I thought I’d tackle a common cause of fear among business owners, and that’s public speaking. Most of us have financial goals for ourselves this year. As business owners, achieving those goals probably involves expanding our brand awareness. It’s tough to make money when not enough people know your business exists.
Public speaking is an excellent way to gain visibility and credibility for your business. It’s also among one of the most feared activities for most people. But with practice, you might actually enjoy having the chance to share information that is genuinely helpful to others. I personally have a serious shy streak, and I used to hate public speaking. I had to consciously imagine swiveling a spotlight onto the audience, so I felt that the attention was on them. I then began to understand I was there to be of service to the audience, not an object for their scrutiny. Once I flipped that switch in my head, I’ve had a lot of really fulfilling opportunities to help other people. It just took some practice, so here’s what I learned:
