Speaking

I’m a speaker with 35 years’ experience and I’m also a confidence coach for speakers, musicians and actors. I’m also a professional voice actor and a presenter on community radio.

During those 35 years I’ve spoken at dozens of business conferences and corporate events of all kinds during a long career and I’ve run my own training company.

‘Back in the day’, I was the founder of a conference and exhibition at the Renaissance Hotel, Heathrow, which used to attract up to 400 delegates annually. I was the host and keynote speaker at that conference every year from 1979 to 1990.

In the last few years I’ve spoken at dozens of venues in the West of England, where I live nowadays.

For how long do you speak?

“If you want me to speak for twenty minutes, I need two weeks’ notice. But if you want me to speak for two hours, I can begin now.” (Winston Churchill)

As long (or short) as you like, is the answer.

What topics do you cover?

I cover a wide range of subjects and am adding to the list all the time.

  • “Confidence in action”: how do high-profile musicians, actors and speakers prepare themselves for their performance?
  • “Age cannot wither, nor custom stale …”: inspirational stories of ‘oldies’ who defy ageism and stereotyping.
  •  “The self-publishing revolution”: how you too can become a published author of both e-books and paperbacks.
  • “Thrift is fashionable now”: a finance coach’s approach to making budgeting fun.
  • “When I’m sixty-four”: planning for and adjusting to retirement. Or, as I prefer to call it, reinvention.
  • “Brunel’s legacy”: triumphs and tragedies of public transport in the twenty-first century.

I am also happy to speak to your brief, if given adequate time to research the topic. (Preferably two weeks, as Churchill suggested.)

 

How can we book you?

I am available for public speaking engagements; I also coach speakers, musicians and actors. Please do get in contact so we can discuss your needs.

 

Testimonials for Michael’s Speaking

 

Michael gave us a great talk on the skills for preparing for and delivering public speaking effectively. He is an engaging, interesting and highly relevant speaker. He took the time to meet us first and find out about his audience and our requirements for his talk. He certainly practises what he preaches!

… a well planned and executed talk that was engaging and interesting.

Thank you once again for your meticulous preparation of your speech and for the professionalism with which it was delivered. … very pleased with the evening and have only heard words of praise from those who went … your contribution to the success of the event was immense.

…so positive… attitude that shines through and inspires the audience. A great voice and lots of it… he doesn’t really need a PA system. He’s what I’d call verbally creative…loves interacting with an audience.

…an effervescent personality… sparkling and spontaneous wit…ability to ad-lib. Plus the ability to put people at their ease…to tailor his material to the audience. His natural optimism… bubbles over into speech. Always seems relaxed when speaking and that relaxes the audience…a most engaging personality, which many possess but few can project when they speak in public.