Business

5 Tips for Crafting Great Speeches and Presentations

Published

4 years ago

September 16, 2021

The ability to captivate an audience through your speech or presentation is a beneficial skill to have. Whether you are trying to climb the ladder at a company you work for or build out your own brand, great public speaking and presentation skills can certainly offer a lot of mileage. To help you make the most of the benefits that being a great public speaker has to offer, we’ll take a look at five presentation design tips for crafting speeches and presentations that are sure to wow your audience.

Tip #1: Know Your Idea and Your Audience

Before you can get started crafting an ovation-worthy presentation, you first need to form a firm understanding of the idea you are trying to convey and the audience that you are trying to convey it to. Every speech or presentation needs a point or a key message that it is meant to get across. Rambling on about various topics without providing your audience any key message(s) that they can take home with them certainly isn’t likely to win you any awards as a skilled orator.

In addition to forming a solid understanding of the message you would like to convey through your presentation, it’s also important to consider the audience that you are presenting to. A speech that is delivered to an audience of business executives, for example, obviously needs to be much different from a speech that is delivered at an amateur magicians convention – even if the message you are trying to get across is the same in both instances. By pinning down the message you are trying to convey and taking into account the audience that you are presenting it to, you can hone your presentation and message in a way that will be best received by your audience. A perfect business idea can enhance your business objectives.

Tip #2: Avoid Writing a Script

It can be tempting to write and follow a script when giving a speech. After all, a script ensures that you are able to deliver all of your thoughts without losing your place or getting sidetracked. The problem with scripts, though, is that it is easy to tell when someone is reading from one. Even if you happen to have a teleprompter that allows you to avoid staring down at a piece of paper throughout your entire speech, your audience will still probably be able to tell that you are reading from a script – and the quality of your speech is likely to suffer as a result.

If you feel the need to create something to help keep you on track during your speech, consider creating note cards that cover your speech’s key points and main ideas. Ideally, you will have practiced your speech enough times before you actually deliver it to a live audience that you don’t even need these note cards. Either way, though, they can still be a nice safety net to have and one that shouldn’t impact the quality of your speech in the way that reading from a script is prone to do.

Tip #3: Make Use of Visual Aids

Human beings are visual creatures. Visual ads increase your brand awareness in the mind of the audience more effectively. While it is certainly possible to deliver an amazing speech that only consists of you speaking to your audience, visual aids make it much easier to keep your audience entertained and engaged. If you are delivering a presentation as opposed to a speech, visual aids are a must. No one wants to watch a presentation that consists of slide after slide of nothing but written text. At the very least, you’ll want to include some relevant images on your slides. Sprinkling animations or short videos into your presentation design alongside the images you use is even better.

There’s a reason that television is more popular than radio. Even if you are gifted with a silver tongue and your speech is eloquent and captivating, your audience is sure to still enjoy something interesting to look at while they listen. Sprinkle some visual aids throughout your presentation and the quality of your presentation is almost certain to improve.

Tip #4: Inject Storytelling and Humor

Have you ever noticed that almost every speech – no matter the subject or the person presenting it – includes some degree of storytelling and/or humor? The reason why these elements appear in just about every speech (or at least the good ones) is quite simple – nothing keeps an audience engaged better than storytelling and humor. In fact, it’s even fair to say that most audiences are going to expect it from a speech.

Before you can inform your audience and deliver the point that you would like to get across that audience has to be engaged – and no matter how informative your speech might be, it’s difficult to engage an audience unless they are entertained. By telling them a story or injecting some humor into your speech, you can ensure that your audience is entertained and enjoying themselves. Ultimately, keeping your audience engaged and entertained is an important prerequisite for any great speech.

Tip #5: Learn From the Best

There’s no better way to learn a skill than studying the people who have mastered it, and public speaking is certainly no exception. If you would like to craft a speech or presentation that will be well-received, studying the tactics of master public speakers is definitely a great place to start. In some cases, you may be able to find resources written by great public speakers where they lay out their strategies for crafting a great speech. If not, even watching speeches from master public speakers is an excellent way to pick up tips and tools of the trade that you can apply to your own speech.

Research people who are renowned for their public speaking skills, watch a few of their speeches, and see if you can pick up on what it is that makes them great. Once you’ve pinned down some of the things that make these people so enjoyable to listen to, try and apply those same attributes to your own speech.

Business

Remote Professionals Getting More Value for Their Work Thanks to Borderless Banking

Published

18 hours ago

July 10, 2025

Matthew Wiles

Not too long ago, the idea of working remotely from an island in Thailand or a co-working space in Berlin sounded like the kind of fantasy only tech moguls or backpacking freelancers could afford.

Fast forward to today, and it’s as good as a global reality. Millions of professionals have cut the cord from traditional office life in exchange for flexibility, freedom, and a work-life balance that fits their personal rhythm and not their employer’s timezone.

However, as remote work has reshaped how people earn a living, it’s also pointed out the existing limits to most of the world’s financial systems. Traditional banking simply wasn’t built for a workforce that’s always on the move, operating in multiple currencies, and getting paid across borders.

Thankfully, that’s where borderless banking like Black Banx have proven vital, and has quietly transformed the way money is managed for people vacationing and working overseas alike.

The Rise of the Remote Work Economy

Remote work isn’t just a pandemic-era trend that faded with Zoom fatigue—it’s become a defining feature of the modern workforce. A recent survey revealed that over 39% of Gen Z and Millennials planned to live and work abroad for extended periods this year, many staying six months or more in a single location. That’s beyond a short trip, and can be considered as good as a sabbatical with a substantial lifestyle shift.

