Born and raised in a war-torn Croatia, Kristina and her family left everything to start over in the US. As a young adult, she faced divorce, poverty, single parenting, and her own mental health struggles. But her determination, quick wit, and deep compassion won her the crown for Oprah’s Search for the Next TV Star in 2011. Since then, Kristina Kuzmic’s story has been sprinkled with the fairy dust of commercial success. She has over a billion video views, a huge social media following, a beautif...
Nov 02, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 19
This episode was designed to help YOU refocus and re-energize your speaking and writing endeavors. Featuring some of the biggest and most trusted names in speaking and writing, you'll discover (or re-discover) a goldmine of easy-to-implement tips and tools from the podcast. You'll also be inspired by stories of how our guests successfully navigated some of the ups and downs inherent in this kind of work. Use the timeline below to quickly access the shiny gold nuggets of wisdom from each episode....
Sep 02, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 18
Do you remember when the world nearly came to an end? When most of us thought the whole “coronavirus thing” was going to be wrapped up in a couple of weeks? A month at the most? Do you remember when there wasn't enough toilet paper to go around? Or when you knew for sure you were going to lose your mind because your kids would now be “distance learning?” of During that time most of us experienced significant upheaval in our work, our health, and our relationships — perhaps even our worldview. In...
Aug 01, 2024•1 hr 40 min•Ep. 17
Public speaking is a skill that can be learned, developed, and even mastered. But the path toward mastery demands everything you’ve got : keen self-awareness, the humility to be a life-long student of the craft, and an unrelenting commitment to put in your time. Because more than anything, mastery requires putting in your "reps," delivering countless speeches in all kinds of venues to all kinds of audiences - for decades . It's the costly nature of mastery that makes it so rare. So when the oppo...
Jul 01, 2024•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 16
In order to grow your income and impact you need to identify and embrace your "core message." A core message is like a life theme that is uniquely yours. It's formed by your experiences, temperament, talents, and gifts. If categories like topics, styles, and target audiences were flowers, your core message would be the root system connecting and feeding them all. Some might call it your "why" or your "calling" or your "Inner Red Power Ranger" (just us?). Whatever you call it, you have to underst...
Jun 03, 2024•57 min•Ep. 15
Launching a book - whether as a first-time author or as a publishing superstar - is an exceedingly challenging endeavor. It involves both art and science. And maybe a little secret sauce. Not many people know that better than Aryn Van Dyke, owner of Book Rockstar , a book launch consultancy that helps authors develop marketing strategies, build their brand, sell more books, and “ feel like a rockstar throughout the process.” From growing an author’s platform to choosing just the right editorial ...
May 02, 2024•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 14
Preparing a great presentation takes more than just practice. It takes learning about your audience, developing channels of communication with them before and after, seeking feedback from trustworthy voices, revising and reiterating until your eyes are blurry. It also requires some personal reflection to discover WHY you’re doing things the way you are. DK (yes, that’s his full legal name) is an expert guide when it comes to the entire preparation process. Having helped hundreds of speakers prep...
Apr 01, 2024•1 hr 40 min•Ep. 13
Confidence is necessary for building a satisfying and impactful life. Without it, we can miss opportunities to help others, feeling like “we don’t have what it takes.” Or move through life under a dark cloud of shame assuming we’re just “not enough” somehow. At the same time, we know there are pitfalls found in over-confidence. We’ve felt the emotional exhaustion that comes from trying to “fake it until we make it.” So what does having real confidence really mean? And how do we grow it in areas ...
Mar 02, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 12
As communicators, we pour our hearts, minds, and bodies into what we do. We put ourselves out there - on stages, pages, and screens - in the service of others. We try not to hold anything back. “Leave it all on the stage” is our motto. But what about our faith ? Is that something we need everyone to see from the stage or up on a screen? Are we hiding (or even lying) if we don’t talk about our faith as much as we talk about everything else? Is it important we share whatever faith or belief system...
Feb 01, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 11
Self-publishing is no longer a stigmatized hobby (“Oh, you couldn’t attract a real publisher, huh?”). It’s the path to potentially big impact and income. Louise Ross, for example, has sold over 7 million copies of her self-published books worldwide, and 18 of her novels have hit #1 on various bestseller lists. Mark Dawson pulls in a seven-figure income from his self-published crime novels. And the exponential increase in demand for self-publishing insight and tools has given rise to industry-dis...
