of L+D professionals said communication skills are more important than before the pandemic. Plus, it's ranked among the top 10 skills employers are looking for.
less likely to be promoted if you're afraid of public speaking. And you'll earn 10% less, too.
of the population experiences some degree of public speaking anxiety. But only 8% get help for it.
The good news is that public speaking is a skill, not a talent.
Which means it can be learned and refined.
Whether giving a keynote address, presenting to executives, or pitching your idea, I'll work with you to ensure you do it in a way that's clear, compelling, and confident.
My experience as a coach for clients from Fortune 100 companies like Google and Oracle and more than 50 TEDx speakers will help you hone that skill.
I have been speaking professionally for more than two decades, so I understand what it's like to stand up in front of colleagues and audiences to present (and occasionally goof!). I'll provide you with a custom solution for your needs.
Service Portfolio
Speechwriting
When you don't have the time or ability to craft the message your audience needs, have an expert develop it for you. As a former ghostwriter, I'll capture your voice and your points through:
- An interview with you—the expert!
- Research into your topic
- Two drafts
- Delivery coaching (optional)
You'll show up to your presentation or speaking engagement with the assurance your content will succeed and make you shine. Schedule a free consultation to discuss your timeline and content needs.
Workshops
Designed to equip participants with the skills necessary to communicate effectively, my workshops are suitable for groups both large and small, as part of a training initiative or conference. Topics frequently covered include:
- Developing a presentation that will achieve its objective
- Conquering stage fright: roots and symptoms
- How to (and not to) use visual aids
- Body language and non-verbal communication
- Authentically connecting with an audience
- Communicating with executives
Current public workshop offerings are viewable here. To discuss custom training for your group, please schedule a free consultation.
Individual Coaching
Tailored to your individual objectives and schedule, one-on-one coaching offers clients the opportunity to:
- Curate a signature message (or several!) to establish themselves as subject-matter experts or thought leaders
- Identify and overcome impediments to effective delivery (eradicating bad habits and crutches)
- Finding their voice to present with confidence and authenticity
- Learn what makes a great speaker great
Coaching is delivered virtually; in-person coaching is available by request. Download package descriptions and pricing below.
Keynotes
I welcome the opportunity to address audiences of all sizes and types. As a speaker with nearly two decades of experience, you can rest assured that I'll "practice what I preach" and give your group a great experience. Some topics I'm often asked to discuss include:
- Expanding your influence through public speaking—and how to survive it
- Crafting a pitch that wins
- Developing a TED-style or signature talk
- Maximizing your time for more productivity and less stress
- Leveraging your experiences for personal and professional growth
- Setting the right goals and forming habits to achieve them
Schedule a free consultation to discuss your event.
Content Review + Skill Evaluation
Sometimes you're too close to your content or delivery skills to see what isn't working. A professional appraisal will identify opportunities for improvement to ensure your presentation achieves your goal. Get a professional evaluation of your:
- Talk content
- Slide deck
- Speaking footage
You'll receive written feedback and a meeting to discuss my recommendations.
Online Courses
Learn public speaking skills from the comfort of your own home or office, delivered on-demand. At the conclusion of the course, students have a fully-prepared talk and an end-to-end, repeatable process to use for future message preparation. Ideal for those who need scheduling flexibility, course topics include:
- How to craft a memorable talk
- How to hook the audience's attention—and keep it
- How to talk without notes (and why you should)
- Principles of visual storytelling and slide design
- Polishing delivery and how to reduce/manage “stage fright”
It's the most asked question
How much should you charge for speaking? The answer isn't as straight forward as anyone would like, but it also shouldn't be an arbitrary number. My free Speaking Fee Calculator helps you arrive at a figure using real math.
From the blog
A collection of posts on the topic of public speaking.
My #1 rule for public speaking. And its corollary.
Like much of the world, I’ve been watching the public discourse on Naomi Osaka’s departure from the French Open. I’m not a tennis player so my interest isn’t related to the sport itself. Instead, I’m processing the reasoning behind her decision. I confess I don’t know the innerworkings of her…
Read More
How to deliver your best talk to a hybrid audience
At long last, we’re seeing a slow return to in-person events. As speakers, most of us are thrilled by the prospect of once again being in the room with our audiences… to feed off the virtuous energy cycle and be able to more effectively respond to their non-verbal cues. Hooray!…
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Ta-da! TEDx!
I’m dedicating this week’s blog post to the amazing 2020 TEDxBoise speakers. This group signed on for a six-month effort to build the talk of their lives. That was back in October 2019. Well, we all know what happened next… COVID. In March 2020 we postponed the event and plotted…
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Think your presentation is done? Not so fast.
