Nick Hughes, coaching a group

SPEAK IN A WEEKEND™

A two-and-a-half-day intensive for Charlotte and Lake Norman, for people who'd rather do anything than speak in public.

Speak in a Weekend™ is held in person in the Lake Norman area, just north of Charlotte, NC. We welcome participants from Cornelius, Huntersville, Davidson, Mooresville, Denver, Charlotte, and the surrounding communities.

Not a course on technique. A weekend that trains your nervous system to stop treating the podium like a threat, the same way we train people through real danger: repetition, immediate feedback, and watching yourself get better with your own eyes.

Nick Hughes speaking at a national conference on confidence and communication for small businesses.

Public Speaking Is One of the Greatest Fears In the World

IT NEEDN'T BE

Fear of public speaking has held talented people back from promotions, business opportunities, and important life moments for far too long. The good news? Getting over it is easy with our training.

Toastmasters Is Excellent, But... I'm a former Toastmasters member and award winner, so I know first-hand how valuable the organization can be.

However, it's designed for gradual, ongoing improvement over time. If you don't have a year to get ready or simply want to accelerate your progress, you may be looking for a more intensive approach.

Sometimes Your Speech Is a Couple of Weeks Away: Your boss just told you the guy scheduled to speak can't make it, and you have to cover. What about a friend dying and the family wants you to deliver the eulogy?

The Price of Staying Quiet

Every year this fear goes untrained, it costs you something. Most people never actually add it up.

The promotion you didn't apply for, because it meant presenting to leadership.

• The client you didn't close, because the sales conversation felt impossible and you rescheduled it into oblivion.

• The toast you let someone else give, at your own kid's wedding.

• The eulogy you wrote and never delivered, because you couldn't get through it without falling apart in front of people.

• The speaking fee you left on the table, because getting on that stage was never really an option.

• The meeting where you had the better idea and said nothing, and watched someone else get credit for saying it first.

None of that shows up on a bank statement. It just quietly adds up, year after year, until avoiding the moment feels safer than facing it.

And here's the part nobody tells you: the fear doesn't stay the same size. It grows every time you skip the moment instead of walking through it.

The Solution

How Speak In A Weekend™ Works

• Speak repeatedly

• Receive immediate feedback

• Watch yourself improve on video

• Build confidence through doing, not learning

• Finish with a polished presentation

Nick Hughes speaking to a large group at a live public speaking and mindset event

Who's It For?

  • Business Professionals Giving Presentations

  • Entrepreneurs Pitching Clients or Investors

  • Managers & Team Leaders

  • Job Seekers Preparing For Interviews

  • Sales Professionals

  • Best Man/Maid of Honor

  • Community Leaders

  • Coaches, Trainers & Instructors

  • People Who Don't Have a Lot of Preparation Time (a Eulogy for example)

  • Anyone Who Freezes at the Idea of Speaking in Public

What Others Are Saying About the Training

Patty Richbourg, graduate of Nick Hughes training from Charlotte, NC

Patty RICHBOURG

Charlotte, NC

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nick's training transformed the way I communicate.

I learned how to manage my nerves, organize my thoughts

while speaking, and present with far more clarity and confidence.

His constructive feedback and supportive coaching made all the difference.

Dr. Eugene Wang, graduate of Nick Hughes training.

Dr. Eugene WANG

Charlotte, NC

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Working with Nick gave me practical tools that helped me speak with greater confidence under a number of stressful circumstances.

The feedback I received during the training was specific, encouraging, and improved the way I present myself in both professional and everyday situations.

Next Course Starting Soon

We limit each workshop to just 20 participants to ensure everyone receives individual coaching, feedback, and multiple speaking opportunities throughout the weekend.

Our next class is this August, 2026. Exact weekend to be announced soon.

If you're ready to become a more confident, capable speaker and get over your fear of speaking in public, reserve your spot today before this workshop fills.

What You'll Experience

FRIDAY EVENING:

Introduction, why we fear speaking, your first speech, video recording and feedback

SATURDAY:

Multiple speeches, all filmed, with immediate feedback. They vary from easy to challenging, and each one you deliver will help you improve and make you more confident.

Techniques on how to work the room and performance psychology to get you over your fear.

SUNDAY:

More of the same. This is not a note-taking theoretical exercise. If you're not speaking, you're evaluating someone who is. After lunch, another round of speaking and then a graduation ceremony where you speak in front of a group, just like you would in the real world, and then presentation of your certificate of completion

Nick Hughes, public speaking coach and founder of Speak In A Weekend, Charlotte, NC

Seen here at a Barnes & Noble book signing

Meet Your Instructor

Nick Hughes has spent decades speaking, teaching, and training people to perform under pressure and not just the kind that comes with a microphone in front of a crowd.

