Since I love talking about design and sharing my experiences with young creatives, I have always seen public speaking in my future—far, far future. As the pandemic brought us unexpected events, it also led me to my first (virtual) speaking engagement.

In the wake of the pandemic, Chopsticks Alley, an art nonprofit that I previously branded, created an online lecture series as a way to connect artists despite remote conditions. They invited me to share my experience as a creative in the tech industry, and I thought, fun! It’ll be easy to talk about my previous experiences. No, no, no, no, no.

Little did I know, this talk would spark my passion for storytelling. I began with a (boring) chronological account of my career. After rounds of feedback with friends and family, these were my main takeaways:

• Give the audience something meaningful or actionable. Start with the main points I want to get across.
• Connect stories to those main points
• Ensure every detail mentioned is relevant to the point

I’m grateful to Chopsticks Alley for the opportunity and for igniting this fire in me to tell better stories and share my experiences.

Check out my talk below and please share with young creatives, especially those who are considering a creative career.