I Had No Public Speaking Experience – Then I Spoke to 500 People

I didn’t grow up dreaming of microphones.

Like many people, I’d always seen public speaking as something other people did—people with natural confidence, booming voices, or political ambition. Not someone like me. Not someone who’d always preferred writing to speaking, silence to spotlight.

So when I was invited to speak at a major event—a business and education conference, no less—I assumed they had the wrong person.

But they didn’t.

And somehow, I said yes.

This is what happened next—and why I believe anyone, including you, can become a powerful, persuasive speaker. Not because I delivered a flawless performance, but because I didn’t.

What I delivered was honest, human, and surprisingly effective. And I learned more in twenty minutes than in twenty books.

Here’s what I wish I’d known.

1. Public Speaking Begins Before You Speak

The anxiety didn’t start on stage. It started weeks before. Every time I thought about the talk, I felt the grip of tension in my stomach.

That fear—tight-throated, heart-hammering fear—isn’t irrational. It’s physiological. Your body recognises the audience as a threat, and it prepares you for danger. This isn’t stage fright; it’s survival instinct.

But what if we treated fear not as something to be conquered, but something to be redirected?

Strategy: Breathe Like an Athlete, Think Like a Host

One of the most effective tools I used was box breathing, a technique popular with Navy SEALs and Olympic athletes:

• Inhale for 4 seconds

• Hold for 4 seconds

• Exhale for 4 seconds

• Hold for 4 secondsRepeat until your body catches up with your mind.

The second shift came when I stopped seeing the event as a performance—and started seeing it as a conversation. The audience wasn’t there to test me. They were there to hear something useful. I wasn’t auditioning; I was hosting.

That mindset changed everything.

2. The Myth of Natural Speakers

Before the talk, I watched other speakers. Some seemed effortless. Polished. Charismatic. I assumed they were born that way.

Later, I learned most of them weren’t. What looked like ease was actually rehearsal. What looked like spontaneity was structure in disguise.

Practical Exercise: The Spine of the Speech

Here’s what helped me most in preparing:

1. Start with the core message. What is the one thing you want them to remember?

2. Build three supporting ideas. These are your anchors—what the audience will recall.

3. Open and close with connection. A short story, a question, a personal truth.

That’s the “spine.” No full script. No memorising. Just a strong, flexible structure I could lean on when nerves threatened to unravel everything.

3. Connection Over Perfection

I made a mistake early in the talk. I skipped a transition and repeated myself. I saw someone in the front row raise an eyebrow. I felt my stomach twist.

But I didn’t run. I paused, acknowledged the moment, and moved on.

To my surprise, people nodded. A few smiled. It was as if I’d proven I wasn’t a machine—and that made me more believable.

What the Research Says

According to Professor Albert Mehrabian, when it comes to emotional communication, words matter far less than toneand body language. While the 7-38-55 rule is often oversimplified, it reminds us that audiences respond more to how we speak than what we say.

What to Practise:

• Pace. Slow down when it matters. Speed up when you’re excited.

• Pauses. A pause can be more powerful than any word.

• Posture. Stand with weight evenly distributed. Don’t sway or fidget.

• Presence. Make regular eye contact. Let your hands support your words, not mimic them.

4. Story is the Shortcut to Memory

The part of the talk people remembered most wasn’t the clever quote I found or the stat I rehearsed. It was the story I told about failing an early job interview, and what I learned from it.

People remember stories because they see themselves in them.

So don’t just deliver information. Wrap it in a moment that reveals your humanity.

Even in corporate, academic, or technical contexts—story still wins.

5. Coaching Accelerates Confidence

After that first talk, I decided to pursue communication coaching—not because I wanted to be a professional speaker, but because I realised how often speaking well makes life better.

Since then, I’ve coached clients from Business School students to senior leaders, and the truth is always the same: great speakers aren’t born. They’re trained.

Coaching Helps You:

• Understand your own habits—what’s working, and what’s undermining your message

• Build techniques specific to your voice, body, and goals

• Rehearse with expert feedback, not guesswork

• Walk into the room with clarity, calm, and control

Whether you're preparing for your first pitch, a university presentation, or your biggest career moment—coaching helps you get there faster, with less fear and far more impact.

Final Thought: The Moment I Stepped Off Stage

The applause at the end of my talk wasn’t thunderous. It was warm. And I felt something I hadn’t expected—relief, yes—but also pride.

Not because I’d spoken perfectly.

Because I’d spoken honestly. I’d shown up. And in doing so, I’d discovered that public speaking isn’t about becoming someone else.

It’s about becoming more you—and letting that be enough.

Ready to Speak With Confidence?

If you’re tired of dreading presentations or holding back in meetings, it might be time to invest in real change. My one-to-one communication coaching is designed to help you:

• Overcome fear using psychology-backed strategies

• Build strong, persuasive presentation skills

• Deliver talks that connect, engage, and inspire

• Develop the confidence to speak up anywhere

You don’t need more fear. You need a framework, a coach, and a path.

Let’s build that together. Reach out today and let’s talk about where your voice could take you.