On this podcast episode we have a very special guest. Her story is heartbreaking, yet inspiring as she has spent the past 10+ years turning her “mess into a message.” She is a public speaker having spoken to over 15,000 young adults. She has been featured on MTV, 20/20, Good Morning America, Katie Couric and is now coaching others on their public speaking journeys. So, welcome to the podcast Jessica Rasdall!
WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS PODCAST?
- How did Jessica come into a position of public speaking
- How to deal with criticism and judgment
- How to decide what story to share
- What to share and what not to share
- How to deal with criticism and judgment
- What is The Speaker Blueprint?
How did you come into a position of public speaking?
While Jessica never planned to have a role involving public-speaking, she always wanted to do something BIG. After a heart-breaking event that happened when she was 18, Jessica knew that she had to share with her peers about what had happened to prevent others from repeating her mistake. Once Jessica was able to put the pieces of her life back together, she had a whole new perspective that she wanted to share. After spending time with creatives and going to different conferences, Jessica realized that there were things missing in the public-speaking industry. Jessica then began to work with creatives to help to package up their stories and take the things they are good at in their business and share it in a way that educates the audience.
How to deal with criticism and judgment
Fear of criticism and judgement is a common feeling when sharing so much of yourself in front of others. For Jessica, she had to sit down and weigh the options because her story was very emotional and could potentially upset some of her audience. She knew that it was likely that at least one person in the audience had been through a similar situation and she understood that that person would really be affected by her story. Knowing that your story may not be for everyone, is the first step to sharing your story. But, there should always be one person in mind, and if you can get your message out to at least one person then you have done your job. It may be hard to wrap your head around this, especially if you are a people person. But, in order to serve that one person, know that you may upset other people. Also, consistency really silences critics. In the beginning, you can expect people to have something to say about your story, but if what you are saying is from the heart and consistent those critics will fade away.
How to decide what “story” to share
Jessica loves to sit down and craft presentations with her clients. The first questions is always “what is the one message you want to get out to the audience?”. The next step is finding the story that is needed to illustrate that message. If you can only say one thing to someone, what is the one message you want to get to them? The story does not have to be a sob story, it can be funny or exciting, but it has to be a story that brings it all together and makes a human connection.
What to share and what not to share?
When Jessica began sharing her story, she now realizes it may have been too soon to share those emotions with others. Her feelings were too raw and she was still processing what happened. It is important to wait until you are at a point of acceptance and fully understand what happened and know that you cannot change anything. It is then that you will be ready to serve others with your story. Of course, it is important to sit down and write out your story, but maybe keep this to yourself until you are ready. Be sure to consider what stories may hurt others. What stories will do more damage than good? When you are sharing stories, even your own story, people are involved and you must think about it from all angles. Even with the best intentions, some stories can hurt others without realizing.
How to deal with criticism and judgment
Jessica’s biggest mistake is not asking enough questions. If you do not ask enough questions beforehand, you are setting yourself up for failure. It is important to know enough about the audience, start times, equipment provided, etc. Also, communication with the host is extremely important. Jessica also recommends bringing two outfits with you to every event, just in case of any fashion emergency!
What is The Speaker Blueprint?
When Jessica was first getting started in the creative world, she was working more with creatives around their stories. While she loved working with stories, Jessica did not realize the public-speaking skills she had that could be useful to share with others. The Speaker Blueprint is an A-Z program for creatives who want to speak, but need more guidance. Topics like how to write your talk, know where you should be speaking, navigate pricing, how to handle difficult situations, etc. are all included in this program. Jessica noticed a major gap in her industry and in attempts to help change the way the creative industry looks at speaking, she created The Speaker Blueprint.
“You Have the Power to Say, ‘This is Not How My Story Will End.”
LINKS REFERENCED:
The Speaker Blueprint
Shattered by Jessica Rasdall
CONNNECTING:
Website
Public Speaking Strategist
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