakers, TED talk presenters, Nonprofit organization and everyday people, enhance the messages they tell through great storytelling and structure.

Eddie is from Cleveland Ohio and can be reached at http://ricespeechwriting.com

[37:21] Wonder how did a shy, socially awkward introvert turn into a successful serial entrepreneur and master relationship builder? Just ask Monica Parkin, who on today’s show will give us an insight into the answer to that question and more by telling us about her recent book, part memoir, part instruction guide, Overcoming Awkward: The Introvert's Guide to Networking, Marketing, and Sales.

You don’t have to be an introvert to benefit from Monica’s wisdom. In this fun and lighthearted episode, you’ll hear honest stories (many from the book) of her often sometimes challenging but fruitful transformation and overcoming her obstacles. You’ll hear about a number of lessons she’s learned and how these can be applied in many areas of one’s personal, professional, business life and even through social media.

You’ll hear how things blossomed for “Mortgage Monica” as she revealed her authentic self and how her moniker as a “crazy goat lady” who lives on a small farm with an assortment of furry creatures actually contributes to her business success and more.

Some of the other topic areas she touches upon include: Difficult conversations, asking questions, setting boundaries, mentorship, Toastmasters and her podcast Juggling Without Balls .

Monica Parkin is from Courtney, British Columbia, Canada. She’s a licensed mortgage broker and successful serial entrepreneur an award-winning international speaker, author, podcaster and Toastmaster.

You can find her book: Overcoming Awkward: The Introvert's Guide to Networking, Marketing, and Sales on Amazon .

Monica can be reached at MonicaParkin.ca .

[18:33] Milestones are achieved and celebrated every day and recognized in a variety of different ways. Celebrations are also often backward looking going back to where one once was to where they are now. But what if you commemorated by celebrating forward? Using the milestone as a way of encouraging a future activity.

In this episode we look at the milestone of 200th episode of the Toastmasters Podcast and how instead of looking back at the first 200 episodes as many do, the hosts Greg Gazin and Ryan Levesque decided to create a contest - a Pitch Us Your Podcast Idea! contest.

The idea would be to create more buzz around podcasting and encourage members to give it a try. Members could submit their most creative idea - a pitch and an audio sample and they did not have to have an existing podcast. The winner would be announced and be a guest on Episode #200 where they could introduce themselves to the world and pitch their idea to Greg and Ryan.

When the dust settled, the winner was Rashmi Ketha from Ledgewood NJ, USA with “The Experience Passport.” Personal development through hobby sampling.

You can catch the 200th episode - shown above at ToastmastersPodcast.com , and Apple & Google Podcasts.

Also, if you want to find out a little more about the Toastmasters Podcast and its hosts, please check out: Tune In to The Toastmasters Podcast , in the March 2022 on-line issue of the Toastmaster Magazine.

[25:28] Resolutions for many just don't seem to work but our guest today, Dave Fuller uses "Naming Your Year" as a method to accomplish what resolutions are meant to do.

In this episode Dave shares how he stumbled upon this method; what it does and how it works. You'll hear how puts it into practice at home, at the office for both himself, his team and his clients and learn how you can implement it for yourself. You'll also hear about how Naming can also help achieve goals and how Dave uses this to help focus on a 12-week planning method.

David (Dave) Fuller MBA, is an award-winning business coach and a partner in Pivotleader Inc . and the Author of Profit Yourself Healthy.

You can also read Dave's article at Troy Media, New Year's Resolutions are out, naming the year is in , at Troy Media.

Email him at Dave AT Pivotleader.com. Dave would love to hear what you named your year.

[26:00] As we reflect back on this year, caregiving can mean many things to many people. Some people are caregivers in the traditional sense, others give care in many forms to others. In this episode we bring back author and former co-caregiver Rick Lauber. The idea of his return was prompted by a recent insightful tweet he made.

“As a #caregiver , please don't ever question the difference you make in someone's life. Thank you so much to all caregivers for everything they do.”

This episode is for those who give care, receive care or know someone who is either.

In this episode Rick enlightens us with what prompted him to share that wisdom. He reflects upon his own personal experiences sharing some of his thoughts and feelings, even those of guilt, which are also likely felt by many others - particularly during the holiday season and this past year.

Listeners are also in for a learning experience as Rick also reflects back with respect to what he’s learned, how he’s coped, some of the actions and steps he’s taken and continues to take and some of what he’s still dealing with even after many years.

He also shares with us how you can go about resetting your life when you are no longer a caregiver, and more.

Rick Lauber is from Edmonton, Alberta Canada. You can reach him at RickLauber.com or on Twitter @CDNCaregiver. You can also find his two best-selling guide books – Caregiver’s Guide for Canadians (2nd edition) and The Successful Caregiver’s Guide (U.S) on Amazon and the usual outlets.

You can also listen to past episodes with Rick Lauber. Toastcaster 69 How Toastmasters helps Authors and Toastcaster 127: Caregiving - The Ultimate Leadership Role .

Happy New Year 2022!

[06:05] Hearing things being repeated can often drive you absolutely crazy. In this brief episode you'll learn that if used effectively, repetition in presentations, conversations and even recordings can truly be an effective tool in getting your message across.

If you think about speeches like MLK Jr.'s, I Have a Dream, there's a perfect example.

This podcast is also available as an article. The original article can be found at GadgetGreg.com .

[37:43] With Livestreaming, you are both a producer and performer. These are words from our guest today, Markus Seppälä, who adds that it’s also public and live and lonely and dependent on tech which can certainly make it a challenge. It’s with his comedic side that he jokingly takes on a sarcastic view of Livestreaming.

For Markus however, it’s rewarding. He loves every minute of it and is with us to share his expertise and some of the things he’s learned along the way.

He enlightens us on how using live-streaming tools, learning from those tools and leveraging the communication skills and other disciplines you’ve already mastered you can super-charge those skills to a whole new level just as our guest today has done - and he shares with us some of the specifics he has accomplished.

You’ll hear how livestreaming is a mode of communication and how it differs from platforms like Zoom and Netflix.

Plus, you’ll discover how you can “level-up your tech” with free tools like OBS and Melon that also integrate with Zoom that add a dynamic level of uniqueness and professionalism to your presentations.

Markus also offers tips on planning a livestream, where to place your most important content and why, answering questions, and ways to engage the audience and keep them listening (not necessarily in ways you might think) and what to do when you get no audience reaction and how not to be dependent on it.

Your livestream will live on-line forever. Markus touches upon on how you can best plan to balance your live feed to maximize the delivery of your content yet maintain its long-term replay value.

Any the end of the interview I’m sure you’ll all want to get started in Livestreaming.

You can also listen to our interview with Markus on the Toastmasters Podcast Episode #180: Comedian Masters Hybrid Meetings .

Also check out Markus’ YouTube videos: How live streaming will improve your communication skills (5 tips) and How to share PowerPoint slides on Zoom with OBS Virtual Camera

Markus Seppälä is a two-time TEDx speaker, event host and stand-up comedian who brings fun to the corporate stage. You can catch Markus on YouTube where you will find a plethora of videos - with tutorials one an array of different videos showcasing his talents with teachings on topics like - Zoom, Streaming, Hybrid Meetings, Video conferencing and ways you can be a better speaker.

Markus is based in Basel, Switzerland where he runs Comedy Basel, the biggest comedy club in town. You can find him at MarkusPresents.com .

[29:55] Many people avoid meetings at all costs - they feel they’re unproductive, a waste of time and simply a bandaid for bad communication in an organization. In this episode Greg speaks with return guest Matt Abrahams, educator and coach whose extensive exploration, research and experience has led him to discover a collaborative approach to keep meetings fun and exciting. More importantly they be can productive in achieving the goals of the organization and add value to the teams. And you might even be thanked for running a meeting.

You’ll learn about the importance of planning, executing and setting expectations up front - and even determining whether there is an alternative to holding a meeting.

You’ll hear how to invoke emotion by leveraging meeting invites and making agendas valuable and how the information, emotion and actions are the three important key elements of any communication. This includes the importance of paraphrasing and how that leads to better communication and boost engagement during the meeting.

He also stresses the value of focusing on the experience and the creative order of things and not just the content and also using physical engagement and leveraging the use of technology tools and more.

Matt also touches on how to ensure the new way of running meetings endures and tips for running virtual meetings.

And finally, Matt talks about his new podcast, Think Fast Talk Smart from Stanford GSB.

Matt Abrahams teaches Strategic Communication for Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and Presentation Skills for Stanford’s Continuing Studies Program and co-founder of coaching consulting practice Bold Echo Communication Solutions . If that’s not enough, Matt is also the author of the book Speaking Up without Freaking Out , now in its 3rd edition.

You can also hear Matt on episode #93 Speaking up without freaking out and also on the Toastmasters Podcast, Episode 111 , with Greg Gazin and Ryan Levesque where he spoke on how to be confident.

[15:26] In this episode Greg speaks about two incredible individuals whom we can call unexpected leaders. These are people who positively impact others not really with any intention but simply by doing what they do. In fact they may not even be aware of the impact that they are having on others and the long lasting impression they leave.

You’ll hear about, Reverend Kevin Fast (left) from Cobourg, Ontario, Canada is best described as a modern day Popeye and Brittany Walsh , a.k.a AcroBritt (RIGHT) from Portland, Oregon, U.S.A a dancer, a gymnast, former circus performer and acrobatic archer who both happen to be individuals featured in the 2020 Guinness Book of World Records.

Greg shares a little about each of their stories and 3 leadership lessons he’s taken away by speaking with them

Related Materials

If you'd like to read the related article Leadership tips from the Book of Guinness World Records you can find it at Troymedia.com.

To hear the full interview podcast with these two inspiring Guinness world record holder's along with a bonus interview with an official judge or adjudicator and hear them tell their stories, check out: Toastcaster 122: Setting a Guinness World Record – It Takes True Leadership.

A short link for that is bit.ly/toastcaster122 .

