1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,520 Carol Cox: Small shifts can make a huge difference in 2 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:05,560 your presentation impact and the results that 3 00:00:05,560 --> 00:00:07,120 you get. Hear what they are. 4 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:09,600 And my conversation with Karen Cochran on 5 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:11,400 this episode of the Speaking Your Brand 6 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:17,720 podcast. More and more women are making an 7 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:19,840 impact by starting businesses, 8 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:22,520 running for office, and speaking up for what 9 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:25,520 matters. With my background as a TV political 10 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:27,120 analyst, entrepreneur, 11 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:29,760 and speaker, I interview and coach purpose 12 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:32,160 driven women to shape their brands, 13 00:00:32,160 --> 00:00:34,520 grow their companies, and become recognized 14 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:36,840 as influencers in their field. 15 00:00:37,480 --> 00:00:39,400 This is speaking your brand, 16 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:41,800 your place to learn how to persuasively 17 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:45,040 communicate your message to your audience. 18 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:47,320 Hi there and welcome to the Speaking Your 19 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:48,880 Brand podcast. I'm your host, 20 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:51,920 Carol Cox. I know, especially if you've been 21 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:54,320 listening to this podcast for a while, 22 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:56,880 that you want your presentations to do more 23 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:58,080 than inform. 24 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:01,360 You want your audiences to transform, 25 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:03,840 to be inspired, to take action, 26 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:05,240 and you want to make sure that you're 27 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:07,960 attracting new speaking opportunities and 28 00:01:07,960 --> 00:01:11,560 clients long after you've left the stage. 29 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:13,720 But as I've talked about quite a bit, 30 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:16,280 many experienced professionals get stuck in 31 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:18,720 what I call the expert trap, 32 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:21,240 where they really want to deliver so much 33 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:23,960 information and content from a good place, 34 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:26,960 instead of focusing on creating connection 35 00:01:26,960 --> 00:01:29,520 and really getting into the hearts and minds 36 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:31,400 of their audiences. 37 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:33,720 My guest today, Karen Cochran, 38 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:36,040 has done this really well with the 39 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:38,640 presentations that she's been delivering. 40 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:40,560 She is the founder of Philanthropy 41 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:43,080 Innovators, and she's led teams that have 42 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:45,760 raised over $1 billion. 43 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:47,960 I don't even know how to comprehend a number 44 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,680 that big to be personally involved in. 45 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:54,040 Karen worked with us in our one Day Speaking 46 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:56,000 Accelerator workshop in Orlando, 47 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,080 Florida earlier this year, 48 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:01,590 as well as in a presentation makeover before 49 00:02:01,710 --> 00:02:03,510 she presented at a conference. 50 00:02:03,550 --> 00:02:05,550 And we're going to talk about the results 51 00:02:05,550 --> 00:02:07,870 that she got from that conference. 52 00:02:07,870 --> 00:02:09,150 So we're going to talk about that approach 53 00:02:09,150 --> 00:02:11,030 that she took, what she learned about 54 00:02:11,030 --> 00:02:14,230 storytelling, and how she now uses her voice 55 00:02:14,230 --> 00:02:17,390 to inspire generosity and change. 56 00:02:17,510 --> 00:02:19,070 Karen, welcome to the Speaking Your Brand 57 00:02:19,070 --> 00:02:19,830 podcast. 58 00:02:20,110 --> 00:02:22,550 Karen Cochran: Thank you. Carol, it's a pleasure to be here. 59 00:02:22,950 --> 00:02:24,910 Carol Cox: Well, I mentioned that you've led teams that 60 00:02:24,910 --> 00:02:27,310 have raised over $1 billion. 61 00:02:27,350 --> 00:02:30,030 Again, what an incredible number and 62 00:02:30,030 --> 00:02:31,430 incredible success. 63 00:02:31,630 --> 00:02:34,630 What drew you to the field of philanthropy in 64 00:02:34,630 --> 00:02:37,310 the first place and the work that you now do? 65 00:02:38,190 --> 00:02:41,990 Karen Cochran: So I was lucky to find my calling as a paid 66 00:02:41,990 --> 00:02:43,470 student caller in college. 67 00:02:44,190 --> 00:02:47,750 And I really got hooked because I wanted to 68 00:02:47,750 --> 00:02:51,710 help people and I wanted to solve problems. 69 00:02:51,710 --> 00:02:53,790 And philanthropy does just that. 70 00:02:53,790 --> 00:02:56,390 It's the intersection of donors helping 71 00:02:56,390 --> 00:03:01,180 organizations Fund new ideas and have impact. 