A Story About Sourdough Bread (Sort of…)
Posted On September 11, 2024 BY Lauren St. Germain
This post was written by Lauren St. Germain, Facilitator and Coach for The Latimer Group. I am an “at home sourdough bread baker”. And to know me is to know that I love talking about bread just as much as I love baking and eating it. Think of me as your new “bread obsessed” friend. I started […]
5 Steps to Better Business Storytelling
Posted On March 14, 2024 BY Dean Brenner
What we care about most at The Latimer Group is your ability to communicate your message — your story — powerfully and persuasively to your audience. Virtually all the work we do points back to that theme of great communication, and great storytelling. Even in the workplace, great stories and great storytelling are what will stand out among your clients […]
A Suggested New Year’s Resolution
Posted On January 2, 2024 BY Dean Brenner
Good morning to our clients and friends around the world! Happy new year! We hope you all had a restful and joyous holiday, and we look forward to charging ahead into 2024 with you. Here is a quick thought to get our year started off correctly, something that we are taking on here at The […]
An Unexpected Call for Help
Posted On December 27, 2023 BY Dean Brenner
(Author’s Note: The following story happened on December 6, 2021 during a quiet afternoon at our office. I happened to be sitting at our conference table with my wife Emily. We were having lunch, doing Christmas cards, and just making small talk about all the things we had to get done between then and the […]
Pay it Forward; Invest in the Next Generation
Posted On November 22, 2023 BY Dean Brenner
I have two young children, ages 14 and 8. And like every other parent, I have a long list of things I think and worry about when it comes to my kids: keeping them safe, getting them educated, helping them develop the social and emotional skills and self-confidence they will need. It’s a long list, […]
The Flag on my Front Porch
Posted On September 11, 2023 BY Dean Brenner
Author’s Note: I wrote this piece exactly three years ago, on September 11th, 2020, and then reposted it again in September 2021 and 2022. And based on the number of emails and comments I received each time, it was clear that it resonated loudly with many. And everyone who knows me, knows I love meaningful […]
How to Give a Great Toast (And Avoid the Train Wreck)
Posted On July 17, 2023 BY Dean Brenner
(Author’s Note: This is a topic I have written on many times in the past. But I recently had an acquaintance come to me and ask me for help with an upcoming wedding toast. This made me realize, once again, that there is value in not only using this blog to help you prep for your […]
It’s Your Presentation and Your Story
Posted On July 11, 2023 BY Dean Brenner
Do you ever have to participate in a standard, regularly-scheduled meeting within your company, where you (or someone you work with) presents updated data and information on the business/project? (I am sure your answer is “yes.” Most of us have.) Do these meetings end up feeling like the same meeting over and over and over […]
Speaking Tips: Open with the Summary
Posted On May 2, 2023 BY Dean Brenner
Have you ever led a meeting, handed out the slide deck, began discussing the topic and while still on slide 1 or 2, most of your audience has already flipped to the last slide? I’m sure you’ve seen this before… Perhaps you’ve been the one flipping to the last slide, or perhaps you were the […]
3 Keys to Stronger Audience Retention
Posted On April 11, 2023 BY Dean Brenner
Your audience will only remember a small percentage of what you say. Some studies suggest it will be less than 20%. Fact. Other studies suggest that the average adult attention span is now about 8 seconds. Bummer. So what do you do about it? We could simply surrender, and assume that this is the new […]