Speaking to Grade K-5 Students with Taes Leavitt
12/01/23 • 91 min
What happens when someone with a hit TV show decides to transfer their finely-honed skills and years of experience into a keynote speech?
Five people show up.
That was Taes Leavitt’s experience as she began reinventing her life and her work after years of writing and performing in her own award-winning TV show. It was humbling to say the least. Taes had to reevaluate who she was and what (and why) she was doing. And as she did, she discovered a new world of opportunities, personal growth, and dynamic impact on the kinds of audiences she cared about most: elementary-aged kids.
Speaking to the K-5th grade crowd is no easy feat. You have to hold the space and keep their attention while delivering simple insights and practical tools young kids can actually understand and apply. But resources for that age group are rapidly becoming more important than ever, and when Taes recognized that and decided the bumps and bruises of starting over were worth it, she discovered a level of connection and impact like never before.
On this episode of SP&S you’ll learn:
- 00:00:00 // Tomfoolery and banter
- 00:04:13 // Introducing Taes Leavitt
- 00:08:25 // How Taes pivoted from screen to stage
- 00:17:28 // Why you may have to integrate “audience training” into you presentations
- 00:23:58 // A critical insight into the power of ego and the imposter syndrome
- 00:37:42 // Pro tips on how to write and remember your speech
- 00:48:15 // Helpful insights from Taes’ crash course in script-writing for her own TV show
Taes (pronounced: TESS) has spent the last 15 years creating empowering television and stage content for kids as one half of the musical duo, Splash’N Boots. Her goal is to empower kids to move confidently through their big feelings. Her research has revealed the number one thing that holds people back is not knowing how to navigate big feelings— such as bullying, failure, guilt, sadness, and heartbreak.
Taes’ insight into children’s entertainment combined with developmental psychology and mindfulness training has led to the creation of her child psychologist-recommended program for kids called the Big Heart Journey.
Whether your target audience is the under-10-crowd or not, you’ve likely had a “do over” or three along the way. Taes’ stories and insights will help you better navigate those pivotal moments and build a better, stronger, more authentic way of impacting your audiences. Enjoy the show!
***
Thanks as always to our sponsor, YOUTH SPEAKER UNIVERSITY. At YSU, you can learn how to launch and grow your speaking business, write and publish your book, and launch your online course! Watch the intro video NOW:
***
CONNECT WITH TAES
Taes' website: http://bigheartjourney.com
Taes' former gig: http://splashnboots.com/
Instagram: @bigheartjourney
Facebook: bigheartjourney
INTRO MUSIC
Flourish by Londau
FREE Training! Learn how to grow your impact and income on stage, page, and screen at https://stagepagescreen.com
What happens when someone with a hit TV show decides to transfer their finely-honed skills and years of experience into a keynote speech?
Five people show up.
That was Taes Leavitt’s experience as she began reinventing her life and her work after years of writing and performing in her own award-winning TV show. It was humbling to say the least. Taes had to reevaluate who she was and what (and why) she was doing. And as she did, she discovered a new world of opportunities, personal growth, and dynamic impact on the kinds of audiences she cared about most: elementary-aged kids.
Speaking to the K-5th grade crowd is no easy feat. You have to hold the space and keep their attention while delivering simple insights and practical tools young kids can actually understand and apply. But resources for that age group are rapidly becoming more important than ever, and when Taes recognized that and decided the bumps and bruises of starting over were worth it, she discovered a level of connection and impact like never before.
On this episode of SP&S you’ll learn:
- 00:00:00 // Tomfoolery and banter
- 00:04:13 // Introducing Taes Leavitt
- 00:08:25 // How Taes pivoted from screen to stage
- 00:17:28 // Why you may have to integrate “audience training” into you presentations
- 00:23:58 // A critical insight into the power of ego and the imposter syndrome
- 00:37:42 // Pro tips on how to write and remember your speech
- 00:48:15 // Helpful insights from Taes’ crash course in script-writing for her own TV show
Taes (pronounced: TESS) has spent the last 15 years creating empowering television and stage content for kids as one half of the musical duo, Splash’N Boots. Her goal is to empower kids to move confidently through their big feelings. Her research has revealed the number one thing that holds people back is not knowing how to navigate big feelings— such as bullying, failure, guilt, sadness, and heartbreak.
Taes’ insight into children’s entertainment combined with developmental psychology and mindfulness training has led to the creation of her child psychologist-recommended program for kids called the Big Heart Journey.
Whether your target audience is the under-10-crowd or not, you’ve likely had a “do over” or three along the way. Taes’ stories and insights will help you better navigate those pivotal moments and build a better, stronger, more authentic way of impacting your audiences. Enjoy the show!