Also please visit GuinnessWorldRecords.com

[31:31] Conversations are fundamental to everyday life – at work or at home, yet little emphasis is ever put on improving it as a skill, particularly in getting one started and keeping them a succinct as possible.

In this episode, Greg speaks with Chris Fenning - subject matter expert and author of the new book, The 1st Minute: How to Start Conversations that gets Results. Chris will share his expertise and insight with lessons taken for the book that you can apply in many communications situations, like job interviews, conversations with the boss, presentations and even written communications.

You’ll discover some of the most common mistakes made in that first minute and some of the misconceptions that surround it. You also learn about when that first minute really starts.

You’ll takeaway two methods you can out to use right away:

1) Framing, a simple 3-part process that in 15 seconds helps you provides context, clarifies your intentions, and makes your message clear: and

2) Structured Summary: How everything we do can be described in the form of a GPS – no, not your car’s GPS but rather Goal, Problem & Solution.

You’ll also learn why you should never ask someone, “Do you have a minute,” and more…

Chris Fenning, in addition to author is also a husband, father and communications instructor. He lives in Amsterdam in The Netherlands and can be reached at ChrisFenning.com .

[32:53] Imagine the hardest speech you'll ever have to give.

In this episode you'll hear about that speech, the process that went into creating it and the speech itself and how on that day, I felt a rollercoaster of emotions the likes of which I’d never experienced in my life.

That day I was surrounded by loving friends and family as I said a final farewell to Elaine Baram , my best friend, my love, my wife, the sunshine of my life who I will miss forever . It will also explain why there were no episodes over the past months.

[27:39] This episode, Part 2 is the final part of our conversation with Noel Bentley on how to host a TEDx event where he continues to share his expertise on being the best host you can be.

Noel also talks about getting help by borrowing - not copying but rather be inspired by others and other TED or TEDx events but at the same time being you own person and letting your own personality shine through.

Noel also shares additional best practices along with a few do’s and don’ts and how you can prepare yourself even for impromptu situations and the unexpected.

You’ll also learn about some of the differences between live and virtual presentations and what you can do to make the latter seem more natural. He also shares some of the special considerations they had to make given the current global climate and environment which they knew could change without notice. He used real examples from TEDx BearCreekPark 2021 that took place just one month ago.

Noel Bentley is a speaker, humorist, storytelling coach, emcee and Toastmaster. He started project called Power of 3 Speaking, a new way of doing keynote speaking. He can be reached at https://powerof3speaking.com or coming soon at NoelBentley.ca

You can also watch the latest TEDx BearCreekPark 2021 at https://tedxbearcreekpark.ca

If you missed part 1, you can find it (Toastcaster 148) at: http://bit.ly/toastcaster148

[27:28] There’s a plethora of resources spotlighting do a TED Talk or speaking on the TEDx stage, but few realize that a great host or emcee can make or break that event. In this episode Greg speaks with Noel Bentley, a three-time TEDx host who’s hosted both live and virtual events at TEDx Bear Creek Park in Surrey BC, Canada.

In Part 1 of this 2 part series, Noel inspires us with his own story, what it means to be a TEDx host, what the role entails and the excitement and opportunities it presents for speakers and individuals. You’ll as be introduced to TEDx BearCreekPark and a glimpse as to what goes on behind the scenes of a TEDx.

Noel enlightens us with his experience in his role as a TEDx host - how he got there, what he learned, how he (over) prepares mentally and physically and about the help he got along the way. You’ll also learn about other key players like the curator, speaker coach, program coordinator and of course the speakers and how the host interacts with them. You’ll also find out what speakers have to go through to be on that stage.

Noel will also share some of his best practices and things to avoid, touching on the topics of introduction, bridging between speakers, scripting and humour.

Noel Bentley is a speaker, humorist, storytelling coach, emcee and Toastmaster. He started project called Power of 3 Speaking, a new way of doing keynote speaking. He lives in Surrey, BC, Canada and can be reached at https://powerof3speaking.com or coming soon at NoelBentley.ca .

You can also watch the latest TEDx BearCreekPark 2021 at https://tedxbearcreekpark.ca

Watch for Part 2 (Toastcaster 149) coming up.

[22:13] Kevin Achtzener, DTM is in the process of doing his practicum at a Spanish bilingual school to earn an after degree in Education. He had the idea to teach his students new material as part of a Spanish Language Arts curriculum by getting them to create their own podcasts.

In this episode, Kevin, a regular on ToastCaster, shared his experience as to why he chose podcasting as a teaching medium, what he was trying to accomplish, how the class took to it and how the podcasts turned out. He talks a little about the methods he used, the subjects he selected as well as what both he and his students learned from the process.

He also tells how he got our Podcast Host Greg Gazin involved by interviewing him as both a sample podcast and as a way to share his knowledge with the students through a podcast which was to be played in the classroom.

Kevin Achtzener is from Edmonton, Canada and can be reached at VisualProductivity.net .

[29:38] Everyone is trying to be better informed and protect themselves and others and reduce exposure to the Covid-19 virus. They’re social distancing, wearing masks and washing their hands, but how many of us think about our smartphone as a major source of a threat to our health? Or how many of us are missing key pieces of information that can help us and our loved ones stay safe?

In this episode Greg speaks with June Lai, founder and CEO of Catalyst, a high tech accessories maker but first and foremost a scientist. June offers an authoritative insight on PPE and on helping us all stay safe.

By the end of this podcast, you’ll better understand the difference between bacteria and a virus, what terms like anti-microbial really means. You’ll also learn how to properly disinfect your phone, what to use, what not to use and what to watch out for and suggestions on proper Covid phone safety etiquette.

You’ll also discover how waterproof cases, like those from Catalyst can not only protect your valuable smartphone investment, but one that is also washable can effectively reduce the risk of infection when properly implemented into your daily protection routine.

The techies will also love to hear what makes for a great waterproof case, and methods and technology Catalyst used in perfecting their patented waterproof seal.

You’ll also learn a little more about June, a glimpse into her journey, how the company came to be and how its skillset and innovation has now lead them to develop much needed quality PPE including novel items like a mask wallet.

June Lai, originally from Vancouver, Canada, now based in Hong Kong is the founder and CEO of Catalyst - a global consumer high tech high performance electronics accessories brand. She’s also a scientist who oversees R&D at the company who is in the business of inventing unique patented products that combine world-class design with performance. You can find out more about about Catalyst at CatalystCase.com .

If you’re interested in learning more about viruses, June suggests checking out TWiV - This Week in Virology - a podcast about viruses.

[43:52] When I first started podcasting 15 years ago, the most frequently asked question was, ‘What’s a Podcast?” Five years ago, It was, “Why are you doing podcasts? It’s going the way of the radio, video is where it’s at. Today I’m often asked, “What are the benefits of podcasting?” And “How can I get involved? How do I get started?”

In April 2020 Apple Podcasts had over 1M podcast and over 35 million episodes. With the lockdown I’ve heard estimates ion 1.5 million and many many more episode. So Podcasting is not going away any time soon.

People do want to know more. In fact I’m questioned about podcasts and podcasting everyday.

As luck would have it, I recently came across a 2018, recording of a Podcast educational session I delivered - in a last minute request, to a group of Toastmasters which covers many of those questions and more. And while podcasting certainly continues to evolve, the information presented is still relevant today

This episode is not only for Toastmasters but for any communicator or leader who may be curious or interested in this topic.

We’ll look at what a podcast is, what it can do for you; the benefits of podcasts from a listeners, guests and a creator’s perspective.
You’ll hear stories along with tips and tricks in preparing, creating, hosting and moderating a podcast.
You’ll discover how to preparing effective questions and interviewing Techniques.
We’ll also make reference to a number of resources, other podcasts,
and more.

You can also download a PDF of the slides used in the presentation. http://bit.ly/gregtli2018

You may also want to check out The Toastmasters Podcast: Creating Interesting Podcast Content (Part 1) episode #157 and (Part 2) episode #158 , featuring yours truly and co-host Ryan Levesque.

I also encourage you to read, "Is there a Podcast in Your Future, " feature cover story in the Jan 2021 issue of Toastmaster Magazine.

Look for other upcoming podcast themed episodes here at ToastCaster and the Toastmasters Podcast.

[39:00] Flying in a Grumman F14 Tomcat, a supersonic fighter aircraft at over 1500 mph (almost 2500 kph) in the middle of a conflict can certainly put one's communication and leadership skills to the ultimate test. A split second action, reaction or decision can mean the difference between life and death. It also makes for a great movie and we all know and love as Top Gun staring a very young Tom Cruise (a.k.a Maverick).

In this exciting and lighthearted episode Greg speaks with Dave "Bio" Baranek, former TopGun Flight Instructor, F-14 RIO (Radar Intercept Officer), TopGun Instructor and Squadron Commander. Bio shares his insights, stories, lessons and experiences, many taken from his new book, TomCAT Rio: A Topgun Instructor on the F-14 Tomcat and the Heroic Naval Aviators Who Flew I t. He also contrasts it from his two previous books, Top Gun Days & Before Top Gun Days.

Top Gun fans will not be disappointed. You'll hear a little about the movie where as a young TopGun instructor, Bio and his colleagues acted as consultants on the film and actually flew in the planes. He'll contrast what really happened to Goose (Anthony Edwards) in the movie; how it was written for Hollywood and how it can happen and be avoided in the real world.

Bio tells great stories that offer up a number of life and leadership lessons that can apply to anyone. He also opens up about some of his challenges, sharing how he handled the real life "Danger Zone," mistakes he and others made and how had to learn to deal with what he referred to as his "Deadly Foe," called complacency...and more.

Dave “Bio” Baranek retired from the United States Navy in 1999 after successful and satisfying twenty-year career. He's now a defence contractor and author living in Satellite Beach, Florida. To get his bio and more about Bio, see more pictures or read more flying stories, visit www.TopgunBio.com .

TomCAT Rio is published by Skyhorse Publishing (208 pages including: large pictures and a 10-page glossary). It's available as a hard cover or Kindle e-book. You can find it along with Baranek's other books on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble.

