WEBVTT STYLE ::cue(v[voice="Carol Cox"]) { color: white } ::cue(v[voice="Diane Diaz"]) { color: lime } ::cue(v[voice="Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur"]) { color: cyan } 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:02.400 Carol Cox: If you want to shift your speaking from just 2 00:00:02.400 --> 00:00:05.280 Carol Cox: giving tips to delivering inspiring messages, 3 00:00:05.280 --> 00:00:07.520 Carol Cox: you're going to love hearing the journey of 4 00:00:07.520 --> 00:00:09.560 Carol Cox: our guest, Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur, 5 00:00:09.680 --> 00:00:11.680 Carol Cox: on this episode of the Speaking Your Brand 6 00:00:11.680 --> 00:00:17.280 Carol Cox: podcast. More and more women are making an 7 00:00:17.280 --> 00:00:19.360 Carol Cox: impact by starting businesses, 8 00:00:19.360 --> 00:00:22.080 Carol Cox: running for office and speaking up for what 9 00:00:22.080 --> 00:00:25.080 Carol Cox: matters. With my background as a TV political 10 00:00:25.080 --> 00:00:26.640 Carol Cox: analyst, entrepreneur, 11 00:00:26.640 --> 00:00:29.320 Carol Cox: and speaker, I interview and coach purpose 12 00:00:29.320 --> 00:00:31.720 Carol Cox: driven women to shape their brands, 13 00:00:31.720 --> 00:00:34.080 Carol Cox: grow their companies, and become recognized 14 00:00:34.080 --> 00:00:36.400 Carol Cox: as influencers in their field. 15 00:00:37.040 --> 00:00:39.000 Carol Cox: This is speaking your brand, 16 00:00:39.000 --> 00:00:41.400 Carol Cox: your place to learn how to persuasively 17 00:00:41.400 --> 00:00:44.640 Carol Cox: communicate your message to your audience. 18 00:00:45.680 --> 00:00:48.360 Diane Diaz: If you're someone who has an idea for a talk, 19 00:00:48.360 --> 00:00:50.360 Diane Diaz: or maybe you've even created your talk 20 00:00:50.360 --> 00:00:52.040 Diane Diaz: already, you might be wondering, 21 00:00:52.040 --> 00:00:53.080 Diane Diaz: well, what now? 22 00:00:53.120 --> 00:00:55.600 Diane Diaz: How do I get out there and start speaking? 23 00:00:55.680 --> 00:00:57.600 Diane Diaz: How do I promote myself as a speaker? 24 00:00:57.760 --> 00:00:59.520 Diane Diaz: How do I start getting speaking gigs? 25 00:00:59.720 --> 00:01:01.400 Diane Diaz: It's one thing to have that talk ready, 26 00:01:01.400 --> 00:01:03.000 Diane Diaz: but it's a whole other thing to actually 27 00:01:03.000 --> 00:01:05.520 Diane Diaz: start doing the talk, getting out there, 28 00:01:05.520 --> 00:01:07.600 Diane Diaz: delivering it and finding speaking 29 00:01:07.600 --> 00:01:08.840 Diane Diaz: engagements that you want, 30 00:01:08.880 --> 00:01:11.320 Diane Diaz: places you want to speak to and places where 31 00:01:11.320 --> 00:01:13.200 Diane Diaz: you can deliver this fantastic message that 32 00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:15.920 Diane Diaz: you created. So how do you do that? 33 00:01:15.960 --> 00:01:17.800 Diane Diaz: What are the techniques for doing that? 34 00:01:17.840 --> 00:01:19.280 Diane Diaz: Well, that's what we're going to talk about 35 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:21.240 Diane Diaz: today with our guest on the Speaking Your 36 00:01:21.240 --> 00:01:24.320 Diane Diaz: Brand podcast, Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur. 37 00:01:24.760 --> 00:01:26.840 Diane Diaz: And so let me start by just saying if you're 38 00:01:26.840 --> 00:01:28.040 Diane Diaz: new to speaking your brand, 39 00:01:28.040 --> 00:01:30.360 Diane Diaz: welcome. If you are returning, 40 00:01:30.360 --> 00:01:32.960 Diane Diaz: welcome back. I'm Diane Diaz and I am the 41 00:01:32.960 --> 00:01:34.960 Diane Diaz: marketing and communications strategist and 42 00:01:34.960 --> 00:01:37.320 Diane Diaz: lead speaking coach at Speaking Your Brand. 43 00:01:37.320 --> 00:01:40.760 Diane Diaz: And today we are going to talk about all the 44 00:01:40.760 --> 00:01:44.280 Diane Diaz: actions and steps that you can take to take 45 00:01:44.320 --> 00:01:45.800 Diane Diaz: the talk that you've worked on, 46 00:01:45.960 --> 00:01:48.120 Diane Diaz: practice it and get out there and start 47 00:01:48.120 --> 00:01:49.920 Diane Diaz: delivering it so that you can start making 48 00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:51.280 Diane Diaz: the impact that you want to make with your 49 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:53.120 Diane Diaz: message. Now our guest today, 50 00:01:53.120 --> 00:01:55.400 Diane Diaz: as I said, is Elaine Schaumburg LaFleur, 51 00:01:55.400 --> 00:01:59.200 Diane Diaz: and she is senior project engineer at AOA 52 00:01:59.320 --> 00:02:01.040 Diane Diaz: here in Orlando. And she's going to tell us a 53 00:02:01.040 --> 00:02:03.000 Diane Diaz: little bit more about that and what she does 54 00:02:03.040 --> 00:02:06.400 Diane Diaz: at AOA. Now, Elaine worked with me in a VIP 55 00:02:06.440 --> 00:02:09.120 Diane Diaz: day way back in August of 2024 because she 56 00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:11.480 Diane Diaz: had a specific speaking engagement coming up. 57 00:02:11.480 --> 00:02:12.640 Diane Diaz: So we worked together, 58 00:02:12.640 --> 00:02:15.960 Diane Diaz: and then she attended our in-person speaking 59 00:02:15.960 --> 00:02:18.440 Diane Diaz: workshop, where she was able to practice her 60 00:02:18.440 --> 00:02:20.240 Diane Diaz: storytelling, practice her messaging, 61 00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:21.520 Diane Diaz: practice her delivery. 62 00:02:21.760 --> 00:02:23.960 Diane Diaz: And so then that launched her on this, 63 00:02:24.200 --> 00:02:26.240 Diane Diaz: these additional speaking engagements that 64 00:02:26.240 --> 00:02:27.520 Diane Diaz: she's been doing, which we're going to hear 65 00:02:27.520 --> 00:02:30.360 Diane Diaz: about. So welcome, Elaine, 66 00:02:30.360 --> 00:02:31.600 Diane Diaz: to the podcast. 67 00:02:31.640 --> 00:02:33.520 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Thank you so much, Diane. Glad to be here. 68 00:02:33.680 --> 00:02:35.760 Diane Diaz: Yes, I'm so excited for our audience to hear 69 00:02:35.760 --> 00:02:38.080 Diane Diaz: from you. Now, you and I were chatting, 70 00:02:38.240 --> 00:02:39.480 Diane Diaz: um, briefly. 71 00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:40.840 Diane Diaz: Well, we'll get into that in just a minute. 72 00:02:40.840 --> 00:02:43.120 Diane Diaz: Let me start by just saying if you can just. 73 00:02:43.160 --> 00:02:44.400 Diane Diaz: I said you work at AOA, 74 00:02:44.440 --> 00:02:46.680 Diane Diaz: but you've actually had a long history 75 00:02:46.680 --> 00:02:48.080 Diane Diaz: somewhere else before that. 76 00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:49.960 Diane Diaz: So if you could take a short, 77 00:02:50.120 --> 00:02:52.200 Diane Diaz: a short little bit and tell our audience what 78 00:02:52.200 --> 00:02:54.640 Diane Diaz: you do now and sort of what your background 79 00:02:54.680 --> 00:02:56.680 Diane Diaz: is and how you came to this work that you do. 80 00:02:57.040 --> 00:03:00.440 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Absolutely. So my background is engineering. 81 00:03:00.480 --> 00:03:03.560 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: I'm a mechanical engineer by trade that has 82 00:03:03.560 --> 00:03:05.200 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: used that to go more into the project 83 00:03:05.200 --> 00:03:07.560 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: management side to balance the, 84 00:03:07.560 --> 00:03:09.920 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: the technical and that idea of loving people 85 00:03:09.920 --> 00:03:11.160 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: and solving problems. 86 00:03:11.160 --> 00:03:12.520 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: So very excited. 87 00:03:12.520 --> 00:03:15.360 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: I've been in the theme park industry for over 88 00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:19.000 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: 22 years. I worked for Walt Disney World for 89 00:03:19.240 --> 00:03:21.080 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: many of those years, but recently have 90 00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:22.280 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: started, like you said, 91 00:03:22.280 --> 00:03:25.000 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: with AOA, which is a company that actually 92 00:03:25.040 --> 00:03:28.160 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: started from Disney to former Imagineers 93 00:03:28.160 --> 00:03:29.560 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: started this small company, 94 00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:32.760 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: um, that still brings these wonderful stories 95 00:03:32.760 --> 00:03:35.200 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: to life here and all around the world. 96 00:03:35.320 --> 00:03:37.360 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Um, so we get to partner with Disney and 97 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:39.800 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: other theme parks as well as museums, 98 00:03:40.080 --> 00:03:42.080 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: uh, you name it. It's just if you can think 99 00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:44.120 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: of a themed opportunity, 100 00:03:44.360 --> 00:03:46.040 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: that is what our team does when it comes to 101 00:03:46.080 --> 00:03:48.440 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: creating storytelling and, 102 00:03:48.520 --> 00:03:50.200 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: uh, the engineering and project management 103 00:03:50.200 --> 00:03:54.120 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: side, which is ties so well into what you do 104 00:03:54.160 --> 00:03:57.400 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: as well as teaching us how to tell stories, 105 00:03:57.400 --> 00:03:59.080 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: whether those are through the projects that 106 00:03:59.080 --> 00:04:01.280 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: you create and or through speeches that you 107 00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:01.640 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: give. 108 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:04.200 Diane Diaz: Well, that's such a great point. You're so 109 00:04:04.200 --> 00:04:05.720 Diane Diaz: right. Because I was looking at the website 110 00:04:05.720 --> 00:04:07.960 Diane Diaz: for AOA, and I saw that it had been started 111 00:04:07.960 --> 00:04:10.160 Diane Diaz: by former Disney Imagineers, 112 00:04:10.160 --> 00:04:12.320 Diane Diaz: and that it was really about building 113 00:04:12.320 --> 00:04:13.560 Diane Diaz: experiences. 114 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:15.960 Diane Diaz: And so that's what we do when we speak, 115 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:17.600 Diane Diaz: right? We are building experience. 