People don’t believe a speaker simply because they have great slides, polished delivery, or impressive credentials. They believe them because they trust them. And trust is built through something deeper than presentation technique alone. Author and entrepreneur Steven Puri sits down with Rob to explore the connection between confidence, and belief. Drawing from his experiences in Hollywood, venture capital, and entrepreneurship, Steven shares how speakers can build credibility, balance logic with emotion, and create the kind of audience connection that inspires action.
In this episode of The Presentation Whisperer Show, you'll learn:
• The difference between getting audiences to believe what you're saying and getting them to believe in you.
• Why some polished speakers still fail to move audiences emotionally or intellectually.
• The key elements that create belief, trust, and influence during a presentation.
• How audience trust is shaped by both content and delivery.
• What lessons from Hollywood storytelling translate directly to presenting and persuasion.
• Common mistakes speakers make when they try too hard to sound like thought leaders.
• Whether expertise, authenticity, confidence, or another factor builds credibility fastest.
• How great presenters balance logic and emotion without sounding manipulative.
• How business successes and failures can strengthen a speaker's ability to connect with audiences.
• One practical change speakers can make immediately to become more influential and persuasive.
To learn more about this guest:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-puri/