Arthur Zards

Cohort Echo

Foxtrot

Co-Creators I

Cohort Delta

Co-Creators III

Cohort 1

Cohort 2

Cohort 3

Cohort 4 - Lunch

Cohort 5 - Evening

Cohort Golf Lunch

Cohort Hotel Evening

Cohort Foxtrot Lunch

Cohort Noon March 11

Cohort Noon March 24

Cohort Noon March 19

Cohort April 9 Midday

Cohort April 14 Afternoon

Cohort May 13 Midday

Cohort Summer School July

Are you speaking words people ignore?Most professionals slip into corporate speak — polished but empty. When you do, no one’s really listening. And your success (or even job) depends on people not just listening — but acting on your ideas. Get my free Transformational Speaking Gut Check — built from 16+ years, 1,000s of talks, with 58 key attributes that show exactly where you’re transactional — and how to shift to transformational. 👉 Download now and start speaking so people care, remember, and act.

Transactional vs. Transformational Speaking Gut Check

Transform expertise into career-defining presentations that elevate professional standing and drive impactful change. (Includes using AI)

TED/TEDx speaker & producer with 42+ million client speaker views | Founder Swarm Effect® speaking

Story: Master the Art of Transformational Storytelling for Business

Project Manager

PhD candidate AI in HR

Consultant

Founder - Trainer

Consultant ( Quality of Life issues)

CEO & Revenue Catalyst

SUMMER STORY SCHOOL VERSION : Lower Price. Additional days. Extra content, deeper dives, and additional office hours. (more explained in highlights below) Stop Being Just Another Voice in the Corporate Noise : Your influence / reputation / career / salary / job depend on it. This course is designed for professionals ready to transform their expertise into powerful, memorable presentations that command attention in the corporate world. Arthur Zards brings his experience from the TED organization and TED talks to teach the same elite communication strategies that succeed on world-class stages - adapted specifically for executive and corporate success. Whether their goal is to land high-profile speaking engagements, distinguish themselves as industry authorities, or develop compelling narratives that move decision-makers to action, this course offers a deep dive into crafting and delivering talks that advance careers. Participants will master the art of presenting ideas in ways that elevate their professional visibility and establish their leadership presence, using proven techniques from the world's most influential speaking platforms. This is not a quick presentation skills workshop, but a comprehensive program that transforms how leaders communicate their most important ideas. The techniques and frameworks taught are the same ones that have launched global movements and influenced industry leaders, now adapted for corporate impact and professional advancement. Key Highlights 🧠 World-Class Strategic Communication Training: Your instructor has worked with the TED organization for over 15 years, speaking, producing and coaching in the TED model of communication.&nbsp;Participants learn the same sophisticated communication techniques that succeed on global stages, adapted specifically for executive and business environments. 🧠 Leveraging AIAI cannot write for you. However the right AI tool will enable you to create more powerful content quicker. Various AI tools will be shared to enable you to find the ones that work best for your writing style and concept development. Your new AI tools will be your new communication muse. 🧠 Storytelling Driven Skills: You will walk away with simple, and easy to use storytelling skills that will make an immediate impact on how you communicate on day one. You will not have to learn complicated story models or journey maps but simple, effective tools designed for the busy executive. 🧠 Proven Idea Development Process: Ideas are rigorously developed using the same storytelling methodology that has helped hundreds of TED/TEDx speakers break through. This process ensures messages not only resonate in boardrooms but create lasting impact across organizations. 🧠 The Swarm Effect®: Participants master this proprietary communication model, developed through years of analyzing the most successful TED talks and corporate presentations. This framework elevates executive presence across all business communications - from keynotes to crucial stakeholder meetings. 🏫Summer Story School Class &amp; PriceThis special Summer Story School edition is designed to match the pace of the season while offering even more value. With many executives traveling, on staycations, or operating on lighter schedules in July, the course expands to include one additional training day and double the office hour time. It features a more flexible structure that allows participants to dive deeper into personal goals and help shape the direction of each session. The atmosphere is relaxed and creative, with space for special guests and tailored feedback. Participants are welcome to stay longer, arrive late, or step in and out with minimal disruption. All the same proven content remains, now with more room to explore, reflect, and refine your voice.

