Cue the Applause: A Speech to Remember Turns 10

It’s been ten years since the launch of A Speech to Remember. Wow, time goes by fast! I thought to myself, what’s the best way to mark this moment? Write a speech to remember, of course.

Here’s what I would say if someone were to throw me a 10-year anniversary party (spoiler alert: nobody is):

Welcome, everyone. Thank you so much for being here to celebrate a decade of A Speech to Remember!

I started this journey with nothing more than a laptop, a deep love of words, and a long history of surviving cringeworthy wedding toasts. Honestly, the idea for A Speech to Remember came from a conversation with my brother where we bonded over a shared trauma—bad speeches. And not just “bad” like awkward. I’m talking "Dear God, make it stop" bad.

And in that moment, I had a lightbulb moment, maybe even more of a spotlight moment: I can help.

I’ve always loved writing. I’ve always loved stories. And I figured, maybe I could take those skills and help people tell their own.

So, I gave myself the very official-sounding title of The Word Whisperer and off I went. (It was either that or “Speech Therapist,” but apparently that title was already taken. By actual therapists.)

Over the past decade, I’ve had the privilege of helping people find the right words for life’s biggest moments—weddings, birthdays, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, retirements, graduations, eulogies, and more. I’ve interviewed so many interesting people, written so many different kinds of speeches, and shared my delivery tips and tricks to ensure every speech hits the right notes.

Tonight, I wanted to reflect on what the past ten years have meant to me and share a few of the things I’ve loved most about this unexpected, wildly fulfilling ride.

First: the stories.

Oh, the stories! I have heard everything. Sweet, sentimental, hilarious, awkward, chaotic. I’ve had people overshare, cry, send voice memos from the carpool line… and I’ve loved every second of it.

The more my clients share and brain dump, the better. It’s like speechwriting gold. Because underneath it all is a deeply personal story that deserves to be told. And told well.

Second: the organization.

Now this might sound less glamorous but trust me, it’s my happy place. My daughter calls me “Momica,” as in Monica Geller from Friends, because I love to organize. Like, color-coded closet levels of love. And I bring that same energy and approach to every speech.

My job is to take all those memories, details, and tangents, and shape them into something that flows. Maybe there’s a metaphor that ties it all together. Maybe it’s a repeating phrase or a clever twist. But when the pieces click into place, it’s magic.

Third: being a small part of big moments.

Let’s be honest, life doesn’t always give us enough moments of pure joy. So, when someone lets me help celebrate one, it’s not just a job. It’s an honor.

Words have weight. And when someone feels heard, seen, and celebrated because of what you helped them say? That’s powerful.

Fourth: the relationships.

One of the biggest surprises—and greatest gifts—has been the relationships I’ve built. I’ve worked with people from all walks of life, all over the country. And the biggest compliment I can get is when someone comes back, for their son’s Bar Mitzvah… then their daughter’s Bat Mitzvah… and then their son’s wedding.

At this point, I’ve practically become part of some families’ milestone planning committee. And I welcome it.

Fifth: helping people conquer their fears.

Public speaking ranks right up there with spiders and airplane bathrooms as a top fear. But I’ve seen clients go from “I think I might faint” to “I nailed it!” And those texts that come in right after the event?

“They laughed in all the right places.”

“I got a standing ovation!”

“They cried and then they hugged me!”

That’s when I know—this work matters.

And finally: loving what I do.

Steve Jobs once said, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” And I do. I love it. Writing speeches that reflect someone’s voice, personality, and story… it’s creative, it’s deeply personal, and it never gets old.

Now, before I wrap, I have a few thank yous. I promise to keep them short, just like I advise all my clients to do!

To my incredible clients: Thank you for trusting me with your stories. Thank you for your honesty, your humor, and your openness. You’ve made this journey so rewarding.

To my husband: Thank you for being my networking coach, business strategist, IT support, and biggest cheerleader. You’ve believed in me every step of the way, even when I questioned myself.

To my brother: Thank you for sparking this idea and for every bad speech we’ve suffered through together. Without you, I might still be sitting in the audience whispering punch-up suggestions to myself.

To my mom: Thank you for encouraging my love of writing, even when it meant reading a lot of unsophisticated drafts at age 10.

To my dad: Thank you for always asking to read what I wrote. Your pride meant the world to me.

And to my daughters: Thank you for being my early test audience, and for being brutally honest when something I wrote was ‘cringe.’ Nothing like a Gen Z reality check to keep your ego in check.

Here’s to ten years of A Speech to Remember—and hopefully, to many more. Because when you love what you do, and you get to help people express what matters most… well, that’s the kind of story I want to keep telling.