In this episode of the Modern Direct Seller Podcast, we chat with speaking coach Heather Sager about building confidence and connecting authentically in a speaking engagement; whether that’s on a big stage, behind the camera, or in everyday business moments. Heather shares how a deeply personal experience shaped her speaking journey and why she believes a “stage” is anywhere you share your message. You’ll walk away with practical strategies for finding your authentic voice, avoiding common mistakes that make you sound robotic, and making sales feel natural instead of pushy.

You can connect with Heather on her website, where you’ll find free resources and her podcast, The Ramble Refinery. She’s also offering a free guide with key phrases and transitions to help you incorporate sales naturally into your speaking.

Time based notes:

How to Speak with Confidence—On Stage, On Camera, Everywhere with Heather Sager

Most of us think about “speaking” as something that happens on a big stage with a microphone and a spotlight. But the truth is, you’re speaking every single day.

That video you record for your team, the Zoom call with potential customers, even the quick Instagram story you post while sitting in your car? Those are all stages, and how you show up on them matters.

Stop Sounding Like Everyone Else

When you follow too many successful people online: you start sounding like them without even realizing it.

You pick up their phrases, mimic their cadence, and adopt their style. Speaking coach Heather Sager calls this the “parrot effect,” and it’s killing your ability to connect authentically.
Your audience can tell when something feels off, even if they can’t articulate what it is. The fix?

Pay attention to how you communicate when you’re at your best—when you’re with friends and the conversation flows naturally, when you’re excited about something and the words just come out. That’s the version of you that needs to show up, not some polished character you’re playing.

This problem is getting worse because of AI. When you outsource your creative thinking to ChatGPT for every caption and presentation outline, your brain gets weaker at articulating ideas. Heather calls it “creative atrophy.” Then when you sit down to actually speak, the words don’t come out right and you assume you’re just bad at it. But really, you’ve stopped practicing the skill.

Practice the Right Things

Most people don’t struggle with knowing what to say. They struggle with the transitions. How you open without rambling, how you move from one point to the next without losing people, how you close in a way that actually lands. These “sticky points” are where you should focus your practice instead of running through your entire presentation repeatedly.

One of Heather’s clients opened a keynote by talking about buying a romper on Instagram that made her look like a toddler in a soggy diaper because the model was six feet tall and she’s five feet nothing. The audience was laughing and engaged, which made them receptive when she connected it to her real point about how what works for someone else might not fit you. Good stories in the right places make everything else easier.

Make Sales Less Awkward

Sales feels uncomfortable when you’re pushing something on people who don’t need or want it. But when you know your audience actually needs what you’re offering, selling becomes helpful instead of pushy. The trick is weaving it throughout your message naturally rather than treating it as an awkward thing you tack on at the end.

Heather teaches clients to use “magnets”—buy-in magnets that help people visualize their success, credibility magnets that build trust through client stories instead of resume recitation, and call-to-action magnets that invite people in without sounding forced.

Focus Outward

The biggest confidence killer is obsessing over how you look or sound while recording. When you’re worried about what people will think or whether your eyebrow is doing something weird, you’re making everything about you instead of about the person who needs to hear your message.

The transformation happens when you stop asking “how do I look?” and start asking “who needs to hear this?” Your energy changes when you care more about serving your audience than protecting your ego. That’s where real confidence lives. Not in being perfect, but in focusing on helping instead of performing.

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