John's storytelling contest entry: "No happy endings"

Summary

This episode offers a unique twist as host John Ball shares a personal and vulnerable story he delivered in a storytelling competition.

John discusses the challenges of storytelling, including balancing humour with emotion and ensuring the story's core message shines through.

The episode concludes with John's triumph in the storytelling competition and an invitation for listeners to engage with future episodes and offer feedback.

You can watch all the stories from that evening here: https://youtu.be/LXVlgEbR0B0?si=CNY8bmxUEa6jCtB9 and please Subscribe to the En Route Storytelling channel whilst you're there

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Upcoming Content

00:30 Storytelling Competition Announcement

02:05 Personal Story: Coming Out Journey

11:50 Reflecting on Storytelling Techniques

17:30 The Story Behind the Story

21:15 Feeling Rejected and Scared

22:02 Deciding the Story's Purpose

23:36 Journey to Acceptance and Happiness

25:52 Coming Out to My Parents

27:16 Facing Homophobia and Family Support

29:02 Meeting Someone Special

33:48 Confronting the Villain

37:34 Reflecting on the Storytelling Process

39:46 Conclusion and Future Plans

Go to presentinfluence.com to take the Speaker Strengths Finder and discover your greatest strengths as a speaker as well as where to focus for growth. For speaking enquiries or to connect with me, you can email john@presentinfluence.com or find me on LinkedIn

Thanks for listening, and please give the show a 5* review if you enjoyed it.

Mastering Influence From The Stage: Insights from Professional Mentalist Keith Kong

Summary

In this episode of Present Influence, host John Ball interviews professional mentalist Keith Kong about the psychology of influence and mentalism. Keith shares insights on how to engage audiences, the planning process for his shows, and the subtle techniques he uses to gauge and influence his audience. He also discusses the similarities between mentalism and speaking, emphasises the importance of preparation, and explores the role of hypnosis and NLP in his work. Listeners are treated to practical tips on tonality, body language, and audience interaction to elevate their communication and presentation skills.

Visit https://www.kongmentalist.com/ to learn more about Keith and his shows.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Influence and Hypnosis

00:24 Meet Keith Kong: The Professional Mentalist

01:46 The Art of Mentalism and Performance

03:27 Planning and Structuring a Show

08:34 Engaging the Audience

15:45 Psychology and Mentalism Insights

25:49 Understanding Everyday Hypnosis

26:25 The Reality of Hypnotherapy

27:04 Negative Responses to Hypnosis

29:53 Techniques and Applications of Hypnosis

32:19 The Importance of Tonality in Communication

34:24 Body Language and Stage Presence

38:59 Upcoming Projects and Events

41:44 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

Go to presentinfluence.com to take the Speaker Strengths Quiz and discover your greatest strengths as a speaker as well as where to focus for growth. For speaking enquiries or to connect with me, you can email john@presentinfluence.com or find me on LinkedIn

Thanks for listening, and please give the show a 5* review if you enjoyed it.

Exploring Outdoor Education and Mental Health through Public Speaking

Summary

In this episode of Present Influence, John is introducing a new coaching session segment with Julia Packwood, Who was brave enough to raise her hand when I made the offer on LinkedIn.

Julia is an emerging professional speaker focused on outdoor education and child development. Julia shares elements from her teaching background and her new business aimed at promoting outdoor activities for children.

She discusses the potential for professional speaking to amplify her message and support her business goals, focusing on topics like mental health, child resilience, and bridging the gap between indoor and outdoor learning.

John guides Julia in identifying the core problems her speaking can address and the importance of creating impactful keynote presentations.

The episode concludes with advice for those interested in pursuing professional speaking and a preview of upcoming episodes featuring other insights from John.

You can join the waitlist to get coached on Present Influence for free by John here: Join Waitlist

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and New Host Announcement

00:23 Introducing the Coaching Session with Julia Packwood

01:43 Julia's Speaking Journey and Business Background

03:53 Defining Goals and Audience for Speaking

08:33 Addressing Key Problems and Solutions

20:59 Creating a Keynote and Marketing Strategy

31:20 Conclusion and Next Steps

33:59 Show Wrap-Up and Upcoming Episodes

Go to presentinfluence.com to take the Speaker Strengths Quiz and discover your greatest strengths as a speaker as well as where to focus for growth. For speaking enquiries or to connect with me, you can email john@presentinfluence.com or find me on LinkedIn

Thanks for listening, and please give the show a 5* review if you enjoyed it.