The 8-week Speaking Transformation
Close the gap between who you are and how you show up.
Most people don’t need more speaking tips. They need to stop spending so much energy being someone else when it counts. Over eight weeks, we’ll build your skills and work on what’s underneath, so speaking feels like you: clearer, calmer and more compelling.
£1,400 · eight weekly 1:1 sessions · a year of Speak Up · four-session fit guarantee
The problem usually isn’t technique.
Plenty of people who struggle with speaking already know what to do. What gets in the way is the effort of performing: trying to be the person you think you should be in a meeting, a pitch or on a stage.
That gap between who you are and who you feel you need to be is exhausting. It makes you self-conscious and stilted, and leaves you drained afterwards. This programme closes it, so speaking feels like you.
This is for you if…
- You freeze, go blank or rush when the pressure's on
- You know what you think, but struggle to land it
- You feel drained by performing a professional version of yourself
- You already speak well, but want more presence and personality
- You want to think more clearly on your feet
- You sense something underneath getting in the way: imposter feelings, old stories, fear of being seen
More than tips, tricks and hacks
Tips and tricks on their own
- One-size-fits-all tips
- A memorised script, and hoping
- Advice you forget by Monday
What we work on
- What's going on when the pressure's on, and why
- The patterns underneath, not just the moments they show up
- Skills practised until they hold up live
- Recovery techniques you can rely on
- Ways to prepare effectively
- Lasting change that goes beyond just speaking
A structured programme that helps you build real confidence.
Most coaching works on one level. This works on both.
Skills on the surface, and what’s driving the pressure underneath, with practice in between. Working on all of it is what makes the change last.
On the surface
Presence, clarity, storytelling and delivery, built through rep-based speaking games rooted in the Ultraspeaking method. Supportive, playful and surprisingly fun.
Underneath
The old stories about who you are, what's safe to express and what happens when you're seen. My approach is CBT-informed, shaped by counselling-skills training and memory reconsolidation research. It isn't therapy, just focused work on what's holding you back.
In between
About 10 minutes a day in Speak Up, my own app: guided practice, a speaking fitness score, courses and AI coaching, so new habits stick.
A framework, not a formula.
We’ll quickly find what matters most for you and adapt as we go. This is the usual shape of the eight weeks.
- Weeks 1–3
Foundation
A self-assessment and a plan built around your goals. Then the fundamentals: staying present and composed under pressure, using pauses and breath, and letting more of your expression come through.
- Weeks 4–5
Clarity and story
Getting to the point, and telling stories that connect.
- Weeks 6–7
Fluency and authenticity
Thinking on your feet, trusting your instincts and bringing more of yourself, so speaking stops feeling like a performance.
- Week 8
Put it to work
Bringing it all together for your real, high-stakes situations, then a final self-assessment to see what's changed.
- Then
A year of practice
Speak Up keeps you improving long after our sessions finish.
“Alistair spotted the real issue: I was using structure to avoid risk, not to express myself… Now I feel like I’m talking from something real. And the crazy part is: people feel it.”
“If you’re an introvert who’s terrified of public speaking, he’s the right guy. And if you’re like me — outwardly confident, but still afraid and craving real connection — he’ll help you speak with an open heart.”
Tom, on who it’s for
Everything included, one price.
Eight weeks of personal coaching, a plan built around you, and a year of practice to make it stick. If the coaching isn’t the right approach for you after four sessions, ask within seven days of session four, before session five, and I’ll refund your programme fee in full. Read the guarantee.
“The way you stayed at ease and heard my questions inspired me to do the same — to take my time and own my speaking. This was one of the most impactful coaching sessions I’ve had.”
Questions people ask
How quickly will I see results?
Most clients notice a shift in their very first session. For lasting change, we go deeper over the eight weeks, giving you time to practise, refine and embed new habits. If the coaching isn't the right approach for you after four sessions, ask within seven days of session four, before session five, and I'll refund your programme fee in full.
What if I'm extremely nervous about speaking?
Then you're in exactly the right place. We start gently, at your pace, and build confidence step by step. You'll never be thrown in unprepared. The process is supportive, playful and (surprisingly) fun.
I'm already a decent speaker. Is this for me?
Yes. Some of my clients are confident, experienced speakers who want to stop relying on scripts, sound more like themselves and connect more. Tom had done stand-up comedy before we worked together.
How is this different from a public speaking course?
Most courses teach techniques. This works on your skills and on what's going on when the pressure's on, with daily practice between sessions. And it's built around you and your situations, not a set syllabus.
What happens in a session?
We usually jump straight into short speaking games, designed to put you under just enough pressure to learn, but not so much that it's overwhelming. Each session is tailored to your goals: a presentation, handling Q&A, speaking up in meetings, or introducing yourself in a room.
I've got something big next week. Can you help?
I know the feeling! We'll do an intensive one-off session focused on your immediate need: targeted practice to help you feel ready, even if time is short. If you want to build longer-term skills afterwards, we can talk about the programme.
Is this therapy?
No. I'm a coach, and our focus is how you speak. My coaching draws on counselling-skills training and a CBT-informed approach, but if something bigger comes up, I'll say so and point you towards the right support.
Online or in person?
Usually online, which works wherever you are. If you're in Edinburgh, in person can be arranged when it's convenient.
What happens after the eight weeks?
You keep a full year in the Speak Up app, so practice carries on. If you want a top-up before a big moment, single sessions are always available.
Ready to transform how you show up?
Book the programme, or start with a free 45-minute intro call to see if we’re a good fit.
“Through thoughtful questions and a very human approach, I’ve got a simple plan with steps for what I can do in my situation starting immediately.”