Speak Up With Laura Camacho

Dr. Michael Banissy recently wrote the HIGHLY relevant and timely book, Touch Matters: Hugs, Handshakes, and the New Science on How Touch Can Enhance You Well-Being. Dr. Banissy was fascinated with the human person and was a self-professed people-watcher for many years. His interest in the biology behind psychology led him to research physical touch—one of the first senses we develop. If you have struggled with how to use physical touch in a professional setting, this episode will DECODE the language of touch and give you the basics for how to incorporate it. We all know that physical touch seems taboo post-pandemic. But in this captivating episode Dr. Banissy shares with us why physical touch is so ESSENTIAL and how we can use it to our advantage. Some solid gold takeaways include:

Today’s VIP guest on Speak Up with Laura Camacho is the hyper-successful Atif Rafiq. Atif worked as the global CDO of McDonald’s and Volvo before becoming president of MGM Resorts Intl. Now he advises on the board of Clearcover and Flutter Entertainment. He is author of Decision Sprint: The New Way to Innovate into the Unknown and Move from Strategy to Action. With the rapidly changing working environment due to AI and a plethora of other factors, we must master innovation strategy and perfect the decision-making process. In this episode, Atif gives you the secret know-how he learned to implement a decision-making process that works and strategies that will nurture innovation as much as possible. Here are some of the mind-blowing takeaways you can expect from these 45 minutes: - Fallacies that surround the decision-making process - The importance of an ‘exploration phase’ to come to a high quality decision - What you need to tackle new spaces even when there is a lot of ambiguity - The importance

Our guest today is the vibrant and engaging AJ Vassar, international business coach and speaker. AJ comes from an underprivileged background being the eldest of 8 in a single-parent household. As he grew up, he realized that, regardless of finances, everyone has their struggles. Now he coaches individuals to sell and/or become professional speakers. If you want to be someone worth listening to, this episode is for you. AJ’s experience and wisdom will help you communicate your VALUE and SELL your ideas (even if you’re an introvert). You will also learn the importance of MINDSET and how to take any situation and make it better. Additionally, you will also get these golden, multi-million dollar takeaways: ● The benefits of going through difficult times and embracing them as part of your story ● Why you need to KNOW that what you have to say is important ● The one question people will always ask themselves as your audience ● Why you need to focus on contribution vs appreciation ● Learning to val

Today’s engaging guest on the Speak Up with Laura Camacho podcast is President of Formfree, Eric Lapin. Formfree is an innovative company in the finance world which uses direct source data to accurately assess credit risk. With a finance background, Eric has invaluable insight into managing risk-taking and innovation in the workplace and maneuvering times of change which we are all seeing at the moment—whether we like it or not! If you want to make CHANGE HAPPEN but are risk-averse, or if you are facing difficult changes in the workplace that are outside of your CONTROL, this episode is for you. In our jam-packed conversation, Eric and host Laura Camacho discuss: ● Communication pitfalls that can come with an innovative company or approach in the workplace ● How to handle resistance to change internally while building trust ● Why as a leader it’s essential to know your audience ● The reality of the velocity of change in our fast-paced world ● How to tolerate failure without letting it get out of han

Today’s guest on Speak Up with Laura Camacho specializes in helping leaders leverage their body language for impact. Join Laura in this bracing conversation with speech-writing award winner Richard Newman. After high school, Richard wasn’t sure what career he wanted to pursue and ended with his spending time in a Tibetan monastery teaching the resident monks English. This wildly unique experience taught Richard how to communicate with others beyond words and sparked his interest in authentic and effective communication principles. While working as a professional actor, Richard started helping hairdressers with their communication. His workshops were so successful that he founded UK Body Talk Ltd. In 2014 he won the Cicero Grand Prize for Best Speechwriter of the Year. His research with University of the City London highlights the immense impact of your body language on your leadership and influence, later published in You Were Born to Speak. In this fascinating episode Richard and host Laura cover

This fascinating episode of Speak Up with Laura Camacho features the fabulous Dr. Valerie Fridland, sociolinguist and professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. Her area of research is about the relationship between language and society. She wrote a book to help educate us about her findings entitled: Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English. Dr. Fridland grew up in Memphis, TN. Because her family was not native English speakers, they were treated as very exotic. This helped her notice early in life how people responded to differences in language. This enthralling episode is for anyone for whom English is a second language and/or wants to harness the power of language to improve their communication at work—so they can get their bottom line across. It’s a key resource for anyone struggling with verbal fillers - uhs, ums, and so on. In 45 action-packed minutes you will learn: - The challenges that having an accent can present in the workplace - The role women played in changing t

In this episode of Speak Up with Laura Camacho, Laura has a wonderfully candid conversation with Jenne Sevilla, a certified financial planner, about one of the trickiest topics: money. Jenne entered the field of life insurance sales after college. She found that it did not come naturally to her, her tendency was to educate and develop relationships as opposed to sell quickly. After facing the same issue at a different firm, Jenne realized that insurance sales was not for her. She decided to take a position in a support role in the finance industry instead. During that time she educated herself thoroughly on the topic of personal finance and eventually became a certified financial planner. It was after this that she created Money Moods, a personal finance program that focuses on behavior first and helps you build financial confidence. In this episode, Jenne and Laura discuss the importance of addressing money openly in the workplace (and at home). Other wisdom bombs include: - How emotions play a piv

