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I’m literally writing my speech right now for my brother’s wedding (which is today — please don’t be mad at me, I’ve been very busy lately 🥹)

Anyway, preparing to give a speech in front of so many strangers has really got me thinking about the power of public speaking and the impact it can have on influence, effectiveness and our personal brand as data leaders.

Since stepping into the shoes of a data leader, I’ve been fortunate enough to rock the stage at some incredible events, alongside some amazing people. Speaking publicly not only afforded me reputational benefits in the data and analytics industry when I was a part of it, but also genuine commercial benefits as the solo business operator I am today.

My journey in public speaking on data topics began back in 2019 when I volunteered to give my first ever data talk at the incredible and long running C.R.A.P. Talks series, founded by my friend and industry legend, Bhavik Patel.

Since then, I’ve gone on to much larger stages — more than I can count.

And while I’ve not always felt confident that I belonged on the stage, or that my message was a worthy one to be delivered, I can’t deny the effects of getting up there have been incredible for my career and personal brand.

In this edition, I’m going to do my best to convince you to get up on stage and explain why it could be the best thing ever for your career.

Most data leaders spend years getting really good at the work bits. Analysis, strategy, stakeholder wrangling. But then they wonder why they're still not being pulled into the rooms that matter.

The par that a lot of folks struggle with is this: being good at the work is table stakes. It’s visibility that gets you a seat at the big kids table.

I’m firmly believe that public speaking is one of the fastest ways to build that visibility, and the career benefits stack up in ways that aren't obvious until you're already doing it.

But I’m going to do my best to spell them out here for ya:

It repositions you instantly. The moment you stand on a stage or host a webinar, the way people perceive you shifts. You go from "the data person" to "a data leader worth listening to." That repositioning is hard to cultivate any other way, and it happens fast. Credibility that would otherwise take years to build through consistent delivery can arrive in just 30 min via a decent talk.

It forces you to get sharper. Preparing a talk exposes the gaps in your thinking. When you have to explain something out loud to a room of people who'll ask questions at the end, vague ideas don't survive. You find out very quickly what you actually believe and what you're just repeating. The activity of crafting a great speech forces you to confront and confirm your beliefs about the topic.

It makes you better at getting buy-in. Data leaders live and die by their ability to communicate. Speaking teaches you how to structure a message, hold attention, read a room, and land a point. Those skills transfer directly into boardroom presentations, stakeholder conversations, and team briefings. You'll notice the improvement faster than you'd expect.

Opportunities come to you. Once you've spoken somewhere, you exist in rooms you were never physically in. People share your talk. They remember your name. They talk to other about you. Clients, collaborators, job offers, and speaking invitations start showing up because someone heard you talk at something you'd already forgotten about. You become a known entity in the industry. It's one of the few career investments that compounds over time without you having to keep pushing.

It changes your own self-perception. Getting off a stage after a talk does something to you. You get this massive rush of endorphins. You start believing your voice is worth hearing. That confidence builds in you and starts showing up in other areas of your work.

If I was at the start of my speaking career having never done one — save for the odd brother’s wedding — these are the steps I would take to put myself out there.

Start somewhere with low stakes. Your first talk doesn't need a conference or a keynote. You could simply run a lunch and learn for your team or peers. Volunteer to present at an internal all-hands. Find a local data meetup and pitch a short talk. The goal at this stage is just to get reps in, not to be a super polished rock star. Safe environments are where you goto get that crucial early practice in.

Talk about something you've actually lived. You don't need a groundbreaking original idea — in fact, it’s better if not! Pick a challenge you've faced, a mistake you've made, or a shift that changed how you lead. Real stories, told honestly, land better than polished theory every single time. People don’t need to hear from the top expert in the field every single time, they want to hear stories and lived experiences.

Find the right venues. There are more options than most people realise. Local meetups like Data Science Festival, DataIQ, or Women in Data events are a great starting point. Industry conferences often have open CFP (Call for Proposals) processes, and many are actively looking for practitioners who can speak from experience rather than just vendor pitches. LinkedIn Lives are also a legitimate option if you're not ready for in-person yet.

Just submit something. The hardest part is usually just asking. Find an event you respect, look for their speaker submission process, close your eyes and hit submit. The worst outcome is a no (as I experienced at this years Big Data LDN). It costs you nothing. Most organisers are far more open to new speakers than you'd think, particularly if you're bringing a practical angle their audience will enjoy.

Reframe what nervous means. If you feel anxious before you speak, you're in good company. Sadly, the feeling doesn't really go away with experience. What changes is how you interpret it. I like to tell myself my nerves are actually just excitement. And the post-talk high on the other side of it is genuinely worth every uncomfortable minute before it.

Record yourself and iterate. Your first talk won't be your best. That's fine and normal. Record it, watch it back, take note of what worked and what didn't, and do the next one slightly better. Nobody becomes a confident speaker without first being a nervous one.

Now get out there and give it your best!!

Free resources:
Data Leadership Playbook · Data Career Compass · Data Leader Assessment

Tristan Burns
Find me on LinkedIn