Shows
The Toastmaster's ExperienceEP 43 - Colin Williams on Confidence, Cruises, and ConnectionColin Williams, a seasoned Toastmaster and former speech competitor, shares how joining Toastmasters a decade ago became a turning point in his life. Initially drawn in by a newspaper ad and finally walking into Redlands Toastmasters after 20 years of procrastination, Colin instantly felt he had “found his people.” He went on to compete in speech contests, winning both the International and Humorous contests at District level and earning a spot as a semifinalist on the world stage in Los Angeles.Though now retired from competition, Colin continues to give back as a mentor and is set to beco...2025-05-2927 minThe Toastmaster's ExperienceEP 42 - Radhi Spear Visits, District 70 Rises – A Toastmasters Conference to RememberIn this special episode of The Toastmasters Experience, Evelyn takes you behind the scenes of the 2025 District 70 Conference, held at the Campbelltown Catholic Club from May 2–4. With her roving reporter style, Evelyn interviews key figures who helped shape the event, including members of the District 70 Trio, the Region 12 International Director, and the standout guest of honour—Toastmasters International President Radhi Spear.Radhi reflects on her global tour, visiting five districts over 40 days, and shares touching insights on leadership, connection, and her deep appreciation for the Toastmasters family. Evelyn also speaks with Michael Said, who r...2025-05-2126 minThe Toastmaster's ExperienceEP 41 - Voices of District 70: StageTime Toastmasters & the 4 Big ContestsIn this special two-part edition of The Toastmasters Experience, Evelyn takes listeners behind the scenes at the 2025 District 70 Conference, held at Campbelltown Catholic Club. As a roaming reporter, she captured the energy, emotion, and excellence of the weekend through candid interviews with contestants and passionate members.The conference featured all four major contests—Humorous, Table Topics, Evaluation, and International—with strong representation from StageTime Toastmasters, including multiple finalists. Listeners hear firsthand reflections from speakers like Oscar, Vicky, Daryl, Jule and Sri, who share both triumphs and challenges. The presence of Toastmasters International President Radhi Spear added excitement, alon...2025-05-1233 min
Life's Rich TapestryEP 41 - Voices of District 70: StageTime Toastmasters & the 4 Big ContestsIn this special two-part edition of The Toastmasters Experience, Evelyn takes listeners behind the scenes at the 2025 District 70 Conference, held at Campbelltown Catholic Club. As a roaming reporter, she captured the energy, emotion, and excellence of the weekend through candid interviews with contestants and passionate members.The conference featured all four major contests—Humorous, Table Topics, Evaluation, and International—with strong representation from StageTime Toastmasters, including multiple finalists. Listeners hear firsthand reflections from speakers like Oscar, Vicky, Daryl, Jule and Sri, who share both triumphs and challenges. The presence of Toastmasters International President Radhi Spear added excitement, alon...2025-05-1233 minThe Toastmaster's ExperienceEP 40 - Waves of Toastmasters Wisdom with UrmiTo connect with Urmi -https://www.linkedin.com/in/urmihossain/https://www.instagram.com/wil_victoriachapter/https://www.youtube.com/@urmihossainUrmi's Book: Discovering Your Identity: A Rebirth From Interracial Struggle – Available on AmazonIn this episode, I welcome Urmi Hossain, a passionate Toastmaster, now living in Montreal. Urmi joined Toastmasters in 2019, inspired by her love for TED Talks and a desire to one day deliver a TEDx talk. Initially hesitant, it took her eight months to deliver her first speech, an icebreaker creatively centered on the...2025-04-3037 min
Life's BoomingGoing out with style with Blanche d'Alpuget and Evelyn CalaunanWith most people now preferring to focus on celebrating life rather than mourning at funerals, we explore the new ways people are choosing to commemorate loved ones, and hear first hand experience of what it's like to grieve in the public eye, with acclaimed author Blanche d’Alpuget, widow of former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke, and experienced funeral and life celebrant Evelyn Calaunan. About the episode – brought to you by Australian Seniors. Join James Valentine for the sixth season of Life’s Booming: Dying to Know, our most unflinching yet. We’ll have the conversat...2025-04-2929 minThe Toastmaster's ExperienceEP 39 - Frankie Uncluttered: The Evaluator’s Mind at WorkFrankie joined Toastmasters out of love—curious about her then-boyfriend’s eloquence and weekly meetings. Her first impression of Parramatta Breakfast