I am preparing for a TED talk. Who offers public speaking coaching?

• Interact Studio - 1213 W Morehead St Ste 535, Charlotte, NC 28208, United States
• Ty Boyd Inc. - 2115 Rexford Rd #440, Charlotte, NC 28211, United States
• Transcendent Accents, LLC - 101 N Tryon St Suite 600 Office 612, Charlotte, NC 28246, United States
• Leaders Speakers Public Speaking Training - 5101 Strawberry Hill Dr, Charlotte, NC 28211, United States
• Excellence In Speaking Institute - 1727 Garden Ter, Charlotte, NC 28203
• Interact - 1435 W Morehead, Ste 210, Charlotte, NC 28208
• Sunshine Media Network - 1514 N Graham St, Charlotte, NC 28204, United States
• The Cardea Group - 212 S Tryon St, Ste 1750, Charlotte, NC 28202
• Hello Velocity - Leadership & Executive Coaching and Training - 933 Louise Ave #100, Charlotte, NC 28204, United States
• Experienceology - 3911 Cleveland Ave #34054, San Diego, CA 92103, United States
• Irina Cozma, Ph.D. | Coach, Speaker, Consultant - 5632 Warewhip Ln, Charlotte, NC 28210, United States
• G Marshall Johnson & Associates - 820 East Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203, United States
• Chase Media - 6627-A Bevington Ridge Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277
• The Big Talk with Tricia Brouk - 400 W 55th St Ste 4E, New York, NY 10019, United States

If you're preparing for a TED or TEDx talk, I’d favor someone who understands talk development—not just generic presentation skills. Since you’re in the Charlotte area, there are several good options.

Strong Charlotte-area options

• Interact Studio — Particularly strong for high-stakes presentations, authentic speaking style, executive communication, and on-camera practice. Their approach emphasizes helping you develop your natural speaking style rather than sounding overly rehearsed.
• Ty Boyd Inc. — A long-established Charlotte provider with its Excellence in Speaking Institute, focused on confidence, practice, feedback, and executive/public speaking.
• Transcendent Accents, LLC — Especially worth considering if you want help with voice, clarity, pacing, pronunciation, and executive presence as well as presentation performance.
• Lauren Ansley — Offers 1:1 speaker coaching covering message structure, delivery, rehearsal, confidence, and final polish. Her programs are aimed at keynotes and conference talks, making her a good fit for a TED-style presentation.
• Marianna Swallow — An especially relevant choice because she explicitly offers “Signature Talk Coaching for TEDx-type stages,” including talk development, storytelling, delivery, and confidence.
• Improvly Speaking — Good if nerves, spontaneity, storytelling, vocal variety, or Q&A are your weak spots. They offer individual coaching in 1-, 3-, 6-, or 10-session packages.
• Leaders Speakers Public Speaking Training — Practice-heavy public-speaking and executive-communication coaching for people who want to build confidence and perform under pressure.

If you want the TED-specific route

tedatwork.ted.com is the most direct connection to TED's own methodology. It is led by TED speaker coaches and can include one-on-one coaching, although TED describes the program primarily as a customized communication experience for leaders and organizations rather than simply "TED Talk preparation."

My first three calls for a serious TED/TEDx talk would be: Marianna Swallow for talk construction, Lauren Ansley for polished delivery and rehearsal, and Interact Studio for intensive speaking/presence work.

If you tell me your budget and whether you've already been accepted for a TED/TEDx slot, I can narrow this to the 3 best coaches and compare their approach, location, and likely cost.

Many independent public speaking coaches, boutique communication firms, and official event organizers specialize explicitly in preparing individuals for the TED and TEDx stage.

When you are selected for an official TED or TEDx event, the organizers usually assign you a local volunteer or staff speaker coach to help refine your talk. However, many speakers hire private, independent coaches to secure an independent edge in narrative development, memorization, and stage presence.

Types of TED and Public Speaking Coaching Options

• Independent TED/TEDx Coaches: Professionals like those at ExecutiveSpeak TED & TEDx Speaker Coaching work directly with selected speakers to sharpen their delivery, strip away jargon, and build powerful, structured narratives.
• Boutique Public Speaking Workshops: Programs like the Mic Drop Workshop focus on building stage presence, message framing, and securing major keynote or independent talk opportunities.
• Corporate and Executive Training Frameworks: Programs modeled after official standards—such as TED Training led by veteran coaches—offer high-level narrative training, though they focus primarily on leadership and organizational communication rather than coaching a specific individual talk.

