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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

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Host and speaking coach Chris McAuley interviews keynote speaker, facilitator, and coach Kevin Bulmer, creator of the Little Engines small business community and Little Engines Live event series. Bulmer shares his career path from radio to auto racing talk radio, track announcer, and eventually sales/marketing director and general manager of Delaware Speedway, then event management and radio sales supporting small and mid-sized businesses. After a major life reset around 2011–2012, he left radio in 2017 to pursue speaking, later founding NSM Brand Media during COVID and growing Little Engines into its fourth year. He discusses preparing for keynotes by researching audiences, rehearsing out loud while moving, respecting time limits, and connecting emotionally through vulnerability, humor, and sincerity. Bulmer also describes his formats (keynotes, half-day team sessions, breakout workshops, emceeing/moderation), recommends the book “Fans First,” and shares how to find him at realsuccessnavigator.com and wethinkyoucan.com.

00:00 Podcast Opening
00:43 Meet Kevin Bulmer
02:20 From Radio to Racetrack
03:43 Rebuilding After Divorce
05:20 Going Solo and COVID Pivot
07:48 Speaker Calling Moment
11:39 First Keynote Experiment
13:45 Keynotes Workshops and Emceeing
16:41 Inside Little Engines Live
20:45 How Kevin Prepares Talks
23:59 Rehearsal and Earning Attention
26:17 Hobby Horse Entrance
26:50 Stage Blocking Basics
28:38 Finish Early Rule
29:16 Less Words More Feeling
30:55 Vulnerability And Sincerity
33:55 Handling Nerves And Unknowns
37:22 Performance Mindset
41:08 Creative Risks On Stage
43:19 Rapid Fire Questions
48:09 Where To Find Kevin
49:12 Final Sign Off

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Speak with Presence: Insights from Sonnet Simmons

Host and speaking coach Chris McAuley introduces his podcast on how confident communication shapes career, reputation, and opportunity, then interviews keynote speaker and vocal presence coach Sonnet Simmons. Simmons shares her background as a singer-songwriter with music licensed for ads and media, her work helping independent artists navigate music licensing, and how client demand led her into leadership communication and “true voice” coaching. She and McAuley discuss authenticity, speaking from the heart, building trust through vocal sound, and handling high-stakes spontaneous communication with structure and practice. Simmons outlines her keynote prep process (outline, recording, slides, video rehearsal), emphasizes audience connection, and recommends vocal warmups. They explore nerves as manageable through breath, the value of stories, and identifying protective vocal patterns (breathiness, vocal fry, uptalk) through awareness and recording.

00:00 Podcast Opening

00:47 Meet Sonnet Simmons

02:37 Music Career Origins

05:51 Finding True Voice

07:57 Authenticity From Heart

11:46 Sound of Trust Keynote

13:07 Handling High Stakes Moments

17:45 Preparation And Practice

25:13 Owning The Material

27:08 Speaking From The Heart

27:22 Storytelling That Connects

29:13 Managing Nerves With Breath

30:38 Breath Training And Performance

32:07 Breath Before You Speak

34:01 Finding Your True Voice

35:57 Vocal Patterns To Notice

37:55 Record Yourself For Feedback

40:58 Rapid Fire Favorites

43:53 Travel Dreams And Wrap Up

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Embodied Resilience: Neurodivergence, Mind–Body Care, and Speaking with Authentic Connection (with Robert Sims)

Chris McAuley introduces his podcast on confident, clear communication and interviews Robert Sims, CEO/owner and therapist at Embodied Resilience Wellness Clinic in Ontario. Sims explains the clinic’s wraparound model integrating mental and physical care—psychotherapy for individuals and couples alongside physiotherapy and massage—grounded in connection, authenticity, lived experience, and a specialization in neurodivergence (ADHD, autism, and AuDHD). He shares his path from TV broadcasting and security work into social work, reconnecting with Indigenous community and worldview, completing his MSW/RSW, and later identifying as AuDHD, which informed the clinic’s focus on neurodivergence-related comorbidities. Sims describes future plans to add services like nurse practitioners and other modalities, discusses tailoring presentations to audiences, using interactive storytelling and purposeful self-disclosure to build community and reciprocity, and reframing speaking nerves as excitement. He recommends books on therapeutic role-playing and “Dungeon Crawler Carl,” streams “Person of Interest,” and shares how to find Embodied Resilience online and via a weekly YouTube live, “All Things Neurodivergence.”

