Meet A Toastmaster

My Toastmasters journey began in 2015 in India, and as I moved for work to Malaysia and now in the United Kingdom, the journey continued, including becoming a Distinguished Toastmaster in 2021. Along the way, I have been a member of community clubs, corporate clubs, language clubs, virtual clubs each adding something unique to my growth.

However, this article is not about the geographical journey. It is about where it pushed me personally, completely out of my comfort zone.

When I was approached to host the District 91 podcast series Ditch the Nerves, my reaction was mixed, excited about the opportunity, yet apprehensive about whether I had the technical skills. I accepted the role not because I was good at it, but precisely because I was not. And in a world where digital communication and on-camera presence are increasingly important, I saw this as a structured opportunity to learn by doing.

After hosting six episodes in the past six months, three key learnings stand out.

1. Toastmasters is Where ‘Oops’ is Encouraged
This experience reinforced a core belief: Toastmasters is one of the safest environments for learning something new. I stepped into this role with more questions than answers. I had limited experience with social media, no background in podcast hosting, and no technical exposure to video production or editing. There were technical struggles, frustrating moments and plenty of small mistakes along the way. But what stood out was that none of it felt uncomfortable in the way failure often does elsewhere. Instead, I could experiment and fail, which allowed me the much-needed space to gain new skills.

A common tendency is to wait until one feels fully prepared before taking on new responsibilities. Toastmasters works on the opposite principle. It is designed for individuals who are not yet ready but are willing to learn.

Progress begins with practice, not perfection.

2. Unfortunately, No Fast Track Exists.. I Tried
I had assumed the most difficult aspect would be video production and editing. I was wrong. With today’s accessible tools and resources, I was able to learn basic video editing through
trial and error. Of course, improvement is ongoing.

Rather, I had assumed I would be comfortable being the host. I was wrong. Being on camera, actively listening, and responding to the guest in real time – turned out to be my biggest stretch.

Learning lies in living it.

3. Every Expert Was Once a Beginner
A meaningful aspect of this role was the opportunity to interact with senior leaders of Toastmasters International, who have demonstrated high achievement within Toastmasters and beyond. Yet, what stood out most was their humility, simplicity, and openness in sharing their personal journeys.

They spoke candidly about how they often started from scratch, facing the same uncertainties and challenges that many of us experience today. Their stories of early struggles reinforced
an important realization: no one is born as an expert communicator or leader; struggles are real.

Mastery comes through mistakes, mindfulness, and meaningful practice.

Ditch the Nerves!
Hosting Ditch the Nerves helped me do exactly that, ditch the fear of not knowing, not being ready, and not being perfect. If you are considering taking up a role in the coming term, my advice is simple: go for it. You will gain far more than you think, and certainly more than you give.

Madhurantika Moulick, DTM
Immediate Past President
Riverside Communicators
District 91, Area D 29

I’m a proud member of City of London Toastmasters, a club that has become a cornerstone of my personal and professional growth. Toastmasters, with its warm and supportive environment, has given me the platform to build confidence, refine my communication skills, and grow as a leader. While I work in the tech industry forging global partnerships, Toastmasters has helped me to communicate ideas, influence others, and speak with conviction. It’s the training ground where I’ve learned to turn thoughts into impactful words. 

My Toastmasters journey began after a humbling moment. A few years ago, I was invited back to my engineering college as the Chief Guest for an annual event. Standing on stage in front of 200 students, I wanted to inspire—but instead, I overwhelmed them with technology jargon that flew over their heads. That experience stayed with me. It sparked a desire to improve how I connect with an audience, to speak from the heart, and to share ideas in a way that truly resonates. 

Since joining Toastmasters, I’ve embraced every opportunity to grow. I remember the first role that I took up –  timekeeper, nervously clicking on the timer buttons. From there, I gradually stepped into other meeting roles and began giving speeches. As my confidence grew, I organised contests and eventually hosted meetings as the Toastmaster of the Day. One of my proudest moments was serving as the Master of Ceremonies at an event —a role that tested my presence, preparation, and ability to keep an audience engaged from start to finish. These experiences helped me shed my stage fear and equipped me with the tools to speak more fluently. 

Toastmasters has given me much more than just public speaking. It’s helped me develop as a leader. I currently serve as the Vice President Public Relations for City of London Toastmasters, where I’m responsible for communicating the club’s activities, celebrating member milestones, and maintaining a vibrant presence through newsletters, social media, and promotional content.  

At the district level, I also serve as the Incentive Lead. In this role, I work closely with the Club Growth and Marketing teams, analysing data, announcing award/incentive winners, and ensuring clubs know how to cash in their achievements. It’s a role that demands both attention to detail and strategic thinking, analytical skills that I now apply even in my professional life. These leadership roles have given me not only valuable experience but also the confidence to lead, support, and influence others, even beyond Toastmasters. 

“Sometimes, the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life. Keep walking.”

Three years ago, I took what I thought was a small step — I joined a corporate Toastmasters club under District 121 in India, simply to improve my communication and leadership skills. I started as a quiet member, not knowing that this very decision would one day become the foundation of my entire personal and professional transformation.

Back then, I juggled work responsibilities and Toastmasters meetings. It wasn’t easy. But with every role I took — from Vice President Membership to Vice President Education, and eventually President of the club — I grew. Not just in title, but in confidence, in resilience, and in purpose. Even after my term ended, I stayed on as a mentor, because Toastmasters had become more than just a club. It became my training ground for life. I was managing a full-time job, juggling deadlines, and trying to find myself — and still, I showed up for Toastmasters. Why? Because it gave me something no classroom or job ever had: a belief in myself.

1.5 years ago, I made one of the most difficult decisions of my life — I moved to the UK for my master’s degree. Leaving behind everything familiar, I landed in a new country, surrounded by a new culture, with new struggles and endless uncertainties. Life wasn’t easy. It was messy. It was overwhelming.

And yet, I knew exactly what I had to do: find a Toastmasters club.

I joined Surbiton Speakers Club (Area D53, Division D, District 91) almost immediately. While others were still unpacking, I was stepping onto the stage again — because that’s where I felt strongest. Even though I was drowning in assignments, working part-time jobs, navigating visa pressures, and battling homesickness, I still showed up.

A few months later, I became Area Director for Area D53. It felt surreal — a newcomer in a foreign land, now leading leaders. But Toastmasters didn’t care about my accent, my passport, or my background. It only cared about my willingness to grow. And through that role, I built deep connections, found mentors, and more importantly — found myself again.

The UK job market is no joke. Rejections pile up. Doubts creep in. But when I sat across from the interviewers, I spoke with clarity, confidence, and authenticity — because I had been practicing for this moment in every Toastmasters meeting. Every Table Topic was a mini-interview. Every speech, a pitch. Every leadership role, a preparation for the real world. And they worked.

And then, one day, the call came. I got the job. Right after my master’s. And I know, in my heart, that Toastmasters was the reason I was ready. To every student reading this, every job seeker wondering if they’ll ever “make it” — let me tell you this:

-> You will feel lost.
-> You will doubt yourself.
-> You will feel like giving up.

But please — don’t. Just take one small step. Join that meeting. Say yes to that role. Deliver that shaky speech. Show up for yourself, even when no one else does. Because one day, when you’re standing on the other side — proud, confident, and employed — you’ll realize: Toastmasters didn’t just teach you to speak. It taught you to live.

I am who I am today — because of Toastmasters. And that’s why, wherever I go, I carry its message with pride. It’s not just a club. It’s a lifeline. Life will be tough. But growth happens in discomfort. Hard work might not pay off immediately — but it always does, eventually. I managed my studies, my part-time job, my life, and still made time for Toastmasters. And today, I stand proud — not because it was easy, but because I never gave up.

Thank you, Toastmasters, for turning my quiet voice into a confident one, and my fear into leadership.

With gratitude,
Jeevan George John
Vice President of Education
Surbiton Speakers Club, Area D53, Division D, District 91

This Toastmasters year I am the Club Mentor Lead. I help appoint and support club mentors, who guide newly chartered clubs to become sustainable ones.

