It’s Tuesday morning, and I’m so excited! I’m leading a storytelling workshop for a group of speakers and entrepreneurs who give presentations as part of the work they do. To start, I ask all of them what their objectives are for the training.

One person raises their hand and says, “I really need help with rehearsing.” Two other participants agree… and it seems odd to me.

Rehearsals have been such an important part of my life since I was a kid, whether it was training for a big softball game or a martial arts test.

It’s the same with preparing for a big speaking engagement, so I’m surprised to hear how many people struggle with the rehearsal process. And after discussing it with the group a bit, I quickly realize that not everyone shares my passion (or obsession – ha!) for rehearsing.

What happens next?

Join me in the continuation of the “So You Think You Want to Become a Storyteller” master series as I share my simple rehearsal rituals you can use to prepare yourself for a speech or story presentation. You’ll hear answers to questions like:

Where can you practice, and how do you create a practice zone for your speech or story? How long and how often should you practice? Why do you need to plan practice sessions? Should you practice your Talk or story with an audience or not? And what are some effective ways to practice your presentation?

• How to plan practicing your Talk or story (and how using Sticky notes can help)
• What you should (and shouldn’t) do two weeks before your presentation
• Why performance needs to be a key part of practicing your speech or story

As a Speaking Strategist and founder of Storytelling School, I’ve had the pleasure of working with over 500 speakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs worldwide for over a decade. No matter if those folks were getting ready to take the TED or TEDx stage or preparing for a high-stakes presentation with everything on the line, my specialty is High Stakes Short Form Communication. I’ve seen what works when influencing change and what doesn’t. It turns out storytelling is one of the most powerful tools you can have in your arsenal. That’s why I’m building a movement of master storytellers to affect change in the world on a global scale to help people tell <i>real</i> stories that have influence and impact. With effective storytelling, you change people’s lives.

Since competition for potential client attention is fierce, a story can make the difference between being memorable or irrelevant. You’ll find me sharing my matcha tea mishap to discuss perfectionism, my quest for Bruce Lee and Hello Kitty art to explore kindness, or the six months of live blade training I underwent to illustrate presence. I spend my days showing the power of using stories to help cement ideas and bring lessons to life and teaching my clients to do the same.

If you think business owners can’t tell stories or don’t have stories to share with their clients, staff, donors, followers, or investors, I invite you to reconsider your perspective. There’s no better place than in business to tell your stories so audiences, no matter how big or small, can understand how you think and what you value.

Now it’s your turn… If you’re ready to become a master storyteller and effect change in our world, you’ve come to the right place.