“Marc helped me prepare for an upcoming important meeting with the White House to advocate for resources to make affordable rental housing energy efficient and climate resilient. His suggestions were incredibly helpful!”
Ellen Lurie Hoffman, Senior Director of Federal Policy
National Housing Trust
“I thought I was a good quick pitch but Marc made me better.”
Robert Hammond, Executive Director
The High Line
“If only all my one-hour meetings were so productive!”
Priya Jayachandran, CEO
National Housing Trust
“I wish every community organizer in America could have this one hour training. We would go a long way toward changing this country.”
Madeline Janis, Executive Director
Jobs to Move America
“In a short hour I went from a decent pitch to a targeted, clear, well focused ask.”
Joshua Ginsberg, President
Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
“I had no idea so much could be done in just one hour, total game-changing work!”
Heather Ferguson, Executive Director
Common Cause New Mexico
“In just one hour, Marc made me more confident in my messaging and I left with an understanding of what I need to work on to be able to speak with more impact.”
Trude Rauken, Interim Executive Director
Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance
“I am a seasoned public speaker and generally pretty confident in my messaging. However, in just one hour Marc helped me greatly improve the quality of my elevator speech and increase the impact of my delivery.”
Nancy Parrish, Executive Director
Women’s Action for New Directions (WAND)
“It was enlightening and refreshing to come away with new ideas in such a short amount of time. Thank you!”
Suzanne Graham, President
Downtown Akron Partnership
“This one hour session was more impactful for me than the hours, days, weeks that I have spent in other communications trainings.”
Dan Nissenbaum, CEO
Low Income Investment Fund
“This was the best bang for the buck in training I can recall — from just a couple of hours, I gained lots to act on both immediately and over the long term.”
Stephen Burrington, Executive Director
Groundwork USA
“This is seriously one of the best trainings I have ever received.”
Marielena Hincapie, Executive Director
National Immigration Law Center
“Every leader of a non-profit should take this training as it will dramatically improve their ability to talk about their organization.”
Eric Cohen, Executive Director
Immigrant Legal Resource Center
“Anyone could benefit from this training opportunity.”
Bob McFalls, Executive Director
Florida Philanthropic Network
“With literally one night’s notice, Marc booked a session for me the next day and took the time to not just read my materials but research the person who was leading my last-minute meeting. Within the first 15 minutes, he was able to distill my message and help me succinctly reframe my story with authenticity and clarity. Over the last year, I’ve worked with a few career counselors and business coaches, and Marc was the only one to help me articulate my message in a compelling way–all within one hour.”
Lauren Deen, Executive Producer
Laurendeen.com
“In just an hour with Marc, we unpacked and tightly re-packaged some of the most complex elements of what we do. Marc doesn’t just prepare you for that fortuitous elevator ride—he also prepares you for today’s partnership meeting and tomorrow’s donor meeting by giving you the tools and tactics to be a compelling storyteller.”
George Tsiatis, CEO & Co-Founder
The Resolution Project
“The only way is up on this elevator pitch session. It was fun and elevating skills hidden within to maximize the pitch I have used with donors to now use on the team I work with.”
Milan Balinton, Executive Director
African American Community Service Agency
“I gained a lot of helpful insights from the training. It was a highly productive use of just one hour — I highly recommend it.”
Richard Dubois, Executive Director
National Consumer Law Center
“We always say our work is too complex or bespoke to have an effective ‘elevator speech.’ Marc proved us wrong.”
Kim Latimer-Nelligan, President
Low Income Investment Fund
“Elevator Speech Training is truly exceptional.”
Anne Evens, CEO
Elevate Energy
“I highly recommend this training.”
Jojo Annobil, Executive Director
Immigrant Justice Corps
” ‘Selling’ myself or my organization is not something that comes naturally to me, and this training helped me understand — in only an hour! — how to make my presentation more positive and structured.”
MaryAnn Wilkinson, Executive Director
The Scarab Club
“In just an hour, Marc helped me distill complex institutional language into a much more relatable, emotionally resonant way about speaking about organizational vision.”
Joshua David, Co-Founder
The High Line
“This session has given me a powerful boost to articulate my elevator speech, to understand my intentions and ways to present the essence of my message. Marc goes above and beyond.”
Alice Abarbanel, Director
Radcliffe College Oral History Project
“I truly appreciate this training. I was able to refocus on the work that we do and transform our mission statement into something shorter and more concise for funders and donors to better understand the work the we do.”
Kevin McNair, Executive Director
1Nation Mentoring
“One hour with Marc was like turning on a light in a dark room: our way forward is much clearer.”
Mike Shesterkin, Exec. Director
SMSBF
“Marc very quickly helped me drill down to some key talking points and themes. It was the boost I needed to get to work crafting our 50th Anniversary talking points and communications.”
Anne Brasie, Executive Director
Clinton River Watershed Council
“Why didn’t I do this sooner? My time with Marc opened my eyes to a more compelling, robust and untapped asset: My story!”
Michael Pettry, President
Cape Fletcher Associates
“The intricate detail, personality assessment and pre planning set the stage for an engaging and interpersonal session.”
Terry Smith, President and CEO
M-PowerHouse of Greater Pittsburgh
“Most of us speak by instinct, but Marc’s Elevator Speech Framework helped me craft a stronger pitch by adding a step-by-step structure to that invaluable first-impression moment.”
Terry FitzPatrick, Co-chair
Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking – ATEST
“The Elevator Speech Training was incredibly useful! Marc is a joy to work with, he is super personable, patient, and understanding, and his feedback is on point–he is professionalism embodied. Please do yourself a favor and learn about Marc’s “secret sauce,” it will change your life.”
Alberto Rodríguez, Board Member
OneAmerica
“In just one hour Marc was able to inspire new ideas and refine my well-worn pitch by providing a fresh perspective and challenging me to take a bird’s-eye view of my organization’s goals.”
Nicholas Richberg, Managing Director
Miami New Drama
“Marc was amazing in getting me to understand the importance of getting right to the point in a creative and appealing way!”
Karla Redding-Andrews, VP/Executive Director
Otis Redding Foundation
“The training felt very personalized to my needs. In just an hour, I learned several easy ways to significantly improve my presentations.”