Before Toastmaster trophies and keynote speeches, he served in the French Foreign Legion and spent years as a bodyguard protecting Saudi royals, VIPs, rock bands and actors, work where freezing up, isn't an option.

A multiple award-winning Toastmasters speaker, Nick has won both local and regional speaking competitions, and has been recognized for his ability to educate, entertain, and inspire audiences.

He appeared on Spike TV's Deadliest Warrior and has been a guest on The Art of Manliness, one of the most listened to podcasts in the country.

FAQ

I'm terrified of speaking in front of people. Is this really for me?

Absolutely. In fact, that's exactly who the program was designed for. You won't be thrown into the deep end without support, and you'll be in a room of people probably more terrified than you. We build your confidence gradually through structured exercises, coaching and repeated opportunities.


Do I need any prior speaking experience?

No, and honestly, a bad one helps more than a good one. If public speaking has already gone wrong for you once, you already know what the fear feels like from the inside. That's the thing we're actually training. The speaking part comes second.

Will I be forced to give long speeches?

No. You'll start with short, manageable exercises and build from there. Confidence grows through successful repetitions, not overwhelming experiences.


How many times will I speak?

A lot. Unlike traditional seminars where you spend most of your time listening, you'll spend much of the weekend on your feet speaking, receiving feedback, and improving.


What makes this different from Toastmasters?

Toastmasters is an outstanding organization, and many great speakers—including Nick—have benefited from it.

Speak in a Weekend™ is different because it's an intensive, immersive experience designed to accelerate your progress in just one weekend through repeated speaking, immediate coaching, video feedback, and confidence-building techniques.

How Is this different from Carnegie's training?

Carnegie's course is mostly you sitting there taking notes. This is mostly you standing up talking. You'll spend maybe 20% of the weekend listening and 80% doing. You don't get better at public speaking by writing down theory. You get better by speaking, getting hit with feedback, and speaking again.


What if I have a speech coming up soon?

Perfect. Many people attend because they have a wedding, business presentation, interview, funeral, conference, or other important event just days or weeks away.

Will I be recorded?

Yes. You'll record your presentations throughout the weekend using your own phone so you can see your progress. Watching yourself improve is one of the fastest ways to develop as a speaker.

Do I have to watch my videos?

They're yours to keep. While we encourage you to review them because they're an incredibly valuable learning tool, they're your recordings and you can decide how you use them.

What kind of speeches will I give?

An icebreaker to get you moving. A difficult or uncomfortable topic. A mock job interview. A eulogy. Teaching the room something you know. Several more building on each other. Then the big one, in front of people you actually care about, on the last day.

I've heard of NLP. What is it exactly?

NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) is a collection of communication and performance techniques used by coaches, athletes, and performers to develop more resourceful mental states and improve confidence.

What should I bring?

A smartphone for recording your presentations, something to take notes with, comfortable clothing, and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone.

How many people are in each class?

Class sizes are intentionally limited to ensure every participant receives significant speaking time, personalized coaching, and detailed feedback.

Is there a minimum age?

Participants should generally be 18 or older unless otherwise stated.

What if I'm already a good speaker?

Then we'll help you become even better. The techniques covered apply equally to professionals who want more polish, confidence, and impact.


What if I freeze during my speech?

Then congratulations—you're in exactly the right place.

The purpose of the weekend isn't to prove you're already a great speaker. It's to help you become one in a supportive environment where mistakes are expected and improvement happens quickly.

Will I be judged?

Every participant is there for the same reason—to become a better speaker. Feedback is constructive, respectful, and designed to help you improve, not criticize you. You'll quickly discover that everyone in the room is rooting for each other's success.

Why does this work so quickly?

Because confidence isn't built by reading books or listening to lectures.

It's built by speaking.

Throughout the weekend, you'll repeatedly stand up, speak, receive immediate coaching, make adjustments, and speak again. Each successful experience strengthens your confidence until speaking in front of a group begins to feel natural.

Is this live and in person, or is it a Zoom/online course?

It's 100% live and in person. People are afraid of speaking in public, not so much online. So, no Zoom, no webinar, no watching from your couch. You show up at our facility at 18339 Old Statesville Rd, Cornelius, NC, which is perfect if you're from Charlotte, Huntersville, Denver, Davidson, or Mooresville, NC.

You're there, with real people who are just like you. And you speak in front of each other over and over, until it stops feeling like a threat. You can't train your nervous system to handle a live room by staring at a screen. If you're in Lake Norman or the greater Charlotte metro, this is built to be an easy drive, not a flight.

Copyright 2026. Nick Hughes Coaching. All Rights Reserved.