by Manisha Abhyanker DTM I joined Toastmasters in 2002 through a corporate club that met during lunch breaks. The members were enthusiastic, supportive, and actively involved beyond the weekly meeting. Within six months, I stepped into my first leadership role as club secretary which was a decision that began a long path of service and…
by Michelle Bayes DTM Club Growth Director Take a moment if you will and recite the district mission with me, ‘We build new clubs, and support ALL clubs in achieving excellence.” These eleven words pack a very powerful message, and some of the foundational building blocks to achieve the mission sit under the umbrella of Club…
By Joyce Piñero “Everything you ever want is on the other side of fear,” is DTM Patty Wyatt’s mantra. The words hang on her bathroom mirror, reminding her every day. Patty attended Toastmasters for the first time in 1998, but was so paralyzed by fear that she did not return for twenty years. In 2018,…
by Larry Prince, D25 Toastmaster Fundamentals Chair Do you realize that when a person becomes a Toastmaster, they’re establishing a new social contract? The first few weeks of a Toastmaster’s journey are critical. The new member may think, “Have I made the right decision?” and “What is this all about?” or even “WHAT have I…
by John Aparicio Division D Director Serving as Division D Director has been quite a daring adventure. I did not know what I was in for with the ‘23 – ‘24 year. I was met with challenges at every turn but was determined to keep sharing my sunshine no matter what! Whether it was grief…
By Bridgette Beal I must confess, I’ve never been a goal setter. I have friends who set amazing, extravagant goals and achieve them. Not me. I’m more of a work-hard-each-day-and-see-what-happens kind of person. I’ve had successes. I built two businesses but stopped short of anything really big. I was busy with my day job, my…
by Ankur Bora I know I have a great idea, but I don’t know how to take it forward. Have there been occasions in your life when you’ve felt that way? Oftentimes we don’t know what we don’t know. These are the occasions when we need someone to guide – who can challenge us to…
