I started Giving Voice because I know from personal experience that life is better for people who can speak up. I was shy and introverted, not inclined to speak up -- a reluctant speaker. I was anxious, never knowing when I might be asked to speak, and I sure wanted to avoid that.

When I couldn’t speak up, I was not fully in the game. I saw other people speaking up. They talked about themselves, their experiences, their thoughts, their feelings. As a reluctant speaker, I was missing from many conversations, contributing minimally.

My turning point came at a friend’s birthday party. Lots of other people got up and gave toasts. Some of those toasts were great, some were mediocre. I would have liked to give a toast. But there was NO WAY! It was then and there that I decided, “I’ve got to do something about this!” And so I did. I began by joining a Toastmasters group, I went to Speaking Circles, I took Voice & Speech at American Conservatory Theatre. I worked hard at it for years.

Life got easier, better. I learned how to speak up. And I liked it!

Then, I got to thinking, “This is an issue for a lot of people.” We’ve all seen the surveys that say public speaking is the number one fear. I thought, “I can help other people take a shorter, more direct path to speaking well and speaking comfortably, and they’ll experience great benefits like I did.” And I can do that with compassion, because I know what it’s like.

Now I am in the business of helping women achieve more success, whatever that means to them. Too many women don’t get the job or the promotion, the sale or the client, the recognition or the verdict – because their speaking does not have the impact they need it to have.

Confidence can grow and speaking skills can be developed. I coach my clients to build their confidence. I coach my clients so they learn a wide range of speaking skills that make them more successful.

My undergraduate degree was a BFA in Dance. (In retrospect I’d say that dancing allowed me to be onstage, without having to say a word.) That experience provided me with a sensitivity to and focus on nonverbal communication. And it turns out that our nonverbal communication is central to conveying confidence and to communicating powerfully. I help my clients learn those skills as well.

My graduate degree was an MBA in Marketing. That contributed to my belief that most of our speaking is marketing. When we speak about our opinions or ideas or abilities, we are marketing. How you communicate about yourself and what you do makes a difference.

Some people are speaking confidently and competently about their strengths and accomplishments, and some are not -- you know who has the advantage.

You will be more successful -- and life will be better -- if you have the confidence and the skills to speak up. I can help you make that happen.

You may already be comfortable speaking, but need specific speaking skills necessary to take your business or career to the next level. I can help you develop those skills.