PS. If you end up having Kenny Loggins' Danger Zone spinning in your head as you listen to the interview, don't fret, it's happened to all of us.

Headshot photo credit: Nicki Hovanec

[29:25] It's tougher now more than ever for Managers to successfully navigate through the seas of Managerial Mistakes, Missteps & Misunderstandings. In today's episode, Greg speaks with Blaine Little, speaker, corporate trainer, coach and author of a new book of the same name, who'll offer some guidance and tips on helping listeners charter their course and avoid that rocky road.

He'll explain how a manager and leader differ as well as the difference between a mistake and a misstep and how despite good intentions micromanaging and not investing in your teams will ultimately set them up for failure. You'll also discover his 4 C's of working remotely and managing your team Little uses with his clients, and more.

In this valuable yet light-hearted episode, you'll get the inside track on why Little named each of his chapters for the most part after songs of a popular 80's band and where you can find a Spotify playlist he curated around it.

Blaine Little is the Founder and CEO of Momentum Seminars Training & Coaching, a Certified National Trainer, (CNT) as well as a Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM).

Little lives near Nashville TN, USA and an be reached at MomentumSeminars.com . His book Managerial Mistakes, Missteps & Misunderstandings: An Essential Guide to Avoid Common Pitfalls is available from Amazon in both Kindle and Paperback format where you can also download the forward and the first chapter (25-30 pages).

[22:05] The Internet is full of experts doling out advice at what not to do during a virtual presentation or interview - job or otherwise.

In the episode, Greg speaks with John Bowe about his recent CNBC article, "4 Mistakes to Avoid in Your Next Virtual Job Interview -- Advice From Zoom's Head Recruiter," where he had a unique opportunity to interview Zoom's Phil Hayes - a guy who, of course, would really know.

John tells us about how the article came about and shares some of the wisdom he learned from Hayes including practical do's and don't tips for virtual job interviews. It's quite timely as many more interactions than ever are being done virtually and over Zoom. He also shares some of his own thoughts on this topic of which he is well versed.

The beauty of these tips and techniques is that they can also apply everywhere - like to businesses and for those for example who may be pitching product or services or even interviewing suppliers.

Have you wondered if virtual interviews better than live ones? Are companies getting better candidates, a better picture of the situation or is the lack of being there, creating more of a challenge? Listen carefully to find out - and more!

You just may be surprised at what you hear particularly at some of the reactions recruiters have and what they are actually thinking especially when during the interview, the unexpected happens.

John Bowe is a speech trainer, award-winning journalist, and author of "I Have Something to Say: Mastering the Art of Public Speaking in an Age of Disconnection." He's contributed to The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, GQ, This American Life and more. He was Educational Presenter at the 2020 Toastmasters International Convention and we interviewed him in a recent Toastmasters Podcast entitled Aristotle was a Toastmaster.

John lives in New York City and can reached via JohnFBowe.com .

[27:37] Words are very powerful and this episode, Greg speaks with Paul Ross about Subtle Words that Sell. This is not only the title of his new book, but also a revolutionary concept he's used for the past 30 years to teach tens of thousands of people around the world the power of language not just to sell, but to persuade, influence and also heal.

Paul insists that sales is not about selling but rather about shaping and structuring states on consciousness. He shares some of his wisdom and also lessons from his book which was in part inspired by his competitive nature and his past experience as a dating coach.

In this lighthearted and entertaining episode, you'll learn from the man who's in love with language about categories of words to use and about techniques on how to reframe objections.

You'll also learn about pattern interrupt and the better understand the difference between persuasion or influence and manipulation and how focussing on selling decisions and good feelings rather than selling products and services are the key to success in business and life and much more.

Paul Ross is an author, international speaker, and sales trainer, Master Hypnotist and Master Practitioner and Trainer of Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Paul Ross has been featured globally - on BBC, Fox, CNN, NBC, The Huffington Post, Rolling Stone, and now Toastcaster.

Visit his site SubtleWordsThatSell.com to find out more about his book, Subtle Words that Sell: How to Get Your Prospects to Convince Themselves to Buy and Add Top Dollars to Your Bottom Line and how you can also get two FREE BONUS courses on Destroying Objections and Building a Monster Mindset by using a special link.

[29:21] Just when we thought the world had enough jargon, acronyms and other confusing verbiage, Grant Crowell, a self-professed social wordsmith comes along and creates his own words or “Grantasms.” His motives are sincere – his intention, to make communication fun again while helping people build confidence, better relationships and increase their productivity.

In this light hearted yet informative episode you’ll learn why he wrote this book, what you can take away from it and how he himself uses his own Grantasms for laughs, socio-emotional wellness, and his own ADHD management. Listen for new terms like spousish, GERK, fillerflabber, messy-tasking, acronumb, playful mindfulness and more.

Grant Crowell is a learning facilitator for Dell Technologies Digital Events team and is the author of GRANTASMS: Twisted Creative words for cool people! He lives in Durham, North Carolina USA. Grant and can be found on LinkedIn and get his book on Amazon .

[28:50] When the current pandemic became a global reality, suddenly Bob Hooey found his speaking business more or less obliterated.

In this episode, Bob expresses to Greg how he felt and how he dealt with the situation while perhaps realizing his and and maybe our biggest fears.

After overcoming the initial shock, Bob realised, "I can't travel, but my message can." Pulling from years of experience, he decided instead of spiralling downward, he could pivot. So even at age 71, he found his new learning curve and embraced his new playing field. "I'm still learning," he says.

What Bob did, many of us can do too as he discovered new technologies and used the power of partnering, creativity and the often forgotten value of simply asking for help to move forward. Additionally Bob also shares the wisdom of some of his past experiences, much of which can apply to all of us and our businesses today in his own entertaining way.

FREE BOOK

As a gift to our listeners, Bob is offering, free to all readers a copy of his latest book,

Succeed! Idea-rich strategies to succeed in business despite global disruptions .

Bob Hooey is the Canadian "Ideaman." He's an accomplished speaker, prolific author of over 30 books on leadership and career success and travels the world (when its open) sharing his innovative Ideas At Work. He's also a long-time Distinguished Toastmaster, Past District Governor and Accredited Speaker.

Bob lives in Egremont Alberta Canada and can be reached at Ideaman.net or SuccessPublications.ca.

[27:41] Looking at how a pandemic has changed the way we dine and how restaurants operate and literally ravaged the industry. As some cities begin to re-open, you can’t help but wonder what the new normal is or might be or what future looks like moving forward.

In this episode, our guest Brittain Brown offers us a little insight into that arena. From his experience, he’ll share some of his observations what’s going on in the minds of restaurant owners and operators, staff and patrons. You’ll hear about some of the changes in store beyond merely servers in face masks, constant cleaning and reassuring customers as factors whether restaurants can successfully reopen and stay in business.

He addresses some of the challenges today’s leaders are facing, but also some of the opportunities that this represents including some food for thought on how leaders need to rethink and evolve their business models and adopt new technologies which are already driving the new normal and what might happen if they don’t.

What you’ll hear will be of interest and value to you regardless as to whether you’re a restauranteur, a patron or a leader in any other industry. Brown’s insights can apply to anyone.

Brittain Brown, B.A. is from Toronto, Canada. He’s the President of Givex, a global company that provides the restaurant, retail, and other industries with the latest tech solutions and analytics that help clients drive sales and make better business decisions. He can be reached at Givex.com .

[30:30] For Angelo Tirhas, like many around the world, everything more or less came to a dead halt when the current global crisis hit, leaving him stuck with literally nothing to do.

Instead of wallowing in defeat asking the same questions on everyone’s mind, his professional mind kicked in realizing that he had to define the problem and find solutions. He asked himself: “What’s the biggest problem in the world today, what are people what most scared of and can we help them?”

Of course he realized people were already overloaded with data they couldn’t make sense of and he himself didn’t have all the answers. He had an epiphany. “Let’s get all these people into one place and share what the future possibilities are and figure out what to do to survive the future. Get people asking questions in touch with those who have answers and let them have a chat with each other.

And thus Future Summits Online series was born.

In this entertaining and informative episode we learn more about Angelo’s journey, what he saw, what he heard, stories and insights and why he vetted and handpicked from over 150 speakers. You’ll also learn about his F.A.I.T.H framework (Fundamentals Awareness Implementation, Transformation and Humanity) and how it’s being incorporated into the summit – and more.

Angelo Tirhas is keynote speaker, corporate trainer and coach specializing in transformation, business and personal development, founder and host of "Future Summits Online”, the first ever Global Future Focused Online Summit Series. Angelo can be reached on LinkedIn or via e-mail .

About the Future of the Future Summit (On-Line)

Date: NEW!!! SEPTEMBER 17-22, 2020.

Cost: FREE. Low cost VIP packages with added benefits also available.

Takeaway: Actionable information, skills, strategies and insights from 25 leading global experts, futurists, innovative thinkers and thought leaders to help you prepare, be future ready and future proof. (4 speakers/ day)

Tickets: Visit now to get more information on the Summit or to get FREE Tickets

This episode: bit.ly/toastcaster137

*** PLEASE NOTE: The SUMMIT has now ENDED. HOWEVER, Angelo shares some TIMELESS VALUABLE WISDOM. So please have a LISTEN. ***

[29:33] Sometimes the best way to be a better leader and communicator is to learn from others’ stories. In this episode we hear from Paul Finkelstein who created OMGTalk, the small business owners podcast which he publishes on 5 different platforms.

Paul tells us why he created it; how he interviews small business owners and its value to them and other small business owners. Paul also shares his own takeaways and what he has learned from the process.

I invited Paul to Toastcaster because when he asked me to be on his show OMGTalk, the four simple questions he indicated he was going to ask I found quite reflective. It forced me to think back and dig deep - which I found quite inspiring. Please have a listen to to our interview on Paul's show .

Paul Finkelstein is from Delray Beach, Florida, USA. He’s involved in the Medicare insurance industry and loves running and fundraising. He’s a Distinguished Toastmaster and is the producer of the OMGTalk Podcast. Paul can be reached on all the major platforms and at OMGTalk.com .

