“When I had stood up I was nervous.
What had I done to do deserve this?
A college kid, I had shaky legs
Felt the tensing up, and my sweaty head.
I feared I could not speak it.
In the moment I was defeated.
I felt the judging eyes and the quiet stares,
The hollow looks, the lack of care.
My eyes had bolted ‘round the room,
For surely this would be my doom!
I felt right then, incompetent;
I lacked the needed confidence!
So I closed my eyes and held a breath
To bring to life what felt like death.
I promised myself a victory:
To burn a legend’s history.
This moment here I’d claim my own.
I’d use my words to forge my throne.
Abandon the thoughts, extinguish the fear
All I worked for, would shine right here.
I’d speak with conviction, strong and loud
Like the Speakers before me: brave and proud.
They’d hear my roar and feel my fire
Of this rising King in his empire!
What was labeled a speech, was a shot at rebirth
For this fellow’s new power to quake the Earth
My words right then would ripple through time
The moment I decided, to Speak at my Prime.”
— A Poem by Justin M. Rodriguez | Former Student & Poet
A painting by Liz Marcotte creatively depicting the seeds of Speak At Your Prime, and the growth that is all in your hands.
Communications Testimonials
“John D. Lin has been an abiding comrade of mine for the past 8 years as both of us strive to open minds and develop good values in our students as fellow trainers in public speaking and debating. John is an engaging, dedicated and innovative teacher who spares no effort in helping his students improve as public communicators. He is also a tireless life-long learner who refreshes his perspectives and teaching methodologies in the quest to improve himself. John is a humble and sincere person who loves his parents, cares for his siblings and cherish friends, even as he seeks to devise numerous schemes to help people build confidence and intellectual depth. He is a trusted friend who I respect as a professional and a like-minded educator.”
— Loke Wing Fatt | President for Associated Inter Tertiary Debaters | Singapore
“I can honestly say... without John, I would not be where I am today. As a former student, Johns teachings have greatly influenced me. Not only teaching you how to become a better speaker but also how to be better prepared for life. Going way beyond Speech, John unlocks hidden potential in most his students. As a Muay Thai fighter, speech allows me to advertise my fight successfully and develop good relationships with promoters so I can be put on their shows.”
— Ethan Geffen | Professional Fighter | Mixed Martial Arts
“John has a special power to drive away the fear that nearly all students have with public speaking by transforming it into an enjoyable experience unlike any other. As a martial artist, fighting a verbal battle is your first line of defense. John has helped hone my verbal skill and confidence to a degree that is useful in all facets of life, whether personal or business. My relationship with John extends beyond the classroom and has emanated into my personal life as well. His infectious personality and caring demeanor is unavoidable to anyone that meets him. Evidenced by his ability to blur the line between teacher and pupil, John isn't solely an amazing teacher, but an exceptional human being as well.”
— Ralph Esposito | 2nd Degree Blackbelt | Maritime Sailor
“When I first entered John's Persuasion workshop, I expected to gain a lot from the experience based on the description I read. However, I did not expect such an engaging teacher! John utilized many different learning tools and simplified difficult concepts into easy to grasp and memorable skills. His workshop was easily one of the most valuable and tangible lessons I had at the ITASA Midwest Conference. For example, he consolidated the many complex aspects of an elevated pitch into simple, ready to use steps.”
— Victoria Yang | ITASA Midwest District Governor 2013-2014
“When I first met John in 2004, I saw that 'glow' around him! I knew at first glance that here was a rising star! His home club did not do justice to John's skills, so I invited him to my Toastmasters club. Mark LaVergne and I encouraged him to compete in the International Speech contest. He was a Toastmaster less than a year, but with some mentoring from Mark LaVergne (a finalist in the Toastmasters International World Championship of Public Speaking), John won the District 46 contest and went on to the Regional in 2005. John is an ambitious young man. He sets goals for himself and keeps his eyes on his goals. He has shared his talents with others who have emulated him. We are encouraging John to again compete in the International Speech contest in Spring 2014. We are confident that he will make us proud!”
