From a Stutter to a Masterful Strategy: Shil Shanghavi on Owning the Stage, the Story, and the Sweat

In this powerful and refreshingly honest episode, global speaker and former TEDx Perth coach Shil Shanghavi shares his extraordinary journey - from being punched in a schoolyard because he had a stutter to becoming a sought-after professional speaker. Shil opens up about managing stuttering, mastering the craft of storytelling, and handling on-stage disasters. He also drops golden tips for public speaking confidence, building internal resilience, and navigating imposter syndrome with grace. This episode is a masterclass in mindset, language, and reinventionTIME STAMPS[3:45] The moment that changed everything - the school bully[7:25] Mentally mapping words like Tetris blocks[11:55] The worst (and best) advice ever received[17:40] Why some speakers seek sympathy - and why your story needs a point[19:30] What do you do when you’re 10 minutes in and need to switch keynotes?[22:10] The wet chinos story[32:10] Why Shil visualises everything going wrong - not everything going right - before speaking[36:10] The 52-second pause that moved an audience[40:20] Coaching TEDx speakers: The real work isn’t content - it’s delivery, presence, and dismantling ego[43:45] Imposter syndrome before this podcast[50:00] 3 actionable tips for building confidenceCONNECT WITH SHILConnect with Shil on LinkedInCheck out Shil's websiteConnect with Shil on LinkedInConnect with Jordana Borensztajn:Check out my course '21 Days to Become an Incredible Public Speaker'Jordana on LinkedInJordana on Instagram