Tricia Brouk is an international award-winning director, author, and producer. She has received the Empowered Woman of 2021 award from the International Association of Top Professionals. Tricia has worked in theater, film, and television for over three decades. In addition to her work in the entertainment industry, she applies her unique expertise to the art of public speaking in order to elevate and amplify voices.
Russ Alan Prince: Can you please tell us about your company?
Tricia Brouk: I’ve been on thousands of stages in my career as a former dancer, never having uttered one word. And now, as a speaker on big stages, I mentor thought leaders and professionals who also want to speak on big stages. And what I’ve come to know for sure is that speaking on a big stage is a privilege and it also comes with great responsibility.
When we speak, we have the opportunity to add or subtract, to heal or destroy, to love or hate. We get to choose. And right now, the world is in need of this kind of conscious leadership, the kind of leaders who choose well. Conscious leadership means that when you are speaking, whether it’s from the dining room table, the boardroom table, or an audience of thousands, you understand the power you have to influence others with your words. And that’s why I founded my company and speaker academy. The Big Talk Academy is a speaker and thought leadership incubator, where we elevate and amplify voices in order to have a global impact and make the world a better place.
Prince: How do you help aspiring thought leaders become thought leaders?
Brouk: Having worked in film, television, and theater for more than 30 years. It’s my job to create a safe space for the actors to be able to play in and to be truthful in the scenes. This is exactly the same practice for working with thought leaders.
Many thought leaders and professionals forget that their stories are important. And they often do not know how to share these powerful stories. They are all so busy running companies and leading that they forget that by sharing their experiences and stories and personal journey, they can have the kind of impact and ripple effect that becomes their legacy.
Getting vulnerable is where the magic happens. It’s where the truth is revealed so big change can happen. When you can get to the truth of the idea and share it impactfully by implementing the techniques I use with my actors, you can be commanding and captivating over and over again.
People who study with me privately and in New York City at The Speaker Salon are able to learn how to share their stories in the service of others, and more importantly, they transform. By sharing their powerful stories and messages in the world, they can be involved in policy change, movements, new thinking, innovation, and global initiatives. And I’ve seen this happen time and time again. One of our speakers has three kids, two of whom were born blind. She began speaking about retinal eye disease more than 16 years ago, however, when she began working with me we expanded her vision of how to speak about this idea using the tools and techniques I teach, and was able to expand the idea from being about her and her kids to how we can learn to see the world differently through the eyes of others. The world opened up to her by being able to make this idea global. She spoke at TEDxLincolnSquare, the event I produced in New York City, is involved in a documentary, and spoke at the FDA, where she was able to get research funding for the very eye disease her children have.
Prince: There are several ways you work with professionals and aspiring taught leaders. Can you describe these approaches for us?
Brouk: We bring out the hidden talents of our speakers, whether it’s in The Big Talk Academy, 1:1 work, or in The Speaker Salon. I know everyone learns differently and we provide three methods of getting to the goal of becoming a thought leader who takes big stages and has an impact.
We see whom our clients can become as speakers and how they can contribute to the world with their gifts and their genius. And we create a strategic blueprint to get them to where they want to go. In just a few years, we have supported thousands of speakers to take TEDx stages, speak at the United Nations, Congress, and several global platforms, and even get featured in documentaries.
I have personally supported The Chief of Police of New York City, Terrance Monahan, Mayoral Candidate Kathryn Garcia, and Former Lt. CL. Alexander Vindman. Along with Sandra Joseph, who played Christine in Phantom of the Opera longer than anyone. She’s in The Guinness Book! And over my career, I’ve also had the privilege of working with James Gandolfini, Kate Winslet, Susan Sarandon, Kelly Reilly, Steve Buscemi, Famke Janssen, Eddie Izzard, Bobby Cannavale, John Turturro, and Christopher Walken.
The Big Talk is growing rapidly, as professionals and thought leaders come to know that we provide them with all the tools, techniques, and communities that they desire in order to begin speaking and really stepping onto big stages. The significance of what it means to be a speaker right now is paramount and that’s why being a leader, a speaker, an influencer who is conscious and understands the responsibilities that come with stepping onto a big stage is our priority. We elevate and amplify voices, and those voices are doing good in the world.
RUSS ALAN PRINCE is the Executive Director of Private Wealth magazine (pw-mag.com) and Chief Content Officer for High-Net-Worth Genius (hnwgenius.com). He consults with family offices, the wealthy, fast-tracking entrepreneurs, and select professionals.