A great way to dig up stories that could be used as speech material is to ask yourself some questions. You can also ask other people these questions (great for interviewing older family members or retiring employees). Here are a few to get you started:
What did you want to be when you were a kid?
What did you enjoy doing the most as a child?
If your childhood ambitions changed, when was that and why?
What was your inspiration for starting your present career or business?
Was there a specific “aha” moment?
Did you face rejection? What were the obstacles? How did you overcome them?
Who helped you along the way?
Ask interesting questions and get interesting answers!