The Best Advice I Ever Got as a Speaker

I’ll never forget my first time speaking to a crowd of over 2,000 people.
It wasn’t just any audience—these were qualified investors, potential clients, and serious players.

And I was nervous as hell.

I wasn’t the guy who grew up dreaming of the stage.
I didn’t have some natural “gift” for public speaking.
What I had was one piece of advice that changed everything:

“You don’t speak to 2,000 people. You speak to one person, 2,000 times.”

That simple line flipped a switch in my head.
I stopped trying to perform. I started trying to connect.
Here’s how I pulled it off—and why most of that room ended up becoming investors or clients.

I Visualized One Person—Not a Crowd

Before stepping on stage, I picked one ideal investor in my mind.
I spoke directly to them—not the crowd, not the noise. Just one person who needed to hear the message.

That focus calmed me down and made my delivery more real.

I Made Eye Contact Like It Was a 1-on-1

Every few minutes, I locked eyes with someone new.
I wasn’t scanning the room—I was connecting.

Each moment of eye contact created a personal conversation inside a public speech.

I Told Stories That Made It Personal

Facts tell. Stories sell.
So I built my talk around moments I’d lived—raising money, losing deals, winning big.
And I told it the way I’d tell it over dinner, not a podium.

That’s when I saw heads nodding, people leaning in.

I Asked Questions to Pull Them In

“Have you ever…”
“Do you know the feeling when…”
I asked questions—not for answers, but to create emotional engagement.

The more I invited them in, the more it felt like a conversation instead of a keynote.

I Used Pauses to Let It Land

Instead of rushing to fill silence, I paused.
Let people digest. Let myself breathe.

That pause created presence—and presence creates power.

I Imagined Conversations, Not a Monologue

In my head, I wasn’t giving a speech.
I was having hundreds of tiny conversations—one after another.

And it worked.
Because when you speak with people, not at them, they listen.

The Outcome

By the end of that talk, I wasn’t just “the speaker.”
I was the guy people lined up to meet.
Most of that audience became part of my investor network.

All because I stopped trying to speak to everyone—and focused on speaking to someone.

You don’t need to be a natural.
You need to be intentional.

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The information contained herein is for general guidance on matters of interest only. This information contained herein is not intended to provide you with any advice on financial planning, investment, insurance, legal, accounting, tax or similar matters and should not be relied upon for such purposes. Marcin Drozdz, M1 Real Capital Inc are not financial, legal or tax advisers. You should assess whether you require such advisers and additional information and, where appropriate, seek independent professional advice. You understand this to be an expression of opinions and not professional advice. You are solely responsible for any actions you take with the content and hold Marcin Drozdz and M1 Real Capital Inc or any of it's affiliates harmless in any event or claim.