[26:06] Learning a new language while abroad particularly during these unprecedented times can be a challenge yet rewarding. But our eight-time guest, Kevin Achtzener, who is currently overseas with his family in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was certainly up for the quest.

In this light-hearted episode, Kevin humbly shares how he was first inspired to learn Spanish the traditional way many years ago and some of the things he learned what not to do as he set upon a quest to learn Arabic – a much more challenging task.

Kevin also shares a number of techniques he’s been using like a language exchange as well as some of his valuable resources including: Anki – a Flashcard app, 50Languages – 100 Free Audio lessons; LingQ – which helps you learn a language from content you love and his go to book: Arabic Script Hacking by Judith Meyer, which helped him to learn to read signs.

Editors Note: Once you have a good working knowledge of a language, there are also many bilingual Toastmasters clubs around the world one can also check out.

[11:39] For a dedicated athlete or fit individual, walking a minimum of 10k steps a day for almost three years might seem like nothing. For me, a few decades older with ancient injuries walking roughly seven to eight kilometres a day that seems more like a pipe dream.

Amazingly, I did it. I never thought I could. In this episode, I share a little about my journey and how beyond the usual benefits of exercise the experience was transformational; I learned new things - many about myself.

The text version of this podcast is entitled “What I learned from a Journey of over 11 million steps.” There’s also an earlier related article, “One step at a time: a simple solution to a better life.” The companion podcast is Toastcaster Episode: 90 .

Articles can be found at Troy Media.com

Note: The photo shows me as I reached the 1000-day milestone. As I recorded this podcast 70 days later I had reached 12.3 million steps. Sadly as I publish this podcast my journey has come to an end as a time slot has come up for my long awaited and overdue hernia operation. But I will start again and learn many new things.

[22:06] Many businesses are finding themselves in an emergency state and are desperately looking to ensure smooth continuity.

In this episode, Greg speaks with Chandrashekar LSP, Head Evangelist for the Zoho Corporation in Canada.

Chandrashekar shares his observations on this new unprecedented business landscape and gives us an insight on what people and businesses can do and tools they can use to shift from typical office environments to the new reality without recreating the wheel

Working from home for over 15 years, he also offers his personal take on this subject as he currently has three kids under five years of age at home 24/7 and with his teams in India, and clients, partners, analysts and media in North America and around the world.

You’ll hear about Zoho’s Cloud-based business services for all departments in an organization including their new Remotely bundle consisting of 11 of their 45 applications in four categories, including: Internal/External Communications, Project Management, Remote Assistance and a collaborative Office Suite, which Zoho is offering at no charge for a limited time through their Small Business Emergency Assistance Subscription Program to help businesses get through the pandemic. (zoho.com/remotely)

Chandrashekar LSP is based in Montreal and has been with Zoho Corporation, a 24-year old privately held company for almost two decades. He can be reached at: lsp@zohocorp.com

[22:28] In this episode, Greg speaks with Dr. Shawna Pandya whose three page bio and credentials list includes: physician, scientist-astronaut candidate, teacher and martial artist with degrees in medicine, neuroscience, space studies and more.

Dr. Pandya shares with us a little about her journey and about her self-proclaimed Batman/ Bruce Wayne persona while opening up on how she’s been able to live out her childhood dreams.

She also shares about how her training prep for space travel has helped her prepare not only to deal with life in a COVID-19 world but also gives us lessons in leadership, communication, teamwork and critical decision-making in a high-risk, high-reward situation that can be applied to anyone, anywhere in our world.

This includes her very timely insight on how isolation in space can help us better learn about isolation we’re currently experiencing on Earth.

Dr. Shawna Pandya lives in Edmonton, Canada and can be reached at ShawnaPandya.com , or on Twitter & Instagram @ShawnaPandya – when she’s not training in zero-gravity.

[29:31] Keeping the COVID-19 pandemic from spreading has just about put the entire planet into lockdown mode. In this episode, Greg speaks with Lisa Wentz about her short article on LinkedIn about keeping mentally and physically stimulated and engaged and not feeling frozen during this unprecedented quarantine.

Lisa shares with us her recent journey of self-isolation. She explains how news overload and too much of the wrong kind of mental stimulation can affect people physically and how we can combat that and ensure we continue to pursue things that are relevant and important to us. Wentz explains how mental stimulation means different things to different people and how we need to find the time to reach out to others, not just those we know. You’ll also discover why getting through these times is not just about balance but about choices we make. You’ll even hear her interesting observations about changes in people like celebrity Stephen Colbert, who was forced to self-isolate, and more.

Lisa Wentz is from San Francisco, California and has an extensive background in psychology, professional acting training and live performance. Wentz is also featured in Episode 118 - Grace Under Pressure - A Masterclass in Public Speaking .

She can be reached at LisaWentz.com .

[24:42] Although Fear is commonly associated with public speaking, it’s ubiquitous; we find it in many areas of our lives and it can be debilitating.

In this episode, Host Greg Gazin speaks with Donald Lee who shares his insights on the origins of our fear; its physiological effects and how we can use our minds to counteract the natural effects of those fears. You’ll also learn why the opposite of fear, is love.

Donald Lee is from Peace River, Canada. Now in his 3rd career as a spiritual author and speaker, he’s also been a musician, teacher, band director, athlete, and economist who has over 60 years of dealing with fear across many disciplines. He’s also returned to Toastmasters after a 20-year hiatus. having competed in the 1995 World Championship of Public Speaking. He is one of the keynote speakers at the upcoming District 42 Conference in Lethbridge, Alberta.

Lee’s 1st book, published December 2019 is: The Band Director’s Lessons About Life: Volume 1 – 50 Parables on Life’s Performance Cycle - modern-day parables, with stories inspired by his teaching experience.

Lee can be reached at ComingHomeSpirit.com . There, listeners can also sign up for a free copy of Lee’s mini e-book containing five of the 50 parables.

[24:28] It’s amazing what a difference one man can make in the world. In this episode Greg speaks with Dan Johnstone, a.k.a Can Man Dan. Dan shares with us a little about his humble journey about how growing up in a less fortunate environment motivated him at a young age to begin a lifelong journey of helping others in need and make a difference in their lives.

He shares some of the tasks, activity and projects he’s taken on, including camping out in a truck for 4-5 days at a time 24/7 in sub-zero, -30 degree Celsius weather to collect much needed food of the Edmonton Food Bank. Dan shares an encouraging message that anyone in the world no matter the age or economic status can also do the same if they take a first step. His actions and leadership in this area are living proof of that.

Dan Johnstone is an award-winning activist, philanthropist, community organizer, and motivational speaker. Alongside his newly created non-profit organization, the Can Man Dan Foundation , Dan works hands-on to alleviate poverty, assist vulnerable populations, and strengthen communities in Alberta, Canada. At 32, Dan has already raised millions in resources for people in need while bringing awareness to today’s most relevant issues.

Dan lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and can be reached at CanManDan.Org or on his website DanJohnstone.Com .

Can Man Dan at Safeway - Southgate Centre

[20:39] In a rare live interview opportunity, host Greg Gazin speaks with Daniel Rex, CEO, Toastmasters International during a Fall visit to District 99, Edmonton, Canada. In this episode, Dan talks about why he visited our fair city from Denver, CO and a special connection Dan has to our own Peter Kossowan, a.k.a. Mr. Toastmaster.

We also learn a little more about Dan, what he likes to do, interesting things you may not know about him, how he discovered Toastmasters and how he’s evolved since joining the organization over 25 years ago.

As the CEO to one of the world’s largest not-for-profit communication and leadership organizations with 358K+ members worldwide, Dan shares some of his valuable leadership wisdom we can learn from. These include his thoughts on change, being a catalyst for change as well as his take on authentic leadership, and more.

Please enjoy this informative yet fun interview with Dan as a perfect close for this year and this decade.

[19:56] When we think of caregiving, leadership is not usually the first word to come to mind. But when you research what this often unexpected responsibility requires, you’ll see how it extends beyond a typical leadership role; often done over and beyond one’s day job and usually has emotions attached to it.

In this episode Greg speaks with Rick Lauber, Author and former co-caregiver for both his aging parents. Rick shares a little of his journey and offers an honest insight as to what’s involved in really being a caregiver, what skills are needed and how it parallels with that of an organizational leader.

Rick shares about how this decade long experience had impacted him as well as some of what he learnt about leadership and about himself as well as what strengths he never knew he had and those skills he needed to learn along the way.

The experience lead Rick to publish two best-selling guide books – Caregiver’s Guide for Canadians and The Successful Caregiver’s Guide which we also hear a little about. Rick is from Edmonton, Canada and can be reached at RickLauber.com .

Rick also appears in Toastcaster episode #69 and is a former Toastmaster.

[11:03] On Black Friday our minds seem to wander towards the subject of shopping and for many us, it’s the time to think about getting new gadgets for work, home or when we’re out on the road. In this episode Greg takes a look at the all-new for 2019 Amazon Fire HD 10 which he recently had the opportunity of reviewing.

You’ll hear his thoughts on the new model, some of the features, what it can be used for and how it compares to other tablets. It’s a follow up podcast for his upcoming article of the same name, which can be found at GadgetGuy.ca on Dec 1st.

Every leader knows that cashflow is king. Very few use cheques or even carry cash these days. Enter Square a low cost secure mobile payment system. It’s an easy way for you to collect payments for products or services that’s also easy and convenient for your customers allowing them to pay by credit card, debit and other pay systems.

In this episode your host Greg Gazin has a quick look at three different options offered by Square , what they do, what they cost including their latest all-in-one Square Terminal.

The podcast is based on Greg’s two previously published articles: With Square, you too can accept wireless debit and credit card payments (Gadgetguy.ca) and It’s Hip to be Square published by Troy Media.