Leigh Henderson, Managing Director
Teatro Visión
“It was wonderful training, very Hands-On, with the knowledge of someone who is intimately familiar with the ins and outs of fundraising and organizations.”
Michel Hausmann, Artistic Director
Miami New Drama
“After the training, I feel much more confident to approach anyone, particularly donors.”
Rodrigo Garcia, Artistic Director
Teatro Visión
“I was able to determine where my pitch needed improvement, speaking more actively about the importance of my business rather than assuming the listener doesn’t know or hasn’t heard of it.”
Mikhaile Solomon, Executive Director
Prizm Projects, Inc.
“I found his take on connecting abstract concepts, personal experience, and concrete examples a very helpful way to frame speaking points.”
Jason Su, Executive Director
Guadalupe River Park Conservancy
“His instruction provided much needed direction as to how to hone the argument, key details to include, and how to deliver the presentation.”
Robert Pesich, President
Poetry Center San Jose
“Marc taught me that I needed to start with the part of the speech that I was using at the end. He taught me that if I start with something unique about our news organization people will pay attention to the rest of the story.”
Hilda Gurdian, Publisher
La Noticia
“You helped put into words our superpowers and how we can distinguish ourselves from others. The steps you provided can be used in many scenarios. Thank you.”
Trami Cron, Executive Artistic Director
Chopsticks Alley Art
“By the end of the hour, I felt prepared to create a more compelling upcoming presentation to a potential big funder.”
Megan Fluke, Executive Director
Green Foothills
“Marc’s insights are exceptionally productive in a very short amount of time. “
Kevin Cadette, Executive Director
Black Angels Miami
“Well, the hour I spent with Marc today may be the critical piece of this elaborate puzzle that helps my organization move the needle on the change our city so desperately needs. I’m always looking for a better way to get ppl to absorb the urgency of our campaigns and doing this work with Marc is making that happen.”
Odessa Kelly, Executive Director
Stand Up Nashville
“Marc’s training was like hitting a re-start button on our usual framing.”
Gladys Limon, Executive Director
California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA)
“Elevator Speech Training was very effective for me and for the entire team at Media Impact Funders, where we are constantly working to convey our purpose through presentations and discussions, even more so now that all of our elevator rides happen figuratively on Zoom.”
Vince Stehle, Executive Director
Media Impact Funders
“What a great training! Marc was thought-provoking, positive, and offered helpful new ideas. I also appreciated that he had spent time in advance of our session to learn about my organization – we were able to get right to work. An hour well spent!”
Carol Emig, President & CEO
Child Trends
“It was very helpful to have a full hour with one coach’s full attention and help.”
John Smillie, Executive Director
Western Organization of Resource Councils
“In just one hour, with this training, I was able to distill a short and moving way to communicate my organization’s unique add and impact as well as a way to naturally and compellingly transition the conversation to directly asking for support from potential funders.”
Stephanie Ettinger De Cuba, Executive Director
Children’s HealthWatch
“We were inspired enough to gather our entire staff on a giant zoom call and talk about it. Because we are global we wanted to give everyone the opportunity to benefit from a really insightful and helpful process. The early results have been amazing.”
Kathleen Rogers, President
Earth Day Network
“The one hour session was a great reminder of how important this elevator-pitch work is. You can get so busy in the day-to-day, it was an extremely useful reminder that this is a valuable thing to spend time on!”
Brady Walkinshaw, CEO
Grist
“The training was really excellent – well-paced and fun, and even more critical now given the greater need to be effective at making a pitch on a very tight timeline. “
Sirine Shebaya, Executive Director
National Immigration Project
“This one hour training helped me get out of my own way and hone in on the core essence of what people need to know to be able to say ‘yes.'”
Munro Richardson, Executive Director
Read Charlotte
“Mark’s training was very helpful in my continuing to improve and shape ways to present short effective messages about the Environmental Law & Policy Center’s strengths.”
Howard Learner, Executive Director
Environmental Law & Policy Center
“I’m impressed how quickly Marc was able to help me hone in on the most resonant and memorable aspects of my pitch. He really gave me a lot to work with and think about!”
Derek Johnson, Executive Director
Global Zero
“In just one hour with Marc, I was able to develop usable talking points that will increase my ability to fund raise, build awareness and call to action all those I interact with.”
Debra Cronmiller, Executive Director
League of Women Voters of Wisconsin
“The strategies Marc shares can be applied far beyond an elevator speech.”
Vivian Stockman, Executive Director
Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition
“Marc’s Elevator Speech Training was, quite simply, transformational. He helped me clearly talk about work, connect with my audience, and communicate in a way that’s authentic and people-centered. Foundation and non-profit leaders who want to communicate effectively should not miss this!”
Heidi Binko, Executive Director & Co-founder
Just Transition Fund
“Got some great, practical feedback on upping the emotional impact when I talk about my organization’s mission. So helpful!”
Sarah Milligan-Toffler, Executive Director
Children & Nature Network
“This was a well-used hour to step back and make sure that our most basic communication reflects the current needs and connects them to not only our long term mission and but with the shared values of our current and future partners.”
Andrea Ponsor, CEO
Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future
“Marc was so prepared and tailored the training so well to me and my work that I got a great deal out of the training and will be able to put it to use immediately.”
Tom Fritzsche, Executive Director
Milk with Dignity Standards Council
“In just an hour I left with concrete ways I can be more effective.”
Rachel Micah-Jones, Executive Director
Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc.
“Honest feedback is critical and I definitely got that! Thank you!”
Lindsay Harper, Executive Director
Georgia WAND
“Marc blew me away and I can’t wait to recommend him to my colleagues.”
Cecili Thompson Williams, Executive Director
Beyond the Bomb
“Elevator Speech Training helped me hone my message.”
Shelly Prichard, President & CEO
Wichita Community Foundation
“Miraculous improvements… in one fast-paced hour.”
Roz Savage, Author, Environmentalist
First woman to row solo across three oceans
“I like how after each iteration of my speech, we went over pluses and deltas and worked to improve my speech. It was a very focused activity that helped me think about not only how to structure my speech, but also to include elements of viscerality and urgency, so listeners are moved to support our work.”
