Do you know how to speak in public, without shaking like a trembling poplar?
If that scares you to death, then you’re probably cut out for something else. However, if it’s just you being nervous, then there are three things you need to do to overcome the stage fright.
And today, Ariane de Melo, known as the Branding Director, is going to share them with us.
An award-winning author and theatre director, Ariane has recently started coaching TedX speakers on the fundamentals of public speaking.
Let’s learn some of her secrets!
- Olá, Ariane, welcome to “Young Entrepreneurs Talk”! It’s an immense pleasure having you here. Could you tell me more about you and how your entrepreneurial journey started?
Olá, Svet. It’s a pleasure to be here. Thank you very much for the invitation.
I was born in Rio de Janeiro and moved to Germany when I was nineteen; I am a professional actress and director, and I love cosplaying my own novel characters (and others).
It started with MLM actually; that was the first time I got in touch with entrepreneurship.
It wasn’t the right path for me, but I certainly learned a lot, especially that I didn’t want to have a daily job anymore and that creating opportunities for others felt right for me.
Then I founded my Social Media Management Agency and launched my coaching program for Public Speakers online.
- Do you believe in competition and how do you stand out in the ever-growing ocean of powerful brands?
Not really. I am aware that many other people do what I do, but we are all different, we put our own personality and system into our businesses; some people will resonate with me, others with a colleague of mine.
I don’t spend too much time and energy thinking about competition. The world is big enough.
- You’re an actress. Most people see the end result of your hard work, which is flawless most of the time. But I bet there are funny moments in the meantime. Do you mind sharing a couple?
Oh, plenty!
Back in Brazil, I played in many plays for children – for three years almost, every day, more than once a day. So, there was a routine about it. I remember playing Little Riding Hood, and in one scene, the colleague that played my mother would ask the kids for help to call for her daughter. She would run to her right, I would appear to her left, and we would miss each other. The kids just loved it.
But I needed to come in and ask the kids:
“Did somebody call me?”
“Yeeeeees!”
“Who was it?”
“Your moooooom!”
“Where did she go?”
“That way!”
They would all point to the (my) right corner, and I would run after my mom, who would enter the stage again from my left. We missed each other again. So funny. The kids loved it.
We played that very scene countless times for I don’t know how many thousands of children, but on that particular day, the kids were a little different…
I asked:
“Did somebody call me?”
“Yeeeeees!”
“Who was it?”
“MEEEEEEEEE”
And about 300 hundred little hands were pointed to the ceiling. But I needed to go on with the play, so I asked:
“Who else?”
“Oh, your mom.”
And then we got it right and could go on. Lesson learned: never underestimate kids.
I also felt off my butt, forgot my lines for like forever, my wig fell off my head… and I could go on like this forever.
That what happens when you work “live”.
- What’s your greatest achievement so far, Ariane?
Believing in myself. I had little to no confidence at all, no trust in me or any of my skills, I actually never believed I had any skills. Learning how to believe that I can make it was definitely my greatest and hardest achievement – so far.
- With whom you’d love to collaborate and why would a partnership between you be a riveting success?
Oh, that’s a good question. May I say Neil Gaiman? Probably not, right? [Svet: You can!]
- How many guilty pleasures do you have besides chocolate? 😉
Ice cream. And Pizza.
- You hail from Brazil, a country far away from Europe, where you live now. What made you leave your beautiful country and pursue your fortune abroad?
Honestly? I have no idea. I had just turned nineteen; there was an opportunity, I went for it. Never really thought about how was it going to be, I just did it.
The perks of being nineteen, I guess…
- Have you had any regrets in your life until now, Ariane?
Many. And yes, I would do things differently if I had the chance to, but I’m glad I learned to live with them and accept that sometimes, you just make the wrong choices and that’s okay. Important is what you do from there.
- You recently became a mom. How do you cope juggling mom-hood with your business?
It’s not easy. Not easy at all, and I am sure every mom is with me on this one. Sometimes you cry at night because you are so tired you don’t know how the next day is going to be, sometimes you just do it all with a big smile on your face. Sometimes you have mommy-guilt.
Finding the balance is hard work, but I have help. If I was on my own, I don’t know how I would manage the 9862 things I do during my day.
- Your tagline is “From Stage Fright to Spotlight.” What would be your tips for people who’d like to overcome that fear and enter into the spotlight? Any spicy secrets?
Yes, for some people is the fear of speaking in public is even stronger as the fear of death. It can get serious.
I always say, if you are this scared, you should be doing something else, but if it’s only about getting nervous, then it’s okay.
My tips for conquering stage fright are three:
Practice. Practice. Practice.
If you know what you are doing, you will be much more confident to face the weird things that happen live. Because they do happen.
Thank you, Ariane de Melo, for sharing your entrepreneurial adventures, and for your simple yet invaluable tips about overcoming stage fright.
If you’d love to speak in a way that enchants your audience, Ariane de Melo is the person to go to. At her website, you can either take some of her courses or get in touch with her for coaching services.
Follow her tips on Facebook here and here, as well as her Instagram, or take a look at her art-specialised social media management agency.
Looking for more inspiring young entrepreneurs? Take a look at the other interviews I had with them.
If you consider yourself one, and you have a captivating story to share, let’s chat!