116 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:18.720 Diane Diaz: We're telling a story. 117 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:20.680 Diane Diaz: And so, I mean, that's interesting. 118 00:04:20.680 --> 00:04:22.920 Diane Diaz: Your job is storytelling basically through an 119 00:04:22.920 --> 00:04:24.320 Diane Diaz: engineering lens, right. Creating that 120 00:04:24.320 --> 00:04:27.160 Diane Diaz: experience. But also when you're a speaker, 121 00:04:27.200 --> 00:04:28.640 Diane Diaz: your job is storytelling, 122 00:04:28.640 --> 00:04:30.680 Diane Diaz: creating experience for the audience. 123 00:04:30.960 --> 00:04:36.320 Diane Diaz: So I know, um, back in August of 2024, 124 00:04:36.320 --> 00:04:38.840 Diane Diaz: you had reached out for a talk that you had 125 00:04:38.840 --> 00:04:41.320 Diane Diaz: coming up. So what was your what was your 126 00:04:41.320 --> 00:04:42.880 Diane Diaz: speaking experience before? 127 00:04:42.920 --> 00:04:44.600 Diane Diaz: And we'll talk about working together then. 128 00:04:44.600 --> 00:04:46.720 Diane Diaz: But what was your speaking experience before 129 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:48.600 Diane Diaz: we worked together in that VIP day? 130 00:04:49.080 --> 00:04:50.760 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: So before that VIP day, 131 00:04:50.920 --> 00:04:54.440 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: I had given more of your short type of talks 132 00:04:54.440 --> 00:04:56.840 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: somewhere around 15 to 20 minutes, 133 00:04:57.040 --> 00:05:01.040 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: um, on very topics that I know really well, 134 00:05:01.080 --> 00:05:03.160 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: etc. and when I reached out to you, 135 00:05:03.160 --> 00:05:05.080 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: it was because I got my first opportunity to 136 00:05:05.080 --> 00:05:08.620 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: do a keynote. And so I was taking this 15 to 137 00:05:08.620 --> 00:05:11.840 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: 20 minute thing that I do to an hour. 138 00:05:12.200 --> 00:05:14.400 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: And it was quite the it was quite the jump in 139 00:05:14.400 --> 00:05:17.160 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: time, as well as the jump in the amount of 140 00:05:17.160 --> 00:05:19.720 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: people who were going to be attending. And I 141 00:05:19.720 --> 00:05:23.600 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: really wanted some advice from you on how to 142 00:05:23.960 --> 00:05:27.600 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: take what I know and turn that into an actual 143 00:05:27.640 --> 00:05:31.360 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: keynote. And that session with you was 144 00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:35.000 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: amazing. You really helped me first get out 145 00:05:35.000 --> 00:05:36.280 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: of my head. 146 00:05:36.280 --> 00:05:38.040 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: When it comes to always just having to bring 147 00:05:38.080 --> 00:05:40.200 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: tips, right? Like I'm the tip girl. 148 00:05:40.200 --> 00:05:42.120 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Let me share all the things I've learned in 149 00:05:42.120 --> 00:05:45.120 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: my 22 years, and you've taught me how to put 150 00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:46.400 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: those in to the speech, 151 00:05:46.400 --> 00:05:49.360 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: so they're there. Um, but with that comes the 152 00:05:49.360 --> 00:05:51.800 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: storytelling. And what was so funny is I do 153 00:05:51.800 --> 00:05:54.560 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: that so often, but I kind of lost that idea 154 00:05:54.760 --> 00:05:58.160 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: of needing to bring that storytelling aspect, 155 00:05:58.160 --> 00:06:00.040 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: that beginning, middle and end throughout 156 00:06:00.040 --> 00:06:02.680 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: everything, especially during an entire hour 157 00:06:03.120 --> 00:06:07.040 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: presentation, and really appreciate what you 158 00:06:07.080 --> 00:06:08.160 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: helped me create. 159 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:10.080 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: And just the confidence that I had going into 160 00:06:10.080 --> 00:06:12.440 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: that speech was wonderful. 161 00:06:12.880 --> 00:06:14.400 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: And then once that once I did that, 162 00:06:14.400 --> 00:06:16.680 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: then I just got the bug of I need to continue 163 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:18.880 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: doing this more. And, um, 164 00:06:18.880 --> 00:06:21.120 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: so I appreciate that because that was the the 165 00:06:21.120 --> 00:06:22.560 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: gateway. Yeah. 166 00:06:23.480 --> 00:06:25.080 Diane Diaz: Like the gateway drug to speaking. 167 00:06:25.120 --> 00:06:26.240 Diane Diaz: Right? Yes. 168 00:06:27.520 --> 00:06:28.840 Diane Diaz: You know, it's so funny. 169 00:06:28.880 --> 00:06:32.000 Diane Diaz: Like I did notice that that once you did that 170 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:33.400 Diane Diaz: talk. And then, of course, we'll talk about 171 00:06:33.400 --> 00:06:35.440 Diane Diaz: the workshop you came to, but I noticed you 172 00:06:35.480 --> 00:06:37.160 Diane Diaz: kind of got that bug of speaking. 173 00:06:37.160 --> 00:06:39.040 Diane Diaz: So we we are the gateway. 174 00:06:39.080 --> 00:06:41.160 Diane Diaz: If you work with us, you're going to we're 175 00:06:41.160 --> 00:06:43.560 Diane Diaz: going to push you to do more things, 176 00:06:43.560 --> 00:06:45.520 Diane Diaz: get out there more. And like we were talking 177 00:06:45.520 --> 00:06:47.160 Diane Diaz: about before we started recording, 178 00:06:47.200 --> 00:06:49.280 Diane Diaz: actually pitching yourself to to speak, 179 00:06:49.280 --> 00:06:51.000 Diane Diaz: which will again, we'll we'll touch on that 180 00:06:51.000 --> 00:06:53.720 Diane Diaz: and more in a little bit, but I love two that 181 00:06:53.720 --> 00:06:55.160 Diane Diaz: you mentioned that, you know, 182 00:06:55.200 --> 00:06:58.000 Diane Diaz: you had kind of been sort of like the tip 183 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:00.080 Diane Diaz: girl. And so that's that expert trap that we 184 00:07:00.080 --> 00:07:02.440 Diane Diaz: talk about, right? Where you get stuck just 185 00:07:02.440 --> 00:07:04.960 Diane Diaz: sharing tips and all your expertise, 186 00:07:05.320 --> 00:07:07.680 Diane Diaz: but also you forget, like as you said, 187 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:10.160 Diane Diaz: your your job is storytelling in the 188 00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:11.440 Diane Diaz: engineering work that you do. 189 00:07:11.480 --> 00:07:14.440 Diane Diaz: And so but we don't realize sometimes we 190 00:07:14.440 --> 00:07:16.920 Diane Diaz: can't use our superpower on ourselves. 191 00:07:16.920 --> 00:07:18.680 Diane Diaz: So we forget like, oh, 192 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:20.240 Diane Diaz: we actually do this in our work. 193 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:22.760 Diane Diaz: But then how do we translate that to a talk? 194 00:07:23.000 --> 00:07:24.720 Diane Diaz: Right. And so that's where, 195 00:07:24.760 --> 00:07:26.760 Diane Diaz: you know, when we worked in the VIP day, I 196 00:07:26.880 --> 00:07:29.920 Diane Diaz: remember you sharing some of your amazing 197 00:07:29.960 --> 00:07:32.360 Diane Diaz: Disney stories with me and things projects. 198 00:07:32.360 --> 00:07:34.000 Diane Diaz: You had worked on that of course. 199 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:35.280 Diane Diaz: So just for background, 200 00:07:35.280 --> 00:07:36.440 Diane Diaz: for everyone listening, 201 00:07:36.480 --> 00:07:38.320 Diane Diaz: Elaine and I both live in the Orlando area, 202 00:07:38.320 --> 00:07:40.240 Diane Diaz: and so I've lived here for a long time, 203 00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:42.280 Diane Diaz: and so I'm extremely familiar with Disney, 204 00:07:42.280 --> 00:07:43.840 Diane Diaz: as is anyone who lives here. 205 00:07:43.840 --> 00:07:46.360 Diane Diaz: And so as we were working together and you 206 00:07:46.400 --> 00:07:48.000 Diane Diaz: were sharing your stories with me about these 207 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:49.520 Diane Diaz: different projects you worked on, 208 00:07:50.040 --> 00:07:51.640 Diane Diaz: You know, these are things that are familiar 209 00:07:51.640 --> 00:07:53.880 Diane Diaz: to me. And so hearing kind of the background 210 00:07:53.880 --> 00:07:56.440 Diane Diaz: of these things and your involvement in them 211 00:07:56.440 --> 00:07:58.440 Diane Diaz: and those the power of those stories, 212 00:07:58.440 --> 00:08:00.120 Diane Diaz: and I believe the talk you were you were 213 00:08:00.120 --> 00:08:03.200 Diane Diaz: going to give that keynote talk was to a 214 00:08:03.200 --> 00:08:06.280 Diane Diaz: group of young women engineers in college. 215 00:08:06.280 --> 00:08:07.200 Diane Diaz: Is that correct? Correct. 216 00:08:07.240 --> 00:08:08.200 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: That is correct, yes. 217 00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:10.760 Diane Diaz: And yeah, so the whole goal was to sort of 218 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:12.280 Diane Diaz: let them see what's possible, 219 00:08:12.280 --> 00:08:13.880 Diane Diaz: inspire them, you know, 220 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:15.760 Diane Diaz: show them where they might be headed in their 221 00:08:15.800 --> 00:08:16.880 Diane Diaz: in their career. 222 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:19.240 Diane Diaz: And that's what we ended up with is these 223 00:08:19.240 --> 00:08:21.880 Diane Diaz: amazing stories that you of these projects 224 00:08:21.880 --> 00:08:23.240 Diane Diaz: you had worked on. And so, 225 00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:26.120 Diane Diaz: you know, I love that storytelling aspect, 226 00:08:26.120 --> 00:08:29.160 Diane Diaz: because then when you came to the workshop, 227 00:08:29.160 --> 00:08:32.000 Diane Diaz: that was an opportunity to actually practice 228 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:33.800 Diane Diaz: those things. So, well, 229 00:08:33.800 --> 00:08:35.040 Diane Diaz: let let me ask first, though, 230 00:08:35.080 --> 00:08:36.880 Diane Diaz: once you when you delivered that talk, 231 00:08:36.880 --> 00:08:38.920 Diane Diaz: how was it received by that audience of young 232 00:08:38.920 --> 00:08:41.080 Diane Diaz: women soon to be engineers? 