Mark Antoine
Mark Antoine Mark Antoine

  • Around 77% of the population has been shown to display some degree of anxiety when they are required to speak to a public audience.

  • A commonly held view is that successful public speakers focus on creating an emotional connection with their audience.

  • Mark Antoine says that the key to effective public speaking is in “turning a captive workforce into a captivated audience.”

Studies have shown that around 77% of the population has some level of anxiety when it comes to public speaking. We often live in fear of being scrutinized and of how the opinions of others reflect on us. This fear is magnified when it comes to presentations or speeches that need to be given in a professional setting. We obsess and stress over every possible unfavorable scenario, and this counterproductive behavior translates into nervousness and seeming unprepared.

Mark Antoine, an expert in public speaking and corporate events, understands these fears and works to help corporations build the storytelling of their events. He does this by hosting and emceeing the event for organizations; he also trains their speakers on how to present during an event. Mark says that he sees “a corporate event like a play. I can play the main character and be as good as I can be; if the rest of the cast isn’t as brilliant, the whole show is affected. I help write the best play possible, and train the cast and rehearse until showtime.”

From a Shy Adolescent to Dazzling an Audience

If you were to watch Mark enthrall a crowd, it might be difficult to believe that he was once a shy and anxious kid. In fact, he was the complete opposite of who he is today. Mark explains that he had a double lisp and misaligned teeth when he was a kid. This caused a young Mark to become highly self-conscious. He says, “I was very shy, and I would always blush and feel anxiety speaking in class. So, for those of you who aren’t comfortable on stage, in meetings, or on zoom presentations, trust me, I know the feeling.”

Building a Career in Public Speaking

As Mark matured, he saw the value in building his confidence and working on effective communication. After graduating from high school, he went on to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. During this period, Mark took a job working for Disney Business Solutions in Paris as an emcee to pay for his tuition. It was here that he had introduced speakers on stage from all walks of life, every level of seniority, and shared a stage with speakers from every Fortune 500 company.

This was how Mark discovered a market for his job; he elaborated, “I entertained the most difficult crowds: corporate employees who haven’t paid for a ticket to be there - they HAD to be there, captive. Yet turning a captive workforce into a captivated audience became my passion for the last 17 years. Now I also help companies create their experience and storytelling on stage, and I help employees who have never been trained in public speaking to become confident and charismatic leaders.”

Mark became a public speaking coach because he noticed that at no point are employees given the proper training that is required to be a confident speaker and charismatic leader. This is why he created a public speaking program that provides members of an organization with the necessary tools to engage and communicate confidently to an audience of any size in any situation.

Having worked with some of the most famous brands such as LVMH, Porsche, Danone, and significant players in the event industry like Comexposium– Mark has decoded the nuances that make for a compelling public speaker.

Speaking at Corporate Events

While the information relayed is essential, it can very well be sent in an email. So why do you need someone on stage to inform your audience? Mark Antoine’s take on public speaking for corporate events is that the focus should be on evoking emotions; it should be about how you want your audience to feel.

In order for an audience to absorb the content that is being passed on, the speaker needs to be compelling to watch– engaging with their audience by means of motivating and energizing them. This ensures that they are in an alert and receptive state to receive the right corporate message.

When it comes to delivering keynote addresses, Mark notes that they are often designed to merely show off the speaker's life in an attempt to inspire the audience. However, these speeches often lack the tools in which the audience can use to bring about change in their own lives. Mark’s approach is based on the simple principle of “Tell me, I will forget. Show me, I will understand. Make me do it, and I will remember.”

Final Thoughts from Mark Antoine

“Today’s events have shaped into hybrid events, so the format is a multi-camera TV set at the corporate head office, and I am here to be the TV host of the show along with executives being the guests of that show. They need the right training to look at the right camera at the right time, use a teleprompter, and how to look the part. They are the stars, and I make sure they feel like one so they can deliver their messages in the most inspiring way.”