From Panic Attacks to Public Speaking Pro: Max Hopkinson’s Journey and Framework

Apr 22, 2025

Max Hopkinson, co-founder of The Keynote Club and ex-Head of Marketing at Iceland Foods, shares his inspiring journey from panic attacks to public speaking success. He unveils a powerful framework to identify speaking topics based on lived experiences and audience connection. Discover how to structure an engaging talk, from grabbing attention to leaving a lasting impact. Max emphasizes that everyone has a unique story worth sharing, encouraging listeners to embrace their narratives and support others on the path to becoming confident speakers.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

Max's Panic Attack Journey

Max Hopkinson had a panic attack while public speaking and quit his job at Iceland Foods.
He later proved himself wrong by learning to speak confidently and now helps others do the same.

ADVICE

Select Your Speaking Territory

Choose your speaking topic where you have lived experience and genuine passion (belly energy).
Ensure your topic fits your audience and you can empathize with them to make your talk effective.

ADVICE

Six-Box Framework for Talks

Use a six-box framework to draft talks: start, intro, three chapters, full circle, and call to action.
Apply the rule of three for chapters and connect start and end to satisfy and engage your audience.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

In our latest session, we welcomed the brilliant Max Hopkinson — co-founder of The Keynote Club and former Head of Marketing at Iceland Foods. Max shared his deeply personal and practical journey to becoming a confident public speaker, after once having a panic attack during a presentation on... breaded chicken.

Here’s what we covered:

Max once believed public speaking “wasn’t for him.” After a panic attack at work, he quit his job.
But he knew becoming a better speaker would unlock career opportunities, so he committed to learning.
Fast forward: he’s now helping others do the same via The Keynote Club, aiming to support 1 million people.

Max shared a framework to help anyone find their ideal speaking topic:

Right to Speak: Do you have lived experience? Are you in the top 3-5 people in your network on the topic?
Belly Energy: Do you have passion or fire in your belly for it?
Audience Fit: Can you empathise with your audience? Are they genuinely interested?

Attendees built a full draft of a talk using Max’s 6-box framework:

Start – Grab attention (no polite intros!)
Intro – Set expectations and show relevance
Three Chapters – A clear structure based on story or chronology
Full Circle – Come back to your start for emotional payoff
Call to Action – What should the audience do next?
Timings – Allocate time to each section (and always finish early!)

Everyone has a story — Max encouraged participants to uncover theirs, even if they think they’re "boring."
Speaking = Helping — Focus your talk on helping the audience first, not selling.
Starts & Ends Matter Most — That’s where attention is won (or lost).

Max even drafted a template email for attendees to send, asking to speak to a real audience. Because, as he says:

“The talk you’ll regret most is the one you never give.”

If you want to dive deeper, Max’s “High Stakes Speaking” course with The Keynote Club kicks off soon – with sessions designed to help you build talks, master nerves, and grow in confidence.

Huge thanks to Max, and if you found the session valuable, do drop him a follow on LinkedIn (he’s just 70 shy of 10k... let’s fix that).

Stay tuned for our next webinar with Tracksuit’s Matthew Herbert on how to measure brand marketing.

🎤 Max’s Journey into Public Speaking🗺️ Discovering Your "Speaking Territory"🧱 A Simple Talk Structure (with Worksheets!)💡 Key Takeaways📬 Take Action