233 00:08:41.440 --> 00:08:44.440 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: I I've made so many good contacts and friends 234 00:08:44.440 --> 00:08:46.760 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: through that. I love all of them reaching out 235 00:08:46.760 --> 00:08:48.920 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: that are taking some of those stories and 236 00:08:48.920 --> 00:08:51.200 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: applying that feeling empowered themselves in 237 00:08:51.240 --> 00:08:52.880 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: the future that they can do in this industry. 238 00:08:52.920 --> 00:08:56.000 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: You and I had talked that my love of talking 239 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:58.400 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: to fellow women in engineering comes from the 240 00:08:58.400 --> 00:09:00.880 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: fact that here I've been in this industry, 241 00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:03.840 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: like we talked over 22 years and we're still 242 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:06.600 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: less than 20% of the industry. 243 00:09:06.600 --> 00:09:09.880 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: And so I appreciate you helping me because I 244 00:09:09.920 --> 00:09:11.440 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: want to keep encouraging and empowering 245 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:12.640 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: people. So they see it. 246 00:09:12.680 --> 00:09:14.800 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: They it's hard to be what you can't see. 247 00:09:14.840 --> 00:09:17.120 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: And so we get out there to kind of inspire 248 00:09:17.320 --> 00:09:20.280 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: and encourage. And I think what I was able to 249 00:09:20.280 --> 00:09:22.840 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: do was reach that group and just continuing 250 00:09:22.840 --> 00:09:24.160 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: to reach others to say, 251 00:09:24.360 --> 00:09:26.040 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: we can make a difference in this industry. 252 00:09:26.280 --> 00:09:27.360 Diane Diaz: Yes. I love that. 253 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:28.760 Diane Diaz: You know, that just reminds me of something 254 00:09:28.760 --> 00:09:31.920 Diane Diaz: that just an experience I just had recently 255 00:09:31.920 --> 00:09:34.520 Diane Diaz: where I attended a scholarship social for a 256 00:09:34.520 --> 00:09:35.800 Diane Diaz: group that I'm a part of, 257 00:09:36.120 --> 00:09:38.320 Diane Diaz: and one of the young women receiving one of 258 00:09:38.320 --> 00:09:42.480 Diane Diaz: the scholarships was a she's studying 259 00:09:42.760 --> 00:09:46.400 Diane Diaz: aerospace engineering and wants to be, 260 00:09:46.440 --> 00:09:48.400 Diane Diaz: I believe she told me she wants to be a test 261 00:09:48.400 --> 00:09:50.400 Diane Diaz: pilot and then a commercial pilot, 262 00:09:50.640 --> 00:09:53.200 Diane Diaz: and then she's already done all all of these 263 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:55.960 Diane Diaz: internships all over the country in things 264 00:09:55.960 --> 00:09:58.200 Diane Diaz: related to aerospace engineering. And I was 265 00:09:58.480 --> 00:09:59.800 Diane Diaz: really blown away by that. 266 00:09:59.800 --> 00:10:01.640 Diane Diaz: But the conversation I had with her was to to 267 00:10:01.760 --> 00:10:03.480 Diane Diaz: that point of the fact that it is a very male 268 00:10:03.480 --> 00:10:04.640 Diane Diaz: dominated industry. 269 00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:07.200 Diane Diaz: And so as a woman in engineering, 270 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:09.600 Diane Diaz: you have all these opportunities, but also, 271 00:10:09.760 --> 00:10:11.240 Diane Diaz: of course, then you've got to, you know, work 272 00:10:11.240 --> 00:10:13.960 Diane Diaz: that much harder. But getting your voice out 273 00:10:13.960 --> 00:10:15.960 Diane Diaz: there, you know, being seen, 274 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:17.480 Diane Diaz: having the visibility. 275 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:20.880 Diane Diaz: And so hearing from women like you who've 276 00:10:20.880 --> 00:10:22.560 Diane Diaz: been in the industry for a long time, 277 00:10:22.560 --> 00:10:24.200 Diane Diaz: for these young women to hear from someone 278 00:10:24.200 --> 00:10:26.040 Diane Diaz: like that, I think is so empowering because 279 00:10:26.080 --> 00:10:28.320 Diane Diaz: like you said, you you can't be what you 280 00:10:28.320 --> 00:10:29.760 Diane Diaz: can't see. But when they see it, 281 00:10:29.760 --> 00:10:31.720 Diane Diaz: they're like, oh, I didn't. 282 00:10:31.760 --> 00:10:33.400 Diane Diaz: Maybe they have never thought about working 283 00:10:33.400 --> 00:10:35.000 Diane Diaz: at a theme park. You know, 284 00:10:35.040 --> 00:10:36.760 Diane Diaz: maybe that's never occurred to them. 285 00:10:36.800 --> 00:10:38.360 Diane Diaz: But so there's those opportunities. 286 00:10:38.360 --> 00:10:40.120 Diane Diaz: So that's how important. 287 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:42.320 Diane Diaz: And for everyone listening, regardless of the 288 00:10:42.320 --> 00:10:43.680 Diane Diaz: industry you're in, that is how important 289 00:10:43.680 --> 00:10:44.640 Diane Diaz: your message is. 290 00:10:45.240 --> 00:10:46.720 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Absolutely. Absolutely. 291 00:10:46.760 --> 00:10:50.240 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: And being able to show and and guide and show 292 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:54.400 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: that there's ways to show empathy in any type 293 00:10:54.400 --> 00:10:55.440 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: of industry. So. 294 00:10:55.480 --> 00:10:55.960 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Absolutely. 295 00:10:56.000 --> 00:10:56.440 Diane Diaz: Yes. 296 00:10:56.480 --> 00:10:57.480 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Yeah. Storytelling. 297 00:10:57.680 --> 00:10:58.800 Diane Diaz: Yes, exactly. 298 00:10:58.800 --> 00:11:01.720 Diane Diaz: And I'm so I'm so glad that you were bitten 299 00:11:01.720 --> 00:11:04.960 Diane Diaz: by that bug, because then you attended our 300 00:11:04.960 --> 00:11:09.040 Diane Diaz: in-person speaking workshop where that was an 301 00:11:09.040 --> 00:11:11.720 Diane Diaz: opportunity in an in-person setting with, 302 00:11:11.760 --> 00:11:15.320 Diane Diaz: I think we had about 13 or 14 other women 303 00:11:15.320 --> 00:11:18.120 Diane Diaz: there. And then it was a whole day workshop 304 00:11:18.320 --> 00:11:20.320 Diane Diaz: where we gave hands on feedback. 305 00:11:20.320 --> 00:11:22.000 Diane Diaz: So there's an opportunity for you to get on 306 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:24.680 Diane Diaz: the stage, tell your story, 307 00:11:25.000 --> 00:11:27.640 Diane Diaz: share a story, get feedback from myself and 308 00:11:27.640 --> 00:11:30.320 Diane Diaz: Carol, giving you feedback on not just the 309 00:11:30.320 --> 00:11:32.440 Diane Diaz: delivery, but also the stage presence, 310 00:11:32.440 --> 00:11:34.360 Diane Diaz: use of the stage, your body language, 311 00:11:34.360 --> 00:11:37.080 Diane Diaz: all of those things to make the story as 312 00:11:37.080 --> 00:11:40.040 Diane Diaz: impactful for the audience as possible so 313 00:11:40.040 --> 00:11:43.000 Diane Diaz: that it can really it can really create the 314 00:11:43.000 --> 00:11:44.720 Diane Diaz: impact you want to create with your message 315 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:46.040 Diane Diaz: through that story? How? 316 00:11:46.360 --> 00:11:48.000 Diane Diaz: Tell us about that experience in the 317 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:49.360 Diane Diaz: workshop, what it was like, 318 00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:50.720 Diane Diaz: what you walked away with it, 319 00:11:51.040 --> 00:11:52.720 Diane Diaz: what you walked away from it with? 320 00:11:53.480 --> 00:11:55.440 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: I encourage people to attend these. 321 00:11:55.720 --> 00:11:57.960 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: To me, it was so nice to hear so many 322 00:11:57.960 --> 00:12:01.160 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: different voices and to remind myself that 323 00:12:01.160 --> 00:12:03.240 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: there's many ways to give presentations. 324 00:12:03.240 --> 00:12:05.520 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Some people do humor really well. 325 00:12:05.520 --> 00:12:08.000 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Some people don't feel authentic in doing the 326 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:11.320 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: humor approach, and I really love that you 327 00:12:11.480 --> 00:12:13.480 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: work through different techniques that helped 328 00:12:13.480 --> 00:12:16.040 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: you think through what feels authentic to 329 00:12:16.040 --> 00:12:17.600 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: you, what feels like it's going to get your 330 00:12:17.600 --> 00:12:20.560 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: message across, and getting to hear all these 331 00:12:20.560 --> 00:12:22.480 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: different women give those different 332 00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:24.320 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: perspectives and hear that and hear their 333 00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:26.920 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: story and hear why they're up there and just 334 00:12:27.760 --> 00:12:29.400 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: getting to take little bits from them like, 335 00:12:29.440 --> 00:12:30.640 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: oh, that works for them, 336 00:12:30.640 --> 00:12:33.280 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: I love that. Or oh, I could do that too. 337 00:12:33.320 --> 00:12:35.360 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: And it helped me kind of tweak and become 338 00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:37.360 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: stronger just by being around them and or 339 00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:39.360 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: just getting some of the accolades from them 340 00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:40.800 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: as well. Like, oh, that was a fantastic 341 00:12:40.800 --> 00:12:42.280 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: story. And sometimes you just need that 342 00:12:42.480 --> 00:12:44.880 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: reminder of you're making you're helping 343 00:12:44.920 --> 00:12:46.760 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: others just as much as they're helping you in 344 00:12:46.760 --> 00:12:47.760 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: this day workshop. 