I worked with Donnie! Let them wave their magic wand over you and watch the transformation. I am grateful to my daughter for suggesting Donnie and full of power and promise from What I have learned. #priceless read more

My colleague and I were presenting on a topic that was really important to the work we had done together and would be seen by thousands of people online. We were looking to get some coaching, just to make sure that how we presented the topic, ourselves, and represented our business was the best it could be. We worked with Donnie, over several sessions. I've done a lot of speaking engagements, and feel pretty confident in my ability to present - both in person and virtually. So I wasn't quite sure, to be honest, if I would get a lot out of this session. What I walked away with from our time together was a whole lot of improvement to my presentation skills. It wasn't just about how I spoke etc - but also on the actual content I was presenting too. We were really focused in on how to create the most impactful message at every moment of the presentation, so that our attendees would walk away feeling like they got something great out of it. Hands down, our presentation was 1000x better because of our work with Donnie. And I'll be back in a heartbeat the next time an important gig comes up. Whether you're new to speaking or a seasoned veteran, they do a really good job at providing the feedback needed to take what you're doing to the next level - and all in the service of not only you, as a communicator, but the people you're speaking to. read more

I want to write a review to say big thank you for Fonta and Donnie for setting me up with a wonderful interpersonal mini classes. It's been a journey for me to see myself going through all the changes with Donnie's instruction. Donnie was super intuitive and knowledgeable. He figured my difficulties right away and pointed me to the right direction with plenty of explanations and patience. I feel like a better person in a way of confident and calm. Thank you very much for all the helps! I really appreciate this opportunity and hope we will see each other soon in the future for more fun classes! read more

I recently completed the Executive Presence course with Amy, and found it very helpful. Although I had previously read several books on communication skills, most of the material in the course was new to me. I learned many useful tips and exercises for improving effectiveness in speaking (and listening). Amy was an excellent teacher; she organized and presented the material in a very clear manner and was always supportive and enthusiastic. read more

My experience with Tesneem was amazing! I took the Accent Reduction and Executive Presence courses with her and am feeling so good about my progress. I always wanted to improve my communication skills but never knew what strategies to implement and these courses gave me the tools I needed. If you have want to increase your speech clarity, improve your English accent, or learn strategies on speaking articulately, I highly recommend! I'm so grateful for the experience and all I learned with her! read more

It is with gratitude and admiration that I write this review. Amy Johnson is an extraordinary speech and communication coach! From our first meeting to the last one, Amy was informative, clear and supportive. Her vast professional knowledge assisted me and helped strengthen my own professional growth. I came to her with specific goals for areas of improvement (e.g. articulation and pronunciation), and to this day I feel more aware and equipped with knowledge and skills to continue with my own development as a communicator (I am an educator). Further, her professional competence goes beyond content. Amy also guided me to identify habits and emotions that were hindering my communication, while I capitalized on my aptitude and strengths. I feel that everyone deserves quality coaching in his/her life. Amy Johnson is that type! read more

I just completed the introductory course with Fonta Hadley and all I can say is WOW. During my evaluation, Fonta picked up on all the areas where I felt I needed to improve, and pointed out several that I wasn't even aware of. I learned I was sending mixed messages that contained both confident and insecure elements. Fonta showed me how to filter out the insecurity, leaving only the confidence. She took a holistic approach, working on both verbal and non-verbal communication at the same time. We worked on pace, tone, gestures, body language and so many other facets of my communication. She is a true expert in her field. I also had the pleasure of working with Amy on my pace and articulation. Amy is awesome, too! Improving your communication is difficult, but you can do it if you try, and Eloquence will give you the tools you need to do it. read more

Where do I start? Working with Fonta has altered the trajectory of my career in an amazing and positive way. Fonta's style of instruction is both intuitive and scientific which helped me connect the thinking and sensing elements needed to develop confidence as a female public speaker. Fonta's training is delivered in a direct, sincere and immensely practical format easily digested by the beginner (which I was) and progressing in intensity as skills evolve and refinement is desired. Working under Font's tutelage has given me a sense of confidence in my ability to own and express my ideas, insights and vision within my organization in a way that I a year ago I didn't believe was possible - I am immensely grateful for the care and expertise Fonta invested into my learning program. Yelp allows me 5-Stars, but Fonta is worth a 100. read more

Fonta coached me about 4 years ago, but a friend recently put the feelers out looking for a vocal/speech coach. I thought I'd throw this review in here since I had a really awesome experience. When I found Fonta, I had come out of a relationship where my partner's complaint was about my communication skills. It stirred up a lot of my insecurities around public speaking and expressing myself verbally. First, Fonta taught me technical abilities to make the best of my voice with minimal effort--basically to recognize the "sweet spot" of the sound of my voice and how to get it out. This helped build confidence. Second, she taught me how to connect with what I was saying and connect with my listeners whether it's in a crowd or one-on-one. Today, as I've moved up in my career, I've had no problems giving presentations or expressing myself one-on-one. It was dramatic change in my life, all thanks to Fonta! It was truly life changing. read more

