Why I Keep Saying Yes to the Stage

Public speaking wasn’t part of a grand master plan. It crept up on me gradually, the way most good things do. One conversation led to another, one invitation turned into the next, and before I knew it I was spending a fair amount of time on stages, in lecture theatres and conference halls, in conversation with all sorts of brilliant, curious people.

What I discovered very quickly is that I love it.

I’ve always been interested in people, how they live, how they think, what they value, and public speaking is, at its heart, an exercise in shared curiosity. Whether I’m delivering a keynote, chairing a panel or hosting an event, my role is the same: to create a space where ideas can be exchanged openly and intelligently, without intimidation or ego.

Over the past few years, speaking has become an important part of my professional life. From rooms full of lawyers to whisky specialists, architects to interiors obsessives, no two audiences are ever the same. That’s the joy of it. The conversation shifts depending on who’s in front of you, and the best moments are always unscripted: the question from the floor, the ripple of recognition, the collective laugh when something unexpectedly lands.

Television has undoubtedly helped build confidence and reach. Scotland’s Home of the Year allows us to communicate with a wonderfully broad audience, and the feedback is immediate and heartfelt. But there’s something uniquely energising about being in a room with people, responding in real time to what they care about. It’s more intimate, more alive, and infinitely more nuanced.

My background, spanning design, branding, storytelling and entrepreneurship, means I’m often asked to speak about creativity, reinvention and building a career that evolves over time. I’m particularly interested in how we make decisions: when to push forward, when to pause, and how to keep moving without burning out. These are conversations that resonate far beyond any single industry.

I don’t believe in talking at people. The most successful events I’ve been part of feel collaborative, more like a good dinner party than a lecture. As a chair or host, my aim is to put speakers at ease, draw out their best thinking and keep the audience engaged throughout. As a speaker, I try to be honest, practical and human. I’m not interested in glossy platitudes or impossible formulas for success. I am interested in what actually works.

One of the most rewarding aspects of public speaking is its immediacy. You feel the room. You adapt. You respond. You listen as much as you talk. That exchange, the sense that everyone is present and invested, is what makes an event memorable.

I’ve learned that confidence on stage doesn’t come from having all the answers. It comes from being comfortable with curiosity, with not knowing everything, and with allowing space for genuine dialogue. Audiences are perceptive; they value authenticity over perfection every time.

So why do I keep saying yes to public speaking? Because it stretches me. Because it connects me to people beyond my usual circles. Because it’s one of the most effective ways I know to share ideas, challenge assumptions and spark meaningful conversation.

If you’re planning an event and looking for a speaker or chair who can balance authority with warmth, structure with spontaneity, I’d love to be part of the conversation. Whether it’s a keynote, panel discussion, conference or intimate gathering, my aim is always the same: to make the room feel engaged, informed and energised long after the chairs are stacked away.

If that sounds like your kind of event, let’s talk.

photo credit Christy McGinley