00:00 Podcast Cold Open
00:56 Meet Robert Sims
02:02 Embodied Resilience Clinic
02:54 What Neurodivergence Means
04:23 Robert’s Career Journey
06:54 Late Diagnosis and Mission
09:23 Mind Body Speaking Connection
11:45 Growing the Clinic Vision
12:37 Medicine Wheel Worldview
14:03 Workshop Prep Process
16:49 Tailoring and Flexibility
18:20 Authenticity Over Scripts
22:30 Staying On Track
24:00 Purposeful Anecdotes
24:43 Stories Build Connection
26:31 Creating Community Live
27:55 Interactive Presenting
29:41 Pauses And Questions
31:46 Turning Nerves Excitement
35:31 Rapid Fire Questions
39:19 Where To Find Robert
40:40 Closing Thanks And Outro

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Reporting Warning Signs: Chris McCauley with Security Risk Consultant and Keynote Speaker Dean Correa

Chris McCauley introduces his podcast on how confident communication shapes professional opportunity, then interviews Toronto-based security risk consultant and keynote speaker Dean Correa. Dean recounts moving from retail management at Gap and Starbucks into security after shadowing Starbucks’ security manager, later leading security programs in Canada and Latin America, helping launch Walmart Canada’s security program, and starting a consultancy to provide risk assessments, investigations, business continuity planning, workplace violence avoidance training, and outsourced security support. He describes supporting Walmart’s Olympic sponsorship planning for Vancouver 2010, including coordination with law enforcement and supply-chain and traffic risks. Motivated by workplace murders he experienced, Dean’s keynote message urges reporting incidents that cause fear or concern. The conversation also covers effective speaking tactics: using stories, pauses, audience interaction, flexible Q&A, simple language, and preparation routines.

00:00 Podcast Welcome
00:47 Meet Dean Correa
02:56 Dean Career Journey
04:47 Consulting Focus Areas
05:55 Vancouver Olympics Security
07:41 Narrowing Your Niche
08:52 Violence Stories And Mission
10:46 Keynote Craft And Engagement
16:08 Interactive Speaking Techniques
19:59 Audience Driven Q And A
22:37 Pauses Movement And Clarity
23:50 Ditch the Jargon
24:24 Read the Room
25:05 Keep Them Engaged
25:45 When References Miss
26:17 Slides Videos and Stickiness
26:43 No Notes Needed
28:37 Freedom Within Framework
31:39 Recover From Mistakes
34:22 Embrace the Nerves
35:19 Pre Talk Routine
36:30 Memorize One Key Line
39:02 Power Questions and Wrap Up

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In this episode of 'Speak Like Your Wealth Depends On It,' host Chris McCauley engages in a riveting discussion with Michelle Dahlen Berg, an accomplished audio producer, performer, and educator at Texas State University. The conversation delves into Michelle’s background in theater and music, revealing how she uses her expertise to teach applied theater and acting. They explore practical strategies for grounding oneself during presentations, the power of storytelling, and the importance of intentional movement on stage. Michelle shares insights from her teaching experience and offers valuable tips for engaging an audience effectively. The episode also touches on Michelle's favorite books, TV series, and her dream profession if she weren't doing what she does now.

00:00 Introduction and Catching Up

02:23 Personal Challenges and Family Struggles

03:53 Background and Upbringing

04:36 Current Living Situations and Weather

07:23 Historical Reflections and Social Issues

13:58 Podcast and Voice Work

18:21 Teaching and Applied Theater

24:28 Connecting with an Audience

32:12 Relating to Your Audience

34:16 Handling Nerves and Audience Expectations

36:04 Finding and Telling Stories

42:25 Engaging Presentation Techniques

44:39 Intentional Movement and Gestures

51:12 The Power of Stillness and Silence

55:07 Rapid Fire Questions and Recommendations

01:01:59 Conclusion and Contact Information