I had been told that I have a lot of trouble communicating clearly. At first, I didn't believe it. I mean, really, I needed speech teacher or help from a communication coach? Give me a break! First off, I'm not in need of accent reduction. And, there's something about hearing from those one works with that one's oral communication sucks that is a little off-putting. But, after I got over that affront from the people I work with, I agreed to look into a little communication training. That''s when I started working regularly with Fonta and Eloquence Studio. Now, I work half as hard to communicate clearly and am twice as understood! Highest recommendation. read more

I either have to feel inspired to take the time to write a review or extremely disappointed and I'm happy to say that I'm TOTALLY inspired! (There's never an in between for me, although I wish I didn't approach it that way because I think reviews are super important for the consumer and generous on the reviewers part to do - whether it's a negative or positive review.) My Review: What an incredible experience! I felt so taken care of throughout the one-on-one 3 month course - because of the program structure and the powerful communication tools I learned and practiced, the additional resources if needed (speech therapy- Amy Johnson was awesome! ), and the consistent EQ (emotional intelligence) content. I couldn't have imagined a program that would fit me so perfectly and align with my values as much as Eloquence. I found Eloquence because I needed help with my public speaking and video presentations for my new startup business. Up until now, my fears and nerves always got the best of me and it's been an issue for as long as I can remember. The funny thing is I didn't really know anything about this program and had no idea EQ was apart of it - which is totally up my alley because I'm an emotional intelligence instructor for teens. But, somehow I had an intuition that this was where I needed to be. And, then I met Fonta...*smile* As soon as we started talking, we clicked immediately and I knew I made the right choice. I mean, anyone who can make me laugh right away and then talk about EQ in the next sentence is a keeper in my book! I'm very picky when it comes to people I work with because it's another kind of relationship building. So, for me - connection is key! And, Fonta is an incredible human being, woman, and teacher who is clearly doing the work she was put on this earth for. My life will be forever changed in my expression because of the perception shift I had about myself as a communicator and public speaker. Through Fonta's beautiful teachings and expert listening, I learned how to give myself permission to be who I am, to express how I do, and embrace and accept the feelings and emotions that sometimes show up in the moment. I, now, hardly hesitate to speak in front of a group and my video presentations have dramatically improved. Fonta is a miracle worker and her brilliant communication services are WORTH the time, effort, and every hard-earned penny! read more

This review is way overdue but I had to let everyone know how amazing this team is. Fonta and her team are phenomenal! I received exactly what I expected which was to improve my overall communication skills. What I didn't expect was for the training to include mindfulness and building confidence. It was a well rounded training. Fonta is responsive, caring and a professional. She gives you real-time feedback and follows up on progress on a weekly basis. I'm grateful I came across this Yelp page. I learned so much about communication and myself. I encourage everyone to take this training. It's worth every penny. Thanks Fonta!!! read more

I hardly write Yelp reviews but Fonta and team are just that amazing that I must get the word out. Fonta has made a huge difference in my career and allowed me to shine. I started work in a new company and the feedback I received during my initial weeks that I might be "too nice", which is a concern given that my role requires me to negotiate a lot. Communication has always been a challenge to me given that English is my second language and I migrated to this country a little more than a decade ago. I was lucky to have had the chance to work with Fonta - I do not even remember how I found her. I focused on small group interaction and one on one communication. We did about 12 sessions together and we covered very basic communication topics such as greeting people for the first time to the more complex posture, body language, gestures and pushing back with difficult people. She even brought one of her team members to work on more mechanical techniques on how to enunciate words better. I have done other communication workshops before but Fonta's magic is that she really gets to know you, almost bordering on a therapist -- although she is very clear that is not her role -- and provides her feedback so that: 1.) It works with who you are as a person, 2.) matches your style and is 3.) actionable. Because of working with Fonta and the skills I have gained, I was able to get promoted to the next level just less than 3 years within my new company and now I am asked to do a lot of presentations to outside groups. I plan to work with her again to focus more on listening and presenting to bigger groups. Gurus say that you should invest in yourself. Working with Fonta and team is a worthwhile investment. The return on investment is a hundredfold. read more

Fonta and her team are phenomenal! I had coaching sessions with other coaches before and started working with Fonta at the recommendation of a mentor. My initial goal was to work on soft skills/leadership presence with her since it's generally tricky for women to balance competence and likability. During the 12-session program, she not only taught me important toolkits to improve communication skills with voice/breadth/body postures to project confidence and compassion, I also had unexpected insights into better self-awareness and emotional intelligence into relationship dynamics and social interactions. She served as a sounding board to help me gain clarity around my own leadership style and crystalize ideas that were bubbles in my mind previously. I would highly recommend Fonta and her team! read more