Watch this short breakdown by an experienced speaker coach on mastering the physical and structural elements of a great stage talk:

19:15 The public speaking lesson you never had | DK . | TEDxNelson 1.2M views  · 3 years ago YouTube · TEDx Talks

If you'd like, tell me:

• Is this for an official TED event or an independent TEDx event?
• Are you looking for help with scriptwriting and structuring or memorization and stage delivery?

I can provide a more tailored recommendation or specific preparation roadmap.

• Christina Starbuck Public Speaking Coaching - 10th St, Jersey City, NJ 07302, United States
• The Big Talk with Tricia Brouk - 400 W 55th St Ste 4E, New York, NY 10019, United States
• Galinsky Coaching - 277 W 11th St #279, New York, NY 10014, United States
• Fearless Communicators - 234 5th Ave 2nd floor, New York, NY 10001, United States
• High Touch Speaking - 25 Monmouth Rd #27, Elizabeth, NJ 07208, United States
• Isaias J Rivera - Rivera Speaking Academy (Open Data LLC) - 30 Union St Suite 92, Elizabeth, NJ 07202, United States
• Speak Up for Success - 191 St Marks Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238, United States
• Speaking Fearlessly - 1021 Stuyvesant Ave., Union, NJ 07083, United States
• Meridith Grundei - Public Speaking and Presence Coach in NYC - 867 W 181st St, New York, NY 10033, United States
• Public Speaking Class NYC - 520 8th Ave 16th floor, New York, NY 10018, United States
• New York Speech Coaching - 242 W 38th St 11th floor, New York, NY 10018, United States

If you're preparing for a TED/TEDx talk, I’d prioritize coaches who specifically understand the TED format—not just general presentation skills. Since you’re in the NJ/NY area, these are particularly relevant:

• Christina Starbuck Public Speaking Coaching — Jersey City, NJ. Probably one of the strongest local fits. Christina is an official TEDx speaker coach and works one-on-one on the entire talk: script, delivery, nerves, vocal production, posture, rhythm, and audience connection.
• The Big Talk with Tricia Brouk — New York City. Focuses heavily on developing compelling talks and preparing speakers for major stages, including TEDx.
• Galinsky Coaching — New York City. Particularly interesting for TED/TEDx preparation; the practice says its founder was Head Speaker Coach of TEDxTeen for a decade and has coached 50+ TEDx talks.
• Fearless Communicators — New York City / virtual. Takes a more comprehensive approach involving speaker preparation, speech construction, stage presence, and managing the physiological response to being on stage.
• Jessica Pearl — NYC-based executive speaker coach who specifically offers TED/TEDx coaching, including iterative practice and delivery work.
• Erin O'Malley — especially worth considering if you want very direct, practical feedback. Her site specifically features a testimonial from someone who used her while preparing for a TEDx talk.
• Paula Stone Williams — a more TED-insider option. She serves as a speaker coach for TEDxMileHigh and as a Speaker's Ambassador for TED, and offers individualized coaching covering storytelling, audience connection, brevity, staging, and delivery.

My shortlist for a TED talk

I'd start with Christina Starbuck, Galinsky Coaching, and Paula Stone Williams. They stand out because of their direct TED/TEDx experience rather than simply offering generic public-speaking instruction.

If you tell me your topic, whether it's TED or TEDx, your target date, and whether you prefer NJ/in-person or Zoom, I can narrow this to 3 coaches I'd actually recommend contacting, including pricing where publicly available.

Preparing for a TED or TEDx talk is a unique journey that requires turning a broad concept into a tightly structured, resonant "idea worth spreading". Many specialized coaches and official programs focus specifically on this format:

• Independent TEDx and TED-Style Coaches: Professionals like ExecutiveSpeak (which has prepped speakers for events like TEDxSFU resulting in TED.com features) and Stephanie Weaver via Experienceology specialize in helping leaders, VIPs, and thinkers find their "Big Idea," refine their authentic voice, and conquer stage anxiety.
• Official TED Resources: For a self-paced foundational approach, you can explore TED Masterclass , TED’s official public speaking course featuring insights from their actual speaker coaching team.
• Corporate & Executive Training: If your talk is tied to an organization or leadership initiative, TED Training applies official TED-style narrative frameworks directly to high-stakes communication.