Influence starts with a first impression. This is a mini-episode that will tell you exactly what you need to know about improving your elevator pitch to build massive social capital. In fifteen fast-paced minutes Laura will cover: - The most important quality you bring to a conversation - The number one tip for taking leadership of the conversation - Some ways to talk about your work to communicate the value you bring to the table - How to OWN all that you have to offer - The number one turn-off in introductory conversations - Tips for maneuvering networking events as an introvert This episode is brought to you by The Practical Guide to Effective Communication: Get Recognized for the Value You Already Contribute

Michelle Gladiuex is founder of Gladieux Consulting, which helps organizations of all types and sizes use training and coaching to improve their workforce and workplace. Her approach to having courage at work includes learning how to manage risks, uncovering your blind spots, and getting an accurate perception of how others see you. Michelle had a love for science as a student and dove into organizational psychology. After 20+ years of working with many types of organizations and successfully implementing positive changes, she documented her expertise in her new book: Communicate with Courage: Taking Risks to Overcome the Four Hidden Challenges. In this lively podcast episode, you will learn: - How to take and manage calculated risks in communication - Why you should embrace imperfection in the workplace (and in life) - How to capitalize on and learn from your mistakes - The importance of finding and working on your blind spots - A powerful exercise to find out what people REALLY think about you - Wh

A friend introduced Laura to Jenny Melrose, a teacher-turned-massively successful business-owner who now consults influencers. She’s the influencer to the influencers.

Welcome to episode #3 in the Supper Club Series! This conversation spotlights influencer and leading She Said/She Said podcaster Laura Cox Kaplan (@lauracoxkaplan), who spills the tea on building influence, winning over hard hearts and sharp minds, and even the steps to get a role on corporate or nonprofit boards. A corporate and non-profit board member and adviser, Laura has more than two decades of executive experience in public policy, communications, corporate governance, and stakeholder engagement in the public, private and non-profit sectors. As the Principal-in-Charge of Government, Regulatory Affairs and Public Policy for PricewaterhouseCoopers, Laura spent a decade on the executive management team of PwC and almost 12 years managing PwC’s public policy engagement strategy, which coordinates public policy strategies across 150+ countries. She also advises a broad range of c-suite level clients, and has significant experience building coalitions and partnerships to advance issues and policies.

Here at Speak Up with Laura Camacho, we’re all about influencing the c-suite and BECOMING the c-suite. In this episode, Laura introduces you to her colleague, Donna Griffit, a Corporate Storyteller who has worked globally for over 18 years with Fortune 500 companies and Startups. Leveraging her early days in theater, Donna developed the ability to magically spin raw data into compelling stories that captivate audiences and drive results and now she’s sharing that with us. Donna’s book, Sticking To My Story - The Alchemy Of Storytelling For Startups, is not just for start-ups, any high performing professional needs to ace the storytelling skill set. Laura was particularly impressed with her technique of preparing presentations and for nailing the Q&A. You’ll love our discussion around why so many corporate presentations bring us to “suislide”. Whether you’re a technical leader or not, Donna shares super helpful tips to use data to craft compelling stories. In this lively conversation, pick up some

Episode 177 Successfully Communicate in Enterprise or Startup with Jason Andree Laura met Jason through a mutual friend and he turned out to be a model communicator for an authentic, not puffed-up leader. He was living in Switzerland working at GSK when he got the opportunity to take the CMO role of US-based Nufabrx. This startup is one of the fastest growing companies in the country and offers patients an innovative pain relief through specially-treated fabrics. Jason takes us on the journey of building your personal brand based on being your authentic self, not knowing all the answers, and speaking up. Jason believes the key to his career success has been building strong, mutually beneficial relationships. In this powerful but low-key conversation, pick up proven tips for leadership excellence including: - What is the top consumer priority when interacting with brands - Role of authenticity in building a personal brand - What’s more powerful than words in a meeting - Making the career pivot from enterpr

Welcome to episode #2 in the Supper Club Series! This conversation spotlights publicist Patricia Mae Olson (@patricia_mae_olson), an influencer, owner of Piqued PR, podcaster, and member of the Supper Club, a group of high-end lifestyle business owners. Patricia’s PR firm, Piqued PR operates in the suburbs of Philadelphia and offers public relations, social media management, influencer marketing, events for fashion and lifestyle brands. Patricia Mae believes in decorating colorfully, entertaining in style, and dressing preppy with a twist. The way you present yourself communicates to your audience, even before you open your mouth. Learn about the connection between appearance and perception, and some high ROI tips to look your best. In this chic and chatty episode we share some lovely jewels for you: - How Instagram changed advertising and its audiences - The Instagram mindset that can propel your career and/or business growth - Introverts and others! Use social media to build your professional ne

