You have met your audience... checked the room... prompted your introducer... hydrated (and dehydrated)... you're ready...

Of all I want to tell, this is first and foremost and what I have the least to say except, "Be yourself."  I'm convinced audiences want two qualities in a speaker: content and the 'who we really are', especially in our stories.

Every time I tell the tale of how my English/Journalism teacher, Mrs. Eckert, influenced my life, audience members who come forward after wanting to talk about it speak not of Mrs. Eckert. No, they want to talk about their influencer: Coach Johnson,  Mrs. Williams, Uncle Lee, Aunt Bea...  Everyone has someone like Mrs. Eckert in their life.