Centre Stage is an interview series aimed at empowering women in insights with the confidence of being in the spotlight.

It was great to sit down with Andrea Goeres, Consumer &Shopper Insights Director at Nepa, to explore her experience as a public speaker.

Andrea is not only a skilled storyteller but also a confident presence on prominent platforms like Live Retail Week X Grocer. Her positive, can-do energy make her shine on stage, if you're curious about her top tips for preparing and delivering impactful presentations, read on...

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Iosetta: Hi Andrea, thank you for sharing your public-speaking journey with us today. I’m curious to know, what do you like about being on stage?

Andrea: I see being on stage as a chance to push myself out of my comfort zone and to achieve my goals of becoming a trusted thought leader in the industry. I also enjoy connecting with others and exchanging ideas, something that speaking engagements and events make possible.

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I: Did you always liked doing this? How did you take your first steps as a presenter?

A: I have enjoyed public speaking, giving presentations, and running workshops throughout my career, and I had quite a lot of help from trusted mentors along the way. I discussed my ambitions with my direct managers over the years and so when opportunities arose to represent my company as a speaker, I was top of mind. One tip I would give is to start by doing public speaking internally, working your way up to sessions with larger audiences to hone and demonstrate your skills.

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I: That’s a great way to build experience and practice!You’re a confident person, do you have moments of self-doubt? And if so, how do you handle them?

A: It’s natural to be nervous before speaking publicly –most public speakers (both men and women) experience at least a little self-doubt. I handle this by being prepared, practicing in advance, but also, I remind myself that the audience doesn’t know what I was meant to say, or what I rehearsed—they can only know what I do say in the moment. And so, if you forget something, don’t get stuck on it.

And if I’m really feeling a bit down, I try to remind myself that I was chosen to speak for a reason… other people believed that I would do a great job, so why wouldn’t I believe it too?

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I: When it comes to believing in yourself, do you look up to someone as inspiration?

A: I have been inspired by political leaders. Speakers like Ursula von der Leyen and Angela Merkel who present confidently in a male dominated field. But also, speakers like Barack Obama who uses humour and genuine connection with the audience to drive engagement and makes even mundane topics interesting.

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I: So, what are your top tips on how to be on stage and deliver a successful presentation?

A: I like to watch other people presenting. Either people who I admire or those who are especially engaging, and then I try to understand what made them successful on stage. One specific thing I would suggest is to come armed with a few anecdotes, stories or examples. Try to incorporate something topical in your presentation or refer to something that was said during previous presentations on the day, if you’re presenting at a conference, it helps to maintain a good level of engagement. ‍

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I: Considering that public speaking is something that motivates you and that you enjoy, what would you say to encourage more women in our industry to embrace speaking opportunities?

A: The more I advance in my career the more I realise that leaders learn by doing. Most people who have big responsibilities, whether is speaking or something else, are still learning, and they don’t have all the answers. Sometimes they even do it wrong! The difference is that they simply have the courage to try.

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I: Speaking of leaders, what steps do you think companies inMR should take to actively foster and support women's talent, ensuring they have equal opportunities on stage?

A: I think that senior leaders in the industry can make a great difference. If you’re a senior position and you’re often the one speaking at events, consider enabling a fresh new voice to take a turn. Take the time to coach them, but also step out of the way when the time comes. Scan your teams for talented individuals and actively look for the right opportunities for them.

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I: Thank you, Andrea, for the great advice. Anything else you’d like to say to theWIRe community?

A: This is a fabulous initiative! Bringing this issue top of mind for senior MR leaders is the first step in driving change.
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About Andrea

Andrea is a skilled insights storyteller, creative brand builder and passionate analytics translator who believes in driving business change by making the complex world simple. She is an expert in leveraging big data and market research to drive brand growth and brings a results-driven approach to delivering impactful insights that fuel business success. In her role as Consumer & Shopper Insights Director at Nepa, she empowers businesses to harness the power of data and transform it into growth opportunities.