David JP Phillips, one of the world’s foremost experts in public speaking and communication, joins Moshe Popack on this week’s episode of the Common Denominator podcast to share how mastering your message starts with mastering yourself.

In this insightful episode, David opens up about overcoming 17 years of depression, discovering the neuroscience of storytelling, and why most public speaking advice is dead wrong. With over 14 million TEDx views and decades of experience coaching global leaders, David breaks down what actually works when it comes to captivating an audience.

💡 In this episode, we dive into:
✅ Why most public speaking advice fails
✅ How David overcame depression using science-backed tools
✅ The secret to powerful storytelling and emotional congruence
✅ What truly makes someone a great speaker (it’s not slides!)
✅ How to train your brain to communicate with clarity and confidence

David also shares the origin of his viral TED Talk “How to Avoid Death by PowerPoint”, the psychology behind stage presence, and how to align your body, voice, and message for maximum impact—whether you're on a stage or speaking to one person.

🎧 Subscribe to the Common Denominator podcast on audio:podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/common-denominator/i…

📺 Subscribe on YouTube:   / @mpopack  
 
0:00 – Intro
2:00 – Why Swedes are happy people
4:00 – How to hack depression
6:30 – Focused meditation
10:30 – Why public speaking is a huge fear
16:00 – Overcoming death by PowerPoint
18:00 – Why storytelling is so important
21:00 – How David’s book can help you
24:00 – Common trait of all great speakers

#DavidJPPhillips #PublicSpeaking #TEDx #Storytelling #MentalHealth #CommunicationSkills #CommonDenominatorPodcast #MoshePopack #StagePresence #SelfLeadership