"If you're not going to speak up, how is the world supposed to know you exist?"~Anonymous

Walt Grassl's Stand Up and Speak Up is a talk show for sharing the stories of people who have taken a series of small steps to overcome their fears and now lead new, more fulfulling lives. Are you afraid to take that first step towards a different life?

In 2006, If you had walked into my office and told me that I would ever perform stand-up comedy at the Hollywood Improv and the Flamingo in Las Vegas, I would have called security because there was a crazy person in my office. I was an introverted engineering manager with a fear of public speaking. One day, I was addressing my department of 100 design engineers -- my voice trembled, my hands and legs shook and my mind went blank. This happened numerous times in various settings. I had classic stagefright.

This deficiency came up during a performance review and it was suggested I join Toastmasters. 15 years before, I had heard about Toastmasters but chose not to take that first step. This time, I did ... but I only spoke 4 times in 16 months. But I signed up for humorous speaking bootcamp, hoping to find a break through. I could write the exercises but froze up on stage when asked to deliver a simple joke that I wrote. I was told try an open mic night ... that "once you get a few laughs, you won't be afraid". I initially thought, no way. But I took that next step when I heard about a stand-up class. I took the class and graduation was a performance at the Hollywood Improv. I was so scared before going on stage, but afterward I felt such a high. Conquering that fear made the fear of speaking smaller. I then spoke often and competed in speech contests every chance I got. Then I tried improv and sketch comedy.

In addition to sharing my stories, I will have guests from the speaking, improv and stand-up worlds. I will also have guests who were, at one time, held back by fear, but chose to face their fears and are now enjoying new careers or pastimes.

Last week, I heard Maurice DiMino, The Sicilian Mentor, say that he refuses to let people go to their grave with their message inside them. And I immediately wanted him as a guest.

Maurice takes the number one fear, Public Speaking, and makes it your number one asset.

He trains executives and entrepreneurs how to use their presentations as an income generating tool for their product, service or charity.  He has developed an easy to use template so that you can create raving fans.  Go from zero to hero with Confidence, Character and Charisma.

Prior to taking the stage as a speaker, Maurice was in sales and renting of Post Production equipment.  He developed a presentation template that helped him do more than a million dollars worth of business...per month.

From this experience he wrote his book "The Art of Public Speaking, How to Kill from the Stage."  He has given over 1,500 paid presentations, six years on the road, and has developed battle tested techniques.

In 2004, Los Angeles Toastmasters voted him "Best Speaker." 

He is known as The Sicilian Mentor.  Putting the Love into "Tough Love."

He has taken his book, his years of experience of being a contract/ corporate speaker and made it into a boot camp... "Discover Your Million Dollar Message."  At his Boot camp - you will create a Profitable, Passionate and Powerful presentation for your product, service or charity.   

Keep up with him on Face Book and his website, MauriceDiMino.com.

And listen to his interview live on Thursday, Jan 24, 2013 at 11 am PT, 2 pm ET or download the podcast.

 

 

 

 

Return to the Stand Up and Speak Up Show Page
Link to Article

Join me on Thursday, Jan 10th, as I welcome improv instructor and the head of "Held2gether, Improv for Life", Darren Held, to Stand Up and Speak Up. Improv played a big role in my overcoming stage fright. Darren and I will explore the benefits of improv.

Return to the Stand Up and Speak Up Show Page
Link to Article

View All Articles

Subscribe to Stand Up and Speak Up's feed
Subscribe to Stand Up and Speak Up's Podcast feed