Anni Leming, Co-President
Asian American Association of New Mexico
“It was a great training that provided me with concrete things on how improve my elevator speech. Watching myself, debriefing after to identify areas of improvement was incredibly helpful.Thank you Marc, truly appreciated your patience and support.”
Julieta Garibay, Director and Cofounder
United we Dream
“The modeling of story examples was so helpful.”
Quyen Dinh, Executive Director
Southeast Asia Resource Action Center
“The training gave me some really great tips on making a strong presentation of my organization!”
Ralph Williamson, President
Faith Organizing Alliance (FOA)
“The framework was a gamechanger for me in focusing my ideas into a coherent message, and the constructive feedback Marc gave in an hour left me eager to present rather than dreading it.”
Lara Bergen, Founder
Press Pass NYC
“Thanks to Marc’s culturally informed coaching, we won a pitching contest at a Japanese food conference which may very well open a door for us to this important market. “
Stefan Fak, CEO
Lotao, Inc.
“Grantees consistently give this training high marks and wish they had access to it sooner.”
Dana Bourland, Vice President, Environment
JPB Foundation
“My grantees loved the training.”
Geri Mannion, Program Director
Carnegie Corporation of New York
“It was a valuable and well spent one hour. I have participated in other workshops of similar training and they do not compare.”
Monica Tabares, Vice President
The Greening of Detroit
“This was one of the most impactful trainings I have ever participated in. In just one hour, Marc helped me find more accessible language and targeted framing to talk about my work with potential partners. These are skills that I will use everyday.”
Alexandra Nassau-Brownstone, Director, Resident Outcomes & CORES
Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF)
“Marc’s personalized feedback, provided in real-time, was both efficient and effective. Great use of an hour.”
Tracy Kaufman, Chief Operating Officer
National Housing Trust
“I feel better equipped to communicate a sense of urgency when trying to influence colleagues and external parties”
Angela Bruno, CFO
National Housing Trust
“A lot of value packed in one hour – Marc gives strong feedback on how to up your brand message game, including providing fresh and impactful language.”
Diana Martin, Chief marketing Officer
Healthier Generation
“The energy, commitment, and compassion Marc shows up with in the session is brilliant. It’s important to help us break out of ourselves and validates instead of intimidates as we’re vulnerable talking through work that is core to how we show up in the world. It is an education as well as a service.”
Erik Paul Howard,
ErikPaulHoward.com
“Marc was engaging, thoughtful and very specific in his feedback. An hour later, I feel more prepared and confident engaging with potential donors.”
Clint Hill, Chief Development Officer
United Way of Central Carolinas
“These sorts of trainings always make me nervous but Marc was able to instantly put me at ease, workshop things with me, and share smart suggestions that I could start implementing immediately.”
Sarah Treuhaft, Vice President for Research
PolicyLink
“Our non-profit is about to create a 3-minute presentation to compete for a $250K grant, and the skills we gained in one hour of training with Marc will make that presentation much more compelling.”
Melissa White, Development Director
California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA)
“In one hour, I had a clear, concise and powerful message to share with future donors. Marc helped tighten up my messaging for the most impact.”
Heena Khatri, VP of Board
OneAmerica Votes
“I’ve been an advocate for almost 20 years–I wish I had this training in the beginning! The hour flew by. Not only is the elevator speech framework highly adaptable and useful, the real-time coaching helped me apply it. I’m excited to try it out.”
Michelle Rodriguez, Chief of Programs
NELP
“Mark’s training was value-added and fit well into my busy schedule. Because I’m often in situations where sharing information about my organization with others is limited, his advice on how to message information effectively was timely and effective.”
Delmar Gillus, Jr., COO
Elevate Energy
“The training was easy, fun and provided me with practical feedback that I will put to immediate use.”
Chris Jones, Senior Vice President and Chief Planner
Regional Plan Association
“Our times demand effective, fast-paced communication that also engages at a personal level. Marc’s coaching helps professionals move beyond recitation of mere facts and figures and provides a solid formula on how to connect with an audience of one or many and get them invested in your story.”
Erik Meyers, Vice President
The Conservation Fund
“My elevator speech was improved *at least* 100% in the fun hour I spent with Marc.”
Kyra Shields, Bright Cities Program Director
Healthy Babies Bright Futures
“Marc’s training was an empowering way to start my day; the one hour flew by. Highly recommend – especially for folks who have been at their organization for many years and want to freshen up how they speak about the work and why it matters.”
Daniel Hatcher, Director of Community Partnerships
Alliance for a Healthier Generation
“It was helpful to break down my elevator speech in parts and also have someone who provided the confidence and feedback to continue improving!”
Rafaela Rodriguez, Director of Outreach and Communications
Worker-driven Social Responsibility Network
“I’ve come across a number of prompts and exercises for this type of skill building but the Framework provided in this training was hands down the best.”
Julie Hutcheson, Director of Impact
Green Foothills
“This was a quick learning and optimization tool that has allowed me to think about my pitch differently, tweaking the minutiae enough that at the end the aggregated whole pitch made much more coherent sense with a solid ask.”
Nathan Ulsh, Director of Policy and Operations
San Jose Downtown Association
“Very productive way to spend an hour – way more than most meetings. Instant utility. Really, really good.”
Marty Davey, Director of Product and Service Development
New Ecology, Inc
“I found the training to be so precise and effective in the little bit of time we had – starting off right from the top with a quick demo and then workshopping it from there was the perfect approach.”
Jane Patton, Senior Campaigner
Center for International Environmental Law
“My Elevator Speech Training with Marc was an hour full of helpful suggestion and reminders about how to convey my organizations mission, and the urgency of our work, in the most compelling way(s).”
Steve Hurley, Chief Development Officer
National Consumer Law Center
“I was super impressed by how much training/learning could be done in one hour!”
Anne Griffith, Senior Director, National Initiatives
Enterprise Community Partners
“In just one hour this excellent training helped me distill down complex policies and programs into effective talking points that will be useful in a variety of situations. Thanks, Marc!”
William Bryan, Built Environment Project Manager
Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance
“Marc’s training was super helpful; His framework will now be a go-to resource!”
April Hewko, Program Manager
Equal Justice Works
“Most productive hour of my week, by far. Thanks, Marc!”
Kevin Davis, Washington Representative
UCS
“Time is in short supply for all of us but this would be an hour well spent for anyone doing this work, regardless of their level of experience.”
