No Script Required: An Actor's Speak Easy Approach to Public Speaking

This week on the Today is the Day Podcast, I’m joined by actor, speaker, and public speaking coach Brian LaFontaine, whose journey is a powerful reminder that one conversation can change everything.

Brian grew up in Rhode Island and later attended college in North Carolina on a golf scholarship, fully expecting his future to be on the course. After his first year, he was told he would no longer be able to remain in the program. What could have ended a dream became the beginning of a new one. One conversation led to stand-up comedy, then acting—and ultimately a decades-long career on stage and screen. Brian remained in North Carolina, where that unexpected pivot reshaped his life and career.

Brian has appeared in Stranger Things, Ozark, Nashville, The Vampire Diaries, and Outer Banks, among many others. Today, he brings that experience into his work helping people communicate with clarity, presence, and impact—whether they’re pitching an idea, leading a team, stepping onto a stage, or finding their voice in a moment that matters. Through his Speak Easy experience and coaching practice, Brian helps people learn how to truly be seen, heard, and remembered through storytelling.

I’m your host, Jodi Hope Grinwald—a career and leadership coach and consultant who works with professionals, leaders, entrepreneurs, organizations, and teams across the country. Through my coaching and consulting work, I help individuals gain career path clarity, help leaders become more effective and aligned, and help teams develop from the inside out—strengthening communication, trust, and collaboration in ways that lead to stronger, more dedicated clients and customers.

I’m also the founder of the Today is the Day ecosystem, which includes this podcast, a global forum, and my upcoming book, Today is the Day. Live It!—a global mosaic of voices sharing what becomes possible when we step to the edge of comfort and into meaningful impact.

This podcast exists to amplify stories, ideas, and people doing changemaking work. If you are building something meaningful—whether in business, leadership, community, or service and believe in the power of connection, I want to share your work through this platform. The Today is the Day Podcast is heard in over 130 countries, and sponsorship opportunities are available for individuals and organizations who want their voice heard by a global, purpose-driven audience.

🎙️ In this episode, we explore:

• How unexpected setbacks can become career-defining pivots
• Why communication is a leadership skill, not a performance
• How one decision—or one conversation—can change everything

📘 Today is the Day. Live It! (coming soon)
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