Learn From the Best

Last month, I spent an unforgettable day with a living legend—Patricia Fripp, the presentation skills expert. Imagine an amateur golfer playing Pebble Beach with Rory McIlroy… or a young singer sharing the stage with Beyoncé. That’s what it felt like.

Now, I’m a professional speaker and my clients see me at the top of my game. But on April 16, 2025, I felt like a grad student in a master class—led by the professor of all professors: Fripp. I wish you could have been there. It was so cool.

We were in San Francisco, on the 11th floor of the Crystal Ballroom at the Marines Memorial Club and Hotel. The occasion was the Farewell Celebration of the legendary Golden Gate Breakfast Club founded in 1946.

Fripp, as she likes to be called, is the current and final President. And she chaired and emceed the event. She’s a 4’11” British powerhouse with the presence of a 6’11” NBA star! For decades, she crisscrossed the globe delivering 100+ keynotes a year. Today, she’s the go-to speech coach for executives, engineers, and sales teams & professionals of all kinds.

Here are a few cliff notes from my front-row seat to Fripp’s brilliance: Take notes!

First, Details Matter. Fripp’s run-of-show & notes, printed in 20-point font. She said, “When my notes are on the lectern, I glance down, and it’s easy to stay on track.”

Next, Practice is Sacred. She rehearsed out loud in the car on the way there. We arrived 90 minutes early. (Note to self.) Fripp scanned the room, “These tables are too far apart,” she said. “There’s too much space between the podium & audience. Come on, Let’s move ’em. We want to create intimacy and camaraderie.” We rearranged the room!

And then she stepped up on to the stage, visualized her audience, and rehearsed again—out loud, sharing her gaze, and using her gestures with intention. By now, servers were setting the tables, guests were arriving. But she didn’t care! She channels her inspiration, Sir Michael Caine who says, “Rehearsal is the work. The performance is the relaxation.”

Meanwhile, I was in a corner whispering my short, farewell speech into a pair of long, red velvet drapes—trying not to attract attention. Fripp spotted me and said, “Tracy. Come on over here. Come up here. Practice from where you’ll be standing. Use the mic. Make friends with the stage.”

Thanks to my TV news days, I had already marked up my script, underlined key words, circled certain words made slashes where I wanted to pause. And after I delivered it, I turned to Fripp and asked. “Any coaching tips?” “Yes. Tighten that sentence. Remember what Jerry Seinfeld says, ‘I consider it a good day’s work when I can cut an eight-word sentence down to five.’”

Then, just like that, Fripp flipped from focused speaker to gracious hostess. She welcomed each of the 90 longtime members who came to celebrate a legacy.

At noon sharp, Fripp became emcee extraordinaire—comfortably introducing speakers and singers and poets. She co-hosted with Antonio White, who roamed the room like Phil Donahue, back-in-the-day, with a handheld mic, collecting stories and sound bites.

Many of the members said, “The day felt like magic.”

I smiled. I nodded. AND I knew the truth.

It felt like magic—but it was masterful preparation and flawless execution. Fripp had the whole program mapped out—in her head and on paper. But she rolled with it, reacting in real time to whatever popped up. A speaker ran long? No problem. Someone went off script? She ran with it and made it even better. It never felt stiff or over-rehearsed. Smooth, natural, and joyful!

Like all great hosts, we were the last to leave. Then we swapped our heels for sneakers and strolled through Golden Gate Park—laughing, debriefing, swapping stories, talking business. It was the kind of day worth waking up for at 3 a.m.

On the flight home to Portland, I went sound asleep, exhausted and dreaming about how to channel a fraction of Fripp Magic into my 9 a.m. presentation the next day.

And you know what? I did. I was more focused, more flexible and more inspired. And that’s the power of learning from the best. It stays with you. It sharpens you. And it raised the bar. And that builds confidence!

To bring The Confidence Project to your organization, email me (Tracy@ConfidenceProject.com) and thank you for reading.