From Public Speaking Fear to Hosting a Radio Show and Speaking Internationally:

Client Spotlight Interview with Irina Sorrels

Victoria:

My guest today is Irina Sorrels. Irina is originally from Columbia. She works with a non-profit organization helping survivors of domestic and sexual violence and sex trafficking. In 2020 Irina was recognized as the prevention Educator of the Year for the entire state of Indiana.

She joined my brilliant Speakers Academy program a few years ago when she realized that her severe fear of public speaking was in the way of pursuing her dream of becoming an international speaker. Since she finished the program, she founded the Irina Sorrels Academy, a Training Center for women who want to become advocates for survivors of sexual and domestic abuse. She wrote a book called Your Inner Heroine, A Guide for Battered Women, and she now travels around the world as a speaker talking about domestic and sexual violence prevention. Please welcome Irina to the show.

Irina:

Yes, thank you, Victoria. I'm super happy, super excited.

Victoria:

I know there have been a lot of things happening in your life since you enrolled in the Brilliant Speakers Academy Coaching Program, which was two or three years ago now. It's been a while. But first of all, tell me what you did before you joined the program and why you decided to join the program.

Irina:

Before I joined the program, I had recently started working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence. I got a job in a nonprofit organization helping survivors, and I needed to go and give conferences, go to schools, go in the community, and talk about prevention and these types of things. I was so scared because English is not my first language. I was super ashamed speaking in English, and I thought, I want public speaking classes. I need public speaking classes. I bought books. I remember I used to watch TED talks and several things, but I said, no, I need something deeper. I need something special.

So, I started looking online. I don't remember how I got your information but everything I saw, I knew, this is what I needed. This is what I am looking for. I enrolled immediately. I didn't think much because I said, this is what I need. Really. I have never seen something like that. I enrolled and it was the best decision I made during that time. It was during the pandemic.

Victoria:

I remember you enrolling, and I remember you at the very beginning of the program. You needed to do “Coffee with Irina” or something like that. I remember you were trying to record those conversations. I remember we were working through them, and you were so scared. Do you remember that?

Irina:

Yeah, I remember. On Fridays, I was doing a Coffee Break. I think they were like 30 minutes on Friday. I needed to speak about what I do about domestic violence, sexual violence. I remember I was petrified. It was horrible. It was terrible for me. I remember you giving me tips and telling me how to do it and what to say. I remember you coaching me because for me, it was super difficult. And now I speak everywhere.

Victoria:

Tell me about now. Tell me how your life has changed, what you've done in the last few years since you have graduated from Brilliant Speakers Academy?

Irina:

Oh my gosh. Well, let me tell you that this program changed my life. My dream is to be an international speaker. I want to travel everywhere, and I want to be able to speak and talk about this job I do and love. But how am I going to become an international speaker? At least I need to start with something, and the Coffee Break was the first thing. The Coffee Break was my first exposure to the public online.

Then after Covid was over, I started conferences in schools and churches. Little by little, I started developing this career. Now I have been invited to other countries to speak and to give a testimony about my life and about my book, because I wrote a book after that. Remember that you helped me also. We had a coaching session, and I told you I'm writing a book. I need your help. This book also opened a lot of doors because people started interviewing me.

Victoria:

I'm so proud of you. It just melts my heart to hear how successful you are and everything that you are doing right now. What are your plans for the future? What are you trying to do still? What are you working on right now?

Irina:

I have an academy, a mentoring academy. So, I became a mentor of mentors. What I do is I train women who want to help survivors of domestic and sexual violence. So practically, I train these women to do what I do because that is my job. My full-time job is with an organization helping survivors.

I created this academy to teach women, to train them to do this job because not many people do this type of job. It's not easy because it's very emotionally draining. But when you have a mentor, it's like when I had you as a mentor, I could overcome my fears. It's the same with this situation about working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence. You need a mentor who will walk you through how to help them in a good way, in a way where you won’t become worn out. People do have the tendency to become worn out with these types of jobs.

I am super excited with this new challenge in my life, and I love it. Let me tell you another thing, starting in May for one year, I will have a radio show. Once a week I will have my program. It'll be in Spanish, but my program is Talking Without Taboos with Irina. We'll be talking about sexual violence, domestic violence, child violence, everything. I will bring guest speakers to talk about different things related to this topic. I have a contract for one year to do that. It's a Christian radio station that will be in Indiana, Chicago, and other states. It will also be on Spotify and YouTube, and many places. So, I'm super excited.

Victoria:

I'm so proud of you. This is beautiful. And this is something that you wanted, you always wanted to help. I remember back when you joined the program, that was the only thing you were talking about. I want to help women; I want to help. And it's so wonderful.

Irina, tell my listeners, what was your favorite thing about working with me inside of the Brilliant Speakers Academy?

Irina:

Oh my gosh. Everything. Victoria first. You, you're so professional. I love that. You are very sweet, very kind, and you have a lot of knowledge. It was so good because remember we had a Facebook group, so that helped me a lot to learn how to mentor someone online. You're awesome. You are awesome, really. You're an excellent teacher. You're an excellent mentor, an excellent coach. I will be grateful to you forever, my whole life.

Victoria:

Thank you. One last question for you. If someone was on the fence about working with me inside Brilliant Speakers Academy, what would you tell them?

Irina:

I’d tell them that Victoria is an excellent teacher and excellent mentor. And don't hesitate, please. It's so easy to work with Victoria. Her program is fantastic. I mean, you will not find a better program. Victoria gives you all the coaching and all the help you need to become a great public speaker.