Hello Reader,

This has been one of the busiest months I've had in a while. Instead of the typical newsletter, I want to fill you in on what's been happening.

My Biggest Keynote Yet

1,000 CIBC professionals. In-person and online. One room. One message.

This past Tuesday I delivered the largest keynote of my career.

The talk was called "The Question You're Not Supposed to Ask (And How to Ask It Anyway)" - four words that either open a door or quietly close one in diverse, global workplaces, and a practical framework for navigating that moment well.

The energy was incredible. The feedback has been overwhelming. And I'm still processing it.

When my proposal was accepted, my first thought was: This is incredible. My second thought was: Holy crap. I need help.

So I hired the most incredible speaker coach I could find: Alexis Orchard from Orchard Presents.

Over the past month, Alexis held me accountable to prepare, hit milestones, and elevate my delivery in ways I didn't even know I needed. She coached me on how to command a room of 1,000 people, land key messages with impact, use my voice effectively, handle nerves at scale, and make every person in that audience feel seen.

I've been speaking publicly for years, but this was a whole different level. And I'm so grateful to have someone in my corner who believes in me and pushes me to be better.

The lesson? Even experienced professionals need coaching. Investing in yourself is never wasted.

The full video is coming in the next few weeks. For now, here's a brief clip.

Thank you to CIBC for trusting me with this opportunity.

WATCH: From 'Hello to Sold'

A few weeks earlier, I co-hosted a workshop with Paul Doucet from Sandler Systems at AMICA Pickering - and it's where a lot of my thinking about connection and community really came together.

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Forty professionals came together to learn strategic networking and build their action plans. What I thought would be a networking workshop turned into something else entirely - I was teaching community building and the art of truly adding value to your network. The difference between collecting contacts and creating genuine connection.

Special thanks to Paul Doucet (Sandler Systems) and AMICA Pickering for being such incredible partners, and to everyone who showed up ready to learn and engage.

NEW PODCAST EPISODE: Meeting Transparency

Trust is the foundation of every community I've been talking about. And nothing erodes it faster than this.

A consultant accepted what she thought was a casual networking call. When she joined, three executives appeared on screen - no warning, no context. What was framed as friendly conversation turned into an unpaid consulting session. The trust was gone immediately.

I've experienced almost the exact same thing - and it's why I wanted to talk about this.

In this episode, I break down:

• The importance of meeting transparency
• Why it's one of the fastest trust-killers in the workplace
• Exactly what to say if you find yourself in an ambush meeting

Drop a comment and tell me about a time you experienced a meeting transparency violation. I read every single one.

Final Thought: Community is Everything

Whether it's 40 people at a workshop, 1,000 people at a keynote, or the group of people reading this newsletter - community is everything.

The relationships you build. The value you give. The trust you earn. That's what lasts.

This month's challenge: pick one person in your network and do something intentional for them. Send a resource. Make an introduction. Celebrate their win.

Don't ask for anything. Just add value.

And watch what happens when you stop networking and start building community.

Warm regards,

Trina Boos
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Founder & CEO
Boost Academy of Excellence
​boostacademyofexcellence.com​