Detours

You have something worth sharing. Your experience, your ideas, your wisdom. And sometimes, a powerful presentation is what helps you get that message out of your head and into the room. I’m Angie Norris, and this is Side Hustle GPS. Today, we’re stopping in Storybook Valley to explore Presentation Writing. I’ve created thousands of presentations over the years. And I’m going to toot my own horn a little bit here: I’ve always loved making them visually powerful. The animations. The transitions. Those moments when someone looks at a slide and says, “How did you do that in PowerPoint?” I’ve been complimented on that many times, and it’s a skill I’ve spent years developing. I’ve also always had this funny little philosophy about speaking on stages: if the words coming out of my mouth aren’t that interesting, at least my visuals will be wow! So I put a lot of thought into what people see while they’re listening to me. Now, enter AI. What used to take so much time has gotten easier. You can describe the look you’re envisioning, explore different styles, and create visuals that reflect your personality and your brand. I love making doodle slides. I can bring in characters, create images that look like me, and illustrate an idea in a way that makes it easier to understand. I use tools like Higgsfield, ChatGPT, and Claude in my creative process. I’ve tested plenty of others, too. But the opportunity starts with the message you want to share. What do you want someone to understand? What do you want them to remember? What should they be able to do afterward? Those questions matter whether you’re creating your own presentation or getting paid to help someone else. Because plenty of people have expertise, but they struggle to organize it. A business owner might need a training presentation. A consultant might need a workshop. A speaker might have stories, notes, and ideas everywhere—and need help bringing them together. That’s a service you can offer. Help them find the main message. Put their ideas in an order that makes sense. Write slide headlines and speaker notes. Then create visuals that support what they’re saying. AI can help you work through those steps, but you still need to review the content and make sure the presentation reflects the speaker’s voice. And here’s one of my favorite tips: create something useful enough to become a leave-behind. I love turning my presentations into PDFs so people can revisit the information and take action afterward. If you use animation, make sure the important information still makes sense on the static page. Give them something they can actually use when the presentation is over. Your first money move? Choose one topic you understand and create a short sample presentation. Give it a clear message, engaging visuals, and a useful PDF version. Then show it to someone who teaches, trains, or speaks, and offer to help turn their expertise into a presentation of their own. And if you’ve been holding back your own ideas, ask yourself this: what do I know that could help someone else take their next step? Your voice belongs in the room. Explore Presentation Writing in Storybook Valley at SideHustleGPS.com. You don’t need permission to contribute. Start with something you know, give it a clear message, and share it in a way people can understand and use.