When you meet someone whoâs genuinely passionate about PowerPoint, you know itâs going to be a great conversation. My guest today is Thomas Krafft, co-founder of Blue Box Data Storytelling (https://www.blueboxdatastorytelling.com.au/speaking-thomas-krafft/) , and honestly, I think of him as âMr. Toastmaster.â Heâs a speaker, MC, PowerPoint strategist, and all-round presentation geek who loves helping people communicate more clearly and confidently.
In this episode, we dive into the art and science of PowerPointâwhy âdeath by PowerPointâ isnât the softwareâs fault, and how to design slides that actually support your message rather than distract from it. Thomas shares his golden rule for every slide (âwhat can I remove and still make sense?â), and we talk about how simple, visual storytelling beats walls of text every time.
We also explore how his aviation background, his partnership with Kate Norris, and their combined introvert/extrovert dynamic make for powerful workshop facilitation. Thomas talks about routines, music, and energy management before stepping on stage, and why he believes nerves and excitement are the same thingâjust labelled differently.
đĄ What we cover
⢠Why âdeath by PowerPointâ is a user error, not a software flaw
⢠How to âshow what you canât tellâ
⢠The best question to ask when designing slides: what can I remove?
⢠Structuring workshops and keynotes visually
⢠Co-facilitation dynamics: how Thomas and Kate tag-team strengths
⢠The importance of knowing your audience and having clear âknowâ and âdoâ outcomes
⢠Using music to shift energy and engagement in workshops
⢠Turning nervousness into excitement before a presentationđŹ Key quotes
⢠âYou wouldnât blame Toyota for bad driversâPowerPoint isnât the problem.â
⢠âShow me what you canât tell me.â
⢠âIf itâs worth speaking about, itâs worth being excited about.â
⢠âYour slides come after your script.â
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