I joined Toastmasters exactly seven years ago. Like many Toastmasters, I joined because I wanted to overcome my fear of public speaking and become a better speaker. Public speaking was something I avoided ever since school. This all changed when I became a member of my club, Society Speakers, based in King’s Cross.

The friendly welcome I received from my fellow members was just what I needed to begin my Toastmasters journey. I liked, and still do like, being able to sign up for roles in advance and prepare for them. I enjoyed the meetings and could see a huge difference in my confidence and public speaking skills in just a few months. I have barely missed a meeting ever since!

I soon received my first taste of leadership when, six months after I joined, our Club Vice President of Education had to step down and I took on the role. I enjoyed playing such a central role in the club and organising our meetings. It helped me enjoy the success of my fellow members even more.

At the end of that Toastmasters year, I moved from Club Vice President of Education to Club President. Representing the club, helped open a whole new world of Toastmasters outside of my club and made me appreciate the opportunities to meet and learn with fantastic Toastmasters all over District 91.

In my career, as a civil engineer, I was working towards becoming professionally qualified. I had struggled to pass the final round interview to becoming professionally qualified and failed twice. It was then I realised I had to utilise what I had learned in Toastmasters and harnessed the confidence I gained from seeing my leadership and communication skills improve.

I sat my interview for a third time and passed. This has allowed my career to get moving and I have managed to be promoted twice and find a new job in the past four years.

Seeing how Toastmasters has given so much to me, I became determined to play my part in helping others experience the same benefits I have. I became an Area Director in July 2022 and a Division Director the following Toastmasters year. Those roles pushed me to meet and form connections with Toastmasters and their clubs which were completely new to me. It was a big challenge for me and I learned a lot.

I enjoyed meeting all of those Toastmasters, organising contests and organising club officer training. Better still was the support from other Toastmasters, whether that was giving me advice, taking roles or supporting contests.

This Toastmasters year, I am the Club Mentor Lead on the District 91 Club Growth team. I jumped at the opportunity when it came up! Being able to rub off that Toastmasters magic on entire clubs full of Toastmasters, instead of just individual Toastmasters, sounded incredible.

The Club Mentors I have been working with are passing on their expertise to brand-new Toastmasters and making a huge difference. Joining Toastmasters was transformational for me and I think of the Toastmasters before me who founded my club and how I might not have become a Toastmaster without them. That is what I think is special about new Toastmasters clubs starting now. It is not only about the founding members, but also all of the Toastmasters who will ever join the club.

If supporting a newly chartered club as a Club Mentor sounds like something you might be interested in then please get in touch here and I will be more than happy to speak to you.

When I walked into my first Toastmasters meeting in 2021 at CS Relentless Toastmasters in Ghana, I had no idea how much it would shape my personal and professional growth. I was looking for a space to refine my communication skills, but what I found was a community that inspired me to grow in ways I never expected.

Stepping into leadership roles early on—first as Vice President Membership, then as Club President—challenged me to think beyond my own development. I learned how to support others, foster a welcoming environment, and work with a team to build something bigger than myself. The experience honed my leadership skills and gave me a deeper appreciation for mentorship and collaboration. Completing two Toastmasters pathways—Presentation Mastery and Dynamic Leadership—was another milestone, reinforcing my confidence and ability to express my ideas with clarity.

Relocating to the UK was a new chapter in 2023, and I knew I wanted to stay connected to Toastmasters. Becoming part of Central London Toastmasters and serving on the District 91 Leadership Team has been incredibly fulfilling. As Marketing Lead under the Club Growth Director Team, I’ve worked on exciting initiatives—from partnering with universities to leading Facebook ads and Tube campaigns that introduce more people to the power of Toastmasters. Each project has been a reminder of what this community represents: opportunity, empowerment, and limitless growth.

One of the things I value most about Toastmasters is its inclusive and supportive nature. No matter your age, background, or experience level, this is a space where you can discover your potential. I encourage young professionals to take that first step—invest in yourself, challenge yourself, and watch how Toastmasters transforms you.

Looking back, I see how much I’ve grown, and I know the journey is far from over. Toastmasters isn’t just about public speaking—it’s about becoming the best version of yourself.