How can entrepreneurs master leadership and public speaking in 2025?

Entrepreneurs face growing challenges in balancing leadership, innovation and personal development. Jack Hayes, Director of Loughborough-based Champions Speakers, which specializes in providing top-notch British business speakers, offers dynamic advice on how to increase your influence in 2025. From improving your public speaking skills to turning setbacks into opportunities, Hayes outlines actionable strategies to inspire your team, captivate audiences, and lead with impact in an ever-changing landscape.

What are the most important habits of successful entrepreneurs that lead to effective leadership?
Effective leadership depends heavily on the goals you set for yourself. If you’re not sure where you want to go, you can’t expect others to understand your vision. Are you developing a small business or a dragon? Successful entrepreneurs know how important strategy is.

Another area that is all too often overlooked is setting personal health goals. Successful entrepreneurs don’t always give it their all, but rather make sure they get enough sleep and incorporate exercise into their routine. Burnout is one of the biggest threats to entrepreneurs. So if you want to get results and, more importantly, maintain them, you need to make time to relax.

How can entrepreneurs use public speaking to attract investors and customers?
Public speaking can be an excellent showcase for your skills. It’s a way to establish yourself as a thought leader in your field, create greater awareness of your skills and experience, and open doors to further opportunities.

Many people choose to speak at industry events and conferences, introducing themselves to select audiences who have already attended because they want to learn more. But it’s not just these types of events that offer great opportunities. You can grow an audience through digital channels, but don’t do it spontaneously, it should be considered as part of your digital strategy.

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How can entrepreneurs most effectively overcome stage fright or nervousness during public appearances?
It’s natural to feel anxious. It shows that you care about what you do. But there are strategies that can help overcome nervousness. I recommend practicing your presentation several times, even in front of people you know. It’s also a good idea to record yourself and watch it again to see where you can make improvements. Breathing techniques can help you concentrate and reduce anxiety. You should also mentally prepare yourself for a positive outcome to boost your confidence and push away thoughts of failure. Also remember that public speaking, like everything in business, is a skill that takes time to develop. Don’t expect quick wins or for everything to come together at once.

How can entrepreneurs turn a failed pitch or presentation into a learning opportunity?
Don’t give up if your pitch fails, use it as a stepping stone until you reach your goal. You often find that you learn more from a failed pitch than from a successful one. But be sure to ask questions about why you fell short. The answers could help improve your chances the second time around.

Go back and think about what topics you think elicited a positive or negative response from the audience, and consider whether that might be audience specific or an issue or something you should highlight in your presentation. Always ask for feedback on your presentation or pitch deck. You don’t know if it was a small problem that you were able to fix that resulted in a “no” or something that you should consider changing.

In your experience, what is the secret to engaging an audience during long or complex presentations?
The best advice for captivating an audience is to be relevant by knowing your audience. Tailor your content to address their concerns or areas of interest, especially if you’re speaking at a conference with a specific focus. You should also interact with your audience. No one likes a “death by PowerPoint” presentation where someone reads from slides, regardless of the setting. Ask questions, invite volunteers to participate, and answer questions to make your presentation interactive. You might also consider sharing personal anecdotes or stories about your idea or company to add a human element to your presentation. Additionally, try to stay up to date on topics and events of the week that are relevant to your audience. It will be immediately apparent that you are tailoring your presentation to this audience.

As someone who helps entrepreneurs build influence, what advice would you give entrepreneurs to stay relevant in 2025?
2025 is likely to be a difficult year, as the investor’s relief budget rules in particular will be a hard blow for start-ups. But with challenges also come opportunities.

To stay relevant, it’s important to connect with customers. The goal is to embrace innovation, learn new technologies, and stay up to date on industry trends. Make 2025 the year of connecting and collaborating if you can. I always advise those in my time to be adaptable and embrace continuous learning. And most importantly, keep your competitors close.

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