Seven years ago, I was working for Patterson Companies. On the side, I was helping people with public speaking lessons.
Communication had already been a major part of my life. In college, I studied public speaking, competed in debate, and eventually made it to nationals. Throughout my career, I naturally found myself giving speeches, training teams, coaching colleagues, and developing employees. But seven years ago, I was in a corporate role where I was no longer directly managing people or giving large presentations. So, on evenings and weekends, I began helping professionals become more confident speakers and improve the communication skills needed to advance their careers.
Very quickly, one question kept coming back to me:
“How do I get over my fear of speaking?”
That question became the foundation for everything that followed.
Over time, I developed my speak with confidence framework and practical strategies to help people handle speaking anxiety in a real and approachable way. Then one of my coaching clients, Rachel Richards, challenged me to write a book about it.
So I did. I gave myself a deadline, sat down, and wrote Speak with No Fear. Seven years later, from the month I was preparing to publish it, the book climbed again to the #1 spot in running meetings and presentations and rose into the top 20,000 rankings on Amazon once more. Seven years after its publication, Speak with No Fear continues to prove why it earned its place first among the top seven books on overcoming the fear of speaking, as recognized in Forbes’ list of books to help conquer the fear of public speaking.
So here I am now, having left my corporate role to provide corporate training, serve as a keynote speaker, and to help people overcome their fear of speaking, and help professionals advance their careers through communication. And as I reflected on the journey, I found myself asking:
Why has this book continued to connect with readers year after year?
I think there are a few reasons.
1. Readers Connect Because the Fear of Public Speaking Was Personal for Me
Imagine hiring a soccer coach to work directly with your child. Except the coach had always been naturally gifted and everything came easy to him. Meanwhile, your child always struggled.
Yes, your child could still learn from that coach, but it would be hard for the coach to truly understand what your child is experiencing. In this scenario, the coach was a ‘natural’, while your child is not.
I was not the naturally gifted communicator.
I was the kid with the speaking impediment.
I was the kid who mumbled.
I was the young adult who made painful mistakes and had moments on stage that felt terrifying.
But over time, through coaching, practice, failure, and repetition, I learned.
So when someone reads Speak with No Fear, they are not hearing from someone who never struggled. They are hearing from someone who struggled deeply, received coaching, and found a way forward.
2. Storytelling and Authentic Communication Make the Book Feel Personal
Many readers have reached out over the years saying something like:
“It felt like you were sitting across the table from me.”
That means a lot to me because one of the things I value most is being real with people.
Ironically, one of the biggest criticisms of the first edition was that there were too many stories. (When the second edition went through a major edit, we tightened the content significantly, while keeping the relational dynamic.)
Why so many personal stories?
Because stories make things human.
Public speaking is emotional. Fear is emotional. Confidence is personal. People do not just need information. They need connection. They need to know someone else understands what they feel.
3. Practical Public Speaking Strategies Help Professionals Immediately
There are outstanding academic books on communication. In fact, I still remember reading The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen Lucas nearly 25 years ago. It is a masterclass in the technical side of speaking.
But that was never the goal of Speak with No Fear.
I wanted to create something practical.
Something a person could read the night before a presentation and immediately apply.
Something that could give someone not just strategy, but hope.
4. The Right Public Speaking Mindset Changes Everything
One of my favorite ideas in the book is simple:
“It’s not about you.”
When we speak, we often become trapped in our own heads.
What are they thinking about me?
Do I sound nervous?
Do I look awkward?
What if I mess up?
But the truth is this… Most people are not thinking about you nearly as much as you think they are. Most people are thinking about themselves.
And strangely enough, that realization can become freeing. Because public speaking is not about performing for approval. It is about serving people.
I often tell coaching clients that speaking is much more like helping someone rebuild a roof, paint a house, or clean up a yard than it is like walking a red carpet.
When you are helping someone in need, it does not matter how impressive you look. It matters whether or not you are helping.
Public speaking works the same way.
When your focus shifts from impressing people to helping people, your nervousness begins to loosen its grip.
You stop obsessing over yourself.
And you start asking better questions:
Can I help them?
Can I encourage them?
Can I educate them?
Can I move them forward?
That is where real communication begins.
Why Communication Skills Still Matter for Career Growth
Whether you pick up my book or another resource entirely, my encouragement is simple:
Work on your communication.
Public speaking is a multiplier.
You may already be exceptional at what you do, but if you cannot communicate it clearly, confidently, and effectively, people may never fully see the value you bring.
So, develop the skill. Practice. Get feedback. Push through the nervousness…
Realize your potential.
And if Speak with No Fear helps you along the way, I’m grateful for that.
If not, there are many great resources available. Either way, keep growing.
Here’s to your success.
Mike Acker
Author of Speak with No Fear and Speak with Confidence
About Mike Acker
Mike Acker is an executive communication coach, corporate trainer, and bestselling author of Speak with No Fear and Speak with Confidence. He works with professionals and organizations to help leaders communicate with clarity, confidence, and executive presence. Learn more at uplevelcommunication.com