345 00:12:48.120 --> 00:12:49.800 Diane Diaz: Yeah. You know, that's such a good point 346 00:12:49.800 --> 00:12:51.400 Diane Diaz: because when you're practicing your talk in 347 00:12:51.400 --> 00:12:52.680 Diane Diaz: front of a mirror to yourself, 348 00:12:52.680 --> 00:12:54.720 Diane Diaz: right, you don't have the feedback of someone 349 00:12:54.720 --> 00:12:56.320 Diane Diaz: else saying, oh my gosh, 350 00:12:56.320 --> 00:12:58.040 Diane Diaz: that really made an impact on me. And I do 351 00:12:58.040 --> 00:13:01.360 Diane Diaz: remember on that day, all of the women there, 352 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:02.600 Diane Diaz: you and everyone else, 353 00:13:02.600 --> 00:13:04.520 Diane Diaz: when they would get up to tell their story. 354 00:13:04.840 --> 00:13:06.800 Diane Diaz: So many of the other people in the audience 355 00:13:06.800 --> 00:13:09.440 Diane Diaz: were moved by it or reminded of some 356 00:13:09.680 --> 00:13:11.200 Diane Diaz: experience they had or, 357 00:13:11.400 --> 00:13:13.040 Diane Diaz: you know, just gave some piece of feedback 358 00:13:13.040 --> 00:13:14.600 Diane Diaz: that was just like, oh, this was really 359 00:13:14.600 --> 00:13:16.000 Diane Diaz: meaningful when you said this. 360 00:13:16.320 --> 00:13:19.160 Diane Diaz: And it is a great opportunity to get 361 00:13:19.160 --> 00:13:21.320 Diane Diaz: validation for the story, 362 00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:23.400 Diane Diaz: validation for, you know, 363 00:13:23.480 --> 00:13:25.440 Diane Diaz: the way you're delivering it, and also tips 364 00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:26.560 Diane Diaz: for making it stronger. 365 00:13:26.560 --> 00:13:28.840 Diane Diaz: But also, I love the point you made about the 366 00:13:28.840 --> 00:13:31.680 Diane Diaz: fact that everyone has a different speaking 367 00:13:31.680 --> 00:13:34.000 Diane Diaz: style, right? You might be a more reserved 368 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:35.440 Diane Diaz: speaker where someone else is more 369 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:37.960 Diane Diaz: boisterous. Someone else might use humor. 370 00:13:37.960 --> 00:13:39.680 Diane Diaz: Another person might, like you said, 371 00:13:39.680 --> 00:13:42.160 Diane Diaz: not be comfortable with humor in that way, 372 00:13:42.160 --> 00:13:44.480 Diane Diaz: and so everyone can use their own unique 373 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:47.040 Diane Diaz: speaking style. And we saw that on that day. 374 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:49.960 Diane Diaz: We saw many different styles of speaking, 375 00:13:49.960 --> 00:13:51.200 Diane Diaz: all of them amazing. 376 00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:53.520 Diane Diaz: But then it's just amplifying whatever your 377 00:13:53.520 --> 00:13:56.400 Diane Diaz: natural style is to make it as powerful as 378 00:13:56.400 --> 00:13:58.600 Diane Diaz: possible for the audience. 379 00:13:58.680 --> 00:14:01.000 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Absolutely. And I love that you balance 380 00:14:01.000 --> 00:14:04.040 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: pushing us out of our comfort zone with the 381 00:14:04.040 --> 00:14:05.360 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: idea of still being authentic. 382 00:14:05.360 --> 00:14:08.120 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: And it's it's a perfect day for that to where 383 00:14:08.280 --> 00:14:10.480 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: you make us get up and do some improv things, 384 00:14:10.520 --> 00:14:13.520 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: which for introvert engineers like myself, 385 00:14:13.760 --> 00:14:15.320 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: you make that a little challenging, 386 00:14:15.320 --> 00:14:16.440 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: which I appreciate. 387 00:14:16.480 --> 00:14:17.920 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Yeah. And and all the while, 388 00:14:17.920 --> 00:14:19.720 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: like you said, just being able to encourage 389 00:14:19.720 --> 00:14:21.120 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: each other and know that we're making a 390 00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:23.400 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: difference together and becoming stronger 391 00:14:23.880 --> 00:14:24.960 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: when you leave that day, 392 00:14:25.000 --> 00:14:25.920 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: that session. 393 00:14:25.920 --> 00:14:27.840 Diane Diaz: Yes. Yeah. That's a really good point about 394 00:14:27.840 --> 00:14:29.160 Diane Diaz: pushing you outside your comfort zone, 395 00:14:29.160 --> 00:14:31.520 Diane Diaz: because, you know, on that day we want you to 396 00:14:32.040 --> 00:14:33.600 Diane Diaz: to try some new things that maybe you've 397 00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:35.840 Diane Diaz: never tried before. And to full disclosure, 398 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:40.560 Diane Diaz: Carol and I, we love what improv can do for 399 00:14:40.560 --> 00:14:42.400 Diane Diaz: someone who was a speaker. We don't love 400 00:14:42.400 --> 00:14:45.120 Diane Diaz: improv per se, because we are both not very 401 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:47.240 Diane Diaz: good at it, and I'm not speaking out of turn. 402 00:14:47.240 --> 00:14:49.920 Diane Diaz: I'm sure Carol would admit to that as well. 403 00:14:50.280 --> 00:14:52.680 Diane Diaz: I love to hate improv. 404 00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:56.440 Diane Diaz: But with that said, I do recognize the, 405 00:14:56.760 --> 00:14:59.960 Diane Diaz: um, skills that I've taken from having taken 406 00:14:59.960 --> 00:15:02.200 Diane Diaz: an improv class and those exercises that we 407 00:15:02.200 --> 00:15:04.120 Diane Diaz: do during these workshops where Carol and I 408 00:15:04.120 --> 00:15:06.160 Diane Diaz: also participate them, even though we aren't, 409 00:15:06.160 --> 00:15:08.640 Diane Diaz: we aren't good at it, but it does get you 410 00:15:08.680 --> 00:15:10.040 Diane Diaz: outside your comfort zone. 411 00:15:10.040 --> 00:15:12.680 Diane Diaz: It also, it forces you to think outside the 412 00:15:12.720 --> 00:15:14.520 Diane Diaz: box of what you think is possible. 413 00:15:14.720 --> 00:15:16.400 Diane Diaz: It gets you into your body because you're 414 00:15:16.400 --> 00:15:17.920 Diane Diaz: moving around on the stage. 415 00:15:18.040 --> 00:15:20.200 Diane Diaz: And so that's one thing I love about these 416 00:15:20.200 --> 00:15:21.680 Diane Diaz: workshops is, you know, 417 00:15:21.720 --> 00:15:24.320 Diane Diaz: we can tell people, Carol and I can get in 418 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:26.040 Diane Diaz: the expert trap, right, and tell people all 419 00:15:26.040 --> 00:15:29.040 Diane Diaz: these tips. Instead, what we do is we get in 420 00:15:29.040 --> 00:15:31.480 Diane Diaz: a room with the women that attend, 421 00:15:31.800 --> 00:15:33.680 Diane Diaz: have them practice these things so they can 422 00:15:33.680 --> 00:15:35.040 Diane Diaz: feel it for themselves. 423 00:15:35.040 --> 00:15:36.640 Diane Diaz: So instead of us just telling, 424 00:15:36.800 --> 00:15:38.480 Diane Diaz: they're actually doing and then they 425 00:15:38.600 --> 00:15:43.000 Diane Diaz: experience the power of being in a room with 426 00:15:43.000 --> 00:15:44.720 Diane Diaz: other women, getting that feedback, getting 427 00:15:44.720 --> 00:15:47.160 Diane Diaz: the validation, doing the exercises, 428 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:48.360 Diane Diaz: moving on the stage. 429 00:15:48.360 --> 00:15:51.160 Diane Diaz: And there's some I think you saw it that day 430 00:15:51.160 --> 00:15:53.840 Diane Diaz: to some really big breakthroughs that happen. 431 00:15:54.200 --> 00:15:54.600 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Yes. 432 00:15:54.800 --> 00:15:56.160 Diane Diaz: In that day. Yeah. 433 00:15:56.200 --> 00:15:57.520 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: And you could and you could just celebrate 434 00:15:57.520 --> 00:15:59.440 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: with them on that. And it's so much fun. 435 00:15:59.480 --> 00:16:00.160 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Absolutely. 436 00:16:00.200 --> 00:16:01.480 Diane Diaz: Yes. Yeah. You know, we laugh, 437 00:16:01.480 --> 00:16:03.320 Diane Diaz: we cry, we dance, we have fun, 438 00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:04.760 Diane Diaz: we get serious, we get silly, 439 00:16:04.760 --> 00:16:05.960 Diane Diaz: we do all the things. 440 00:16:05.960 --> 00:16:09.000 Diane Diaz: And it's it's just the one thing that I love 441 00:16:09.000 --> 00:16:11.520 Diane Diaz: the most about it is seeing everyone in the 442 00:16:11.520 --> 00:16:14.240 Diane Diaz: beginning be a little reserved and timid and 443 00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:15.680 Diane Diaz: watching them just. 444 00:16:16.400 --> 00:16:18.760 Diane Diaz: It sounds so cliche, but literally blossom 445 00:16:18.760 --> 00:16:22.240 Diane Diaz: before our eyes to the end of the day where 446 00:16:22.280 --> 00:16:25.240 Diane Diaz: they're on the stage with power telling this 447 00:16:25.240 --> 00:16:27.400 Diane Diaz: story. It is incredible. 448 00:16:27.720 --> 00:16:30.280 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: I've connected with a bunch of the ladies who 449 00:16:30.280 --> 00:16:32.840 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: were in that session through LinkedIn. 450 00:16:32.840 --> 00:16:34.400 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: We stay in touch. 451 00:16:34.400 --> 00:16:35.760 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: We encourage each other. 