72 00:03:02,420 --> 00:03:04,700 Carol Cox: And so you then worked for other 73 00:03:04,900 --> 00:03:07,060 organizations until you started your own 74 00:03:07,060 --> 00:03:07,620 company? 75 00:03:08,380 --> 00:03:12,060 Karen Cochran: I did. I spent three decades in higher 76 00:03:12,060 --> 00:03:14,460 education, academic medicine, 77 00:03:14,460 --> 00:03:17,300 and as a volunteer for non-profits before 78 00:03:17,340 --> 00:03:20,300 founding Philanthropy Innovators in 2022. 79 00:03:20,740 --> 00:03:24,780 And the whole concept behind that was, 80 00:03:24,780 --> 00:03:28,940 I wanted to take everything I had learned and 81 00:03:28,940 --> 00:03:30,780 share it as broadly as possible. 82 00:03:31,300 --> 00:03:33,300 You know, I was lucky enough to be raised in 83 00:03:33,300 --> 00:03:35,500 a family where one of the tenants was. 84 00:03:35,500 --> 00:03:37,820 A mistake is only a mistake if you don't 85 00:03:37,820 --> 00:03:42,580 learn from it. And I obviously in a 30 year 86 00:03:42,580 --> 00:03:44,580 career, made a number of those. 87 00:03:44,900 --> 00:03:49,500 Um, had a lot of mentors who helped me learn 88 00:03:49,500 --> 00:03:51,300 a great deal about the business. 89 00:03:51,740 --> 00:03:54,580 And as I reflected on what I wanted to do 90 00:03:54,580 --> 00:03:59,420 next, I really honed in on the fact that as 91 00:03:59,460 --> 00:04:01,140 fundraisers, we're very, 92 00:04:01,140 --> 00:04:05,020 very good at putting a bow around the 93 00:04:05,020 --> 00:04:08,740 cultivation, what we call the solicitation, 94 00:04:08,740 --> 00:04:10,140 the stewardship cycles, 95 00:04:10,140 --> 00:04:12,540 all of those things to have the donor 96 00:04:12,540 --> 00:04:16,060 experience, what the impact is going to be. 97 00:04:16,540 --> 00:04:19,660 But we don't do a really good job of sharing 98 00:04:19,660 --> 00:04:22,460 what it really took to get the donor to say 99 00:04:22,460 --> 00:04:22,940 yes. 100 00:04:24,220 --> 00:04:26,700 Carol Cox: Mhm. Okay. So let's then dive into this 101 00:04:26,700 --> 00:04:29,220 presentation that you gave at a conference 102 00:04:29,220 --> 00:04:31,780 earlier this spring called AFP icon. 103 00:04:31,780 --> 00:04:33,740 And I know it was a resounding success 104 00:04:33,740 --> 00:04:36,220 because you shared the feedback with me that 105 00:04:36,220 --> 00:04:37,740 you got from the people who were in the 106 00:04:37,740 --> 00:04:40,740 audience. I always love when conferences send 107 00:04:40,780 --> 00:04:43,620 the audience survey feedback that they that 108 00:04:43,620 --> 00:04:44,900 they collect. So it's really, 109 00:04:44,900 --> 00:04:47,260 really helpful because you get not only the 110 00:04:47,700 --> 00:04:50,940 quantitative data like the 54321 rankings, 111 00:04:50,940 --> 00:04:52,580 but also a lot of times people in the 112 00:04:52,580 --> 00:04:55,380 audience will leave testimonials and 113 00:04:55,380 --> 00:04:57,850 reactions and let me share one of them, 114 00:04:57,850 --> 00:04:59,730 because you you sent this to me as well. 115 00:04:59,770 --> 00:05:01,490 Here's what one person said. 116 00:05:01,530 --> 00:05:04,490 Thank you for providing the most valuable 117 00:05:04,530 --> 00:05:07,410 session at AFP Icon Seattle. 118 00:05:07,450 --> 00:05:09,170 You validated what I know, 119 00:05:09,210 --> 00:05:11,730 ignited new ideas that I can act on and 120 00:05:11,730 --> 00:05:13,530 re-inspired me in the work we do in 121 00:05:13,530 --> 00:05:16,330 philanthropy. I work with two billionaires. 122 00:05:16,370 --> 00:05:18,610 Thank you for the invitation to keep in touch 123 00:05:18,650 --> 00:05:20,650 on success stories. 124 00:05:20,850 --> 00:05:22,610 Amazing, right? The most valuable 125 00:05:22,610 --> 00:05:24,530 presentation at the conference. 126 00:05:24,730 --> 00:05:26,490 I love you said validation, 127 00:05:26,490 --> 00:05:29,450 new ideas and inspiration. 128 00:05:29,450 --> 00:05:32,290 So why do you think this presentation that 129 00:05:32,290 --> 00:05:34,530 you delivered, Karen, was such a success? 130 00:05:35,290 --> 00:05:38,210 Karen Cochran: So, you know, having worked with you, 131 00:05:38,410 --> 00:05:41,050 I can tell you that one of the things I 132 00:05:41,890 --> 00:05:45,450 received through not just the day long series 133 00:05:45,450 --> 00:05:47,690 that I went through, but also the coaching 134 00:05:47,690 --> 00:05:49,250 call that we had beforehand, 135 00:05:49,490 --> 00:05:51,650 was help with the structure. 136 00:05:52,490 --> 00:05:54,090 This was a story. 137 00:05:54,610 --> 00:05:58,530 It was a story about $1 billion donor who was 138 00:05:58,530 --> 00:06:00,650 a very unlikely billion dollar donor. 139 00:06:01,330 --> 00:06:04,650 And the woman's name is Ruth Gottesman. 140 00:06:05,090 --> 00:06:07,810 She gave $1 billion to Albert Einstein 141 00:06:07,810 --> 00:06:09,370 Medical Center in the Bronx, 142 00:06:09,930 --> 00:06:13,850 but she never expected she could do a gift of 143 00:06:13,890 --> 00:06:18,690 that size. And what happened was through a 144 00:06:18,690 --> 00:06:21,370 series of connections, 145 00:06:21,410 --> 00:06:24,130 right? Much like storytelling, 146 00:06:24,130 --> 00:06:26,130 fundraising is all about connection, 147 00:06:26,170 --> 00:06:29,410 right? Her connection was with a gentleman by 148 00:06:29,410 --> 00:06:30,970 the name of Doctor Azahar, 149 00:06:31,330 --> 00:06:33,210 who runs Albert Einstein. 150 00:06:34,170 --> 00:06:37,290 She became close, even closer than she 151 00:06:37,290 --> 00:06:39,050 already was as a faculty member to the 152 00:06:39,050 --> 00:06:40,130 institution. 153 00:06:40,570 --> 00:06:45,930 The piece that she had no knowledge of was 154 00:06:45,930 --> 00:06:47,610 when her husband passed away. 155 00:06:48,210 --> 00:06:51,050 He had left her a portfolio of Berkshire 156 00:06:51,170 --> 00:06:55,730 Berkshire Hathaway stock and he had been at 157 00:06:55,730 --> 00:06:59,170 one of the early salon dinners in the 1960s 158 00:06:59,370 --> 00:07:01,610 and met Warren Buffett personally. 159 00:07:02,290 --> 00:07:05,130 And it's likely that he invested somewhere 160 00:07:05,130 --> 00:07:09,410 around 10 to $20,000, which back then was a 161 00:07:09,450 --> 00:07:14,890 lot of money. And he had kept that as at the 162 00:07:14,890 --> 00:07:17,130 side, as a secret portfolio. 