***
Thanks as always to our sponsor, YOUTH SPEAKER UNIVERSITY. At YSU, you can learn how to launch and grow your speaking business, write and publish your book, and launch your online course! Watch the intro video NOW:
***
CONNECT WITH TAES
Taes' website: http://bigheartjourney.com
Taes' former gig: http://splashnboots.com/
Instagram: @bigheartjourney
Facebook: bigheartjourney
INTRO MUSIC
Flourish by Londau
FREE Training! Learn how to grow your impact and income on stage, page, and screen at https://stagepagescreen.com
Previous Episode
Dissecting Great Speeches with Eva Daniel
Remodeling your kitchen without any tools will likely result in something your friends, family, and neighbors joke about for years to come.
Because even if you’re strong enough to drive a nail through a board with your bare hands, a good ol’ hammer will always win the day. And save you some serious discomfort.
Let’s apply that analogy to public speaking.
Jumping on a stage and hoping for the best will never match the power and impact of preparing well. We all know that intuitively, but how do we do it practically? Presentation coach Eva Daniel has some brilliant insight and a host of tools she’s used for years to turn even the most accomplished speakers into even better speakers. Now you and I get to enjoy a master class with Eva that can help all of us remodel our presentations into something an audience will admire and be transformed by.
More specifically, you’ll learn:
- 00:00:00 // Tomfoolery and banter
- 00:02:53 // Introducing Eva Daniel
- 00:08:03 // How to contextualize your speech for even greater impact
- 00:11:10 // How to measure how well your speech is connecting with an audience
- 00:33:40 // What worked and what didn’t in one of Josh’s Tedx speeches when we asked Eva to dissect it in real-time
- 00:57:30 // Why it’s critical to find and lean into your “authentic voice”
Eva Daniel is the founder of The Speak Shop, a boutique speaker-coaching business that helps thought leaders develop and deliver compelling content. She spent a couple decades working with some of the nation’s top authors, speakers, pastors, innovators, renegades, and rebel-rousers, producing broadcasts, podcasts, YouTube shows, and writing speeches.
Grab your notebook and get ready for a masterclass in speaking and presenting that will level-up your speaking game, whether you’re just starting out or speaking full-time. Enjoy our delightful and enlightening conversation with Eva!
***
Thanks as always to our sponsor, YOUTH SPEAKER UNIVERSITY. At YSU, you can learn how to launch and grow your speaking business, write and publish your book, and launch your online course! Watch the intro video NOW:
***
CONNECT WITH EVA
Eva’s website: http://thespeakshop.com
www.linkedin.com/in/eva-rose-daniel
Eva’s free e-book: 12 Questions You Must Ask For A Killer Speech
MUSIC
Flourish by Londau
FREE Training: Learn how to grow your impact and income on stage, page, and screen at https://stagepagescreen.com
Next Episode
Self-Publishing Success with Morgan Gist MacDonald
Self-publishing is no longer a stigmatized hobby (“Oh, you couldn’t attract a real publisher, huh?”). It’s the path to potentially big impact and income.
Louise Ross, for example, has sold over 7 million copies of her self-published books worldwide, and 18 of her novels have hit #1 on various bestseller lists. Mark Dawson pulls in a seven-figure income from his self-published crime novels. And the exponential increase in demand for self-publishing insight and tools has given rise to industry-disrupting ventures like the one created by this episode’s brilliant guest, Morgan Gist MacDonald.
Morgan started in traditional publishing but soon ventured out to form her own company, Paper Raven Books, designed to combine the best of traditional publishing with the control and speed of self-publishing. Her hard work and experience translates into the best ways to market your book. In this episode, you’ll hear:
- 00:00:00 // Witty banter
- 00:06:18 // Morgan’s intro
- 00:09:41 // The critical importance of creating teams for crafting, editing, and marketing your book
- 00:22:10 // How to grow your mailing list with book links and opt-ins
- 00:49:13 // The pros and cons of self, traditional, and hybrid-publishing
- 01:08:16 // How to choose the best category for your book
- 01:24:53 // How to get a steady stream of great reviews for your book
Self-publishing is no longer a backup plan for authors that couldn’t make it in traditional publishing. It’s quickly becoming a proven and powerful way to take your book from idea to bestseller, in less time and with more money-making potential.
So get ready to turn that book idea into something REAL.
Enjoy!
***
Thanks as always to our sponsor, YOUTH SPEAKER UNIVERSITY. At YSU, you can learn how to launch and grow your speaking business, write and publish your book, and launch your online course! Watch the intro video NOW:
***
CONNECT WITH MORGAN
Morgan's website: Paper Raven Books
Morgan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-gist-macdonald/
Paper Raven Books' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/6625040/admin/
Morgan's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/morgangmac
Paper Raven Books' Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaperRavenBooks
Morgan's X: https://twitter.com/morgangmac
Paper Raven Books' X: https://twitter.com/PaperRavenBooks
Paper Raven Books' YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/paperravenbooks
Morgan's Instagram: https://instagram.com/morgangmac
Paper Raven Books Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paperravenbooksllc/
MUSIC
Flourish by Londau
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