[29:57] In this episode, Greg speaks with Diana Peterson-More about her new book: Consequential Communication in Turbulent Times: A Practical Guide to Leadership. Peterson-More draws from her experience as a labor lawyer, HR executive and organizational development consultant to show individuals and business leaders the way to clear, concise, and intentional communication--vital to successful human interaction in today’s fast-paced, volatile (and #MeToo) world.

A short read, this book has a unique format, for example, incorporating step-by-step how-to lists for each chapter, a number of case studies, analyzing what went wrong and food for thought through “What-if“ scenarios, often circling back to previous case studies as new concepts are learned.

The book is based on real stories and practical advice, some of which Diana shares with us during our conversation including using “I” statements and the Platinum Rule and more.

Diana Peterson-More is from Pasadena, California and can be reached through her website or at diana@dianapetersonmore.com.

[31:35] Yes, your non-profit organization may be eligible for a Google Ad Grant giving you $10K per month in free Google Ad Words Advertising and it's not fake news. In this episode, Greg speaks with David Ries, a Certified Google Ad Grant Professional who’ll give us an insight on this great opportunity for qualified non-profits and share how getting one is not as difficult as you think.

David will explain what the grant is all about, how to find out if you qualify and some of the things you need to do and have in order for your application to be successful. He’ll also demystify some of the misinformation about the grant.

David also offers a good primer on Google Ads to maximize a Google Word Ad campaign. He’ll share some tips on using keywords to drive searches to your landing page or website - information that’s relevant to anyone who may consider using Google ads. He also gives us a real world example of a client with a successful Google ad campaign and some of the ways they used keywords to zero in on their right target market.

David Ries, a Business Development Representative at ConnectAd , assists with the assessment and strategy process for nonprofits to get started with the Google Ad Grant opportunity. His background in exclusively the startup & nonprofit sector allows him to understand how to add value to nonprofits and increase their digital presence.

David lives in Edmonton, Alberta Canada and can be reached at david@connectad.ca.

For more info, check out G Suite and Google Grants for Nonprofits .

[28:55] Great leaders are passionate. Amongst other things, they’re also motivating, inspiring, innovative and committed to what they do. Our guests today have these attributes and more but you won’t find them in big towers, behind oak desks, but rather find them listed in the Guinness World Records 2020 book or associated with the organization.

In this episode, you’ll hear stories of true leadership. You’ll hear about the unusual way the idea for a Guinness Record came about and how these talented individuals faced with a challenge, persevered and overcame adversity while describing how they accomplished their incredible feats. You’ll also learn what motivates them; what they learned about themselves and how it can apply to all of us. You’ll also find out what it’s like to be a Guinness adjudicator, the skills it requires and a few tips on vying for a Guinness World Record.

Reverend Kevin Fast from Cobourg, Ontario, Canada is best described as a modern day Popeye. He holds an impressive 31 Guinness World Records including the Heaviest aircraft pulled and most people supported on the shoulders. (Left)

Brittany Walsh , a.k.a AcroBritt from Portland, Oregon, U.S.A is a dancer, a gymnast, former circus performer and world record holder in acrobatic archery. She’s featured in the latest edition for the Farthest arrow shot using feet. She’s been on The Late Show with David Letterman and has her own wax statue at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! (top right)

Spencer Cammarano, from New York, U.S.A has not broken any records, but has the most challenging (yet enjoyable) task of being an Official Guinness Adjudicator. Without her, official records cannot be recorded. (Centre)

The theme for this year’s 65th Edition, is Power Your Curiosity. You can find out more and get your copy at GuinnessWorldRecords.com . There’s also a Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition 2020 as well.

[28:19] It’s no secret we have a rapidly aging population. Many seniors today were never properly prepared for their golden years; We don’t know how to age properly and kids today have no idea what it’s like to be a senior. Those are the strong opinions of Angela Ostafichuk, our guest on today’s episode.

Angela is an educator, consultant, curriculum developer, writer, photographer, world traveler and Toastmaster. Based in Edmonton, Canada, she’s spear-heading and working in tandem on two projects: Future Seniors and Smart Strong Seniors. Together they are designed to not only inform and educate those who are already seniors to live better, but also to help society, regardless as to what generation they belong to embrace pro aging.

Today Angela will share some of her insights on the topic. This include highlights of her Pecha Kucha presentation Future Seniors, where she shares what we can do to take ownership for ourselves and others in an aging society. She’ll talk about getting Involved, Resources, Equality, Asking (the right questions) and Design, summed up by her acronym iREAD.

Angela Ostafichuk can be reached at SmartStrongSenior@gmail.com or TheFutureSenior@gmail.com. You can also check out her Pecha Kucha Edmonton presentation.

[22:35] People use images in their Powerpoint presentations, blogs and there’s no end to photos posted and shared on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and more. But just because you find them on the web, are you sure you have the right to use them? In this episode, Greg speaks with Samantha Lile who wrote an article with adapted flowchart for ViseMe.co entitled, Can I Use That Image?

Samantha talks about her article and shares some things people need to be aware of and things to consider before using, posting or sharing a photo - primarily from a U.S. perspective with Greg offering up additional Canadian insight. However, it offers some some food for thought for people all around the world as many similar rules exist in other countries.

You’ll hear about terms like Copyright, Creative Commons, Public Domain and Fair Use and some of the step involved in determining if an image falls into those categories and what to do. She also shares some of her favourite sources for free images including: Pixabay , Pexels and UnSplash .

Samantha Lile is an independent journalist, editor, blogger and content manager from Ozark, Mo. U.S.A, whose work can be found on sites such as: The Huffington Post, Thrive Global and Buzzfeed. Her original article and the companion flowchart can be found at Visme .co . You can reach Samantha via SamanthaLile.Carbonmade.com .

In case you're wondering, Samantha’s photo is used with her permission. : )

[12:22] Our smartphones have become the default goto gadget for pictures and videos as the ability to take photos have become an invaluable tool in both our personal and professional lives.

In this episode Greg looks at why one should consider taking along a point and shoot digital camera on their next trip, to their next conference or anywhere one would need to take pictures or shoot video and the advantages to do so. We also see how far they’ve come.

Greg offers a glimpse at the newer FujiFilm FinePix XP140 point and shoot as one example. Some of its incredible features include wireless photo transfer and even smile detection. It’s also waterproof, rustproof, shockproof, freezeproof and amazingly inexpensive.

You can find a modified print version of this article at Active-Life.ca .

[31:42] In this Episode, Greg speaks with Lisa Wentz about her new book, Grace Under Pressure - A Masterclass in Public Speaking from LID Publishing. It’s part of Lisa speaking and coaching program she’s releasing to the public for the first time. It’s cleverly broken into 3 sections: What’s holding us back, Vocal Training and Delivery and contains many topics you won’t see in most books on Public Speaking including 35 in-depth exercises.

Lisa will offer some valuable advice including dealing with your inner critic before, during and after your speech as well as a few stories from her book and how some of the exercises work.

Lisa Wentz has an extensive background in psychology, professional acting training and live performance. She has a Master’s Degree in Voice and Speech studies from the UK and is the founder of the San Francisco Voice Centre and has since coached public speaking clients from 37 countries. She can be reached at LisaWentz.com . You can find her book on Amazon .

[25:00] In this episode Greg speaks with regular guest Kevin Achtzener in his 7th appearance on ToastCaster, as a follow up to Episode #97, “Memory Techniques to Remember Just About Anything.”

Today Kevin talks about how his techniques have evolved and shares with us a new concept he’s learned about memory and how he’s been able to not only memorize key facts for his University Classes, but also how he processes and synthesizes the information he’s learning.

Kevin reminds us that memory is not just about remembering or encoding, but also about being able to recall the information. He shares examples how he remembers things by visualization, creating images of phrases in his mind like avatars, placing then recalling them using the memories of his childhood home as a backdrop or storage grid.

Kevin also introduces the audience to the six levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, a process that helps people learn and how this model fit into the big picture. Ideas and methods you’ll hear in the podcast not only apply to courses, but also for preparing and delivering speeches, presentations reports and anything you really need to learn.

Kevin Achtzener specializes in Mind Mapping, memory techniques, productivity and learning. He can be reached at VisualProductivity.net .

[31:41] It’s not uncommon for training to be delivered on-line. But with multitasking at an all-time high and attention spans at an all-time low, how do you ensure your participants remain engaged and involved and get the most from your webinar training? In this episode, Greg speaks with Tali Bar-Or, a 20-year veteran in training and facilitation including training facilitators remotely for content delivery.

Tali will share tips, tricks and best practices she uses to succeed to keeping her webinar attendees engaged and involved while maximizing their learning. You’ll hear how she visualizes her audience, acknowledging how people listen differently and selectively. She offers 2 strategies she learned to bring people back to focus including two words to alert wandering minds plus four key triggers designed to indicate to the participants what’s coming next.

You’ll also discover how to plan ahead to deal with distractions and disruptions and how to create an environment where they don’t happen. You’ll learn about techniques for pausing and why it’s important to turn the spotlight on to your participants.

You’ll also hear about her effective opening and closing protocols for her sessions, potential pitfalls and mistakes she’s learned along the way, and more.

Most of Tali’s golden nuggets can also be applied to any live training session or facilitation.

Tali Bar-Or is from Burlington, Ontario, Canada. She is the Lead Facilitator for Crestcom Canada and Lead Global Facilitator for Colorado-based Crestcom International , which provides Professional Leadership and Sales training in 60+ countries and 22+ languages. Tali can be reached on LinkedIn or at TaliBarOr@Crestcom.ca .

(NOTE: This episode is a great tie-in to Episode 113: Tips for Virtual Stage and Presenting On-Line.)

[31:57] We’ve all heard the term Authentic Leadership, but what is it really all about? In this episode we demystify the topic as Greg speaks with entrepreneur, TEDx speaker and author and Jeff Davis. Davis, who is passionate about Authentic Leadership, shares his personal experiences and offers an insight on why it’s important and practical strategies on how we can all become authentic leaders.

