On this page I’ll be putting testimonials for my speaking and voice-over work; and reviews of my books. I’ve only recently starting collecting them, so the number is small so far.
PUBLIC SPEAKING
” … a well planned and executed talk that was engaging and interesting.”
Simon Wells, President, Rotary Club of Bristol Bridge. (Talk at breakfast meeting: “What Makes a Good Presentation?”)
“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.”
Tricia Murphy, President, Inner Wheel. (After-dinner speech at gala fundraiser in aid of Tiny Lives charity, Southmead Hospital,Bristol.)
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“…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.”
Erle Bryn, Con Motoh Consulting, Oslo, Norway: former business associate. (Numerous jointly-delivered training courses.)
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“…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.”
Jenny Layton, Devon. (Stroke awareness talk at Rotary club.)
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“I remember very well … your presentation at the Wisehouse Opening Conference. It was very well prepared, planned to detail, holding in mind what the audience needed to hear … finally (it) was very well delivered right on time.”
Peter Thomas Hansen, Bergen, Norway: former business associate. (Business centre launch event)
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“May I say a big thank you for your time this morning and an excellent presentation. It was most appreciated and added value for those who attended. The feedback I’ve had was more than positive.
Thank you :o) and thanks to Nick Thomas for recommending you and bringing you along.”
Richard Clayton
Secretary, The Business Club, Warwick, UK
“Powerful Presentations”. Breakfast meeting, 17 April 2013
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VOICEOVER
“I have had the pleasure of working with Michael on several projects now and each one has been a great success. Michael is exceptionally easy to work with thanks to prompt communication and quick turnaround times that always result in high quality voice tracks that sound good both technically and creatively. His voice has been a welcome addition to many of our projects and I know it would be the same for yours.”
-Matt DeGroot, Media Producer, Laureate International Universities.
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Laureate International Universities is a network of 58 accredited campus-based and online universities. Its Honorary Chancellor is former US President Bill Clinton.
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BOOK REVIEWS
“Back to the Black: how to become debt-free and stay that way”
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“Written from the author’s own bitter experience, ‘Back to the Black’ has a readability rarely seen in this genre. Although intended for those suffering financial crisis, it is written with a ‘glass half full’ attitude and is jam packed with such useful information and sound advice that I could recommend it to anyone.” (Pete Dalby, Bristol)
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“The banking crisis ensured that money would grab most of the headlines around the world in recent times. People are, of course, affected by the actions or non-actions of politicians and regulators but also by poor decisions in the management of financial institutions. They are affected by job security, property values, investment returns, and business trends. Individuals may themselves make poor financial decisions. They may not control their own financial present and future.
“Michael MacMahon’s “Back to the Black” is written by someone who has been there and got the T-shirt. His philosophy is not to look to blame but to emphasise the importance of taking charge. For those who want to learn how to manage their own budgets, or who are fearful they are not doing so, this is a must-read. Michael does not claim to have all the answers but he believes that most of the answers lie within our control.”
(Len Warwick, CBE. Chairman, Warwick Butchart Associates Ltd, Independent Financial Advisers, Cheltenham)
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“I’m not a fan of How To books, but Michael’s book based on his personal experience brought me into the subject I’d been avoiding for so long.” (Denise Bareham, screenwriter and author.)
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“This is a well-researched and practical guide to help you solve any debt problems that you may have. Although the book has been written in the UK, the principles apply to wherever you are in the world and the author does include some indication of the sums in dollars or euros.
“The author is able to write at first hand experience about this problem as he was himself in debt some years ago, so he fully understands the stress and difficulties involved. In fact, some of the first advice in the book deals with how to deal with that stress before you start to tackle the issues of what to do about the debts. He offers a number of options to help you decide what course to take – eg. to go bankrupt or not to go bankrupt, or how to negotiate a deal for yourself. He includes a number of case studies to help illustrate the situations and sums up each chapter with a brief resume of the points covered. At the end of the book he has provided a list of useful resources that people may wish to call on for help – government bodies, websites, organisations and charities.”
(Karen Watkins, UK blogger)
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“This book is impressive – the writing is so good.
It is very touching – Michael has been through a very tough situation, and he is open about it.
It is informative – it shows concrete ways to get out of a debt situation, in addition to the pitfalls one could easily run into.
And it is optimistic – Michael managed to free himself from debt. This shows that it is possible!” (Erle Bryn, management consultant, Oslo, Norway)
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“This book details the author’s personal experience of managing escalating debt. Whilst telling his personal story he has woven a plan of action for those finding themselves in similar situations. A lot of excellent advice to avoid the pitfalls whilst in negotiation with creditors along with reference to self esteem and handling stress. Well worth a read.” (Jackie Luxton, North Somerset)
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“In this day with the economic situation still putting people on edge, this book gives a lot of information. The sections cover causes, approaches, and even how to reduce stress caused by debt. It is not a hopeless situation as you learn to face the facts of current situation and then three plans on how to deal with it. It even has a last section on how to stay out of debt and resources.” (Coral Russell, USA; the “Alchemy of Scrawl” blogger)
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“This book is written using the very useful resource of first hand experience which makes it very poignant and useful. The three approaches to escaping the downward spiral of the effects of debt are practical and easy to follow. It is written with humour and gives the reader the comfort that they are not alone in experiencing the misery that financial problems can bring.” (Stella Harding, Bristol)
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