I'm quitting professional speaking to become...

That’s it. I’m quitting professional speaking to become a pirate.

I’ve even assembled a crew of good-looking pirates. Here we are, in our pirate hats, eye patches and moustaches, ready to take on the world.

Ok, I’m going to rewind so my career change makes sense.

I’ve been crafting a storytelling presentation for the Professional Speakers Association of Victoria for the past month. My core belief is your stories are already there, hidden in your memories. You don’t invent stories; you hunt them down.

If I can persuade my audience that their stories are already there, waiting to be uncovered, it will make finding their stories easy and fun.

But I was struggling with how to make this idea come alive.

I thought of inviting my audience to go on a quest to find their stories. I imagined getting my audiences to rub their hands in glee, gird their loins (I’m still figuring out how to do that), and laugh wildly.

Going on a quest sounds fun, but it didn’t feel strong enough.

Who’s better at treasure hunts than pirates? And, with International Talk Like a Pirate Day conveniently landing on my presentation week, turning my audience into pirates was irresistible.

When you come up with a wild idea like that, you must commit fully to making it work. Invite your audience to embrace their inner pirate (the charming cartoon pirates of our childhood) and:

Speak Pirate—Get your audience to speak the lingo: Ahoy, mateys! A few hearty “Arrrs” and “Ayes.”
Be a Pirate—Go all in. Wear eye patches, pirate hats, and fake moustaches (with extra sticky glue—optional) for instant immersion and adventure.
Treasure Maps – Hand out pirate-style treasure maps instead of a standard handout. Extend the idea.

The key is commitment. If you go pirate, go full pirate.

But here’s the twist, while going ‘all in’ can spark unforgettable moments, there’s an art to knowing when to pull back.

I also explored dancing like a pirate, but it was surprisingly hard! Quitting when you are ahead helps turn a wild idea into a meaningful one.

It’s not just about being a pirate; it’s about how you transition into it, how you frame the idea, and how it seamlessly links to your main message.

But the larger message is – have fun. Have fun with stories and storytelling.

Fair winds to ye and may yer next presentation overflow with (story) booty!

And oh, I only quit and became a pirate for one evening.

I am still available for bookings as a speaker for your next conference.

I promise no pirates involved—just entertaining, practical and captivating content curated for your audience.