Testimonials

Alejandra Clarke, Personal Trainer and Blogger - Babes & Weights

“Matt Sherwood is an exceptional communicator. He has a way of being that captures the room and motivates and inspires with his positive energy. I had the pleasure of being part of a public speaking seminar where Matt was the leader and I didn’t want to miss a class, the room was always full when Matt was in leading. Gracias Matt for all the encouragement and motivation!”

Rob Austin, Business Manager - Alkermes

"I owe much of my improvement in my communication skills to Matt.  Prior to working with Matt, the feeling I would get when I knew I had to speak in front of small or large groups was one of anxiety, sweaty palms, a voice that cracked due to nervousness and outright fear.  After working with Matt, I became extremely confident and my employer tells me my speaking and communication skills are unmatched.  He always sought to give me personal feedback on a speech (both verbal and written).  His workshops are fun, engaging and challenging - in a good way!   I highly recommend Matt for anyone who wants to improve their public speaking skills, overall communication skills and their overall self confidence."

Becky Moine, Director of Touring - Live Nation Entertainment

"Matt was very personable and passionate, he took the time to work with each individual to identify his/her goals and create a plan to reaching them.  His workshop was informative and fun, he creates a comfortable environment to practice public speaking in a judgement-free zone.  I would recommend Matt to anyone who wants to improve their communication skills, speech preparation and overall confidence. He is a great guy and truly cares about the cause!"

Jennifer Puckett, Social Engagement Manager - The Social Element  

"I have had to give presentations throughout all of my professional life; and while part of the process is very rewarding, it's also been very stressful. Matt's Communication Community workshops were so positive, he really made these classes a safe place to practice and improve your skills in an environment that felt supportive and positive.

In addition I have since been involved in panel discussions and other public speaking events; and have used Matt's techniques to help me manage my stress in a positive way. I've even had some compliments about my work from colleagues!

Whether you have never given a speech before, or present all of the time, I would definitely recommend working with Matt. I can't wait for his next session!"

Mariano Pérez Silvestro, Student - Saint Andrew's School, La Paz Bolivia

"We met at Saint Andrews School we were a day previous a trip to represent School in a Model of United Nations. Since that day, what you told us helped me to improve. And i wanted to thank you because you helped me to achieve what I am now. Tomorrow I will present as General Secretary of SASMUN. The Model of united nations of Saint Andrews. So I just wanted to thank you."

Denise McCanles, Health and Life Coach - Life Change Up

“I am lucky to have joined Matt’s Communication Community Meetup Group. It’s a wonderful safe place to conquer your fear of public speaking. Matt’s enthusiasm and love for speaking is contagious. He puts you immediately at ease and really supports everyone’s effort. He inspires and motivates! Thanks Matt!”

Miranda Weston, Business Development and Strategy Consultant - SEWNR

“I was able to use all your tips at my first ever pitch event with TechCrunch tonight! I can't thank you enough for running your workshop events in Buenos Aires and Cusco to help me feel prepared.”

The Public Speaking Course - Los Angeles, CA

Saturday May 6th and May 7th, 10am - 5pm; Lunch included, Attendance is limited

The Public Speaking Course two-day seminar teaches tips and techniques for eliminating anxiety and becoming a confident, dynamic communicator and speaker.  Matt Sherwood is an expert trainer who has has delivered over 100 speeches throughout his life and helped over 100 students conquer their public speaking fear and become strong speakers.  Matt’s playful approach and spirited style will make you feel super comfortable in this small, supportive environment.

In two days you will be taken on a journey, being educated on the basics of speech preparation and delivery, all the way down to the finer points of public presentation.  Learn how to convert negative anxiety into positive excitement, channeling your energy into dynamic enthusiasm on stage.  You will get tons of practice and individualized coaching.  At the end of the journey, you will be motivated to begin the next chapter of your career with newfound confidence in your ability to captivate any audience!

