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The Confident Communicator

Speaking Tips

How to prevent vocal fatigue or hoarseness when you’re on back to back calls

Working remotely certainly has its benefits—anyone else still living in their stretchy pants (with the occasional “work top” thrown over a sports bra), or is that just me? That being said, back-to-back virtual calls can be FATIGUING. One of the most common struggles I’ve been hearing from clients lately is that their voices feel more…

Presence Under Pressure Special Edition: The quickest way to evaluate your speaking skills (on Zoom or in-person!)

“I hate watching or listening to myself speak” “It’s painful to watch myself on video” “I feel like I don’t recognize the sound of my own voice!” I know what you’re thinking… “Yep. Same. The absolute LAST thing I wanna do right now is watch myself on video. I already have to watch myself dangling…

How to speak more succinctly and let your expertise shine

Do you sometimes repeat yourself when you speak? Maybe you’re: ➡️ Not sure if your point just landed… ➡️ Or it’s hard to gauge your listener’s reaction… Do you find yourself saying the same thing a few times, a few different ways, until you get some sort of “got it” signal (like a head nod…

The best (and worst) place to look during video calls

Let’s face it: looking directly into the camera when you’re speaking on video calls is AWKWARD and UNNATURAL. If you find yourself wondering where to look, especially when there are multiple people on the screen, you’re not alone and today’s blog post is for YOU. One of the most frequent questions I get, especially while…

What to do when you lose your train of thought – and how to get back on track!

You’re making a point, zeroing in on exactly what you want to say and then…. A flat line. Mental radio silence. You completely lose your train of thought. You feel your eyes dart around the video call, or worse, video INTERVIEW, and you get that terrible “I look like an idiot” feeling. But guess what? …

The Secret to Preparing for a Kick-Ass Interview

The interview is in an hour. You want to make a great impression (despite the awkwardness of meeting over Zoom.) You’ve found a clean corner of your house to set yourself up in. You have a sense of what questions they’ll ask… Probably some of the usual ones like: tell me about yourself… and more…

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I’ve taught thousands of big-hearted go-getters how to communicate more clearly, confidently and authentically when it matters most—from business owners to leaders (and emerging leaders) in every field

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Take Free Quiz

Step 1 of 11

How would the people who love you and know you best describe you?(Required)

You’re perceptive, quick-witted, and love to make others laugh.

You're creative and have a knack for making people think outside the box.

You’re very in tune with yourself and those around you.

You tell it like it is and never beat around the bush.

Which GIF describes how you usually feel just before a high stakes situation, like presenting to an important group?(Required)

Which GIF describes how you WANT to feel just before a nerve-wracking conversation or or presentation?(Required)

You’re at a party where you only know a couple of people. Where could we find you?(Required)

I’m getting into a spirited debate with a stranger about a current event and what it implies about human nature.

I’m teaching the host how to cool down wine faster—wrap the bottle in a damp paper towel before popping it in the freezer! (You’re welcome).

I’ve wrangled control of the sound system and am encouraging people to queue their favorite songs so we can belt out our favorite hits together.

I’m chatting with new friends about what we each do for work... before moving on to exchange podcast and TV recommendations.

You have an idea for how to solve an issue your team has been dealing with. What’s holding you back from sharing it?(Required)

I want to look at all our data first. I don’t wanna propose a solution if it’s half-baked, that’d be a waste of everyone’s time...

I know this is a solid and creative solution, but I’m worried it's a little too out there for my team. What if they don’t get it or think it’s too “idealistic?”

I’m worried I might step on some toes by proposing this idea. I want to test it out on a colleague or two first and see what they think before pitching it to the group.

I need to think of a clever way to pitch this, so that people are genuinely excited about the idea.

Picture this: half of your team feels strongly about one strategy for a project, but the other half insists that there's another (better!) path forward. The deadline is looming and tensions are rising, but you *have* to come to a collective decision. What’s your first instinct?(Required)

Let’s take a minute to hear everyone out and see if we’re closer to a compromise than we think.

Let’s zoom out and remember our ultimate goal, then let's decide which course of action will get us there.

Let’s diffuse the tension by highlighting the progress we’ve made so far, then encourage cooperation to take it to the finish line.

Let’s consider the facts and go with the smartest, most efficient solution.

You suspect a friend is going through a difficult time, but you’re not totally sure… they haven’t said anything about it, but they also haven’t been their usual self lately. What do you do?(Required)

Wait for them to say something—it’s their business, they’ll share if and when they’re ready to.

Send them something funny to cheer them up, like a jumbo wine glass that says “I am woman, hear me pour” on it, with a note that says “figured you could use an extra glass...”

Ask them how they are and then get quiet and listen.

Tell them that you sense something's up, and remind them that you’re always here if they wanna talk or vent about any of it...

Think of your current professional goal—maybe you’re itching to switch career paths, get promoted, or grow your own business. Which of the following concerns is playing on loop in your brain?(Required)

I’m worried that I don't have the time, resources, or know-how to turn my dream into a reality.

I know I want to engage people at a higher level, but I’m afraid I won’t be respected enough to be taken seriously.

I know I have what it takes to be great at this, but I’m afraid of putting myself out there and getting rejected.

I need to research and prepare more. If I don’t have everything mapped out, I’ll open myself up to unnecessary risk.

Which frustrating piece of feedback do you hear most often?(Required)

“You’re coming across as overly-rehearsed— ditch the script and trust that you know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re undermining your own points—quit being so hard on yourself and try speaking with more confidence.”

“Your big ideas are great, but you need to be more realistic and consider the practical constraints of each project.”

“You’ve given us the details, but you need to explain why they’re important in the grand scheme of things.”

What do you want to be *known for* professionally?(Required)

I want to be known for driving innovation and inspiring people to work toward a common purpose.

I want to be known as a go-to source for clear, reliable information—someone who’s adept at keeping everyone on-track and in-the-know.

I want to be known for empowering people and creating a safe space for them to be true to who they are.

I want to be known for lifting people’s spirits and making our work together something we’re all excited (rather than obligated) to do.

Last thing - let's get your email so we can send you your results!

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Speaking Tips

Practical tips and frameworks to help you speak like a pro, but sound like yourself.

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Techniques to help you dial down nerves, build self-trust, and express yourself with more confidence.

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Empower your team to build leadership presence and elevate their communication skills.

Case Studies

Hear from real-life Self Spoken students who overcame fears, roadblocks, and old habits to step into their next-level selves.

Freebies to

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Presence playbook

Presence Playbook

Got a meeting or presentation coming up? Want to show up with less nerves, undeniable presence, and a game plan for articulating yourself clearly? Let me send you my "Presence Playbook"—it's designed to help you do just that.

02

5 tricks for being more clear & succinct any time you speak

5 Tricks To Be More Clear & Succinct

03

How to Outline any presentation in 5 simple steps

Outline Any Presentation in 5 Simple Steps

“Brenne is a life-changer. These are skills that everyone needs in order to navigate today’s challenging work environments. Also, the fact that I got to do something for myself and make the time… it was a really worthwhile thing to do, and I can’t wait to continue learning with this community!”

ileana M.
Pressence Under
Pressure student

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