Latest / The Expert's Journey: Helping Speakers & Authors Succeed! / The Expert's Toolkit: What You Actually Need to Show Up and Deliver

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The Expert's Toolkit: What You Actually Need to Show Up and Deliver · The Expert's Journey: Helping Speakers & Authors Succeed!

• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: If you've had to pack your expert business into one bag and head off to work tomorrow, what would you take?
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: Your laptop, a microphone, maybe a few cables?
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: What about the software, the resources, and the skills you rely on to make it all work?
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: Whether you're speaking on stage, coaching a client, or joining a podcast interview, being prepared helps you focus on the people you're there to help.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: Today in The Expert's Journey, Dixie and I are unpacking the experts toolkit.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: We'll talk about what you actually need, what's worth learning to use properly, and when it makes sense to get help.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: We'll also look at how your website, handouts, and other resources can keep your expertise working longer after you've packed up and gone home.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: Good morning, Dixie.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_01: Good morning, Brad.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_01: Great topic and very timely because I'm busy getting ready to come to Brisbane to run a small event.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_01: And so also going shopping for certain things that I'm going to need over the next few weeks in terms of certain updates of equipment.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_01: And we've been talking about the things that you need, not only the hard the hardware, but also the software.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_01: And so I put a list together of all the things that I think are absolutely essential.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_01: And I thought it was worth sharing these and talking through them.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_01: So let's start with the hard stuff.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_01: Like you said, the dependable.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: The hardware, or the hard stuff isn't the hard stuff to carry?
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_01: Well, the stuff that you have to carry, the physical stuff you have to carry is what I call the hardware.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_01: So, like you said, a dependable laptop.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_01: And it's amazing.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_01: I find every now and then I'll come across someone who either needs a new laptop or they don't have the battery power if they aren't able to plug in if they're presenting somewhere, or they're still using something that's more than 10 years old and hasn't really kept up with the updates that they need.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_01: So 101 for any professional expert, you've got to have a dependable laptop.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_01: Even if you prefer working with a PC or something on your desk, you've got to be able to move around with your technology.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_01: But also things like just simply things like the microphone and headphones.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, these are things that we use a lot and talk about a lot as part of what we do as podcasters.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_01: But even as a speaker, you need to know that you're savvy with different microphone technology.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_01: If you're going to go and turn up on someone else's event, do you need to carry your own microphone?
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_01: I know some speakers who literally will pack their own handheld microphone or remote microphones just to make sure that they are completely clear to present the way they want to without being stuck on what's working or not working.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_01: That's not a bad idea if you're doing a lot of interactive work from stages.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_01: So that's a good idea.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: One of the things you mentioned was a good laptop.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_00: And it's important that you choose the laptop you need for the job you're doing.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're just presenting and you want a lightweight laptop, something like a MacBook Neo, which is very simple laptop, might do the job, or a cheap PC laptop will do the job for you.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_00: But if you're on the road and you're traveling a lot and editing video, that probably won't cope with your needs.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: So it's important that when you invest money into something like a laptop, you really consider how you're going to use it.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: Because otherwise you're going to waste money because you're going to have to upgrade and get something new.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: A lot of speakers carry Mac laptops, and there's a reason for that.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_00: One is they're extremely reliable.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: Their software that runs them is very reliable and it doesn't glitch very often.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: So when you go somewhere, you don't have to worry about Windows playing up.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: And that's borne out by almost every speaker you talk to.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_00: Now there's some very nice PC laptops starting to come on the market now.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: It's up to you what works best for you.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: But think about what your needs are before you spend money or waste money.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_01: And you also need to make sure that whatever you're using in terms of microphone, headphones, camera lighting, that you've got enough USB points or and the right adapters, etc., to ensure that everything can operate seamlessly and easily from one laptop.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_01: You don't want to have to be doing more than you need to in terms of how you get yourself set up, especially when you're on the road.