Company Overview
Dana Bristol-Smith, President

Speak for Success was founded in 2001 because I saw a critical need among business professionals to communicate effectively and professionally, both verbally and in writing.  

Business gets done and decisions get made
through clear communication.

My Professional Journey
In 1993, I gave my first presentation to a large audience, and was terrified. I learned how to give presentations on-the-job by making many mistakes along the way. It was difficult and humbling and became part of my regular responsibilities. After giving presentations to more than 100,000 students and teachers in three years, learning what worked and what did not—I made the transition to working with corporations.

Working with Fortune 500 companies as an account manager and trainer for a national training company, I was able to see first-hand the huge need and market for communications training, particularly in presentation skills and business writing, as part of sales, management, and leadership development.

Public Speaking is Many Professionals' #1 Fear
Today, more people are being required, as part of their roles, to give formal and informal presentations. About 90% of the professionals who come through our programs find public speaking uncomfortable—and often, one of their greatest fears—leaving only about 10% who actually enjoy it.

Business Communication is Different than What You
Learned in College
In academia, especially in written communications, more is better. Often, complex lengthy content is desired – however, in business, the opposite is true. Particularly at higher levels in the organization—where people have little time or patience for long proposals—the ability to be clear, concise, and persuasive is paramount to success.

Why Speak for Success Now?
Global organizations attract and retain customers and increase productivity through improved communication. To that end, I’ve partnered with a remarkable team of business professionals who each have between 10 and 25 years of experience consulting, coaching, and training with top organizations.

We look forward to the opportunity to help your organization improve communication and business results. Thank you for learning about Speak for Success.

Sincerely,

Dana Bristol-Smith
President

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