Speak with Pierre: Recent Episodes
Pierre Austin
Great conversation is the first goal. I created this podcast with the intentions to stimulate great conversation between me, my guest and all the listeners. I discuss relevant and interesting topics with my guest in a captivating exchange of culture, ideas and inspiration. The second goal of the show is to provide my English students and coaching clients with valuable audio content to listen to as they work to improve their comprehension skills. All my listeners are invited to contribute to the show by sending their constructive feedback and comments on what we discuss as I believe it adds more value to the show by extending the conversation to listeners all over the world!
Let me guess. You’ve been trying to sound more confident when you speak.
You prepare what to say. You think about every word. You try to sound professional.
But instead of feeling confident, you feel pressure.
You overthink. You compare yourself to others.
And by the time you speak, you already feel smaller.
In today’s episode, we’re talking about a common problem I see again and again — especially with professionals who use English at work:
👉 The habits that quietly destroy your speaking confidence.
Not only do they make you doubt yourself, they stop you from sounding clear, natural, and persuasive when it matters most.
We’ll talk about:
- Why perfectionism, unrealistic standards, comparison, and self-judgment keep you stuck
- What you need to stop doing if you want to feel more confident when you speak
- What to start doing to rebuild real confidence over time
- Simple tools that help you sound more confident and in control in any situation
If you want to improve your communication at work, strengthen your personal brand, or grow as a leader, or if you’re learning English and often feel less confident when you speak, this episode is for you.
Join The Conversation
Support the show
📩 Want to get in touch?
Remember — I’m not just the host of this podcast. I’m your communication coach and Business English teacher.
If you ever feel like your communication skills are getting in the way of your growth, your confidence, or your next opportunity… you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Reach out. I’m here to support you.
Website
Let me guess — you’ve worked hard. You care about your career. You want people to see the full picture.
So when the interview starts, you launch into your whole story…
your background, your experience, your last three roles…
But by the time you finish?
You’ve lost them — and you don’t even know it.
In today’s episode, we’re diving into a common mistake I see again and again — especially with professionals who speak English as a second language:
👉 Starting your job interview with a long, detailed monologue that overwhelms your listener.
Not only is it hard to follow — it makes it harder for the interviewer to remember what matters most about you.
And in competitive hiring processes, that’s a risk you can’t afford.
We’ll talk about:
- Why so many professionals fall into this pattern — and where the pressure to prove yourself comes from
- What’s really going on in the mind of the person interviewing you
- How the human brain processes information — and why long intros fail
- What to say instead — using a simple 3-part structure that creates curiosity, builds credibility, and positions you as the right candidate
- How to speak with more clarity, presence, and calm, even under pressure
- Tips for second-language English speakers to sound more fluent, confident, and prepared in those critical first moments
This episode isn’t just about reducing what you say — it’s about saying the right things in a way that makes people listen.
Because when you start strong, the rest of the interview opens up.
🎯 Stay until the end for a practical challenge to help you rewrite and rehearse your introduction.
And if you want personal help preparing for interviews in English — I’d love to support you.
Let’s make sure your voice represents everything you’re capable of.
Join The Conversation
Support the show
📩 Want to get in touch?
Remember — I’m not just the host of this podcast. I’m your communication coach and Business English teacher.
If you ever feel like your communication skills are getting in the way of your growth, your confidence, or your next opportunity… you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Reach out. I’m here to support you.
Website
This episode is a follow-up to Episode 1, First Impressions Are Everything, where we talked about how to introduce yourself with purpose, confidence and clarity in moments that count.
But once introduction are done... what happens after that?
This is something I see often in my work — even professionals who have a strong introduction still freeze after that first exchange. They don’t know how to keep things flowing, or how to steer the interaction toward their goals.
And that’s where small talk comes in. Not as something casual or empty. But as a tool you can use to keep conversations alive, build rapport and open doors.
Whether you're at a casual networking event, professional conference or speaking with a potential client, you want to come across as natural, confident, and intentional — not awkward or scripted.
This episode is going to help you stay present, sound more confident and make better connections. This is especially helpful for those you who speak English as a second language!
Stick around until the end for a practical challenge to help you apply what you learn — and if you want to work with me on improving your English or communication strategy, I’d love to hear from you.
Enjoy the episode.
Join The Conversation
Support the show
📩 Want to get in touch?
Remember — I’m not just the host of this podcast. I’m your communication coach and Business English teacher.
If you ever feel like your communication skills are getting in the way of your growth, your confidence, or your next opportunity… you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Reach out. I’m here to support you.