Welcome to episode #1 in the Supper Club Series! Lauren Jacobs (@thecheerfulbaker), is an influencer, a gourmet cookie baker, and member of the Supper Club, a group of high-end lifestyle business owners. Lauren worked in retail after college and then became a Sales Rep for American Greetings. After her first child was born she decided to stay home. Fast forward to 2015, she took up baking. After multiple cookie decorating classes, she got hooked and began to decorate cookies for retail as well as hosting some of her own classes. When professional cookie decorating took off, she decided to make it her full-time career. During the pandemic Lauren asked herself: “What do I want to take away from this experience?” She realized the joy that came from her faith was a central part of herself and so rebranded as The Cheerful Baker. This forms an integral part of her work as a cookie decorator and Instagram influencer. Her social media following led her to working with the Food Network for their 2022 Christmas Cook

This episode brought to you by The Practical Guide to Effective Communication: Get Recognized for the Value You Already Contribute by Laura Camacho, PhD. It’s a great day to listen to Laura’s juicy conversation with Sonja "Dynamo" Price. Sonja is a top Career Strategist, Salary Advisor, and Leadership Coach with. Her mission is to support professionals to enjoy greater meaning, better work-life balance, and significantly higher pay. She has worked directly with Tony Robbins, trained with Al Gore to become a Climate Reality Leader, and won an Honorable Award from the Women’s Economic Forum. In this episode, Sonja drops any number of excellent techniques to accelerate your career success and help you earn significantly more money!! We get right into how to plan and strategize your next career move, how to build your arsenal of internal allies, and how to find out if your compensation is appropriate for all the things you do!! We all agree that money isn’t everything, but these nuggets can help you earn

Laura’s guest is Don Colliver, public speaking internal expert at Google and around the world; leads improv, clown, and sketch comedy classes for the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre. . Don’s mission is to help every communicator profoundly impact their audience through the power of authenticity, listening, and play. He recently released a #1 Bestselling Amazon book entitled "Wink: Transforming Public Speaking with Clown Presence" to help anxious speakers and organizational teams everywhere connect more deeply when they communicate. Laura and Don bring you all kinds of practical wisdom pearls so that you can engage even the toughest of audiences. Takeaways include: - Research actually proves that competent leaders are better perceived when they share certain imperfections - 3 specific ways to increase engagement with your very next presentation (in person or virtual) - The kind of humor that helps you and the kind to avoid - What your audience secretly craves from any speaker - The ingredient that makes peopl

This episode of Speak Up with Laura Camacho is brought to you by The Practical Guide to Effective Communication: Get recognized for the Value You Already Contribute Dr. Mindy Weinstein is a marketing expert and author from Scottsdale, Arizona. She is the founder and CEO of Market MindShift, specializing in high-level powerful tips to use scarcity to create more interest in you and your ideas. After a career in marketing, she decided to do a deep-dive into persuasion. She realized that out of all the factors that influence us, scarcity is the most powerful. This led her to doing her own research into the topic of scarcity and eventually writing her book: The Power of Scarcity: Leveraging Urgency and Demand to Influence Customer Decisions. In this fascinating and compelling episode discover these powerful tools: - How scarcity affects us on a neurobiological level - Why we value what is scarce more than everything else - How fear of missing out (FOMO) plays into marketing and our day-to-day decision making -

This episode is brought to you by The Practical Guide to Effective Communication: Get Recognized for the Value You Already Contribute. Hesha Abrams is an internationally renowned mediator from Dallas, TX. With over 30 years of resolving intense conflict and difficult problems, Hesha comes to us as an expert in addressing conflict with pragmatic approaches. Hesha’s innovative approach and thought-provoking solutions obtain favorable outcomes for even the most complex conflicts. From a young age, Hesha had a strong sense of justice. In her years of work as an attorney she came to understand how to end conflict and successfully defuse the tension - outside the courtroom. She saw that many people feared and avoided conflict, which led her to writing the book, Holding the Calm: The Secret to Resolving Conflict and Defusing Tension This episode gives you the roadmap to: - Use the ‘sandwich’ technique to deal with people who dominate meetings - Why stories are most effective to make your point stick - Leverage a

Why improve your communication skills at work? What's the value in having more executive presence? Or feeling more comfortable with intimidating audiences? It comes down to having more influence. Influence means people know you, like you, and trust you and you get to shape the decisions that affect you. It means people think of you, they remember you and what it is you bring to the table. In this quick, intense episode, Laura shares a quick introduction to what it means to have influence at work and how you need to think about the way you interact with others, if you want to have more influence. Her diamond-studded takeaways include: - When is the best time to speak up in a meeting - Why loudmouths have more influence - How the power to influence in the virtual context helps introverts - Word choices that boost influence - Easy options to make you more memorable Today’s episode of Speak Up with Laura Camacho is brought to you by The Practical Guide to Effective Communication: Get Recognized for the Value