Crafting a Conference Talk - All Things Product with Teresa & Petra

Public speaking can be daunting—especially when you're aiming for a big stage. In this episode of All Things Product, Petra and Teresa pull back the curtain on how they craft their conference talks from scratch. Whether you're eyeing your first local meetup or preparing for a keynote at a major conference, they walk you through their real-world processes, share personal stories (and stumbles), and offer practical tips to help you step onto any stage with confidence.
From finding your unique take on a topic to rehearsing like a pro (yes, 30+ times is a thing!), this conversation is packed with honest insights and encouragement for anyone wanting to grow their public speaking game.

In this episode, we discuss:
✅ Why more people should consider public speaking—and how to get started
✅ How Petra approaches talk creation: mind maps, card decks, and structured rehearsal
✅ Teresa’s top-down talk-building method focused on audience transformation
✅ What makes a good “first talk” (hint: show your work!)
✅ Why meetup organizers want to hear from new speakers—especially women and underrepresented voices
✅ Tips for managing stage fright, finding your voice, and choosing your topic
✅ How big-stage talks (like Product at Heart and Y Oslo) come together over months
✅ The surprising power of impromptu lines—and how to leave room for them
✅ Matching your prep process to your stage and experience level
✅ How public speaking sharpens your thinking and deepens your learning

Resources & Links:
Follow Teresa Torres: https://ProductTalk.org 
Follow Petra Wille: https://Petra-Wille.com

Mentioned in this episode: 
How I Go About Creating a Talk: My Step-by-Step Process by Petra Wille: https://www.petra-wille.com/blog/how-i-go-about-creating-a-talk-my-step-by-step-process
Nancy Duarte's books: https://www.duarte.com/resources/books/
Myers–Briggs Type Indicator: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myers%E2%80%93Briggs_Type_Indicator
Opportunity Solution Trees: Visualize Your Discovery to Stay Aligned and Drive Outcomes: https://www.producttalk.org/2023/12/opportunity-solution-trees/
The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin: https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Act-Way-Being/dp/0593652886
Cicero Public Speaking Deck – Petra’s go-to tool for structuring talks: https://sefirot.it/cicero-deck
Melissa Suzuno - our mutual blog editor: https://melissasuzuno.com/

Places to give your first talks: 
Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/
ProductTank: https://www.mindtheproduct.com/producttank/
ProductCamp: http://www.productcamp.org/
Toastmasters International: https://www.toastmasters.org/

Conferences mentioned:
TED: https://www.ted.com/
Product at Heart: https://productatheart.com/
Product Management Festival: https://productmanagementfestival.com/
Mind the Product Conference: https://www.mindtheproduct.com/conferences/

Some of our talks: 
Continuous Discovery Habits with Teresa for Y Oslo: https://www.producttalk.org/2024/12/y-oslo-2024/?srsltid=AfmBOopqYXQS5NHMHfkR4rf9PZqk-Q6pI30GPdsw5ePTK7U4aL0XDtnn
Managing Up with Petra for Y Oslo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFxHb9waopE
Justify Your Product Decisions and get Stakeholder Buy in – Teresa Torres, Mind the Product SF 2019: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7MWiLvMXXQ
Even You Can Do Continuous Discovery - Bringing the Discovery Habits to Every Organization – Teresa Torres, Product at Heart 2023: https://vimeo.com/843615637

Have thoughts on this episode? Leave a comment below.
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