“I knew the numbers inside out. Richard helped me make sure people could see the leadership behind them.”
Jessica T.Director of Sales Operations
Stage Intelligence Coaching
Master your Story.
Lead with Impact.
I work with leaders, founders, speakers and teams to turn their expertise into influence, on stage, in the room and beyond.
Sharpen your story. Project your presence. Amplify your authority.
Find your starting point Or explore the £95 Room Review4.9/5 from 700+ client reviews
Where my coaching clients work
The experience behind the approach
I know the room.
I know the stage.
I know what lands.
A career in business. A habit of getting on stage. Coaching that brings the two together.
A little more about RichardWhere to start
What room are you walking into?
Pick the moment that sounds familiar. I’ll show you where we can start.
“A talk that informs but doesn’t move.”
We find the one idea worth building the talk around, shape the story, then rehearse until it sounds like you and holds a big room.
Prepare my keynote Read a client story of working with me“Too much detail, not enough story.”
We cut the pitch back to what the room needs to hear and practise the delivery, so the story leads and the numbers back it up.
Explore pitch coaching Read a client story of working with me“Strong results, but an invisible story.”
We turn the thinking behind the numbers into a message people can follow, remember and act on.
Explore executive coaching Read a client story of working with me“Knowing it all and losing the room.”
We turn deep expertise into clear, memorable talks, so people take away what matters rather than everything you know.
Explore expert coaching Read a client story of working with me“Training that doesn’t stick.”
Practical sessions built around your team’s real presentations and conversations, with honest feedback in the room.
Explore workshops Read a client story of working with me“Thoughts racing ahead of the words.”
Structures and routines that work with a fast, busy mind, so you stay on track and still sound like yourself.
Explore flexible coaching Read a client story of working with me
THE APPROACH
Stage Intelligence.
I developed Stage Intelligence Coaching by bringing three parts of my working life together: creative thinking, corporate experience and practical coaching.
Creative thinking
Find the point, shape the story and make complex ideas easier to follow and remember.
Corporate understanding
Consider the people in the room, the decisions they're making and the pressures they're under.
Coaching that stays human
Test the words aloud, challenge the thinking and rehearse what happens when things don't go to plan.
- StoryWe find the one point that matters, choose the proof and cut what gets in the way. Story makes it clear.
- PresenceYour voice, pace and pauses. We build on what already works, so you still sound like you. Presence makes it credible.
- ImpactWhat you want people to think, feel and do afterwards, and how you handle pushback. Impact makes it matter.
Who I help
Stage Intelligence Coaching for the moments that matter.
Different roles. Different rooms. The same integrated approach.
Senior Leaders and ExecutivesTap for the problem and the solutionThe problemYou know your stuff, but in the boardroom the message gets long, the room drifts, and then the question you didn’t plan for lands.
The solutionYou get to the point first, keep the room with you, and answer hard questions calmly without bluffing.
See how I help leaders
Founders and EntrepreneursTap for the problem and the solutionThe problemInvestors nod along, then pass because they haven’t felt why this has to exist.
The solutionA pitch with a clear story, a clear ask and the confidence to handle the tough questions.
See how I help founders
Pitches, Public Speaking, Keynote and TEDx SpeakersTap for the problem and the solutionThe problemThe idea is good, but the talk is a list of points and nothing in it makes people remember it.
The solutionOne clear story with a strong opening and ending, delivered in a way that sounds like you.
See how I help speakers
Experts and Thought LeadersTap for the problem and the solutionThe problemYou know the subject inside out, but people outside your field nod politely and then don’t act on it.
The solutionYou explain it in plain terms, and people leave understanding it and knowing what to do next.
See how I help experts
Neurodivergent, ADHD and TrainingTap for the problem and the solutionThe problemAdvice like “memorise it” or “just use notes” that fights the way your mind works.
The solutionA way of preparing that suits how you think, so you sound sharp and natural on the day.
See flexible coaching
Teams and OrganisationsTap for the problem and the solutionThe problemClever people who know their subject but each present it differently, and the message gets lost.
The solutionA practical workshop where your people practise on real material and get honest feedback they can use.
Plan a team workshop
Coaching situations
Nine reasons people work with Richard.
People come to coaching for different reasons. Here are nine of the most common situations, and how we can work on each one.
The situationYou have to get people aligned without giving a twenty-minute tour of every detail.
The workShape the main decision, opening and questions so you can lead the room.
The situationYou know the answer, but it arrives five minutes after the meeting.
The workRehearse short response structures and realistic interruptions.
The situationYour expertise is sound but people outside your field lose the thread.
The workFind the point, remove unnecessary detail and test it aloud.
