Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Dao.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jonathan. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
For me it was all about connecting the dots.
I was a PR/Speech Comm major, but out of college all my work was tied to education. I eventually got frustrated with teaching because so much of it is test-focused. There’s a gap when it comes to real life application. Trying to jump back into corporate was a nightmare. Companies where too quick to write me off from a role because in their eyes a “teacher” wouldn’t know how to handle office work. With the door closed on “traditional work”, what was the thing that tied everything together?
What was my “thing”? What made me special? Not “unicorn” special, but the quality that gives me one leg up compared to your average person.
That would be my speaking chops.
Has it been a smooth road?
When I’m working with my clients, I definitely feel in my element. The work itself is very smooth.
The part that’s rough is just developing and cultivating your business. And when it comes to the speech coaching thing, I don’t exactly have a blueprint to follow. Sure, I can try to model a bit after fitness coaches or life coaches, but branding and marketing can be a crapshoot sometimes.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Jon Dao – The Conversation Coach – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I call myself “The Conversation Coach” because I feel like you should be able to talk to ANYBODY about ANYTHING.
It’s normal to feel intimidated or nervous, but there are lots of people who struggle with finding the right way to express themselves. They worry too much about saying the wrong thing. They can’t ever seem to find the right words.
Maybe it’s a matter of not knowing the language well enough, which is the case when I work with non-native speakers. But too often, those people think they’ll be this amazing speaker once they learn enough vocabulary. They don’t realize that native speakers can have a tough time communicating too.
If you want to be a better speaker, you have to work at it. And you have to practice speech in the right context. This is why introducing your name can be so easy, but an interview can be so difficult. Which one has more frequency in your life?
Whenever I work with a client, I really try to pinpoint what they’re aiming for. For instance, if a guy tells me he wants to talk like a TED talk, I need to know why. Is it because he’s part of Toastmasters? Is it because he’s trying to impress his boss at work? Or is it because he thinks that’s the kind of voice that girls like?
No path is wrong, but the client will feel disappointment despite improvement if we don’t get to the heart of the matter.
I love seeing the progress my clients make. What’s even better is when they’re able to recognize how far they’ve come. And when they say, “Jon, I could handle this interview because of you” or “Jon, I got out of my comfort zone and talked to this person”– I’m touched to just be a part of their lives.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
With a city of Boston, you have a variety of venues to work with. Wherever you go, it gives a different dynamic and feel for my clients. Once I was working with a beauty pageant contestant, and I had her deliver her introduction in the middle of Prudential Mall. She had to adjust her voice projection real quick.
The traffic, especially when I need to drive for a client, blows.
Pricing:
- Free 15 minute consultation
- $35 per 1 hour online session
- $50 per 1 hour face-to-face session (price varies depending on location)
Contact Info:
- Address: 500 Washington St
Quincy, MA 02169 - Website: www.commdao.com
- Phone: 617-870-3615
- Email: letstalk@commdao.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/commdao
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commdao/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommDao
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/jon-dao-the-conversation-coach-quincy
- Other: soundcloud.com/discussionswithdao
Image Credit:
Aaron Spagnolo Photography
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