According to recent estimates, the digital nomad economy now also contributes as much as US$787 billion annually to the global economy. And this isn’t just entry-level gig work. A third of digital nomads earn between US$100,000 and US$250,000, while another third take in US$50,000 to US$100,000 annually.

It is indeed evident that the manner in which many make a living has changed. Unfortunately, most financial systems haven’t kept up.

Where Traditional Banks Are Still Falling Short

For those who have ever tried to open a bank account abroad or receive payment from a foreign client, they already know the drill: the paperwork is endless, delays are frustrating, and the fees? So much to do, even for the smallest amounts of money.

Just to name few of the hurdles remote workers still face with conventional banking:

Account setup restrictions: Need proof of residence, tax IDs, or a local job offer—things many digital nomads simply don’t have.
Slow international transfers: Payments can take days to process, which is a nightmare when rent’s due.
High foreign exchange fees: Currency conversions often come with steep, hidden costs.
Limited multi-currency support: Most banks still force users to operate in a single currency, making financial planning chaotic at best.

And perhaps most tellingly, many banks have digitized their operations but haven’t personalized their services. According to Accenture’s 2025 Banking Trends Report, while digital transformation has improved efficiency, it often sacrifices the customer experience. That’s not great news for people who live outside the lines.

Borderless Banking for Professionals Across the Globe

The concept of borderless banking goes far beyond wiring money internationally. Fundamentally, it’s also about being able to eliminate the friction between people and their money, no matter where they are in the world, and maintaining an ecosystem where geography, bureaucracy, and currency don’t stand in the way of financial freedom.

A working example of this is Black Banx, a Toronto-based fintech founded by German billionaire Michael Gastauer. Since launching globally in 2015, it has grown to serve over 78 million clients in 180+ countries as of Q1 2025, proof that people take to digital banking solutions when it is accessible, affordable, and is useful in just about any locale.

In the first three months of this year, Black Banx had also earned US$4.3 billion in revenue and US$1.6 billion in pre-tax profit, more than double from the same quarter the previous year and showing it has consistently delivered tangible value to global customers—remote professionals included

How Borderless Banking Maximizes Value for Remote Workers

1. Instant Account Access—No Strings Attached

The times of hunting down local branches or collecting endless documents just to open an account are finished. With borderless banks, users can open an account in minutes using just a photo ID—no proof of address or income required. That’s a lifesaver for anyone living outside their passport country or hopping from one location to another.

2. Multi-Currency Mastery

Managing money in multiple currencies used to mean juggling several accounts—or worse, losing money on conversions. Borderless platforms like Black Banx support 28 FIAT currencies and allow real-time currency conversions at competitive rates. That means remote workers can:

Invoice clients in one currency
Spend or save in another
Hedge against local currency fluctuations
Avoid excessive conversion fees altogether

3. Seamless, Real-Time Global Payments

Getting paid late, or paying others late, isn’t just inconvenient; it can damage relationships and disrupt your cash flow. With real-time payment support, remote workers can receive funds instantly, no matter where their clients are. This is particularly valuable for freelancers and entrepreneurs juggling multiple contracts across time zones.

Plus, bulk payment features and API integration streamline processes for those running teams or businesses.

4. Built-In Crypto Options

It isn’t surprising that many digital nomads are already deep into crypto. Whether it’s for investment, faster transactions, or avoiding traditional finance red tape, crypto is becoming essential.

Since 2016, Black Banx has allowed users to send, receive, and convert crypto (like BTC and ETH) within their accounts. That integration saves users from having to manage separate crypto wallets, and adds another layer of flexibility to their financial toolkit.

5. Secure Transactions

Remote workers often log in to work from cafés, coworking spaces, and airports, to name a few. Of course, this flexibility of being able to work almost anywhere should never come at the cost of security. Borderless banks like Black Banx use end-to-end encryption, AI fraud detection, and two-factor authentication to keep accounts safe from risky elements.

Financial Freedom, Not Just Convenience

Perhaps the most overlooked benefit of borderless banking is the freedom it provides. Not just to access money, but to fully participate in the global economy. For millions of professionals in underbanked regions like Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia, borderless banking has become a gateway to financial inclusion and a way to take on opportunities that typically wouldn’t be available to them if not remote.

By removing barriers to entry, platforms like Black Banx empower underserved individuals to both take control of their finances and increase their earning power by working with companies from higher paying markets. This democratization of finance isn’t just good for individuals, it’s good for the global economy as a whole.

As Black Banx CEO Michael Gastauer put it: “Our multi-currency solutions enable businesses to tap into global talent without worrying about payment complexities. We make cross-border transactions as seamless as local ones.”

The Road Ahead

By 2030, the number of digital nomads worldwide is expected to soar past 60 million, according to the Forbes Technology Council. That means tens of millions of workers will be navigating foreign currencies, time zones, and financial systems—all while expecting the same seamless experience they’d get at home.

Indeed, remote professionals aren’t just looking for places to work—they’re looking for systems that work for them. In a lifestyle built on flexibility, traditional banking is proving too rigid, too slow, and too expensive.

Borderless banking services like those offered by the likes of Black Banx, on the other hand, offer exactly what today’s global workforce needs: instant access, multi-currency support, real-time payments, crypto integration, and enterprise-level security—all in a streamlined experience.