We can and must, do better at giving presentations
I’m offering a free, live training course because I believe Joomla conference talks can be better and I want to help make that happen.
After nearly twenty years of speaking, mentoring, and organizing sessions, I’ve seen what works, what doesn’t, and how small changes can dramatically improve the experience for both speakers and audiences. This course is my way of sharing that knowledge and raising the bar for everyone involved.
Let’s be honest: too many Joomla conference and User Group sessions are not as good as they should be.
This isn’t a criticism of the people involved. Joomla has an incredibly capable, generous community. But technical expertise does not automatically translate into good communication. Too often we confuse “knowing a lot” with “explaining it well”.
That’s a problem — because this is where we shape how Joomla is understood, adopted, and trusted.
Knowledge Alone Is Not a Good Talk
One of the biggest mistakes I see is treating sessions as information dumps. Long slides. Dense code. No clear message. No sense of why the audience should care. When a session ends and the audience can’t explain what they just learned, the session has failed.
Good talks are planned, not improvised. They have a purpose. They respect the audience’s time. They leave people with something useful they can apply to their own work. Every talk needs a clear objective.
Turn your Joomla expertise into unforgettable presentations—speak, inspire, and shine on stage!
Technical Does Not Mean Boring
Another uncomfortable truth: technical talks are often the worst offenders. I’ve seen speakers hide behind complexity, as if being hard to follow is proof of expertise. It isn’t.
Some of the best Joomla talks I’ve ever seen explained complex ideas simply. They used stories, real-world examples, and honest reflections on what worked and what didn’t. They didn’t just show how something was built — they explained why.
That’s not dumbing things down. That’s good communication.
Captivate your audience, share your Joomla knowledge, and make every talk count!
If You’re New to Public Speaking (Or Just Nervous)
Feeling nervous before speaking is completely normal, just watch how my hands shake so much I can't drink from a glass of water. If you’ve ever been told to “imagine your audience naked,” forget it. That advice is not helpful and can even make you more anxious.
What does help is reframing your perspective: your audience is not there to judge you, they’re there to learn from you. They are your friends and colleagues who want to see you succeed, not fail.
Almost everyone in the room has been in your shoes at some point. They’re rooting for you, and your talk is an opportunity to share your knowledge and make a positive impact.
If You’re Doing Demos, You Owe It to the Audience to Prepare
Live demos fail. That’s reality. But unprepared demos fail far more often. Nothing drains a room faster than watching someone troubleshoot their own laptop for ten minutes.
If you’re going to demo, you need to practice. You need a backup. And you need to know when to move on.
I’m blunt about this because I’ve learned it the hard way: poor demo preparation is disrespectful to your audience. But there are some fool-proof techniques you can adopt that will guarantee your demo never fails and that the demo doesn't take so long that your audience forgets what they are looking at.
From slides to stories to live demos—master the art of presenting at Joomla conferences!
This Is a Live Course, Not a Video Library
This training is deliberately run as a series of live online sessions, not pre-recorded videos. The goal is participation, discussion, and shared best practice — not passive consumption.
Each session builds on the last, and attendees are expected to turn up and engage. Sessions will not be recorded. That’s intentional. Good speaking skills are developed through presence and practice, not by watching recordings later.
If you miss a session, you miss that part of the course.
This Is About Raising the Bar, Not Gatekeeping
I’m not interested in making it harder to speak at Joomla events. Quite the opposite. I want more people to share their knowledge and I want them to do it well.
I believe that together we can dramatically improve the quality of Joomla conference talks with better guidance, clearer expectations, and more deliberate preparation.
That’s why I’m offering this training for free.
Be bold. Be clear. Be heard. Master Joomla presentations today!
A Free Course for People Who Care
This course is for anyone who wants Joomla talks to be better — speakers, organisers, and contributors alike. It’s practical, opinionated, and grounded in real experience, not theory.
Over several live online sessions, you’ll learn how to:
- Design talks with a clear message
- Stop overloading slides and start telling stories
- Deliver technical content that people actually understand
- Run demos without gambling your session
- Speak with confidence and authority
- Understand the difference between presenting online and in person
If you’re serious about improving Joomla conferences — and about respecting the people who give up their time to attend — I invite you to join me.
Sign up for the free course and commit to raising the standard of Joomla conference talks.