Master the art of strategic storytelling that engages and drives change

Course syllabus

90 minute class covering syllabus content

July 14- Monday - Transformational Storytelling

Student driven open session for deeper dives, more content and live content work

July 14 Summer Story School

July 15- Tuesday - Transformational Storytelling

July 15 Summer Story School

July 16- Wednesday - Transformational Storytelling

July 16 Summer Story School

Office hours. Open Q/A and work on content.

July 17 - Thursday

Course schedule

Corporate leaders ready to elevate their influence using proven techniques from world-class stages.

Industry experts looking to position themselves as thought leaders using TED driven storytelling techniques

Business professionals seeking to transform their expertise into compelling presentations that advance careers.

Rising executives who want to develop the same commanding presence seen in viral TED talks, adapted for business impact

Who is this course for

What you’ll get out of this course

An easy-to-understand and usable model for achieving maximum impact with your idea. The model is based on decades of communications experience with 15 years of the best techniques/tricks/hacks used by the most successful TED speakers.

Swarm Effect®  speaking model.
 

A powerful yet simple framework to ensure that your ideas don't die before the audience applause ends, but lives and thrives to truly transform.

Idea to Actualization Model of Transformation

You will get your idea to the Deeper Truth. It's what really matters with your idea. This simple tool and process will be profound and you will to able to use it on future ideas and concepts beyond this course.

A Powerful Process to Challenge your Idea 

You won't ever have to worry about being a professional storyteller. You'll have simple and easy-to-remember tools so you can immediately become a natural storyteller and you won't even know it.

A Storytelling Mindset

Any self-doubt, thinking like your idea isn't good enough or thoughts of imposter syndrome will be squashed. You'll leave with significant confidence and the tools needed to increase it.

Confidence

You don't need to be a professional speaker to talk like a TED speaker. You will learn how to embrace who you truly are, and how to translate that into a strength for speaking, even if you are shy, have never spoken in public or hate public speaking.

How to Embrace your own Authenticity

You may think your idea is a jumbled mess, but simple tools and exercises will guide you to find your own powerful narrative arc and structure for your idea so that it is story-driven and resonates with your audience.

A Narrative Arc and Structure

Simple and easy to apply tools and techniques so that you can develop a story instantly with almost no knowledge of storytelling.

Storytelling Creation Toolbox

You'll discover unique and powerful tools outside of the standard slide deck to fully engage with your audience. You'll learn why TED speaker's slide decks don't look like typical slide decks and you'll learn the skills to do the same, without being a graphic artist.

PowerPoint Alternatives. You'll never look at a PowerPoint deck the same way again.
 

Want to take your idea further? Learn how&nbsp;TED/TEDx style talks differ from corporate presentations and why it matters. A broad understanding of how the TED/TEDx ecosystem works, how it's evolving, and how you can leverage your expertise to land speaking opportunities.

TED/TEDx Opportunity Knowledge

Intimate small group sessions (no more than 4 people) with Arthur Zards that allows for immediate feedback and collaboration only seen with expensive one-on-one learning. No teacher assistants or junior instructors.

Expert Co-hort Live Interactive Learning.
 

TED talks were never meant to stay as a lecture on a stage. Many people believe that a TED talk is a final destination for an epic idea that will change the world.&nbsp;Nothing could be further from the truth. TED talks have transformed how humans communicate. This new TED style of speaking format breaks from traditional speaking for it is conversational based, story-driven, and focuses on the idea, unlike most “corporate speak”. 🧠 This course will challenge traditionally taught methods of corporate communication. This new communication format can be applied everywhere outside of the standard lecture. Keynotes, presentations, sales pitches, client meetings,&nbsp;products updates etc. can all benefit from this new model of authentic communication. 🧠 This course is specifically designed for extremely busy professionals. Course is a one-week sprint scheduled for the lunch hour (CST). In simple-to-implement tools you will learn how to apply every facet of this new TED style speaking to your own communications and you will leave with an effective model to use called the Swarm Effect. ™ This model was designed by the instructor, who has over 14 years of instructor experience working directly with the TED organization and from mentoring and producing numerous TEDx organizations and speakers. 🧠 You're invited to bring to the master class your own keynote/presentation/pitch that you want to make TED worthy. While not required, we will work on your existing content so you leave the workshop with a transformative takeaway that you can immediately use. This live instructor-led interactivity allows for one-on-one feedback typically not available with on-line learning. Course is limited to a max of 6 students

You'll leave with a completely transformative way of communicating.