452 00:16:35.960 --> 00:16:38.040 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Uh, it's so much fun to get comments from 453 00:16:38.040 --> 00:16:39.480 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: them, or to be able to comment on their stuff 454 00:16:39.520 --> 00:16:42.280 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: on LinkedIn and see them taking what they 455 00:16:42.280 --> 00:16:44.120 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: learned from that day and applying it. 456 00:16:44.160 --> 00:16:46.640 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: It's it is. So the word encouraging just 457 00:16:46.640 --> 00:16:49.680 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: doesn't give enough to to show what you get 458 00:16:49.680 --> 00:16:51.120 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: out of that day. It's it's more than just a 459 00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:53.400 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: day. It's building your own confidence. 460 00:16:53.400 --> 00:16:55.200 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: It's getting out of perfectionism. 461 00:16:55.200 --> 00:16:57.280 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: And it's it's making connections that are so 462 00:16:57.280 --> 00:16:57.920 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: special. 463 00:16:58.360 --> 00:16:59.840 Diane Diaz: Yeah, that's a great point about getting out 464 00:16:59.840 --> 00:17:01.920 Diane Diaz: of perfectionism. I think that's one thing 465 00:17:01.920 --> 00:17:04.120 Diane Diaz: that we're all probably guilty of is trying 466 00:17:04.120 --> 00:17:05.880 Diane Diaz: to make the talk perfect before we can go 467 00:17:05.880 --> 00:17:08.120 Diane Diaz: deliver it, but we know that you have to 468 00:17:08.160 --> 00:17:10.280 Diane Diaz: deliver it in order to be able to perfect it. 469 00:17:10.280 --> 00:17:11.960 Diane Diaz: Right, and to be able to make it better. 470 00:17:12.680 --> 00:17:14.520 Diane Diaz: Now, Elaine, were you I'm curious. 471 00:17:14.520 --> 00:17:17.760 Diane Diaz: Were you, um, coming into that workshop, 472 00:17:17.760 --> 00:17:19.240 Diane Diaz: were you nervous? 473 00:17:19.280 --> 00:17:21.640 Diane Diaz: Unsure. Not like what was. 474 00:17:21.640 --> 00:17:23.360 Diane Diaz: What were you feeling like coming into it? 475 00:17:23.360 --> 00:17:25.360 Diane Diaz: And then what was it like at the end? 476 00:17:25.840 --> 00:17:27.160 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: I was definitely nervous, 477 00:17:27.280 --> 00:17:29.520 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: uh, especially being around some people who 478 00:17:29.560 --> 00:17:31.160 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: have a lot more experience. 479 00:17:31.280 --> 00:17:34.880 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Um, and, and those who have given bigger 480 00:17:35.250 --> 00:17:37.570 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Talks, done things for, 481 00:17:37.810 --> 00:17:40.130 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: um, getting paid for some of those things as 482 00:17:40.130 --> 00:17:42.130 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: well, which you're encouraging us to do. So a 483 00:17:42.130 --> 00:17:43.490 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: little bit nervous coming in, 484 00:17:43.490 --> 00:17:46.730 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: but I think what you helped us see is what 485 00:17:46.770 --> 00:17:48.730 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: each of us brings and what each of us is 486 00:17:48.730 --> 00:17:50.370 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: going to learn. And so getting that that 487 00:17:50.370 --> 00:17:53.490 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: growth mindset of coming in and what you're 488 00:17:53.490 --> 00:17:54.810 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: going to get out of that, 489 00:17:55.050 --> 00:17:56.730 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: uh, is so valuable. 490 00:17:56.730 --> 00:17:59.690 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: And I think, like you said, 491 00:17:59.970 --> 00:18:01.530 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: those sessions of just loosening up, 492 00:18:01.530 --> 00:18:02.810 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: getting to know each other, 493 00:18:02.810 --> 00:18:05.170 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: bonding, um, getting to hear what other 494 00:18:05.170 --> 00:18:07.490 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: people are trying to work on themselves and 495 00:18:07.490 --> 00:18:09.490 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: being able to be encouraging and help or even 496 00:18:09.530 --> 00:18:11.690 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: ask like, okay, how could I work on this? 497 00:18:11.890 --> 00:18:13.930 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Um, how could I get this story across 498 00:18:13.930 --> 00:18:16.250 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: without, uh, emotions coming through things 499 00:18:16.250 --> 00:18:20.250 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: like that where we, we started just forming 500 00:18:20.250 --> 00:18:21.970 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: this effort of helping each other, 501 00:18:21.970 --> 00:18:23.170 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: and it was so uplifting. 502 00:18:23.210 --> 00:18:26.290 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: And like you said it from the moment through 503 00:18:26.330 --> 00:18:27.770 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: lunch, through the end of the day, it was 504 00:18:27.770 --> 00:18:29.010 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: just I didn't even want to leave. Like, I 505 00:18:29.010 --> 00:18:31.570 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: just wanted to stay around and be encouraged 506 00:18:31.610 --> 00:18:33.650 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: and like, wait, I got so much energy. 507 00:18:33.690 --> 00:18:35.570 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: How do we how do we keep this going? 508 00:18:35.850 --> 00:18:38.010 Diane Diaz: I know it's such a fun day and it's fun for 509 00:18:38.090 --> 00:18:39.650 Diane Diaz: for me and Carol as well. And we don't want 510 00:18:39.650 --> 00:18:41.570 Diane Diaz: to leave either, because it is so much fun. 511 00:18:41.810 --> 00:18:44.410 Diane Diaz: Um, and the bonds that everyone forms during 512 00:18:44.410 --> 00:18:47.130 Diane Diaz: that day, you can see those kind of happen 513 00:18:47.130 --> 00:18:48.450 Diane Diaz: before your eyes as well, 514 00:18:48.450 --> 00:18:50.010 Diane Diaz: which is so lovely to see. 515 00:18:50.050 --> 00:18:52.450 Diane Diaz: And if, if we need anything in this world, 516 00:18:52.450 --> 00:18:53.850 Diane Diaz: it's people supporting each other more, 517 00:18:53.890 --> 00:18:56.970 Diane Diaz: right. And so seeing, seeing professionals 518 00:18:56.970 --> 00:18:58.210 Diane Diaz: and, and, uh, you know, 519 00:18:58.250 --> 00:19:00.210 Diane Diaz: women supporting each other on LinkedIn when 520 00:19:00.250 --> 00:19:01.930 Diane Diaz: we watched that too, like we see you all 521 00:19:01.930 --> 00:19:03.610 Diane Diaz: connecting with each other. We love to see 522 00:19:03.610 --> 00:19:05.850 Diane Diaz: that. Um, okay. 523 00:19:05.890 --> 00:19:08.490 Diane Diaz: So I've been following you on LinkedIn, 524 00:19:08.530 --> 00:19:11.250 Diane Diaz: of course, and I've seen you posting about 525 00:19:11.650 --> 00:19:13.170 Diane Diaz: other talks you've been giving. 526 00:19:13.170 --> 00:19:15.770 Diane Diaz: So I've noticed you have been bitten by the 527 00:19:15.770 --> 00:19:17.650 Diane Diaz: speaking bug and that you've been speaking 528 00:19:17.770 --> 00:19:19.530 Diane Diaz: more. Can you share a little bit about some 529 00:19:19.530 --> 00:19:21.490 Diane Diaz: of the speaking engagements you've had since 530 00:19:21.730 --> 00:19:23.970 Diane Diaz: that last talk that you gave where we worked 531 00:19:24.010 --> 00:19:26.370 Diane Diaz: together? Like, what have where have you been 532 00:19:26.370 --> 00:19:27.930 Diane Diaz: speaking? What has been the topic? What has 533 00:19:27.930 --> 00:19:28.690 Diane Diaz: it been like? 534 00:19:29.050 --> 00:19:31.730 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: No, I appreciate it because you're you helped 535 00:19:31.730 --> 00:19:35.050 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: us think through how to reach out more and 536 00:19:35.050 --> 00:19:37.250 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: encouraging us to do that more. And I had 537 00:19:37.290 --> 00:19:40.090 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: kind of stayed in my my colleges, 538 00:19:40.370 --> 00:19:41.730 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: especially University of Central Florida. 539 00:19:41.730 --> 00:19:43.810 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Things here that I am happy to support will 540 00:19:43.810 --> 00:19:45.570 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: always support, but I appreciate that you 541 00:19:45.570 --> 00:19:47.050 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: helped us try to branch out. 542 00:19:47.330 --> 00:19:50.170 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Um, so, you know, I got I found this whole 543 00:19:50.210 --> 00:19:51.610 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: group called Empowering Women, 544 00:19:52.210 --> 00:19:54.130 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: which is wonderful. And being able to reach 545 00:19:54.130 --> 00:19:56.930 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: out and apply and get selected to speak there 546 00:19:57.210 --> 00:19:58.770 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: was an amazing thing. 547 00:19:58.810 --> 00:20:00.770 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: And, um, then even the stuff, 548 00:20:00.770 --> 00:20:02.570 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: when you get rejected, I think you've really 549 00:20:02.570 --> 00:20:04.890 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: helped us build resilience through that. 550 00:20:04.970 --> 00:20:06.370 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Um, so like, for instance, 551 00:20:06.370 --> 00:20:09.290 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: I had applied to the Society of Engineers the 552 00:20:09.330 --> 00:20:11.010 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: big conference that happens in October, and I 553 00:20:11.010 --> 00:20:12.050 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: didn't get selected. 554 00:20:12.170 --> 00:20:15.450 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Um, but what I took from that was, 555 00:20:15.890 --> 00:20:18.370 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: um, you know, Carol gives lots of great tips 556 00:20:18.370 --> 00:20:20.410 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: on how to use AI, and I, 557 00:20:20.930 --> 00:20:22.930 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: I, I've learned from her for doing that. 558 00:20:22.930 --> 00:20:25.610 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: So I took some of the sections that were 559 00:20:25.610 --> 00:20:28.010 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: selected, copied those in and I, 560 00:20:28.050 --> 00:20:29.530 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: you know, saying, hey, you know, here's the 561 00:20:29.530 --> 00:20:30.930 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: topics I like to talk about. 