As speakers and presenters, we need to take a cue from the writing world. The written word and spoken word need to be structured differently and use different rhetorical devices, syntax, and vocabulary. (This is a challenge that surfaces often when I’m preparing writers for a big talk.) But one…
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The problem with most pitch decks (and presentations of all kinds)
Probably more than 90% of the entrepreneurs I help prepare to pitch for funding make the same mistake. (Frankly, more than 90% of all presentations make this mistake.) In a practice session with an entrepreneur this week, it surfaced immediately, on the second slide… and all those that followed. The problem?
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For when you’re presenting to a grid of black squares
I asked the participants in my virtual workshop what challenges they experience when presenting. Some of the usual answers surfaced: finding the right content (and the right amount of it), feeling nervous, having enough preparation time, and trying to create the slide deck that doesn’t look like a user manual.…
Read MoreKind words from clients
Kirsten was an excellent coach, and proved to be a great resource in honing my speaking skills. Her guidance was crucial, and allowed me to connect with my audience and present with confidence. I would highly recommend her as a coach to anyone wanting to improve their public speaking.
—Margaret Cyphers, Google
Kirsten partnered with me to provide expertise and insight for a high stakes public-speaking program for MBA and MSx students at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She was organized, thorough in her work and extremely thoughtful with her questions and suggestions.
—Mary Olesky, Stanford University Graduate School of Business
Kirsten coached a group of managers and leaders for speeches at a major annual company conference attended by ~45,000 people. She observed and advised our speaker team on their individual presentations, as well as delivery. Kirsten is professional, positive, experienced, knowledgeable, an exceptional communicator herself, and I highly recommend her work as a speaker coach! She met each team member where they were as a presenter, allowed and enhanced individual styles, diplomatically provided feedback to improve delivery, and she watched (via video) and heard each speaker deliver their talk multiple times, She provided useful on-going tips & tricks and encouragement to set everyone up for their best delivery yet! We are impressed with Kirsten and highly recommend her for corporate coaching.
—Daria Carter, Oracle Corporation
Wow! What a difference some coaching and guidance can make. Over the course of the past year, I had the privilege of working with Kirsten preparing for a big talk. I honestly didn't know what to expect or how it would progress at the outset. However, after multiple sessions working through the ideas, editing, practicing and coaching, the final presentation was substantially better due to her encouragement and assistance. If you have an important presentation or other communication projects, I would highly recommend getting a coach, and for that, I would recommend Kirsten.
—Phil McGrane, Idaho Secretary of State
Kirsten gave me great insight into how to make my message and presentation more focused, open, clear, interesting, and accessible to a broader audience. She helped me to see my own passion for my work as an asset and to make the most of that. I highly recommend Kirsten if you are looking for a speaker coach to help you get started, work on specific concerns, or to really bring home an important presentation.
—Dr. Melanie Wright, Biomedical Researcher
Kirsten did a fantastic job of finding the areas where I needed to improve, even as a seasoned public speaker, and helped me overcome little tendencies, weaknesses, or other areas. On top of the professional help and advice, Kirsten was easy to work with, friendly and professional, and ensured that I was given the opportunity to share my thoughts and concerns. I would highly recommend Kirsten as a speaking coach, she will help you improve and see better success as a speaker.
—Jordan Morrow, Data and Analytics Executive
In the media
Interested in giving a TEDx talk somday? My interview withe Stephanie Chandler, CEO of Nonfiction Authors Assocation will help. (Be sure to read this post, too.)
Listen here.
Entrepreneurs preparing to pitch for funding will benefit from this session delivered at Boise Startup Week (now Boise Entrepreneur Week).
Watch here.
If you'd like to create a spoken message from your written work, this episode of the Christian Publishing Show will help. Plus you'll learn a fun tidbit about Mark Twain.
Listen here or on your favorite podcasting platform.
Nervous about networking and pitching? I teamed up with colleague Nancy Buffington to offer public speaking insights for both at Boise Entrepreneur Week.
Watch here.
Are you a writer? A
Christian writer? This episode of the Christian Indie Writers' Podcast will be a terrific resource for your public speaking efforts.
Watch here or listen to Episode 215 on your favorite podcasting platform.
Rhea Allen, host of the Marketing Expedition podcast, asked about working virtually with clients all over the world, slide preparation, and communicating with executives.
Listen here.
This interview with Gemma Gaudette, host of Idaho Matters, explains the speaker selection and coaching process for TEDxBoise.
Listen here.