When I got the email saying I’d been selected to give a TEDx talk, my first thought wasn’t yay!—it was:

“I am screwed.”

From the moment I got the green light for TEDxFactoria to the day I step on stage, I have exactly 45 days to write, memorize, and deliver a talk that would hold up on a red dot.

I muddled my way through a solid draft—my ideas were clear—but as someone who’s spent her career in communication, I know something most people forget:

You can’t create great speeches—or great messaging—alone.

Communication needs a sounding board. It’s meant to be heard, not just read in your head (or out loud to your cat).

So I did what any panicked person does: I went to Threads and posted, “Who do you know who can help me fix my TEDx talk fast?”

And hilariously, the person most people suggested was someone I already knew—Mike Ganino. He’d even been a guest expert on the Make Marketing Suck Less Summit!

Mike was the obvious choice for me…I just completely forgot about him. 🤣

When I reached out, he replied within hours and had a session open the next day. And that session transformed my talk—from “solid” to something I’m obsessed with.

I can't believe how GOOD it is.

This experience reminded me of three things:

1️⃣ There’s someone right now thinking, “I am screwed.” They need help right now. And they’re looking for someone like you.

2️⃣ They might not remember you exist—even if they know you. That’s why being top of mind and clear messaging matter. If those four or five people on Threads hadn’t said, “You should reach out to Mike,” I never would have.

3️⃣ The Familiarity Fade: When people are stressed or under pressure, they don’t make rational decisions—they make fast ones. If your name isn’t top of mind, they’ll default to whoever is.

So if you’ve ever wondered, “Do I really need to market myself?”—the answer is yes.

Because someone out there is thinking “I’m screwed”—and they need to remember you exist.

Michelle

P.S. I keep forgetting to tell you what the talk that nearly broke my brain is about! It’s called Trust Issues: Why We Listen to Influencers Over Experts (and What To Do About It).

If you're in the Seattle/Bellevue area, I'd love to see you at TEDx! Tickets are $20, and you can grab yours here.

P.P.S. Want your message to finally pull its weight this fall?

• Fix It Fast— One power hour to diagnose and tune your message so it clicks (and converts).
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• Done-For-You Messaging — Hand me the reins and get a complete Marketing Message Guide that sounds like you and sells (in just 2 weeks).
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• The Expert Up Club — Join the only community where real experts get clear, seen, and hired—without over-marketing

Dr. Michelle Mazur Message Strategist & Founder of The Expert Up Club ​Podcast / 3 Word Rebellion Book​ ​

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