Page 7 - 2016.01.19Voices!

I can do that. Yes you can!
I was giving a sales pitch to
a client in the summer of 2007,
in a coffee shop in Portland,
when a gentleman overheard
me and asked me if I knew about
Toastmasters. I had never heard
of the organization. At the time,
I was primarily a stay-at-home
mom for my then 6 and 9-year-
old children working part-time
as a consultant running a
home-based skin care
business.
Fast forward 8 years,
I am literally blown away
by how many aspects of
my life have been affected
by the one decision to join
Toastmasters.
The year before I
joined Toastmasters my father
had passed away. I was bereft
and began a simple project to
perform 1,000 mitzvahs (acts
of kindness) in his memory. I
started a blog. In the next three
years, the project and blog grew
into a full fledged book published ence has pushed me to say yes
by a Bay Area publishing house.
Next came radio interviews and
television appearances and main
stage speaking opportunities.
Each step of the way, I
relied on what I was learning
in Toastmasters. How to be
succinct with my words and
how to tell a meaningful story.
I used those skills over and over
again during the process of
getting a book published and
marketed. Table Topics proved
to be a valuable practice when
I created a two minute pitch to
share with multiple publishers
at a writers convention. When
I answered questions for tele-
vision interviewers about my
project and shared stories from
my book I needed to use those
Volume 2 Issue 6 - JANUARY 2016
by Linda Cohen. ACB, CL
same impromptu skills. Before
I gave my very first keynote at
a luncheon at the Governors
Hotel in front of 300 people, I
practiced several versions of the
speech at a couple of local TM
clubs. My Toastmasters commu-
nity always provided support,
encouragement and evaluations
to help me improve.
When people first
join Toastmasters their
initial reasons might
be to improve their
speaking skills and
most of us do become
better speakers. But
there are often other
noticeable side bene-
fits that occur as well.
We become more confident.
We seek new opportunities to
step out of our comfort zone
because we see others doing it.
We listen better. We adopt a can
do attitude.
My Toatmsters experi-
more often. Last year, I was
approached by a stranger, who’d
seen me speak on stage, and
wanted to know if I could coach
her for an upcoming presenta-
tion. I knew I had the skills to
help her improve and said yes.
Within months, I had a handful
of additional speaker coaching
clients. Saying yes, helped me
launch a new side of my business
that I’d never anticipated.
This past fall, I launched a
workshop series called “Just a
Mom? No Way!” geared to Stay-
at-Home moms. My confidence
in myself and knowing I could
use my speaking skills to create
these workshops inspired a
valuable opportunity for other
moms. My goal in 2016 is to find
more venues for these work-
shops and also add a webinar
option.
No matter what we do or
what we speak about, being part
of Toastmasters creates a safe
and supportive atmosphere to
constantly grow and improve
ourselves. That my friend is why
I keep showing up.
Linda Cohen joined Noontime
Nomads Toastmasters in 2007.
She is currently the president
of Toastmasters for Speaking
Professionals. Cohen’s book 1,000
Mitzvahs: How Small Acts of
Kindness Can Heal, Inspire and
Change Your Life was published
in 2011. When she’s not speaking
or leading workshops, you’ll find
her at a yoga class, or hanging out
with her family and her two love-
able King Charles Spaniels. Connect
with Cohen at www.lindacohencon-
sulting.com
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