I am on the couch reading “Just Another Brick” by Stephen J Moles “The Restoration of the Historic Walled Gardens at Croome” and remembering a wonderful afternoon spent last year on vacation. As I am back in the UK again, my message is more personal.  I hope you will enjoy it. My brother and I […]

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Swanage in World War II Exploring the history of a town or city adds a rich layer of appreciation to our experience of a place.I love being a tourist and understand the value of delving into the past to enhance my understanding and connection with a destination. During my vacation in Swanage, Dorset, near my […]

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The Notion: Acknowledge the Mentors on Your Journey to Success Sooner or later, as a high-achieving professional, you’ll be invited to share your journey to success. The very thought may trigger a nervous response. After all, we’ve been socially conditioned not to “brag.” Let’s simplify the process with a strategy. Every speech orbits a central […]

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Rehearsal Is the Work in Sales Presentations Oscar winner Sir Michael Caine said, “Rehearsal is the work; performance is the relaxation.” That applies equally to delivering a sales presentation. When delivering a recent sales presentation skills training Dan, the national sales manager, told me, “It takes us a year to have the opportunity to deliver […]

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On the evening of April 18, 1775, Dr. Joseph Warren summoned Paul Revere and gave him the task of riding to Lexington, Massachusetts, with the news that British soldiers stationed in Boston were about to march into the countryside northwest of the town.  Paul Revere never shouted the legendary phrase later attributed to him “The […]

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As a speech coach, one of the most common questions I am asked is, “What do I do with my hands when I speak in public?” It’s a question that is natural to ask. This is what I tell my clients and audiences. It’s important to remember that your hand gestures are best when in […]

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My speech coaching clients frequently hear me say, “Are you going to do it, or kind of do it? Remember, you do not kind of or sort of do anything.” Even seasoned executives who should know better, use these weak words and phrases. Often, I believe they are attempting to sound humble. However, it only […]

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𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 said, “𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟.” Patricia Fripp (that’s me!) says, “Put your words under the magnifying glass.” 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 all of 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, just follow these simple steps. If you have a video of a presentation that you felt went really well, sit down and watch it. However, change your perspective. Imagine you […]

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