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Authenticity and Confidence with Ashley Rowe

Host Chris McAuley introduces his podcast on how speaking shapes career, reputation, and opportunity, then interviews global speaker and New Leaf Collective founder/CEO Ashley Rowe, whom he first saw at Growth Day London. Rowe describes herself as multi-passionate—spanning marketing, speaking, personal training, and marathon running—and says her core focus is community and helping people feel seen. She shares how childhood public-speaking competitions led to loving the stage, and how she developed her keynote “Find Your Fire” to encourage non-linear paths and multiple callings. McAuley and Rowe discuss what “authentic” speaking means, closing the gap between performer mode and real conversation, and handling unexpected moments on stage. Rowe explains her framework-based talk structure, voice-note method for conversational stories, audience-specific tailoring, and engagement through flexibility and callbacks, plus her pre-speaking routine of grounding in simple personal habits. She notes she streams The Office, hopes to open a fitness studio someday, and can be booked at thenewleafcollective.ca.

00:00 Podcast Mission Intro
00:47 Meet Ashley Rowe
01:52 Ashley Background Highlights
03:51 Multi Passionate Origins
05:58 Finding Your Fire Talk
08:20 Authenticity Versus Performance
10:49 Closing The Gap Onstage
17:01 Handling Curveballs Live
18:56 Building Talks With Voice Notes
21:50 Framework Flexibility Jazz
24:29 Framework and Flexibility
25:19 Building a Modular Keynote
26:27 Audience Engagement Tools
30:05 Handling Unexpected Responses
32:59 Pre Speaking Routine
36:56 Nightstand and Reading Habits
37:55 Comfort Shows and Rewatches
39:09 Dream Job Fitness Studio
40:34 Community in Speaking and Running
42:32 Wrap Up and Where to Book
44:22 Final Sign Off

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Host Chris McAuley welcomes executive branding and influence strategist Carol Kaemmerer, author of LinkedIn for the Savvy Executive, to discuss helping senior leaders align visibility, authority, and leadership narrative so they’re recognized at the level they operate. Kaemmerer shares her background translating complex medical-device expertise into clear messaging, her career pivot after an economic downturn, and why executives must shape their LinkedIn narrative before they need it. She explains finding the “red thread” through a career, focusing a brand on three things people want to be known for, and how minimal profiles can make leaders invisible in search. They also cover virtual presenting, tailoring talks to audience pain points, practical strategies for nerves (including focusing on three engaged audience members), and Kaemmerer’s resources and ways to connect.

00:00 Podcast Opening
00:47 Meet Carol Kemmerer
02:13 Virtual Speaking Today
05:01 Career Pivot Story
10:55 Finding Your Red Thread
17:32 Rule of Three Branding
20:30 LinkedIn Savvy Executive
24:15 Speaking to Scale Impact
25:42 Why Leaders Go Invisible
27:49 LinkedIn About Keywords
28:25 Keynote Prep Starts
29:10 Teach Not Perform
32:17 Break Speaking Rules
35:10 Audience Focus Trick
36:51 Nerves And Rituals
42:18 Rapid Fire Favorites
45:39 Writing And Creativity
47:37 Where To Find Carol
48:59 Final Thanks And Outro

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The Power of Presence: Speaking with Confidence and Authenticity with Sara Westbrook

Host Chris McAuley introduces his podcast on professional communication and interviews keynote speaker and singer-songwriter Sara Westbrook, whom he saw at Growth Day London. Westbrook recounts beginning public speaking in grade six, combining performance and talks after being invited to speak at schools at 19, and focusing on emotional resilience and confidence. They discuss the “performing” shift on stage, reframing nerves as excitement, building courage through repetition, visualizing success and potential mishaps, and using mistakes to create authenticity and audience connection. Westbrook emphasizes not relying on external validation, using a five-minute reflection rule to avoid obsession, and remembering you may be “planting a seed” rather than harvesting immediate feedback. She outlines keynote preparation by understanding the audience, distinguishing keynotes from workshops, and keeping engagement through stories, strategy, movement, and vocal variety. Westbrook recommends The Four Agreements and shares where to contact her.

00:00 Podcast Opening
00:47 Meet Sarah Westbrook
01:52 Origins of a Speaker
03:45 Performance Mode Shift
05:21 Nerves Into Excitement
07:49 Visualize and Prepare
09:56 When It Doesn’t Land
13:15 Humor and Audience Vibes
17:28 Validation and Self Trust
21:45 Building a Keynote
26:00 Engagement Tools
28:52 Rhythm Slides and Flow
31:29 Mental Load of Speaking
32:11 Networking Takes Practice
34:08 Write Then Bullet Outline
35:23 Recovering From Mistakes
38:35 Five Minute Reflection Rule
39:38 Audience Misses Most Errors
43:12 Planting Seeds With Messages
46:55 Rapid Fire Questions
51:15 Where to Find Sara
52:24 Final Thanks and Sign Off