Topics Covered:

• Why more people should consider public speaking—and how to get started


• How Petra approaches talk creation: mind maps, card decks, and structured rehearsal


• Teresa’s top-down talk-building method focused on audience transformation


• What makes a good “first talk” (hint: show your work!)


• Why meetup organizers want to hear from new speakers—especially women and underrepresented voices


• Tips for managing stage fright, finding your voice, and choosing your topic


• How big-stage talks (like Product at Heart and Y Oslo) come together over months


• The surprising power of impromptu lines—and how to leave room for them


• Matching your prep process to your stage and experience level


• How public speaking sharpens your thinking and deepens your learning

Resources & Links:

• Follow Teresa Torres: https://ProductTalk.org


• Follow Petra Wille: https://Petra-Wille.com

Mentioned in the episode:

• How I Go About Creating a Talk: My Step-by-Step Process by Petra Wille


• Nancy Duarte's books


• Myers–Briggs Type Indicator


• Opportunity Solution Trees: Visualize Your Discovery to Stay Aligned and Drive Outcomes


• The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin


• Cicero Public Speaking Deck – Petra’s go-to tool for structuring talks


• Melissa Suzuno - our mutual blog editor

Places to give your first talks:

• Meetup


• ProductTank


• ProductCamp


• Toastmasters International

Conferences mentioned:

• TED


• Product at Heart


• Product Management Festival


• Mind the Product Conference

Some of our talks:

• Continuous Discovery Habits with Teresa for Y Oslo


• Managing Up with Petra for Y Oslo


• Justify Your Product Decisions and get Stakeholder Buy in – Teresa Torres, Mind the Product SF 2019


• Even You Can Do Continuous Discovery - Bringing the - Discovery Habits to Every Organization – Teresa Torres, - Product at Heart 2023