Varun Puri, Founder of Yoodli.ai an AI Powered Speech Coach
Conversations on Careers and Professional Life
Release Date: 09/29/2023
Logos, Ethos, Pathos: The Ancient Keys to Modern Persuasion
Conversations on Careers and Professional Life
Logos, Ethos, Pathos: The Ancient Keys to Modern Persuasion In this episode of Conversations on Communication, I explore three timeless principles that sit at the heart of all persuasive communication: Logos, Ethos, and Pathos. They come from Aristotle, but their power is as relevant today in an MBA classroom, a boardroom, or a client meeting as it was in ancient Athens. When you learn to apply these three deliberately, your messages become sharper, more credible, and more emotionally resonant. Logos: The Logic of Your Argument Logos is the appeal to logic — the structure and reasoning that...
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Start with the Answer: The Minto Pyramid Principle
Conversations on Careers and Professional Life
In this episode of Conversations on Careers and Professional Life, I explire one of the most powerful frameworks for structuring clear, persuasive business communication: the Minto Pyramid Principle. The framework, created by Barbara Minto at McKinsey, is a simple but transformative way to organize ideas. Think of your communication as a pyramid: At the top is your main point — your recommendation, your answer, your “so what.” Beneath that are the supporting arguments — the key reasons your audience should agree with or believe your main point. At the base are the evidence...
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The AIM Framework
Conversations on Careers and Professional Life
The AIM Framework: The Compass for Every Communication” Welcome to Conversations on Careers and Professional Life, on this series, I’m going to turn lessons from my MBA course, Professional Communication into practical insights you can use every day. I’m Gregory Heller, and today we’re diving into one of the simplest—but most powerful—tools in communication, professional or otherwise: the AIM Framework, outlined by Lynn Russell and Mary Munter. AIM stands for Audience, Intent, and Message. It’s a framework I teach in the very first session of my Professional Communication course,...
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Think Like A Gardener
Conversations on Careers and Professional Life
On this episode, I talk about something that comes up all the time in my coaching sessions with MBA students—and that’s networking. I've talked about it before on the podcast on episode 1202 "Reframe the way you think about networking and asking for help" I'll drop a link in the show notes. I encourage you to go back and give that one a listen. As generative AI has proliferated on both sides of the job search with candidates using it to submit more and more customized applications, and recruiters using it to filter through piles of hundreds or thousands of applicants,...
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Lorraine Rise on the Hidden Job Market, Networking, Values Based Careers, and Using AI in the Job Search
Conversations on Careers and Professional Life
On this episode, I speak with Lorraine Rise, career coach, founder and CEO of Career UpRising and host of the Career UpRising podcast. With a background in federal recruiting, Lorraine has spent a decade empowering mid- and late-career professionals through career pivots and values-driven job searches. We explore: Redefining Networking Learn how shifting from transactional outreach to authentic relationship-building can unlock access to the hidden job market—especially valuable for MBA students and early-career professionals. Values‑Driven Job Search Lorraine shares her framework...
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Job Search Advice From the Back Catalog For Graduation Season
Conversations on Careers and Professional Life
It’s May, and for many of you, that means graduation. Whether you’re finishing your MBA or completing another academic journey, this is a moment filled with possibility—and uncertainty. Especially in today’s job market, it’s natural to feel some anxiety about what comes next. To support you in your job search, I want to point you to a few episodes from the back catalog that offer practical tools and strategies to help you navigate this transition. First up: , author of The 2-Hour Job Search. In our conversation, he breaks down a step-by-step approach to landing interviews...
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Ryan Dickerson, Executive Career Coach, on Career Transitions, Relational Networking, and Using Generative AI
Conversations on Careers and Professional Life
Episode Summary: Navigating Career Transitions with Ryan Dickerson In this episode of Conversations on Careers and Professional Life, I speak with Ryan Dickerson, founder of Good Fit Careers, about his innovative approach to career coaching. Ryan leverages generative AI tools like ChatGPT to help executives craft compelling resumes, prepare for interviews, and navigate career transitions. The conversation covers the importance of patience during job searches, building empathy for hiring managers, and the power of relational networking over transactional interactions. Ryan also shares his...
