About Our Process

The Goodman Center  offers one-on-one coaching to help you prepare for a speech, presentation, or any other form of public speaking. Coaching sessions are usually conducted via telephone or Zoom (unless it’s convenient to meet in person), and each session runs up to one hour. Our basic coaching package is comprised of three one-hour sessions that usually divide as follows:

Hour 1 – Structure: During our first hour together, we will talk through the speech or presentation with the goal of agreeing on an overall structure as well as the key elements that will comprise each piece of the talk. In short, we will ensure that you have a solid road map for your talk.

Hour 2 – First Draft: The second session is devoted to rehearsing a draft of the talk, during which we will suggest edits, additions, or deletions. If the talk is accompanied by visuals (e.g., PowerPoint), we can also offer a critique of this element.

Hour 3 – Final Draft: The third and final hour is essentially your last rehearsal before the presentation and is focused on minor tweaks to content as well as tips for a strong delivery. Our nonprofit rate for this package is $500 inclusive of all costs. If additional hours of coaching are requested, they will be available at the cost of $125 per extra hour.

To get more information or to schedule your first session, please call us directly at 323.272.4737.

Testimonials

I had to give a presentation at a national convening and was very nervous. Thank goodness I had an opportunity to work with Kirsten. Kirsten helped me find my voice, tell the story that was speaking to me, while encouraging me to be unapologetically myself. She went above and beyond to make me feel supported throughout the entire process, even cheering me on during my presentation.  The folks at the Goodman Center are outstanding at what they do!

Tanya Watkins, Executive Director, SOUL

Andy is a genius at guiding communicators to find the story buried in their pitch — the compelling, relatable story that has a chance to break through and actually be heard.  I know because he did this for and with me. It doesn’t hurt that he’s also a genuine pleasure to work with – really has a deft touch for helping people through a process at a moment of vulnerability and opportunity.

Daniel R. Abbasi, CEO, Climate Action Platform

Kirsten listens deeply with her whole self; she helps clients understand not only how the words in their message land, but how they make their audience feel. And — she makes the process of writing a speech feel easy! I would work with Kirsten again in a heartbeat.

Aria Florant, Co-Founder, Liberation Ventures

Andy Goodman has provided coaching for our conference speakers for years. It is great working with a coach who can help with both storytelling and delivery. In just a few sessions, our speakers noted significant improvement in their work and lead to stronger final speeches live at the conference that resonate with our conference participants.

Nichole Hoeflich, Program Manager, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations

As someone who is at best an intermittent public speaker – Kirsten’s support as an insightful and precise professional strategist was invaluable to me.  She listened intently to my topic and guided me toward a logical and well-flowing speech structure.  She made me feel confident as the process went on and I know the TED-style talk ended up being both beautiful and inspiring because of her guidance.  Advice and engagement with the Goodman Center exceeded my expectations and I warmly recommend Kirsten as a communications professional.

Sonja Merrild, Director of Grants, Blandin Foundation

Andy did a series of coaching calls with me on an executive level presentation for an NGO I serve as Board Chair. He focused me on the essence of my presentation, the emotional impact I wanted to have, and the factual basis needed, in three progressively shorter sessions, with feedback and homework I was able to quickly absorb and retain.

Bill Unger, Board Chair, D-Rev

We were set to give one of the first public talks on our work, and Kirsten’s leadership, thoughtfulness, and advice not only provided us with the confidence we needed but also pushed us to tell a story that brought our work to life. In just three sessions, Kirsten ensured that we were more than prepared to give a compelling speech. We’re currently thinking of ways for them to help our partners and us further!

Trevor Smith, Director of Narrative Change, Liberation Ventures

The amount we achieved in just three sessions was incredible. Andy has a way of getting to the point and finding creative solutions very efficiently, even while from the first minute it feels like old friends chatting. A true pleasure to work with him and the results have quickly improved my fundraising presentations and storytelling instincts.

Ben Strauss, CEO and Chief Scientist, Climate Central

Preparing a new talk often takes me a long time – thinking about structure, interesting examples, and a lot of brainstorming. Working with Andy simplified and sped up my process significantly, and resulted in a much more compelling talk with stories. I’m very grateful!

Krista Donaldson, CEO, D-Rev