Website
We’re kicking things off with one of the most powerful tools in communication: introductions that make people remember you.
This episode is all about showing up with purpose, confidence, and clarity in the moments that count.
If you struggle to introduce yourself as a professional — or if you’ve got an important conversation coming up — this one’s for you.
Whether you’re at a networking event, a conference, or meeting a new prospect, your introduction is more than a formality — it’s a strategic moment to guide the conversation where you want it to go.
🎯 In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why introductions matter more than you think
- A simple structure to craft your elevator pitch
- The key ingredients that make your intro clear, confident, and memorable
💡 Coaching insight: A strong introduction isn’t just about making a good impression — it’s about starting the right conversation and opening the door to new opportunities.
📝 Practical Exercise:
Create your own elevator pitch using the formula from the episode. Rehearse it, refine it — and send it in!
Find me on social media and share your recorded intro. I’d love to hear it and give you some power feedback.
Join The Conversation
Support the show
📩 Want to get in touch?
Remember — I’m not just the host of this podcast. I’m your communication coach and Business English teacher.
If you ever feel like your communication skills are getting in the way of your growth, your confidence, or your next opportunity… you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Reach out. I’m here to support you.
Website
Are you ready to hop the stage and deliver a powerful message that can transform your business? Maybe you're an introvert battling stage fright?
No worries, just look at how Laurie-Ann Murabito went from an extreme introvert to a dynamic public speaker, business mentor and speaking strategist. Laurie-Ann's journey from shyness to success is a testament to the transformative power of communication and she talks all about it in this episode!
Be sure to check out Laurie Anne at her website https://speakandstandout.com if you are ready to elevate your professional speaking skills!
Interested in joining the conversation? Be sure to reach out to me if you have a topic idea or want to collaborate on creative projects! https://www.speakwithpierre.com/contact
Pablo Salinas and Pablo Madrid come on the show and it's a riot.
In this episode, we discuss their 10 year experience working together as art director and copy writer. They give some tips on how to successfully navigate the fast and furious world of creative advertising. On top of that, we have a conversation about what the industry needs and the slow but steady decrease of humor in advertising. I had a fantastic time speaking with Pablo and Pablito and I am very thankful for them coming on the show!
Featuring: Pablo Salinas and Pablo Madrid
Music: Bejo, Lagrimas Negras
Rachel Paling is revolutionizing the language learning world! In this episode, Rachel talks about her motivations for creating Neurolanguage Coaching and the positive impact that is rippling through the language learning world. She also speaks about her personal journey and her own passions for progressive and personalized education. This episode is great for teachers interested in upping their pedagogical game and those interested in becoming a language coaches. And for all you language learners, Rachel has some key insights to help you improve your speaking skills and become more comfortable speaking English!
Be sure to check out Rachel's website (Rachelpaling.com), her new academy, aelca.academy and find out how to become an accredited language coach.
Featuring: Rachel Paling
Music: Yaw Lemuel
In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Melinda Chilton, an accomplished actress and improv teacher. Melinda offers online improv classes on Zoom that are not only fun and entertaining but also promote personal growth and development.
During our recording session, I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with Melinda and learning about her journey from a small town in Illinois to Hollywood. Melinda's experiences in the entertainment industry have taught her valuable life lessons and wisdom that she generously shared with me.
As an actress, Melinda has graced the screens of popular TV shows like The Office and Grey's Anatomy. Her talent and versatility have earned her critical acclaim. It was fascinating to hear about her on-set experiences and how she approaches her craft.
If you're looking for a good time and want to learn more about the world of improv and acting, this episode is for you. Melinda's insights and stories will leave you inspired and motivated to improvise your way to a better life.
Meghan Cathlin has reminded me of how important it is to take responsibility for ourselves in order to manifest the changes we desire. She is the founder of Considerate Ventures, a business dedicated to treating people with respect and positively impacting the world. Meghan is a stunning person and has a powerful message to spread. One about the power of love, commitment to progress and unwavering faith.
In this episode, Meghan opens up about how she has overcome hardship by staying true to her values, trusting in the process and taking action! She also explains what she believes true love to be and how we can use it to better our lives. Get ready to be inspired by her personal journey and reminded of something that we often forget about.
Featuring: Meghan Cathlin
Music: Jacob Armerding, Brock Hewitt, SENSHO
Let's dive deeper down the rabbit hole of conspiracies and the mental factors that make us vulnerable to misinformation.
This episode is part two of a conversation I had with Derek DeWitt, the creator of Conspiracy Clearinghouse.
In this episode we continue to speak about how we can be so easily mislead by deceptive others and how narrative can influence our perception.
