Alumni success!

He’s recognised as a “Motivational Rockstar”, but we know him better as Richard Asomugha, a “Speak Out” Challenge! alumnus with a powerful story. Catching up with Richard, we were inspired by his passion and dedication to helping others with the power of speech. As a successful businessman, motivational speaker and all-round optimist, Richard tells us how his experience with Speakers Trust helped shape his future.

Having lost the ability to play basketball (his dream profession) due to an injury, Richard realised that new dreams had to be made. When Speakers Trust showed up at his school, his reluctance to participate was hard to shake. Not due to nerves however; Richard was a confident guy but in his mind there was no reason to do it. Why step out of your comfort zone if you don’t have to? After persistent encouragement from his teacher, who was insistent that Richard would be good at public speaking and do well in the competition, Richard said yes. He came third and is now a speaker by profession.

Taking part in the challenge helped Richard discover a talent. Making a speech, being on stage, Richard realised that he had a presence and that public speaking was something he was good at. Jack Petchey’s “Speak Out” Challenge! was an opportunity that he is thankful to have taken. He has come to appreciate the innate values of good communication skills and wants to remove all of the negative emotions surrounding public speaking. “[It] is positive, fun and exciting and I want to help more young people see that.” He believes that public speaking is stereotyped as a ‘must-avoid’, which is even more reason for people to take part in speaking competitions and workshops.

If Richard turned down the opportunity to participate, perhaps he would never have achieved his proudest moment to date: speaking to the Virgin Group, encouraging them to mentor young people with fewer available opportunities in life. So the message from Richard? Take any chance to speak that comes your way, because “the ability to communicate an idea is the most powerful thing in the universe.”

Check out Richard’s website: http://www.herewithrichard.com/ for more information. Feeling inspired? Let him know with a tweet: https://twitter.com/Herewithrichard. You can also follow him on Instagram: Hrwlive.  

For more information about the “Speak Out” Challenge! head to www.speakoutchallenge.org. If you would like help with your speaking, contact Speakers Trust on 020 7922 7902 or email info@speakerstrust.org.