Master the art of public speaking

Brittany Walker’s journey into public speaking wasn’t a deliberate choice — it was a happy accident.

While attending a coding bootcamp, Brittany’s mentor encouraged her involvement in local tech meetups. As the sessions grew in popularity, Brittany stepped into the role of teaching assistant, observing how her mentor steered the sessions. Eventually, the door opened for Brittany to lead one herself, a moment she embraced without hesitation. “I just did it!,” she tells us with a smile.

What began as an unexpected opportunity quickly evolved into a passion. As Brittany’s career progressed, public speaking became a central part of her role as a Senior Developer Advocate at Contentful, allowing her to share knowledge, inspire others, and make a meaningful impact in the tech community. Her journey is proof that, with the right opportunities, anyone can excel at the art of public speaking — even if they never set out to in the first place.

Here, Brittany shares her top five tips on mastering the art of public speaking, whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your craft.

The art of public speaking tip #1: Practice

“I wasn’t naturally amazing at speaking from the start,” Brittany admits. Practice and exposure were fundamental in perfecting the art of public speaking.

Dating back to her college years, Brittany learned how to think (and speak) on her feet when working at a concert arena, a music festival, and various theaters. “I would constantly have to speak to hundreds of people per night and deal with all kinds of wild scenarios on the fly. Someone asking a question I didn’t know the answer to during a JavaScript workshop was nothing in comparison,” she laughs.

Now, Brittany continues to hone her skills at Contentful, where her role presents her with various opportunities to host live streams and webinars, speak at conferences and meet-ups, or create video content.

“I am able to do things on the fly easily [now] because I have done them so many times before,” she shares. “Volunteer to speak, especially in any situation where it is more chill and low stakes. Local meetups are a great place to start, or volunteer to lead a department meeting. Many of the opportunities I was able to get were because I said ‘yes’ when someone randomly asked me if I wanted to speak.”

Tip #2: Be yourself

Even as an experienced public speaker, Brittany still worries about how her words will land with her audience. Specifically, she wants to present information that’s engaging, not yawn-worthy.

“I found one of the best ways to combat this is to include personal stories and anecdotes and not be afraid to have fun.”

Brittany uses fun colors and includes GIFs and real-world examples in her slides, setting a playful tone even in professional settings at Contentful.

“Include your personality in your talk and lean into your interests. If you think your talk is fun, you’ll have a better time and be less nervous.”

Tip #3: Research and observe

“Watch other speakers to see how they have crafted their stories,” Brittany encourages.

Platforms like YouTube offer a wealth of examples from conferences and events that can serve as resources. By analyzing how experienced speakers structure their talks, use body language, and engage with their audience, you can adopt techniques that resonate with your style.

For Brittany, observing her mentor during her early days as a teaching assistant helped her learn the ropes before stepping into the spotlight herself.

Tip #4: Understand your audience

Brittany recognizes that you likely won’t know everyone in your audience — but you should do your best to understand their overarching profile before your speech.

“You should be able to predict who your audience might be, and make sure to plan for different scenarios,” she points out. “I have learned to be flexible, and that just comes with practice. I am at the point now where if I have prepared an advanced workshop and everyone that shows up are beginners, I can easily pivot on the fly and change up what I planned to fit the audience.”

Tip #5: Embrace your nerves

As a high school student, Brittany was required to sing karaoke in front of her psychology class.

“I sang Hey Mickey from Bring It On and Living La Vida Loca, the Shrek version of course,” she laughs. “Watching others complete the assignment showed us that, since we were too busy worrying about our own performances, we were not spending any time judging others. This thought helped me a lot when it came to presenting in other classes or during college.”

In short: Embrace your nerves. They’re perfectly normal, and when managed properly, can actually become your strength.

“Many times when I am doing a live tech demo and something fails, the way I manage to solve the problem in real-time while staying calm becomes one of the best and most interesting parts of the talk.”

As seen through Brittany’s experience at Contentful, public speaking is not just about delivering a message; it’s about connecting with people, sharing stories, and making an impact. Follow her tips to not only master the art of public speaking — but also enjoy the process along the way.