We learn that the road to Authentic Leadership begins way before we become a leader or even get our first job. We will realize that things you have been afraid or embarrassed to share before can help you and others. In fact, Jeff demonstrates the value is of being vulnerable wearing his heart on his sleeve about how he was bullied in school, how that followed him into college and how he had to deal with it. We also learn about some of the challenges of becoming an authentic leader especially in an environment or culture that doesn’t value it.

We also hear a little about his books with big titles, The Power of Authentic Leadership: Activating the 13 Keys to Achieving Prosperity Through Authenticity and Reach Your Mountaintop: 10 Keys to Finding the Hidden Opportunity in Your Setbacks, Flipping What You’ve Heard on Its Head, and Achieving Legendary Goals.

Jeff Davis, originally from Newtown, Connecticut, USA now lives in Rotterdam, Netherlands. He can be reached at JeffDSpeaks.com

[11:34] Simple crutch and filler words are sabotaging your speeches and crippling your communications and you may not even realize it’s happening.

In this episode, Greg takes a look at a number of these unwanted words and why we so often use them. He identifies some famous people who are also afflicted with this habit and offers tips and techniques as to how to rid them from your vocabulary as well as where to find help to do so. This is an updated version and reboot of Toastcaster Episode 42 and an article which can be found at GadgetGreg.com. (Please Note: The Ummo App mentioned in the episode is now no longer being supported by the developer)

[15:22] The right stage presence can make or break a performance regardless of whatever words that may be coming out of your mouth. But what about an off-stage presence, that virtual presence, those times when you’re giving a presentation on-line, a webinar, doing an interview or recording a podcast anytime you’re in front of a computer screen?

In this episode, Greg, a.k.a The Gadget Guy offers an extended look at three pro tips and one bonus tip and things to consider when you’re presenting in a virtual world, things that may differ from when you are presenting on a traditional stage. This can help you take your next delivery from good to great.

Photo Courtesy Zoom.

[27:37] In this episode Greg speaks with Terence C. Gannon who created a narrative essay-style podcast by putting a unique twist on the typical format. His style hooks audiences whether they are interested in a particular topic or not and shows how you can take personal & corporate storytelling to a whole new level.

You'll hear his motivations in creating this type of podcast; a little about his writing process and how it works in both the written and verbal formats and how he publishes his audio podcast simultaneously with a written essay version on Medium .

Terence shares specific examples of episodes, illustrating how the stories evolved and even how one popular episode emerged and came full circle from just a single word which has different meanings

You'll also hear how it's ok to break the myth of storytelling structure and experiment with ways to tell stories.

Terence hails from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He’s a podcaster, writer, social media marketer and developer of digital projects. He's the master behind the Not There Yet and The WorkNotWork Show podcasts and a member of the Alberta Podcast Network – powered by ATB.

Terence can be reached at Ntyessays.com, The.WorkNotWork.Show or on Medium @TerenceCGannon.

[08:55] When speaking, presenting or even just talking to someone, when something goes awry, a meltdown can occur. And while it seems just another headline when it comes to celebrities like Elton John and Kanye West, when it happens to mere mortals and high-profile people too, it can have some serious ramifications if not dealt with effectively.

In this episode Greg offers four valuable tips on taking leadership in this situation on how to avoid a meltdown and what to do should things go awry. He recalls, as an example, an incident, which he wrote about that happened a few years back at the International CES (Consumer Electronics Show). It involves Hollywood Director and Producer Michael Bay (Armageddon, The Rock and the Transformers movie series) who was hired by Samsung to promote the new ultra high-definition 4K TV, but when an issue came up with the teleprompter, as he recounted to TMZ, “he cracked under pressure,” and bolted off the stage.

The updated article (text version of this podcast) can be found at Troy Media and Greg’s Blog, GadgetGuy.ca.

[10:21] I learned many years ago that to be a great writer, you must also be an avid reader. I’ve continued to take that sage advice and always make sure I have a book, a magazine or something to read in tow. So if I ever have a spare moment I could engage my mind. I truly believe that those word of wisdom or words on a page should extend to helping one become a better speaker and a better leader. And while I do love the feel of a paper book and will never totally go away from that format, the latest 4th generation Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is a gadget that you should never leave home without. In the episode, you hear my reasoning for embracing the new Kindle Paperwhite along with a mini-review.

You can also read a full review of the 4th Generation Paperwhite on my blog at Gadgetguy.ca or at Troy Media , entitled: New Waterproof Kindle Paperwhite takes quite a splash. I also make reference to the previous 3rd generation Kindle Paperwhite, entitled, Review: Latest Kindle Paperwhite right for you? from 2015 which includes that review and a little more info on the Amazon Kindle itself.

[25:34] In this our final episode for 2018 Greg speaks with Terry Kozlyk, an engineer and budding entrepreneur from Calgary who a few years back discovered the power of the spoken word through Toastmasters that lead him to start his own podcast, TDK Talks, which later morphed into including video which he felt was was ideal for capturing a story. New to video he quickly found himself on a charity mission to Vietnam for a special cause where he created and produced a 30-minute documentary which was aired on Shaw TV.

Moving towards entrepreneurship Terry believes that every business person should be able to perfect his or her pitch. And what better way to do it than by using video. So in this episode Terry will share a bit about his mission, enlighten you with a few tips on creating videos for yourself and your website and share with us a bit about his new venture “Perfect Your Pitch Live” based in Calgary, Alberta Canada he co-partnered to help people do just that - perfect their pitch.

Terry is also a Toastmaster and currently the PRM for District 42 (Southern Alberta / Southern Saskatchewan). He can be reached at TDKTalks .

You can find Perfect Your Pitch Live on Facebook.

[28:23] It sounds almost funny that we could think one could Photoshop their life and career, but our guest Joe MacKay seems to have figured out a way to do so. Joe says Photoshop is a design tool where you build your project in layers - same as with your career (and your life).

In this episode and perfect for this time of year and based on his article , Joe goes through six Photoshop tools as the basis for analogies, explaining how all of us can set up our own canvas to design our careers and our lives - of course, without a computer.
Joe insists that we are all artists of our own imagination and we each need to become the Leonardo da Vinci of our own life.

If you listen to the end, Joe adds a 7th bonus tool. You'll have to tune in to find out what it is.

Joe is an award-winning videographer in both the public & private sector having work in a number of creative disciplines over the past 20 years. His current inspiration is creativity and this soon to be author is working on his 1st book on inspiration to be released later in 2019. Joe is also a former Toastmaster and has been a regular guest on the podcast starting on Episode #3 way back in 2007.

Joe lives in St. Albert, Alberta Canada.He can be reached at ImaginationSuperstation.com.

[36:32] In this episode Greg speaks with Communications expert and Author Stephanie Scotti about her new book Talk on Water: Attaining the Mindset for Powerhouse Presentations.

In this fun conversation Stephanie shares with us a little about her journey, which started in her 10th grade public speaking class and includes working with key policy makers, including the President’s Cabinet, preparing them to speak on energy policy by the age of twenty-two.

Stephanie also enlightens us with a number of valuable lessons from her book including, about the need to not only connect with your audience when you present; you also need to connect with your message as well as yourself; You’ll also take away a number of tips and tricks for effective presentations and learn about her C.O.D.E., and how your topic differs from your core message and a whole lot more.

Stephanie Scotti is from Chapel Hill N.C. and is the founder and director of Professionally Speaking Consulting LLC a communications consulting agency focused on executive communication success.

Stephanie can be reached at ProfessionallySpeaking.net

You can also find Stephanie’s book Talk on Water at your favourite bookstores as well as on Amazon. (The Kindle version is also sharable with your friends)

[39:45] There are the usual things you need to know when launching a new product, service or business - and you can easily Google those but the one factor, which can mean the difference between success and failure, is discovering what you don’t know and actually preparing for it.

In this episode, Greg speaks with our guest, Lance Miller. From Glendale, California, Lance is a world renowned, keynote speaker, trainer, coach & author. Most of us know him as the Toastmasters' 2005 World Champion of Public Speaking but he’s also a successful businessman - having launched five successful new business start-ups and over two dozen new product/service launches. But admittedly, he’s also had a dozen or so failures.

So today, Lance, a regular on Toastcaster, shares some of what he knows and how he discovered what he didn’t know on his journey and how we can learn from what he experienced. This includes his brand new start-up venture - The World Champion Online Speakers Summit where people have an opportunity to watch and hear in depth over 24 World Champs about their journeys, lessons learned and even his or her winning speech.

Lance can be reached at LanceMillerSpeaks.com . You might also want to check out the World Champion Online Speakers Summit , where you can get a free introductory access.

[10:27] At some recent speaking events and conferences what stood out for me besides the speeches and sessions were the number of people in need or in search of battery power. So in this episode we thought we’d bring you a gadget intervention, one that every leader, every speaker or anyone who requires lots of battery power should never leave home without.

Today, we look at the Weego Jump Starter 44 , an affordable and portable smart power charger and power pack that not only charges your portable electronics, but can also jumpstart your car, truck or even motorcycle. And it’s not just any charger, it’s a smart charger – but you’ll have to listen in to find out more.

[27:04] It’s not often we get a school teacher or principal on the show but there are things we might have learned back in the day perhaps we’ve forgotten or can still learn and add our skills repertoire.

Our guest, Jock D. Mackenzie has those credentials and more with 30 years in the field mostly teaching Language Arts to Middle School and Upper Elementary, now semi-retired, he takes those skills on the road. Jock is a published author having written the book, Essay Writing: Teaching the Basics from the Ground Up (2007). He’s also a Toastmaster with the Sunrise Club in Red Deer, Alberta Canada.

In this episode Jock answers the question, “What makes a good story?” by illustrating his 3I-Racer plot structure of a short story, a mnemonic method that he still uses today for personal, social, business or work situations. He’ll share some writing techniques, elaborating on “picture a story,” that can also be used effectively to improve both our speaking and presenting skills.

You can read more about Jock and his methods on his blog, T eacher Man, Teacher Ms .

[27:58] At every step of your life, our guest Mohammed Murad believes that we need to ask ourselves, the thought provoking question, “Is leadership for me?”