Damien Filer, communications director
Progress Florida
“I can’t believe how, in just one hour, I went from bumbling around a conversation about my job to having a structured recipe for success!”
Amanda Winn, West Coast Project Manager
HOPE
“I gained so many great tools in this hour-long training!”
Tiffany Eng, Green Zones Program Manager
CEJA
“Marc’s collaborative approach and laser focus on story-telling through simple and clear messaging helped me build an impactful narrative to tell our story–in just one hour!”
Maheen Shafiabady, Business Operations & Communications, Manager
HEART of San Mateo County
“It’s amazing how much we accomplished in two one hour sessions. I feel more confident about presenting myself and my work in meetings and over the phone!”
Teleia White, Director of Individual Giving
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation
“The training is helpful in making sure that I am sharing information that is most important to the listener. It was a great reminder to speak with intentionality.”
Shelly Ridgeway, Director of Marketing & Communications
United Way of Central Carolinas
“The skills and format of this training can be adapted to everything else, this training will help me more clearly communicate my message.”
Yadira Hernandez, Finance and Administration Director
California Environmental Justice Alliance
“Marc is a master of his craft, and I learned so much in such a short period of time about how to structure my pitch in a way that succinctly draws people in and calls them to action.”
Caroline Beaton, Manager of Impact Operations
Exposure Labs
“While I’d love to have more time for this training, the hour long session is very productive. It’s a challenge to watch yourself give a pitch repeatedly, but it is so helpful in honing your message and improving your delivery. I highly recommend the training!”
Shannon Lee, Senior Urban Conservation Manager
The Conservation Fund
“The ground I was able to cover in just one hour with Marc was phenomenal. I’ve taken part in separate training that lasted hours and didn’t come close to the value and insight this training provided. We got right to business and the guidance and feedback was extremely helpful.”
Richard Sheward, Director of Innovative Partnerships
Children’s HealthWatch, Boston Medical Center
“This training was very useful, and something staff, executive leadership and board could benefit from. This is practical, easy-to-do, and every-day relevant. I have a much better sense of the importance of what I communicate, why, what and how I speak.”
Ana Traverso-Krejcarek, Manager
Highline Network
“Marc is an excellent training leader and coach. This training was a game changer for me – although I am a seasoned communications professional, I felt sharpened by this framework and I will take it back to our communications team.”
Monica Novoa, Communications Director
National Employment Law Project (NELP)
“All communication is about engaging your audience and striking an emotional chord, one powerful enough to compel action. Marc’s training showed me how to create a narrative to accomplish just that — keep it simple, relatable and provide resolution to a problem. I will use this approach going forward.”
Jenny Riley, Associate Director, Marketing
Elevate Energy –
“I didn’t know I could accomplish so much in an hour! This training not only gave me specific advice for my chosen “elevator speech”, but also gave me the tools to apply the same learnings to other elevator speeches I may have to give in the future!”
Lakeshia Wright, Senior Program Officer
Institute for Sustainable Communities
“I learned how to craft a more effective speech and elevate the most salient points with limited time. This is super helpful for me as someone who spends a lot of time networking with others from all kinds of backgrounds.ref”
Gabriel Jones, Senior Associates
Arabella Advisors
“This training was excellent! I learned so much in this one hour session and came away with multiple recordings of myself as well as a written breakdown of everything we covered, both of which have been so valuable.”
Stephanie Stohler, Toxic-Free Future
Toxic-Free Future
“The “deep dive” into what I thought was a pretty solid pitch, really helped me to improve my communications. It is remarkable what can be accomplished in one hour when what you say is heard, interpreted and optimized.”
Mari Veliz, Healthy Watersheds Manager
Ausable Bayfield Conservation
“This hour of training was more of a treat than a mani-pedi. Intense pandemic work doesn’t leave much left over for refreshing our stories, but I’m glad I made time for a skillfully guided reset.”
Sabrina Roach, Program Director
National Digital Inclusion Alliance
“The training gave me several takeaway’s that I will try. Also, the idea to log the calls to see if some scripts are more beneficial than others in reaching donors.”
Allison Rhodes, Major Gifts Officer
United Way of Central Carolinas
“The training crystallized how I can briefly / vulnerably include my personal story in a pitch, to emotionally connect with my audience and drive them to action. Invaluable!!!”
Cassie Manjikian, Special Projects Manager
California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA)
“The Elevator Speech Training was so beneficial to my work and provided me with several important tools to strengthen our messaging and storytelling. Highly Recommend!”
Shelly McPhail, Grantwriter/Researcher
National Consumer Law Center (NCLC)
“While intense, I found the session to be energizing due to the focus on self-improvement–how I communicate, what I value, and how to forge connections with others in an efficient way and informative way. We accomplished a great deal in just an one hour. Marc came impressively prepared.”
Dave Wright, Director of Project Development
Groundswell
“The worksheet provided to walk you through crafting a winning elevator speech is fantastic, well thought out, and very useful. I felt lightyears ahead of where I was when the class first started. It’s amazing what you can accomplish in just one hour!”
Radiah Shabazz, Communications Manager
Institute for Sustainable Communities
“In a short period of time, the training allowed me to see the strengths and weaknesses of my “elevator speech.” I will most certainly be able to apply the lessons learned in my communications moving forward.”
Emily Russell, Director of Major Gifts
American Forests
“The training was really great and helped me to almost fully develop a pitch in just one hour! I appreciated the critical feedback and the emphasis on what was working so that I could continue to build on that.”
Jaime Love, Associate Director of US Programs
Institute for Sustainable Communities
“Very educational and informative. It really opens the door to learning how to effectively communicate your goal in a short period of time.”
Eric Diesing, Watershed Ecologist
Clinton River Watershed Council
“Marc was amazing. He provided a lot of great tips on how to improve my presentations and how to do a better job when introducing myself at the beginning of a presentation.”
Miguel Yanez-Barnuevo, Senior Project Associate
EESI
“The personalized training allowed for a direct approach to focus on key areas for maximum effectiveness.”
Kamilah Wallen, Grants Administration Manager
Miami Foundation
“In just one hour, Marc provided a framework I could easily use to craft and deliver my message in a way that inspires action.”
