Sometimes, the things we most struggle with are the keys to unlocking the next part of your journey. We hear it from founders: they find a problem, for many of them it’s one they are personally facing, and look for a way to build a solution. Similarly, some coaches start their business practice after they themselves have had lots of trouble with one specific area. Madeline Schwarz was shy, hated public speaking, and had seen first hand how many problems were created by communication breakdowns.I sit down with Madeline to talk about how she got comfortable with public speaking, her journey from the client side at a big company to the vendor side at a small company, how she managed losing her job and even used that opportunity to build her new career.  Madeline Schwarz teaches individuals and teams to develop the single most important skill in life and business: communication. She helps professionals tell compelling stories and clearly articulate their vision in presentations, meetings and difficult conversations. Her clients have called her a career therapist, lifesaver and secret weapon and include organizations such as Mastercard, Etsy, Blink Fitness, The Jewish Museum and Fancy LLC. Companies bring her in to facilitate workshops on storytelling, presentation skills, networking and collaborative team communication. When she’s not dreaming up ways to make communication more fun, you can find her roaming art museums, biking in Prospect Park and building pillow forts with her son. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit maricellaherrera.substack.com