At the recommendation of a peer, I hired Michaela to train our NYC designers. Our buyers visit from San Francisco quarterly for marathon days of back-to-back pitches that everyone dreads. Michaela visited the office to meet our leadership team, designers, and watch some demos. Based on the observations she made during her visit, Michaela created a program for our designers. She gave two staff trainings (140 employees) that were all-around a great experience for the teams. Michaela's support had a huge impact. She is a natural leader and motivator.

We had presentations last week and there was a visible, audible difference. I have heard the same thing from all over the office: Michaela is a rock star! More than a few people asked that she come back for some refreshers and personal coaching.

— L.S., EVP Design and Product Development

Custom Public Speaking Workshop Client

Michaela helped me work through a very specific set of leadership and growth challenges. I had recently completed a major career pivot and was entering a leadership role without climbing the traditional ladder. Michaela helped me determine what positive growth looked like in my new career, and how to use my strengths to my benefit. Through an interview-based 360° with several colleagues, she pinpointed the greatest gaps in my skillset, and helped me to see the ingrained habits that I needed to shift. She delivered her coaching and feedback with incredible personalization and empathy. She truly wanted to know and understand me as a whole person. My CEO not only noted immediate improvement, but also handed over interim leadership to me after he departed — an outcome that I can trace directly to Michaela’s coaching.

B.K., Science, Higher Ed, Art and Innovation International NGO Chief of Staff

Informed 360° + Executive Coaching Client

I am an African-American woman and graduate of Harvard Business School. I worked in corporate banking for 15 years, co-founded and own a real estate management firm, and have 14 years of experience on three different boards. As a senior administrator of a sizable non-profit, I serve on the Finance, Investment, Risk, Audit, Plant and Technology Committees. The trustees range from structured, high-level corporate executives to free thinking, creative entrepreneurs. Each member has achieved a high level of success in their field and asserts a confidence in their opinions that has to be diplomatically balanced. I have found it invaluable to have an insightful ally with whom I can discuss complex intra-organizational dynamics. I am astounded at how much better I have become at managing the many situations which arise in my position and at building consensus and support for my proposals.

— J.M., Nonprofit Exec

Executive Coaching Client

Michaela brings a balanced and insightful perspective to our coaching sessions, drawing from her extensive professional background. Her focus is entirely on my growth, with no agenda other than ensuring my success. Since working with her to strengthen my public speaking, executive presence and acuity, I’ve gained a stronger sense of empowerment, increased confidence, and a clearer understanding of how to navigate professional challenges. Michaela has a unique ability to help me step back, and see the bigger picture, while reminding me to prioritize my development. She is not only a coach but also a personal cheerleader, providing the clarity and perspective needed to confidently navigate the complexities of today’s corporate landscape.

— L.P., Fashion Retail Executive

Public Speaking + Executive Coaching Client

We worked with Michaela to elevate public speaking strategy and confidence across our market research and client engagement team. She led a workshop in New York, a remote workshop for Europe, and coached each member (15) four times.

Team feedback was unequivocal. They valued the personalized experience, opportunity to workshop material privately, and felt they and others measurably improved. Having a coach who knew the ins and outs of our team and the big picture made their sessions both more efficient and effective.

As co-leads, we appreciated the way Michaela customized her approach, enabling us to more effectively engage investors and develop commercial partnerships for our portfolio companies. We value Michaela’s insight into our team and ‘ecosystem’, and her allyship as we continue to scale, upskill and refine our aim.

- E.P. & Y.H., Platform Services Leaders at Global VC Firm

Custom Public Speaking Workshop + Team Coaching Client

My company is almost 100 years old so remaining fresh is a challenge. Of course we continually think about innovating with regard to product, but were not thinking enough about how to freshen up the way we actually work. Our team consulting experience with Michaela was unlike other engagements we’ve had. Rather than swoop in with a boilerplate fix, Michaela became a trusted confidante who helped us to identify and implement new ways of working together that really work.

— J.B., C-Suite Corporate Retail Exec

Team Coaching Client

A trusted mentor recommended Michaela when I was looking for coaching ahead of a speaking engagement. Public speaking is something I want to do more of, but I've historically had a lot of anxiety around it, to the point where I'm aware it's noticeable to others when I speak. Michaela was confident she could help me overcome this in addition to helping me build other skills around speaking and while this seemed like a big promise, I signed up for four coaching sessions up front. 

Michaela more than came through on that promise—over the course of our sessions together (I ended up adding a fifth), I gained confidence, tools for managing my anxiety and engaging an audience, and skills for developing future presentations. More than that, though, Michaela was a pleasure to work with. She seemed to genuinely care and want to help me do well and it was so nice to feel like I had someone in my corner. Oh, and the speaking engagement went great!