I will also tell you about the psychological factors that make us mentally vulnerable to misinformation. Then we will look at some of the biggest modern misinformation powerhouses and lastly, we will discuss things we can all do to improve our critical thinking.
So sit back and enjoy the sound experience!
How can you take control of your feelings, your attitude and your state of being? This episode is part two of a conversation I had with Ana Pastor, yoga studio founder and spiritual mentor.
In this episode we talk about how to utilize mindfulness and how to take control of our internal reality.
I much enjoyed my conversation with Ana and I think she has an awesome message to give to the world!
Featuring: Ana Pastor
Music: I Don't Need Your Love by Adi Goldstein
The conversation gets even deeper. This is part two of episode From LA to The Bay featuring musical artist LBZ (LaiddbackZach). In this episode, Zach and I dive into our experience with racial profiling, cultural friction, interracial children and the mental load of being black in America.
After listening to this episode, I appreciate my conversation with Zach even more. He really opens up about his experience growing up in Compton LA and we both express some personal truths that we don't often speak about.
I invite you to have a listen and as always, please let me know about your own experience and what you think about the topics we discuss in this episode. As this is a very sensitive and personal topic for Zach and I, constructive opinions only!
That being said, join the conversation!
Featuring: LaiddbackZach
Music: Isaiah Rashad, LBZ, Radamiz, Angelo Mota, Well$, Kevin Macloed, Ceridwen McCooey
Searching for a new job or other professional opportunities can be rough. Making such dramatic changes in our professional lives can leave us feeling uncertain and at times, desperate.
In this episode, career coach Martin McGovern gives some practical advice on how to stay motivated and positive while on the search for new work. He dives into the psychological side of professional transitions and what we can do make sure that we make it through them!
As always, I would love to hear your experience and thoughts regarding this episode or your own experience..
Featuring: Martin McGovern
Music: Khruangbin, Sayang
What social and psychological factors make us vulnerable to conspiratorial narratives?
In this episode, I team up with Derek DeWitt of Conspiracy Clearinghouse in hopes to answer these questions.
We dive into the hidden psychological nature of human beings in an attempt to explain how some of us become victims of misinformation or believers of the almost unbelievable.
My goal is to understand what can lead people to down the rabbit hole of fiction, believing in things that have been thoroughly disproven or even narratives that are completely unhinged from reality.
This is part one of a two part episode, be sure to check out the second part!
Featuring: Conspiracy Clearinghouse
Music: Wisanga, Anna Yarbrough, Orange and Mountains, Soundroll
I really wanted to speak about the friction that can be generated when we decide to go against the grain and cross cultural boundaries.
In this Episode, my good friend and musical artist, LaiddbackZach, speaks about the huge jump he made when moving from Compton L.A to The Bay Area California.
Zach opens up about some of the difficulties and challenges he faced relating to where he comes from and the personal choices he has made in his life.
This episode is part one of a two part episode and is a great look into cultural divides as well as the Black experience.
Featuring: LaiddbackZack
Music: LaiddbackZach, Noxz, NWA, Tupac, Celly Cel
Adela Pastor helps people with spiritual transformation and creator of Soy Satya yoga studio, located in Madrid, Spain . In this episode, she tells about how she helps people let go of attachment, become more spiritually aware and find positive growth in their lives.
I much enjoyed my conversations with Adela as she is able to break down topics that can sometimes be complicated and mystical. She not only makes such topics easy to understand but she also provides practical knowledge which can be applied to daily life.
This is part one of a two part episode so make sure you tune into part two!
Featuring: Adela Pastor
Music: Nick Petrov
Seeking new employment opportunities can be a daunting and can sometimes turn into a grueling endeavor. In this episode, Martin McGovern talks about how he helps people identify the changes they want to make in their professional lives and how they can go about achieving their goals.
Martin is a career coach and creator of Career Therapy. He has insightful information and practical tips that help people understand their professional desires as well as how they can survive their job changes or career jumps.
Featuring: Martin McGovern
Music: Musikal
Tina Leder, also know as Lady Tina, is a fantastic public speaking coach and a real pleasure to work with. In this episode, she tells me about how she helps people find their true speaking power. I much enjoyed learning about her personal journey and how that pushes her to find growth in her professional life. I hope that you enjoy this episode, feel free to reach out to Tina and I with your thoughts, inquiries or constructive feedback!
Featuring: Tina Leder (Lady Tina)
Music: Oakvale of Albion
In this episode, I speak with my colleague and dear friend Matthew about what mindfulness really means and how to practice it. Mindfulness has gained popularity in modern pop and work culture but there is a lot of allusion around its true essence as well as limited views on how to practice it.