In this episode Murad gives context to this question and explains what this means. He also impresses upon us how Leadership is different for everyone. He also shares his vast leadership journey and gives us his 4 H’s of Leadership and what motivated him to take voluntary early retirement from the police force after 20 years of service to pursue his entrepreneurial journey.

Mohammed Murad is from Dubai, UAE. He is an entrepreneur and managing director of three companies. He has extensive experience in global marketing and branding emergency medical services management, human resource development and strategic planning for organizations. He is a Distinguished Toastmaster and Past Toastmasters International President 2014-15. (Orginal Interview 06/2017)

Murad delivered his keynote, “Is Leadership for Me?” as an educational at the recent 2018 Toastmasters International Convention in Chicago. You can subscribe to the recording at ToastmastersOnDemand.com .

[13:11] In this episode we take a little break from the interviews and have a look at a gadget Greg wears 24/7 - except when it's on the charger. You'll hear about how wearing his Fitbit Charge 2 not only motivates him to keep fit but also about a few of its features that he just can't live without to help him manage his day and how they might just help yours too.

The podcast is based in part on a Troy Media article.

[28:17] In this episode we speak on a more serious note – the topic of Mental Health. Our guest is Mona Cooley, family support advocate and founder of Cool Family Solutions, Calgary, Canada. She is also a Distinguished Toastmaster, Past District 42 Governor and regular guest on Toastcaster.

Mona has taken leadership in her community with respect to Mental Health. Not only is she a subject matter expert, her family has also struggled with it. Mental Health is everywhere and it affects people young and old and from all walks of life. All you have to do is turn on the news – people are stricken with anxiety, depression and death by suicide has gone out of control. Kate Spade, Anthony Bourdain, Rick Genest (Zombie Boy) are just a few who have taken their lives.

Mona says families are struggling and don’t know what to do adding that things can and are being done – and one way is through having honest conversations. In this podcast, Mona talks about this serious subject, shares some of her stories including one that saved a life and offers some thoughts on what people can do.

Our conversation with Mona is timely. According to a recent article in the Guardian (U.K.) Lady Gaga, had cast her friend Genest in her Born This Way video and wrote on Twitter. ”The suicide…is beyond devastating. We have to work harder to change the culture, bring mental health to the forefront and erase the stigma that we can’t talk about it. If you are suffering, call a friend or family today. We must save each other.”

You can reach Mona at Cool Family Solutions.com . There you can also find a great resource page.

[28:46] In the 100th episode of Toastcaster, we have a look back to our humble beginnings; some discoveries and lessons learned over 100 episodes. We also invite back Mona Cooley, Founder, Cool Family Solutions, Past Toastmasters District 42 Governor from Calgary, AB and first guest for the inaugural episode 1 recorded back in 2006 when podcasting was in its infancy and its technology still crude.

We hear how the podcast started as a High Performance Leadership Project (HPL) for Toastmasters. And with 100 episodes, over 220,000 downloads and 2,000,000 feed hits later, the podcast now serves as a resource not only for the Toastmasters Community, but for anyone who wants to build their confidence and improve both their communication and leadership skills.

We also hear how both Toastcaster Host Greg Gazin and Mona were excited yet nervous about taking on the project; some of the things they’ve learned about podcasting, the interview process and things they learned about themselves. You’ll hear why the audio format is good and get an insight on Greg’s vision for the podcast and what you can forward to in the future as the podcast evolves.

As you listen, you’ll pick up a few tips and tricks about preparing and conducting interviews, especially the importance of asking the right questions, finding focus and preparing for nervous guests.

And finally, thanks to you, all our listeners for tuning in for every episode and to all the suggestions and feedback you’ve given us. We hope you continue to enjoy the Toastcaster Podcast.

[31:08] In this episode we see a little switch as host Greg Gazin takes the other side of the mic and interviewed by guest host Ryan Levesque co-host of the Toastmasters Podcast. Motivated by reading the book, Ryan takes the host chair and gets Greg to come clean to finally speak in detail about his 1st book, Corey OutSMARTs the Butterflies .

Greg shares with Ryan a little about what his book is about and how he stumbled upon the idea and what and who inspired him to take on the project which lead him to find a new passion - writing for a young readers. Ryan gets Greg to pull back the the curtain to talk about his shy humble beginnings (long before he joined Toastmasters) but also what he learned about his journey, the writing process, the illustrations and what he’d do differently the next time. You’ll also here how it’s changed him and what people of all ages can learn or take away from reading the book including a glimpse into the book’s SMART model (not the one you’re thinking about).

Ryan also give his take on the book and how he feels it can help his young daughter.

There’s also a book give-away, but you’ll have to listen to the podcast to find out more.

OutSmartingtheButterflies.com

Categories: Public Speaking, Confidence, Youth Leadership, ESL

[23:41] In this episode Greg speaks with Natalie Torres-Haddad who has become a voice for Latino millennials. She first found her niche in her community and is now expanding her reach around the world advocating for financial literacy and to uplift those feeling overwhelmed by debt.

Natalie, a.k.a The Financially Savvy Latina, shares a little of her journey, offering tips on taking on leadership within your community. She also gives us an insight on her unexpected TEDx talk experience entitled The Foreign Language of Financial Literacy and more.

Greg previously spoke with Natalie on the Toastmasters Podcast and Natalie also co-hosted with Greg a bilingual (English and Spanish) Toastmasters Podcast in 2017.

Natalie was raised in Inglewood (a southwest Los Angeles county). She’s also, an International Award Winning Author with her book, Financially Savvy in 20 mins (and a new podcast of the same name in both English in Spanish), a workshop facilitator, Real Estate investor and Toastmaster.

Natalie can reached via her website , Twitter @finsavvylatina and other social media platforms.

[25:07] We're so busy and bombarded with information that it's sometimes so hard to remember even the simplest things let alone details. In this episode, Greg speaks with Toastcaster regular Kevin Achtzener, DTM, a self-proclaimed Future Memory Expert who shares techniques for better recall.

Kevin’s obsession for remembering things and these techniques have helped him not only memorize a shuffled deck of cards in five minutes but also creative methods to recall large numbers – like part numbers and serial numbers to names and words. What might surprise you is some of his techniques involve using pictures, humor and even cartoon characters.

Kevin is from Edmonton, Canada and known as a Visual Productivity expert. Kevin can be reached at visualproductivity.net .

[25:44] Being part of a Mastermind Group can be a great way to develop skills, learn new things or simply be a great place for like-minded people to get together and share ideas.

In this episode, Greg speaks with Dave Rodwell. Dave shares his experience in creating and being a part of two Mastermind groups; what he learned from the process and how it helped him speed up the development of his business and speaking career. He also offers some tips on creating a successful group, what to look out for and what benefits one can derive from such a group.

Rodwell hails from Edmonton Alberta Canada. He’s a former long-time investigator with the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police), Private Investigator and Security Consultant. His business has evolved to include the areas of training on security matters and professional speaking on corporate security issues. Dave has also been a Toastmaster for over 20 years.

Dave can be reached at DaveRodwell.com .

[30:59] Presentations and speeches way to long? Too short? In this episode Greg speaks with Freddi Dogterom DTM, AS from Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada who offers up some serious lessons on crafting your speech or presentation. She also shares insights and practical takeaways on the perils, pain and passion of editing, in particular when timing is of the essence - one way, building your speech like LEGO.

Freddi is a Distinguished Toastmaster, Accredited Speaker (AS) and professional speaker for more than 20 years delivering keynotes, workshops, professional development and train the trainer sessions. She also has over 30 years experience helping people build their lives, careers and retirement futures.

Freddi can be reached at FreddiSpeaks.com . You can also hear about her journey to her AS with her conversation with Greg on The Toastmasters Podcast Episode 130 .

[10:38] We keep our computers on lockdown, encrypt our data and secure them from prying eyes and online predators. But what about our backups and those external drives? Our data is so valuable; we dedicate this episode and look at diskAshur2, an innovative hardware solution created by UK-based iStorage. It features PIN-authenticated and hardware-encrypted hard drive to help you lock down your precious data.

And this is no April Fool's Joke.

You can find iStorage diskAshur2 at Nuimpact (iStorage’s distributor) and Amazon. You can also read the original review at Troy Media .

[28:08] In this episode Greg Gazin speaks with communications expert Matt Abrahams who shares six of his many techniques to calm presentation jitters and a whole lot more.

Matt is an educator and coach who teaches Strategic Communication for Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and Presentation Skills for Stanford’s Continuing Studies Program. He’s also co-founder of coaching consulting practice Bold Echo Communication Solutions where he helps presenters at all levels of an organization to become more confident and compelling speakers.

He’s also the author of the Speaking Up without Freaking Out , now in its 3rd edition.

You can also catch Matt on the Toastmasters Podcast, Episode 111 , with Greg Gazin and Ryan Levesque where he spoke on how to Be Confident When Caught Off Guard.

Matt’s Six techniques are also available as an infographic for quick reference.

Matt can be reached at NoFreakingSpeaking.com .

[23:13] In this episode Greg speaks with Garfield Hiscock from Edmonton, Canada who shares his insights and motivations and how he’s clocked in over 100 visits to service organizations like Chambers of Commerce and Toastmasters clubs outside his hometown.

It seems for years Hiscock found himself “out-of-town” for both work and play. His time away from home led him to search for, as he called them, “pseudo families” wherever he went; his solution was to seek out various service organizations. In fact often, he would often base his travel schedule around meeting times and locations.

Hiscock is a Technical Trainer and currently working for a utility company, training drivers. He has a BA in Economics and a Masters of Information Technology Education. He’s also a Distinguished Toastmaster and member for over 27 years.

[30:20] What are “enlightened super achievers?” What are these influential leaders’ timeless secrets? If you want to know more tune in to our latest episode. Greg speaks with Corey Poirier, a multiple-time TEDx, highly sought-after speaker and featured in numerous media outlets. Corey is also the host of the top-rated radio show “Conversations with Passion,” where he’s interviewed over 4,000 top leaders and great minds, the likes of Robin Sharma Robin, Jack Canfield, Zig Ziglar, Dr. John Gray, John Maxwell, Stephen MR Covey, Arlene Dickinson and more.