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Reframe The Way You Think About Networking and Asking for Help
Conversations on Careers and Professional Life
In this episode of Conversations on Careers and Professional Life, I share some advice on reframing how you think about “networking” and asking for help. Move beyond the idea of collecting contacts Focus on building genuine relationships and learning from others Nurture connections over time for mutual benefit Understand that asking for help can actually benefit the person helping you Overcome the fear of being a burden when seeking assistance Strengthen relationships by showing trust and vulnerability Recognize that your network includes all communities you're part of Look for...
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Jeremy Schifeling on Using Generative AI in Your Career Search
Conversations on Careers and Professional Life
Leveraging Generative AI in Your Career Search with Jeremy Schifeling , founder of and author of Career Coach GPT and Linked: Conquer LinkedIn, Get Your Dream Job, Own Your Future shares his insights on how job seekers can leverage generative AI tools like ChatGPT in the job search process. Jeremy and I have known each other for seven years and recently co-presented a session at the Career Services Employer Alliance Global Conference on how graduate business school career services can leverage generative AI in their work. In this episode, Jeremy returns for a second conversation to discuss...
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Lauren Selig on Navigating a Career of Creativity and Impact, Live at PNW Climate Week
Conversations on Careers and Professional Life
In this special live episode recorded as part of #PNWClimateWeek and the Bloomberg Green Festival at the KEXP Gathering Space, Gregory Heller and Jonathan Azoff sit down with Lauren Selig, a film producer, investor, entrepreneur, and board member of the XPRIZE Foundation. , Lauren shares her journey from journalism to film production and investment, highlighting the importance of intuition, mentorship, and environmental consciousness in her diverse career. Tune in to discover how Lauren’s innovative projects are making a significant impact on climate tech and sustainability. ,
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On this episode, I speak with Varun Puri, Co-Founder of Yoodli.ai. I'm a big fan of Yoodli and have been using it basically since the day it became available. Many of my students in the MBA program are using it to practice for job interviews and other presentations. Full disclosure, I'm on the Yoodli Speech Coaches Advisory Board. I receive no compensation for this. I do it because I believe in the product and the power of public speaking skills to improve people's career opportunities.
Born and raised in India, Varun moved to the US for college and later joined Google. At Google, he wore many hats, from running special projects for Sergey Brin to being a product manager at Google X. Despite his fulfilling career at Google, Varun's passion for his innovative idea led him to take a leap of faith and start Yoodli.ai.
Yoodli.ai is an AI-powered speech coach that provides real-time feedback on speaking skills. It focuses on three key areas: delivery, content, and peer collaboration. As Varun demonstrated during our podcast interview, Yoodli.ai can alert users in real-time to adjust their speaking pace.
The platform has received an overwhelming response, with users worldwide comparing it to Grammarly and Duolingo for speech coaching. This comparison underscores Yoodli.ai's effectiveness in enhancing speaking skills.
Yoodli.ai has developed an everyday communication coach feature. This feature, available as an app, can be installed on a computer and used during calls. It provides real-time feedback on speaking habits, such as speaking too quickly or for too long. This feature allows users to improve their communication skills without having to set aside dedicated practice time.
Varun draws inspiration from fitness apps like Apple Health, which encourage progress in everyday activities, and aims to do the same for speaking.
Making Public Speaking Fun and Engaging
Yoodli.ai also incorporates games to make the learning experience fun and engaging. The goal is to demystify public speaking and make it enjoyable, much like improv games.
Varun and I discussed the importance of practice in feeling comfortable and confident when it comes to public speaking and storytelling. Yoodli.ai provides “exposure therapy” and low-risk practice opportunities for individuals to improve their communication skills.
Varun emphasized that mid-career professionals, particularly those seeking promotions or leadership roles, can benefit greatly from the platform. He shared examples of users who have found success with Yoodli, including a non-native English speaker looking to improve their confidence in meetings.