Christmas Tunes Can Drive You Crackers

Introduction Laura McHarrie was a shop manager, when retailing … took place in bricks and mortar.  There was none of this easy peasy, drop box, ‘clicks and sorta’ kinda stuff! […]

The Rest of the Story

Our next speaker, Laura McHarrie’s maiden name was Richardson. On the 21st November 1984 (almost 34 years ago), Ray Dukes, a Debenham’s employee wrote … “In response to your request […]

A Sound Bath – What’s that then?

Last month, Laura McHarrie our next speaker, had the pleasure of a relaxing Sound Bath for a second time in her life.  This time, she’d just come back after her […]

How to be Heard

“Here at Toastmasters, we live and die by our presentation successes and failures. The intros can have a massive impact how the audience reacts to the speech. I’m so pleased […]

I’m Not Deaf – You Know …

“Our next speaker is Laura McHarrie.  This speech was inspired by Rachel Knowles.  When Rachel answered Julia Martineau’s table topic question – what invention could you not live without, she […]

Why do you care?

WHY do you care? Why DO you care? Why do YOU care? Why do you CARE? Amazing how the tonality of this small question can have so many nuances … […]

Listen to Learn..

The title Listen to Learn – is a succinct version of Stephen Covey’s seek first to understand and then be understood.  In his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective […]

The Problem with the Pause.

“Laura McHarrie is a master of the strategically placed pause. She has been involved with Toastmasters for 10 years and has completed both the old communication and leadership programme resulting […]

Four Crushing Complacencies

In this book Sur/petition, Edward de Bono asserts that complacency sets in when things seem normal to you because you are used to them.  In business there are four types. Comfortable […]

Distinguished Toastmasters Indeed!

In April 2008, 7.15pm for a strict 7.30 kick off, Steve Graham, Jan Thorpe with much bugging and instance from yours truly, Casterbridge Speakers was launched.  That day, I started […]

The Real Reason to Believe!

I spent half a day working through a client’s marketing collateral last week.  We were looking for the proof that their business did what they claimed.  It was a great […]

Earworms?

And what are they … exactly? They are the songs that you cannot get out of your head.  Recently Kylie did it again to me.  This time with “when I […]

Money Can’t Buy Me Love

The Beatles, pop group of the 1960s swooned …. “I’ll buy you a diamond ring my friend if it makes you feel alright.  I’ll get you anything my friend if it makes […]

Petrol Heads – thanks Mark

There are people that like their cars and there are people that lurve their cars. These are the so called petrol heads.  At first glance at tonight’s meeting theme, I thought […]

Martin Luther-King Jr Day

On this day in history, Martin Luther-King Jr was born (Jan 15th 1929).  He was assassinated before his 40th birthday.  He’d have been 89 today, if he’d have lived this […]

Crowdfunder Training – checked!

your team. On Tuesday, I took a day out to find out how to make the most of Crowdfunder to support the board at AsOne theatre company.  We've all heard about it but how many of us really understand the nuances of this opportunity to raise cash for our business?

Sage, Age & Perspective

As a lady of a certain age, I have a vested interested in ‘Sageism’ – I thought it might be worth confessing this at the start! The thing is there […]

Yuletide – The Longest Night

The title strikes to the deepest fear of any insomniac.  Regardless of the varied reasons for sleep deprivation, the extra hour in bed that we get when the clocks go […]

Ouch! Email?

I’m sure my specialist will be happy to see hand propped up by pillows as he insisted earlier before discharge.  Me? I’m glad to be home and I’m quickly adapting […]

Competitor Analysis

It is worth understanding how urgently your client needs what you can deliver and more importantly whether you can deliver in their timescale and within their budget.  Moreover if you decide to undercut your competitors and take on a client who won't make you any money in the short term you need to know how you do will make money from them in the longer term.  

The Winter Blues

Being a relatively resilient individual – I had always pooh poohed the idea that something like the changes in the season can affect your ability to cope with life.  Until, […]

Learning from Honks & Hinks

Don’t you think it’s a wonderful sound when a flock of geese fly into Weymouth?  Theirs is not the most attractive sound but it is very distinctive.  For me, it […]

A little R&R goes a long way

I went to Crete this year.  It was extremely warm for September, bright blue cloudless skies and myriad mosquitos.  Boyfriend and I decided that we needed to rest and recuperate […]

The Day I Lost My Voice

I have lost my voice!  It hasn’t happened to me in a long time.  But today, of all days, I have been croaking my brilliant advice! Really?  I think I […]

Much Ado About Nothing!

Last weekend, Dave and I went to the open air Globe Theatre for our biennial visit.  We always go in July and … it always rains! To date, we have […]

Clubs and Camaraderie

A few weeks ago I went to the pub for breakfast, dressed in this year’s Lion’s gear. We were supporting England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales in the battle for the […]

Summer Solstice

It has been the hottest day on record, previously registered in 1976.  I was 14 that year.  I don’t remember that day – in 1976 it was hot – all […]

a Muster of Minis

It just so happened that I left Hythe a little bit earlier than planned this Sunday,  the sun was peeping out from behind a puff of wispy clouds.  I was […]

To Boldly Go … Down Pathways –

Laura McHarrie has chosen to deliver her penultimate Advance Communicator Gold speech as part of her Area Director visit, as forthcoming changes to the Toastmasters learning programme lends itself to […]