— Amelia L. Abad | DTM | 1999-2000 District 42 Govenor | #4 in the World | Certified Mediator
“John D. Lin is a man of equality. He gives you what you give to him. And this exchange is more important than any fiscal trade, it's a trade of words and experiences. In a world of taboo and discouragement, his presentation was priceless, furthermore, it was an understanding of human emotion and engagement. This starts at the beginning. When introducing himself, he fully dedicates that moment to you. With a firm handshake, a sly smile, and focused eyes, he greets us individually. If you wish to know the full details of his presentation, take the effort to reach out to him. The overview that I will give will not do it justice. First off, he takes the time to let everyone have the opportunity to ask him questions, broad or personal. He continues to share experiences and stories that hit the heart. He provides statistics to appeal to the more analytic. Examples, personal accounts, questions, critical thinking are all meticulously crafted to create an atmosphere of vulnerability and uncomfortable realizations to progress us as individuals and as a society. He is just not a lecturer, but a sympathetic peer, mentor, guide, and adviser. With just the short amount of time, he was able to hit big to a crowd of strangers. He may advocate for what you give him, is what he will give to you. However, I feel like the more appropriate statement would be: he will give to you despite knowing he might not receive back. Why? Because he knows the importance of this human exchange.”
— Matthew Hom | Political Science Major | University of Illinois
“Professor Lin has been more than just a mentor to me. He truly cares about students beyond the class. As an immigrant, everyday is a struggle to communicate in a new place. He has always been there to help me succeed in both academic and personal life. He will challenge you to become a better you as he will to himself. His motivation for others and himself is admirable. That is a leader, not just a mentor.”
— Chriz Naing | NYU Alumni Tisch School of the Arts | Filmmaker
Finance and IT Testimonials
“John's proven to master both the art of public speaking and teaching the art to others. As undergraduate college tutors, I witnessed first hand John's ability to help others speak professionally and personally on almost any topic. He even inspired me to become a professor and teach my first accounting course . You cannot pick a better person to be in the public speaking profession.”
— Brandon Campbell | Grant Thornton | CPA
“Erudite, energetic, and enthusiastic are words that best describe John D. Lin. Prior to taking two classes with John at St. John's University, I could not articulate my thoughts clearly infront of more than three people. In fact, I can recall times when I stuttered at just introducing myself to a stranger. Now, though, I radiate confidence when I give a presentation in front of dozens of people, and do not shy away from voicing my opinion. John inspired me to do what I thought was impossible, and changed my life for the better. Without his invaluable tutelage and faithful friendship, I highly doubt that I would have been elected to several leadership positions, or earned a seat in prestigious graduate program at Georgetown University. If there were more speech instructors like John D. Lin, public speaking would not be the number one phobia in the country.”
—Anthony D' Amato | Georgetown University | M.S. Candidate 2017 | Security Studies
“When I enlisted John's help to coach me through my interview process for my promotion, he was engaging and committed from the very beginning. His approach is very personalized. He is a great listener and digs deep into the subject matter to consider all aspects to tailor his coaching accordingly. John was passionate about helping me with achieving my goal and was encouraging throughout this agonizing promotion process. With the help of his effective coaching , it has earned me the promotion that I have been trying for a number of years. What came to my pleasant discovery from working with John was that he is also a great life coach and the most rewarding thing that resulted from my lessons was actually our life changing conversations. I look forward to continue to work with John in the near future.”
—Wendy | Full Time Professional | Mother of Three
“Working with John has had an effect on both my personal life and my career. He has helped me feel more confident in socializing in and out of the work environment. I recently volunteered to help train a large group of employees on a new project and felt so great afterwards. I received excellent feedback at work and have been given more opportunities to show off my new skills.”
—Karen K. | Federal Employee | IT Security Professional
Law and Real Estate
"John has propelled many students in his college public speaking classes to enter their prime. During law school, I realized that I too, would need to maximize my speaking abilities. Now as an attorney, public speaking is paramount when I'm in court, speaking with attorneys, and speaking with my clients. John's ability to coach public speaking has proved invaluable to my career. Because of his individual coaching and innovative methods, I conquered many fears of public speaking. Through inspired practice and study with John, I've achieved a prime level in confidence and eloquence."