The situationThe proposal makes sense to you but the room hasn't bought in.
The workConnect the idea to your audience's priorities and build a clear ask.
The situationYou have a keynote, company address or important talk coming up.
The workDevelop the story, opening and ending, then rehearse the actual delivery.
The situationStandard advice doesn't fit the way you think or speak.
The workBuild practical structures and preparation routines around you.
The situationThe topic matters and you want to be direct without making things worse.
The workRehearse what to say, what to ask and how to respond.
The situationYour experience isn't quite coming through when you speak.
The workWork on message, pace, delivery and the way you handle the room.
The situationA board meeting, interview, investor discussion or major decision is approaching.
The workPressure-test your message and practise the hard questions.
“Richard over delivered with the quality of the talk, and slides. Learning the power of the pause was great. The keynote went well, and I look to work with him on future projects.”
Terry KChief Strategy Officer, BDACS
More than a coaching session
You won’t leave with advice.
You’ll leave with something you can use.
The right words for an important conversation. A stronger presentation. A clearer way to explain your ideas. Practical tools that help you communicate when it matters.
“You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your brains won’t get you anywhere.”
Stage Intelligence Coaching combines focused feedback with useful materials built around your goals.
01 · Your starting point
Know where you stand
Understand what’s working, what needs attention and where to focus first.
02 · Your practical toolkit
Tools built for your room
Practical tools developed for the conversations, presentations and decisions that matter to you.
Your communication progress
Story61 → 84Presence66 → 81Impact57 → 79Starting point Progress
Fictional sample scores. An illustration, not a client result.
03 · Your progress
See what changed
See the difference in how you structure, deliver and land your message.
In the room
Every room is different.The work is making yours listen.
Reviews and testimonials from clients across Google, LinkedIn, Fiverr, Upwork and direct work. Read client reviews
- 1,730+professionals coached
- 40+countries worked in
- 25+years in business and on stage
- £95to start, credited against coaching
Meet Richard
I’ve sat where you’re sitting.
25+ years in boardrooms, plus improv, comedy and a TEDx stage. An unusual route into coaching, but a rather useful one.
I know what it’s like to have something important to say, people to bring with you and no particular desire to sound like everybody else.
I started in corporate roles at Vodafone, Syngenta and JD Sports, where a clear message decided whether a plan went ahead. Then I spent years performing improv, writing sitcom and standing on stages, where the audience tells you straight away if you have lost them.
The full storyCase study
Showing leadership, not just reporting it.
How a strong operational leader worked on communicating the thinking, decisions and leadership behind the results.
Jessica had made £50M in savings and had a strong track record. She understood her performance data inside out. The challenge was making sure the people listening could see the leadership behind the numbers.
Frequently asked questions
Before you ask.
A few things you might want to know before we get started.
A working session. We spend the time on your communication challenge. There is no obligation to continue, and if you do want more coaching we can talk about it at the end.
The Room Review is £95 for 40 minutes. Longer coaching programmes are tailored to your requirements and quoted after we’ve discussed what you need.
Founders, senior leaders, professionals, keynote speakers, experts and organisations. Some clients are preparing for a particular event. Others want to become more effective in the conversations and presentations they handle every day.
It’s a focused, 40-minute working session on one real communication challenge. Bring your pitch, presentation, keynote or difficult conversation. We’ll identify what’s working, what needs attention and the most useful next steps.
We’ll work around how you think, prepare and communicate best. That might mean shorter activities, different rehearsal approaches, visual structures, written takeaways or other adjustments agreed together.
Yes. We can work on the structure, wording, stories and argument behind your presentation, as well as how you deliver it. I can also help you assess whether your slides support the message rather than compete with it.
You request a time that suits you. I confirm it within 24 hours, and you pay once I have said yes. The Room Review is held online, on Zoom.
Think about one challenge: a pitch, presentation, meeting, keynote or difficult conversation. Share a short description of the situation and what you want to be different. It doesn't need to be polished.
You receive your agreed written feedback and next steps, with a clear recommendation for what to focus on next, whether on your own or through further coaching.
The £95 fee comes off any coaching you go on to book. There is no obligation, and I'll recommend what would help most.
What you share is used to prepare for and deliver your session. A recording is made only with your consent. How personal information is handled is set out in the privacy policy.
Yes. Workshops are shaped around your group, your goal and your date, and quoted after a short chat. You can request a tailored proposal.
Your next step
Three ways to begin.
Pick the option that works for you.
Free
The Stage Intelligence Read
Ten questions about your Story, Presence and Impact. In four minutes you see where your communication is strong, where it loses people and what to work on first. No email needed to see your results.
