Welcome to Walt 2.0

On June 25, 1975. Walt 1.0 was released.

I entered the workforce a little more than a month shy of my 18^th birthday. I stood 6’2”, weighed 170 pounds, and sported a large afro. I was painfully shy when I began my 37 year career with Hughes Aircraft / Raytheon. At the same time, I was going to college. I graduated with a BSEE in computer engineering and worked my way up the corporate ladder, from technician to engineer to senior manager. From performer to leader.

Walt 1.0 evolved with minor upgrades along the way … coming to grips with shyness, learning new skills and growing from day to day. But Walt 1.0 had a major flaw — severe stage fright.

Walt 1.0 – June 1975

In August of 2006, at the ripe young age of 49, I began development of Walt 2.0. I joined Toastmasters to finally face my fear of public speaking. In February of 2008, I attended three training events in Las Vegas and realized something on the flight back to LA … I had a long journey ahead of me, but I could conquer stage fright. I set a goal of being good enough to get paid to speak by August of 2012, when I would be 55 and old enough to retire.

Early beta testing of Walt 2.0 included competing in Toastmasters speech contests, doing standup comedy on some big stages (the Hollywood Improv and the Flamingo in Las Vegas), and performing in improv and sketch comedy show’s with Held2gether, in Long Beach, CA.

Walt 2.0 – November 2

I retired from the Raytheon in Aug of 2012. And I put the finishing touches on Walt 2.0.

And with the start of 2013, Walt 2.0 is released.

In the first week of 2013, I became the host of an internet radio show, Walt Grassl’s Stand Up and Speak Up. And with this blog, I am now a blogger. The blog will be broader than conquering stage fright … it will include reinventing yourself. And anything else I feel the urge to share.

I will be completing a book, “Stand Up and Speak Up”, early in 2013.

I hope that by sharing my story and principles I have learned from others,  I can help you you face your fears, overcome stage fright and learn to re-invent yourself.