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, the adapters can change a lot because there's only so many things you can plug into an adapter before the power that comes out through that port runs out.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_00: So you might be able to plug in one hard drive, plug in it to a TV, and maybe plug in your microphone.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: But if you try to plug in a second device, for example, another hard drive, it won't work.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_00: So you need a powered USB adapter.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: Remember to think about those things.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: For most cases, a$29 adapter will do almost all the jobs.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: But it'll only do so much.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_01: And so then let's have a think about the camera and lighting, because one of the things that you know makes a huge difference to me in terms of my confidence presenting on online is having the right lighting and having a good camera that I know I can trust and use, and that my microphone is all set up and it's all interactive and everything is seamless.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_01: But the more I test things like lighting and get it wrong, the more I realize how incredibly important it is to get it right.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_01: And this takes a lot of time for a lot of us to actually get to the point where we think, right, it's time for an investment.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_01: One of the things that I've noticed is that when you are presenting, like for example, doing a Zoom call, if you've got good sound and you've got good lighting, then whoever's watching or whoever's engaged in the event that you're running, if it's an event, they're going to stay tuned in for longer.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_01: If you are running something where the sound is off, or there's obviously a regular beep or low-quality sound, we as a human race are very sensitive to low quality sound.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_01: You'll turn someone off quite quickly if you don't get the sound right.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_01: So the sound and the camera and the lighting are all very connected.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, the sound is the key to all video, and anyone will tell you that is in the industry.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_00: So making sure that you have a good mic or a good radio mic, the little DJI mini wireless mics are fantastic if you're recording sound into a camera or into a phone or something.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_00: A good USB mic for the desktop is always reliable because if you go for a USB connected mic, it will plug into any computer and work every time.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_01: And then, of course, you need to think about things like do you need an extra keyboard?
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_01: And personally, I prefer to travel with a keyboard, even though I've got a perfectly adequate one on my laptop.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_01: But I do like having a solid keyboard for when I'm writing.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_01: So I always have a really good portable keyboard to carry.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_01: And then, of course, just the simple things like a reliable clicker, one that you know how to operate when you're standing on stage.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_01: You don't want to have to suddenly learn someone else's way of doing something or that left and right buttons are around the opposite way to what you're used to.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_01: Those little things can really trip you up when you're on stage or you're presenting.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_01: So getting really savvy with your own equipment makes you a much more reliable presenter and gives you extra confidence as well.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I have my own clicker.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_00: I have a Logitech one and I've had it for a long time, and it has a countdown timer on it.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_00: So it counts down whatever time I set in it, and five minutes before the end it buzzes in my hand, so it vibrates, which I think is an extremely handy thing to have if you don't have someone kind of going 10 minutes to go, five minutes to go in the audience, which is often the case if you're in small rooms.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_00: If you're in big rooms, they often have that on the screen in front of you.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: So I really like having my own clicker, and it's really good for practicing as well when you're at home before you go on stage, because again, you can set the timer and you can quickly glance at it and start to practice your timings.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_01: And power supplies, adapters, obviously, but charging cables.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_01: The one thing that I always seem to end up ending up having to buy a new one of every now and then is another charging cable.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_01: It's because either the charging cable that I'm using has stopped working or stopped being reliable, and it's always at the worst possible time.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_01: So I now make a point of ensuring that I have power adapters and charging cables and the spares in my go-to bag.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_00: Whereas your new phones are pushing at 50.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_00: So you've actually got to check that the cable is rated to do fast charging.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_00: And the same goes again, charging versus data.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: Some cables are for charging only, some are for data only, some are for both.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_00: So it's worth spending extra to buy the right combination cable so that you've got something that covers you all over.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_00: And I'll also buy higher speed wall chargers.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: So it has one USB-C, one USB-A in it, so that I can charge two devices at once.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_01: The best thing that I ended up buying in this year that I didn't realise I really needed until I was suddenly stuck was a high speed or high capability wall charger that had all of those connections and actually a double plug version of it, but that had international charging or international wall capability.