163 00:07:17,530 --> 00:07:20,850 And upon his death a couple of years ago, 164 00:07:21,130 --> 00:07:24,010 the valuation was more than $1 billion. 165 00:07:24,970 --> 00:07:28,250 Wow. And he left her one note and it said, 166 00:07:28,250 --> 00:07:29,890 do what you think is right. 167 00:07:31,370 --> 00:07:32,690 Carol Cox: Well, no pressure, right? 168 00:07:32,730 --> 00:07:36,850 Karen Cochran: No pressure. And when she started processing 169 00:07:36,850 --> 00:07:39,690 and thinking about what could I really do, 170 00:07:40,650 --> 00:07:43,050 she turned to her family. 171 00:07:43,050 --> 00:07:45,650 But she also turned to people she trusted. 172 00:07:45,650 --> 00:07:48,050 And Doctor Azahar was one of those people. 173 00:07:48,370 --> 00:07:50,690 And when she asked the question, 174 00:07:51,530 --> 00:07:53,810 you know, what would you do with, 175 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:56,160 you know, a transformational gift. 176 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:58,360 I don't think she put a dollar figure on it. 177 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:03,720 He said I'd make tuition free and that was 178 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:06,640 it. That was what she wanted her legacy to 179 00:08:06,640 --> 00:08:10,000 be. All at once, everything just lined up 180 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:12,240 beautifully. And for me, 181 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,160 reading the story in the New York Times, 182 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:16,720 I instantly thought, oh my gosh, 183 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:21,960 what a really great story to tell others 184 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:24,640 about how gifts happen. 185 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:30,080 And so I think that one of the things that's 186 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:33,000 reflected in that feedback is the fact that I 187 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:34,640 told the story all the way through. 188 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:37,440 And honestly, Carol, that would not have been 189 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:41,120 possible before me coming and being part of 190 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:43,600 the session with you all and then following 191 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:46,440 up via coaching because they were minor 192 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:49,000 tweaks, but they were they made a big 193 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:51,760 difference in the presentation, 194 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:54,550 in the engagement of the audience and how the 195 00:08:54,550 --> 00:08:55,750 message was received. 196 00:08:56,430 --> 00:08:58,190 Carol Cox: All right. Well, I want to dig into a little 197 00:08:58,230 --> 00:09:00,030 bit more about storytelling in general in 198 00:09:00,030 --> 00:09:02,110 just a moment. But before we do that, 199 00:09:02,110 --> 00:09:04,630 I remember when you were at our one day 200 00:09:04,630 --> 00:09:07,190 in-person workshop, and then you got up on 201 00:09:07,190 --> 00:09:09,950 our practice stage and you delivered a 202 00:09:10,070 --> 00:09:13,270 portion of your talk with the story and and 203 00:09:13,270 --> 00:09:14,630 your framework. I think you were also 204 00:09:14,630 --> 00:09:17,070 practicing your framework at the same time. 205 00:09:17,070 --> 00:09:19,550 And you did such a beautiful job, 206 00:09:19,550 --> 00:09:21,230 you would have thought you had notes or a 207 00:09:21,230 --> 00:09:22,510 teleprompter in front of you, 208 00:09:22,510 --> 00:09:24,510 but you did not, because we do not allow that 209 00:09:25,030 --> 00:09:26,070 for good reason. 210 00:09:26,110 --> 00:09:28,510 But you did such a great job doing that. 211 00:09:28,510 --> 00:09:30,710 And then I remember in the coaching session 212 00:09:30,710 --> 00:09:33,070 that we did on zoom after the workshop to 213 00:09:33,110 --> 00:09:34,870 help you prepare for this conference, 214 00:09:35,030 --> 00:09:37,070 you had sent me your slide deck in advance, 215 00:09:37,070 --> 00:09:39,110 and your slides are beautiful, 216 00:09:39,150 --> 00:09:42,190 like beautifully designed so they look great. 217 00:09:42,190 --> 00:09:44,430 And I agree with you. It wasn't like you 218 00:09:44,430 --> 00:09:47,110 didn't need a wholesale change in your 219 00:09:47,110 --> 00:09:48,630 presentation slide deck. 220 00:09:48,630 --> 00:09:52,910 It was just these minor things with where to 221 00:09:52,990 --> 00:09:56,030 start the story, where to pause it, 222 00:09:56,030 --> 00:09:57,950 and then come back to it later. 223 00:09:57,950 --> 00:10:00,790 So the audience is kind of waiting to hear 224 00:10:00,790 --> 00:10:01,990 and see what happens. 225 00:10:01,990 --> 00:10:04,550 So first tell me about your experience being 226 00:10:04,550 --> 00:10:06,990 on our practice stage at the workshop. 227 00:10:06,990 --> 00:10:08,430 And basically we're like, okay, 228 00:10:08,470 --> 00:10:10,750 here you go. Get up there and tell us 229 00:10:10,750 --> 00:10:11,350 something. 230 00:10:12,510 --> 00:10:14,310 Karen Cochran: Well, I think one of the most important 231 00:10:14,310 --> 00:10:16,710 things was from the minute I walked in the 232 00:10:16,710 --> 00:10:19,390 room, I realized I was not alone. 233 00:10:20,070 --> 00:10:23,190 And I think so often when you are presenting, 234 00:10:23,430 --> 00:10:26,790 whether it's for a even a panel or if you're 235 00:10:26,790 --> 00:10:29,830 facilitating or you're the keynote, 236 00:10:29,830 --> 00:10:32,270 like I was, uh, out at Icon, 237 00:10:32,710 --> 00:10:36,950 it's really important to understand that 238 00:10:38,310 --> 00:10:41,390 going through a process can strengthen your 239 00:10:41,390 --> 00:10:43,270 ability to deliver the message. 