Fonta helped me improve my communication skills, bringing more opportunities professionally and personally. I score extremely low in extraversion, so this was no easy feat. She's effective, energetic, and patient. I'd work with Fonta again without hesitation. read more

Can't say enough about how amazing Fonta and the team at Eloquence studios are. They are extremely professional and talented at what they do. I am a business leader and frequent presenter at conferences (8 to 15 a year). Personally, I can tell the difference between an okay speaker and an amazing one, and wanted to be the latter. It was difficult finding someone who was not just a "presentation coach" or a "speech therapist." I have good content and I don't have an accent. What i wanted was someone who could drill down into my speech habits and my language patterns to help with the fundamentals of being a powerful presenter. And there, I found Fonta. With her, I've worked on everything from upspeak, guttural fry, pace, enunciation, storytelling and more. My favorite session was on body language while presenting. People always say "use the stage, walk around". But how do you actually use the 50 foot stage? How much are you supposed to walk around? Through my sessions, I learned there is a method you can follow to guide you through the presentations. I'm now significantly more comfortable giving presentations before large hundred member audiences. Bring it on!! read more

I cannot speak highly enough of Fonta, but before I gush over her abilities it may be helpful to understand what it is that she does. I came into my first session with Fonta thinking that I would get a few tricks for speaking slower and more articulately. After an introductory session where she assessed countless dimensions of my speech, Fonta laid out a plan for me that included far more than just a few tactical tips. We covered everything from speed to range to warmth to listening to presence to listening. Fonta has an uncanny ability to get straight to the heart of the issue and find the most effective solution. She truly listens to you, and you'd be well served to do the same. I would recommend Fonta unconditionally to anyone hoping to become a better communicator. Fonda's advice is priceless whether it be for speaking in front of large auditoriums or conversing one-on-one. I look forward to carrying Fonta's lessons with me wherever I go. read more

Fonta will help you become a better communicator. Her vast knowledge and experience in the area of "communication" (I put that in quotes only because "communication" is an amorphous subject area that encapsulates many different disciplines and Fonta will help you break that down too!) is evident from the moment you meet her. She is a special teacher in that she truly figures out how to communicate to you the things that you need in order to become a clear communicator. I really appreciated her method of giving ACTIONABLE tips and advice to put into practice in order to achieve your goals. Highly recommended! read more

Fonta is one of the most amazing teachers I have ever had. Her level of knowledge is matched by her ability to listen and tailor a program to each student. I learned so much from her. Each lesson was a treasure chest. read more

I did five sessions with Amy Johnson to help me with a casual speaking style that lacked some professionalism. Amy has a straight forward approach that gave me actionable techniques to apply to my speaking style and overall presence. Her tips on being an active listener were also a huge help. Highly recommend! read more

Fonta Hadley is a great coach for everyone who is thinking about improving his communication skills... and honestly I cannot imaginge anyone, who cannot improve his skills further. I realized that for my career and personal life, communication will be key to progress. Looking for somebody to help me to further improve my (reasonable) communication skills to become clearer, more convincing and more motivating in my communication, I found Fonta with her office based in the center San Francisco. She is truly is an expert in all facets of communication and has helped me to identify my personal areas of improvement including: gesture, voice, facial movement etc.. Even though we could only spend 3 months working together, I have learnt a lot and could already enhance my daily communication, which has been noticed by my employees, customers and my management. I strongly recommend her services and am convinced that this is an excellent investment in personal growth if you commit yourself to learn and grow. read more

Fonta is an amazing communication coach. From posture to tone, from messaging to framing, she can coach you through day to day, business, and personal communication challenges. Fonta has helped me prepare for interviews, become more effective in group discussions, and have more impact when I speak. Her experience and training in both drama and voice really shows. Her coaching style is empathetic and practical. Highly recommended. read more

There's so much history to our communication style and habit, which make changing these feel so daunting. Fonta and her team create a highly constructive and positive experience around communication development. Their assessment of my current communication patterns made me feel extremely confident that I was working on very specific changes and goals. Before working with them I really felt in need of a guide to help me make sense of my challenges and where I could improve. They gave me a sense of confidence in the process, which comes when you're working with people who can speak from knowledge and experience. Their team was responsive to my communication needs as they changed around different professional challenges. I truly felt I had a partner in helping me figure out where I could grow. I envy anyone getting the chance to work with Fonta and her team because the wealth of what they'll have the chance to learn and experience. read more

Fonta is brilliant at her craft. She helps me put all my in and out of court presentations together. She takes the intimidation out of the preparation of a presentation and provides you with an easy to follow road map that captivates listeners. read more