Tawechote Wongbuphanimitr,
Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future
“This training was a gamechanger! I typically freeze when I am asked to present ideas to a group — even on topics I know and love. The feedback and tips from this training session made me aware of what I can do to make my passion for the work I do clear, while sharing it with others.”
Alicia Hill, Associate Editor
Groundswell
“I spent 60 minutes with Marc over Zoom. In that short time, Marc helped me improve my day to day Zoom meeting practice and also dug into deeper topics such as how I can share a little more of myself with my audience briefly, to invite them to “experience” the point I am trying to convey at an emotional, personal level.”
Shannon Ziegelaar, Innovation Ventures & Fund Strategist
WWF Australia
“This training was very efficient and felt valuable to me both professionally and personally. thank you!”
Vanessa Barrios, Senior Associate, State Programs & Advocacy
Regional Plan Association
“Marc is an excellent communicator, he did a great job sharing his expertise in a very clear and concise way.”
Kristal Knowles, Director, Operations and Customer Support
Groundswell Inc
“In just an hour, Marc helped me to identify the key elements of my proposed pitch that had the most power, see where I could amplify resonant messages, and distill points so I had fewer “items” to remember in the pitch; which made it feel more natural as I practiced afterward.”
Tiffanie Luckett, Sr. Officer, Individual Giving
National Immigration Law Center
“Re-framing how I see things so that I don’t come into these conversations thinking that I come from a position of powerlessness in need of help and not able to offer something in return, but that the simple quest to explore is enough of an offer to others. Helped balance and give me the composure that I needed. The Worksheet is also very helpful and will be used as the basis of my default when entering certain “ask” conversations.”
Mona Wang, Program Officer
Low Income Investment Fund
“Marc quickly understood what kind of support I needed and gave me a very great new perspective on my own positioning.”
Vincent Irmler, Sales Trainee
Axel Springer
“Appreciate Marc’s suggestions for how to make my speech more powerful and actionable.”
Julie Archer, Coordinator
WV Citizens for Clean Elections
“The benefits of the training to me… better explain in less time by hitting key points.”
Rhonda Thompson, Executive Assistant
Partnership for Southern Equity
“In just one hour, I was able to refine my ability to distill what I do, why I do it, and why my work is filling an urgent gap into a 2-minute narrative. I hope to use this as the organization seeks to expand.”
Erin Connolly, Associate Program Director
Girl Security
“In 60 minutes, you can greatly change the way you communicate, which elevates the way you are perceived. An easy, fast and fun way to improve yourself.”
Judith Felix, Senior Administrative Assistant, Poverty Program
The JPB Foundation
“The benefits of the elevator speech came to light sooner than I expected. I had multiple speaking engagement between the two elevator speech training sessions. I attribute the training to preparing me to better critique myself and give a more compelling speech.”
Terry Smith,
M-PowerHouse of Greater Pittsburgh
“Marc energy was contagious. I feel that he made a impact so quickly on how I communicate and I felt supported through the whole process.”
Pamela Ayres, President
FAR Conservatory of Therapeutic and Performing Arts
“I learned a lot about how to build a stronger narrative based on a few key points, and to elevate that narrative in a way that will better capture people’s attention and strengthen my overall presence.”
Gabriel Jones, Senior Associates
Arabella Advisors
“The time allocation was spot on, with the perfect balance of theory and practice.”
Reece Proudfoot,
World Wildlife Fund, Australia
“Marc’s willingness to adapt to what I wanted to focus on and his broad expertise was great. The role playing, getting to see and analyze myself—the whole hour was very useful.”
Elsbeth Pancrazi, Director of Institutional Advancement
New York Hall of Science
“Marc goes beyond helpful frameworks and rules of thumb, and quickly drills down into concrete, personalized feedback to help make your communication more punchy – the hour goes a long way!”
NIKHIL VIJAYKAR, Staff Attorney
Environmental Law & Policy Center
“Marc really helped me to think outside the box and update the way I present my work to people. I think these changes will greatly improve my presentations.”
Dina Burstein, Project Director
Tufts Medical Center
“In one hour, I learned how to boil my research down to a brief pitch that leaves the listener wanting to learn more”
Robert Sege, Professor of Medicine
Tufts University School of Medicine
“Thanks to Marc’s preparation, he was able to reflect back what parts of my message about my project were most powerful and help me see the unique story and arc that could bring the listener to understanding and action.”
Sienna Baskin, Director
Neo Philanthropy
“I walked away from the training with concrete feedback that made my elevator speech significantly more powerful and effective. It was incredible what skills I was able to improve in just one hour!”
Amanda Bridenhagen, Partnerships Director
Just Transition Fund
“This short session will have lasting impacts on the way I introduce my work and pitch ideas. The process by which we identified areas for improvement was instrumental in helping me to find better ways to articulate my meaning.”
Emmeline Luck, Policy Associate
Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance
“Marc is awesome! I was surprised by how quickly he provided tailored feedback to my prepared elevator pitch to make it even stronger. With his help, I was able to incorporate stories in my elevator pitch that bring our mission and vision to life.”
Kelsi Eccles, Project Manager
The Conservation Fund
“A simple yet effective and engaging format”
Sydney Céspedes, Green for All, Campaign Manager
Dream Corps
“I couldn’t believe how much I was able to learn about public speaking and delivering a pitch in just one hour. Marc really analyzed me quickly as a person and honed in on specific things about my personality that I can highlight in any interview. Will definitely be recommending to my friends!”
Rebecca Charles, Racial Justice Research Coordinator
Columbia University Center on Poverty and Social Policy
“I loved this training session. It was inspiring and energizing beyond my expectations. Marc is great at this and creates a safe and comfortable space for the participants to open up. Great listener.”
Bari Samad, Communications Director
Environmental Health Coalition
“Marc was very well prepared, a friendly instructor, and covered a lot of ground in the one-hour session. Already, I feel better able to prepare a range of formal and informal scenarios. Thank you!”
Megan Curran, Postdoctoral Research Scientist
Columbia University Center on Poverty and Social Policy
“I felt more confident in myself and my pitch after just one hour!”
Linda Anderson Stanley, Senior Manager
Equal Justice Works
“In one hour, I learned more about how to effectively speak in public than in the last 5 years of my life. Marc provides a supportive space which allows you to feel comfortable and his training is practical, useful, and suited to the individuals needs.”