562 00:20:30.930 --> 00:20:32.810 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Here's the topics that were selected. 563 00:20:33.050 --> 00:20:34.730 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: What are some of the things that I could do 564 00:20:34.730 --> 00:20:36.730 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: that maybe change up the title or change up 565 00:20:36.730 --> 00:20:38.690 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: the content that stay authentic to me, 566 00:20:38.690 --> 00:20:41.930 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: but seems to be what they're looking for at 567 00:20:41.970 --> 00:20:44.490 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: this event. And that helped me get selected 568 00:20:44.490 --> 00:20:45.650 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: for a local. 569 00:20:45.650 --> 00:20:47.370 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: So it wasn't necessarily getting the big one, 570 00:20:47.370 --> 00:20:49.250 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: but I got selected to talk at a local one, 571 00:20:49.610 --> 00:20:52.010 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: which was exciting. So I really appreciate 572 00:20:52.010 --> 00:20:54.170 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: all the tips that she does to stay resilient. 573 00:20:54.170 --> 00:20:56.170 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Don't take the no. What do you learn from it? 574 00:20:56.210 --> 00:20:58.850 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Yes. And how you can build and change still 575 00:20:58.890 --> 00:21:00.850 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: being authentic to you, but change to make 576 00:21:00.890 --> 00:21:02.730 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: sure you're hitting the content that's 577 00:21:02.730 --> 00:21:05.050 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: important for those sessions. 578 00:21:05.050 --> 00:21:06.810 Diane Diaz: Oh, that's so exciting. I'd love to hear that 579 00:21:06.810 --> 00:21:08.650 Diane Diaz: you're using AI to help you with that. 580 00:21:08.690 --> 00:21:10.810 Diane Diaz: Yay! We love that. 581 00:21:10.850 --> 00:21:13.410 Diane Diaz: You know, I think as speakers, 582 00:21:13.410 --> 00:21:15.290 Diane Diaz: we need to use whatever tools are available 583 00:21:15.290 --> 00:21:17.410 Diane Diaz: to us to help us, you know, 584 00:21:17.450 --> 00:21:20.370 Diane Diaz: craft a pitch or refine the pitch or like 585 00:21:20.410 --> 00:21:22.690 Diane Diaz: you, like you did like look for where where 586 00:21:22.730 --> 00:21:23.890 Diane Diaz: can I improve upon this? 587 00:21:23.890 --> 00:21:26.890 Diane Diaz: To maybe submit to this other speaking gig or 588 00:21:26.890 --> 00:21:28.050 Diane Diaz: conference or whatever? 589 00:21:28.450 --> 00:21:31.130 Diane Diaz: And I mean, that's very smart and obviously 590 00:21:31.130 --> 00:21:33.450 Diane Diaz: very effective. So now you got chosen for 591 00:21:33.450 --> 00:21:35.090 Diane Diaz: another talk, which is great. 592 00:21:35.410 --> 00:21:37.490 Diane Diaz: Love that. And what is that talk going to be 593 00:21:37.490 --> 00:21:38.930 Diane Diaz: on or have you given it already. 594 00:21:39.090 --> 00:21:41.410 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: No that's okay. So basically what it's able 595 00:21:41.410 --> 00:21:44.450 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: to do on this case, it's it's taking a 596 00:21:44.450 --> 00:21:47.170 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: political look at how to stay authentic to 597 00:21:47.210 --> 00:21:49.370 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: you. Um, and some of the political 598 00:21:49.370 --> 00:21:51.890 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: challenges, um, so very excited about it. 599 00:21:51.890 --> 00:21:53.210 Diane Diaz: That's exciting. 600 00:21:53.210 --> 00:21:56.610 Diane Diaz: Wow. I love you're also doing a nice job of 601 00:21:56.610 --> 00:21:59.450 Diane Diaz: taking your core message and sort of 602 00:21:59.570 --> 00:22:02.010 Diane Diaz: massaging it into other realms, 603 00:22:02.010 --> 00:22:04.130 Diane Diaz: which that's another thing that we like to 604 00:22:04.130 --> 00:22:05.850 Diane Diaz: see happen because, you know, 605 00:22:05.890 --> 00:22:07.850 Diane Diaz: you don't have to just speak to like the one 606 00:22:07.850 --> 00:22:09.690 Diane Diaz: type of audience all the time with the exact 607 00:22:09.690 --> 00:22:11.650 Diane Diaz: same message. You can modify the message, 608 00:22:11.650 --> 00:22:14.610 Diane Diaz: change it, which is the great benefit of 609 00:22:14.610 --> 00:22:16.610 Diane Diaz: using the framework that we the signature 610 00:22:16.650 --> 00:22:18.690 Diane Diaz: talk framework that we use. Because then you 611 00:22:18.690 --> 00:22:20.970 Diane Diaz: can pull some of the same stories, 612 00:22:20.970 --> 00:22:23.370 Diane Diaz: massage it into a different main message for 613 00:22:23.370 --> 00:22:24.490 Diane Diaz: a different audience. 614 00:22:24.490 --> 00:22:26.570 Diane Diaz: So well done. 615 00:22:26.930 --> 00:22:27.610 Diane Diaz: I love to. 616 00:22:27.610 --> 00:22:29.490 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: See. Thank you guys for empowering me for 617 00:22:29.530 --> 00:22:29.810 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: that. 618 00:22:30.170 --> 00:22:31.970 Diane Diaz: You're doing all the hard work, but I 619 00:22:32.010 --> 00:22:34.250 Diane Diaz: absolutely love to see that now. 620 00:22:34.530 --> 00:22:39.210 Diane Diaz: Um, what? So how have most of your speaking 621 00:22:39.210 --> 00:22:40.450 Diane Diaz: opportunities come to you? 622 00:22:40.490 --> 00:22:42.610 Diane Diaz: Have you been? Have they reached out to you? 623 00:22:42.650 --> 00:22:43.930 Diane Diaz: Have you been pitching to different 624 00:22:43.930 --> 00:22:45.850 Diane Diaz: conferences? How have those come about? 625 00:22:46.170 --> 00:22:47.730 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: I've actually gotten it both ways, which is 626 00:22:47.770 --> 00:22:51.130 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: kind of fun is, uh, I will say still, 627 00:22:51.130 --> 00:22:53.490 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: most of it is me putting myself out there and 628 00:22:53.490 --> 00:22:55.170 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: trying. But, um, you know, 629 00:22:55.210 --> 00:22:57.050 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: I did get I did have somebody reach out to me 630 00:22:57.050 --> 00:22:59.450 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: recently for an opportunity to speak in 631 00:22:59.450 --> 00:23:01.290 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: September, and I was so excited to have 632 00:23:01.290 --> 00:23:03.050 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: somebody reach out to me and say, I heard you 633 00:23:03.050 --> 00:23:05.570 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: speak at the local conference for sweet. 634 00:23:05.850 --> 00:23:07.890 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Loved your topic. Would you mind coming in 635 00:23:07.890 --> 00:23:10.010 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: and sharing that same thing? 636 00:23:10.050 --> 00:23:12.810 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: And so it's going to be fun to see how that 637 00:23:12.810 --> 00:23:15.290 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: continues to grow as the opportunities 638 00:23:15.290 --> 00:23:16.170 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: continue to grow. 639 00:23:16.530 --> 00:23:19.330 Diane Diaz: Yes. Well, and you're very good about posting 640 00:23:19.330 --> 00:23:21.650 Diane Diaz: these things on LinkedIn, which I think helps 641 00:23:21.650 --> 00:23:23.370 Diane Diaz: in your visibility. And so to everyone 642 00:23:23.370 --> 00:23:26.410 Diane Diaz: listening to this as you're speaking, 643 00:23:26.850 --> 00:23:28.690 Diane Diaz: post about these events. 644 00:23:28.930 --> 00:23:30.650 Diane Diaz: Post about when it's coming up. 645 00:23:30.690 --> 00:23:31.810 Diane Diaz: Post after it. You know, 646 00:23:31.850 --> 00:23:33.810 Diane Diaz: as it's happening, post after it happens. 647 00:23:33.810 --> 00:23:36.890 Diane Diaz: Because this is how we build visibility for 648 00:23:36.890 --> 00:23:38.530 Diane Diaz: our speaker brand, right? 649 00:23:38.570 --> 00:23:40.610 Diane Diaz: Like we you have the Elaine the engineer 650 00:23:40.650 --> 00:23:42.650 Diane Diaz: brand, but you also have Elaine, 651 00:23:42.650 --> 00:23:45.610 Diane Diaz: the speaker brand, right? And so you are very 652 00:23:45.610 --> 00:23:48.530 Diane Diaz: good about posting content on LinkedIn that 653 00:23:48.530 --> 00:23:51.090 Diane Diaz: demonstrates that you are a speaker. 654 00:23:51.410 --> 00:23:53.250 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Absolutely. And that's that's how that person 655 00:23:53.250 --> 00:23:55.010 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: reached out to me, was through LinkedIn. 656 00:23:55.210 --> 00:23:57.850 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: And so even those small tips that you and 657 00:23:57.850 --> 00:23:59.770 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Carol give, like just how to kind of go into 658 00:23:59.770 --> 00:24:01.850 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: your title and just make sure that that's out 659 00:24:01.850 --> 00:24:04.290 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: there, like you said, here's some here's some 660 00:24:04.290 --> 00:24:06.050 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: snippets, here's some photos of me out here. 661 00:24:06.050 --> 00:24:08.410 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Here's me, um, and some of the people who I'm 662 00:24:08.450 --> 00:24:10.010 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: talking to that I'm inspiring. 663 00:24:10.490 --> 00:24:13.650 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: That matters. And so utilize that LinkedIn 664 00:24:13.650 --> 00:24:14.850 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: and those connections. 665 00:24:15.170 --> 00:24:16.930 Diane Diaz: Yes. Yes. Good, I love that. 666 00:24:16.970 --> 00:24:18.090 Diane Diaz: You're absolutely right. 667 00:24:18.130 --> 00:24:21.130 Diane Diaz: Um, I think LinkedIn is probably one of the 668 00:24:21.570 --> 00:24:25.090 Diane Diaz: most important, uh, platforms that we can use 669 00:24:25.090 --> 00:24:27.210 Diane Diaz: because it, it functions a little bit like a 670 00:24:27.210 --> 00:24:28.450 Diane Diaz: search engine as well. 671 00:24:28.450 --> 00:24:30.570 Diane Diaz: So when people because it is a professional 672 00:24:30.570 --> 00:24:31.690 Diane Diaz: database, so to speak. 