From Technical Talks to Inspiring Keynotes: Finding Your Authentic Speaking Style with Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur

How do you go from giving short, tip-focused talks to inspiring audiences with a full keynote?

That’s exactly the journey our guest has taken and it’s one so many of us can learn from.

Our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz talks with Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur, a senior project engineer who has spent over 20 years in the theme park industry, including at Disney.

Elaine thought of herself as “the tip girl” - packing her presentations with lots of helpful advice. But when she was invited to give her first keynote, she realized she needed a new approach.

With the help of a VIP Day and our in-person Speaking Accelerator workshop, Elaine discovered how to weave stories into her talks, connect emotionally with her audience, and step into her authentic speaking style.

The result? Not only did she deliver a powerful keynote to a room of young women engineers, she also caught the “speaking bug” and has continued landing and delivering talks that inspire.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Elaine’s transition from sharing only tips to becoming an inspiring keynote speaker
• How storytelling makes even technical topics more engaging and memorable
• The role of authenticity in building confidence and audience connection
• What Elaine gained from practicing in community and receiving real-time feedback
• How she continues to grow her visibility and speaking career through LinkedIn and pitching opportunities

Elaine’s story is proof that you don’t have to change who you are to be a great speaker - you just need to unlock the authentic voice that’s already within you.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/439/

Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/

Attend our next 1-day Speaking Accelerator workshop in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/

Create your signature talk with us: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/coaching/

Connect on LinkedIn:

• Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox
• Diane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz/
• Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur = https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaineschomburglafleur/

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 435: From Blank Page to On Stage: What It's Like to Create and Practice a Talk in One Day

Become Bookable Live Online Workshop - April 15, 2026
If you want to speak more but you’re not sure where to start or your efforts haven’t produced the results you want, I’m hosting a live online workshop called “Become Bookable: How to Get Speaking Invitations” on Wednesday, April 15th.

A lot of brilliant women assume they just need to pitch themselves more. But the real reason speakers get invited isn’t because they pitch harder — it’s because they’re positioned as bookable.

In this 3-hour interactive workshop live on Zoom, I’ll show you how speakers actually get invited — and help you clarify the positioning that makes event organizers say yes.

As a podcast listener, use the coupon code “Podcast100” to save $100 on your registration.

Learn more and register at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/bookable