240 00:10:43,830 --> 00:10:47,630 And that was so evident not not in a scripted 241 00:10:47,630 --> 00:10:50,990 kind of way, but in a welcoming kind of way, 242 00:10:51,180 --> 00:10:53,860 because from the very beginning of that day, 243 00:10:54,260 --> 00:10:58,180 I was with it happened to be a room of women, 244 00:10:58,500 --> 00:11:02,820 but women who were at similar pivot points in 245 00:11:02,820 --> 00:11:05,380 terms of their speaking journey and the 246 00:11:05,380 --> 00:11:09,780 support I felt and my ability to really learn 247 00:11:09,780 --> 00:11:13,020 and grow from them can't be underestimated. 248 00:11:13,020 --> 00:11:15,260 It was really, really transformational for 249 00:11:15,260 --> 00:11:15,620 me. 250 00:11:16,460 --> 00:11:18,900 Carol Cox: Well, I love hearing that, Karen, because so 251 00:11:18,900 --> 00:11:21,340 much of the work that we do is one on one, 252 00:11:21,340 --> 00:11:22,900 because that's where we can really, you know, 253 00:11:22,980 --> 00:11:26,300 dig deep and ask you questions and kind of 254 00:11:26,340 --> 00:11:28,540 pull out those different ideas and stories. 255 00:11:28,540 --> 00:11:31,540 But we also see such a benefit of bringing 256 00:11:31,540 --> 00:11:34,220 women together literally into the same room, 257 00:11:34,220 --> 00:11:36,620 whether it's in person or even if it's in 258 00:11:36,660 --> 00:11:39,100 zoom, because of that sense of, 259 00:11:39,140 --> 00:11:40,820 like you said, I'm not alone. 260 00:11:40,980 --> 00:11:43,420 Everyone's on this journey and on a similar 261 00:11:43,420 --> 00:11:45,220 point in the journey, and you do get so much 262 00:11:45,220 --> 00:11:47,900 energy and support and a sense of community. 263 00:11:47,940 --> 00:11:50,860 And I think momentum coming out of something 264 00:11:50,860 --> 00:11:51,500 like that? 265 00:11:52,340 --> 00:11:54,980 Karen Cochran: Absolutely. The connections I made there are 266 00:11:54,980 --> 00:11:57,300 still very, very much alive. 267 00:11:57,620 --> 00:12:00,980 Um, I've seen a number of women outside 268 00:12:01,020 --> 00:12:03,700 because there was a wasn't exclusively 269 00:12:04,060 --> 00:12:06,700 Central Floridians, but I've seen a number of 270 00:12:06,700 --> 00:12:09,780 people in the community and we've connected, 271 00:12:09,820 --> 00:12:13,620 you know, and stayed in touch as supportive 272 00:12:13,620 --> 00:12:16,700 members and interested in one another's 273 00:12:16,700 --> 00:12:17,700 speaking journey. 274 00:12:18,340 --> 00:12:19,900 Carol Cox: Oh, I love that. Yeah. It's interesting. We 275 00:12:19,900 --> 00:12:22,020 do get about half and half half from Central 276 00:12:22,020 --> 00:12:23,780 Florida. You know, Orlando, Central Florida 277 00:12:23,780 --> 00:12:26,340 driving distance and about half who fly in 278 00:12:26,340 --> 00:12:27,980 from Washington state, California, 279 00:12:28,020 --> 00:12:30,580 Texas, Boston from all over the place. 280 00:12:30,580 --> 00:12:33,020 So it is a lot of fun to expand your network 281 00:12:33,220 --> 00:12:34,540 in that way. All right. 282 00:12:34,540 --> 00:12:36,660 So I mentioned that you had sent me your 283 00:12:36,660 --> 00:12:39,540 slide deck. And so we were just making some 284 00:12:39,580 --> 00:12:42,540 adjustments to how you were telling the story 285 00:12:42,540 --> 00:12:44,980 and how you were bringing in the lessons that 286 00:12:44,980 --> 00:12:46,700 you learned from that story that you wanted 287 00:12:46,700 --> 00:12:48,580 to share with the audience. 288 00:12:48,620 --> 00:12:50,420 Before we dig into those details, 289 00:12:50,420 --> 00:12:51,820 I want, as I promised, 290 00:12:51,820 --> 00:12:54,420 to talk about storytelling in general because 291 00:12:54,420 --> 00:12:57,020 we know how important storytelling is during 292 00:12:57,020 --> 00:12:59,460 public speaking to make that connection with 293 00:12:59,460 --> 00:13:01,420 the audience. But in philanthropy, 294 00:13:01,460 --> 00:13:05,020 you know, like nonprofits know how important 295 00:13:05,020 --> 00:13:06,420 storytelling is. 296 00:13:06,620 --> 00:13:09,140 There's a very well known kind of, 297 00:13:09,180 --> 00:13:11,140 um, thing saying that, 298 00:13:11,180 --> 00:13:13,620 you know, a million people is a statistic, 299 00:13:13,620 --> 00:13:15,860 but one person is a story, 300 00:13:15,860 --> 00:13:18,220 and that one person is how you get someone to 301 00:13:18,260 --> 00:13:19,660 connect to a cause. 302 00:13:19,660 --> 00:13:21,500 So I guess, Karen, tell me a little bit about 303 00:13:21,500 --> 00:13:23,340 how you learned the importance of 304 00:13:23,340 --> 00:13:24,980 storytelling in the work that you do, 305 00:13:25,020 --> 00:13:27,660 and how that has translated into the talks. 306 00:13:28,300 --> 00:13:30,380 Karen Cochran: So I think you're absolutely right, 307 00:13:30,700 --> 00:13:32,380 Carol, in that, you know, 308 00:13:32,420 --> 00:13:35,380 philanthropy is about storytelling at its 309 00:13:35,380 --> 00:13:38,260 essence. If someone is going to give you if 310 00:13:38,300 --> 00:13:41,460 it's their time, which is highly valuable, 311 00:13:41,700 --> 00:13:44,900 or their money, obviously another resource, 312 00:13:44,940 --> 00:13:48,580 right? It's about making that connection. 313 00:13:48,650 --> 00:13:50,570 And I learned a long time ago. 314 00:13:50,570 --> 00:13:53,010 It's about going in and listening to the 315 00:13:53,050 --> 00:13:56,930 donor. Not going in with just a menu in your 316 00:13:56,930 --> 00:13:58,890 head of how they can help you. 317 00:13:59,650 --> 00:14:01,330 So one of the things that I do, 318 00:14:01,370 --> 00:14:02,890 not just in philanthropy, 319 00:14:02,890 --> 00:14:06,930 but in as I prepare to speak anywhere, 320 00:14:07,250 --> 00:14:10,770 is to do my research to understand who the 321 00:14:10,770 --> 00:14:13,050 audience is, whether that's a donor audience 322 00:14:13,050 --> 00:14:14,770 of one, or whether it's an audience of 323 00:14:14,770 --> 00:14:15,930 several hundred. 324 00:14:15,970 --> 00:14:18,210 Right. The message is not going to be 325 00:14:18,210 --> 00:14:21,330 received if you don't understand who you're 326 00:14:21,330 --> 00:14:22,730 trying to communicate to. 327 00:14:23,690 --> 00:14:26,290 So I see a lot of parallels between 328 00:14:26,330 --> 00:14:29,050 fundraising and speaking. 