—Benjamin Blum | Esq
"John taught me to overcome my paralyzing fear of public speaking. I now structure and deliver effective and enlivening speeches, grabbing my audience's’ attention and conveying to them my personal message loud and clearly. As a Real Estate Advisor, I am constantly interacting with groups of clients who I have to give presentations regarding our company’s products and services, a task which I can now handle with ease and enthusiasm due to my public speaking skills I learned from John."
—Cristian Oancea | Real Estate Advisor | Bensen & Associates
"As a future lawyer, I know that speaking efficiently will be a huge part of my ability to succeed. When I first met John, I was an average speaker at best. I was uncomfortable and lacked confidence in my ability to effectively speak in public. Meeting John was a miracle; he first offered me perspectives that gave me confidence in tackling challenging speeches. He then did what he is most respected for—he saw my potential and crafted my skills in a way that brought the best out of me. Instead of quaking in fear before I have to give a speech, I now embrace the opportunity to share my words with others. If you are lucky enough to have John D. Lin as your public speaking consultant, I am certain you will learn how to truly speak at your prime."
—Jordan LoCascio | NYC Law Student
Medical and Special Occasion Testimonials
"John Lin is a great friend and a great listener. Conversation with him flows naturally and easily. He has given me advice on the importance of communication with my patients on numerous occasions. The tools he has taught me have been very valuable and useful in my everyday practice."
—Dr. Viola Cheung | D.O. | Jersey Shore University Medical Center
" John D. Lin is a powerful and effective public speaking consultant. As I was preparing for a speech in front of a large audience, John helped me chart out content and delivery in an effective manner. If you're looking for a public speaking consultant look no further than John!"
—Benjamin Pleat | Harvard University Student
" Competing for Miss Belize and Miss World’s are both personally challenging and rewarding. Not only did John’s words comfort me during my times of duress, John guided me to find how to best express my passion. Im grateful for John’s help for the privilege of becoming Miss Belize ‘08 and competing in Miss Worlds.”
—Charmaine Chinapin | Registered Nurse
"When I was selected to be my best friend's Maid of Honor, I was terrified of my duty to give a speech at the wedding. I love my friend and was honored by her selection, but I absolutely hate public speaking. John's composure helped me control my nerves, allowing me to conquer my fear of public speaking. Together we composed a witty, heartfelt speech. What an incredible feeling to make the crowd laugh, smile, and cheer because of my words. From crafting my speech, to training me on the best ways to present myself, John turned my speech as Maid of Honor from my most feared duty into the most amazing experience."
—Wendy Chen | Registered Nurse
Student Appreciation
"I've always dreaded taking a public speaking course. It was actually my worst nightmare as a freshman, so I held it off all the way to senior year and was still scared. However, nothing about Professor Lin's class was at all scary, but fun and engaging! You could truly see how much he cares and expects from his students from how much effort and work he puts into his classes. I will forever be thankful for this class as it has helped me in many aspects of life. Most importantly, it has made me a better clinician."
—Jessica Ayob | Language Speech Pathology M.A.
"Professor John D. Lin instructed me in the art of public speaking and business communication at St. John's University. John's art form, speech, allowed me to outshine my peers at various advanced military schools I have attended in my current tenure as a United States Marine. Passionate, prideful, and philosophical, his classes were not just a place to read a textbook; it was a place to learn how to proper communication tears down all borders. Verbal or non-verbal, John will teach you how to speak with anyone you meet."
—Lance Corporal Torres | J. United States Marine Corps
"Professor Lin’s speech class was without a doubt the hardest class I’ve ever taken at St John’s University. What made his class truly challenging was the fact that he forced you to step out of your comfort zone in order to better understand yourself. This was not just in terms of public speaking but also in life, and I believe that is one of his greatest talents as a teacher. Unlike most teachers who just gives you work just to give you work, everything that Lin did was all for the sake of pushing you beyond your limits. That’s hard because naturally it’s scary to dive into something that you are not used to, but with Lin that fear becomes your strength.
I had the pleasure to have Lin for two speech classes, and like most of his students I was terrified at the thought of speaking in front of a lot of people. Being an introvert definitely didn’t help me because in my mind I would rather blend into the background than stand in the forefront. So naturally I was very reluctant to be active and actually try in his class. I was hoping he would just let me settle with the way things are, but that never happened.
