Eight women walked into a room on 24 April already knowing how to lead. Two days later, they walked out knowing how to be heard.
That is the quiet but significant shift that KeyNote Women’s Elevate Speaking Bootcamp is designed to create. Not to build capability from scratch. The women who attend already have that in abundance. But to close the gap between what they know and how confidently they say it.
The 13th batch of Elevate came together through a collaboration with Women in Data Centers (WiDC), a non-profit networking community for women working in one of the most male-dominated fields in tech. WiDC’s founder opened an interest list within her community and the response surprised even her. It became WiDC’s very first public speaking bootcamp.
Over two intensive days, eight women from the data centre industry clarified their core message, learned storytelling frameworks that make complex technical ideas memorable, and practised speaking on their feet with real feedback from a coach in the room.
More than that, they pushed past the very specific discomfort that high-achieving women know well. Not the fear of being incompetent, but the fear of being too much. Too assertive. Too visible. Too loud.
Facilitating the two days was Karolina Gwinner, High-Performance Leadership Speaker and Executive Coach.
“The women in this room didn’t need more capability,” she reflected. “What they needed was a mirror to recognise their own strength.”
By the end of the weekend, that recognition showed up in how the women spoke to one another.
“Your presence is undeniable.” “Your voice carries more weight than you realise.” “Your story can inspire the next generation of women. Keep sharing it.”
These were not compliments exchanged out of politeness. They were observations from peers who had spent two days watching each other grow.
“Learning flowed both ways,” Karolina said. “I left equally enriched by their experiences, resilience, and courage.”
The 13th batch is done. If you lead, present, or represent your organisation on stage, in boardrooms, or in front of clients, and you know your message deserves to land harder than it currently does – Elevate was built for you.
Register your interest through our contact form or get in touch at hello@keynotewomen.com.
