Time Flies!

Last week, I mentioned to my daughter Beth Ashfield that Sunday 3rd March marked 20 years since I started speaking. ?We thought it would be a great idea to celebrate that milestone by writing a short LinkedIn article and posting on the exact day. Of course, the best laid plans and all that… our close family friend Raye did amazingly at the Brits and we were fortunate enough to be invited to her after party and celebrated until the early hours of the morning… so no article written on Sunday!

Honestly, those 20 years feel like yesterday and forever ago. The main symbol of that passing time is my cute young daughters growing into amazing young women Jess Ashfield ... oh, and a different husband!

I remember my friend John Peters asking me to speak at the IOD’s Women’s Leadership Summit back in 2004. It was only going to be for 20 minutes but it felt like a mammoth undertaking. I spent the weekend with John and his family and he helped me pen a script. I then practiced and practiced and practiced with family and friends. The day came and I was SO nervous. I sat for lunch between the IOD Chair and Lynne Franks OBE and I stepped up, stood behind a lectern and presented my scripted speech, but I gave it my all… and I loved it! The time went in a flash and I remember sitting down and Lynne looked at me and said “You’re a natural, have you ever thought of speaking for a living?” It took me 18 months and my friend Caroline Feraday to persuade me to be courageous enough to register with an agency, but I haven’t looked back since.

Over those 20 years, I’ve spoken all over the world. The speeches have varied from a small breakfast in The Ivy to thousands in a conference centre. I moved from a script to prompt cards to a conversation with the audience. I learned about storytelling and the way a small shift in timing can make the difference between whether the audience laughs or just stares at you blankly wondering where you’re going with this one (I managed to make Ruby Wax laugh once when I told her that story). But the most important part of speaking is connection - with your audience, your feelings, their feelings, the energy in the room, the theme of the conference. I believe it’s important to be inspirational rather than motivational as then people can take what they want or need, all I do is share my stories. Last week a lady told me that I’d made her laugh and cry, and something had touched her inside that meant she now knew what decision to make. As I said, you just never know.

A few years ago, a friend I flew Air Cadets on the Grob Tutor with (I’ve flown over 1,000 Royal Air Force Air Cadets on air experience flights) asked me to have a chat with a female pilot who was leaving the RAF and wanted to join the speaker circuit. I didn’t know her but was delighted to help and Mandy Hickson and I are now great friends. I know Mandy has done the same for others, although she still owes me for the Tom Cruise intro!

As we approach International Women’s Day 2024 with #InspireInclusion, I’ve taken the week off from my PwC UK day job and am preparing to travel around the country to speak at a variety of events with Champions Speakers . I’m reminded that we all have our stories to tell. Some of us tell our stories more quietly, some more loudly… I’ll let you guess which one I do! But overall, I’m thankful for so many of you who have shared your stories with me over the years as they help shape who I am today. We have a saying in the Royal Air Force (RAF) – you’re only as good as your last landing. Well, you’re also only as good as your last speech.

Here's to the next 20 years!