Take the free ReadThe Room Review
Forty minutes on the communication challenge you are facing right now. You bring the situation. We get to work.
£9540 minutes · one to one on Zoom
What happens next
- 01Bring one priority
A presentation, pitch, meeting, keynote or difficult conversation.
- 02Work on the real thing
We identify what works and where your communication loses impact.
- 03Leave with direction
Practical feedback, tailored exercises and a clear next step.
Request a time. I confirm the session within 24 hours. You pay once I’ve confirmed it, then we meet on Zoom.
Download a sample report- 01
Bespoke
Coaching programmes
Tailored coaching for the communication that matters most to you, whether that is a keynote, a pitch, board presence or finding your own way to speak. Programmes start from three sessions and are shaped around your goals, with practical exercises and support as you go.
Explore coaching
Developing a team or organisation? Workshops are shaped around your people and quoted to your brief. Request a tailored proposal →
Get in touch
Tell me about your next room.
No polished brief needed. I aim to reply within 24 hours.
Email: richard@lifeisaspeech.com
Richard Ford - Executive Communication Coaching
Master your Story.Lead with Impact.
I work with leaders, founders, speakers and teams to turn their
expertise into influence, on stage, in the room and beyond.
Sharpen your story. Project your presence. Amplify your authority.
- 4.9/5 from 700+ client reviews
- 25+ years in boardrooms and on stages
- Fortune 500 & global leadership clients
Where my coaching clients work
Does this sound familiar?
You have the substance.Does the room get it?
You know your subject. The challenge is helping others understand it, follow your thinking and act on it.
- You explain it a third way and still get blank looks, or the wrong follow-up question.
- The idea is complete in your head but missing the first step for someone coming in cold.
- We start from what the listener needs to understand or decide, then build the shortest route to it.
- Your voice speeds up, your mind goes quiet and the prepared lines vanish.
- Nerves are energy with nowhere to go. Preparation that includes your body and voice gives it somewhere.
- We practise in conditions close to the real thing, so the day itself feels familiar.
- The best answer arrives in the car park, not in the meeting.
- Pressure narrows your thinking, so you over-explain or go vague.
- We build a few reliable answer shapes and rehearse them out loud until the structure is there when you need it.
- You cut one section and three more feel essential.
- Experts tend to explain in the order they learned it, not the order the listener needs it.
- We find the one sentence the whole talk hangs from, then decide what earns a place beneath it.
- Phones come out, eyes drop, someone checks the time.
- Attention drops when there is no signal for what matters or how far there is to go.
- We plan the shape, the pace and the pauses so people always know where they are.
- The talk finished without a clear next step, so everyone left with their own version.
- Understanding is not the same as agreement. Action needs a specific ask.
- We work backwards from the change you need and build the message to deliver it.
- You get one go, and the room has already decided how much time you have.
- People read your confidence as evidence for the content.
- We lead with the decision or the ask, back it with two or three proof points, and make the opening and close automatic.
- The way you talk about your work has not caught up with the work.
- Bigger rooms reward a clear point of view over detail.
- We shape the story of where you are heading and practise it where it counts.
If any of that sounds familiar, here is who I work with.See who I help
Who I help
Different roles.Similar challenges.
I'm looking for coaching as…
Senior Leaders
and Executives
Calm, credible authority when the stakes are high.
The challenge
- Board, investor and all-hands updates where the numbers are sound but the message does not land.
- Q&A and difficult conversations where you cannot afford to sound vague or defensive.
- Being credible in the room without sounding rehearsed or corporate.
How I help
- Cut the update to the one point or decision the room needs, with the proof behind it.
- Rehearse the hard questions out loud until your answers are short and calm.
- Work on voice, pace and pauses, so you still sound like you.
Experts and
Thought Leaders
Make complex ideas simple enough for others to understand and act on.
The challenge
- Technical knowledge that makes sense to you but loses people outside your field.
- Stakeholder and cross-team conversations where you need influence, not just accuracy.
- Too much detail and no clear take-away.
How I help
- Turn specialist content into a plain structure: one point, the proof, why it matters.
- Swap jargon for examples your audience already knows.
- Practise the short version first, so you only go deeper when you are asked.
Pitches, Public Speaking,
Keynote and TEDx Speakers
A talk people remember, repeat and act on afterwards.
The challenge
- A keynote, pitch or TEDx date in the diary and a talk that informs but does not stick.
- Too many ideas for the time you have been given.
- Rushed delivery and nerves on the day.
How I help
- Find the one idea worth building the talk around, then shape the story and the script.
- Rehearse in recorded sessions, so you see and hear what the room will.
- Plan the opening, pace and pauses for your real slot and stage.