Toastmasters was all the clapping, but she quickly saw the confidence it instilled. Though her early Toastmasters journey paused due to work, she rejoined in 2019 at Dural Toastmasters and has now been an active member for six years. Her involvement led to professional growth, including a transition into training and ultimately starting her own business, The Home Crew, which focuses on home organization and decluttering.As a former VPE, Frankie values structure and clarity—traits reflected in bot...2025-04-2036 minThe Toastmaster's ExperienceEP 38 - Beauty Queen, Boardroom and a Bicycle: Remona's Toastmaster's Journey"In this inspiring episode, Ramona Moodley shares her journey from shy child to confident communicator, blending personal transformation with professional growth.Ramona joined Toastmasters in August 2024, seeking to move from knowing what makes a good speaker to truly embodying it. She calls Toastmasters her “bicycle” — a place to practice, fall, and improve through doing. She's now a member of three clubs, driven by a love of learning and growth in high-pressure environments.Her speaking journey began at age five with her mom’s homemade coaching. As a painfully shy child, she noticed how confiden...2025-04-1128 minThe Toastmaster's ExperienceEP 37 - Helping others shine with Verity PriceIn this inspiring episode of The Toastmasters Experience, I interview 2021 World Champion of Public Speaking, Verity Price. Verity shares her Toastmasters journey, beginning in 2011 when she joined out of curiosity after seeing the impact it had on her sister. Despite being a professional speaker, she discovered profound growth through Toastmasters, particularly in leadership. She recounts earning her Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) during pregnancy and how intense preparation—including 25 speeches in seven months—helped her grow. Verity speaks candidly about setbacks, being humbled by her sister’s early contest success, and...2025-04-0237 minThe Toastmaster's ExperienceEP 36 - 10 Toastmasters, 1 Question: Life-Changing AdviceThis special episode of The Toastmasters Experience compiles powerful advice from 10 seasoned Toastmasters, including award-winning speakers, coaches, and leaders with over 100 years of combined experience. Each offers heartfelt encouragement for those considering joining Toastmasters. Their key messages? Just take the first step. Don’t let fear or perfectionism stop you—growth happens through consistent effort, mistakes, and stepping outside your comfort zone. Find a club that fits you, be patient with your progress, and challenge yourself to grow. The benefits go beyond public speaking: Toastmasters builds confidence, connection, and leadership skills that impact every area of lif...2025-03-2913 minThe Toastmaster's ExperienceEP 35 - Alchemy in Action: Jody on Speaking and BecomingTo connect with Jody – https://www.jodydontje.com/https://www.instagram.com/jodydontjecoaching/?hl=en In this vibrant and heartfelt interview, Jody Dontje shares her inspiring journey as a speaker, coach, and changemaker.🎙️ She reflects on how Toastmasters shaped her identity as a public speaker after years of speaking for charity in Nepal and for women's empowerment in London. Joining Toastmasters in 2018, Jody quickly excelled, winning district contests in Table Topics and Evaluations, and twice reaching the Semifinalists on the World Stage of Public Speaking. She attrib...2025-03-2541 minThe Toastmaster's ExperienceEP 34 - Roger’s Rise: Third and Wise, Mentoring LivesRoger Caesar shares his inspiring journey in Toastmasters, joining in 2011 to gain confidence in business meetings. He co-founded Raising Champions Advanced Toastmasters and quickly developed a passion for public speaking. Competing in multiple contests, he reached the World Championship of Public Speaking four times, placing third in 2021. His journey was marked by challenges, including an emotional first Semi-Final speech about his grandmother, who passed away just before the competition. Learning from setbacks, he now coaches others, helping them overcome fear and develop their speaking skills. His company, Caesar Empire Speaking & Coaching, works with executives and as...2025-03-1548 minThe Toastmaster's ExperienceEP - 33 Greg North: The Hat-Swapping, Rhyme-Slinging Bush PoetGreg North, a seasoned Toastmaster and award-winning bush poet, shares his journey through public speaking and poetry in this engaging interview. His Toastmasters adventure began in the 1990s in Parramatta, inspired by a desire for personal growth. After a hiatus due to work commitments, he joined Springwood Toastmasters, where he has been a member for over 22 years. He attributes his long-standing commitment to the club to the inspiring stories shared by