The Vegas Train Wreck That Taught Me Everything About Public Speaking (and How You Can Avoid It)

Friday, April 25, 2025

The Vegas Train Wreck That Taught Me Everything About Public Speaking (and How You Can Avoid It)

I have to tell you a story about the first time I ever got on stage to speak. Spoiler: it was a train wreck.

Picture this—I’m in Vegas. Never done public speaking, but I’ve convinced myself I’ve built a killer speech. The hook? Virtual assistants are basically Jarvis from Iron Man—a digital sidekick who’s always listening and always ready. Solid analogy, right? It had potential.

But here’s what really happened…

There were about fifteen speakers on the schedule. Every time I thought it was my turn, I got bumped down the list. My nerves? Through the roof. So, naturally, I started “managing” them with gin and tonics. By the time I finally got called, I was five deep—and then I had to follow one of the best speakers in my industry, Khai McBride.

Let’s just say my “speech” landed somewhere between a TED Talk and a Thanksgiving Day ramble. I pulled it together enough to finish, but to this day, I’m not convinced the compliments were genuine. The only thing I learned for sure? How you tell stories matters. A lot.

That disaster put me on a path: Learn the real art (and science) of communication—no fluff, no B.S.

Here’s what I discovered from David JP Phillips’ course, plus a few of my own hard-won lessons.

1. The 110 Steps to Communication (Why Most Speakers Suck)

Most people sound like they’re reading a mortgage disclosure. Then they wonder why nobody remembers a thing.

Phillips broke it down into 110 steps—body language, pauses, facial expressions, vocal variety, and more. Here’s your quick-start checklist:

- Feet: Plant them like you mean it. No escape artist vibes.

- Pace: If you talk faster than a TikTok ad, slow down. If you’re slower than Monday morning underwriting, speed up.

- Pauses: Stop filling every gap with “um.” Let the silence work.

- Expressions: Hit your punchline with your face, not just your mouth.

- Volume & Tone: If you sound the same all the way through, you’re background noise.

Pro tip: You don’t have to master all 110 steps at once. Tackle a few, see results, then layer on more. I keep the chart by my webcam—not for decor, for accountability.

2. Dopamine Hooks: Stop Being Ignored

If your first line doesn’t make people pay attention, you’re invisible.

You need dopamine hooks—openers that get your audience curious, even a little bit excited. Try:

- “Most people mess this up—and it’s costing them thousands.”

- “You won’t believe how simple this is.”

- “Here’s what nobody tells you about follow-up…”

If your intro wouldn’t snap a distracted salesperson out of a phone scroll, rewrite it.
Dry humor? If your hook is, “Today we’ll discuss communication frameworks,” congrats, you just invented sleep.

3. The Storytelling Framework: No More Snoozefests

Stories = connection. Bullet points = forgotten. Here’s the framework:

- Context: Set the scene (“It’s 4:59pm, the deal’s dying…”)

- Emotion: Share what you felt (“Stomach drop, heart racing…”)

- Conflict: What went wrong? (“No response. Panic mode.”)

- Resolution: What changed? (“Human follow-up wins.”)

Don’t just drop facts—tell stories people will quote.

4. The JP Spice Rack: Add Flavor to Your Delivery

Stop serving plain toast. Phillips’ “spices” are:

- Pauses that make people lean in

- Emphasizing words that matter

- Playing with volume, tone, and rhythm

- Tossing in unexpected laughs or eyebrow pops

Metaphor time: Don’t serve oatmeal without salt. Spice up your message.

5. Neuro-Substances: Don’t Just Inform—Make People Feel

It’s not just what you say—it’s how you make people feel. Blend these into your delivery:

- Dopamine: Give a reward to chase.

- Oxytocin: Build connection.

- Endorphins: Use humor and energy.

- Serotonin: Show authority, stay calm.

- Adrenaline: Add urgency, show what’s at stake.

Don’t just inform. Trigger the brain’s “buy” chemicals.

Final Takeaway

Most people will read this, nod, and do nothing. Not you.

Pick one thing—a better hook, a killer story, a pause, an eyebrow raise. Use it this week.

If you want the full 110 Steps cheat sheet—or want your next speech script roasted—hit me up.

No AI-speak. No fluff. No B.S. Just real, punchy, human writing—because the world has enough robots.

- Keith Goeringer