42. What to Do When Your Internet Connection is Lost

“Before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow Internet service to see who they really are.” — Will Ferrell, comedian and actor

Two weeks ago, my wife, Elaine, and I moved to Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, just outside of Charleston.  We loved living in Northern Virginia, but we wanted to move to a warmer climate.  

We weren’t disappointed.  The beaches, the Charleston downtown, and the wonderful neighborhood in which we now live (Mount Pleasant, South Carolina) confirmed that we made the right decision to move to the Charleston area.

So we moved in and are still opening boxes.  We moved in on a Monday and didn’t obtain Internet access until Thursday.  We had access until the following Tuesday, when men from the Internet company came to bury the cable in my yard.  

Unfortunately, they left without checking my Internet access.  You guessed it. I had no access after they left.

We had to wait until the following Friday to get our Internet access restored. 

I started thinking about what we could do as speakers if our Internet access were cut during a live presentation.

This podcast explores three backup plans if your Internet access is lost during your presentation

References 

• Forbes Technology Council. (2020). “13 Effective Ways To Stay Online When Internet Service Is Unreliable.” Forbes
• Gallo, Carmine. “The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs.” (2010). Gallo discusses the power of rehearsal and preparation, which includes having contingency plans for tech failures.
• Duarte, Nancy. “Resonate.” (2010). Duarte emphasizes audience engagement through storytelling and adaptability—having a co-presenter is an extension of that adaptability.