Lin never let up. Every day he continued to challenge me to break out of my comfort zone and to be more active in class, and after a while I began to enjoy it. I started too actually like participating with other students, getting to know them and coming up with creative speeches. For me it was like a self-revival because I was able to see myself in a whole new light. I was no longer afraid to put myself out there and in some case make a fool of myself because the idea of being comfortable with who I am as a person was now a reality.
In the end I just want to say thank you Professor Lin. Because of your class I know that no matter what I face in life, as long as I believe in my abilities and speak at my prime I will succeed."
—Tyrique Nelson | B.S. Computer Science
Before this class, public speaking was something I never took seriously, and I never knew how important it was for me professionally as a pharmacist. Apart from that, English not being my first language, it was difficult for me to deliver my speech and express my ideas. But after a couple of classes and professors out of the box way of teaching, I gathered my confidence and went out of the way during every speech battle and did my best. This class not only made me a better speaker, but it boosted my confidence and now no longer my being an international student or my accent comes in my way when it comes to public speaking or one on one communication.
Hindi translation:
इस वर्ग से पहले, सार्वजनिक रूप से बोलना कुछ ऐसा था जिसे मैंने कभी गंभीरता से नहीं लिया, और मुझे कभी नहीं पता था कि एक पेशेवर के रूप में मेरे लिए यह कितना महत्वपूर्ण है। इसके अलावा, अंग्रेजी मेरी पहली भाषा नहीं थी, मेरे लिए अपने भाषण देना और अपने विचारों को व्यक्त करना मुश्किल था। लेकिन शिक्षण के बॉक्स से बाहर कुछ वर्गों और प्रोफेसरों के बाद, मैंने अपना आत्मविश्वास इकट्ठा किया और हर भाषण लड़ाई के दौरान रास्ते से हट गया और अपना सर्वश्रेष्ठ प्रदर्शन किया। इस वर्ग ने न केवल मुझे एक बेहतर वक्ता बनाया, बल्कि इसने मेरे आत्मविश्वास को बढ़ाया और अब मेरे एक अंतरराष्ट्रीय छात्र होने या मेरे उच्चारण में कोई कमी नहीं आती है जब यह सार्वजनिक रूप से बोलने या एक संचार पर आता है।
—Mansi Parikh, Pharm D.
The knowledge and skills you learn in John D. Lin's class are not limited to one language but are applicable international and promise success in every country. Before I took this class I was always a little nervous when I had to talk in front of a large group of people let alone be part of a job interview. In the beginning I was even skeptical if I was going to be able to keep up with the other students since they've been speaking English their whole life, but thanks to John D. Lin I can proudly say about me that I feel confident about public speaking. I know that with my new skills, which I've gained thanks to this class, that I can easily attend a job interview in two languages and convince the person in front of me that I'm the best choice. Even if English is not your mother tongue this class will change your way of thinking and it's going to make you a better speaker. There is no limit for public speaking especially no language barrier but instead it'll make you stronger in every language you master!
—Desiree Schultz, RN student
German translation:
Die Faehigkeiten und Kenntnisse die man in John D. Lin's Unterricht erwirbt sind nicht sprachlich begrenzt sondern international anwendbar und versprechen Erfolg in jedem Land. Bevor ich die Class absolvierte war ich immer ein wenig nervoes, wenn ich vor grossen Gruppen reden musste, geschweige denn ein Bewerbungsgespraech fuer ein Unternehmen hatte. Anfangs war ich sogar skeptisch, ob ich mit meinen Mitschuelern hier in Amerika mithalten kann, die immerhin schon ihr Leben lang Englisch sprachen,aber dank John D. Lin kann ich stolz von mir behaupten, dass ich ueberzeugt bin und mich selbstsicher fuehle offen zu sprechen. Ich weiss, dass ich mit den neuen Kenntnissen, die ich dank der Class gewonnen habe, ein Bewerbungsgespraech problemlos in zwei Sprachen fuehren und auch von mir ueberzeugen kann. Auch wenn Englisch nicht deine Muttersprache ist, wird diese Class dein Denken veraendern und dich zu einem besseren Redner machen. Oeffentliches Reden kennt keine Grenzen und schon gar keine Sprachbarrieren, sondern macht dich nur staerker in allen Sprachen, die du sprichst!