Why Speaking Confidence Is More Than Stage Presence. It’s a Deep, Personal Journey with Linda Ugelow
Public speaking is often framed as a mindset game. Stand tall. Project your voice. Power pose your way into confidence. But in our latest episode of the Badass Women in Business podcast, Linda Ugelow showed us something far more powerful. Speaking confidence is not about pushing through fear. It is about uncovering what created the fear in the first place.
Linda is a speaking confidence coach, expressive arts therapist, performer, and author of Delight in the Limelight. She helps entrepreneurs and professionals turn fear and discomfort into ease and joy when it comes to being seen and heard. Whether it is speaking on stage, showing up on video, leading a meeting, or hosting a podcast, her work is grounded in the idea that speaking is part of our human design. But so many of us learned, early on, that being visible is not safe.
When Fear is Familiar
Before Linda became a coach and author, she was a performer for over four decades. But even with years of experience on stage, she found herself paralyzed when it came time to speak publicly or record video content for her business. Her heart would race. Her voice would tighten. She would spend hours prepping for short moments on camera, only to feel drained and defeated.
This wasn’t just about nerves. It was fear stored in her body, shaped by past experiences and old protective patterns. She began asking herself different questions. Not just how do I speak better, but why do I feel so unsafe doing it in the first place.
The Inner Freedom Framework
What came next was a self-designed process rooted in expressive arts therapy, movement, emotional freedom techniques, and deep self-inquiry. Linda now calls it her Inner Freedom Framework. It is a blend of healing tools and mindset shifts that help people go beyond managing fear into fully releasing it.
In her words, she wanted to go from white-knuckling it to actually looking forward to speaking. She succeeded. And now she helps others do the same.
It Always Comes From Somewhere
One of the most powerful takeaways from this conversation is that speaking anxiety is not random. It is always tied to past experiences. For Linda, it was a mix of family dynamics and painful moments of public shame that left her with a belief that visibility was dangerous. For others, it might be being told to stay quiet, being mocked in school, or being overlooked in important moments.
These experiences create emotional memory. And when left unexamined, they become barriers that keep us from expressing ourselves, showing up, or taking up space.
Linda’s gift is helping people locate those memories and move through them. She does not stop at performance tips. She gets to the root.
Shifting from Criticism to Compassion
Another theme that stood out was how harshly we judge ourselves. Linda hears it all the time from her clients. I hate the sound of my voice. I look awkward on camera. I freeze when I present. What she teaches instead is how to become your own ally.
Her process for helping people watch themselves without cringing includes naming what they dislike, forgiving themselves for it, and then learning to spot what they appreciate. From there, they can decide what to change and what to accept.
She also shares a gentle approach to feedback that creates real change without triggering fear or shame. Because growth does not have to feel like punishment. It can feel like curiosity. Exploration. Even play.
Why It Matters for Women in Business
If you are building a business, leading a team, hosting a podcast, or stepping into more visible roles, this episode is a must-listen. Fear of speaking does not just affect how you show up. It shapes your business growth. It impacts how you advocate for yourself. It limits what you believe is possible.
Linda reminds us that it is never too late to change that.
Speaking confidence is not reserved for certain personalities. It is not a gift you either have or don’t. It is a practice of returning to yourself. And when you feel safe being seen and heard, everything opens up.
What We Loved Most
Public speaking is not just for big stages. It happens every day, in every room where you speak
Your fear is not random. It is connected to real moments that shaped how safe you feel being visible
Criticism is not the only way to grow. Safe, supportive reflection creates lasting change
Confidence is not about performance. It is about presence
You do not have to hate how you sound. You can learn to love it
More from Linda
Linda is the author of Delight in the Limelight and host of a podcast by the same name. Her work helps people clear internal blocks, love their voice, and embrace visibility as a joyful, expansive experience. She lives between Boston and Budapest, and her warmth, humor, and humanity shine through everything she does.
Explore her work at www.lindaugelow.com
Connect with her on LinkedIn and Instagram
Watch her teaching and insights on YouTube
Listen to the full conversation here:
