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Speaking Podcast

Speaking Podcast

By: Roy Coughlan
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 The new format to this Podcast is I am having interesting conversation with Authors, Coaches and Business people.

Episode 1 to 250 I am interviewing Public Speakers and Coaches. They are sharing how they overcame their fear of public speaking and became competent speakers. If you would like to make a change in the World then being able to speak in public is critical to get your message out. Later Episode include conversation with Authors & Business owners.

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Thank you to my listeners :)565585 Economics Leadership Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • #353 6,000 Studies vs. Billionaire Lies: The Truth About Plastics with Dr. Chris De Armitt

    #353 6,000 Studies vs. Billionaire Lies: The Truth About Plastics with Dr. Chris De Armitt
    Apr 17 2026
    What if the "eco-friendly" choice you're making is actually 200x worse for the environment? Dr. Chris De Armitt—materials scientist, Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, and author of The Plastics Paradox—joins us after reviewing over 6,000 peer-reviewed studies. His mission? Replace environmental mythology with actual science. In this no-holds-barred conversation, Chris reveals why plastic bags are the greenest option, why your reusable cotton tote is an environmental disaster, and why billionaires like Michael Bloomberg and Bill Gates are funding studies that say the exact opposite of the scientific consensus. Whether you're a speaker who needs to fact-check your material or someone tired of being guilt-tripped at the grocery store, this episode will change how you think about "sustainability." Guest: Dr. Chris De Armitt All Episodes: https://www.awakeningpodcast.org Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants: https://roycoughlan.com/ Bio of Dr. Chris De Armitt Dr. Chris De Armitt (PhD, FRSC, FIMMM, CChem) is one of the world's leading independent experts on plastics, microplastics, and the environment. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, he has worked at the forefront of polymer science with companies including BASF, HP, Apple, and Disney. He is the founder of Phantom Plastics and the Plastics Research Council, a network of professors and toxicologists dedicated to sharing scientific truth. After reviewing over 6,000 peer-reviewed studies, he authored The Plastics Paradox and Shattering the Plastics Illusion, both available for free. His work has been featured on CBS 60 Minutes, BBC, Sky News, and The Washington Post. He has advised governments and policymakers worldwide and has never been funded by the plastics industry. What we discussed: 00:00 Introduction 01:10 How his daughter's homework sparked a global mission 02:10 Expert witness AGAINST plastic — vaginal mesh case & 9,000 settlements 03:35 Peer Reviewed Vs Paid Reviewed 05:30 The Plastic Protestors 06:20 What would make a difference to the Environment 06:50 The Plastic Straw Myth 07:50 The lie of the Plastic in our Bodies 08:20 Why it Does Not take 1,000 yrs to break down 09:45 How long to Degrade a Plastic bag 11:19 Everylife bags 12:35 Tyre materials have toxic Rubber 14:20 How your body reacts to plastics 16:40 Does Plastics leak into your body from Water bottles 18:00 How Poor Countries sterilize their water 19:05 Testing the Plastic on rats should put you at ease 19:40 People get ill from the Worry of Plastics in your body 20:30 Fed 25% of Teflon to Rats 22:30 Do any Governments pay attention to his studies 24:30 Why taxing plastic bags did not help 25:50 What happens to our Plastic to be Recycled 27:50 Poland new bottle tax 30:35 No Correlation between Recycling and Litter 31:45 The Ocean Plastic Lie 36:20 Is the 8 Billion Population another Lie 37:20 The attacks on Social Media 41:25 His 2 Books on Plastic 42:50 Why are Billionaires lying about the Plastics 46:24 Be Skeptical of Headlines 47:30 Where to find Dr. Chris De Armitt 🔗 CONTACT DR. CHRIS DE ARMITT Website & Free Books: https://www.plasticsresearchcouncil.com Speaker & Consulting: https://www.phantomplastics.com The Plastics Paradox (Free): https://www.plasticsparadox.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisdearmitt 🤝 CONNECT WITH ROY COUGHLAN Website: https://www.awakeningpodcast.org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@roycoughlan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakingpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/speakingpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@roycoughlanpodcaster #PlasticsParadox #MicroplasticsMyth #AwakeningPodcast #ChrisDeArmitt #PlasticTruth #EnvironmentalMyths #WakeUpToScience #PlasticsResearchCouncil #ScienceVsMedia #GreenWashing #OceanPlasticMyth #RecyclingTruth #PFAS #MicroplasticsFacts #PeerReviewedScience #BigEnvironment #PlasticLies #AwakeningToTruth #ConsciousConsumer #RoyCoughlan #EnvironmentalScience #TruthSeekers #MediaManipulation #FactsOverFear #PodcastAwakening #FollowTheScience #PlasticRecycling
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    48 mins
  • #352 From Stage Fright to Spotlight: The Science of Speaking Under Pressure

    #352 From Stage Fright to Spotlight: The Science of Speaking Under Pressure
    Mar 19 2026

