Speaking Podcast

What if the ”eco-friendly” choice you’re making is actually 200x worse for the environment? Dr. Chris De Armitt—materials scientist, Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, and author of The Plastics Paradox—joins us after reviewing over 6,000 peer-reviewed studies. His mission? Replace environmental mythology with actual science. In this no-holds-barred conversation, Chris reveals why plastic bags are the greenest option, why your reusable cotton tote is an environmental disaster, and why billionaires like Michael Bloomberg and Bill Gates are funding studies that say the exact opposite of the scientific consensus. Whether you’re a speaker who needs to fact-check your material or someone tired of being guilt-tripped at the grocery store, this episode will change how you think about ”sustainability.”

Guest: Dr Alexander McWilliam All Episodes can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podpage.com/speaking-podcast/⁠⁠⁠ All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bio of Alex McWilliam Dr Alexander McWilliam is founder and managing director of Improv4Business. It provides presentation and speaking training, including executive coaching, team sessions and bespoke programmes. It works primarily with B2B clients, from start-ups to multi-billion-pound organisations. These have included ITV, The Entertainer, Kenwood and Computacenter. Dr McWilliam has a background in professional acting and improvisation, and is the only UK PhD graduate in “public-speaking anxiety and performing under pressure”. What we Discussed: 00:00 Introduction 01:13 The Only UK PhD in Public Speaking Anxiety 02:37 Why Friends' Fear of Presenting Sparked His Research 04:22 The 3.5 Year Doctorate Journey 05:48 Brain Freeze: When Practice Meets Reality 07:15 The "Blank" Moment We All Experience 08:33 Being Selectively Shy 10:05 From Shy Kid to Door-to-Door Sales 11:42 How Stories We Tell Ourselves Hold Us Back 13:08 Why the Audience Isn't Your Enemy 14:35 Reading Faces Wrong: Crossed Arms Don't Mean Boredom 16:02 You Are Your Own Worst Critic 17:29 Why Audiences Want You to Succeed 19:03 The Power of Watching Yourself Back 20:38 Audiences Forgive Mistakes, Not Panic 22:04 Recovery Is What People Remember 23:41 When Speakers Freeze and Start Over 25:07 No One Has Your Script 26:34 Adapting When Time Gets Cut 28:01 Pressure Testing Your Presentations 29:38 Making Failure Fun in Safe Environments 31:05 The "Die" Exercise 32:42 Building Resilience Through Improv 34:09 Table Topics and Playfulness 35:46 Impromptu Speaking Builds Real Confidence 37:13 The Science of Self-Efficacy 38:40 Daily Impromptu Practice 40:07 Why Comedy Is Unforgiving 41:34 Group Failure Exercises 43:11 Surviving the Worst Case Scenario 44:38 Social Anxiety vs. Performance Anxiety 46:05 When Shyness Shows Up Selectively 47:32 Teenage Years and Peer Judgment 48:59 How School Experiences Shape Adult Fear 50:26 Domain-Specific Anxiety 51:53 The Public Speaking Threat Inventory 53:20 27 Items Across Three Domains 54:47 Finding Your Focus Area for Growth How to Contact Alex McWilliam https://www.improv4business.co.uk/ All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🤝 Join our Speaking Podcast Community ✦ Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.podpage.com/speaking-podcast/⁠⁠⁠ ✦ YouTube: / ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@roycoughlan⁠⁠⁠ ✦ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakingpodcast/⁠⁠⁠ ✦ Facebook: / ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakingpodcast⁠⁠⁠ ✦ TikTok: / ⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@roycoughlanpodcaster⁠⁠⁠ #PublicSpeaking #StageFright #PresentationSkills #CommunicationSkills #ProfessionalDevelopment #SpeakingAnxiety #PerformanceAnxiety #ExecutiveCoaching #ImprovForBusiness #PresentationTraining #OvercomeFearOfPublicSpeaking #SpeakWithConfidence #BusinessCommunication #LeadershipSkills #WorkplaceAnxiety #SpeakingPodcast #InterviewPodcast #PersonalDevelopmentPodcast

