D50 After Dark

Leadership frameworks. Leadership triangles. Leadership strategy. Former District 50 Division Director David Haney breaks down the leadership triangles every leader must master — from the Iron Triangle of cost, time, and quality to the three pillars of people, process, and technology. In this episode of D50 After Dark, host Mickey Bennett, DTM sits down with David Haney, former Town North Division...

What does software engineering have to do with leadership? More than you think. In this episode of D50 After Dark, host Mickey Bennett sits down with Toastmasters member Sri Krishna Ravulapalli, a Google Cloud Professional Architect with 18 years of IT experience, to break down three powerful leadership principles he has applied throughout his career.   Krishna walks us through why great leaders n...

D50 After Dark: Sri Krishna Ravulapalli on Innovation, AI, and Speaking Up In this episode of D50 after dark, host Mickey Bennett talks with Sri Krishna Ravulapalli about his hackathon triumph and the powerful lesson behind it: using communication and confidence to turn a good idea into a real win. Sri Krishna shares how his team built an AI-based solution to preserve tribal knowledge for support...

In this District 50 conversation, David Haney breaks downhow clubs can create a successful hybrid meeting setup without needing a massive budget or a technical team. The message is clear: hybrid meetings can help clubs grow, retain members, and make participation easier for people across Dallas, Tyler, and beyond.   What listeners will learn This episode explains the core idea of a hybrid meeting:...

Host: Mickey Bennett, DTM Guest: Jesse Oakley III (Las VegasToastmaster, Past District Director, Co-Chair 2015 International Convention) Episode Summary Jesse Oakley III shares his experience co-chairing the 2015 Toastmasters International Convention at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, alongside his wife Dana. From the surprise call from Executive Director Daniel Rex, learning from the 2014 Kuala Lumpur...

Unlock Your Voice: How Krishna Ravulapalli Conquered Fear Show Notes: D50 After Dark | Episode: Meet Sri Krishna Ravulapalli From dodging the camera to delivering a speech at every single meeting, Sri Krishna Ravulapalli is the embodiment of the "imperfect action" mindset. In this episode, host Mickey Bennett sits down with Krishna, a software engineer and a rising star at Toastmasters T...

Join host Mickey Bennett for a warm, conversational ice-breaker with David Haney—semi-retired IT pro, former Town North Division Director in District 50 Toastmasters, and current assistant division director. Recorded live at Metrocrest Toastmasters Club 3318 (his home club, meeting Tuesdays at noon at New New Buffet in Addison, Texas), David opens up about his tech journey (starting at age 13 with...

In this episode of D50 After Dark , host Mickey Bennett speaks with Gaurav Shekhar , educator and former district director, about the real mechanics of writing a book while managing a demanding academic and professional career. Gaurav shares how early-morning writing, structured accountability, and audience-first thinking helped him complete his upcoming textbook, Business Intelligence Simplified...

Episode Highlights Join host Mickey Bennett for an inspiring conversation with Jesse Oakley III, a distinguished Toastmaster from Las Vegas, as he shares heartfelt stories of passion, teamwork, marriage, and one of the biggest leadership challenges in Toastmasters: co-chairing the 2015 International Convention. Key Moments & Takeaways Finding Your Passion Jesse opens with wisdom on discovering...

D50 After Dark – Episode Show Notes Episode Title: Red Flags That Kill Clubs (And How to Fix Them Before It’s Too Late) Guest: Past District Director Gaurav Shekhar Host: Mickey Bennett Release Date: October 31, 2025 Listen Now: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Episode Summary One canceled meeting? No big deal. Three in a row? Your club is bleeding. Past District Director Gaurav Shekhar returns...

Jesse Oakley III shares his Toastmasters journey, leadership roles, podcast, and book on D50 After Dark. Keywords: Toastmasters, leadership, positivity, podcast, Sunday Morning Chat, Las Vegas. In this engaging episode of D50 After Dark, host Mickey Bennett interviews Jesse Oakley III, a seasoned Toastmaster with over 30 years of experience. Jesse recounts his leadership journey, from District Dir...

Join host Mickey Bennett in this lively chat with past Toastmasters District Director Gaurav Shekhar. They dive into how everyday club roles—like secretary, evaluator, or timer—build real-world skills that boost your career. From note-taking promotions to mastering feedback and trusting the process (with a Gandhi twist!), discover why Toastmasters isn't just about speeches—it's your leader...

In this engaging episode of D50 After Dark, host Mickey Bennett dives deep with past international director Monnica Rose on emotional intelligence (EQ). They explore how self-awareness of emotions can supercharge leadership, resolve conflicts, and boost team dynamics—without any scores involved! From real-life examples like mishandled dinner orders to Toastmasters projects, learn practical ways to...