673 00:24:31.690 --> 00:24:33.810 Diane Diaz: And so when people are looking for someone to 674 00:24:33.810 --> 00:24:36.130 Diane Diaz: speak in a certain industry or on a certain 675 00:24:36.130 --> 00:24:38.650 Diane Diaz: topic, that's they can go there in search. 676 00:24:38.650 --> 00:24:41.010 Diane Diaz: And so make sure you have and I'm saying this 677 00:24:41.010 --> 00:24:42.570 Diane Diaz: to everybody listening, of course, make sure 678 00:24:42.570 --> 00:24:45.450 Diane Diaz: you have speaker in your in your LinkedIn 679 00:24:45.450 --> 00:24:47.730 Diane Diaz: bio. Make sure you talk about speaking. 680 00:24:47.770 --> 00:24:49.810 Diane Diaz: Make sure you post about speaking because 681 00:24:49.850 --> 00:24:51.490 Diane Diaz: again, that's how you build your speaker 682 00:24:51.490 --> 00:24:53.250 Diane Diaz: brand so that people know you're, 683 00:24:53.530 --> 00:24:54.930 Diane Diaz: oh, you do this, you know, 684 00:24:54.970 --> 00:24:56.330 Diane Diaz: they can count on you to do this. 685 00:24:56.330 --> 00:24:58.610 Diane Diaz: Well. So fantastic. 686 00:24:58.610 --> 00:25:01.490 Diane Diaz: And so tell me a little bit about, 687 00:25:01.690 --> 00:25:06.090 Diane Diaz: um, from the time we worked together in last 688 00:25:06.130 --> 00:25:11.090 Diane Diaz: August in that VIP day and then through now. 689 00:25:11.210 --> 00:25:12.650 Diane Diaz: And so we worked together. 690 00:25:12.650 --> 00:25:14.130 Diane Diaz: Then you came to the workshop. Now you've 691 00:25:14.130 --> 00:25:15.850 Diane Diaz: actually been speaking. 692 00:25:16.850 --> 00:25:19.930 Diane Diaz: Tell me a little bit about how your how you 693 00:25:19.930 --> 00:25:21.850 Diane Diaz: feel like you've changed as a speaker. 694 00:25:22.890 --> 00:25:25.370 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: I Don't want to, like, 695 00:25:25.370 --> 00:25:27.010 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: say this over again, but I really do 696 00:25:27.050 --> 00:25:28.770 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: appreciate that. I think my message has 697 00:25:28.770 --> 00:25:31.650 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: gotten better. And by not just sitting there 698 00:25:31.650 --> 00:25:32.810 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: saying, here's your tips. 699 00:25:32.810 --> 00:25:35.370 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: And it came across very engineering, 700 00:25:35.370 --> 00:25:38.250 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: very here's the bullet points I've got out of 701 00:25:38.290 --> 00:25:40.290 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: the bullet points and more into the the 702 00:25:40.290 --> 00:25:43.610 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: storytelling. And I think that leaves people 703 00:25:43.610 --> 00:25:45.610 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: more inspired on where they can go. 704 00:25:45.610 --> 00:25:48.090 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: So I appreciate that you've helped me just 705 00:25:48.090 --> 00:25:50.730 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: tweak my message, um, a lot better, 706 00:25:50.730 --> 00:25:52.610 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: which gives me more confidence when I'm up 707 00:25:52.610 --> 00:25:55.130 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: there. And then, like you said, 708 00:25:55.170 --> 00:25:57.090 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: we're just continuing to grow all those 709 00:25:57.090 --> 00:26:00.370 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: connections and allowing that to just reach a 710 00:26:00.370 --> 00:26:02.570 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: bigger audience, which is just so much more 711 00:26:02.570 --> 00:26:03.370 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: impactful. 712 00:26:03.570 --> 00:26:05.290 Diane Diaz: Yeah, yeah. No, I love that that you 713 00:26:05.290 --> 00:26:06.930 Diane Diaz: mentioned the storytelling component because 714 00:26:06.930 --> 00:26:10.450 Diane Diaz: that is the you know, we all there's a 715 00:26:10.450 --> 00:26:11.810 Diane Diaz: bazillion more engineers, 716 00:26:11.810 --> 00:26:14.850 Diane Diaz: right. And so a lot of those tips will 717 00:26:14.850 --> 00:26:16.890 Diane Diaz: probably be similar to what someone else 718 00:26:16.890 --> 00:26:19.090 Diane Diaz: might share. But when you incorporate your 719 00:26:19.090 --> 00:26:20.770 Diane Diaz: story. So for you, Elaine, 720 00:26:20.970 --> 00:26:22.690 Diane Diaz: you know, these stories of having worked at 721 00:26:22.690 --> 00:26:26.330 Diane Diaz: Disney, Not everybody has that story of being 722 00:26:26.330 --> 00:26:29.250 Diane Diaz: a Disney engineer who can share those types 723 00:26:29.250 --> 00:26:31.450 Diane Diaz: of stories to inspire an audience or show 724 00:26:31.450 --> 00:26:34.250 Diane Diaz: them possibilities in that field, 725 00:26:34.250 --> 00:26:36.650 Diane Diaz: or, you know, your personal stories with your 726 00:26:36.650 --> 00:26:38.490 Diane Diaz: career growth and trajectory. 727 00:26:38.490 --> 00:26:40.410 Diane Diaz: Those are yours. Those are very unique to 728 00:26:40.410 --> 00:26:43.650 Diane Diaz: you, but they have a universal message to 729 00:26:43.690 --> 00:26:45.530 Diane Diaz: them, which I'm sure you've found to be the 730 00:26:45.530 --> 00:26:46.450 Diane Diaz: case. Right. 731 00:26:46.490 --> 00:26:48.850 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Agreed. Absolutely I agree. 732 00:26:49.050 --> 00:26:52.850 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: And just those moments mean so much to me. 733 00:26:52.850 --> 00:26:54.170 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: When I give a speech. 734 00:26:54.170 --> 00:26:55.610 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: I've got the group that comes up to you 735 00:26:55.650 --> 00:26:57.570 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: afterwards that wants to talk what their 736 00:26:57.570 --> 00:27:00.210 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: takeaways are either just the connections on 737 00:27:00.210 --> 00:27:02.050 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: LinkedIn afterwards when somebody tells you, 738 00:27:02.090 --> 00:27:03.610 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: here's what I've applied, here's what I'm 739 00:27:03.610 --> 00:27:06.890 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: going to do. It's so rewarding, 740 00:27:07.130 --> 00:27:07.770 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: isn't it? 741 00:27:08.170 --> 00:27:09.730 Diane Diaz: And it's so validating too, 742 00:27:09.770 --> 00:27:12.370 Diane Diaz: that, you know, not only have you made an 743 00:27:12.370 --> 00:27:13.850 Diane Diaz: impact on them, but also, 744 00:27:13.970 --> 00:27:15.770 Diane Diaz: oh, what I have to say matters. 745 00:27:15.810 --> 00:27:17.970 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Yes. Yes, absolutely. 746 00:27:18.010 --> 00:27:20.690 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: And knowing that it's given them inspiration 747 00:27:20.690 --> 00:27:23.050 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: and taking them. That's why we do what we do. 748 00:27:23.290 --> 00:27:26.010 Diane Diaz: Yes, yes. And this is for everyone listening. 749 00:27:26.010 --> 00:27:27.410 Diane Diaz: This is the power, I think, 750 00:27:27.410 --> 00:27:32.250 Diane Diaz: of this, uh, community where we work in this 751 00:27:32.250 --> 00:27:33.290 Diane Diaz: workshop, and we. 752 00:27:33.330 --> 00:27:34.770 Diane Diaz: It's like a community for the day. 753 00:27:34.770 --> 00:27:36.410 Diane Diaz: But then it carries on after that, 754 00:27:36.410 --> 00:27:41.010 Diane Diaz: and there's just so much support for all, 755 00:27:41.050 --> 00:27:42.290 Diane Diaz: everything happening throughout the day, but 756 00:27:42.290 --> 00:27:44.330 Diane Diaz: particularly everyone's individual personal 757 00:27:44.330 --> 00:27:46.010 Diane Diaz: stories, because we share a lot of very 758 00:27:46.010 --> 00:27:49.810 Diane Diaz: personal stories during this day in in an 759 00:27:49.810 --> 00:27:52.850 Diane Diaz: effort to find those stories that are going 760 00:27:52.850 --> 00:27:55.170 Diane Diaz: to make the best impact for the message. 761 00:27:55.770 --> 00:28:00.250 Diane Diaz: And I just love the way you can see kind of 762 00:28:00.290 --> 00:28:02.330 Diane Diaz: what your story does for your audience. 763 00:28:02.330 --> 00:28:04.170 Diane Diaz: You can see that happen during the day of 764 00:28:04.250 --> 00:28:06.090 Diane Diaz: that workshop. You can see it happen. 765 00:28:06.090 --> 00:28:08.450 Diane Diaz: So it's almost like a live example of the 766 00:28:08.450 --> 00:28:10.850 Diane Diaz: power of story right then and there. 767 00:28:11.130 --> 00:28:12.530 Diane Diaz: But that, just like you said, just gives you 768 00:28:12.530 --> 00:28:14.250 Diane Diaz: the confidence for then telling your story to 769 00:28:14.250 --> 00:28:16.130 Diane Diaz: the audience once you deliver your talk. 770 00:28:17.370 --> 00:28:18.650 Diane Diaz: Yeah, I love that. 771 00:28:18.930 --> 00:28:21.250 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: No, I think you can't say that enough. 772 00:28:21.570 --> 00:28:24.170 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: The more than four people from that, 773 00:28:24.210 --> 00:28:26.490 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: that session I still talk to on LinkedIn. 774 00:28:26.530 --> 00:28:27.850 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Their stories matter to me, 775 00:28:27.850 --> 00:28:29.890 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: the voice that they're trying to get across. 776 00:28:30.530 --> 00:28:32.970 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: You can find what's similar in yours versus 777 00:28:33.010 --> 00:28:35.170 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: what drives them, what's inspiring to them, 778 00:28:35.170 --> 00:28:36.930 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: and then just being able to encourage them to 779 00:28:36.970 --> 00:28:39.170 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: continue to get that message out has been 780 00:28:39.170 --> 00:28:40.370 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: just as fun for me. 781 00:28:40.770 --> 00:28:42.330 Diane Diaz: Yeah. That's a that's a really great point. 782 00:28:42.370 --> 00:28:45.410 Diane Diaz: Like that support of everyone really, 783 00:28:45.730 --> 00:28:48.610 Diane Diaz: really is so powerful because we you know, 784 00:28:48.650 --> 00:28:51.770 Diane Diaz: we don't can we do this alone. 