Public Speaking Coaching helps you transform jitters and foggy messaging into clear, inspiring and authoritative presentations.

how public speaking coaching works for talks, presentations and speeches

In one-on-one presentation coaching sessions, you’ll rehearse and finesse your next talk or speech. Our goal? A presentation delivered with a clear call to action and a message that your audience remembers long after they walk out the door or click “leave meeting.” 

Whether you’re speaking to one client, the board of directors or a packed Zoom meeting, Gigi meets you where you are. She’ll help you build on your natural skills to create a presentation delivered with clarity and ease. With public speaking coaching, you’ll learn to:

  • Use storytelling techniques to engage listeners

  • Write for the spoken voice

  • Look and sound your best on a real or virtual stage

  • Communicate with images including PowerPoint Dos and Don’ts

  • Foster your own sense of calm

  • Present with vitality and clarity



Is one-on-one public Speaking coaching for you?

Individualized coaching is for you if you’re:

  • a CEO delivering a keynote or TED-style talk

  • an entrepreneur pitching a high-stakes investor

  • a technical expert wanting to present to a lay audience without “dumbing it down”

  • an introvert needing to transfer in-person skills to the virtual world

  • a leader with limited time who thrives with customized, private sessions and frequent check-ins

If a group format is more your speed, Gigi teaches these skills in customized, hands-on public speaking workshops and small group trainings for your team or organization.



Do you have a presentation looming?

You’re in the right place to make sure you deliver it with confidence and ease.

Whether it's as a one-on-one public speaking coach or presentation coach, Gigi is here to help you calm those nerves and find your story. To start with a free consult, fill out this brief questionnaire. If Gigi thinks she can help, she’ll then contact you to schedule a time.

 

What can you bring to your free, 30-minute consult
on public speaking with Gigi?

If you've been wanting to schedule your free 30-minute public speaking coaching consult with Gigi but you don't know what to work on, here are 5 ideas. You can:

1. SEND GIGI A LINK to a recording of a past speech or podcast interview. You’ll review it together and she’ll highlight everything you're already doing well with some specific and practical tips for how to present with more authority.

2. LET HER INTERVIEW YOU. If you want to learn how to give a compelling interview, Gigi will interview you in your session. Learn to finesse your answers and leave the session with tips for answering questions with more confidence.

3. BRING YOUR QUESTIONS and interview Gigi! She’ll give you specific pointers for how to encourage the best answers from your interviewees.

4. RECORD A 1-2 MINUTE VIDEO and bring it to your session. You’ll watch it together and receive help for both clarifying the content and presenting with more authenticity, calm and maybe even a sense of humor.

5. WORK ON YOUR INTRODUCTION. Hone both the content and delivery of your elevator speech. You’ll leave the session with specific tips for introducing yourself with energy, clarity and ease.

If you haven't yet taken advantage of your free 30-minute consult with Gigi, now is the time. To sign up, fill out this brief questionnaire.

Here's an excerpt from the recommendation Joaquin Lopez, Manager of Leadership Development at Latino Network, wrote on LinkedIn after his 30-minute consult:

After engaging in a one-on-one consultation with Gigi, the tools and inspiration she offered changed my game. Completely... In turn, I was able to transform my program into a teleconference experience with great success... She helped me get in touch with my creative strengths with her compassion and skill. I’m ever so grateful I reached out to her when I did. Thank you, Gigi!
— Joaquin Lopez, Manager of Leadership Development at Latino Network
 

download “5 STEPS TO NAIL YOUR NEXT PRESENTATION”

To help you create a cogent and powerful presentation that connects you with your audience, download Gigi’s 9-page cheat sheet. It breaks down the process of creating and delivering a presentation into small, doable steps including answers to questions like:

  • How do you organize your story?

  • How do you keep the audience’s attention?

  • What can you do to calm your nerves?

Don’t mic up again without this download. Sign up for Gigi’s monthly tips and it’s yours right now. Free.

 

