I first discovered Toastmasters in 2015 when I was preparing a product launch. I wanted to hone my speaking skills so I can give effective "elevator speeches" and presentations when needed. The product (EllyStand, shown at left) ultimately failed in Kickstarter, reaching only 16k on a 30k goal. But I learned a lot in the process. I realized that practicing speeches is important because the self-improvement process is incremental. It takes regular practice to grow from one comfort level to the next.