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_01: Because the one thing that you don't think about when you're racing to get to the airport or you're getting organized to go somewhere, you don't always think about having the adapter.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_01: And so investing in a really expensive but high-quality wall-mounted plug-in system was one of the best things I've spent money on in the last 12 months.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, they're absolutely worth having if you're going overseas or even just getting a couple of the adapters that you can buy them in sets, just put them in a little bag with a name on it and leave it inside your suitcase because you never know when you're going to need them.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_00: Because the most frustrating thing is getting somewhere and not having adapters.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: I also carry one for the car.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_00: So I have a high-speed charger for the car, and quite frankly, you can pick them up at Kmart for about$20.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_00: And then when you're traveling in your car, you can charge your phone on the way or something if you've got a hire car.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_00: And that that makes a big difference as well.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, actually, that is a really good point.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_01: I've often been caught out with not having something to charge up in the car or having the wrong point or the you hire a rental car and they only have one kind of charging point and you've got the wrong adapter is oh frustrating.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_01: But let's go from the hardware that we always need to have to the soft tools, the technology that we get behind the scenes.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_01: What let's go from you know, goes in the bag to what you actually have to have internally into all of this equipment.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, let's start with Wi-Fi, portable Wi-Fi.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_00: Wi-Fi is a good one.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, for me, I look at it as something I get on my phone or I get for free at a hotel or in a courtyard or whatever.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_00: What I would say is getting a VPN software is really important because if you're on public Wi-Fi, you're open to being hacked really easy.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_00: So getting, I use Nord VPN, which is pretty cheap.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_00: And it just is a reliable, easy thing to do.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_00: I can use it on my tablets and on my phone and on my desktops, etc.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: But it protects me by encrypting my communications when I'm on open Wi-Fi networks.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_00: The rest of the time, I'm I'll buy a SIM card when I come into a country.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_00: I'll always try for the SIM card with unlimited data.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes that might be something like HoloFly where it's a virtual and eSIM.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_00: Other times, like in Singapore, I'll go to the 7-Eleven and just buy a SIM card because they're so cheap.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, well, that's a good point.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_01: And I really like the tip about having your own VPN.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_01: But I've also got a really good system with my telephone, my cell phone, I should say, that I've managed to operate my business for a number of years on unlimited Wi-Fi just through the Vodafone Network, which has been really useful.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_01: And so that's always my backup.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_01: But again, also when you're traveling, definitely get yourself a sum with unlimited data where you are.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_01: Because you can't always rely on hotel and conference room Wi-Fi either, especially if you're presenting and if you're wanting to embed videos into your presentations and things like that, you want to have something really reliable.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_01: And that brings me to the design and the content of what you use.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_01: I couldn't live without Canva, and I also now use AI extensively for creating worksheets and integrating with Canva to ensure that my handouts are really rock solid and up to date and useful.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_01: So those are two parts that I find particularly useful in terms of ensuring that my presentation goes smoothly, that it looks good, and that even my handouts and follow-ons are well created and fit the purpose of the event that I'm doing.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_01: So having your favorite version of how to create and design your content is critical.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, absolutely.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, for example, I always have Microsoft Office.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_00: Always have.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_00: That's what I use for finishing everything off.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_00: And there's two reasons as a speaker why I have it.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_00: One is that most conference centers prefer PowerPoint presentations.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_00: It's that simple.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_00: You can use Keynote and all that, but it's guaranteed they'll have PowerPoint.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_00: Whereas if you use Keynote, sometimes you've got to convert it, you have all sorts of problems because it throws everything everywhere.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_00: So I used to, but I switched back.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_00: And I mean, you can present from Canva as well, and you can present from Google tools as well.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_00: I like it to be completely offline and means I can put it on a USB and hand it over because that's what they ask for.
• 14:31
  SPEAKER_00: On the other side, I use like using Microsoft Word for when I create books and do things like that.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_00: So I do all my final editing in there.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_00: I might write in Google Docs, but I do all my editing in Microsoft Word.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_00: But you don't have to have a subscription.
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_00: You can buy the package where you've got the one-time price.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_00: There is a standalone offline version you can buy.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_00: It might not be necessary for you to keep paying the subscription every year if you don't need it.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_01: And look, I want to just say a quick heads up to Microsoft Word as well.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_01: When it comes to books, the editor's preferred version to use is Microsoft Word, not Google Docs, not any of the other tools that are out there.
