New Age Toastmasters

January 2021

Edit: The Mouthfuls has grown to 9,000 members and held 1,200 events since its launch in June 2021.

A few months ago, a dear friend, Nancy, requested that I rejoin our local Toastmasters club. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the meetings had shifted online, a change that had breathed new life into our old gatherings. The prospect of reconnecting with old friends and making new ones, all while honing my speaking skills, was irresistible.

Seeing familiar faces on screen and sharing stories, laughter, and knowledge felt rejuvenating. The sheer magic of spoken words, even conveyed through a digital medium, was as mesmerizing as ever.

While the human warmth of in-person meetings is irreplaceable, I found myself secretly relishing the convenience of virtual meetings. Gone were the days of battling rush-hour traffic and hunting for parking. More than the convenience, however, I discovered three unexpected benefits of virtual speaking clubs that many of us might overlook:

As things slowly move towards normalcy, the club plans to resume in-person meetings at Edithvale, a location 40 kilometers away from my home. This raised a significant question: What next?

Taking inspiration from the saying “necessity is the mother of invention,” I decided to create Mouthful, an innovative solution for people like me who have a passion for spoken words but are constrained by time.

Mouthful is a social network and app that connects individuals who love speaking and desire a platform that is efficient, enjoyable, and fosters growth. We aspire to give our members more practice in each meeting and provide useful feedback to aid their progress.

With Mouthful, you can speak in a group, publish your speeches, and watch how others approach the same topic. An AI speech coach, AR filters, and avatars that protect your privacy while establishing an online presence are part of the package. Moreover, Mouthful brings social media features to keep the interaction engaging and interactive.

The word ‘Mouthful’ might bring to mind a long, complex phrase that’s hard to pronounce, but ‘say a mouthful’ refers to something noteworthy. Isn’t that a perfect metaphor for our journey in public speaking? We start as clumsy orators but gradually evolve to deliver impactful speeches.

Over the years, I’ve seen numerous talented professionals, particularly new immigrants, struggling to escalate their careers due to a lack of effective communication skills. An alarming 77% of people fear public speaking, which results in 10% lower wages and a 15% lesser chance of promotion to a management role. This is why we need more accessible solutions like Mouthful.

I believe in the transformative power of being heard. Seeing the spark in someone’s eyes when they realize that their voice matters is an unparalleled joy. I presented the idea to my co-founder and brother, who had served as a club officer twice. We were immediately hooked on the concept and are excited to announce the pre-release of an MVP in February.

Join us in this revolutionary journey, and let’s say a ‘mouthful’ together!