Course Narrative

Designed for lunch hour. Sessions will be recorded for access if missed.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

The Monday following the week course is an open forum for Q/A and final feedback.

Post Masterclass Q/A

Leaders who need to get traction, clarity, and impact on their keynotes and presentations to transform their audience.

Executives who are tired of lackluster presentations for they feel lost on how to convey their idea in an engaging format.

Busy executives who don't have time to learn a complicated new method of presenting, but know they need to improve right now.

This master class is for...

A model specifically designed for busy executives who don't have the time to take deep dives into improving their communication. The model is based on decades of communications experience with 14 years of the best techniques used by TED speakers.

Swarm Effect ™ speaking model.

You won't ever have to worry about being a professional storyteller. You'll have simple and easy-to-remember tools so you can immediately become a natural storyteller and you won't even know it.

A Storytelling mindset.

If you've ever been lost in where to start or end with a keynote, presentation or sales pitch you will leave with effective tools to get you to find clarity in your idea fast.

How to hone in on your idea.

You don't need to be a professional speaker to talk like a TED speaker. You will learn how to embrace who you truly are, and how to translate that into a strength for speaking, even if you are shy, never spoken in public or hate public speaking.

How to embrace your own authenticity.

You will have a completely new durable skill set of communicating that transfers beyond keynotes and presentations. You will have novel ways to communicate everywhere, including one-on-ones, small team meetings, and even cocktail parties.

A new model of communicating

You'll discover unique and powerful tools outside of the standard slide deck to fully engage with your audience. You'll learn why TED speaker's slide decks don't look like typical slide decks and you'll learn the skils to do the same, without being a graphic artist.

You'll never look at a PowerPoint deck the same way again.

Intimate small group sessions with live instruction allows for immediate feedback and collaboration only seen with expensive one-on-one learning.

Co-hort live interactive learning.

Use tried and true TED speaker tactics to capture attention, leave a lasting impression, and ensure you have the competitive advantage.

Arthur E. Zards

TEDx producer with 40+ million speaker views | Founder Swarm Effect™ speaking

Quick Start: Transformational Storytelling for Business

TED/TEDx speaker & producer with 43+ million client/student speak

Discover a simple framework to understand why some ideas thrive while others fail to transform.

Learn how to recognize and shift from transactional to transformational communication.

Transactional vs Transformational Speaking

Learn simple techniques to escape 'corporate speak' and craft messages that truly connect.

Breaking the "Corporate Speak" Barrier

TED/TEDx speaker & producer with 43+ million client/student speaker views

Leverage contrast to captivate your audience and instantly improve your storytelling skills.

The Power of Contrast for Compelling Storytelling

Master the Art of Transformative Storytelling for Business

TED/TEDx speaker & producer with 42+ million client/student speaker views

Learn an easy to remember, and easy to use model for better storytelling in business

A Simple Model for Compelling Storytelling

Examples of how AI is transforming communication—and, more importantly, where it's headed so you can be prepared

How AI is changing how we communicate

Learn basic strategies on how to leverage numerous AI tools to find what works best for your own personal style.

AI writing strategies

Quickstart Guide to Mastering Your future TEDx Talk

TEDx producer & speaker with 43+ million speaker views | Founder Swarm Effect ®

Discover and rectify common errors in your TEDx pitch to enhance your presentation's impact so you can get that spot.

Perfect Your TEDx Pitch - Get Accepted

Gain three potent tools to instantly enhance your idea and dramatically boost your TEDx content's appeal.

Elevate Your Idea with Three Key Concepts - Stand Out

Explore the secret components to utilize visuals effectively and elevate the impact of your idea for the TEDx stage.

Learn directly from Arthur Zards

Arthur Zards

Courses

Story: Master the Art of Transformational Storytelling for Business

Make Your Keynote TED-talk Worthy in One Week

Lightning Lessons

Quick Start: Transformational Storytelling for Business

Quick Start: Transformational Storytelling for Business

Quick Start: Transformational Storytelling for Business

Master the Art of Transformative Storytelling for Business

Quickstart Guide to Mastering Your future TEDx Talk

Quickstart Guide to Mastering your Future TEDx Talk

Resources

Transactional vs. Transformational Speaking Gut Check