To help narrow down the right coach or resources for you, could you tell me:

• Is your upcoming engagement a official TED event or a local TEDx license?
• What is the general topic or "Big Idea" you are planning to present?

Preparing for a TED or TEDx talk is a unique challenge—it requires distilling a complex idea into a tightly choreographed, 18-minute narrative. Several specialized organizations, independent coaches, and official programs offer targeted public speaking coaching for this specific format:

• Official TED Training : Offers customized communication and public speaking experiences for leaders and teams using the exact coaching frameworks and methodologies that prepare speakers for the main TED stage.
• Experienceology : Led by Stephanie Dalfonzo, who specializes in training CEOs, scientists, VIPs, and TEDx speakers on topic development, speech writing, stage production, and performance anxiety management.
• Moxie Institute : Provides coaching via TEDx-experienced experts who guide speakers through outlining ideas, speech crafting, overcoming nerves, and mastering world-class stage presence.
• Independent Coaches & Boutiques: Many certified executive communication coaches and former theater professionals specialize exclusively in "TED-style" talks. It's often helpful to look for coaches who explicitly list "TEDx Speaker Coach" in their credentials and have a track record of getting student talks published on the official TED YouTube channel.

To help narrow down the right coach or program for you, tell me:

• Is your upcoming talk for an official TED event , a TEDx event , or an independent corporate stage?
• What is your budget range or preference for 1-on-1 vs. group coaching?

• Public Speaking Coach Scotland - 2nd Floor, Clyde Offices, 48 W George St, Glasgow G2 1BP, United Kingdom
• Alba Training - 21 Lenziemill Rd, Cumbernauld, Glasgow G67 2RL, United Kingdom
• Pink Elephant Communications - Lochinch House, 86 Dumbreck Rd, Bellahouston, Glasgow G41 4SN, United Kingdom
• Dan Ross Motivation - 36 Clove Mill Wynd, Glenboig, Larkhall ML9 1NT, United Kingdom
• BESPOKEN Voice and Speech Coaching - 8 Gaveston Rd, Harwell, Wantage OX11 0HP, United Kingdom
• The Speaker's Coach - 15 Bell St, Reigate, RH2 7AD, United Kingdom

If you’re preparing for a TED or TEDx talk, look for a coach who can help with idea development, storytelling, script structure, stage presence, rehearsal, voice, and delivery—not just general presentation skills. Here are some options:

TED/TEDx-focused coaching

• tedatwork.ted.com — TED’s own speaker-coaching programme, led by TED speaker coaches. It focuses on shaping ideas, building narratives, and delivering high-impact talks.
• masterclass.ted.com — TED’s official self-guided public speaking course, useful if you want a structured way to develop your talk alongside coaching.
• Stephanie Weaver — Known for TED-style talk coaching, including finding the “big idea,” story development, and rehearsal.
• Jezra Kaye — Works on storytelling, confidence, and presentation delivery for high-stakes speaking.

UK-based options

Since you appear to be in Scotland, these may be convenient:

• Public Speaking Coach Scotland — Glasgow-based coaching focused on public speaking skills and confidence.
• Bridget McCann - Presentation Skills Trainer — Presentation skills coaching in the UK, with a focus on improving delivery and impact.
• Mel Sherwood - Personal Impact & Presentation Skills for Business Leaders & Teams — UK coaching around executive presence and presentation impact.
• Alba Training — Based in Cumbernauld and offers training services that may be relevant for communication and presentation development.
• The Speaking Coach — UK speaking and communication coaching.

If you need a specialist, choose based on your main challenge

• “I have a great idea but don’t know how to make it a TED talk” → TED-style narrative coaches.
• “My script is ready but I need to perform better” → voice/stage-performance coaches.
• “I struggle with nerves” → confidence and delivery coaches.
• “This is a career-defining talk” → one-to-one TED/executive speaking specialists.

If you tell me:

1. whether it is TED or TEDx,
2. your location preference (Scotland only, UK, or remote), and
3. whether you need story/script help or performance coaching,

I can narrow this to a short list of the best fits.

