Silva Speech Coaching—$170, discounts available
Silva Speech Coaching—$170, discounts available

Silva Speech Coaching—$170, discounts available

Top Pro

$170/lesson
estimated price


Public speaking goals

Responds in about 10 min

Introduction
NOTE, lest there be any confusion 😛: My coaching is virtual-only (over video conference), not in-person, & the cost is $170 for each hour-long session. MOST REVIEWS I've received more verified 5-star reviews for public speaking coaching than any other professional on Thumbtack. Plus, rather than offering a bunch of different services (like acting, life coaching, voiceover, etc), I am a full-time, dedicated speech coach. This means that I spend 100% of my professional hours honing a single craft by working exclusively with public speaking students. THE BASICS Since my initial forays into public speaking (and coaching!) in high school, I've spent thousands of hours presenting--in sports radio broadcasting, competitive speech & debate, corporate settings, stand-up comedy and podcasting. I've also been a full-time public speaking coach for going on four years, guiding hundreds of students towards their speaking goals. Thanks to this range and depth of experience, I'm able to help both adults and kids tackle a wide array of speaking challenges (read on for examples). In addition to being deeply knowledgeable, extremely dedicated and highly responsive, I take time to learn about each student's unique speaking goals, struggles and strengths--and then thoughtfully design individualized lessons for each. I also take students behind the scenes of the coaching process, explaining my methods and encouraging self-analysis--so that even after our sessions conclude, you can be your own coach and keep honing your speaking skills for the rest of your life! MY TYPICAL STUDENTS Three primary types, really: - Professionals who find themselves speaking more often & in front of new/bigger/more important audiences at work, and fear inadequate speaking skills and/or nerves are holding back their career. - Adults or children whose shyness or lack of conversation skills inhibit self-expression and make socializing with peers difficult & uncomfortable. - High-achieving children whose parents want to help them take their communication skills to new heights and/or prepare for high school speech & debate or future academic interviews. If any of these sounds like you (or your child), perhaps we should talk! :-) THE DETAILS Areas of focus: - Business communication (presentations, Q&A or just contributing to/leading meetings) - Job, book tour, or academic interview prep - Content development (e.g., brainstorming ideas & shaping them into a coherent speech) - Helping shy kids (or adults) build conversation skills & become more comfortable speaking in class, at work or in social settings. - High school speech & debate training. - Political candidate debate & media interview practice. - And if nerves are your nemesis, I offer a wealth of practical strategies to overcome, manage and speak well despite them. Common speaking challenges I can help address (not an exhaustive list): - An unconfident delivery - Excessive fillers (um, uh, like, etc.) - Speaking too fast - Flat, monotone style - Weak volume/too quiet - Poor enunciation/mumbling/verbal stumbles - Mind blanks/freezes - Trouble thinking on your feet - Inability to express what's on your mind - Rambling & poor organization - Unclear explanations - Conversational awkwardness/coming up with things to say in social settings - Brainstorming ideas/developing & organizing content - Inferior stage presence, video presence, and/or body language - Unsure how to practice - And of course, nerves! PRICING The default rate is $170/hour (each session is an hour). This gets you all my customary content, analysis & feedback, with all exercises & speaking done live in-session. If you send me a recording of you speaking for me to review outside of session, that's an additional $30 charge, as that takes extra time, especially since I usually watch it several times. Recordings can be great fodder for coaching, since I can listen to/watch them beforehand (usually several times), and come to the session prepared with feedback. This also allows us to pack more insight & analysis into each session, which makes it a higher-quality service designed to help you reach your goals faster. DISCOUNTS Students who leave a review on Thumbtack will receive $50 off their next session! & there are package & referral rebates available as well--ask about them in a free consultation! LINKS & FREE CONSULTATION You can watch/listen to some of my work in the links below, which include the winning speech at a company-wide presentation competition, plus a couple episodes of my 125-plus-episodes podcast (in which I coached the guests in speaking/voiceover fundamentals). Reach out for a free consultation--I'd be delighted to chat!
Overview

Current Top Pro

Hired 366 times

Serves Tualatin, OR

Background checked

1 employee

4 years in business

Business hours

Sun12:00 pm - 9:00 pmMon6:00 am - 9:00 pm

Payment methods

This pro accepts payments via Apple Pay, Check, Credit card, Google Pay, PayPal, Square cash app, Stripe, Venmo, and Zelle.

Social media

Instagram

Top Pro status

Top Pros are among the highest-rated, most popular professionals on Thumbtack.

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2023

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2022

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2021

Featured Projects

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    Public Speaking Lessons

  • Jamie is one of the best coaches I’ve ever had. Ho

  • Jamie is amazing. His ability to identify and extr

Reviews

Customers rated this pro highly for professionalism, work quality, and responsiveness.