785 00:28:51.810 --> 00:28:54.770 Diane Diaz: Maybe. But it's so much more effective when 786 00:28:54.770 --> 00:28:56.090 Diane Diaz: we have others supporting us, 787 00:28:56.090 --> 00:28:57.930 Diane Diaz: especially someone who's been at that 788 00:28:57.930 --> 00:28:59.490 Diane Diaz: workshop with you, seen you deliver the 789 00:28:59.490 --> 00:29:01.930 Diane Diaz: message, seen how powerful your your story is 790 00:29:01.970 --> 00:29:03.770 Diane Diaz: and then can give you the kudos, 791 00:29:03.810 --> 00:29:05.970 Diane Diaz: give you the encouragement, give you the or 792 00:29:06.010 --> 00:29:09.010 Diane Diaz: even, you know, share a resource with you in 793 00:29:09.010 --> 00:29:10.850 Diane Diaz: some way, shape or form to help you, 794 00:29:11.130 --> 00:29:12.810 Diane Diaz: you know, pitch to an organization or 795 00:29:12.810 --> 00:29:14.450 Diane Diaz: something. So that's the other thing about 796 00:29:14.450 --> 00:29:15.970 Diane Diaz: the workshop is just the bonds that are 797 00:29:15.970 --> 00:29:19.130 Diane Diaz: formed is so amazing for us to see happen. 798 00:29:19.170 --> 00:29:20.330 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Very powerful. Very powerful. 799 00:29:20.370 --> 00:29:23.010 Diane Diaz: Yeah. Now, um. 800 00:29:23.050 --> 00:29:24.890 Diane Diaz: All right, so now you've been speaking. 801 00:29:24.890 --> 00:29:26.890 Diane Diaz: You're posting about it on LinkedIn. 802 00:29:27.010 --> 00:29:30.730 Diane Diaz: So what is next for you? 803 00:29:30.770 --> 00:29:32.690 Diane Diaz: You mentioned to me when before we started 804 00:29:32.690 --> 00:29:35.210 Diane Diaz: recording, you mentioned that you actually 805 00:29:35.210 --> 00:29:38.170 Diane Diaz: have pitched for another speaking engagement. 806 00:29:38.170 --> 00:29:40.170 Diane Diaz: But in addition to that, 807 00:29:40.170 --> 00:29:41.770 Diane Diaz: tell us a little bit about that. And then in 808 00:29:41.770 --> 00:29:44.330 Diane Diaz: addition to that, what else is on the horizon 809 00:29:44.330 --> 00:29:46.330 Diane Diaz: for you in your speaking career? 810 00:29:46.770 --> 00:29:49.970 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: I again, I think I was telling you that, 811 00:29:50.130 --> 00:29:51.890 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: um, you and Carol will always be like little 812 00:29:51.890 --> 00:29:54.650 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: voices in my head of where I've made a 813 00:29:54.650 --> 00:29:57.170 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: commitment to myself on each quarter, 814 00:29:57.170 --> 00:29:58.850 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: how many people I'm going to at least reach 815 00:29:58.850 --> 00:30:00.610 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: out to, and making sure that I'm meeting 816 00:30:00.610 --> 00:30:01.890 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: those goals for myself. 817 00:30:02.130 --> 00:30:05.210 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Uh, not getting in my own head or being just 818 00:30:05.210 --> 00:30:06.410 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: concerned of it's. Oh, 819 00:30:06.450 --> 00:30:08.010 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: it's not perfect. It's not the right time 820 00:30:08.010 --> 00:30:10.090 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: yet. Um, and so I appreciate that. 821 00:30:10.090 --> 00:30:12.970 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: I appreciate that your your voices are 822 00:30:12.970 --> 00:30:14.690 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: helping me drive and encouraging me to reach 823 00:30:14.690 --> 00:30:17.170 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: out more. Uh, because it sometimes it just 824 00:30:17.170 --> 00:30:19.450 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: takes that to to get the yeses and be okay 825 00:30:19.450 --> 00:30:20.970 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: with the no's, because the yeses are going to 826 00:30:20.970 --> 00:30:22.530 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: be so much more powerful when you get them. 827 00:30:22.530 --> 00:30:26.210 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: So yes, you're in my head and you're you're 828 00:30:26.210 --> 00:30:28.450 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: encouraging me. And with that, 829 00:30:28.650 --> 00:30:30.290 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: um, I got to I submitted, 830 00:30:30.330 --> 00:30:32.210 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: uh, over the weekend for another one. 831 00:30:32.210 --> 00:30:34.090 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: So I'll hear back in November and looking 832 00:30:34.090 --> 00:30:35.850 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: forward to seeing if that's a yes as well. 833 00:30:36.090 --> 00:30:37.290 Diane Diaz: Yay! Exciting. 834 00:30:37.290 --> 00:30:39.610 Diane Diaz: And then do you have plans for any other 835 00:30:39.610 --> 00:30:41.850 Diane Diaz: pitching that you want to do for conferences 836 00:30:41.850 --> 00:30:43.570 Diane Diaz: or different speaking engagements? 837 00:30:43.570 --> 00:30:44.810 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: I still need to grow that. 838 00:30:44.850 --> 00:30:45.930 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Um, right now, of course, 839 00:30:45.970 --> 00:30:49.050 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: it's it's the quarter of UCF. 840 00:30:49.050 --> 00:30:51.450 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: And so I've got a lot of time with them this 841 00:30:51.450 --> 00:30:53.530 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: quarter. I'm going as they're getting back 842 00:30:53.530 --> 00:30:56.130 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: into the season, um, the Society of Women 843 00:30:56.130 --> 00:30:58.170 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Engineers there. I'll be doing a speech for 844 00:30:58.170 --> 00:31:00.330 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: them, the Asme, the mechanical engineering 845 00:31:00.330 --> 00:31:01.810 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: group. I'll be doing something for them, 846 00:31:02.010 --> 00:31:03.570 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: which is near and dear to my heart, 847 00:31:03.610 --> 00:31:06.570 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: helping all of them grow and and just seeing 848 00:31:06.570 --> 00:31:08.290 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: them as they graduate and get out to be these 849 00:31:08.290 --> 00:31:10.010 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: new, brand new engineers out there. 850 00:31:10.010 --> 00:31:11.530 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: So this quarter is really focused on them, 851 00:31:11.690 --> 00:31:13.970 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: um, but also just continuing to apply to 852 00:31:14.010 --> 00:31:14.970 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: other things as well. 853 00:31:15.290 --> 00:31:18.170 Diane Diaz: Oh, that's so exciting. I also love seeing 854 00:31:18.650 --> 00:31:20.450 Diane Diaz: and this a lot of the women that we work with 855 00:31:20.490 --> 00:31:23.170 Diane Diaz: do this is they're supporting other up and 856 00:31:23.170 --> 00:31:25.010 Diane Diaz: coming women in whatever industry that 857 00:31:25.010 --> 00:31:27.890 Diane Diaz: they're in at colleges or in organizations 858 00:31:27.890 --> 00:31:30.650 Diane Diaz: like that. And I do that as Carole does that. 859 00:31:30.690 --> 00:31:32.610 Diane Diaz: And so we we like to see that as well, 860 00:31:32.650 --> 00:31:35.330 Diane Diaz: because it's like inspiring those young 861 00:31:35.330 --> 00:31:37.490 Diane Diaz: women, not just in the career field that 862 00:31:37.490 --> 00:31:38.570 Diane Diaz: you're that you're in, 863 00:31:38.570 --> 00:31:41.250 Diane Diaz: but also they see you speaking to them, 864 00:31:41.250 --> 00:31:42.650 Diane Diaz: but then they also will follow you on 865 00:31:42.650 --> 00:31:44.170 Diane Diaz: LinkedIn and see that you're speaking. And so 866 00:31:44.170 --> 00:31:46.770 Diane Diaz: hopefully they will want to use their voices 867 00:31:46.770 --> 00:31:49.650 Diane Diaz: as well. And so we're role modeling hopefully 868 00:31:49.690 --> 00:31:51.410 Diane Diaz: that we'll see in them. 869 00:31:51.410 --> 00:31:53.770 Diane Diaz: And so more of us sharing our voices just has 870 00:31:53.770 --> 00:31:55.010 Diane Diaz: so much more power. 871 00:31:55.410 --> 00:31:55.810 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Great. 872 00:31:56.170 --> 00:31:57.650 Diane Diaz: Yeah I love that. 873 00:31:57.690 --> 00:32:00.690 Diane Diaz: Well Elaine, thank you so much for taking the 874 00:32:00.690 --> 00:32:03.330 Diane Diaz: time to share with the audience your 875 00:32:03.330 --> 00:32:06.410 Diane Diaz: experience working with us and also coming to 876 00:32:06.450 --> 00:32:07.930 Diane Diaz: the workshop and your experience with 877 00:32:07.930 --> 00:32:09.730 Diane Diaz: speaking and using your voice. 878 00:32:09.850 --> 00:32:12.010 Diane Diaz: I really appreciate you taking the time to to 879 00:32:12.050 --> 00:32:13.130 Diane Diaz: tell us about that. 880 00:32:13.690 --> 00:32:16.330 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Well, thank you. And I can't thank you and 881 00:32:16.330 --> 00:32:18.450 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Carol enough for helping me grow. 882 00:32:18.490 --> 00:32:20.690 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Helping me step out of my comfort zone. 883 00:32:20.890 --> 00:32:22.970 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Allowing me to meet other women who I get to 884 00:32:23.010 --> 00:32:24.330 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: help support and be a part of. 885 00:32:24.530 --> 00:32:25.770 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Thank you for all you do. 886 00:32:25.810 --> 00:32:29.490 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: For the women out there who have a lot of 887 00:32:29.490 --> 00:32:30.930 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: great stories to share, and thank you for 888 00:32:30.930 --> 00:32:31.730 Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: empowering us. 889 00:32:32.010 --> 00:32:34.250 Diane Diaz: Oh well, it is truly our pleasure. 890 00:32:35.090 --> 00:32:37.090 Diane Diaz: All right. If you want to work on your talk 891 00:32:37.090 --> 00:32:39.650 Diane Diaz: and practice your delivery and storytelling 892 00:32:39.650 --> 00:32:42.810 Diane Diaz: with real time, hands on feedback from me and 893 00:32:42.810 --> 00:32:46.450 Diane Diaz: from Carol Cox in a supportive environment of 894 00:32:46.450 --> 00:32:48.810 Diane Diaz: other women, join us for our in-person 895 00:32:48.810 --> 00:32:50.530 Diane Diaz: Speaking Accelerator workshop, 896 00:32:50.570 --> 00:32:53.570 Diane Diaz: taking place soon, October 30th. 897 00:32:53.610 --> 00:32:55.850 Diane Diaz: You can get all the details and register by 898 00:32:55.850 --> 00:32:59.010 Diane Diaz: visiting. Speaking your truth. 899 00:33:00.050 --> 00:33:03.450 Diane Diaz: That, again, is speaking your truth. 900 00:33:04.570 --> 00:33:05.730 Diane Diaz: Until next time. 901 00:33:05.770 --> 00:33:06.650 Diane Diaz: Thanks for listening.