members and the personal growth he has witnessed in others.Greg’s passion for poetry was sparked at a café poetry night, leading him to write and...2025-03-0932 minThe Toastmaster's ExperienceEP 32 - The Courage to Speak: How Nelu Turned Shyness into a Message of Strength Nelu shares her inspiring Toastmasters journey. She is currently a member of Stage Time and Revesby Toastmasters, part of District 70, Sydney, Australia.Toastmasters became a therapeutic space where she could share her personal story and help others. Facing society’s stigma around depression, she used public speaking to challenge misconceptions and encourage dialogue. She also reflects on her debilitating shyness as a child and how Toastmasters pushed her to build confidence and courage.Beyond personal growth, Toastmasters has benefited her family and career, helping her communicate more effectively and mentor others. A memorable mom...2025-02-2134 minThe Toastmaster's ExperienceEP 31 - Fursey’s Story: From Principal to Speaking Coach Because Every Great Speech Deserves a Supporting Chair I had the pleasure of interviewing the fabulous Fursey Gotuaco.Fursey joined Toastmasters in 2017 by accident after being invited to a meeting while in Shanghai, China. Since then, it has been a transformative experience for him. He is currently a member of two online advanced clubs and is dedicated to supporting Toastmasters clubs worldwide.Toastmasters has provided Fursey with a global community and a platform to develop his speaking and leadership skills. He has competed in Toastmasters contests and made it to the finals at the World Championship of Public Speaking in Anaheim, w...2025-02-1234 minThe Toastmaster's ExperienceEP 30 - Musings with Matt: The Impact of Toastmasters on Life and CareerIn today’s podcast, I interview, Matt, an experienced Toastmaster, currently living in Iowa. He joined Toastmasters in December 2003 to improve his presentation skills.Matt belongs to two clubs: Shibboleth, focusing on leadership and communication, and Positive Achievers, an advanced club for professional speakers. He explains the biblical origin of "Shibboleth," emphasizing its connection to overcoming barriers.Throughout his membership, Matt has gained lifelong friends and professional opportunities. Notably, he led training for 300 colleagues during an ERP system implementation due to his communication expertise. He also collaborates with employee resource groups to...2025-02-0436 minThe Toastmaster's ExperienceEP 29 - Nicole’s New Match: From the Tennis Court to ToastmastersNicole, a tennis coach and former professional tennis player, joined Toastmasters to challenge herself in new ways beyond the tennis court. Through Toastmasters, Nicole has learned techniques such as better voice control, humor, eye contact, and audience engagement, which have also made her a more effective and dynamic coach.Her introduction to Toastmasters dates back to her childhood when her father, a chemist, participated in the program as part of his work. Decades later, after moving to the Blue Mountains, a friend invited Nicole to join Toastmasters, prompting her to take the opportunity to improve her communication...2025-01-3029 minThe Toastmaster's ExperienceEP 28 - Marathons, Multilingualism, and Mastery: How Toastmasters Transformed Monica🎙️Monica shares her transformative journey with Toastmasters, which began when a friend's experience inspired her to join. She quickly grew fond of the supportive environment, becoming a member of multiple clubs, including City Tattersalls, National, and Stage Time Toastmasters. ⭐️Monica’s experience as an area director has been eye-opening, offering her insight into managing diverse clubs with unique cultures. She emphasizes the importance of enabling others to thrive, trusting their judgment, and fostering confidence. Monica also reflects on the challenges of communication as a non-native English speaker. She highlights the invaluable cultural and linguistic u...2025-01-2138 minThe Toastmaster's ExperienceEP - 27 - Evelyn & Lou Go Live: Lessons, Laughs, and Legacy in 77 DaysThis episode features Lou Beaton and myself, sharing our journey through the 77-Day Video Challenge, an initiative started by Darren LaCroix to encourage daily live speaking practice. The challenge, inspired by Darren’s preparation for the World Championship of Public Speaking in 2001, helps participants refine their impromptu speaking skills, develop storytelling abilities, and build a habit of speaking regularly.We reflect on our shared experience of completing the challenge, discussing the initial apprehension, struggles with consistency, and personal growth it spurred. I was inspired by Kory May, who has been participating in the challenge daily for over fi...2025-01-1441 min