Kelly McHood, Fund Development Director
The Well Community Development Corporation
“This opportunity came at an important time and I appreciate the flexibility that Marc demonstrated in identifying a topic that resonated for me and supporting me in preparing for the conversation.”
Dana Johnson, Communications Manager
WE ACT for Environmental Justice
“I feel I achieved a lot. We finessed a 30 second version and a 2 min version of my speech. I also got a round of ideas of how to apply the same method to other research findings. I wish the session was two hours or that I could have a follow up session. However, even this one hour I feel like I pinned down what was most critical for my career now.”
Mahsa Rouhi, Research Fellow
IISS
“I found the training immediately useful for my work. Marc is engaging and provides incredibly useful feedback. thanks!”
Roshelle Payes, Project Director, Early Childhood & Health
Nemours Childrens Health System
“The training exceeded my expectations. In one hour I learned how to talk about my organization is three different scenarios and feel comfortable doing so. This training left me wanting to meet again and learn more techniques on elevator speechs.”
Patti Policicchio, Content & Event Coordinator
Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition
“Marc was incredibly kind and allowed me to understand how to make my pitch more poignant and relevant to this moment in history. He had done some research on me and my nonprofit’s work, and that was beneficial to using our hour well. I really enjoyed our session and having a third party analysis of my pitch. I highly recommend for other folks in the non-profit world.”
Ariel Fugate, Communications Coordinator
MACED
“I feel I’m better prepared for that time when I run into a lawmaker in an elevator!”
Sulma Guzman, Policy Director
Centro de los Derechos del Migrante
“Learning how to deliver a good speech is very related to my work. As a community organizer I have to talk to many people in order to motivate them to join our movement. Marc first allowed me to give a speech that came natural and then he gave me valuable tips to make it much better. I feel more comfortable now to speak in public with Marc’s advise.”
Miriam Garcia, Community Organizer
Chispa AZ
“A very focused training that will benefit anyone who is trying to sell an idea to others, and isn’t that everyone.”
David Yates, Senior Consultant
UNC – Chapel Hill
“Marc was extremely engaging and helpful in tangible ways. He led me to my own narrative, which is the purpose here. Thank you!”
Kate Seifert, Development Director
The Redford Center
“This training was fun, informative, and very helpful to clarify how we get our message across in a clear and compelling way.”
Julia Appel, Researcher
Tufts University
“This training helps one really think about their work, research or even his/her life’s objective and be able to clearly communicate it. It is a great exercise for someone who may need to transition careers or who may want to rethink their purpose in life.”
Jennifer Roberts, Assistant Professor
JPB/Harvard Fellowship
“It felt inconceivable to prioritize a one-hour elevator pitch training in the midst of a global pandemic, racial justice uprisings, and a collapse of democratic spaces – but it was 100% worth it, and I’ll bring these skills and feedback forward into all the work I do.”
Amanda Kistler, Vice President
Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)
“Marc gave suggestions that dramatically increased the effectiveness of my pitch – in just one hour. I am so excited to test and hone these strategies in our evergrowing virtual world. And, it was very conversational and fun!”
Kyra Shields, Bright Cities Program Director
Healthy Babies Bright Futures
“In working with Mark, I found a new perspective on my work, and the way I present myself, while finding pride in the areas I excel. Together with Mark we were able to find feeling in our messaging and pull out the importance of the mission of the organization.”
Amber Genet, Vice President and COO
Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition
“Because we’ve been significantly affected by the pandemic, we’re less physically connected than ever before. It’s even more important to find ways not just to communicate, but to make a human connection. I’m really excited to use the skills I’ve learned from Elevator Speech Training to bring a greater effectiveness to what I communicate (especially in zoom meetings), as well as a greater openness and sense of engagement.”
Dominic Caruso, Communications Director
Downtown Akron Partnership
“Given these uncertain times, organizational pivots and shifts are often necessary to stay relevant, open, and news worthy. Marc’s framework is a great guide to help leaders communicate effectively so their message is clear, effective, and evokes the right action. Well done Marc.”
Roshell Rinkins, Director/Grants Administration
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
“Marc helped me present about my self and my organization in a more confident and organized way.”
Bruna Bouhid, Communications Director
United We Dream
“Marc Fest’s Elevator Speech training is what we all need – especially during this time of transition – to hone a pitch.”
Zerline Hughes Spruill, Managing Director of Communications
Advancement Project National Office
“This training was so helpful! Marc was great at giving very specific and actionable feedback. His advice on how to use emotions and examples to effectively connect with our audience is exceptionally valuable — especially now.”
Evy Pena, Communications and Development Director
Centro de los Derechos del Migrante (CDM)
“The training is a great exercise in distilling the core messages of your organization and identifying how to make those resonate with a variety of audiences, so that you can better represent your organization.”
Sarah Bessell, Deputy Director
Human Trafficking Legal Center
“I’m so glad I did this! Marc helped remind me of the importance of the work I do in the midst of this all-consuming pandemic, and reconnect to my passion and purpose. It was definitely an hour well spent.”
Lara Cushing, Assistant Professor
San Francisco State University
“What makes it valuable is that I am in fundraising and everyday since COVID, we have received a lot of inquiries around the work we do.”
Jordan Brown, Donor Relations Manager
National Domestic Workers Alliance
“Marc Fest really helped me find my voice, it was already there, but it was lacking structure, emotion, and impact. Marc showed me how to craft my elevator speech to be more impactful with a logical flow, personalizing it more, using examples and facts, and by framing the urgency of the work that my non profit does in the context of the current pandemic.”
Rasha Mahmoud, donor relations specialist
MIRA Coalition
“I’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the changes due to Coronavirus. But I’m so glad that I didn’t reschedule. The training ended up being one of the high points of my day!”
Valerie Newsome Garcia, Assistant Professor
Morehouse School of Medicine
“I have always had a knack for public speaking, but this training got me out of my comfort zone and reinvigorated my creativity for storytelling in a new way that will now be woven into the thread of every communication opportunity I have going forward.”
Melissa Hernandez, Community Liaison
Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness
“Communicating is so crucial in these times and you can’t physically interact with your audience. You have to get your message out right and on point. Marc’s training was key to achieving this goal.”