    Guest: Dr Alexander McWilliam All Episodes can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podpage.com/speaking-podcast/⁠⁠⁠ All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bio of Alex McWilliam Dr Alexander McWilliam is founder and managing director of Improv4Business. It provides presentation and speaking training, including executive coaching, team sessions and bespoke programmes. It works primarily with B2B clients, from start-ups to multi-billion-pound organisations. These have included ITV, The Entertainer, Kenwood and Computacenter. Dr McWilliam has a background in professional acting and improvisation, and is the only UK PhD graduate in “public-speaking anxiety and performing under pressure”. What we Discussed: 00:00 Introduction 01:13 The Only UK PhD in Public Speaking Anxiety 02:37 Why Friends' Fear of Presenting Sparked His Research 04:22 The 3.5 Year Doctorate Journey 05:48 Brain Freeze: When Practice Meets Reality 07:15 The "Blank" Moment We All Experience 08:33 Being Selectively Shy 10:05 From Shy Kid to Door-to-Door Sales 11:42 How Stories We Tell Ourselves Hold Us Back 13:08 Why the Audience Isn't Your Enemy 14:35 Reading Faces Wrong: Crossed Arms Don't Mean Boredom 16:02 You Are Your Own Worst Critic 17:29 Why Audiences Want You to Succeed 19:03 The Power of Watching Yourself Back 20:38 Audiences Forgive Mistakes, Not Panic 22:04 Recovery Is What People Remember 23:41 When Speakers Freeze and Start Over 25:07 No One Has Your Script 26:34 Adapting When Time Gets Cut 28:01 Pressure Testing Your Presentations 29:38 Making Failure Fun in Safe Environments 31:05 The "Die" Exercise 32:42 Building Resilience Through Improv 34:09 Table Topics and Playfulness 35:46 Impromptu Speaking Builds Real Confidence 37:13 The Science of Self-Efficacy 38:40 Daily Impromptu Practice 40:07 Why Comedy Is Unforgiving 41:34 Group Failure Exercises 43:11 Surviving the Worst Case Scenario 44:38 Social Anxiety vs. Performance Anxiety 46:05 When Shyness Shows Up Selectively 47:32 Teenage Years and Peer Judgment 48:59 How School Experiences Shape Adult Fear 50:26 Domain-Specific Anxiety 51:53 The Public Speaking Threat Inventory 53:20 27 Items Across Three Domains 54:47 Finding Your Focus Area for Growth How to Contact Alex McWilliam https://www.improv4business.co.uk/ All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🤝 Join our Speaking Podcast Community ✦ Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.podpage.com/speaking-podcast/⁠⁠⁠ ✦ YouTube: / ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@roycoughlan⁠⁠⁠ ✦ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakingpodcast/⁠⁠⁠ ✦ Facebook: / ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakingpodcast⁠⁠⁠ ✦ TikTok: / ⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@roycoughlanpodcaster⁠⁠⁠ #PublicSpeaking #StageFright #PresentationSkills #CommunicationSkills #ProfessionalDevelopment #SpeakingAnxiety #PerformanceAnxiety #ExecutiveCoaching #ImprovForBusiness #PresentationTraining #OvercomeFearOfPublicSpeaking #SpeakWithConfidence #BusinessCommunication #LeadershipSkills #WorkplaceAnxiety #SpeakingPodcast #InterviewPodcast #PersonalDevelopmentPodcast
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    52 mins
  • #351 Why Every Speaker Needs a Website That Actually Books Gigs

    #351 Why Every Speaker Needs a Website That Actually Books Gigs
    Mar 16 2026
    Discover the hidden strategies behind websites that turn casual browsers into loyal customers without expensive ads or complicated funnels. This Episode is a Promotional Episode for the Website services that we offer at ⁠va.world⁠ What we Discussed: 00:00 Why we Recorded this Episode 00:47 Why do you want a Website? 01:36 How to Make Sure a Website Converts 02:55 The Biggest Mistake Businesses Make when Creating a Website 04:30 How Important is Brand Clarify with your Website 05:10 What questions to ask Clients before building their Website 06:34 Allow Disability access for your Website 07:30 Align a Website with the Companies Long Term Goals 08:40 We have worked over 5 years together and have not had an argument. 09:40 What makes a Website Stand Out 10:54 How to approach User experience on your Website 11:53 How Annoying Pop Up's are on Websites 12:35 Design Psychology for Improving your Website 13:44 Ensure you can see the Text on the Website 14:03 Speed & Performance for Website Success 15:22 How to Ensure a Website works across different Devices 16:22 How the Wesbite helped a client with ongoing Upgrades 18:20 How our Design improved Conversions on the Website 19:20 Feedback from Clients after Creating their Websites 20:54 Do not be to Pushy with Sales on the Website 21:35 How the Cookies Help with Sales on your Websites 22:30 Tracking on all Prts of your Website 23:11 Website are like Podcasts that have a lot of things to make it Successful 24:28 How to be be Safe adding Payment Options on your Website 26:15 Maintaining Your Website with our VA 27:32 Do not Managing your own Website if you want to grow your business 29:04 We Create Packages with a breakdown of costs 29:48 Staying ahead of website trends like Ai 30:53 What Website Platforms do we Specialise in 32:38 How do you Future Proof a Website 33:09 We Help Create Skool Groups 33:22 Difference between a Template Site and a Strategically Built Website 34:50 Some Templates Require Plugins 36:00 Amature Websites V's Professionally Designed Ones 37:00 The Problem getting the Wrong Website Template 37:32 How Important is Messaging compared to Visuals on the Website 38:47 How Long should a homepage be on your Website 39:57 The Process from Concept to Launch of your Website 40:57 Having Your Socials connected on your Website 41:37 Do you need a New Website 42:15 How to Connect with us for a New Website 44:35 My 6 Podcasts got 110K downloads last week Find our Website ⁠va.world⁠ Book a Free Call ⁠https://va.world/contact/⁠ #WebsiteDesign #ConversionOptimization #OnlineBusiness #DigitalMarketing #VAservices #BusinessGrowth
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    45 mins
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