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_01: And there are some amazing ones available.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_01: But Microsoft Word is the unit of choice for most editors when it comes to books and high quality, long version content.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_01: So, yes, definitely Microsoft Word.
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_01: And then I also find that using Dropbox is my favorite way of saving all of my content, that it's available to me anywhere.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_01: And I know a lot of people prefer to use some of the other tools.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_01: Is it one OneDrive?
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_01: OneDrive.
• 15:41
  SPEAKER_01: I just find Dropbox is just easy and straightforward and for sharing files.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_01: Then of course you've got things like Wii transfer or you can just save your or share your Dropbox links.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_01: Having the means to access your files quickly and easily is always important and for sharing as well.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_01: But what's the most overlooked tool you think you've found has been more useful recently?
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_00: I truly believe Google Docs is one of the most useful things that I've had because everything's there, it saves online.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_00: You can do it offline if you want to, you just got to put it in.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_00: But it means I can just access a document and know it's up to date all the time.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm not uploading and downloading like I would be with Dropbox.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_00: And I use Dropbox extensively as well.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_00: But when I'm in the creative process, I like to work in Google Docs.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_00: And then I take that and take it into Word or take it into wherever else I want.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_00: But it's good because everything's there, every file is searchable, so you can search every doc at once.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_00: And it I just personally really like it because it's a powerhouse for storing information.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_00: And recently I kind of noticed that they have tabs within documents now, which I'd never really thought about.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_00: And what I realized was when you put a new tab in, it's like a new document within the document.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_00: So working on a book, I've got chapter one, chapter two, chapter three are separate tabs.
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_00: Instead of having to scroll all the way through to where I'm working, I can just go to the tabs, but I can export it as one document.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_00: So it's just a really handy tool for doing anything with text or throwing diagrams in or whatever.
• 17:22
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, good point.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_01: So that's a really interesting way of using both Google Docs and Microsoft Word.
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_01: And I know a lot of people favor obviously one over the other.
• 17:32
  SPEAKER_01: And I am one of those people who prefers to work with Word, but there are so many tools and things available now where you can interact with them very successfully.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_01: And you've just made a great example of that.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_01: And then there's the other thing that is all about the visible toolkit, the website, the handouts, your brand alignment, even things like how you dress or how you present yourself visibly when you are presenting.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_01: So those are also part of what I call the soft tools.
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_01: Obviously, a website and a landing page.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_01: Those sort of things are important.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_01: But look at what you need to be doing in terms of do you need to have a specific suit or a specific set of clothing for when you're presenting, specific types of shoes that mean you're comfortable on stage and not worrying about whether you're going to trip over or someone's going to judge your shoes, whatever.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_01: Things like that are important.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_01: Making sure that you've got your handouts well aligned to your brand.
• 18:28
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm very simple when it comes to stage.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_00: I have a suit, it's a good suit, it's a custom tailored suit, but I feel comfortable in it, I feel safe in it, and I feel like I'm presented to my best with that suit.
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_00: And so for me, that's always there.
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_00: When I pull that on, it's like, as a friend said to me once, pulling on a suit of armor, and it changes my whole frame, and I am now ready for stage.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_00: And I keep it for only doing business meetings or stage stuff.
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_00: And so having those sorts of things in place can sometimes be really helpful to you as well as for preparing yourself to go on stage or to present in front of a group of people, whether that be a pitch or whatever.
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, absolutely.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's worth the time and money to think about that.
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_00: You don't need a new outfit every time you go on stage.
• 19:19
  SPEAKER_00: I'm sorry, I know some of the ladies like that, but for me, I just don't see the sense in it.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_01: And I know that you won't have this problem, Brad, but I make sure that my my hairstyle, my, my hairdressing costs are somewhat covered every year by my business because of the fact that I have to look sharp when I'm on stage and I'm presenting.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_01: And those sort of things, you know, having the suit or the set of clothing or the interchangeable set of clothing.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_01: I have three parts of my wardrobe.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_01: One is for casual wear, one is for going out somewhere, and one is definitely for stage time and or conference time because you do need to be branded and look the part when you are presenting or when you are the public persona of yourself.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_01: And I think it's important to get that right.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_01: And as you say, a specific suit or a specific suit and a couple of different shirts or whatever can make or break your popularity as a presenter.
