The Toastmasters Podcast

[29:10] Sometimes all it takes is one invitation. In this episode, Greg Gazin talks with 16-year-old Runfeng Bruce Yu, whose first Toastmasters experience inspired him to help other young people discover the confidence and encouragement that changed his own life.
What began with a single club visit soon grew into a remarkable leadership journey. Bruce went on to charter the Sea Dragons Gavel Club, creating a supportive environment where students could grow as communicators and leaders. Along the way, he discovered that creating a welcoming community was every bit as important as helping members become better speakers.
Bruce also shares the unexpected challenges of launching a student-led Gavel Club, the creative ways he earned credibility and attracted support, and the leadership lessons he learned along the way. Whether you're looking to strengthen your own club, encourage younger members, or simply enjoy hearing how one person can make a difference, Bruce's story is an inspiring reminder that leadership often begins with a single invitation.
Listeners will also hear...
Why Bruce believes creating a sense of community comes before building communication skills.
How storytelling helped students understand what makes Toastmasters different from traditional speech and debate.
What Bruce did when some adult Toastmasters questioned whether his Gavel Club was real, including reaching out to Past International President Richard E. Peck and World Champion Mark Brown for help.
How partnerships with Rotary created new leadership and service opportunities for students.
Why volunteers from around the world now help support the Sea Dragons Gavel Club.
Bruce's advice for Toastmasters clubs hoping to attract more young people.
How one invitation ultimately inspired Bruce to create the same life-changing experience for others.
Bruce Yu's article, "From Inspiration to Action: Discovering Toastmasters launched my student journey into the program, “ can be found in the August 2026 issue of Toastmaster magazine.
About Bruce Yu
Bruce Runfeng Yu is a high school student and Charter President of the Sea Dragons Gavel Club, a student-led Gavel Club in China with an international reach. He serves on the Youth Advisory Board at Erika's Lighthouse, contributing to youth mental health initiatives, and advocates for youth participation through the United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth. Passionate about expanding educational opportunities, Bruce is committed to helping young people develop the confidence and leadership skills to make a positive impact in their communities.
Bruce lives in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China and can be reached through his club's website: https://seadragonsgavel.org/ or his personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/runfengbruceyu/ or Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/runfengbruceyu/
Find out more about Gavel Clubs.

References: Supplied by Bruce Yu

Our club’s:
Website: https://seadragonsgavel.org/
Volunteer opportunities page (Idealist.org): seadragonsgavel.org/volunteer
Speech contests: https://seadragonsgavel.org/contests/
Online educational session page: https://seadragonsgavel.org/resources/educational-sessions/
History: https://seadragonsgavel.org/about-us/history/
Causes: https://seadragonsgavel.org/about-us/causes/
Linktree: seadragonsgavel.org/connect
Promotional video by Richard E. Peck: https://youtu.be/RkZrbhReG1E?si=sE3ysww3mewETroX
Promotional video by Mark Brown: https://youtu.be/e4tlpWN1Vzs?si=XexqUngMSjFnKbMY

[28:45] Some of life's best lessons come from the most unexpected places, even an animated fish. In this episode, Suneet Singh shares how an unlikely source of inspiration, Pixar's Finding Nemo, helped transform his club's approach to growth. Together, we explore the story behind the journey, the lessons learned along the way, and how one unexpected idea led to remarkable results.
The conversation goes well beyond membership growth. Suneet shares how curiosity, fresh thinking, and a willingness to challenge assumptions helped shape the club's culture and create an experience that people wanted to return to. Whether you're looking to strengthen your club, inspire your members, or simply see your club through a different lens, you'll come away with ideas worth exploring.
Listeners will also hear...
Why Finding Nemo became an unlikely blueprint for club growth.
The one question that changed everything for the club.
How one courageous Table Topics speaker inspired Suneet's own Toastmasters journey.
Why asking better questions often leads to better learning.
A simple networking idea Suneet calls the "multiplier effect."
What every club can learn about finding its own identity.
Be sure to read Suneet's accompanying Toastmaster magazine article, How Nemo Inspired Us to Grow Our Membership, or, if you're reading the PDF edition, A Wave of Success: How Our Club Doubled Its Membership, in the July 2026 issue.
About Suneet
Suneet Singh, CPA, MBA, is a finance and accounting leader with more than a decade of experience across the financial services and software industries. A Toastmaster for five years, he is the Immediate Past President of ART Advanced Royal Toastmasters, an online club based in Toronto, and has also served as a Toastmasters Area Director. He continues to develop as a communicator and leader.
Suneet lives in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, and can be reached at sp1.suneet@gmail.com.
For more information about ART Advanced Royal Toastmasters (ART), or to arrange a club visit, email arttoastmasters@gmail.com. (Meetings: Wednesdays 12:00-1 Eastern)
If you haven't already done so, watch or rewatch Pixar's Finding Nemo. You may find yourself seeing it through a whole new lens.

