It seemed like an impossible task. But as Juanita told me – your TEDx Talk isn’t about replacing your 50,000-word book. It’s a powerful, bite-sized introduction to your idea. People who want to know more will know there’s more information out there.

 

I was mildly concerned about not being based in the same city, but I didn’t need to be. It was clear from our first meeting that Juanita had researched my work extensively and understood my voice and what I was working to achieve. Within a few Zoom sessions, Juanita and I honed my book, work and research into the underlying singular idea that drives me. A few Zoom calls and emails later, we had locked a speech script that was powerful, compelling, and succinct. It was a speech worthy of a talk on human rights and sexual education, and authentically and unapologetically me.

 

I think it’s important to note that I speak for a living, and I have been advocating about my TEDx Talk subject – sex education – for some years now. But I knew the TEDx Talk was a chance to get the message into a concise, compelling format, and Juanita was the perfect person to help me do it. Clear-eyed, honest and reassuring, Juanita always instilled confidence in me that my message was worthy and that I would perform well. She brought her clarity and passion to both the scriptwriting process and the public speaking coaching. I never thought I could memorise a 15-minute script and then deliver it in a way that felt like an honest and authentic conversation with the audience, but…somehow, I did!