About Susan Trivers

Competition is everywhere and if you’re not beating it, it will beat you. Anyone who can’t deliver a speech/presentation that leads to something meaningful for the audience will be overtaken sooner or later by another person who will get that audience excited.

I used to say that it breaks my heart to see smart, talented and ambitious people put everything at risk by relying on speaking and presentation skills they learned in grad school. Now I say “what are they thinking to go in front of others with speeches and presentations that bore their audiences and hurt their reputations?”

Business people can make a difference through speeches and presentations if they inspire the audience first and inform them later. This requires kicking your old speaking habits and embracing new ones.

  • What content will break through all the various distractions that are competing for the audience’s attention?
  • What’s the audience’s problem or pain?
  • Where are they in their efforts to solve their problem or relieve their pain?
  • What will happen if they don’t fix the problem, or if it gets worse?

Coaching helps you build on your existing knowledge and experience and grow. I know from my own experience as a speaking professional–I count at least one coach per year for the past 12 years as major contributors to my success. Examples: Alan Weiss, Jeffrey Gitomer, Glenna Salsbury, Lou Heckler, Patricia Frip and many others.

Known as America’s Great Speaking Coach since 1999, I have helped my clients in many ways:

Recent clients include:

  • Exxon Mobil division manager charged with sustaining relationships and growing business with independent retailers
  • Cubic Defense Applications, Inc. (Presentation Skills Workshop for high potential mid-managers)
  • Global Environment and Technology Foundation Presentations Skills workshop for all young managers plus individual presentation skills coaching for three high-performing young leaders
  • AOPA Director of the Air Safety Institute responsible for improving the safe flying practices of general aviation pilots
  • CEO of Clairus for the purpose of growing their data analysis business beyond the aviation industry
  • Cubic Transportation Systems, Inc. (Presentation Skills Workshop for high potential mid-managers)
  • Metron Aviation (Orals consulting and coaching)
  • CompTIA (Executive coaching)
  • ACS, a Xerox Company (Orals coaching for two state bids)
  • Sotera Defense (key person interviews; coaching that helped win an important new defense contract)
  • Serco, Inc. (Orals consulting and coaching)
  • Vangent, Inc. (Business Development coaching)
  • Fedmarket (Seminar entitled “Orals: Avoid the Pitfalls that Lower Your Score”)
  • Cornet Technologies (Business development coaching)
  • CDI Marine (Orals consulting and coaching)
  • Grimm + Parker Architects (Executive and Business development coaching)
  • Griffin-Owens Insurance (Executive Coaching)
  • Rainmakerz Consulting, LLC (Orals consulting and coaching)
  • Direct Proposal Resources (Orals consulting and coaching)
  • The Refractories Institute (Keynote at semi-annual Conference)
  • National Speakers Association- Virginia (Keynote)

I proudly served as the 2009-2010 President of the National Speakers Association-Washington, DC Chapter and I am a member of the National Speakers Association. I am the author of The Great Speakers Guide to Business Storytelling (audio CD). I’ve presented public speaking webinars for ExecSense lawyers and physicians practices. I am a frequent blogger for the APMP NCA blog on a variety of topics related to Oral proposals.

My bottom-line advice to my audiences is this:

  1. Different audiences have interests and needs that are different
  2. Different audiences have human qualities that are the same
  3. Use a repeatable system with unique content

To collaborate with me on your specific needs call me at 703-790-1424 or email me at susan@susantrivers.com

When not speaking and coaching others, I’m in the saddle, riding my Friesian horse “Joey” in dressage. Years of being coached has made me exceptionally well-suited to serve as a coach. I’ve made the most progress with my current instructor who always says “dare to make a mistake—that’s where the learning occurs.” This holds true for business as well as personal activities and roles.

I began understanding the critical importance of audience-focused speaking and presenting as an Adjunct Professor of Finance and Economics at the University of Bridgeport, CT. Engaging rooms full of adult students who were studying for Masters of Business Administration after full days at work was a challenge and my high student reviews proved that I successfully met it. After years as Executive Director of several community-based organizations and as owner and operator of a small restaurant in a competitive market, I’m well-equipped to listen to and understand the needs of my clients and provide customized consulting/coaching, workshops and platform speeches to each client.