"I recently had the privilege of coordinating and attending the Los Angeles Jewish Chamber SBA Luncheon with Marion Claire. The experience and knowledge Marion led us through felt like a custom-designed, presentation skills training process. Having participated in a wide variety of workshops and seminars, I can be pretty discerning. Marion's skills and warmth are authentic and I highly recommend her."

~Paul Goldstein, Vice President, Los  

Angeles Jewish Chamber of Commerce

      If you're looking for a speaker for your next event and would like to learn the "Secrets of a Unique and Sexy Speaker", please contact me right away!  

      You need a speaker who walks her talk. I'd be delighted to speak to your group in your neighborhood one of these days. Just send me an email: Marion@marionclaire.com. I'm looking forward to talking to you about it!

      Wrong! Instead of jumping at the chance to be in this stellar company, you hesitate. You can feel your heart pounding and your hands getting sweaty. Even though you've spoken to groups of this size before, suddenly your confidence seems to have gone south. You can think of half a dozen reasons why this isn't the right time or the right place. You're not at all sure you can do this.

      You make some excuse about finding room in your calendar, saying you'll have to let them know. You're about to blow a prime opportunity to move to the next level, to become one of the 'go-to' experts in your industry that are in constant demand, and you know it. Yet you tell yourself you won't be able to cut it. Who are you, anyway? You're not as well known or experienced as those heavyweight hitters. How can you compete with them? What can you say that the audience hasn't heard before? Why should they listen to you?

      Remember that everything you want is just outside your comfort zone. The only way we ever grow and improve is by pushing ourselves out of the comfortable nest we've been languishing in, and doing the very thing we're afraid to do. But taking that step can be scary.  

      Whatever your field of expertise, there are always going to be others who know just as much or more than you do. So what? You have three things to offer that make you different and special enough to share the spotlight: your authenticity, your particular point of view, and the unique way you deliver your message.

      Even when given the same topic, no two people ever give the same speech. What you will say is colored by your background, your life experience, your personality, your goals, and your speaking style. How you present yourself and your topic are totally unique to you.

      That being the case, how you present yourself to the audience is going to be different from anyone else, including the famous heavy hitters. Your take on the subject is going to be just as valid and possibly more interesting. If you've been asked to share the stage, it means that someone thinks you have something valuable to say, and that how you say it is worth listening to. All you have to do is be yourself and speak authentically from your true beliefs, in your own personal style. That's what makes you unique.

      You never need fear competing with the heavy hitters. The audience will benefit from hearing your take on your subject. They'll want to listen to you because you're offering them the gift of your unique perspective. You'll benefit from stepping out of your comfort zone and up to the next level. It's a win-win situation for everybody.

      Go for it!