Leonie Reinicke, Regional Sales Director
SalesForce Germany
“This really helped me clarify what things to include in my elevator speech and how to best hit the highlights.”
Tara Drozdenko, Managing Director
Outrider Foundation
“I participated in the training in the midst of a plethora of daunting challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic, and am pleased to report that the training was well worth the time.”
Chandra Jackson, Investigator/Epidemiologist
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (JPB EH program)
“Even given all of the anxiety and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, the training helped me focus on how important my work is.”
Natalia Slavney, Research Assistant
Stimson Center
“Marc provides a very easygoing space to tackle a rather nerve-wracking aspect of public speaking, which allows the experience to breathe and feel positive. I came out with far more confidence going in — a feat!”
Sabira De Piero, Executive Producer
Media Impact Funders
“I found it very helpful to practice my elevator pitch with Marc while working from home during COVID-19 social distancing.”
Elizabeth Threlkeld, South Asia Program Deputy Director and Fellow
Stimson Center
“In the midst of this pandemic chaos, working with Marc was a breath of fresh air.”
Katherine Dickinson, Assistant Professor
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health
“I am always seeking to sharpen my skill set to be the most effective when advocating, presenting or paneling as possible. This training has given me great tools to use to maximize my spiel.”
Tamika Spellman, Policy and Advocacy Associate
HIPS
“It was important to me to keep my elevator speech training session with Marc during this pandemic, as now more than ever it’s critical to be able to express mine and my organization’s value.”
Sabira De Piero, Executive Producer
Media Impact Funders
“With the coaching, we pivoted to develop a stronger story for our new, virtual house parties that allow us to continue our fund raising.”
Sara Sinaiko, Director of Development
Fair Food Program
“Marc’s Elevator Speech training masterfully assists you with developing succinct and effective delivery of why the work you care about so deeply should be of great importance to others.”
Tony Reames, Assistant Professor
University of Michigan
“The training helped me take the very wonky, technical work that we do and package it in a way that was urgent and motivating. He helped me feel in charge of my talking points which only improves the delivery. Thank you very much for the incredible help.”
Shayna Horwitz, Development & Communications Director
The Human Trafficking Legal Center
“This framework clearly and effectively helps you identify why the work you do matters—and why other people should care.”
Nina Sachdev, Communications Director
Media Impact Funders
“Despite facing the everyday stress of the Coronavirus pandemic, I found Marc’s elevator pitch training to be incredibly useful.”
Jamie Withorne, Research Assistant
James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies
“As I was struggling with stress and lack of concentration amidst the rapidly changing public health situation, the training brought my mental focus back on the purpose of my work. “
Sayuri Romei, Public Policy Fellow
Wilson Center
“Marc provided a supportive space in which I could express my insecurities and offered concrete guidance on how to address them. He gave me clear, concise feedback on my pitch that made me feel MUCH more confident about my ability to be a spokesperson. Thank you!”
Kathleen Richards, Communications Director
Women Cross DMZ
“I know it feels like it’s impossible to prioritize this training in our new reality. But in my humble opinion, it is important now more than ever.”
Roshni Melia, Program Consultant
Media Impact Funders
“Marc helped me to more clearly and concisely convey the most vital aspects of my current professional goal, and how to most effectively solicit support. In an hour, I went from having a rambling discussion of my goals to a compelling 3 minute pitch.”
Annelle Sheline, Research Fellow
Quincy Institute
“I came out of the session incredibly motivated and inspired and even more connected to my story.”
Katja Esson, Filmmaker
RLS Films, LLC
“Even though this is a stressful time, I found the training really energizing, and it helped me think through how to package and communicate my work now and in the future.”
Lilly Adams, Independent Consultant
Nuclear Voices
“Marc expertly identified my strengths and weaknesses in communications and provided concrete ways to improve my pitch. I was amazed at how quickly and visibly I had improved by the second recording. Marc had clearly done his homework and knew the nature of my work even before we began the training, which allowed him to give professionally-relevant advice. I especially appreciated his positive attitude that made the experience enjoyable rather than stressful. Thank you!”
Jessica Lee, Senior Research Fellow, East Asia
Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft
“This was a really good way to massage all the raw material I had (concepts about my project) into a digestible pitch for potential patrons to consider. Marc worked deftly on and off script to help me shape my message.”
Barron Sherer, Principal Artist
Moving Image Alliance
“Elevator Speech training is a powerful tool. It gives you a strong framework to organize and present your key points in a compelling and highly relatable way. The video recordings and real-time coaching provide terrific insights that you can incorporate immediately and with great effect.”
Meredith Hector, HR Director
Knight Foundation
“This session was so valuable. Marc’s feedback was specific, actionable, and easy to apply to future pitches. I really appreciated the opportunity to refine the pitch together, and do take after take until I walked away with an elevator speech I can implement today. Thanks for a great session!”
Dorry Levine, Director of Communications
ReThink Media
“We worked on the storytelling and the power of the message. Marc helped me to identify great examples of success to share with large audiences or in a one on one conversations. I walked away with ideas and a confidence I can use right away.”
Karen Rundlet, Journalism Director
Knight Foundation
“Watching a critiqued playback of my own message and style is an extraordinarily effective way for me to rapidly process feedback and act on it.”
Christopher Thompson, Director
Knight Foundation
“The one to one training session was great to start building up my confidence. Thanks for making me feel comfortable throughout the session.”
Regina Moore, Director of Planning and Development
Miami Light Project, Inc.
“I feel empowered and confident to share my project with a greater focus.”
Portia Dunkley, Founder
Teeny Violini
“The training helped us identify our weaknesses and gave us clear and specific tools to overcome them.”
Roxana Barba, Artist
Barba-Marcotulli
“As an artist, Elevator Speech Training was a great way to practice communication strategies for my work and to prepare me for fundraising my project.”
Lauren Shapiro, Artist
Bakehouse Art Complex
“Marc’s ability to personalize the training and to provide feedback was quite helpful.”
Vaughnetta Barton, Program Officer – External Affairs
Rasmuson Foundation
“It really helped me elevate my pitch to a more personal and strategic level.”
