Hey Reader,

By clicking ‘open’, you make me feel as good as hearing:

“We see three good chutes, Integrity!” 👨‍🚀

I want you to stop being too “little”... and “Go Big”!

Most people think vocal confidence is something you're either born with or you're not. Like it's some exclusive club with a velvet rope, and introverts just… didn't make the list.

Julie thought the same thing.

She came into our one-on-one last Wednesday with genuinely impressive technical skills, sharp ideas, and zero belief that her voice could ever fill a room.

On a scale of one to ten, she rated her own communication skills a three.

She knew it was costing her.

The idea of standing in front of a full company meeting and "taking control" felt about as natural as tap dancing in quicksand.

Her biggest fear? Coming across as “fake”.

Like she was putting on some character that wasn't really her.

So I asked her a simple question…

Have you ever watched someone just starting out on a guitar? When they first pick it up, they're clearly learning. They're clunky, they're slow, they're figuring it out. But does that make them "fake"? Of course not. You just think, "there's someone learning to play their instrument."

That's exactly what building “vocal confidence” is!

You're not becoming 'someone else'.

You're just learning new ways to play the ‘instrument’ you already have.

Most people who think they're introverts… speak WAY too softly!

Here's the part that surprised Julie most... In about ten minutes, we did three exercises (she could practice on her own) to improve her “projection”.

The results were immediate. Not perfect, but immediate.

Because vocal skills are not magic. They're just “behaviors”.

Unfamiliar ones that, with a little practice, become completely yours.

The real lesson here is this: stop being afraid of being "too much."

Start being afraid of living in this world and being "too little."

In a room full of voices, the quiet one rarely gets remembered.

If any of this sounds like your story, let's talk. Book a free one-on-one call with me, and we'll dig into exactly what's holding you back.

(link below)

Stellar Quotes

“Of all the talents bestowed upon men, none is so precious as the gift of oratory ... He who enjoys it wields a power more durable than that of a great king.”

Winston Churchill

"I’m not funny. What I am is brave.”

Lucille Ball

Broadcasters on fire and other Live on-air disasters…

There's an unwritten rule in Radio: if you can make someone crack up while they're “live” on the air, you've earned bragging rights for life.

And the classics never get old.

Lighting someone's script on fire mid-read? A Radio staple.

And here's the wild part… nobody ever stops to “put it out”.

They just read faster!

Because the show must go on, even if your notes are literally in flames.

Then there was the midday guy at our mellow rock station — smooth, measured, NPR-level cool.

Until we tossed a string of a dozen firecrackers into the studio!

Let's just say his composure took a brief vacation.

People didn't mess with me too often, knowing the Black Belt thing.

But my morning partner Jim Sharpe, (still crushing it at KTAR in Phoenix), had a weapon I was never prepared for…

A plain cardboard “Bunny mask”. Not even a good one.

Just Jim, a full beard, slowly rising through the studio window from below his desk while I was reading a news story, fake-chomping a pencil like it was a carrot.

Got me… Every. Single. Time.

And then there was the afternoon jock — super 'proper', very polished.

We decided to rattle him at his core.

It cost us a hundred bucks, but we hired two strippers who showed up and performed right in front of the studio window.

He never quite looked at us the same way again.

The broadcasters who survived those pranks with their dignity (mostly) intact were the ones who had something rock solid underneath all the chaos. A commanding presence, a natural delivery, and the ability to stay engaging no matter what was happening around them.

Staying composed, present, and engaging under pressure is a skill.

One that doesn't just live in Radio studios, Reader...

It lives in interviews, keynote stages, and boardroom presentations, too.

Next week, I’ll recount the craziest, most involved ‘prank’ I’ve ever been a part of… Let's put it this way: Did it to our “Boss”, took an entire month, and even cost him a doctor's appointment!

Diversions

Your Thoughts

Curious where you land on this…
No overthinking—just go with your gut.

Which speaking habit do you wish you could fix tomorrow? Talking too fast Losing my train of thought Sounding nervous Hating how I sound on recordings