I've recommended her to many friends already and will continue to do so.

— C.C., Health and Fitness Journalist

Public Speaking Coaching Client

I came to Michaela seeking both guidance on and pointers for a talk I was giving to 200 people. While I am quite comfortable speaking to smaller groups, 200 was about 175 too many! My stomach was doing cartwheels at just the thought. Michaela took me, step by step, through a series of both mental and physical exercises to not only help me calm my nerves, but also to help me articulate and project my voice – and thus my message – more effectively. Michaela has a natural warmth, a great sense of humor, and a captivating poise - the latter perhaps honed from her many years being in front of an audience herself. I am proud to say that thanks to her, my talk was a resounding success…and, dare I say…fun!

— L.P., Contemporary Art Dealer

Public Speaking Coaching Client

Though I originally hired Michaela to train my teams, I called upon her personally when my company went through a merger. Michaela helped me to steel my nerves and prepare my strategy when reporting to an entirely new leadership team. Michaela's thoughtful probing lead me to clarify my thinking, shift my perspective, and lead my team through an incredibly challenging time. Looking back, I can say coaching with Michaela was one of the best professional development experiences of my career. I have and will continue to call upon her in times of transition.

— J.B., C-Suite Corporate Retail Exec

Executive Coaching Client

It was an extremely positive experience working with Michaela - she was a true professional. In a two-hour session, she was able to provide invaluable feedback on my speech, delivery, and presence, and I took away a long list of pointers and recommendations. Now when I train the associates who bring my company's product directly to the consumer, I teach them to convey the product’s selling points in a way that is targeted, real and memorable. I am the NYC/tri-state area rep of an LA based company - I am proud to say that since working with Michaela, I've outpaced my West Coast colleagues and have moved to number one in regional sales for three consecutive quarters!

— A.W., Cosmetics Account Executive

Public Speaking Coaching Client

Michaela supported me in taking my communication skills to the next level. With compassion and humor, she astutely guided me in shoring up the aspects of my public speaking that most needed improvement. I use the techniques and strategies she taught me in situations ranging from impromptu conversations to all-school presentations. I am a more prepared, engaging, and confident public speaker now.

— C.M., Head of School

Public Speaking Coaching Client

In my independent school leadership program at the Klingenstein, one of our assessments took the form of a debate. This made me particularly anxious as I was to speak on a topic I didn't feel committed to, and my classmates on the opposing team were looking to pick apart my every word. Before the debate, members of my cohort were all sitting and cramming their notes, and I was pacing in the hall doing Michaela’s "Who walks the dog?" routine. A few of my friends witnessed this, and "You walk the dog!" became one of the catchphrases of the summer. It was awesome. And I know it worked because the professor, who saw me limbering up, commented afterward that she never would have guessed that I was a reluctant public speaker. So thank you, Michaela!

— C.L., Academic Dean

Public Speaking Coaching Client

I worked with Michaela to prep for the final stage of the competitive Teach for America application process: the teaching demo and personal interview. Though I came to her with many anxieties about public speaking, Michaela taught me actual techniques to help reduce my nervousness, and she gave me the support I needed to be confident in myself. In the face of intense anxiety and pressure, working with her allowed me to be successful and transformed my public speaking ability entirely.

— L.S., Teach for America

Public Speaking Coaching Client

As a networking group for women executives, we are still excitedly talking about Speak Well; Be Heard and receiving thoroughly positive feedback from everyone who attended Michaela's training. It was a wonderful program for our own members' professional development, and we hope to repeat the event in the future.

Michaela's warm-up was brilliantly choreographed, and the entire organization as well as pace of the program hit just the right tone. To have the handout Michaela offered as people left, yet being aware they would receive it at the end of the presentation, allowed everyone to focus, to be 'in the moment' with Michaela. She definitely captured and held everyone's attention! On behalf of our membership, I extend our thanks for a particularly memorable and helpful program.

— L.D., Professional Development Co-Chair

Public Speaking Workshop Client

Michaela conducted a one-hour training for my team and then delivered one-on-one coaching in private sessions. The team sincerely enjoyed the training and asked to make coaching with Michaela annual professional development.

More recently, I was honored by Village Care with their Legends of the Village, Distinguished Service Award. In my forty years as a business owner and community leader in the West Village, I've attended countless galas but never before as an honoree. I am so pleased with how the honoring went. I was completely comfortable speaking and my speech went over very well. From assisting in speech writing, to warming up, to anticipating how the audience would react to me, Michaela's knowledge and spirit were so very valuable in making my speech the success it was. I received lots of compliments from politicians, board members, and my fellow honorees, who said I was a very hard act to follow.

I very much enjoyed working with Michaela and learning from her – she made it fun!

— P.D., Business Owner

Public Speaking Workshop + Coaching Client