VIVA SARAH PRESS

Covid-19 changed the speakers’ circuit. No more face-to-face banter with audiences, no more raising hands, or nodding faces. Now, when speakers like myself give talks or host webinars, we’re looking into a camera, sharing our screen presentation and trying to hold eye contact with participants (who are many miles away). Speakers know that keeping talks interactive and fun are key. Perhaps even more so, now. Zoom fatigue is real. Online webinars must be fun to hold attention.

It was a beautiful Sunday in Toronto, the sun was shining, a perfect day to enjoy the outdoors. And yet, some 40 households set up their Zoom video links to log in to a talk on innovation in the time of Covid-19. While the talk is packed with exciting stories of health breakthroughs, wild ideas that will change how we do things, and tales of fun coronavirus inventions – it would have been understandable if participants had chosen to go for a walk outside instead. After all, a