From the Stage to the Financial Storyverse®–What the CSP Taught Me
- James C Foo Leong
- Sep 20
- 3 min read
When I first began my speaking journey, I never imagined where it would lead.
Auditoriums, ballrooms, boardrooms, training rooms and Zoom screens across countries became part of the path.
This past week, I had the privilege of serving as one of three Certified Speaking Professionals (CSPs) invited to speak on a panel at CSP Night, hosted by Asia Professional Speakers Singapore (APSS).
It was a chance to reflect. To revisit what the CSP designation means. And to reconnect with the deep conviction behind the craft of professional speaking.
From the Stage to the Financial Storyverse®–Why the CSP Is More Than a Designation
What does it take to become a CSP?
The CSP is the highest earned designation in the global speaking profession.
It is recognised by the Global Speakers Federation (GSF) and awarded through a rigorous, multi-year process by APSS.
You do not just sign up and pay a fee.
You submit your journey and your impact for audit, assessment, and validation. You gather verified client testimonials. You present a clear, consistent track record of paid speaking engagements across several years. You demonstrate income from speaking that meets or exceeds professional thresholds. You submit a full-length speaking video, not as a showreel but as an unedited recording evaluated by a panel for clarity, audience engagement, and delivery. You go through an audit conducted with full transparency.
It is not a badge you can self-claim. You either meet the bar, or you do not.
I was awarded the CSP in 2018. And even then, I remember the final submission video. The anxiety. The awareness that this was it. Either you pass, or you try again next year.
That process taught me something.
Excellence is not declared. It is demonstrated through years of consistency, reflection, and impact.
But the CSP did not just change how I speak. It changed how I see.
Because over time, I realised the CSP was not just about speaking skill.
It was about responsibility. Responsibility to the people we serve. Responsibility to the message we bring. And responsibility to the standard we hold ourselves to, even when no one is watching.
That is why I see the CSP as more than a designation.
It is a stretch goal. It asks you to document your professional journey. But more than that, it reminds you to honour it.
From the stage to the financial storyverse®–what the CSP taught me is this: excellence is never static. It must be built, shaped, and redefined as we grow.
The Financial Storyverse®–Where Numbers Come Alive
My CSP journey did not start on stage.
It began as a Chartered Accountant, trained in Singapore and Australia. Then came years in the Big Four, a stint in a Fortune 500, and a move into teaching and training, and eventually as an adjunct associate professor at National University of Singapore.
Along the way, I competed in Toastmasters, winning a District Humour Championship. I became a Distinguished Toastmaster, and delivered workshops and keynotes across industries and countries.
Every experience layered another part of the story.
And slowly, I realised I did not want to just teach about finance.
I wanted to change how it was taught, for the better.
That became the foundation of something new.
The Financial Storyverse® was born from that same stretch. To create something the industry had not seen before. Not another book filled with formulas. Not a textbook that spoke only to CFOs and left everyone else behind.
Instead, a character-led, story-first, learner-centric pedagogy. Designed for people who want clarity without losing their confidence.
Inside the Financial Storyverse®, finance is no longer cold or complicated.
This world now lives inside my upcoming book Once Upon a Balance Sheet.
And yes, the Financial Storyverse® is now a registered trademark under the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore.
But more than that, it is a promise. That finance can be clear. That learning can feel inviting.
And that no one should be made to feel small just because they do not “get the numbers” right away.
So… What Is Your Stretch Goal?
From the stage to the financial storyverse®–what the CSP taught me is that growth requires constant renewal.
Whether you are in human resource, marketing, operations, or leading, the path forward often begins when we ask: what is the next stretch that will grow my craft?
Maybe it is time to write the book. Maybe it is time to get on stage. Maybe it is time to teach something only you can teach.
Whatever it is, stretch.
James The Financial Storyteller
Ready to turn financial confusion into clarity?
👉 If Once Upon a Balance Sheet resonates with you, we can change the way you see numbers.
