We recently connected with Debbie Fay and have shared our conversation below.

Debbie , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

From a very young age – maybe about 8 or 9 – I have been getting people on stage. My first ‘coachees’ were my cousins, who I would strong-arm into performing “The Sound of Music” every summer when we were visiting them. Fast forward a couple decades and I created and directed a Talent Show at my children’s elementary school. Over the course of 7 years I coached 150 performers, ages 6-66; students, parents and teachers. I was known as “the Talent Show Lady”. a moniker I still cherish. In 2006 I launched “bespeak presentation solutions”, a presentations coaching, consulting and training company. Since then I have helped hundreds of presenters of all ages and vocations present themselves, their messages, their products and services with confidence and clarity.

Debbie , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I started my business in 2006, after a career in corporate education and about 5 years teaching communications classes at a business school. Being a public speaking coach had been a dream of mine for about a decade, but I had no idea how to begin, I knew no one in the business world to provide entree, and I had never thought of myself as an entrepreneur. What I did have was the desire – and the know-how, to help people be successful presenters.

I provide three services; presentations coaching, presentations consulting and presentations training. Coaching is for those who are fearful presenters, who are maybe unafraid but ineffective, and those who know they’re good but want to be great. Presentations consulting is for those who have a high-stakes, must-win presentation; a pitch to a prospect or investor, to a board of directors, to an internal team. Presentations training is for teams who want to up their presentation game, both from a content and delivery standpoint.

My coaching clients go from fearful to confident. They become speakers who actually LOOK for opportunities to speak! Those who were ineffective become unfluencers. (Often being promoted as a result.) and my good speakers become great; delivering presentations that get standing ovations.

My consulting clients win the business, the investors & their capital, the board and their approval, their teams and their hearts and minds.

My training attendees become better presenters; they build presentations that are audience focused, well-structured, use visuals that aid the audience, and deliver their messages confidently, clearly and compellingly.

Each one of my client’s victories brings me tremendous joy. I am living my dream, using the gifts I’ve been given, getting others on stage to be heard.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Like many business owners, the pandemic hit my business hard. In fact, my business came to a virtual standstill. I had lost my two biggest clients; one a travel company and the other a commercial real estate business. Needless to say, they had big problems of their own due to Covid. No one was traveling, and no one was going into offices for work.

Although I pivoted quickly to remote presentations, (Zoom, etc.) and marketed my webinar, “How to NAIL your remote presentation” like crazy, business was very slow in coming. There were moments when I wondered if my business would come back. Lots of sleepless nights. I had no plan B, so I kept forging on. Slowly but surely my business has revived and is now thriving again. Interestingly, my current clients are all new. Lately a few former ones are coming back, which is welcome and relieving.

The biggest lesson I learned is that if I keep my eyes open, pivot when I need to and stick to my message I will continue to grow my business, and be able to do this work I love so much; helping presenters be heard.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

When I started bespeak in 2006 I knew no one in the business world. I built my business doing two things; networking and speaking anywhere anyone would have me. I created my “roadshow” (a 45 minute presentation that would position me as a subject matter expert and act as a marketing tool.) I titled it, “Great Presenters and Presentations; separating fact from fiction.” It was full of practical tips and tools that audiences could take away, use immediately, and be better presenters as a result. Through networking – at least two events a week, and my roadshow I built a reputation as a presentations expert and my business grew and grew. I am still very involved in networking and taken advantages of opportunities to speak, and in this way continue to build my business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bespeakpresentations.com
• Linkedin: bespeak
• Twitter: bespeak
• Youtube: @debbierothfay

Image Credits
Kattie Settel Photography