This was an interview episode of the Speaking and Communicating Podcast where Roberta hosted Sandra Bargeman, a voice and presence coach with a 35-year career in entertainment. Sandra shared her journey from starting performing at age six to becoming an actor, singer, director, and ordained minister, explaining how she combined her creative and spiritual paths through her company Sacred Stages LLC. They discussed how Sandra's acting background provides natural skills for coaching leaders on voice, presence, and authentic communication, emphasizing that true presence comes from being comfortable with one's authentic self rather than trying to be larger-than-life. Sandra explained her philosophy that finding oneself is the wrong goal, instead suggesting that people should focus on setting down what stands in the way of revealing their true identity. The conversation concluded with Sandra's advice for authentic grounding, recommending that people take deep breaths in challenging moments to choose courageous responses over reactive behavior. Next steps Roberta Connect with Sandra on LinkedIn and Instagram.Update the workflow on PodMatch regarding the episode with Sandra.Send Sandra the listening links and YouTube video link when the episode is published in the fourth week of August.Sandra Share the published episode with her network when notified by Roberta.Summary Podcast Guest Interview Planning Roberta welcomed Sandra Bargeman to the Speaking and Communicating Podcast, discussing her background as a voice and presence coach from upstate New York. They agreed that Roberta would notify Sandra when the YouTube video is published in the fourth week of August and share the links on LinkedIn and Instagram. Sandra expressed her commitment to sharing the episode with her network, and they briefly discussed the challenges of getting podcast guests to promote their appearances. Performing Arts and Spiritual Journey Sandra shared her 35-year career in performing arts, which began in childhood and included theater, music, commercials, and film work. She explained how she combined her performing career with her spiritual journey by enrolling in an interfaith seminary in her mid-40s and later creating her own company Sacred Stages LLC. Sandra described how COVID impacted her performing work but led her to create a podcast based on her "Edge of Everyday" concepts, which has become a significant part of her career. Sandra's Creative and Spiritual Journey Sandra discussed her personal mission of knowing herself deeply, which flows through her creative, spiritual, and leadership journeys. She explained how her parents supported her artistic pursuits, including her violin playing and theater interests, with her mother being her greatest champion. Sandra described how she cannot separate her creative life from her spiritual life, explaining that artists often experience their work as a spiritual journey connecting them to something larger than themselves, drawing parallels between performing and spiritual practices. Voice and Presence Development Sandra discussed how her natural talent for voice and presence developed through her career in entertainment, including her musical background and 30 years of voiceover work. She explained that actors naturally develop skills in voice control, breathing, and body awareness through their training and experience playing different roles. Sandra emphasized that presence comes from confidence in one's authentic story rather than from being the loudest or most aggressive, noting that truly confident people remain solid in their identity regardless of external reactions. Authentic Leadership Presence Sandra discussed the importance of authentic leadership presence, explaining that effective leaders should focus on being their true selves rather than adopting a false authoritative persona. She emphasized that today's successful leadership requires soft skills like empathy, communication, and collaboration, rather than traditional authoritarian behavior. Sandra noted that leaders seeking her coaching are already aware they need to shift away from role-playing and masks, understanding that genuine authenticity inspires trust and engagement from their teams. Self-Discovery and Personal Growth Roberta and Sandra discussed the concept of "finding oneself," with Sandra explaining that the goal should be about setting down what stands in the way of self-discovery rather than going outside to find oneself. Sandra emphasized that the real work involves looking in the mirror through relationships and being willing to face difficult truths, particularly in personal relationships. She advised using breath as a tool for regulating emotions during challenging moments and making courageous choices rather than reactive responses. Sandra also shared details about her Edge of Everyday podcast and offered her services for voice, presence, and storytelling coaching through MagicThreadMedia.com. Connect with Sandra: Sandra Bargman's Website: sandrabargman.comBook a Consultation / Magic Thread Media: magicthreadmedia.comSandra's Podcast: The Edge of Everyday Podcast (Streaming on all major platforms)YouTube: Sandra Bargman on The Edge of EverydayListen to the Podcast, subscribe, leave a rating and a review:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-have-executive-presence-voice-coaching-w-sandra/id1614151066?i=1000781371307Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1MPWlv1AbVroFsrvBCmHRX?si=EDxs1an7RDu-m7wm1TL28ghttps://open.spotify.com/episode/1MPWlv1AbVroFsrvBCmHRXYouTube: https://youtu.be/hpR50dBjntw
