Tricia Brouk, author of The Influential Voice: Saying What You Mean for a Lasting Legacy and The Invitation: Vital Conversations About Menopause, amplifies voices that are often unheard, encouraging people to embrace their stories, speak their truths, and create spaces for understanding and compassion.
What makes Tricia Brouk’s work unique? She is an award-winning director, writer, producer, curator, and coach. Her past clients include renowned actors Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet, and more. As Brouk puts it, “I think focusing on authentic storytelling as a tool for leadership means connecting to the people that you lead in a way that earns their trust.”
You might be wondering: What strategies can you adopt to foster a positive influence and create change in your community? Public speaking — with its power to deliver messages of inclusion and transformation — could be the creative outlet you’ve been seeking.
It is an honor to interview Tricia Brouk for Social Lifestyle Magazine. I hope her insights inspire you to pursue your true passions and make a positive impact in your own community.
As for what inspired her to write her notable book, The Influential Voice, she said, “I had been shopping around for a book proposal for a while about how to be an amazing public speaker. I received a lot of interest, but no one was quite ready to pull the trigger with me. During that process, I realized that I didn’t actually want to write a book about public speaking. What I wanted to write a book about was how to speak with dignity and impact and that all voices matter.
After George Floyd’s murder, I wrote the first chapter of the book, submitted it to a publisher on Friday, and received a book deal by Monday. This was a really important realization for me because The Influential Voice is really a book about how to be a good human being, disguised as a book about public speaking and the idea of saying what you mean for a lasting legacy- which is the book’s tagline- is what’s so important about my legacy. I get up every morning focusing on how to help amplify and elevate the voices of others in order to unite humanity through speech. The Influential Voice represents my lasting legacy, teaching people how to speak with dignity, curiosity, humility, respect, and love.”
Furthermore, in her work The Invitation, the topic of menopause is explored. In society, menopause is often portrayed as a time of loss and struggle, but what if we redefined it as a powerful transformation? After years of contemplation, Tricia decided to share her unique journey and give a voice to women who not only survive but thrive during menopause. She shared, “When I wrote The Invitation, it had been on my radar for a couple of years. Joe, my husband, actually suggested that I write a book about my experience with menopause, and I never really wanted to. But because so many women go through it without a voice, I felt it was important to address it. I wanted to help women feel seen and to help both women and their male partners not feel alone.”
In the process of bringing The Invitation to life, she explained, “I reached out to a dear friend of mine, Dr. Alexandra Stockwell, and invited her to co-author the book with me. It would be a conversation between two women about our experiences with menopause—the good, the bad, and the ugly. My experience has been powerful and potent. I wanted to give a voice to women who are thriving, vital, and even more powerful than before menopause. That was my unique experience. But I also wanted to highlight the opposite of that, which is more common.”
She continued, “We also interviewed women who are struggling, who are being left out of the healthcare system, and not receiving the help they need—something that happens far too often. However, I also felt it was important to give voice to the women who are crushing it, so they don’t feel they have to stay quiet about their success.”
Tricia Brouk’s esteemed podcast, The Big Talk, stands out for its authenticity. Reflecting on its continued success, she shared insights into why listeners enjoy the podcast so much. She also said, “I love the Big Talk podcast and I’m so proud of it for ranking in the top 1% globally! We have over 600 episodes at the time that this interview is happening. And I think what sets us apart, honestly, is that we are consistent.
As she continued to beam with pride, she said, “For however many years it’s been, we’ve never skipped a week or missed an episode. I always tell my clients and speakers that the most important thing when starting a podcast is consistency. Because if you’re consistent, it’s like dating. If you’re dating someone and look forward to spending time with them, only for them to ghost you, it’s heartbreaking. Similarly, if you start to love a podcast but they skip a week or two because they don’t feel like recording, we stop listening and lose trust in them and the show.”
She also knows the key to what sets her podcast apart. “I think what sets us apart first is that we’re consistent, but also that people get to hear speakers talk about their fears, their process, and they get to hear from me about my mentorship and all the things I do in support of uniting humanity through speech.”
There is also a Big Talk Training Certification Program. The program is exceptional for people interested in the training program. As Brouk stated, “ What’s unique about the Big Talk Academy is its certification program. When you get certified through the Big Talk Academy, any event planner or organizer knows if you hire a Big Talk Academy certified speaker, they are going to be easy to work with and they’re going to show up early and on time. They’re going to be entertaining, educational, and authentic. They’re going to have takeaways for your audience so that you are investing in the top world class speakers through the Big Talk Academy. We are an A + accredited organization through the Better Business Bureau of New York City. That means that we are vetted, and therefore the speakers are vetted because they are certified through our program.”
She reflects on her career and shares, “One of the most memorable experiences I’ve had as a producer was when I was in LA for the premiere of my film, You’re Gorgeous, I Love Your Shirt: An Inside Look at Bullying and Mental Health. It’s a short documentary I made about a young girl who was bullied in school and attempted suicide twice. Her family was deeply involved in the process, and I gave them the final cut because I wanted them to trust me fully — this film was about helping others and showcasing the young girl’s incredible journey toward healing.
“We were in LA with Tonya and Lindsay Harris, and after the screening, a gentleman approached me in the lobby and said, ‘I want to thank you for this film. I’ve been bullied my entire life, and I’m going through a divorce right now. I was contemplating taking my own life, but I’m not going to do that now.’”
She continues, “This is what I tell my clients, my community, and my speakers — when you use your voice and share your story, you can change, and even save, a life. That moment was the perfect example of what’s possible when you speak out. You never know who will hear your words or when they’ll need to hear them, but you truly have the power to make a difference. You don’t know who’s going to hear it or when they’re going to need to hear it, but you literally can change and save someone’s life.”
This story is a profound example of the therapeutic power of our words in building community and purpose.
Tricia’s latest book The Influential Voice: Saying What You Mean for Lasting Legacy is available on Amazon. Her other title, The Invitation: Vital Conversations about Menopause, also by co-author, Alexandra Stockwell MD, is available to purchase.
Tricia Brouk’s unwavering commitment to amplifying voices and creating spaces for authentic storytelling is more than a career — it’s a calling. Through her books, podcast, training programs, and deeply personal projects, she has built a platform that not only inspires but empowers others to embrace their narratives and share them with the world. Whether guiding aspiring speakers, shedding light on underrepresented experiences, or helping people discover their own influential voices, Brouk’s work serves as a powerful reminder that stories have the power to heal, unite, and ignite change. Her passion and purpose are a beacon for those ready to step into the spotlight and make a meaningful impact — one voice at a time.
Professional Website: https://triciabrouk.com/
Contact Form and Email: [email protected]The Big Talk Academy Official Website