Level Up Your Career with Corporate Toastmasters Magic! Unlock the secrets of Corporate Toastmasters Clubs in this inspiring episode of D50 After Dark! Host Mickey Bennett chats with Past International Director Monnica Rose about starting a club at work, enhancing leadership skills, and boosting employee morale. Learn how Toastmasters' Pathways program delivers massive ROI for companies through ex...

Catching Up with Gaurav Shekhar on D50 After Dark Join host Mickey Bennett as he reconnects with Gaurav Shekhar, past District Director of Toastmasters District 50, to discuss his journey, leadership during the 2020 pandemic, and his role at UT Dallas. Description: In this engaging episode of D50 After Dark, Mickey Bennett sits down with Gaurav Shekhar, a Toastmasters veteran and Senior Assistant...

In this episode of D50 After Dark, host Mickey Bennett welcomes back Monnica Rose, past international director and District 50's historian. They dive into the 1994 split from District 25, the historian’s role in preserving Toastmasters legacy, the upcoming 2027 redistricting adding Arkansas clubs, and how members can share stories to enrich the district’s history. A must-listen for Toastmasters fa...

Join us on D50 After Dark as we kick off Season 3 with Monnica Rose, a mechanical engineer turned Toastmasters leader. With 19 years in Toastmasters, Monnica shares her journey from aircraft modifications to international director, highlighting leadership growth, communication skills, and the power of invitation. Keywords: Toastmasters, leadership, communication, engineering, mentorship. Highlight...

Dive into the D50 After Dark Season 2 Recap with host Mickey Bennett and the team! This season, they ventured beyond Habitat Commons, recording in coffee shops and offices, mastering green screen tech, and hitting 50 episodes. Highlights include Walter Price’s Robert’s Rules breakdown and the youth leadership team’s vibrant interview. With Toastmasters leadership in focus, Season 3 promises live s...

Storytelling, Toastmasters, and Customer Experience In this engaging episode of D50 After Dark, host Mickey Bennett welcomes back Vijay Tambwekar to discuss his journey in storytelling, his experience with Toastmasters, and its connection to his book, Customer Experience Decoded . Vijay shares how his need to improve his writing and leadership communication led him to the Storytellers Toastmasters...

Finding Their Voice: Success Stories from District 50's Youth Leadership Programs Highlights 0:00   Jen discusses parents' appreciation of their children's progress in gavel club. 1:42   Suhani shares her experience learning key speaking skills: impromptu speeches, vocal variety, and hand gestures. 6:09   Jason explains how his initial skepticism about Toastmasters changed, helping him overcome ne...

Starting a Gavel Club: Bringing Toastmasters to Young People Highlights 0:14   Mickey introduces D50 After Dark, focusing on starting a Gavel Club for young people interested in Toastmasters. 2:32   Jen explains that starting a Gavel Club has fewer requirements than starting a Toastmaster Club. 3:45   Clubs pay a $125 registration fee plus $125 annual fee.  7:00   Pathways is not accessible to Gav...

Youth Leadership Summit: A Celebration of Success Highlights (0:43) “And in today's episode...we’re going to be talking about the Youth Leadership Summit.” (1:17) Youth Leadership Summit is a celebration of successes, workshops, and a speech competition. (3:04) Educational workshops, like public speaking for social media (4:10) When registering for Summit, they can choose if they want to participa...

Building Tomorrow's Leaders: D50’s Youth Leadership and Gavel Clubs 0:00 - Highlights (0:34) In this timely episode, Mickey interviews District 50 leaders in the youth programs. (1:21) Mickey introduces Hitesh Balala as the youth leadership chair. (3:05) Hitesh explains gavel clubs are like Toastmasters clubs but for youth, ages 10-18. (6:40) Jen shares her experience starting youth programs in 19...

Highlights  0:00 - (3:31) Origins of the book from IoT implementation observations (8:02) Introduction of “customer experience on the go” measurement concept (12:35) Definition of customer experience as satisfaction of needs (16:47) Application of Maslow’s hierarchy to retail (18:31) Discussion of customer segmentation (21:41) Exploration of belongingness in customer loyalty (26:04) Extension of t...

Highlights 0:00 -  Intro: (0:38) Mickey Bennett welcomes Bonnie Dubin, District 50’s Quality Contest Chair, for a discussion on leadership   (1:39) Bonnie emphasizes the connection between leadership and team dynamics   (2:47) Bonnie distinguishes between motivation (temporary) and inspiration (lasting change)   (4:22) Leadership in healthcare involves seeing your team ascustomers, with patients a...