329 00:14:29,370 --> 00:14:31,650 And these days I. 330 00:14:31,930 --> 00:14:34,010 I can't emphasize enough to young 331 00:14:34,330 --> 00:14:35,450 fundraisers. 332 00:14:35,970 --> 00:14:38,530 Storytelling is a critical, 333 00:14:39,610 --> 00:14:42,970 lifelong skill that you need to focus on and 334 00:14:42,970 --> 00:14:46,090 continue to develop because that is what 335 00:14:46,090 --> 00:14:49,730 helps you connect to the donor and engage 336 00:14:49,730 --> 00:14:52,930 them at a level that actually makes them want 337 00:14:52,930 --> 00:14:53,810 to learn more. 338 00:14:55,370 --> 00:14:58,250 Carol Cox: Yes, because then so have you had this 339 00:14:58,250 --> 00:14:59,810 experience with donors? 340 00:14:59,810 --> 00:15:03,810 Where do they see themselves sometimes in the 341 00:15:03,810 --> 00:15:05,810 people that they're going to be helping, 342 00:15:05,810 --> 00:15:07,290 in the sense that maybe that's where they 343 00:15:07,330 --> 00:15:10,570 were at at some point in their life or just 344 00:15:10,610 --> 00:15:13,410 or what? How does the storytelling help them 345 00:15:13,410 --> 00:15:15,490 to decide that this is this is the work that 346 00:15:15,490 --> 00:15:16,650 they want to support? 347 00:15:17,250 --> 00:15:19,570 Karen Cochran: So sometimes it is, um, 348 00:15:19,810 --> 00:15:22,290 you know, I think of a scholarship, 349 00:15:22,330 --> 00:15:25,570 right? Uh, in a higher education setting, 350 00:15:25,570 --> 00:15:28,170 someone who was a first generation student, 351 00:15:28,570 --> 00:15:32,570 um, and how that scholarship not just 352 00:15:32,570 --> 00:15:34,330 transformed their life. 353 00:15:34,490 --> 00:15:37,170 Life, but will transform the lives that come 354 00:15:37,170 --> 00:15:39,690 after it because of the percentage of 355 00:15:39,730 --> 00:15:41,730 individuals who will continue to go to higher 356 00:15:41,730 --> 00:15:42,850 education. Right? 357 00:15:43,370 --> 00:15:47,760 But oftentimes it is about some other 358 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:49,440 experience they've had in life, 359 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:51,600 or an experience they wanted to have that 360 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:53,040 they felt they missed out on. 361 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:58,640 So the storytelling for me is about learning 362 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:01,280 what's most meaningful for them in terms of 363 00:16:01,280 --> 00:16:04,560 the organization you serve and connecting 364 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:07,200 them to the part that's going to resonate 365 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:08,320 most strongly. 366 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:12,800 Carol Cox: Um, yeah, the listening is key because it's 367 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:14,320 what is most meaningful to them. 368 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:16,560 And then reflecting that back to them, 369 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:18,000 that's so important. So Karen, 370 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:19,920 let's talk about some of the specifics of the 371 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:22,280 presentation that we worked on together. 372 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:24,000 As you mentioned a little bit ago, you were 373 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:27,240 focusing on this, this story of the woman, 374 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:30,720 Ruth, who ended up donating $1 billion to 375 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:33,120 this, uh, the Albert Einstein College of 376 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:35,640 Medicine. And I remember when we were I was 377 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:38,320 having you practice it that I, 378 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:41,880 I suggested that you foreshadow a little bit 379 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:44,920 and add some suspense to the story to kind of 380 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:47,880 keep the audience wanting to know what 381 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:49,960 happened instead of kind of delivering it 382 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:51,400 like all at one time. 383 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:53,480 And so I'm such a big believer, 384 00:16:53,520 --> 00:16:55,400 the more that I do this work, 385 00:16:55,400 --> 00:16:57,800 and the more that I work with clients like 386 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:01,800 you, is, is the power of going deep within a 387 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:04,280 story rather than going broad? 388 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:06,600 So a lot of times as presenters, 389 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:09,590 we think that sharing with our audience 10 or 390 00:17:09,590 --> 00:17:11,760 15 different examples like boom, 391 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:13,360 boom, boom, boom, boom. Like here's all these 392 00:17:13,360 --> 00:17:16,000 quick highlights is the way to do it. 393 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:19,200 But I have found and even as myself as a as 394 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:20,440 someone in the audience, 395 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:23,080 I like the depth because I really want to get 396 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:24,680 inside the person's head, 397 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:26,880 like who is the story is about whether it's 398 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:28,640 you as the speaker or someone you're talking 399 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:30,240 about. Because I want to know, 400 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:31,480 maybe this is just me. 401 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:32,920 Like what makes them tick? 402 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:34,160 How did they decide this? 403 00:17:34,200 --> 00:17:35,960 What led them to do this? 404 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:38,800 What happened afterwards versus kind of that? 405 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:41,040 That broad brush where I don't really get 406 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:43,800 those those details that help me to 407 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:45,040 understand myself better. 408 00:17:45,150 --> 00:17:46,790 And after all, that's what audiences want to 409 00:17:46,790 --> 00:17:49,070 do, is understand themselves better. 410 00:17:50,150 --> 00:17:51,190 Karen Cochran: Absolutely. 411 00:17:51,950 --> 00:17:54,550 So I would say to your point, 412 00:17:54,550 --> 00:17:55,630 the foreshadowing. 413 00:17:55,790 --> 00:17:57,750 Foreshadowing was key. 414 00:17:57,990 --> 00:18:00,390 I think one of the things you told me that I 415 00:18:00,590 --> 00:18:02,430 have come back to a number of times, 416 00:18:02,430 --> 00:18:04,190 not just in that presentation, 417 00:18:04,430 --> 00:18:06,430 is that there's a difference between how we 418 00:18:06,430 --> 00:18:07,710 speak and how we write. 419 00:18:08,070 --> 00:18:08,470 Carol Cox: Yes. 420 00:18:08,750 --> 00:18:13,510 Karen Cochran: And having spent a large part of my career in 421 00:18:13,550 --> 00:18:15,790 higher education and academe, 422 00:18:16,110 --> 00:18:20,910 I can be a very cerebral writer and part of 423 00:18:21,430 --> 00:18:24,110 as I go to this next level, 424 00:18:24,110 --> 00:18:27,350 part of what I need to in many ways unlearn, 425 00:18:27,950 --> 00:18:32,390 right, is that simplicity is best. 426 00:18:33,310 --> 00:18:37,630 Simplicity is going to enable me to make the 427 00:18:37,790 --> 00:18:39,710 most connections in the room, 428 00:18:40,550 --> 00:18:44,420 and to then build off of that simplicity in a 429 00:18:44,420 --> 00:18:47,700 way that makes sense for the audience. 430 00:18:48,700 --> 00:18:51,220 So one of the things you told me is don't 431 00:18:51,260 --> 00:18:53,820 tell them in the beginning about where the 432 00:18:53,820 --> 00:18:54,980 billion dollars came from, 433 00:18:55,020 --> 00:18:58,340 because I think I had that early on in almost 434 00:18:58,340 --> 00:19:00,340 the introduction, you were like, no, no, no, 435 00:19:00,500 --> 00:19:03,340 you can say, I'll tell you later, 436 00:19:03,340 --> 00:19:05,020 which is exactly what I did. 437 00:19:05,060 --> 00:19:07,500 And then about, you know, 438 00:19:07,820 --> 00:19:09,940 five minutes towards the end, 439 00:19:09,980 --> 00:19:12,460 I shared what I shared with you earlier, 440 00:19:12,460 --> 00:19:15,020 which is where the money came from, 441 00:19:15,220 --> 00:19:18,620 to enable Ruth to actually make tuition free 442 00:19:18,660 --> 00:19:20,580 at Albert Einstein Medical Center. 443 00:19:21,500 --> 00:19:22,980 Carol Cox: It's almost like a big reveal. 444 00:19:24,180 --> 00:19:25,500 Yeah, yeah. 445 00:19:26,140 --> 00:19:27,260 Karen Cochran: A little bit of theater. 446 00:19:27,300 --> 00:19:28,540 Carol Cox: Yes. Right. It makes it fun. 447 00:19:28,540 --> 00:19:30,020 And to your point about the difference 448 00:19:30,020 --> 00:19:31,580 between writing and speaking, 449 00:19:31,580 --> 00:19:33,820 and I know, again, so many of the clients we 450 00:19:33,820 --> 00:19:36,340 work with, they have their authors, 451 00:19:36,460 --> 00:19:38,780 they've written books, they enjoy writing, 452 00:19:38,820 --> 00:19:40,940 they like writing. A lot of them come from 453 00:19:41,140 --> 00:19:43,740 academia or spent time in academia. 454 00:19:43,740 --> 00:19:46,980 And I remember when I was I was working on a 455 00:19:46,980 --> 00:19:48,060 PhD in history. 456 00:19:48,060 --> 00:19:50,300 And of course, that writing is very, 457 00:19:50,300 --> 00:19:53,180 very different than how I had to train myself 458 00:19:53,180 --> 00:19:54,660 to write as a marketer. 459 00:19:54,860 --> 00:19:57,460 And it took a while for like the old writing 460 00:19:57,460 --> 00:20:00,700 muscles to switch over to the marketing style 461 00:20:00,740 --> 00:20:02,740 writing muscles. But now my challenge is, 462 00:20:02,740 --> 00:20:04,300 as I'm working on my book, 463 00:20:04,460 --> 00:20:07,540 I need to kind of unpack some of the 464 00:20:07,540 --> 00:20:09,460 marketing muscles because it's very short, 465 00:20:09,460 --> 00:20:10,740 pithy, right? 466 00:20:10,740 --> 00:20:13,260 Like and then and instead books tend to be 467 00:20:13,260 --> 00:20:15,500 longer, like I need to fill out more content. 468 00:20:15,500 --> 00:20:17,340 So it's kind of you, you find that balance. 469 00:20:17,340 --> 00:20:18,500 But to your point about the difference 470 00:20:18,500 --> 00:20:19,900 between speaking and writing, 471 00:20:20,140 --> 00:20:21,620 and you probably have found this, Karen too, 472 00:20:21,660 --> 00:20:23,100 is that when we write, 473 00:20:23,140 --> 00:20:26,940 we tend to use larger vocabulary words with 474 00:20:26,940 --> 00:20:29,580 more syllables, a lot more commas, 475 00:20:29,620 --> 00:20:31,580 a lot longer sentences. 476 00:20:31,580 --> 00:20:34,980 But when we talk, we generally do not do that 477 00:20:34,980 --> 00:20:38,300 because it is it feels so much more fluid. 478 00:20:38,300 --> 00:20:40,460 And we're waiting also for the audience to 479 00:20:40,500 --> 00:20:41,100 react. 480 00:20:41,770 --> 00:20:42,690 Karen Cochran: Exactly. 481 00:20:43,690 --> 00:20:44,450 Carol Cox: All right. So I'm. 482 00:20:44,890 --> 00:20:45,650 Karen Cochran: Better myself. 