SIGN UP ON EVENTBRITE NOW! 

http://tinyurl.com/THEPublicSpeakingCourse

Below are highlights from recent workshops and events I've conducted:

Travel Tales from My World Tour - Corning Life Sciences Discovery Labware, Woburn, Massachusetts

Thursday, March 30th, 2017

Yesterday, I delivered a 1 hour presentation at the Corning Life Sciences Discovery Labware, a subsidiary of Corning.  The talk was part of their Lunch and Learn series and I was invited by Senior Scientist: Tim Creegan, through my mother who has worked at the company for many years.

For most of my presentations, I don’t use a lot of slides, or PowerPoint.  I may use a whiteboard when instructing, or maybe have a slide or two up while I present.  But, this presentation was focused a lot on my travel photography, and stories from my travels.  This was a record for me---240 slides!  

I really enjoyed talking about my travel experiences and relating some of the more entertaining tales.  I hope to do a similar speech in the future at a different venue.  And, I know I will be sharing stories from my travels until the day I die!

Sadly, I did not get any pics from the event.  Completely dropped the ball on that.  What am I still jetlagged?!  Well, here’s a pic of the Thank You card the audience signed for me a day after the event.  

No, thank YOU for the opportunity, Corning!

Motivating Malaysian Middle Schoolers - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Thursday, November 17th, 2016

I was super inspired meeting some of the brightest, hungriest leaders from Kuala Lumpur at a Remote Year networking event with YSEALI (Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative).  One young lady, Sherry asked me to speak to the students at her middle school (15-16 yr olds).  My mentor once told me, “Take every speaking opportunity you can get, Matthew.”  OK, I can't say no!

It is a challenge trying to sell Malaysian teenagers on the importance of communication and public speaking for their future.  Of all the things on a teenager's mind, wanting to be up in front of a group is uuuuusually not one of them. Not to mention, there is a slight language barrier here.  Most kids speak basic English, but some are more fluent than others.  

But, CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

Last May, I spoke to a group of high schoolers in La Paz, Bolivia.  It was a bit of a snooze fest.  A yawn-a-thon.  I feel like I lost ‘em halfway through and couldn’t reel ‘em back in.  Up to that point, all of my workshops had been with adult audiences.  Speaking to students is a different ball of wax!  I vowed to learn from it.

The event was at a secondary school in KL:  The SMK Taman Maluri School.  Before I was about to go on, the students seemed a little antsy.  It was hot outside (at least to me, they're probably used to it) and they had been sitting for a while already, listening to local filmmaker, Sham Sunder.  I was feeling the excitement, bigly!  I knew I had to keep the energy up if I wanted the crowd to stay with me.  And I was expecting them to talk over me---especially the kids in the back.

But, I was pleasantly surprised!  ~100 students seemed dialed in.  They listened attentively, and participated whenever I asked them.  I spoke for an hour.  Once or twice I felt the audience was getting a little antsy---but I switched things up and was able to reel ‘em back in.  

It was an incredibly exciting experience, interacting with these young Malay kids...finding out what their hopes and dreams are...and trying to motivate them to achieve their dreams! 

I met a future Oscar winning actor, “the next Angelina Jolie”!

I met the future President of Malaysia!  

I met a future Marketing Manager for a beauty products company!

I met future software engineers.  

And, I met students who simply said, they just wanted to work hard and make their parents proud.  :]

I learned a LOT from these students!  And I think they seemed inspired.  Overall, the energy was amazing.  

And after I was done, the school presented me with a beautiful fruit basket and a certificate of appreciation.

If the amount of selfies requested is an indicator of success, I’d say the event was a success!

I left there elated and inspired.  I realized I want to focus more of my time on working with the youth.  This was way more fulfilling and exciting than adult training.  

IMPACT: A Digital Nomad Speaker Series - Split, Croatia

Thursday, November 3rd 2016

Thursday, November 3rd, I had the opportunity to present a short talk at the Amosfera CoWorking Space in Split Croatia.  My presentation was entitled, "Speak to Succeed" and I discussed the importance of public speaking for all professionals.  I spoke for about 15 minutes, sharing personal stories, and success stories from colleagues of mine that are fantastic presenters.  Then, I fielded questions from the audience.  Overall, it was a great event!  I wish the audience was a little bigger, but I think there was value for the people who did attend.  