[31:52] What happens after the gavel changes hands? In this episode Greg Gazin speaks with Distinguished Toastmaster António Mendes about one of Toastmasters’ most overlooked leadership roles: the Immediate Past President (IPP). Drawing on his experience serving as club president and Immediate Past President four times, António shares why this role may continue to influence a club long after a leadership transition.
António shares how what began as a search for stronger business pitches eventually became a 12-year Toastmasters journey that continues today.
You’ll also hear how encouraging newer Toastmaster Ana Natário to step into leadership helped shape António’s thinking about the IPP role. Watching her grow as club president and later continue supporting the club as Immediate Past President showed him how leadership continuity, encouragement, and a strong club culture can create lasting impact long after a term ends. That experience became one of the strongest examples behind his belief in the value of an engaged IPP.
Listeners will also hear:
• Why António believes leadership does not end when a presidency ends
• Why he compares the IPP to an airbag
• What it means to be a bridge between past and future leadership
• How supporting newer Toastmaster Ana Natário helped reinforce his view of the role
• Why a formal handover meeting can help set new officers up for success
• How clubs can preserve traditions while remaining open to change
You can read António’s article, The Unsung Hero of Toastmasters: Discover the Value the Immediate Past President Can Provide a Club in the July 2026 issue of Toastmaster magazine.
About António Mendes
António Mendes, DTM, has been a Toastmaster for 12 years and currently serves as Immediate Past President of Setúbal Toastmasters Club in Portugal. Over a 46-year career in technology, he worked as an IT manager, consultant, entrepreneur, and business leader and now advises organizations on cloud, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. He has served in multiple club and district leadership roles and helped establish and revive clubs while sharing ideas to help clubs grow and strengthen member engagement.
António Mendes lives in Setúbal, Portugal and can be reached via e-mail: mendes.ajs [at] gmail [dot] com, Instagram: @mendes.ajs, Facebook: mendes.ajs
LinkedIn: ajsmendes.

[18:39] The countdown is on for the 2026 Toastmasters International Convention taking place August 19 to 22, 2026, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In this annual convention preview episode, Greg Gazin speaks with Convention Host Co-Chairs Carole Murphy and Tom Jones for an early look at what attendees can expect and to learn more about the volunteers and leaders helping bring Toastmasters’ largest event to life.
You’ll get to know Carole and Tom as they share how they unexpectedly received the invitation to serve, what their role as co-chairs involves, and how their different personalities and leadership styles complement one another and what they’ve learned along the way. You'll also hear why Vancouver, often called Hollywood North, continues to be a favourite convention destination and the meaning behind this year’s convention theme: Wide Open Communication.
Highlights this year include keynote speaker Jody Carrington and 2026 Golden Gavel honouree Jennifer Moss presenting Why Are We Here? Creating a Work Culture Everyone Wants.
You’ll also hear about some of the convention activities, including:
• Traditional opening ceremonies and the Parade of Flags
• Semifinals and finals of the World Championship of Public Speaking
• Accredited Speaker presentation and business meeting
• First-timers activities and networking opportunities
• Smedley Harbour Cruise and Smedley Fun Bingo evening events
• Education sessions and Toastmasters Journey workshops including a new AI-focused session designed to help attract prospective members...and more!
About:
Carole Murphy, DTM, has been a Toastmaster for 31 years and serves as Convention Co-Chair for the 2026 Toastmasters International Convention.
Tom Jones, DTM, is a Past International Director, entrepreneur, management consultant, and Convention Co-Chair for the 2026 Toastmasters International Convention.