Jan 01, 2024•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 10
What happens when someone with a hit TV show decides to transfer their finely-honed skills and years of experience into a keynote speech? Five people show up. That was Taes Leavitt’s experience as she began reinventing her life and her work after years of writing and performing in her own award-winning TV show. It was humbling to say the least. Taes had to reevaluate who she was and what (and why ) she was doing. And as she did, she discovered a new world of opportunities, personal growth, and d...
Dec 01, 2023•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 9
Remodeling your kitchen without any tools will likely result in something your friends, family, and neighbors joke about for years to come. Because even if you’re strong enough to drive a nail through a board with your bare hands, a good ol’ hammer will always win the day. And save you some serious discomfort. Let’s apply that analogy to public speaking. Jumping on a stage and hoping for the best will never match the power and impact of preparing well. We all know that intuitively, but how do we...
Nov 01, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 8
Our words matter . The ones we choose to use and the ones we choose to leave out. The medium in which we share them. The tone with which they’re shared. Whether heard or read by millions, or spoken only in our minds (consider the health benefits of “positive self-talk”). Anytime and anywhere words are used, they have an impact. They matter. Consider Tyler Merritt and his experience of becoming a viral media sensation by simply sharing a single page’s worth of thoughtfully-considered words. Words...
Oct 01, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 7
Why is teacher burnout sky-rocketing despite an increase in professional development for educators? In Chase Mielke’s experience as both teacher and trainer, he’s found most pro-dev efforts designed to support educators miss the mark. Why? Because, ironically, they’re bogged down in how-tos, theories, and untested application. What’s actually needed, according to Chase, is more compassion, empathy, and tools that have been tested in the harsh conditions of real-world classrooms. In this episode,...
Sep 01, 2023•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 6
What do Ricky Martin, Elton John, and the Chipmunks have in common? No, it’s not that they’re all (arguably) past their prime. Rather, it’s that each one is deftly impersonated by Jason Hewlett, the Vegas performer turned Hall of Fame keynote speaker, and our guest this week on Stage, Page & Screen . Jason had a successful career in Vegas with his long-running “One Man Show,” a performance that featured his impersonations, singing, and humor. It was a massive hit. But after more than a decad...
Aug 01, 2023•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 5
It’s been said the further we go into the details of our own story, the more universal our story becomes. In other words, when we dig down to the core of who we are, we find we all have a lot in common. We all want to feel loved and accepted. We all want to know we matter, that we have significance. We all want to be part of something bigger than ourselves. It’s the commonalities that make it possible to connect with one another despite our countless differences. Mickey Rowe learned this truth i...
Jul 01, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 4
No dream is fully realized in a vacuum. Creative endeavors are most often born from one person’s idea, dream or ambition. Whether taking the form of a speech, a book, a business, a political revolution – or any of the other countless ways humans create culture – a single person’s vision is typically the catalyst. But those solo-born dreams, ideas, or ambitions can’t be fully realized without the help of others: friends, family, editors, feedback groups, audiences, etc. Without the input and infl...
Jun 01, 2023•1 hr 44 min•Ep. 3
What if ditching the traditional speaking format resulted in a bigger impact? That’s a question that drove Dr. Julia Garcia to reimagine the way she delivered her presentations. Having spoken countless times in a more traditional format (30-60 minutes of her talking while everyone else sat and listened), Garcia wanted to see what might happen if she created significant space in her talk for the entire audience to practice what she was presenting - in real time . The results were surprising - for...
Jun 01, 2023•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 2
Nothing cuts through the noise like authenticity. That’s why it only takes a moment to understand why Blake Fly stands out and connects so well. His warmth, smile, and infectious laughter draws in even the most jaded audience member. Even better, what he says is as articulate and ear-tickling as it is profound and transformative. But all that insight and charisma didn’t immediately translate into a successful speaking and coaching business for Blake. Not by a long shot. Instead, it was the decis...
May 31, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 1
Get ready to nerd out with other influential speakers and authors. Join speaking and literary agent Josh Shipp, who takes you behind the scenes, serving up hard-won lessons, actionable strategies, and a healthy dose of shenanigans. Tune in and amplify your impact; on Stage, Page & Screen.
May 31, 2023•3 min
