What if the thing standing between you and a room full of engaged listeners has nothing to do with technique, and everything to do with the story you’ve been telling yourself since childhood? In this episode of The Secret Life of Great Leaders, host Michael Bunting sits down with public speaking specialist and TEDx speaker Trang Nova to unpack what it really takes to find your voice and use it with confidence.
Trang trained originally as a physiotherapist, until a single strange moment on an early morning run set her on a completely different path. She shares how she went from a shy, Vietnamese-speaking child who felt invisible at school to an international speaker and coach who has rehearsed a single talk 130 times. Together, Michael and Trang explore why mastery in speaking is never just about technique, since mindset, self-worth and old fears shape whether someone can stand on a stage at all.
They also dig into the practical craft: the real difference between authenticity and rehearsal, the “danger zone” that catches speakers who under-prepare, and three simple physical shifts that change how anyone comes across, whether on a stage, in a meeting or at a coffee catch-up.
What You’ll Learn:
- Why public speaking consistently ranks as people’s biggest fear, ahead of death itself
- How a single moment on a run led Trang to leave physiotherapy and build a coaching career
- Why becoming a confident speaker is part skill, part deep mindset work
- What a deathbed visualisation on a five-day retreat taught Trang about taking action
- How social accountability, even unspoken, pushes people past their own doubts
- Why “after the ecstasy, the laundry” applies to speaking as much as any other change
- How to use movement and adrenaline to your advantage in the minutes before you speak
- The line from a TED speaker that reframes a talk from a performance into a gift
- Why authenticity and heavy rehearsal aren’t opposites, and what the “danger zone” is
- Three fundamentals, articulation, stillness and facial expression, that improve any talk
Trang Nova is a public speaking specialist, TEDx speaker and coach who helps business owners, professionals and teams use their voice with confidence and authority. Born in Melbourne to Vietnamese immigrant parents, she built her speaking career from the ground up after years working as a physiotherapist and life coach, and now runs private coaching and corporate workshops for leaders and teams around the world.
Episode Highlights:
- [00:00] Intro
- [00:33] Trang’s Journey From Physiotherapist to Speaking Coach
- [06:09] Growing Up Shy: From “Little Trang” to TEDx Speaker
- [09:00] Why Mastery Is Part Skill, Part Mindset
- [09:58] Confronting the Fear Bigger Than Death
- [11:24] The Inner Work Behind Public Speaking Confidence
- [14:18] The Retreat, the Deathbed Visualisation, and the Turning Point
- [17:40] Beyond the Insight: What Real Change Actually Takes
- [22:37] Accountability, Social Shame, and Staying the Course
- [24:53] Michael’s Own Pre-Stage Nerves After 30 Years
- [26:45] Taming Adrenaline Before You Step on Stage
- [30:30] Authenticity vs Rehearsal: Is There a Right Way?
- [32:23] The Danger Zone: Why Under-Rehearsing Fails You on Stage
- [36:25] The Role of Humour in Public Speaking
- [40:55] Three Fundamentals for Better Speaking [45:49] Where to Find Trang Nova
Episode Resources:
If you enjoyed this episode, please:
Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts
Follow The Secret Life of Great Leaders on Spotify and YouTube
Tell a friend!