483 00:20:46,130 --> 00:20:47,450 Carol Cox: Okay, well, I think you did. 484 00:20:48,170 --> 00:20:49,650 All right. So I'm so glad that this 485 00:20:49,650 --> 00:20:52,690 presentation was so successful for you. 486 00:20:52,810 --> 00:20:55,490 I also, and I see in my notes from our that 487 00:20:55,490 --> 00:20:57,450 coaching session that we also talked about 488 00:20:57,450 --> 00:21:01,570 adding humor, because I very intentionally 489 00:21:01,570 --> 00:21:04,530 always make sure to add humor to my talks 490 00:21:04,530 --> 00:21:07,450 because yes, usually something off the cuff 491 00:21:07,450 --> 00:21:09,130 will happen and I'll maybe make a, 492 00:21:09,170 --> 00:21:11,570 you know, a joke. That's kind of makes sense 493 00:21:11,570 --> 00:21:14,130 in the moment. But I also like to plan the 494 00:21:14,130 --> 00:21:17,170 humor because it's good to have some some 495 00:21:17,170 --> 00:21:18,650 moments where the audience can kind of 496 00:21:18,690 --> 00:21:20,810 chuckle to themselves or smile to themselves. 497 00:21:20,810 --> 00:21:23,090 So do you remember what you did in your 498 00:21:23,130 --> 00:21:24,690 presentation for humor? 499 00:21:25,330 --> 00:21:28,930 Karen Cochran: I don't remember what I wrote into my script. 500 00:21:28,930 --> 00:21:30,890 I do remember what happened, 501 00:21:31,130 --> 00:21:34,810 which was, after all of this preparation, 502 00:21:35,530 --> 00:21:38,970 the actual slide deck that had my, 503 00:21:39,450 --> 00:21:43,330 you know, your Presentation mode notes in it 504 00:21:43,570 --> 00:21:44,650 didn't come up. 505 00:21:46,130 --> 00:21:47,450 Carol Cox: Which I think is a good thing. 506 00:21:47,490 --> 00:21:47,850 I. 507 00:21:48,770 --> 00:21:50,850 Karen Cochran: Well, in many ways it might have been the 508 00:21:50,850 --> 00:21:55,410 best thing because I in the moment had to 509 00:21:55,450 --> 00:21:58,250 rely on all of the preparation I'd done. 510 00:21:58,250 --> 00:21:59,970 But I did make a joke about it. 511 00:22:00,450 --> 00:22:01,090 Carol Cox: Oh, well, there. 512 00:22:01,090 --> 00:22:02,330 Karen Cochran: You go, audience. Yeah. 513 00:22:02,370 --> 00:22:03,490 Right up, right away. 514 00:22:03,490 --> 00:22:04,890 The audience cracked up, 515 00:22:04,890 --> 00:22:05,290 so. 516 00:22:06,290 --> 00:22:08,650 Carol Cox: That is good. Whenever technology doesn't 517 00:22:08,650 --> 00:22:10,050 work, the best thing to do is, 518 00:22:10,050 --> 00:22:11,650 number one, you just have to go with the 519 00:22:11,650 --> 00:22:13,450 flow. And then number two, just laugh about 520 00:22:13,450 --> 00:22:15,090 it because the audience will totally 521 00:22:15,090 --> 00:22:15,850 understand. 522 00:22:16,490 --> 00:22:17,210 Karen Cochran: Absolutely. 523 00:22:17,250 --> 00:22:18,570 Carol Cox: What that's like. All right, 524 00:22:18,570 --> 00:22:22,650 Karen, so you have obviously done a lot of 525 00:22:22,650 --> 00:22:24,690 work in philanthropy. You've had a long 526 00:22:24,730 --> 00:22:25,810 career in it. 527 00:22:25,810 --> 00:22:28,170 So what advice do you have for whether it's 528 00:22:28,170 --> 00:22:30,410 speakers or leaders, whether they work in 529 00:22:30,410 --> 00:22:33,370 philanthropy or any type of industry, 530 00:22:33,610 --> 00:22:36,690 if they want to have the the kind of, 531 00:22:37,490 --> 00:22:40,960 you know, success and presence and An impact 532 00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:42,760 that you're having with the talks and the 533 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:43,920 workshops that you're doing. 534 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:47,040 Karen Cochran: So I would say one of the things I've learned 535 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:50,560 the most, um, through my engagement with you, 536 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:52,520 but also over the last three years, 537 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:54,720 is give it the time it deserves. 538 00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:58,560 It's so easy when you're in a leadership role 539 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:00,840 or you're in, um, you know, 540 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:02,920 your young fundraiser and you're going from 541 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:06,480 project to project to donor to donor to not 542 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:08,760 give it the time it deserves. 543 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:13,600 You are the expert and you deserve to show up 544 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:15,440 as the expert, which is usually not the 545 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:18,320 issue. It goes back to the communication, 546 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:21,320 right? Thinking through how can I be most 547 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:23,800 effective in communicating this message? 548 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:27,520 How can I express it in a simplistic way that 549 00:23:27,520 --> 00:23:29,760 the majority of the people will understand? 550 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:32,880 How can I listen to my audience and connect? 551 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:36,000 So I would say when you have those 552 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:38,280 opportunities, because they will be given to 553 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:41,240 you if you are a leader in the field, 554 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:43,600 make sure that you give it the time it 555 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:47,080 deserves so that you get the maximum learning 556 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:49,800 out of it, but also you get the maximum ROI 557 00:23:50,120 --> 00:23:51,360 out of your investment. 558 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:54,200 Carol Cox: Thank you for that advice, Karen. That's 559 00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:56,440 really helpful. What is next for you? 560 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:57,720 What are you working on? 561 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:00,760 Karen Cochran: I'm working on a number of fun things. 562 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:03,480 I'm continuing to grow the business beyond 563 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:06,160 Central Florida in my three verticals, 564 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:08,920 which are philanthropic strategy, 565 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:11,480 executive coaching, and interim leadership. 