Discover the hidden strategies behind websites that turn casual browsers into loyal customers without expensive ads or complicated funnels.   This Episode is a Promotional Episode for the Website services that we offer at ⁠va.world⁠   What we Discussed:   00:00 Why we Recorded this Episode   00:47 Why do you want a Website?   01:36 How to Make Sure a Website Converts   02:55 The Biggest Mistake Businesses Make when Creating a Website   04:30 How Important is Brand Clarify with your Website   05:10 What questions to ask Clients before building their Website   06:34 Allow Disability access for your Website   07:30 Align a Website with the Companies Long Term Goals   08:40 We have worked over 5 years together and have not had an argument.   09:40 What makes a Website Stand Out   10:54 How to approach User experience on your Website   11:53 How Annoying Pop Up's are on Websites   12:35 Design Psychology for Improving your Website   13:44 Ensure you can see the Text on the Website   14:03 Speed & Performance for Website Success   15:22 How to Ensure a Website works across different Devices   16:22 How the Wesbite helped a client with ongoing Upgrades   18:20 How our Design improved Conversions on the Website   19:20 Feedback from Clients after Creating their Websites   20:54 Do not be to Pushy with Sales on the Website   21:35 How the Cookies Help with Sales on your Websites   22:30 Tracking on all Prts of your Website   23:11 Website are like Podcasts that have a lot of things to make it Successful   24:28 How to be be Safe adding Payment Options on your Website   26:15 Maintaining Your Website with our VA   27:32 Do not Managing your own Website if you want to grow your business   29:04 We Create Packages with a breakdown of costs   29:48 Staying ahead of website trends like Ai   30:53 What Website Platforms do we Specialise in   32:38 How do you Future Proof a Website   33:09 We Help Create Skool Groups   33:22 Difference between a Template Site and a Strategically Built Website   34:50 Some Templates Require Plugins   36:00 Amature Websites V's Professionally Designed Ones   37:00 The Problem getting the Wrong Website Template   37:32 How Important is Messaging compared to Visuals on the Website   38:47 How Long should a homepage be on your Website   39:57 The Process from Concept to Launch of your Website   40:57 Having Your Socials connected on your Website   41:37 Do you need a New Website   42:15 How to Connect with us for a New Website   44:35 My 6 Podcasts got 110K downloads last week   Find our Website ⁠va.world⁠ Book a Free Call ⁠https://va.world/contact/⁠   #WebsiteDesign #ConversionOptimization #OnlineBusiness #DigitalMarketing #VAservices #BusinessGrowth

Guest: Shiraz Baboo – Reality Addiction Expert, Author of How to Rewrite Reality, and Founder of Energetic Magic Episode Focus: How unconscious stories shape our physical reality, from chronic illness to financial blocks, and the radical process of rewriting them for lasting transformation. All Episodes can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podpage.com/speaking-podcast/⁠⁠⁠   All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠   #shiraz #ShirazBaboo #bodybuilder    Bio of Shiraz BabooMulti-award-winning author. Reality Interventionist. Creator of the Million Dollar Impact Makers Program.  I have helped thousands of coaches, healers, and high-achieving entrepreneurs break their subconscious addiction to struggle and rewrite the stories keeping them stuck—so they can finally grow their businesses in alignment with who they truly are. At Business Magic Live, I work with you live to release the unconscious patterns that are sabotaging your success… and replace them with the belief, clarity, and aligned action required to build a business that creates real wealth and lasting legacy.Most of the people who come to me already know the strategies. What’s been missing isn’t knowledge. It’s the internal permission to execute, receive, and lead at the level those strategies require.   What we Discussed:   00:00 Introduction   01:00 Shiraz's Origin Story: From Bodybuilder to Bedridden   04:40 We are protecting ourselves through Stories   05:40 How I healed my Back Pain   06:30 Fake knee operations gave the same results   07:06 A woman with a Tumor that kept disappearing 08:00 Lessons learnt from living in different countries   11:50 How he kept getting Stopped at Border Control   18:00 How to navigate peoples issues without them knowing what is wrong   21:00 How he resolved his own Financial issues   23:00 My own Financial Struggles 23:20 Reviewing Why I have these Fears   25:50 If I had Money would it Corrupt me  29:05 Push & Pull Energy   32:00 Are you will to step out of the story   33:45 Reflecting on how I got seriouly injured every time I was relaxed   35:20 Do I always have to be on guard   37:00 You Do not have to worry about something to solve it   39:00 Common Patterns with clients   40:35 His Event Business Magic Live   42:00 People having a yo-yo with Finances   43:00 Where to find Shiraz and the Event   How to Contact Shiraz Baboo ⁠https://energeticmagic.com/⁠   ⁠https://www.facebook.com/energeticmagic/⁠   ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shirazbaboo/⁠   ⁠https://www.youtube.com/energeticmagic⁠   ⁠https://www.instagram.com/energetic.magic/⁠   All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠   🤝 Join our Speaking Podcast Community ✦ Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.podpage.com/speaking-podcast/⁠⁠⁠ ✦ YouTube: / ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@roycoughlan⁠⁠⁠ ✦ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakingpodcast/⁠⁠⁠ ✦ Facebook: / ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakingpodcast⁠⁠⁠ ✦ TikTok: / ⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@roycoughlanpodcaster⁠⁠⁠     #irishman #speakingpodcast #energeticmagic  

