TEDxMarvila events are all about powerful storytelling, but the story that’s often left untold is that of the heroes running the events behind the scenes, and the months of preparation, passion and hard work that inform the impressive final product.
This year, Erickson Coaching International is proud to have five formidable Erickson coaches volunteering for TEDxMarvila as speaker coaches. They’ve been working closely with the 2026 group of speakers to help them refine and polish their message and build up their stage presence.
“Coaches have high emotional intelligence, and they’re experts at helping their clients handle difficult situations,” Anel explains. “As we get closer to our live event date, the speakers headlining the event often feel anxious and stressed about their performances, and this is where the months of working with a speaker coach and building a relationship of trust and expertise really come into play.”
At the end of the day, the messages behind the TEDxMarvila talks are most important, and that’s why Tatiana explains that once the speaker coaches and speakers have been ‘matched’, they start their working relationship not by polishing their speaking techniques and stage presence (all of which comes later), but rather by first helping the speakers connect with their core message and tell their story in the most authentic way possible.
In some instances, that can take up to 37 drafts of the speech before the message ‘lands’.
“We want to do everything in our power to ensure that the message opens people’s hearts and speaks to their souls; that people feel action and inspiration afterwards,” Anel elaborates. “That’s what the TEDxMarvila spirit is all about, and we work tirelessly to drive that shared purpose and community power.”
What people may not realize is the fact that TEDxMarvila is entirely volunteer-based, not for profit, and comprised of a team of professionals from more than 10 different nationalities, all with a passion for enabling dialogue and the belief in the power of human connections.
This is very much aligned with Erickson’s mission to ‘change the world, one conversation at a time’, and as Erickson Coach and TEDxMarvila volunteer speaker coach, Alex, explains, this year’s team of 5 Erickson speaker coaches have brought a distinctly Ericksonian ‘solution-focused approach’ to the 2026 speeches.
“As speaker coaches, it’s important for us to think of the legacy that our client’s speech is going to give the world. So we work very closely with our speakers (clients) in the beginning to think deeply about the bigger picture; and what exactly the impact is that they want to convey,” Alex explains.
It’s the ultimate form of teamwork, and teamwork is ultimately the very backbone of what makes an event like TEDxMarvila soar. In fact, in the case of TEDxMarvila’s 2026 line-up, it’s going to be an event quite unlike any other event you’ve experienced before.
Anel and her team have put together a program full of art and pure craftsmanship, including:
A monologue on ‘What Is Love?’ by a famous Portuguese-Brazilian actor , followed by a short film screening
A gospel choir of 30 singers opening the event
A percussion session by the Metropolitan Orchestra of Lisbon near the water
Opera singing
An art exhibition ‘Love At First Sight’
And many more highlights…
Visit tedxmarvila.com/what-is-love/ for more info. Tickets to this extraordinary event cost €120 and can be purchased here.
MEET THE ERICKSON COACHES WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES AT TEDxMARVILA
To learn more about the five Erickson coaches involved in the TEDxMarvila 2026 event, connect with them on LinkedIn and watch this space for follow-up articles to come: