It's One Thing to Like...

It’s one thing to like the “idea” of something.

To actually live it… is something else.

I went fully independent as a speaker, coach and facilitator in August 2008.

Interesting time to launch a business.

It was an “idea” I’d entertained for some time.

But there were 2 critically important influences (among others) enabling me to embark on that path:

1 - Membership of a quality Toastmasters Club (public speaking)

2 - Participating in a 3-day “Business of Speaking” bootcamp, run by Darren LaCroix, CSP, AS, World Champion Speaker , Craig Valentine and Ed Tate, CSP in Phoenix, Arizona back in 2007.

Why?

Because in very different ways, they each showed me a literal Path.

Within my Toastmasters club, a Path to becoming a better speaker.

Confidence, stagecraft, delivery, messaging, storytelling and more.

Step-by-step.

I’m forever indebted to the support of fellow club members, friends and mentors (you know who you are!) from those early years.

At the 3-day bootcamp, a Path to making #publicspeaking actually work professionally.

How to build, run and market a small business.

Step-by-step.

I found myself as excited by the prospect of taking the steps as the idea of the end goal.

THAT’S when things really clicked.

Prompting me to launch my own business (by choice) in the middle of the Global Financial Crisis.

Never looked back.

Because to like the “idea” of something is one thing.

To see and embrace the necessary steps to fulfilling it?

That’s - as they say - the ballgame.

#business #smallbusiness #toastmasters #communication

Toastmasters International UK & Ireland Nigel Cutts