INTRODUCTION:

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Emily: Hello and welcome to Links Presents. This morning we are talking with a remarkable person, Luisa Baldini. Welcome, Luisa.

Luisa: Hello, Emily.

Emily: Luisa is a trilingual former TV journalist and also the founder of Composure Media. We have so much to talk about today. I don’t actually know where to start, but I want to talk about Composure Media, because I think it's so relevant to our audience. I think many of our listeners are going to be intrigued and excited to know what you currently offer.

Luisa: It's been an interesting career and this is very much my second career. I was on TV, reporting the news, and now with my business partner, also named Luisa, we help people present and communicate to the best of their ability. The reason we set up this business is because I used to get very nervous going on TV, even though that was my job. Can you imagine?

Emily: Did that not get easier?

Luisa: No, it never got any easier.

Emily: Interesting!

Luisa: Because each time I went on air, I was facing national or international humiliation if I went wrong.

Emily: Yes.

Luisa: So, every time was a high-stakes moment.

Emily: And did you ever go wrong?

Luisa: Well, I had my moments. Nothing ended up on the blooper tapes, luckily, but I remember being thrown onto the BBC Breakfast set live without time to research the breaking story. I had one line from the Press Association, and that was it. Apparently, my chin was quivering live on air. That was probably the worst moment.

Emily: That is literally throwing somebody under the bus!

Luisa: Yeah, it was very daunting. It's very daunting doing live work, but also any form of public speaking. A lot of people struggle with public speaking and find it incredibly nerve-wracking, which is natural. I thought, well, I had to learn the hard way how to manage my confidence and nerves. What really helped me was having structures and strategies for explaining tricky or technical stories and telling a story in an interesting way. I learned the hard way, but now I help others with these skills.

HOW LUISA GOT INTO JOURNALISM

Emily: Let's go back to the beginning. How did you get into the world of journalism?

Luisa: I was in my third year at university, studying French, and was living in Brussels. Back then, there was no email or the web, and I felt detached from what was going on back in the UK. I treated myself to The Sunday Times each week, and I had this Eureka moment. I thought, that’s it! I can travel the world, use my languages—I'm half Italian, so I speak Italian—and I love writing. I can combine all of this and be really nosy!

Emily: That's amazing!

Luisa: Yeah, it was a Eureka moment. When I went back to uni, I was determined to become a journalist. Initially, I thought I would become a print journalist, but I quickly realised those people on TV were broadcast journalists. I started writing for the university paper, but I didn't get excited about seeing my byline. Then someone suggested I try the university radio station, and I was hooked from the first time. It all adds up now because I understood my personality traits and what made me tick. I knew I couldn’t have an office job.

THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOGNISING YOUR STRENGTHS

Emily: It’s amazing that someone that young could have the foresight to recognise what would work for them.

Luisa: Yes, it’s interesting because I've recently had an ADHD diagnosis, and looking back, I realised that I didn’t have the attention span for an office job. I remember thinking at 14 that I would be a barrister, but soon realised I didn’t have the patience for all the studying. I knew intuitively what worked for me, but I was lost during those first three years of uni, thinking, “What am I going to do with my life?” I was lucky to have that moment of clarity, which led to a career that suited my personality traits.

LUISA’S TV CAREER AND PIVOTAL MOMENTS

Emily: After university, you had 12 years at the BBC as a TV correspondent, covering major stories. You’re most well-known for the Amanda Knox case. Tell me about the most difficult story to cover.

Luisa: Definitely Amanda Knox. For those who don’t know, Amanda Knox was a young American student convicted of murdering her flatmate, Meredith Kercher. I covered the first court case where she was convicted, and then two years later, she appealed. The story grew internationally, and I was the only TV journalist for the BBC breaking the verdict live to the global audience.

Emily: Wow.

Luisa: I was incredibly nervous. The way Italian judges deliver a verdict is complicated, not just guilty or not guilty. The judge reads a Penal Code, and if you don’t know what the code refers to, you don’t know the verdict. So, I had to write down all the codes and cross-reference them. Imagine giving out the wrong verdict on live TV—it would have been the end of my career. That day, I wanted to run away. It really took a toll on my health, not to detract from the seriousness of the case.

THE TRANSITION TO COMPOSURE MEDIA

Emily: Was that moment a turning point in your career? Did it influence your decision to transition to a new career?

Luisa: Yes, I had a few more years at the BBC, but live broadcasting started to feel more and more arduous. I’d always been nervous about performing well, but as I got more tired, especially with young kids, it became harder.

Emily: How did you juggle the demanding hours of journalism with a family?

Luisa: We managed with an au pair because my husband also worked in TV news. He had a more regular shift pattern, but the only way for me to do foreign assignments was with an au pair. We always got Italian au pairs, so my kids could learn Italian.

THE WORK OF COMPOSURE MEDIA

Emily: Let’s fast forward to Composure Media. Can you break down the different sides of your business and explain how you help your clients?

Luisa: Communication and presentation skills are vital, no matter what industry or career level you’re in. If you can’t communicate your knowledge or expertise, you’re missing out. At Composure Media, we help people sound human, not just like corporate spokespeople. We also teach people how to focus on what’s vital to communicate and boost their confidence. Confidence is 50% of the battle with public speaking.

KEY TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Emily: Can you share some key tips for better communication?

Luisa: The first tip is to have a structure for your content. When you have a clear opening, three key points, and a conclusion, you’ll feel much more confident. The second tip is delivery—slow down. When you’re nervous, you tend to speak too quickly, but slowing down and pausing gives you more gravitas. Pausing also helps you avoid fillers, which can undermine your message.

Emily: That’s brilliant advice!

Luisa: Yes, slowing down and using pauses can completely change how you’re perceived as a speaker.

THE CLIENTS OF COMPOSURE MEDIA

Emily: Who typically books your courses?

Luisa: We work with everyone from graduates to CEOs. Communication skills are vital at all levels. Even senior people can benefit from refreshing their skills or understanding how to better engage their audience. One of the hardest things for senior leaders is using stories to build trust with their teams.

Emily: Luisa, thank you so much. It's been absolutely fabulous talking to you today.

Luisa: Thanks, Emily.

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