Centre Stage is an interview series aimed at empowering women in insights with the confidence of being in the spotlight.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Kahren Kersten, Independent Consultant at Experience Insights. Not only is Kahren a seasoned public speaker, but she’s also a passionate and dynamic leader who’s forged her own path in business. Her journey towards becoming the captain of her own ship has been truly inspiring, and she never stops striving to push the insights industry forward.

When it comes to public speaking, fear and shaky hands are just part of the game. Keep reading for some tools and advice on how to overcome them…
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Iosetta: How did you take your first steps as a presenter? Do you remember the first time on stage?

Kahren: Yes, I do! The first time I ever had to speak was at a debrief. I was so nervous I must have practiced for hours just to say a few words. I later realized that part of that nervousness was because I hadn’t designed the material. It's hard to own the story if you’re not involved in its creation.

I: What changed? What drives you to be on stage now?

K: My journey has been a windy road. And over time, what's really driven me to get on stage is the sheer belief that what I have to say is something that will really benefit the industry. I'm driven by a passion for knowledge-sharing and the potential to create meaningful change. Being on stage allows me to bridge the gap between research insights and actionable strategies, helping others leverage this knowledge for real-world impact. It's about fostering connections and sparking new ideas that can drive both personal and professional growth. The more you get exposure, the more you build your network, the more support you have.

I: It’s normal to feel nervous when speaking in front of people. But how did you overcome stage fright and the other challenges of being on stage?

K: Get practice anywhere you can. Practice in the office, it doesn't even have to be a particular presentation, it could just be some great work you’ve done with a client that you want to share with everyone. What I found really helpful in the past few years is giving my time pro-bono. I have strategic partners, and I offer to help them with their speaking events for free. This helps me get more practice and feel more natural when talking in front of people.

Ultimately, I tell myself “You just have to get over it”, because if you don't get over it, then no one's going to hear what you have to say, what you believe in. So, find out what you're passionate about and talk about that, because that's going to make all those fears and challenges seem so much smaller.

I: Is self-doubt and the infamous imposter syndrome something you ever had? If so, how do you navigate these feelings?

The feeling goes beyond being on stage. There are a lot of biases out there, which when I was younger, I didn't even notice, and now I see them everywhere.

I think the biggest issue I've come across is that sometimes when I first meet people, they have unhelpful preconceptions, they underestimate me. Being on stage is the best way to show them what you can do. You must believe that you'll win them over. Doubt is normal. I still worry people will think I don't have anything interesting to say, and I get nervous every time I speak; but it's because I care, and it's because I really want to deliver my presentation in the most impactful way.

And be comfortable knowing that it's not going to go 100% to plan. There are all kinds of little things that won’t go how you imagined on the day. As much as you practice, you cannot foresee and completely eliminate all of the little hiccups that are going to happen. And that’s ok!

I: Thinking on your feet is important! Do you have other top tips on how to be on stage and deliver a successful presentation? Can you share any resources that have been particularly valuable to you?

K: Adam Grant points out that when you feel nervous a lot of people say: “try to stay calm” - but that's going against your natural inclination. The adrenaline is pumping, you can't really stop it. So, what’s truly helpful, is thinking about that anxious energy and reframing it into excitement.

Also, make sure that people are engaging with what you’re saying. Make eye contact with them and if you feel comfortable, don’t stand behind the podium but get your whole self in front of the audience.

Another point is to work on your presentation and make sure that what you are showing is really visually amazing. No one wants to just stare at a bunch of words on a screen. Also, that helps you not being the sole source of content, instead you're supporting what’s on the screen.

I: Drawing from your personal experience, what would you say to encourage more women in our industry, who may feel hesitant, to step forward and embrace speaking opportunities?

K: Find a higher purpose. It's not about your fear. It's not about how you look. I would even be so bold as to say it's not about how your company looks. It's about the work and supporting each other. So that more women will be comfortable doing this.

Find something that matters to you and use that as your focal point - then any of the fear or challenges you come up against kind of wash away; because you have your end goal, which is way more important than accidentally tripping up over a slide or two when you're presenting.

I: What steps do you think companies in MR should take to actively foster and support women's talent, ensuring they have equal opportunities to showcase their expertise on stage?

K: Organizations could support their employees to do more in general – from writing papers to presentations and conference submissions. Companies should really promote this idea of getting onstage and set up opportunities to speak; encourage their staff to share information internally and do some training. Not just for women, but for anyone who wants to. But of course, when it comes time to actually presenting onstage, just being conscious of who it is that's representing the company; do you really have a balanced representation? Are enough women getting out there?If not, why not? Understand what it is that's holding them back and give them that targeted support.

9. Thank you for all the great advice, anything else you’d like to add?

Thank you for doing this, I think it's such a great initiative. This is another step in the right direction. It's things like this that give other women more confidence to shine.

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About Kahren

With a BA in Business Management (University of Leeds, UK), Kahren’s career began in London in 2007 as a market researcher in NPD, advertising and CX. During her time in the UK, Kahren worked at BrainJuicer (now System1 Group), Denstu’s Vizeum UK, GfK NOP and MarketCast, among others.

In 2017, Kahren moved back to the US to pursue an MA in Industrial and Product Design (NCSU), where she blended existing career knowledge with newfound design skills. In her final year, she worked in Electrolux’s design team. After graduating in 2020, Kahren founded Experience Insights, a consultancy using mixed-methods research, journey maps, workshops, collaborative techniques and wireframes / service mapping to holistically inform business strategy and design new experiences.

Recognizing the importance of being onstage to drive impact in the industry, Kahren has worked closely with Partners to identify speaking opportunities where she can share her perspective. Recent speaking events include the Insights Association's Corporate Researcher's Conference and Annual Conference; IIEX in North America; and Project Medtech.

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