Eneide Geiyer, International Director for Human Resources
Ford Foundation
“Great way for a non-profit board member to structure and refine their convictions and thoughts about their cause to help others quickly understand why a cause is worth supporting. Direct and to the point and worth the time and effort.”
Roger Wu, Board Member
Immigrant Legal Resource Center
“Marc Fest is an excellent coach. His elevator pitch training provides a very efficient and effective way to get leaders to practice their key messages and turn them into compelling pitches for joining their cause.”
Carol Goglia, Senior Director of Marketing & Communications
Communities Foundation of Texas
“The training also felt relaxed –I didn’t feel pressure to get it right — it allowed me to get right to it and not spend much time ‘getting comfortable.’ I felt I had some say over how we used the time so I could get what I needed out of the experience, and perhaps, most importantly, it felt like a judgement free zone.”
Kamilah Duggins, Senior Manager, Talent & Human Resources
Ford Foundation
“The session with Marc was transformational. It can be hard to talk about the work we do all day, every day, because we are so close to it. Marc showed me how to home in on what matters and share it in a way that resonates. He had concrete and spot-on ideas about how to describe what is most important. I appreciated the generosity and warm humor he brought to the coaching, as well as his earnest commitment to helping me improve. It was incredibly helpful!”
Melissa Rodgers, Director of Programs
Immigrant Legal Resource Center
“A unique moment to focus on critical skills to further my work.”
Valerie Zukin, Lead Attorney Coordinator
Justice & Diversity Center of The Bar Association of San Francisco
“Marc was able to identify specific areas where I could improve and shared concrete examples/tactics for addressing the points I was stumbling on.”
Alycia Cheng, Program Manager
AAPI Civic Engagement Fund
“My session with Marc helped me to better understand my current process of conveying information to a live audience. I left feeling inspired to improve my speech writing and other professional communications skills.”
Joseph Jung, Program Assistant
Carnegie Corporation of New York
“The ability to articulate your work and its value has to be worked on. You can’t be sure on your own that you are actually using the strongest arguments or raising the best examples. This type of interactive training one on one rapidly orients you to what is an ongoing process of honing your messages.”
Whit Faulconer, Program Officer, Environment
JPB Foundation
“Marc’s approach to communications training is as sophisticated as it is supportive. He helped me to understand the audience’s mind, and he worked closely with me to reframe key messages for maximum impact.”
Wally Patawaran, Program Officer, Poverty Program
The JPB Foundation
“Telling the personal story—the “why I care about this” story—is so valuable and I appreciate Marc’s assistance with this.”
Vaughnetta J. Barton, Program Officer – External Affairs
Rasmuson Foundation
“I felt comfortable, and supported. Marc’s suggestions were spot on, fun, and I could tell he really cared to make my experience personal to me, not canned or scripted.”
Carly Maready, Special Assistant to the President
The JPB Foundation
“The Elevator Speech training helped me to meld elements of multiple conversations I have about myself into a brief, coherent introductory narrative.”
Mark Harris, Program Officer, Poverty
The JPB Foundation
“Marc listened carefully and provided specific feedback, which I found to be extremely helpful.”
Diane Samuels, Vice President of Talent and Human Resources
Ford Foundation
“I actually had a meeting with a potential partner the same day of the training and it helped me to prepare. The meeting with the corporation went really well!”
Lindolfo Carballo, Director of Workforce Development
CASA de Maryland
“The training provided by Marc was exceptional in the way that it not only focuses on the technical aspects of speech but also the human element of how to impact and make the audience feel.”
Luis Aguilar, Virginia State Director
CASA
“At first I cringed at the idea of watching a recording of myself giving my elevator speech! But it turned out so helpful to watch and discuss with my trainer who gave me individualized, valuable feedback and tools for improvement.”
Moira Duvernay, Deputy Director
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies
“I would recommend Marc’s training to anyone who deals with the public. He has an ability to put you at ease and open up about the subject at hand. More importantly, he is able to guide you to sift through the information you are trying to convey and synthesize it in a meaningful and impactful way.”
Steve Love, Director of Development
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies
“Marc is a great coach! I learned a lot and definitely walked away with a more impactful elevator speech.”
Nadia Tonova, Director
Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services
“This was a quick, simple training. If you are a community organizer, this is a great exercise to learn to advocate for our projects!”
Xiomara Corpeno, Transborder Migrant Justice Fellow
Groundswell Fund
“Marc was extremely easy to communicate with: warm, encouraging, and specific in his advice and feedback. I found the training to build my confidence and give me a lot of useful ideas moving forward. I recommend his services to people in any field.”
Elsie Kagan, Artist
“This is a valuable opportunity to test messages and to get some supportive and objective real-time coaching on impactful communications.”
Todd Shenk, Senior Program Officer
Rasmuson Foundation
“This training has made me much more confident about talking to people about my work in a way that is compelling, natural, and people-centered. It gave me skills that I will be able to apply to any situation, as well as tools to improve how I practice future pitches on my own.”
Noelle Pourrat, Program Analyst
Carnegie Corporation of New York
“Whether a frequent public speaker or occasional one, elevator speech training is an effective tool for anyone who wants to hone their skill-set for reaching their audience.”
Lora Saalman, Associate Senior Fellow
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
“It’s a brief but extremely useful session that will help you craft or improve your message. Very professional and friendly.”
Pavel Podvig, Senior Researcher, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Other Strategic Weapons
United Nations
“I appreciated Marc’s research before the session that made the training very personalized, and his ability to be flexible. I walked away with a strong sense of where I can improve and how to do so.”
Michelle Dover, Director of Programs
Ploughshares
“The framework that Marc provided was very helpful.Marc did a phenomenal job in helping me refine my pitch, and gave me multiple opportunities to test it out. Recording the sessions, watching it back together, and listening to the feedback from each section was also invaluable.”
Sara Kutchesfahani, Senior Policy Analyst
NSquare
“I wish I could have had the training earlier.”
Kyle Kutuchief, Program Director, Akron
Knight Foundation
“The experience has been life changing, to be honest.”
Michelle Andonian, Artist, Detroit
Knight Arts winner
“I have been struggling on trying to come up with succinct way to deliver a message about my books to the public and without this session I would never have succeeded.”
Patricia Mull, Author
Miami