Testimonials

“Before Toastmasters, even the slightest bit of public speaking - even if just to introduce myself in front of a crowd - would make me incredibly nervous. My nerves were so apparent to my audience that I was told on several occasions by different people that I should join Toastmasters. I finally got the courage to do it, and it was one of the best professional decisions I’ve made. The sense of community in the group immediately put me at ease, and being able to hear experienced speakers & evaluators model effective public speaking helped me in my own journey. So grateful to my Toastmasters group for giving me the courage & skills to finally put my public speaking fear behind me.”

“When I first joined the Talk of the Towers Toastmasters organization, I was not sure what to expect. Improving my public speaking was something I knew I should do, but it wasn’t something I necessarily wanted to do. After attending one meeting, my mindset shifted and I was immediately excited to return. Fast forward almost 2 years - I am now the treasurer of Talk of the Towers, an active member, and a more confident public speaker.

I have only completed a handful of speeches during my time in the club but have committed my time to assuming other roles and participating as the Treasurer. All these various roles & responsibilities have helped me to improve my communication skills in one way or another. I feel exponentially more confident raising my hand in work meetings, speaking to strangers at a party, asking coworkers for things, and standing up in front of a crowd to speak. While most people would assume only that last piece is thanks to Talk of the Towers, I would argue that all of them are thanks to Talk of the Towers.”

“Talk of the Towers elevated my confidence by building communication and leadership skills. During my membership, I served the Club as Vice President Education and District 46 as Area Governor. I set our club’s agenda and guided other clubs with the proper running of their meetings. I enjoyed networking, mentoring, and representing Talk of the Towers at District Conferences where I performed various Contest roles from Judge to Contest Chair. Highlights of my time at Talk of the Towers include large audience speaking engagements at Union County College, the Bridgewater Marriott, and Seton Hall University. In addition, I attended two international conventions in Orlando, FL and Las Vegas, NV where I watched members of District 83 and District 46 advance to Finals. When one joins Talk of the Towers, the opportunities to grow are endless and will present themselves at the right time. The question is - are you ready?

Congratulations Talk of the Towers on 30 years! Sending much love and best wishes from Livingston, NJ.”

“I greatly enjoy being a part of this club. The members are welcoming and the group really has its structure down, which makes the meetings flow easily. As a newer member, I benefit from listening to the speeches of the many talented members and noting all of the excellent speech devices and mannerisms they use. I joined shortly before the transition to Zoom and it is evident that the group is skilled collectively, since they were able to transition from in-person meetings to Zoom within a matter of weeks. I look forward to growing with and in the club.”

“I joined Toastmaster with the goal to build my confidence in public speaking. I was looking for an environment where I felt comfortable making mistakes and could receive feedback needed to improve my communication skills. That’s exactly what I found at Talk of the Towers. The group was welcoming from my first visit as a guest and has supported me through several speeches. What I enjoy most about the group is they understand everyone is on their own path and the feedback provided is appropriate for each individual.”

“I joined TOT with lack of confidence that I would be able to speak in public one day. English is not my mother language, and my main concern was to be able to give a full speech with confidence and clarity. It has never been an easy road! But I strongly believe, TOT had the most experienced members, who were a wealth of knowledge, support and mentorship. By following their advice, and the structure presented by the program, I was slowly gaining the confidence needed and that translated in all areas of my life. Thanks to the TOT team! ”

“I have to say that Talk of the Towers completely changed my life in so many ways. When I joined, like many new members, I wasn’t really sure what it was all about, but I threw myself in the deep end. As I attended more and more meetings, my confidence began to grow. I didn’t see myself as a senior leader in my wider community, so when I was asked to become President of Talk of the Towers, I was deeply honoured and couldn’t quite believe it too. Everyone was so supportive, and we had a great team. I still have great memories of my time during that period and to this day am really thankful for the support everyone gave me.

In terms of speaking, things totally changed for me. I remember at a District 46 conference, someone said to me, you’re such a great speaker, you should do it as a job. It took me quite a while to believe I could do it but when I became a Distinguished Toastmaster in 2015 and Jim Decker presented me with my plaque, I finally realised I could do it. When I returned to the UK in 2016, I took the plunge and started my own speaking and coaching business and I’ve never looked back.

None of this would have been possible without the amazing people at Talk of the Towers and District 46. Toastmasters can really make a difference in all sorts of ways that we may never know at the time when we start our toastmasters’ journey.

Talk of the Towers will ALWAYS be my home club and I have memories from that time that will stay with me forever. Long live the club and I hope it continues for many years to come...”