10/22/2025
Once upon a time, I set out to help people who stutter.
Along the way, they helped me.
For years, I thought my job was to fix speech. To make people sound "normal." To eliminate the blocks.
Over time, the people I worked with taught me something different.
It's about saying what you want to say - and being heard.
It's not about "speech." It's about making real connections! π¬
Mark Friedlich - grew up in a tenement, bullied in the schoolyard. Today he testifies before Congress and advises presidential administrations. Stutter and all.
Billy McLaughlin - sent me a 1 AM email: "Help: Stuttering Wrecking My Life." Six weeks later, he gave a 12-minute speech to 8,000 people opening for a former U.S. President. He went on to serve as Director of Digital Content at The White House.
Greg Pandise - struggled to read aloud in class. Classmates chuckled. Coaches doubted his play-calling abilities. Today he's thriving in financial salesβleading teams, closing deals, showing up fully.
John Hendrickson - hid his stutter for 30 years. Thought he'd have to drive a truck. Today he's a senior editor at The Atlantic and author of Life on Delay.
Shane Garcia - cried on the couch at five because kids mocked his stutter. Today he's a professional dancer and choreographer who's performed on national TV.
They didn't wait for perfect speech to start living. π
They taught me: the barrier can become the catapult.
π The challenge doesn't define usβit refines us.
Today is International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD). ποΈ
I'm sharing what stuttering taught me - about fear, courage, and the strength we all carry inside.
It's not just for people who stutter. It's for anyone who's ever felt stuck.
π‘ Read the full story - link in bio
schneiderspeech.com/ourblog
β»οΈ Share this with someone who needs to hear it
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