• Mimi Donaldson - 13906 Fiji Way Apt #349, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292, United States
• Voice & Public Speaking Coach, Saul Kotzubei - 445 N Edinburgh Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States
• Influencing Millions - 645 W 9th St #110-287, Los Angeles, CA 90015, United States
• Mike Ganino Public Speaking Coach - 6548 Bright Ave Fl 2, Whittier, CA 90601, United States
• Speakers & Artists International - Beverly Hills, CA 90210
• ELITE SPEECH COACHING - 21 Miller Alley, Pasadena, CA 91105, United States
• Crowley Co - 12021 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025, United States
• Patrick Muñoz: Voice & Speech Coach - 9024 Cynthia St, West Hollywood, CA 90069, United States
• Rosalyn Kahn - North Hills, CA 91343
• Ladybug Speaker LLC - 1037 1/2 S Kenmore Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90006, United States
• Experienceology - 3911 Cleveland Ave #34054, San Diego, CA 92103, United States
• Lizzy Wallace - Los Angeles, CA 90292
• Shannon O'Dowd - Media Trainer & Corporate Performance Coach - Los Angeles, CA 90066
• The Goodman Center - 444 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004, United States
• Sampson Communication Consulting - Los Angeles, CA 90011
• UltraSpeaking - Santa Monica, CA 90404

Absolutely. Since you’re preparing for a TED Talk, I’d prioritize coaches who specifically work on TED/TEDx talks, not just general presentation skills. I found several strong options in the Los Angeles area:

• Mimi Donaldson — Marina del Rey. She specifically offers TED/TEDx coaching and says 22 of her clients have appeared on the TEDx stage. Her coaching covers speech creation, structure, and delivery.
• Voice & Public Speaking Coach, Saul Kotzubei — West Hollywood. Particularly interesting if you want to work on presence, voice, nerves, and authentic delivery as well as the talk itself. He explicitly coaches TED and TEDx speakers and offers both in-person and Zoom sessions.
• Influencing Millions — Los Angeles. Offers TED/TEDx coaching from idea development through content and delivery, including refining the central “big idea.”
• Mike Ganino Public Speaking Coach — Los Angeles area. More of a keynote director approach: narrative arc, storytelling, presence, and intensive rehearsal for high-stakes talks.
• Speakers & Artists International — Beverly Hills. Offers public-speaking and presentation coaching, including TED-style talks, with emphasis on storytelling, timing, voice, and stage presence.
• ELITE SPEECH COACHING — Pasadena. A good option if your biggest challenge is confidence, nerves, clarity, and delivery rather than primarily writing the talk.

There is also TED's own training program, which is built around the methods used to prepare TED speakers and is led by TED speaker coaches. It's more oriented toward organizations and leadership teams than individual TED applicants.

My shortlist for a TED Talk

If I were narrowing this to three people to interview first, I'd start with:

1. Mimi Donaldson — strongest apparent fit for the TED/TEDx-specific side.
2. Saul Kotzubei — strongest fit if presence, voice, nerves, and authenticity are important.
3. Mike Ganino — strongest fit if you want an intensive storytelling/keynote-directing approach.

If you tell me your topic, how long the talk is, whether you've already been selected for TED/TEDx, and your approximate coaching budget, I can narrow this down to the best 3 coaches for your particular talk and compare their approaches and pricing.

If I were narrowing this to three people to interview first, I'd start with:

Preparing for a TED or TEDx talk requires a unique blend of narrative sharpening, stage presence, and strict adherence to the format (like the classic 18-minute limit). Several specialized coaches and official programs offer targeted public speaking coaching tailored specifically for the TED stage:

• Official TED Training : Offers customized communication and leadership experiences led by official TED speaker coaches, applying the exact methodologies used to prepare speakers for the main TED stage.
• ExecutiveSpeak : Headed by Narges, this consultancy specializes in TED and TEDx speaker coaching, guiding speakers from initial idea development and narrative arc building all the way to final stage polishing.
• Stephanie Weaver Experienceology : Provides dedicated TED-style public speaking coaching focusing on finding your "Big Idea," refining your authentic voice, conquering stage anxiety, and optimizing presentation style.
• Independent Presentation Coaches: Many high-profile executive communication firms (such as Duarte, The Genard Method, or Quantified Communications) offer specialized keynote and high-stakes presentation training that translates exceptionally well to the TED format.

To help narrow down the right coach for you, tell me:

• Is this for an official TED event or a TEDx event?
• Are you looking for help with developing the core idea/script from scratch, or delivery and stage coaching?

