Keeping it Real

Why audiences don’t want polished presentations—they want someone who’s actually done the work

In retirement, I’ve unexpectedly found myself being called upon as a speaker at national industry trade shows, conferences, and expos.

No one is more surprised than I am.

I never took Speech in high school, never performed in a play, never presented to a boardroom full of executives. The only meetings I led were daily production meetings at my company—and even those I eventually handed off to someone better at it than me.

Yet now, I’m standing in front of 30, 40, sometimes 50 industry peers who’ve come to hear what I have to say.

Talk about imposter syndrome.

It’s so far out of my comfort zone that it seems unlikely I would enjoy it.

The stress!
The anxiety!
The fear of public speaking!
The AV scramble—figuring out how to hook up my laptop and lapel mic!

And yet…

Research shows that trying new experiences in retirement creates new neural pathways in the brain and helps stave off dementia.

OK. I’m in for a little discomfort.

And here’s what I didn’t expect:

The part that’s actually great.

Watching people in the room nod along.
Seeing them take notes like something I’m saying might actually help.
The line of people afterward—asking questions, sharing their own experiences, or simply saying thank you.

And then there’s that one comment that makes all the hours of preparation worth it.

Recently, after my final session at ISA International Sign Expo 2026, a woman came up to me—animated, energized—and told me she loved my presentation because I was “real.”

That hit me.

Because after decades of attending these same kinds of sessions as an audience member, I know exactly what she meant.

Too many presentations feel like a sales pitch.
Or a canned talk from someone polished to perfection.
Or advice from someone who has never actually walked in our shoes.

I never wanted my audiences to feel that way.

Yes, the room is always a mix—different-sized shops, different parts of the country, different experience levels.

And we all have one thing in common.

We’ve done the work.

That’s what I lean into every time I step in front of a room.

Being real.

I’m honored that it came through.

Because after all these years sitting in those rooms on the other side of the podium, I know the difference.

People don’t need another polished presentation. They don’t need to be sold to. And they definitely don’t need someone talking at them who’s never done the work.

They need someone who’s been in it.

Someone who tells the truth.

Because people can spot fake from a mile away.

Real is what sticks.