Whether you are an expert or a novice, we all need guides and mentors from time to time to help us 'progress up that real/metaphorical mountain.' Finding such a guide who you can both trust and value can be a daunting task.
The journey to becoming an effective modern communicator is increasingly developing into a valuable life skill that will all need.
As our modern digital age deepens its embrace with AI (Artificial Intelligence) mechanisms, then our human interaction skills will be increasingly required and valued.
Speaking in public, in all of its guises, quite frankly 'scares the pants' off of many people. But please don't worry, as Gary will be able to equip you with all the tools needed to be able to 'Pitch Your Story' in the most effective and authentic fashion. You can draw comfort from the knowledge that Gary has 'been there and done that.
Gary spent over 40 years working in the Television and Advertising industries. He began his career selling TV advertising space for one of the ITV companies, London Weekend Television. He later became Executive Sales Director At Granada TV and then Executive Commercial Content Director at ITV plc.
Although Gary was primarily focused on Commercial Revenue streams, he has always had a passionate belief in the power of creativity, in all areas of life.
During the last 10 years of his corporate life, Gary was charged with helping ITV to bring their three principal business units- Commercial, Production, and Commissioning- into greater harmony. In this role, he was able to spend a great deal of time with...
Gary spent over 40 years working in the Television and Advertising industries. He began his career selling TV advertising space for one of the ITV companies, London Weekend Television. He later became Executive Sales Director At Granada TV and then Executive Commercial Content Director at ITV plc.
Although Gary was primarily focused on Commercial Revenue streams, he has always had a passionate belief in the power of creativity, in all areas of life.During the last 10 years of his corporate life, Gary was charged with helping ITV to bring their three principal business units- Commercial, Production, and Commissioning- into greater harmony. In this role, he was able to spend a great deal of time with the teams that actually created and produced some of our favourite TV shows, including the likes of Coronation Street, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent, I am Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, Downton Abbey and Love island!
Gary is a massive people person and believes deeply in how powerful communication can help us all live more enjoyable and productive lives.
He spent much of his career on public speaking platforms, client pitches, and senior management review meetings as well as both building and delivering highly creative pitches. He has presented on the X Factor stage, pitched for new jobs on several occasions, and presented new media legislation reviews at both EU and UK parliaments. He also helped launch a version of Coronation Street for the Chinese market, as well managing Granada TV's commercial interests in both Liverpool and Arsenal football clubs.
He holds a life-long zest for ever-learning and recently gained a First Class (distinction) MBA degree from Central St Martin's College in London, where he focused on Creativity and Environmental Sustainability challenges.
Gary launched Flippin'Eck Ltd, a commercial consultancy operation, in 2017, and launched Pitch Me Your Story in 2022.
Many people would like to be able to speak fluently in public, be that in presenting at an industry event, pitching to a bank for funds for your new business idea, or even delivering a fabulous wedding speech. Sadly a big barrier stands in our way, it's even got a phobia name attached to it:
Glossophobia: A fear of public speaking
This actually ranks very near the top of people's fears, mainly because it is closely associated with our number one fear - The fear of failure.
The concept of failure is heavily linked to our desire to be socially accepted. It's hard-wired into our DNA that we don't want 'our tribe' to reject us, or even exclude/banish us.
So, when we attempt to engage in any form of public speaking our minds are full of distressing signals:
But this fear is an irrational one.
There are simple, yet powerful techniques to learn that can overcome these barriers and make you an effective communicator in all aspects of your life. Most importantly, these 'life skills' are increasingly valued in an ever-competitive job market and in an always-on social world.
Whenever we venture on a journey, of any kind, we need a trusted guide to ensure we reach our journey's end via the easiest, and hopefully most enjoyable route.
Guides come in all shapes and sizes, from physical maps to digital tools.
However, if our journey is based upon a learning experience, particularly one that is so inherently a human one, we would be wise to find a physical guide, someone who has genuine life know-how in the subject area we are trying to explore and improve upon.
Effective communication is a person-person activity, and as we are predominantly a social species it requires us to understand both how and why we engage in each other's stories.
That's why 'storytelling,' which has been around since the moment we set foot on this planet, has defined both our culture and our unique human evolution.
If you can understand how to unlock the potent elements of powerful storytelling, then you will definitely become a more effective communicator in all walks of your daily life.
If the fear of traveling along this road is already flooding your mind with negative thoughts, then please relax.
I have three pieces of very good news:
Every day you are pitching your story to someone, in someplace. You may not realise it but you are already an accomplished storyteller...brief conversations in a pub, chats at work, the dreaded Zoom calls, explaining to your kids why Trigonometry is not as difficult as it first looks...these are all stories, and your ability to structure these in a cohesive and engaging format will dictate just how successfully your audience will relate to it.
Remember, 'story' is already inside you. You are already practicing the art.
You also already know many of the successful storytelling elements, after all, you 'listen' to other people's stories every day of your life. Your trusted guide will accompany you on every stage of your journey...they will build you a real-world toolbox that you can carry with you for the rest of your life.
It will take effort, repetition, some trial, and error...and occasionally some deep breaths...but you can do it!
You can overcome your own fears, and turn the basic skills that help you chat to your neighbour into the advanced skills that will allow you to present in front of hundreds of people on a stage, pitch to your boss for a salary raise, and convince customers why your new business idea is just the thing they have been looking for.
Think of how excited and motivated you will feel once you have the ability to delve into your Storytelling toolbox.
You will have the confidence not only to plan and prepare your 'pitch,' but also to possess all the techniques to deliver that pitch in any scenario.
You will no longer dread being asked to speak at your Mum's 70th birthday celebrations, no longer stay at the back of the room in team meetings and stay quiet, and no longer rush through difficult investor meetings when the company's results aren't as good as they might be.
You will actually enjoy these situations, you will find yourself volunteering to 'stand up and pitch your story.'
You will no longer believe that 'great presenters' simply acquired their skills by chance, by luck. You will understand that you are already highly creative, even if you never stopped to consider this.
You will have the confidence to 'present all day long,' because you will fully appreciate that your story is unique, only you can tell it the way you do, and that's why audiences will want to listen to you.
Engaging with fellow humans remains one of the joys of life, and master storytellers add huge globs of fuel to that particular fire.