Public Speaking Workshop - Cusco, Peru

Wednesday, June 29th 2016

Last Wednesday, I hosted a sold-out speaking workshop in Cusco for my fellow Remotes.  My hotel had a sweet space called the ‘Sun Room’ which felt perfectly Zen for practicing public speaking.  

In honor of my friend and mentor: Cole GP who passed suddenly, the theme for the evening centered around Improv.  We had an interactive discussion on the difference between acting vs public speaking, and improv vs preparation.  

And, we played one of Cole’s favorite games, ‘Best/Worst’, in which the speaker must argue both sides of an impromptu topic on the front and back end of 1 minute.  Best/Worst is a challenging game, but always yields ridiculous results and lots of laughs!!!  

One thing I love is seeing people come out of their shell and shine like a superstar.  Some people claim to be super shy, but when they get on stage, they turn into a rock star!  That was the case with all 4 stellar storytellers!  

Natalie shared a hilarious tale entitled “One Grey Day”, about a first date that ended up with a smoking car and 3 fire trucks on the side of the road. Abe recalled a spring break story about almost inadvertently getting arrested for indecent exposure.  

Kelly shared the tale of both earning and expunging her criminal record for illegally cutting down a Christmas tree.  

And, finally, Jess had us in stitches as she told “A Story About Her Butt” and the training and preparation she took to trek on the Inca Trail.

All 4 storytellers were in the zone in the Zen Sun Room.  I’m very proud of everyone who came out to the event, and I hope they all found value in it.  I know I did. 

Public Speaking Workshop - Saint Andrew’s School, La Paz, Bolivia

Tuesday, May 24th 2016

Thanks to our local contact here in Bolivia, an amazing super-woman super-star Viviana Coloma, I was invited to speak at a prestigious private school here in La Paz: Saint Andrew’s School.   

Saint Andrew's is a very innovative and progressive school system with strong Catholic values.  Students learn multiple languages from an early age, and the school prides themselves on strong academics, with an emphasis on technology, sports and building well rounded students. It was an honor to be invited to speak.  Just look at this campus!

Thanks to our local contact here in Bolivia, an amazing super-woman super-star Viviana Coloma, I was invited to speak at a prestigious private school here in La Paz: Saint Andrew’s School.   

Saint Andrew's is a very innovative and progressive school system with strong Catholic values.  Students learn multiple languages from an early age, and the school prides themselves on strong academics, with an emphasis on technology, sports and building well rounded students. It was an honor to be invited to speak.  Just look at this campus!

The topic of my presentation was "Speak to Succeed: The importance of strong communication skills in today's global economy."   I did my best to inspire the juniors and seniors and encourage them to embrace public speaking - I even gave them a chance to speak on stage.  4 brave students got up to speak and I was very proud to see them accept the challenge!

This was a unique experience for me, as I usually perform workshops for professionals.  But it was very motivating to speak to students and try to get them excited about communication.  

I always feel that even if I only inspire one person, the event is worth it.  And, I'm pretty sure I was able to motivate a few.

A small group of students approached me after the event and thanked me.  This made my day.  I sincerely hope that we keep in touch and I can continue to inspire them to achieve their goals.

I'd say the event was a success.  And now, I want to do more workshops for students around the world!  

Communicate Like Cousteau, Workshop#2 - La Ninina, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Monday, April 25th 2016

On Remote Year, my workshops are called “Communicate Like Cousteau”.  (RY3 code name = Cousteau)    Jacques Cousteau was a true Renaissance man.  A revolutionary scientist, explorer, filmmaker, conservationist, photographer, author, etc.  Remote Year 3  is comprised of 70 professionals from around the world, who are all incredibly bright, innovative and adventurous.  We have artists, engineers, writers, photographers, entrepreneurs, etc.  And, we are ALL explorers.  Pioneers of the digital nomadic world.

Cousteau was also an orator who often gave speeches about his ground-breaking work and political views.  I think Cousteau would be proud of us.  And, I hope we honor his name.  

The 2nd workshop was a little more challenging than the first Our co-working offices didn't quite have the space for the type of event I wanted.  I had to go outside the inner circle, which presented logistics and linguistic challenges!

