Naba Ahmed
August 26, 2025
With the launch of his new book, Kevin wanted a storytelling presentation tool that would better engage his audience during his keynote presentations and workshops. And that’s when he discovered Prezi. He made the switch from PowerPoint when he realized how Prezi helps him immerse audiences into his message, mindset, and method.
Kevin M. Yates, known in the global learning and development (L&D) community as the “L&D Detective®,” has spent over 30 years helping organizations measure the impact of training. He’s a frequent keynote speaker, consultant, and author who recently released his new book in April 2025. Therefore, he needed to find a PowerPoint alternative and a more effective storytelling presentation tool to set him apart from the rest, which is when he turned to Prezi.
Moving beyond linear presentations
For most of his career, Kevin relied on PowerPoint to share his ideas. But he always felt limited by its linear format.
“PowerPoint tends to be more like an event, and gives one slide after another,” Kevin explained. “I wanted something more immersive, more dynamic, more aligned with the way I tell stories.”
That’s why discovering Prezi as a storytelling presentation tool was a game-changer.
Kevin had first encountered Prezi back in 2008, but it wasn’t until 2024 that he decided to experiment with it for a keynote in Florida.
“From what I remembered about Prezi, I knew it could help me visualize ideas in a more expressive and creative way,” he said. That experiment was a turning point. The response from the audience was overwhelmingly positive, and Kevin knew he’d found his new go-to presentation platform.
Prezi vs. PowerPoint: a storytelling shift
Since then, Kevin has taken Prezi with him everywhere, from conferences in London and Norway to client presentations in the U.S., both in person and virtually. What changed most for him wasn’t just the tool; it was his entire approach to creating presentations.
“With PowerPoint, you have to think linearly. With Prezi, you think dynamically,” Kevin said. “It’s about a journey. A path. A story with twists and turns, plots and movement. Prezi shifted the way I communicate.”
That shift has also helped him connect with audiences on a deeper level. Many attendees tell him they’re surprised to experience something so different from the traditional slide deck. Prezi allowed Kevin to reimagine what a storytelling presentation tool could do.
“People come in expecting the same linear experience they’ve seen a thousand times before,” Kevin said. “When they see Prezi, it changes their expectations.”
Not a designer, but a storyteller
Kevin admits he’s not a Prezi expert, but he feels that Prezi has taken his speaking engagements to “leaps and bounds beyond where they were.”
What matters most is that the platform allows him to communicate big ideas about workplace performance, one of his signature topics, in a way that matches the complexity. “Workplace performance is dynamic,” Kevin explained. “Prezi helps me illustrate, explore, and explain those dynamics in ways no other platform can.”
Prezi’s impact
Since adopting Prezi full-time in April 2025, Kevin has used it for at least one major presentation each month, consistently receiving strong audience reactions.
Many are impressed by the fresh, dynamic way it visualizes ideas, while others who had never heard of Prezi leave curious to learn more. Overall, the feedback has been summed up in one phrase: “This is something I didn’t expect.”
For Kevin, Prezi is more than a tool. It’s a partner in how he shares his message, mindset, and method with the world. He’s continuing to use Prezi for keynotes, workshops, and client trainings, and credits much of his success as a speaker to how Prezi allows him to stand out, uniquely express his ideas, and create experiences that resonate with global audiences.
As he put it: “Prezi, in my mind, can do what no other platform can.”
Interested in trying out Prezi? Get started here.