Neurodivergent, ADHD
and Training
Communication that works with your mind, not against it.
The challenge
- Standard presentation advice that does not fit how your attention and memory work.
- Losing the thread mid-talk, or struggling to put a structure around what you want to say.
- Preparation that takes too long or falls apart on the day.
How I help
- Build a simple one-page structure with cues instead of a full script.
- Use flexible session lengths and recordings, so you can review in your own time.
- Practise the methods that work for you, then keep what holds up under pressure.
Founders and
Entrepreneurs
Pitch with clarity, answer investors calmly and win the room.
The challenge
- Pitches with too much detail and not enough story.
- Investor questions that knock you off course.
- Explaining the problem, the product and the ask in the time you are given.
How I help
- Cut the pitch back to what the room needs to hear, so the story leads and the numbers back it up.
- Rehearse the ask and the tough questions out loud.
- Tighten timing and delivery using recorded run-throughs.
Facilitation, Workshops
and Away Days
Sessions that change how a team works, not just how it feels.
The challenge
- Away days that feel like a day out of the office, with little that changes on Monday.
- Workshops where the confident few do the talking and good ideas from quieter people go unheard.
- A talented team with no shared way of explaining what it does and why it matters.
How I help
- Start from the outcome you need from the day, then design each session to deliver it.
- Use exercises that get everyone speaking, so every voice is heard.
- Finish with clear next steps and owners, so the day carries into the week.
Boardrooms and
Town Halls
Town halls, board updates and the conversations that decide things.
The challenge
- A leadership team that agrees in private but sends different messages in public.
- Town halls and updates where the facts are right but the room is not moved.
How I help
- Agree the one message the team needs people to hear.
- Rehearse the real update out loud, with honest feedback.
- Leave with a shared way to give each other useful notes.
Teams that Pitch
and Present
Sales, client and internal presentations that need to be clear and short.
The challenge
- Presentations that try to say everything and land nothing.
- Each person presenting in a different style, so the team sounds like several companies.
How I help
- Start from the decision or action you want from the audience.
- Cut to what they need, then rehearse it.
- Practise the questions that always come.
Whoever you are, the work follows the same three moves.See how it works
Richard was compelling from the start. He crafted a passionate and personalised founder pitch deck, making our complex information accessible and driving productive discussions among our investors to secure our funding.
Michael MChief Operating Officer, scale-up
I am not usually one to write testimonials but I was blown away by Richard. Also the way he coached me with some tips and techniques that nobody had told me in my 15 year career! Fantastic!
Agathe BHR Director, Carthaginian
Richard over delivered with the quality of the talk, and slides. Learning the power of the pause was great. The keynote went well, and I look to work with him on future projects.
Terry KChief Strategy Officer, BDACS
The approach
Stage Intelligence Coaching.
Stage Intelligence Coaching brings together three parts of my working life: creative thinking, corporate experience and practical coaching.
The difference is that we do not treat communication as performance alone. We work on the thinking behind the message, the presence you bring into the room and the impact you need that communication to create. The result is communication that feels natural, lands clearly and moves things forward.
“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”
To see what the work produces, read a sample report.
A method is only as good as the person in the room with you.Meet Richard
Meet Richard
Executive Communication CoachI've sat where you're sitting.
I’ve spent 25+ years in business, including working at Vodafone, Syngenta and JD Sports. I know what it’s like to walk into a room with the numbers, the plan and the pressure to get people on board.
Alongside that, I’ve performed improv, written comedy and spent years on stage. The Edinburgh Fringe is a remarkably efficient way to discover when something isn’t landing.
Today I bring those two worlds together in coaching. I understand the business pressures, know how to hold attention, and help people communicate with clarity and confidence without feeling like they’re putting on an act. And that’s Stage Intelligence Coaching.
A little more about RichardCorporate, creative and coaching: see how the three fit together
Now see what that looks like in a real room.See it in the room
In the room
Every room is different.The work is making yours listen.
Reviews and testimonials from clients across Google, LinkedIn, Fiverr, Upwork and direct work. Read client reviews
1,730+professionals coached
40+countries worked in
25+years in business and on stage
£95to start, credited against coaching
Ready when you are.Three ways to begin
Looking for coaching as…An individualAn organisation
Your next step
Three ways to begin.
The Stage
Intelligence Read
Ten questions to see where your Story, Presence and Impact stand, and what to focus on next.
Take the free ReadThe Room
Review
40 minutes on Zoom. Bring one real situation; leave with practical feedback. Pay after your time is confirmed; the fee counts towards further coaching.
Request a Room ReviewPersonalised
coaching
Focused sessions to develop your message, confidence and influence in the rooms that matter.
Explore coaching