La Ninina is a local cafe in the Palermo district of Buenos Aires and a favorite amongst my fellow travelers.  They have a gorgeous 1st floor private room that screamed 'BOOK ME!!!' as soon as I saw it.  There is a window overlooking the kitchen, which reflects a lot of light into the space and creates a comfy ambience. 

For this second workshop, the group doubled in size.  18 total attendees.  I think using EventBrite to track invitations AND having the event at such a cool venue helped to bolster the numbers.  And, perhaps word got around that these events are actually fun?  

The theme of the night centered around the late great musician: Prince, who was an incredibly talented musician who liked to take risks.  While some of Prince's quotes are less than inspiring (See list) I really liked this one, as I feel it is very apropos to the fear of public speaking:

Prince: "The most important thing is to be true to yourself, but I also like danger. That's what's missing from pop music today. There's no excitement or mystery."

To warm up the audience, I had them alternate verses of famous Prince songs: Kiss and 1999, which was hilarious because none of us can hit the high notes like the legend himself!  We then had an interactive discussion about the various ways to use our voices to enhance our speech.  After the discussion, I invited audience members up to tell a short story.  Following the stories, we had a brief critique of the storytellers, talking about both positive aspects of their stories, and offering a few areas for improvement.  

Overall, I'm extremely pleased with how the first 2 Remote Year workshops have played out!

Communicate Like Cousteau, Workshop#1 - Incutex, Córdoba, Argentina

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2016

In Córdoba, the first workshop was held on March 23rd, in the Incutex co-working space's conference room, the TechPub.  We had 9 in total, and the theme of the night centered around the late, great actor, comedian, and philanthropist Robin Williams.  There will never be another like him and I like to use him as an example of just how far you can push yourself in public speaking.  He was a master.  

We started off with some improv games, and for vocal warmups, we impersonated some of Robin's most famous movie quotes from Aladdin, Good Will Hunting and Good Morning Vietnam.  "Bueeeeeenaaaaas noooooooches, Cooooooooordooooobaaaaaa!"

Members of the group got up and told short stories based on something they are passionate about.  Super proud of these people for pushing themselves!

And lastly, we had a keynote speech from Melissa, who shared a hilarious life story that was honest, relatable and inspirational.  Melissa involved the audience in the speech and had us in stitches with her humorously daring topic!

Communication Community: Workshop Series - Los Angeles, California

July 2015 through February 2016

Two years ago, I started a workshop series in the Culver City area of Los Angeles, called "Communication Community.  The workshops were held every 2-3 weeks and were free to join.  I did most of my advertising on Meetup.com and Facebook.  

Over the course of ~6 - 7  months, I conducted 11 workshops and the group started to gain some traction, with an average attendance of 12-15.

Every workshop was custom created and unique.  Sometimes I would focus on speech delivery, sometimes I would focus on vocal technique and sometimes I would focus on some of my favorite speakers, comedians or orators.  

But, the general meeting format was typically similar.  We would start off with warmup exercises, mixing improv games, with stretching.  Then, I would spend a bit of time on instruction, hosting interactive discussions with the group on various speaking topics.  Following the discussion I would give the group an assignment, asking them to craft a mini-speech based on a certain topic.  And, almost always, I would have a keynote speaker to end the event.  

 Unfortunately, I had to end the series when I decided to travel abroad with Remote Year.  But, it was a great learning experience, and a great way to grow my personal coaching business.

Communication Community Videos

Toastmasters District 52, Salesmastery Club 6178 - Sherman Oaks, California

February 2010 - Present

I have been a member of Toastmasters International since February of 2010, and served in many leadership positions, including Vice President of Education for 1 full year and Club President for 1 full year and another 6 month term.  I currently am an Advanced Communicator Silver and Competent Leader.  I've won Speech Contest at the Club Level and Area Level.

Here is a pic of my favorite Club, "Salesmastery" when I was President.

This is a speech about my mentor from Toastmasters, Peter Bunce. Peter passed away suddenly where he was living in Hong Kong on Friday, October 17th at the age of 53. I wanted to honor him at the Toastmasters Club that he first joined back in 1994, Salesmastery Club 6178.

Miscellaneous

Here is some miscellaneous videos that I've published to YouTube.