The point of this episode was to try and clarify what we feel is a more accurate understanding of mindfulness and also acknowledge the diverse ways it can be practiced in daily life.
As always, the thoughts and opinions expressed in this episode are personal so I would love to hear what mindfulness means to you and how you practice it!
A lot of people want to be taught "real" English. Meaning the English Native speakers use when speaking to other people with similar linguistic backgrounds. But this can be hard to do and sometimes not optimal in regards to improving non native speakers' general English communication skills.
In this episode, my colleague and good friend Dane, converse about the difficulties of teaching "real" English, what it means to be a native speaker and the possible negative side effects caused by the desire of wanting to speak just like a native.
Dane is a long time English teacher and podcast host. His podcast is great for those who are looking for useful English learning audio content and insightful tips for improving their speaking fluency. Check him out on Spotify, Tiktok and Instagram as English with Dane!
This is part two of the Knowing What to Want episode and is a continuation of my conversation with Agustin. In this episode, we dive deep into understanding our desires and what influences them. We also talk about the need to be explorative in life and seek out what you authentically enjoy or are curious about.
Once again, I must say that I truly enjoyed this conversation which is based on Agustin's book in progress. I recommend this episode to anyone who is in the midst of making big life changes, big decisions or planning their educational / career paths.
As always, I am open to the constructive feedback of my listeners and I always invite them to reach out to me. To all the English learners out their, this is a taste of real native conversation. Can you notice the contrast between the North American and Australian Accent? Let me know!
In this episode, I had the great pleasure to speak with Ana Sanchez about how to increase your speaking confidence as a non-native English speaker. Ana is a advanced neurolanguage coach and she helps people improve their speaking confidence by understanding their negative mental and emotional process related to speaking English.
Sounds complicated right? Actually Ana explains her practice and professional experience quite clearly. She also gives expert insights to EFL learners who have difficulties using English for business purposes.
Not only is she an expert, she is a great conversationalist and I really enjoyed listening to her inspirations and personal history. This episode is for English language learners, teachers and lovers alike!
Feel free to reach out to Ana on LinkedIn if you are interested in learning more about her coaching tactics or services.
In this Episode, my colleague Romina and I discuss a employment related phenomenon known as The Great Resignation which is sweeping through The United States and other countries around the world. People are quitting their jobs at an alarming rate and companies are having a difficult time finding new talent. Especially in the service industry and among entry level positions.
We dive into the possible reasons why people are leaving their employers at an alarming rate and why it is becoming so difficult for companies to replace them. We also talk about some of the shifting values related to work-life balance people may be experiencing in this post COVID era.
Listen to this episode to hear our reflections on the experiences of those close to us as well as our own in an attempt to understand the changing trends and complications of modern day professional life.
In this episode, I lay out some practical and insightful tips to help you prepare for your next job interview. I derived these tips from real world experience, insights from industry professionals and what I teach my clients when helping them prepare for their job interview processes.
My first goal is to teach my clients how to communicate in a way that illustrates their professional competency and interpersonal skills. My second goal is to coach them on how to speak in a way that makes them stand out from all the other candidates and leave a positive memorable impression on their interviewer!
Listen to this episode to hear me elaborate on these two points and give you a communication strategy guide to help you prepare for your next interview. If you are someone who is looking for a coach to help you prepare for a job interview or another type of event where you communication skills may determine your success, I invite you to reach out to me! I am here to help.
I much enjoyed my conversation with Elena in this episode. Though our discussion is around the great Netflix series Sex Education, we touch upon a greater significance the show has in regards to modern day society.
Another great aspect of this Episode is the fact that Elena was so willing to come on the show and talk about some complicated topics even though she felt that her English was not up to the task. She actually did a fantastic job and I am very grateful for her bravery and willingness, thanks Elena!
Disclaimer: In this episode, we openly discuss our personal opinions and thoughts relating to inclusion, gender and sexuality. Those who may be offended by the open exchange of progressive ideas may not want to listen. Unless they want to learn something of course!
I have to start out by saying I thoroughly enjoyed this two part episode speaking to my dear friend Augustin about a book he is currently writing.
In this episode, we discuss the difficulties of figuring out what you want to do in life and what should be done before making big decisions about education, job changes, moving abroad and relationships.
Our conversations were inspired by Augustin's book in the works where he discusses the challenges he had to face during his university years and early adulthood. In his books, he talks about what to consider when making big decisions and the need for people to be explorative in life.
I believe any person in a time of great change or possibly an existential crisis may benefit from this episode!