TESTIMONIALS FROM PRESENTATION COACHING CLIENTS

The simple—and easy to follow—tips Gigi gave me have helped my camera confidence. She’s helping me go from camera-shy to camera-‘hi!’
— Jeri Aanonson Brand+ Marketing | Founder at SORT projects
For those of you in the Portland area, Gigi is a gem and great to work with on public speaking!
— Martha Holley Newsome, President & CEO, Medical Teams International
When the pandemic hit, I had to transform a professional leadership program into a teleconference experience. The tools and inspiration Gigi offered changed my game. Completely. She reframed and transformed my thinking. In turn, I was able to transform my program into a teleconference experience with great success. Thank you, Gigi!
— Joaquin Lopez, Manager of Leadership Development at Latino Network
Gigi helped me make a pitch more succinct, easier to understand and honed in on opportunities for clever editing of key words to enhance the overall delivery. Her feedback was specific, clear, and impactful. She is warm, clever, charming and overall a pleasure to work with.
— Danika Goldstein, Creative Producer, Portland, Oregon
I am grateful for Gigi’s expertise and for helping me secure a new role recently. The skills she helped me perfect ensured that my presentations during the interview process impressed the selection committee enough that they hired me!
— Fidelma McGinn, President at Scan Design Foundation
It was a pleasure to work with Gigi. I learned a tremendous amount in our sessions about shaping a talk and presenting to a non-academic audience. I know this will continue to serve me in the future.
— Alexander Sager, PhD, Associate Professor, Portland State University
Moderating the panel discussion went better than I ever could have expected! Gigi helped me craft questions, transition smoothly between topics and think through details I hadn’t considered. Afterwards, my mentor complimented me on my professional presence. Pretty awesome all around!
— Jennifer Whaler, Associate Environmental Scientist
Gigi was extremely professional, attentive and flexible in coaching team members overseas. All reports back highlighted Gigi’s efficiency during sessions and her ability to quickly pinpoint areas for speakers to improve while offering practical and helpful solutions to speakers to optimize right away. Gigi’s work far exceeded our expectations.
— Myriam Khoury, Vice President - Innovation, Mercy Corps
Thanks for your help on my Artist Talk. I felt much more confident after our session. Your suggestions and techniques were invaluable and helped me feel so much more comfortable. The audience was very attentive and responded with huge applause and lively questions.
— Kim Alemian, Painter | Visual Artist
I felt immensely happy after I gave my presentation. The time and energy I put into the process really paid off. Gigi’s suggestions helped me keep the audience engaged throughout. I received positive feedback not only from my boss but from one of my competitors. I’m so glad I used Gigi’s consulting and I will be back.
— Moriah LaChapell Schalock, Biocontrol Sales Rep
Thank you for the work you did with me individually to prepare me for my session AND the collective work you did with all of the speakers you worked with. It really paid off. Not only was your advice really valuable but you also lit a fire under those who were less prepared to get ready. By the end we were strong and coherent! We really appreciate it.
— Nonprofit director, Portland, Oregon
We have consulted with Gigi for group training and individual coaching with excellent results. With her innate good humor, she quickly zeros in on a presenter’s strengths, offering practical insights to build confidence and keep audiences engaged. She’s become our secret weapon!
— Fidelma McGinn, Vice-President, Philanthropic Services, Seattle Foundation
Gigi brought insight and knowledge to my staff at MSN that dramatically enhanced their communication skills. She listened, observed, coached individuals to understand unique skills suited to their specific needs. She has an instructional mastery that I have rarely seen.
— Stephen Cvengros, former Senior Director at Microsoft's MSN
Gigi gave me several actionable ideas that I incorporated into my remarks which greatly improved my presentation. She also asked me to send her a self-critique of my performance and then followed up with several more ideas for next time. I was impressed at how substantive her suggestions were. She clearly knows her stuff.
— Nonprofit manager, Washington, DC
I reached out to Gigi for some quick help for a talk I was preparing. This isn’t something I do very often. I was having some amazing bouts of nerves as the day drew closer. We chatted for a while and Gigi asked a lot of great questions and made several suggestions, including “take a walk!” And that did the trick. Walking is my thing. On Gigi’s advice, I planned (and took) a big long walk at my favorite place in Seattle, Seward Park. Set the tone for the whole day and evening. No nerves! Thanks Gigi.
— Richard Pelletier, lucidcontent.com
When I came to Gigi I had a lot of little ‘stories’ disorganized in bits and pieces and I struggled to get through them both because I was trying to remember the order and because it was boring. Gigi helped me separate my talk into three distinct sections, with a flashback to the beginning, and organized it in a clear, compelling, and surprising way. When I tell my story this way my listeners seem much more engaged and I don’t get bored telling it so my delivery is better.
— Mickey Trescott, author of The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook: An Allergen-Free Approach to Managing Chronic Illness
Gigi observed me teaching at Portland State University, then we met for feedback. She gave multi-faceted observations and recommendations on content, body language, using tools (PowerPoint/whiteboards), storytelling. Since our coaching session her feedback on my storytelling is having a positive impact not only on my teaching but my daily interactions and even writing.
— Michael Wells, formerly of Grants Northwest
In just one hour of coaching with Gigi, I was well-informed about how to prepare physically, emotionally, and logistically for a successful presentation. Her supportive and insightful feedback about my style gave me clarity about my opportunities for improvement and confidence about my capacity to connect with an audience.
— Sage Cohen, Author, Poet, Communications Consultant, sagecohen.com
 

Banner photo by Christian Columbres

Photo of Gigi on location by Bridge City Media