Corey who’s been successful on both sides of the mic, also shares some insights on how he reached his personal success and offer tips from his signature presentations. We'll also hear about his brand-new book, The Book of Why (And How) – Discover the Timeless Secrets to Meaning, Success and Abundance. Corey can be reached at ThatSpeakerGuy.com .

[29:58] At this time of the year we reflect back on the year but look forward to the New Year. In this episode, we look back 10 years ago this week to a Toastcaster Podcast interview with Craig Valentine, 1999 Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking that still resonates with Greg today.

In the podcast interview Craig shared a number of insights and personal stories. He talked about things like the importance of having a vision, the dash between the dates, crabs in a barrel, leading a proactive versus a reactive life and more - relevant to Creating Your Future and perfect for this time of the year.

What's really interesting is that with our 24/7 connected world and lives busier than ever, what you'll hear seems even more relevant today as it was a decade ago. So have a listen and enjoy our podcast replay.

Craig Valentine WCPS is a motivational speaker, speech coach and best-selling author. He can be reached at CraigValentine.com .

[22:32] Impromptu speaking is a great skill to have and you never know where it can be useful. In Toastmasters the practice of this type of speaking is called Table Topics. In this episode we speak with Blaine Zuk, ACG, ALB , who took home top honours at the District 99 Table Topics Contest held recently in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Zuk, a nine-year member of Dawnbreakers Toastmasters in Edmonton, has MBA and PMP designations and is a Project Manager and Change Manager in the healthcare informatics field. He grew up and currently lives on a farm, bringing stories of his work and life experience into his speeches

He shares with us his experience competing in the contest, talks about the Table Topics competition question and his thought process on how he went about answering it. He also gives us some insight on impromptu speaking and tips on how you can do better at Table Topics at your club, work or in any social situation.

Blaine can be reached at BlaineSpeaks.com .

[07:33] In this episode, Greg talks about and shares a really cool resource for those looking to find quotes and other materials by or about Donald Trump that are not "Fake News." Whether you are looking for speech material or quotes to use, this free currated on-line resource of 10,000+ entries allows people to search by keyword, subject or suggested categories. This podcast is based on Greg's recent Gadget Guy article written for Canoe Tech Blog on the subject and links directly to the database.

[20:46] In this episode, Greg speaks with Dr. Bo Bennett. Bo is a successful entrepreneur, author, podcaster, instructor and Doctor of Philosophy. Many of you may already know Bo as the creator of FreeToastHost, founder of e-bookIt and founding co-host of the Toastmasters Podcast.

Bo and Greg talk about on-line courses, but not just about taking them, but creating them and getting them up on-line. Bo talks about the skills needed to create them and how these skills, like Toastmasters are a great way to practise and learn to become a more engaging speaker and presenter in a live, on-line and in a multi-medium environment.

Bo also breifly introduces us to VirversitY, an on-line learning platform he created where you can learn to create and produce you own on-line courses. This platform cannot only help you with your skills improvement, it also opens the doors for many business opportunities. For example, you can create on-line courses without limiting yourself geographically or turn books or existing content into courses as Bo has done.

Bo can be reached at BoBennett.com .

[20:38] Julia Ewing joins Greg to share some communication nuggets with the audience focussing on delivering your message - whether it be good news, bad news or just information. Julia hails from Saskatoon, Canada where's she's both a community developement professional and business educator, holding an undergraduate degree in human ecology, with a masters in business.

Julia attended Greg's educational on Podcasting and Podcast Interviews at a recent District 99 Toastmasters Convention in Edmonton. Her name was selected from over 60 people who were willing to offer Greg feedback on his session in exchange for the possibility of an exclusive one-on-one opportunty to be either a guest or a co-host on an upcoming show. This is Julia's podcast debut.

You can reach Julia on LinkedIn .

[19:01] Using a Juice Box as metaphor for Toastmasters Club Officers is the brainchild of Rebecca Cuthbertson Hulst, ACS, ALB. Rebecca has been a Toastmaster since Jan 2014 and just finishing her year as Area Director for District 99, D29 in Edmonton, Canada

Rebecca is also a Registered Collaborative Family Lawyer, a Mediator, and a lawyer for children.

When I stumbled across her speech "Juice Box," delivered in a form of a toast, there was no doubt that she would have to share this and tell her story behind it on our podcast. You’ll have to listen in to find out more.

[18:41] Sometimes employers do not know or are unaware of the value of Toastmasters or any other Leadership and Communications training for their employees. Other times they may stress the need without really explaining their full value.
In this episode Greg speaks with Marc Haine , DTM, a former District 42 PRM, keynote speaker, corporate trainer and business consultant specializing in the Hospitality industry.

Marc developed resource materials that can be shared with employers to help them understand using real-world tie-ins what’s in it for everyone and why their teams should embrace training - more specifically, Toastmasters.

Download the free Employer Resource Materials here.

[31:07] When Toastmasters Districts experience tremendous growth, approaching 300 clubs, they get a little too big to manage, often resulting in reduced quality of service to the members, so around that time, Toastmasters International encourages Districts to consider Reformation, i.e. splitting into two or more Districts.

In this episode we speak with Toastmasters Past International Director Ken Tanner, DTM from Edmonton, Canada, a Toastmasters since 1975, who chaired the D42 Reformation committee and oversaw the reformation of D42 into D42 and D99 starting with the idea phase in 2014 to completion July 2016 and beyond.

Ken shares with us how the process of this huge undertaking works and why it’s necessary. He illustrates the benefits to members, enlightening us with many of the tasks that need to be done, who is involved, what they need to do and how everyone is affected by them.

Of course, as a Toastmaster Ken also shares some of the skills necessary to complete the project, but also what communication and leadership skills can be gained and what he learned from participating and leading this high performance project. Ken can be reached at Ken.Tanner@d99tm.org .

[27:22] Mike Raffety, DTM, PID is very active on both the Official Toastmasters Facebook page and LinkedIn group answering many Toastmasters related questions. So we reached out to Mike in Chicago and asked him to give us his take on the Toastmasters Club Myths in the Toastmasters International April 2017 Leader Letter as well as a few other club, contest and speech myths he covered in a 2015 blog post at MikeRaffety.com. Even experienced Toastmasters may be surprised about some things many thought to be true, are simply not.

[07:08] In this episode Greg tells the story of the origin of April Fool's Day. Greg was recently the Toastmaster of the Day at his home club, New Entrepreneurs and the theme was April Fool's Day. After researching the topic, Greg perhaps over-prepared his opening remarks and although a little lengthy, they were well received by the members.

As a result, when Greg went home, he expanded on what he had said and wrote an article that was published at Troy Media . Then he decided to make a podcast of the article which is what you'll hear. Enjoy.

[29:15] In this episode we speak with Naomi Takeuchi, DTM, PDG, President and CEO 1000 Cranes, LLC . Naomi shares with us some of her Toastmaster travel adventures, visiting and speaking at clubs around the world and offering some insight, tips and encouragement to check out clubs, conferences or even have lunch and connect with other Toastmasters at their travel destinations.

Naomi is a consultant to non-profits and leadership development trainer who recently moved from Charlotte, North Carolina to Santa Rosa, California. She travels extensively for both personal travel and business and over the years visiting places like Australia, Canada, China, India, UK, Qatar and also New Zealand, where she is now also a dual member, creating an international network of colleagues and friends through Toastmasters. In fact, the title of this episode is inspired by her contribution, “Your International Network Awaits!” in the book Heart of a Toastmaster (page 51), an anthology of stories curated by Sheryl Roush.

[08:03] As Toastmasters we often use USB sticks with other people's computers or often they use ours. No surprise, there is always a threat of viruses and other nasties. The truth is some are impossible to detect or eradicate while the conmputer is active. This is where FixMeStick comes in. Created in Montreal, Canada, it's a self-propelled virus removal system that runs from a thumb drive independant of your PCs or Mac's OS. It's a must have for all computer users. Listen to hear more.

[19:26] Toastcaster Podcast is celebrating its 10th Anniversary. In this episode Greg grabs the mic and takes an impromptu journey back a decade to its humble beginnings starting from the pilot episode featuring then District 42 Governor Mona Cooley, DTM.

What started as an idea in 2006 for an HPL (High Performance Leadership) project has blossomed into 77 episodes, almost 200K downloads and 1.5M feed hits and counting.

You'll hear how Toastcaster was conceived and get highlights from a number of the episodes and some of the people Greg has interviewed.

Greg will also share what he's learned from this process and how it's changed him and how he now looks at podcasting.

A huge thanks to all those that helped make it happen and for all the listeners for tuning in.

Happy Birthday Toastcaster Podcast

[27:41] In this episode we speak with Glenda Sheard, DTM, Social Media Manager for District 99 . While not an official Toastmasters position, her role is a critical component in attracting new members and engaging existing ones as this medium has gained widespread use. Glenda, a newly minted DTM enthusiastically shares how Social Media impacts districts and clubs and all Toastmasters, enlightening us on the importance of her role and how it works; how Districts can benefit from having a Social Media Manager and using Social Media along with some tips, tricks and examples how D99 uses these resources and how others can use them too.

Glenda Sheard DTM is a speaker, facilitator, presenter and fundraiser and lives in Sherwood Park, Alberta.

[26:51] We accumulate all kinds of digital stuff but Visual Productivity expert and regular guest Kevin Achtzener tells us once and awhile we need to do a content audit. Even though content is King as some say and drive space is cheap these days, we need to review our digital clutter. Perhaps it's outdated, no longer relevant or represents who we are. And as Toastmasters as we progress, some of the old content no longer reflects our skill level. Kevin shares his experience and gives us tips and tricks as to what you can do with your content for yourself and your Toastmasters Club. You may be amazed that sometimes you can re-purpose it rather than delete it.