In this deeply moving episode, we welcome Sylvia Wolfer – grief specialist, mindfulness practitioner, and Pilates instructor – who shares her profound journey through multiple losses and how she transformed her pain into purpose. Shaped by the sudden deaths of her father, two brothers, and later her mother passed. Sylvie brings together grief science, mindfulness, and movement to offer grounded, research-informed support for those navigating loss. All Episodes can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podpage.com/speaking-podcast/⁠⁠⁠   All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠   #SylviaWolfer #speaker #griefhealing    Bio of Sylvia Wolfer  Sylvia Wolfer is a neuroscience-informed mindfulness guide and grief educator. Her work bridges contemplative practice, nervous system regulation, and lived experience after profound loss.A long-term meditation practitioner, Sylvia has explored contemplative traditions for many years. After losing both of her parents and her two brothers, her practice deepened — becoming not just a spiritual discipline, but a steady anchor through grief.Today, she creates grounded, body-aware guided meditations designed to support people through emotional overwhelm, loss, and life transitions. Her approach integrates neuroscience, breath, and embodied awareness to help people build emotional steadiness without bypassing what hurts.Sylvia is the creator of several digital courses and guided meditation series, and she teaches weekly online sessions blending mindfulness and movement. What we Discussed:   00:00Who is Sylvia Wolfer   00:40 Death is a fact of life   00:55 Sylvia's difficult journey with Family Grief   02:52 Her therapist recommended that she help people with grief   04:11 When you reflect on death later as if they say good bye before dying   06:45 Additional Grief when a person dies abroad   09:05 The time taken before the burrial can effect us   12:10 People Suppressing emotions during death   14:20 Grief is like a wound   15:50 Times a person the body still looks alive   19:20 We should have 1 month compassion leave when someone close passes   25:00 Nice ways to give condolences   27:15 Understanding People's sadness   28:33 Be mindful not to touch or clean in the house without approval   29:45 Having the hard conversations before someone passes   31:30 Be honest when a person knows they are Dying   33:40 Did the Pilates help with the Grief   35:20 How she overcame the pain with Daily rituals   37:30 How the Gym stopped back aches   38:00 Why are breathwork session not available weekly, similar like going to the church   39:37 Common trands that she witnesses   42:00 Signed we get when a loved one passes   44:05 The grief courses she offers   45:55 Meditations to follow in English, French & German   47:15 Do not say you do not have time to Meditate   47:40 The Meditations find their way to a person when its needed   48:10 How a booked helped my trapped nerve   49:40 The different Meditations can help with language learning   50:00 Where they can find Syvlia   How to Contact Sylvia Wolfer    ⁠https://sylviawolfer.com/⁠   ⁠https://www.instagram.com/_sylvia_wolfer_grief_support/⁠   ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sylviawolfer/⁠     All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠     🤝 Join Our Meditation Podcast Community ✦ Website: ⁠http://meditationpodcast.org/⁠ ✦ YouTube: / ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@roycoughlan⁠ ✦Instagram:⁠https://www.instagram.com/meditationpodcast⁠ ✦Facebook:⁠https://www.facebook.com/meditationpodcast.org⁠ ✦ TikTok: / ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@roycoughlanpodcaster⁠      #meditationpodcast #pilates #death #grief #breathwork