Exceptional 5.0

210 reviews

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pro avatar
Lily K P.
2 days ago
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Hired on Thumbtack

Hired on Thumbtack

He excels in every aspect of speech coaching. I can confidently say this because I’ve worked with several coaches, and he is by far the best. Within just a few sessions, he identified areas for improvement in my speech and worked on them with me during practice. He also provided clear guidance on how to practice independently using appropriate materials. His coaching is precise, well-tailored to each level, and highly effective. I quickly realized what I was doing wrong in my speaking, and this insight became a major turning point for me. Another aspect worth highlighting is his punctuality and professionalism. He always honors the scheduled sessions, which I deeply appreciate. I’ve had past experiences with coaches who canceled last minute or demanded upfront payment without following through on classes. This can be a risk when working with individuals instead of companies, but it was never an issue with him. I highly recommend his services!

Details: Beginner • 26 - 44 years old • Speech content • Verbal delivery • Body language • Connecting with audience • To develop a skillset • To build confidence • Personal • Remotely (phone or internet)

Public Speaking Lessons
pro avatar
Ioannis Y.
Oct 31, 2024
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Hired on Thumbtack

Hired on Thumbtack

I had the distinct pleasure of working with Jamie over five sessions spanning approximately two months earlier this year. During this time, we worked on my voice control when speaking conversationally and presenting professionally as well as improving my conversational skills. To put it simply, Jamie was outstanding. I was blown away by the level of professionalism, expertise and most of all the clarity with which he taught. He was quickly able to discern my problem areas and provide remedies in the form of targeted exercises. Additionally, all advice in the form of dos and don’ts was accompanied by an explanation of the underlying mechanics, allowing me to build a foundation of understanding for future speaking/conversational self-improvement. It’s been close to three months since our last session and I notice a marked improvement in the areas we worked in. If you find yourself needing help improving in the same areas, I can’t recommend Jamie highly enough.

Details: Beginner • 26 - 44 years old • Speech content • Verbal delivery • Body language • Connecting with audience • To build confidence • To develop a skillset • Business • Remotely (phone or internet)

Public Speaking Lessons
pro avatar
Jason J.
Oct 17, 2024
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Hired on Thumbtack

Hired on Thumbtack

Jamie has been a great speech coach so far - he first diagnoses what he believes is the most critical areas and then tailors his approach accordingly. I have noticed improvements in my speech after only a couple of lessons and exercises. Would recommend if you’re looking for a more tailored approach to improving your communication.

Details: Beginner • 26 - 44 years old • Verbal delivery • Connecting with audience • To build confidence • To develop a skillset • Business • Remotely (phone or internet)

Public Speaking Lessons
pro avatar
Tom C.
Oct 15, 2024
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Hired on Thumbtack

Hired on Thumbtack

I had the pleasure of working with Jamie as my speech coach, and I can't recommend him highly enough. From our very first session, he demonstrated an incredible ability to pinpoint exactly where I needed improvement. His insights were both thoughtful and practical, making it easy to apply his guidance. Jamie's supportive and encouraging approach helped me build confidence in my speaking skills. If you’re looking for someone who truly understands the art of communication, Jamie is the coach for you!

Details: Beginner • 26 - 44 years old • Verbal delivery • Speech content • Body language • Connecting with audience • To build confidence • To prepare for an event • To develop a skillset • Personal • Remotely (phone or internet) • At the pro’s location • My home, venue, etc.

Public Speaking Lessons
pro avatar
Garrett N.
Oct 14, 2024
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Hired on Thumbtack

Hired on Thumbtack

Jamie was fantastic! From my first, short call with him, he asked me question after question about me. He found, what seemed to me as the most insignificant remarks that I made to be the most intriguing. I knew that this slow to speak, quick to listen philosophy meant that I was going to get a very customized experience. Throughout the course, he helped reveal my strengths and weaknesses as a speaker, gave me helpful drills that helped me improve upon those weaknesses, and gave pro-level speaking tips that I could immediately apply. Jamie not only helped me on the public speaking side, but he also helped me feel more confident in my everyday conversations. If you’re looking for someone who’s kind, knows his stuff, and cares about your improvement enough to shoot you straight (and he’s very honest with you!), Jamie’s your guy.

Details: Intermediate • 18 - 25 years old • Connecting with audience • Verbal delivery • Speech content • To build confidence • To develop a skillset • Business • At the pro’s location • My home, venue, etc. • Remotely (phone or internet)

Public Speaking Lessons
Credentials
Background Check

James Silva

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