Jane's Story

I met one of my first clients at, of all places, a summer pool party in upstate New York. Sitting by the edge of the pool, I started chatting with a man who told me he had just written a book and was about to go on a national publicity tour that included appearances on Oprah and Charlie Rose, He said he was dreading it. "The problem," he told me, "is that it's a book about a death, and how few of us will actually die with any dignity. I haven’t figured out how to talk about it in a way that will make people want to read the book—instead of run in the other direction.”

“I might be able to help you,” I told him.

I was not yet a professional media trainer, but I had spent the better part of a decade working as a documentary filmmaker, encouraging people to tell their stories on camera. So I thought I had an approach that would work.

We met in my office the very next week. Together, we found a way to talk about his book that spoke directly to the fears and longings of the average person, using words and stories that everyone could understand. He practiced delivering his messages on-camera until he could speak comfortably and concisely. It was not that unlike putting together a documentary film—minus the heavy equipment.

Dr. Sherwin Nuland’s book, “How We Die” went on to sell more than 500,000 copies and later won the National Book Award for nonfiction. It also ignited a frank, national conversation about how we die and what we could do to end our lives more in the manner of our choosing—a conversation that continues to this day.

After the book tour, Dr. Nuland wrote to me, saying, “I can’t tell you how grateful I am for the coaching you gave me that prepared me to handle this with such seeming ease. You gave me some extraordinary tips and criticism that were, without question, absolutely instrumental in the success of my ventures. You have made me as close to a pro as any amateur can get.”

That note, which was tacked to my bulletin board for years, gave me the courage to hang out my shingle as a media trainer and launch a new career.

I’ve since had the privilege to coach many other authors for their book tours, and help hundreds of other people prepare to meet the media, speak on panels, give inspiring presentations, and deliver keynote addresses.

I’ve discovered that helping people think more strategically—about their goals, their audience, their message and their stories—is key to bolstering their confidence and making their words memorable.

When I’m not helping others step out onto the public stage, I like to make regular runs to the Union Square Farmer’s Market and then figure out how to cook what I’ve purchased. I am also the proud mother of two usually delightful adult children.

If you have things you want to say, let us help your ideas take flight. The world needs to hear your voice—now more than ever.

Heather's Story

I’ve crafted and delivered hundreds of pitch presentations in my career. Some worked and some didn’t, but being on the pitch circuit for over ten years taught me an important skill: how to craft presentations that get business deals done.

I can tell you that convincing a skeptical boardroom takes more than the great eye contact and the purposeful stance that the rest of presentation coaching industry tends to focus on.

You have to adopt a very deliberate and strategic thinking process, one that begins way upstream, before you craft a single slide or rehearse a single line.

When it comes down to it, the secret to being a truly persuasive presenter doesn’t involve unearthing some sort of magical charisma within yourself. It’s not about you. It’s about them, your audience. You ultimately need to develop the empathy to step into your audience’s shoes, reflect on their unspoken fears, hidden aspirations, see the world from their viewpoint and then frame your message accordingly.

And just like a top golfer who practices his or her swing with deliberate focus, you have to follow a ritual for how you prepare for each presentation, until it becomes second nature. That’s what I show people how to do: how to craft words that accomplish their goals. I learned this process the hard way, after fumbling some presentations we should have nailed.

You don’t have to.

We’ve packaged this hard-earned knowledge into a program you can use to make immediate improvements in every presentation you give. We’d love to show you how.

When I’m not coaching people on how to be persuasive presenters, I run my own business development consulting company, Winsome, and enjoy interior design, gardening, cuisine (mostly eating, not cooking!) and family life as the mother of two boys.