Podcasts
#298: Spotting and Resolving Generative AI Pitfalls for Communicators – Joel Schwartzberg
Generative AI can help you work faster and sharpen your message, but only if you stay in control. In this episode, Joel Schwartzberg explains how to spot and resolve common AI pitfalls so your communication remains clear, credible, and authentic.
Read more about the seven pitfalls Schwartzberg unpacks in the Toastmaster magazine.
#297: What Happens When Toastmasters Gives Youth Voices a TEDx Stage – CeCe Espeut, DTM
CeCe Espeut, a two-time TEDx speaker, five-time Distinguished Toastmaster, and creator of TEDx Miramar, explains how she brought together Toastmasters to mentor students preparing for their first talks. What began as a simple idea quickly became something more for the students, the mentors, and Espeut.
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Archive
#296: Africa’s Ascent: What Drove Toastmasters Growth – Frank Tsuro, DTM
April 1, 2026
Across parts of Africa, Toastmasters has seen double- and even triple-digit growth over a 10-year period. What changed and why did it stick? Frank Tsuro, DTM, shares his experience, what contributed to that growth, and what others can learn, while offering a closer look at Toastmasters across the continent.
Learn more in the article "Africa's Ascent".
#295: Taking Speaking Skills to TV’s Shark Tank – Ari Siegel
March 15, 2026
Imagine preparing for a presentation so intensely that you create life-size cutouts of your audience just to practice answering their toughest questions. That’s exactly what Ari Siegel did before pitching his business on TV’s Shark Tank. In this episode, host Greg Gazin, DTM, speaks with Siegel about how Toastmasters helped him prepare to present his idea on national television in front of five investors and millions of viewers.
Siegel shares more about his experience in the March Toastmaster magazine.
#294: Beyond 500 Lunches with Strangers: Lessons on Achieving Anything – Nick Bendel
March 1, 2026
Imagine preparing for a presentation so intensely that you create life-size cutouts of your audience just to practice answering their toughest questions. That’s exactly what Ari Siegel did before pitching his business on TV’s Shark Tank. In this episode, host Greg Gazin, DTM, speaks with Siegel about how Toastmasters helped him prepare to present his idea on national television in front of five investors and millions of viewers.
Siegel shares more about his experience in the March Toastmaster magazine.
#293: Personal Experience: Toastmasters, Rotary, and the Alliance – Stephanie Steckel
February 15, 2026
What happens when two century-old organizations dedicated to leadership and service intersect in one person’s life? In this episode, Greg Gazin, DTM, speaks with Stephanie Steckel, a longtime Rotarian and newer Toastmaster, who enlightens us about the benefits of each organization and how the Rotary/Toastmasters alliance shows up in real, practical ways—far beyond a formal agreement.
292: Untangling Cultural Knots to Create Mutual Connection – Maria Garaitonandia
February 1, 2026
Cross-cultural moments are woven into our daily conversations. In this episode, leadership communication strategist Maria Garaitonandia explains why well-meaning communication can miss the mark and how greater cultural awareness helps speakers, leaders, and teams avoid misunderstanding before it hardens into judgment.
Learn more about turning misunderstandings into bridges in Garaitonandia’s Toastmaster magazine article.
#291: Using a Personal Energy Audit to Pause, Reflect, and Reset – Ambeka Khadse
January 15, 2026
When managing your time isn’t enough, it may be time to look at where your energy is actually going. In this episode, host Greg Gazin, DTM, speaks with Ambeka Khadse, a talent development leader, about how a personal energy audit helps speakers and leaders move from feeling busy to working with greater focus, clarity, and intention—without adding more hours to the day.
Discover more tips for managing your energy and calendar in Khadse’s article, “Where Does Your Time Go?”