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Convention details, agenda, volunteer opportunities, and Dear Boss resources.
You can also read:
1. Five Questions with Carole Murphy DTM and Tom Jones DTM: Behind the Scenes with the 2026 Convention Co-Chairs
2. Wide-Open Communication: 2026 Convention: Head to Vancouver, Canada, for inspiration, education, and connection.
Both articles appear in the June 2026 issue of Toastmaster Magazine.
Related Episode:
Episode #299: Championing Workplace Well-Being — Meet the 2026 Golden Gavel Recipient Jennifer Moss

[47:36] What happens when 20 years and hundreds of conversations change the way you communicate, listen, and tell stories? In this special milestone episode, guest host Ryan Levesque turns the microphone around on Greg Gazin to reflect on the journey behind The Toastmasters Podcast, ToastCaster, and the lessons learned along the way.
From launching a podcast as a Toastmasters High Performance Leadership project in 2006 to becoming host and producer of The Toastmasters Podcast, Greg shares how podcasting transformed not only his communication skills, but also the way he approaches conversations, uncovers stories, and connects with people.
Along the way, the conversation revisits unforgettable moments, including interviews that created vivid “movies in the mind,” emotional discussions that revealed the human side of leadership, and the unexpected lessons that emerged from hundreds of conversations inside and outside Toastmasters.
Greg also reflects on how his interviewing style evolved over time. What began as a focus on asking the “right” questions gradually became something else: learning to listen more carefully, follow curiosity, and help stories unfold naturally. The episode also includes a few behind-the-scenes stories, podcasting flubs, and some unexpected moments listeners likely will not see coming.
Listeners will also hear…
• How podcasting and Toastmasters helped supercharge Greg’s communication skills
• How Greg evolved from question asker to “story builder”
• Why curiosity matters more than asking the “perfect” question
• The conversation that literally gave Greg shivers while recording
• A few memorable podcasting flubs and behind-the-scenes moments
• The origin of Greg’s “conversational runway” interviewing approach
• Why some of the best podcast moments happen completely off-script
• Lessons learned from guest and former co-host

Some of the most meaningful moments did not come from carefully planned questions. They came from unexpected turns, honest reflections, and the willingness to go a little deeper.
And after hundreds of conversations, one lesson stands out above all: when people feel heard, remarkable stories often emerge.
Greg’s article, Reflecting Back: How a Simple Podcasting Project Developed into an Incredible Journey, appears in the June 2026 issue of the Toastmaster magazine.
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Some additional episodes and resources mentioned in this conversation include:
• #082 Introducing Greg Gazin - Newest Host of The Toastmasters Podcast
• #084 Meet the 2014 World Champion of Public Speaking, Dananjaya Hettiarachchi
• #100 Meet the 2015 World Champion of Public Speaking, Mohammed Qahtani
• #104 Surviving Everest & the Nepali Earthquake with Sara Safari
• #169 Vision Beyond Eyesight with Deborah McAlexander
• #172 Confessions of a Podcast Host
• #179 Finding Healing Through Service and Leadership with David Jones
• #208 Don't Let Fear Hold You Back with Robert A. Navarez
• #222 Enhance Your Presentation with Clown Presence - Don Colliver
• #225 This is Us: Greg Gazin & Ryan Levesque - The Toastmasters Podcast
• #250 500 Lunches with Strangers: Breaking Bread for Personal Growth
• #266 Meet Lauren Parsons, 2024 Newest Accredited Speaker (Snack on Exercise)
• #275 & #276 Better Conversations, 1 Question at a Time - Dr. Alison Wood Brooks (Part 1 & 2)
• #267 Meet Maureen Zappala, 2024 Newest Accredited Speaker (Impostor Syndrome and “My Dot”
• #294 Beyond 500 Lunches with Strangers: Lesson on Achieving Anything - Nick Bendel
• #297 What Happens When Toastmasters Give Youth Voices a TEDx Stage with CeCe Espeut
• #298 Spotting & Resolving Generative AI Pitfalls for Communicators with Joel Schwartzberg
• TC056 Spanish Train: A Journey in Vocal Variety (ToastCaster)
• TC150 The Hardest Speech You’ll Ever Have to Give (ToastCaster)
• YouTube: Spanish Train: A Journey in Vocal Variety (YouTube video)

About Greg Gazin
Greg Gazin, DTM, is host and producer of The Toastmasters Podcast and creator of ToastCaster: Communication & Leadership Learning Lab. A 24-year Toastmaster, writer, speaker, and technology columnist, Greg has spent nearly two decades exploring communication, leadership, storytelling, and personal growth through podcasting.
Greg is a Past District Governor and recipient of a Toastmasters International Presidential Citation. He is also a member of Spiritual Living Toastmasters in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.