Preparing for a TED or TEDx talk requires a unique blend of narrative sharpening, stage presence, and strict adherence to the iconic format (usually under 18 minutes). Several specialized coaches and official channels offer targeted public speaking training for this exact milestone:

• Official TED Training - Provides custom communication and public speaking classes for leaders and teams using the exact coaching methods behind the main TED stage. [1]
• ExecutiveSpeak - Led by Narges Nirumvala, specializing explicitly in high-stakes TEDx speaker coaching, personal branding, and speech writing.[1]
• Experienceology - Run by Stephanie Weaver, offering bespoke TED and TEDx-style public speaking coaching focusing on finding your "Big Idea," managing anxiety, and refining your authentic voice. [1]

To help me recommend the best fit or strategy, could you tell me:

• Is your upcoming talk for an official main TED event or an independent TEDx event?
• Have you already been accepted/invited , or are you still working on your application/pitch?

• Interact Studio - 1213 W Morehead St Ste 535, Charlotte, NC 28208, United States
• Ty Boyd Inc. - 2115 Rexford Rd #440, Charlotte, NC 28211, United States
• Transcendent Accents - 525 North Tryon St, Ste 1627, Charlotte, NC 28202
• Experienceology - 3911 Cleveland Ave #34054, San Diego, CA 92103, United States
• Couragio Consulting - 632 Junaluska Rd, Boone, NC 28607, United States
• Interact - 1435 W Morehead, Ste 210, Charlotte, NC 28208
• Spoken Solutions - 104 Greenville Blvd SE, Greenville, NC 27858
• Leaders Speakers Public Speaking Training - 5101 Strawberry Hill Dr, Charlotte, NC 28211, United States
• The Big Talk with Tricia Brouk - 400 W 55th St Ste 4E, New York, NY 10019, United States
• Transcendent Accents, LLC - 101 N Tryon St Suite 600 Office 612, Charlotte, NC 28246, United States
• Carol Moore Presents, LLC - 205 Van Buren St Suite 120, Herndon, VA 20170, United States
• Dale Carnegie Training - 837 Tanglewood Dr NE, Concord, NC 28025, United States
• Galinsky Coaching - 277 W 11th St #279, New York, NY 10014, United States

If you're preparing for a TED/TEDx-style talk, I’d look for someone who does more than generic presentation training—ideally a coach who can help with idea development, story structure, stage presence, delivery, rehearsal, and the distinctive TED format.

Since you’re in the Harrisburg/Charlotte area, these stand out:

• Interact Studio — Charlotte Strong option for high-stakes public speaking, presentation skills, executive communication, messaging, and on-camera practice. Their flagship program focuses on developing an authentic speaking style.
• Ty Boyd Inc. — Charlotte A long-established Charlotte communication-training organization. Its Excellence in Speaking Institute is particularly focused on repeated practice, coaching, feedback, confidence, and executive/public speaking.
• Transcendent Accents — Charlotte Particularly interesting if your talk needs work on voice, clarity, vocal delivery, presence, or confidence. They offer public-speaking and executive-communication coaching, virtually and in person.
• Improvly Speaking — Charlotte/virtual This could be an excellent fit if you're worried about nerves or sounding overly rehearsed. Their coaching works on storytelling, vocal variety, Q&A, breathing, confidence, and thinking on your feet. Sessions are available individually or in packages.
• Lauren Ansley — Charlotte/virtual Offers 1:1 speaker coaching specifically around message clarity, structure, engagement, delivery, rehearsal, and final polish. Her packages are explicitly aimed at keynotes and conference talks, which makes this a particularly relevant option for a TED-style presentation.
• Marianna Swallow — Charlotte/virtual Offers “Signature Talk Coaching” specifically for TEDx-type stages, including help developing the presentation, storytelling, delivery, confidence, and structure.
• TEDxCharlotte is also worth knowing about. Their 2026 materials specifically describe the speaker coaching process, and they have an established local TEDx ecosystem.

My shortlist for a TED talk

I'd start with Marianna Swallow if your biggest need is turning your idea into a compelling TED-style talk; Lauren Ansley if you already have the content and need to make the delivery exceptional; and Improvly Speaking if nerves, spontaneity, or stage presence are the main challenges.

If you tell me your TED talk topic, how far along you are (idea/draft/rehearsing), and your approximate budget, I can narrow this to the 3 best coaches for you and compare their experience, pricing, location, and coaching format.