566 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:14,920 And I've recently made a connection with 567 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:16,840 center for Creative Leadership, 568 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:20,600 where in 2026, I hope to be in, 569 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:23,640 uh, whether it's on the stage, 570 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:27,640 facilitating a panel or co-presenting with a 571 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:30,280 woman by the name of Jean Leslie, 572 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:34,160 uh, about her research on Poly crisis, 573 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:35,640 which expands. 574 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:36,040 Carol Cox: Not. 575 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:39,160 Karen Cochran: Just. Yeah, well, it's about how we are now 576 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:42,400 at a time where there are a number of crises 577 00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:44,200 that happen simultaneously. 578 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:48,120 We can no longer just address one crisis at a 579 00:24:48,120 --> 00:24:53,080 time. So her work has been ongoing for the 580 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:55,400 last several years on this subject, 581 00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:59,080 and we connected over the summer and really 582 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:02,520 had a wonderful dialogue about not just how 583 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:05,200 it impacts people in the philanthropic 584 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:07,960 sector, but how it impacts people more 585 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:10,480 broadly. So I'm really looking forward to 586 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:14,520 finding that stage and sharing that passion 587 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:15,120 with her. 588 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:17,480 Carol Cox: Oh that's lovely. We'll definitely keep me 589 00:25:17,480 --> 00:25:19,440 updated on that. 590 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:21,640 I love to see these collaborations. 591 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:24,360 And where's the best place for listeners to 592 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:25,240 connect with you. 593 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:27,560 Karen Cochran: On my website? 594 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:29,840 That's w-w-w. 595 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:36,880 And there will be a link to directly access 596 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:40,670 me there and you can sign up for my for my 597 00:25:40,870 --> 00:25:42,910 monthly newsletter as well if you'd like. 598 00:25:43,390 --> 00:25:45,030 Carol Cox: Okay, great. I'll make sure to include a link 599 00:25:45,030 --> 00:25:46,270 to that in the show notes, 600 00:25:46,270 --> 00:25:48,430 as well as a link to connect with you on 601 00:25:48,430 --> 00:25:50,470 LinkedIn, because I know that's where both of 602 00:25:50,470 --> 00:25:53,670 us tend to hang out and and spend our time as 603 00:25:53,670 --> 00:25:54,990 far as social media. 604 00:25:55,110 --> 00:25:57,390 Well, Karen, thank you so much for coming on 605 00:25:57,390 --> 00:26:00,910 the podcast and for sharing your experience 606 00:26:00,910 --> 00:26:02,990 working with us, but also your experience 607 00:26:02,990 --> 00:26:04,630 presenting and your experience with 608 00:26:04,630 --> 00:26:06,070 storytelling in philanthropy. 609 00:26:06,070 --> 00:26:07,710 I know that listeners have gained a lot from 610 00:26:07,710 --> 00:26:08,390 hearing you. 611 00:26:09,070 --> 00:26:10,910 Karen Cochran: Carol. It's genuine pleasure, 612 00:26:10,910 --> 00:26:13,990 and I always am more than happy to talk with 613 00:26:13,990 --> 00:26:17,390 anyone about your support and the experience 614 00:26:17,390 --> 00:26:21,830 I had as, um, a coachee and a participant. 615 00:26:22,150 --> 00:26:23,510 Carol Cox: Oh well, thank you so much. 616 00:26:23,670 --> 00:26:24,990 For those of you listening, 617 00:26:24,990 --> 00:26:27,830 if you would like to join us at our next one 618 00:26:27,830 --> 00:26:30,910 day in-person Speaking Accelerator workshop 619 00:26:30,910 --> 00:26:32,630 in Orlando, Florida. 620 00:26:32,870 --> 00:26:35,750 We host them in during the early part of the 621 00:26:35,750 --> 00:26:37,070 year and in the fall. 622 00:26:37,150 --> 00:26:39,230 So our next one as of right now is coming up 623 00:26:39,270 --> 00:26:42,910 on February 19th, 2026. 624 00:26:42,910 --> 00:26:44,950 And you can get all of the details and 625 00:26:44,950 --> 00:26:48,030 register now at speaking your Brand.com 626 00:26:49,190 --> 00:26:52,590 again, that's speaking your brand.com. And if 627 00:26:52,590 --> 00:26:54,950 it's better for you to work virtually with 628 00:26:54,950 --> 00:26:58,510 us, we also offer presentation makeover 629 00:26:58,550 --> 00:27:01,950 packages. So we'll take your existing slide 630 00:27:01,950 --> 00:27:04,550 deck outline presentation that you have and 631 00:27:04,550 --> 00:27:06,630 we'll give it a complete makeover, 632 00:27:06,630 --> 00:27:08,670 similar to what Karen and I talked about. 633 00:27:08,670 --> 00:27:11,990 Or we can start from scratch in a one on one 634 00:27:11,990 --> 00:27:14,910 VIP day. Whatever is the best fit for you. 635 00:27:14,910 --> 00:27:16,630 And the best thing to do is to schedule a 636 00:27:16,630 --> 00:27:19,790 consultation call with us so that we can talk 637 00:27:19,790 --> 00:27:21,990 about what you need and the best options for 638 00:27:21,990 --> 00:27:23,790 you. You can do that at speaking your 639 00:27:23,790 --> 00:27:27,910 Brand.com. Until next time, 640 00:27:27,910 --> 00:27:28,950 thanks for listening.