S2 E06 VIDEO VERSION: Terry Szuplat, Former Obama Speechwriter and Bestselling Author

S2 E06 VIDEO VERSION: Terry Szuplat, Former Obama Speechwriter and Bestselling Author

From Pitch Masters by Danny Fontaine

March 15, 2026 · 1h 28m · Season 2 · Episode 6

About this episode

In this episode, Terry Szuplat shares insights from his experience as a speechwriter for President Obama, focusing on effective communication strategies for business leaders.

What can business leaders learn from the pressure, craft, and discipline of presidential speechwriting? In this episode of Pitch Masters, I sit down with Terry Szuplat, who spent nearly a decade as a speechwriter for President Barack Obama, to unpack what makes messages land, what makes audiences lean in, and why “generic” is the fastest route to being forgotten. Terry takes us inside the realities of writing for the most scrutinised speaker on the planet, shares the practical framework he uses to help leaders prepare talks and pitches, and offers a simple principle that instantly raises the bar: say what only you can say. Connect with Terry Szuplat Website: https://www.terryszuplat.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-szuplat-456914137/ If you enjoy the show, reviews, ratings and shares are the best possible way to show your support and are always appreciated. Sign up for the mailing list for exclusive content at http://pitchguy.co.uk/ and follow me on social media for video clips of the episode. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannyfontaine/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pitchguyYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@pitchguy/LinkedIn…

People in this episode

Host: Danny Fontaine

Guest: Terry Szuplat

Topics covered

  • speechwriting
  • business communication
  • audience engagement
  • leadership
  • public speaking

Keywords

  • speechwriting
  • Barack Obama
  • audience engagement
  • leadership
  • public speaking
  • communication skills
  • Terry Szuplat

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Pitch Masters, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube

Products: Pitch: How to Captivate and Convince Any Audience on the Planet

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