Host Laura Reid reaches her twelfth and final episode of Season One with special guest Cain Kamano, a five-time District Speech Champion with Toastmasters International, President of Collegiate Connect, and her husband. Cain easily survives Laura’s Killer 13 questions and dives deep into his public speaking journey, how he views life, and the times when speaking went rather horrifically wrong. His attitude of embracing the moment and really enjoying the experience, coupled with his humor, gives his stories an authentic, inspiring feel.

Cain shares moments from his childhood, his background as a door-to-door insurance salesman, and that time when he used a ribeye steak as a prop in a speech. He has roughly thirty trophies from speaking, but his advice on how to win them is surprisingly simple: have a passion for it and enjoy the process. Laura and Cain talk about trust and patience, the latter being Cain’s ongoing life lesson in coaching. Throughout the conversation, Cain emphasizes his real love for people, for connecting with people, and how his ability to laugh through things has carried him a long way.

About Cain Kamano:

Cain Kamano knows what it really takes to connect, inspire, and move people with words.

Back in the 90s, he cut his teeth the hard way—knocking on doors as an insurance salesman. Talk about a crash course in rejection, resilience, and learning how to speak so people actually listen.

That early grit carried him to become a five-time District Speech Champion with Toastmasters International. From there, he not only stepped onto bigger stages as an inspirational speaker, but he also trained and coached others—helping multiple champions rise in their own right.

But he’s not just a speaker. Today, he’s the President of Collegiate Connect, an organization that inspires teenage athletes by pairing them with mentors who’ve walked the path—college athletes who’ve been there, done that.

And when he’s not inspiring the next generation, you might find him across a chessboard, or spending time in his most cherished roles: husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend. Cain was born and raised on Oahu and now lives on the Big Island of Hawaii with his wife, Laura, and their cat Gabby.

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Resources discussed in this episode:

• Polynesian Cultural Center
• Toastmasters International

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Contact Cain Kamano:

• Website: CollegiateConnect.net
• Email: Cain@CollegiateConnect.net

Contact Laura Reid | The Speech Slayer:

• Website: TheSpeechSlayer.com
• Facebook: TheSpeechSlayer
• Instagram: @Laura_InWonderland
• Linkedin: Laura Reid
• Book: “The Public Speaking Horror Show: 7 Secrets to Kill It as a Speaker” by Laura Reid