• 20:17
  SPEAKER_01: I know one woman who's amazing.
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_01: She has, I think, 27 dresses all in blue, and she wears them brilliantly, and that's part of her brand, and she brings that into her handouts, that's part of her branding.
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_01: But it takes away the guesswork as well when you've got the I know what I wear when I go on stage set up.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_00: So it's one less thing to stress about.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_00: It's like I don't wear rings because I'm a firefighter, and because when I started out my trade as a technician, we were told not to wear them because you get zapped.
• 20:46
  SPEAKER_00: But when I go on stage, I wear a long jeans gold watch, my gold wedding ring, and maybe my signet ring.
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_00: Because you get that flash under the stage lights, it just added that little tiny finishing touch.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_00: And then there's subtle things like that.
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_00: People do, you don't have to go overboard, it can be very subtle signs to back up what you're saying in a lot of ways.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_00: People are coming, why should I listen to you?
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_00: Well, it's not about flaunting wealth, it's definitely not that.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_00: It's just about the whole finish, the look when you walk on, as they say, you look a million dollars.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and if you're going to present million-dollar ideas, you've got to feel like you look a million dollars, even if your suit is vintage.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_00: And look, I mean, you don't have to pay a fortune for a suit.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_00: You can spend$3,000 or you can spend$100,000 on a suit.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_00: But also, there's some shops now that are doing very nice, quality, well-fitted suits straight off the rack for under$300.
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_00: And none of us started with custom suits.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_00: We all started with off-the-rack, and I have off-the-rack stuff as well.
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_00: So I have a mixture.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_00: So you don't have to spend a fortune.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_00: What you need is good advice.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_00: And the reason I have a custom-tailored suit is because I have someone who does them and who advised me on what would be best for me.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_00: That was worth the money alone.
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, absolutely.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_01: And for all the girls out there, it's again, it's not about necessarily fonting wealth, but wearing your jewellery in a stylish way that's not distracting when you're on stage.
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_01: That's making sure that everything fits with the overall brand that you're wanting to present, whether it's the colour or the style or the whatever.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_01: But don't deviate from those style branding points because that is also still a critical part of making sure that people remember you.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_01: So those are all of the hard, or some of the hard and soft tools of the trade that I thought it was a good time to have a chat about because every now and then you get called into, I've got to update this, what do I do?
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_01: And I think it's timely to explore what's available, what we should have in our kit bag, and make sure that we keep up to date with what's available.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, there's always new stuff, but there is this basic stuff like we've been talking about today that never changes the laptop, the suit, those basic software programs, they haven't changed in 20 years.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_00: People are still using them.
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_00: And so it's worth understanding that you can spend a fortune on stuff, but it's not necessarily going to make you a better speaker, but you do need to spend money on this stuff because it is worthwhile and make your life easier when you are speaking, presenting, whatever you're doing.
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_01: What a great conversation! Well, I'm off to buy a new camera for my next week's podcast.
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_01: So thanks everyone.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_00: So your toolkit could make it easier for you to share your expertise and give people a good experience.
• 23:47
  SPEAKER_00: Knowing how to use what you have is a big part of showing up with confidence.
• 23:51
  SPEAKER_00: Here's your action for this week.
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_00: Take 10 minutes to check out your setup before your next presentation, interview, or client session.
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_00: What's unreliable?
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_00: What do you need to practice?
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_00: Choose one thing and sort it out.
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_00: That might mean testing your microphone or your camera, learning to share your screen easily, not fighting with the computer software, and making a backup of your files and slides.
• 24:15
  SPEAKER_00: Choose one for yourself and do that before we meet next time.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for joining us at The Experts Journey, and we'll catch you in the next episode.
• 24:25
  SPEAKER_01: And if you've really enjoyed what we had to say today, please send us some feedback.
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_01: We love feedback.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_01: Send us a review or share what we have been talking about and share the experts' journey with someone that you think might need it.
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_01: And we'll catch you next week.