Introduction: The Presentation We Imagine vs. the One We Actually Give When most people picture a presentation, they picture a big stage. But the reality is, most presentations in working life happen in small rooms — a pitch to your manager, a client meeting, a hybrid call with a handful of people. And most people walk into those situations with a big-stage mindset. They've built a deck designed for broadcasting, not connecting. In her Present to Succeed session, Frauke Havin

Introduction: What Does It Really Mean to Be Inspirational? Most speakers aim to inform. Fewer aim to inspire. But what separates the two? In his Present to Succeed session, Alexei Kapterev — author, presentation designer, and researcher — argues that inspiration isn't a personality trait or a stroke of luck. It's a structure. And once you understand it, you can build it deliberately. Why the Best Decisions — and the Best Presentations — Are Neither Rational Nor Emotional Ale

Introduction: The Blank Slide Problem When Designing Most people who've had to build a presentation from scratch know the feeling. You open PowerPoint or Keynote, you see the empty slide staring back at you, and you have absolutely no idea where to begin. What colours do you use? What fonts? Where does the layout come from? In her Present to Succeed session, Katya Kovalenko — presentation designer and brand identity specialist — argues that this paralysis is almost always a

Introduction: The Art of Truly Connecting with Your Audience Public speaking isn't just about delivering information — it's about making people feel something. In her opening keynote at Present to Succeed, Margreet Jacobs, public speaking coach and former professional dancer, gets straight to the heart of what separates forgettable presentations from truly memorable ones. Her message? Stop trying to be perfect. Start trying to connect. Why Empathy Is the Foundation of Every G

Introduction: Why Your Slides Have Never Mattered More Presentations have always been about more than information — they're about holding attention, building trust, and leaving people with something they'll actually remember. But in a hybrid world, that's become a lot harder to pull off. In his energetic Present to Succeed session, Damon Nofar — founder of Slides Agency and one of the most in-demand presentation designers working today — makes the case that most virtual prese

Introduction: The Future of Presenting Is Already Here The way we present has changed dramatically. Whether you're pitching to a client, onboarding a new team member, or running a workshop across time zones, the old slide-and-speak format simply doesn't cut it anymore. At the 2022 Present to Succeed conference, Paul (Product Lead for Presentations) and Ashley (Product Marketing) from Canva took the stage to show just how far presentations have come — and where they're headed.

Introduction: Rethinking Audience Engagement—Beyond One-Way Presentations to Interactive Experiences In today's hybrid work environment, presentations are far more than just one-way communication—they're opportunities to transform passive listeners into active contributors who feel heard, valued, and engaged. In his dynamic Present to Succeed session, Oscar Svernlov—Educational Content Creator at Mentimeter—challenges conventional thinking about what audience engagement truly

Introduction: The Future of PowerPoint: Camera-Aware, Hybrid-Ready, and Built for Any Time In a world where hybrid work is no longer an experiment but the new normal, tools like PowerPoint are being reimagined from the ground up. In his compelling Present to Succeed session, Shawn Villaron—Vice President of Product for PowerPoint at Microsoft—shares how the team is evolving one of the world's most-used applications to meet the demands of a flexible, distributed workforce. Fro

Introduction: Mastering Hybrid Meetings—Engagement, Productivity, and the New Rules of Connection In today’s evolving workplace, running meetings that are both inclusive and productive is more important than ever. In her insightful Present to Succeed session, Lorraine Lee—Head of Editorial at Prezi and LinkedIn Learning Instructor—dives into the art and science of hybrid meetings. Drawing from her experience at the forefront of virtual collaboration, Lorraine shares actionabl

Introduction: ExeIntroduction: Mastering the Q&A—Turning Questions into Connection Presentations are more than just sharing information—they’re about creating dialogue, building trust, and leaving a lasting impression. In his insightful session, David Goad, renowned communication coach and author, challenges us to rethink the Q&A. Drawing from his own journey and years of experience helping speakers, David shows how the Q&A can become the most dynamic, rewarding part of any p