What if confidence isn’t the thing that makes great speakers great? In this episode, I sit down with former Obama speechwriter Terry Szuplat to unpack the hidden mechanics of powerful communication - including the moment Barack Obama froze mid-speech early in his career.

We talk about:

• Why public speaking is an experience, not information transfer

• How leaders build real connection instead of sounding polished but forgettable

• The biggest mistake executives make when they try to “just be authentic”

• Why most corporate presentations fail before they even begin

• How AI can support speakers - without replacing their voice

This isn’t about tricks, hacks, or stage personas. It’s about conviction, clarity, and learning to say what only you can say.

If you want to speak to influence - in meetings, on stages, or behind a mic - this episode is for you.

👉 Get Terry's book Say It Well:

https://www.terryszuplat.com/buy-the-book

👉 Connect with Terry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-szuplat-456914137/

👉 Get my free course on Learning to Speak Fearlessly:

https://www.speaking.coach/free-course/

Pat Flynn is the founder and host of Smart Passive Income podcast with 50 million downloads. He has created a massive community of online business owners and built SPI over the last 14 years. His YouTube channel has almost half a million followers.

In this episode, we’ll talk about how to build your brand, gain visibility and influence to grow your business. You will learn directly from the OG himself on:

• How to gain trust from your audience online • How to build influence and become a thought leader • How to make your influence work for your business

I’m your host - Nausheen I. Chen - 3-time TEDx speaker and public speaking coach for the C-suite and founders + public speaking professor at Central European University.

Enjoyed this episode? Give us a 5-star review - it’ll help others find out about us. Grazie!

🔥 Connect with me (Nausheen I. Chen)

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nausheenichen/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the Speak as a Leader bootcamp:

⁠https://www.speaking.coach/bootcamp-join-now/⁠

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠me@nsheen.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔥 Get in touch with Pat Flynn

https://patflynn.com/

When Kim Rittberg launched the video unit at Us Weekly, she had no idea it would sell for $100 million. This shows the richness of her 20 years of experience as a creative producer at Netflix, PEOPLE Magazine, and in TV News. She turns CEOs into thought leaders and her video content has been viewed 500 million times. In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The best way to establish your credibility
• How to build your video strategy for success
• The power of storytelling
• Conquering the fear of judgement in public speaking
• How to build influence that drives sales

I’m your host - Nausheen I. Chen - 3-time TEDx speaker and public speaking coach for the C-suite and founders + public speaking professor at CEU.

Enjoyed this episode? Give us a 5-star review - it’ll help others find out about us. Grazie!

🔥 Connect with me (Nausheen I. Chen)

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nausheenichen/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the Speak as a Leader bootcamp:

https://www.speaking.coach/bootcamp-join-now/

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠me@nsheen.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔥 Get in touch with Kim Rittberg

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimrittberg/