Community Highlights: Meet Helen Moses of Speak Up Communications

Today we’d like to introduce you to Helen Moses.

Hi Helen, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always loved to talk, and I’ve always loved to sing. My journey so far has incorporated both loves. In college, I majored in vocal performance and was taught singing lessons in the classical tradition. A related job in music was not easy to find, so I worked a series of temporary jobs that ultimately led me to learn about the field of speech-language pathology. I learned that people with certain speaking challenges could sing more fluently than they could talk and immediately knew this was the field for me! I was in graduate school months later and worked as a speech pathologist in a hospital after completing my master’s degree. Working with people who had acquired brain injury and the resulting loss of speech, I understood how precious the ability to communicate is and vowed not to take my voice for granted. This is the main principle I want to leave behind when I work with others, even to this day – Don’t take your voice for granted.

I paused my career to raise my son and daughter as a full-time mom, an opportunity I know is both an honor and a privilege and not easy! After eight years, I felt led to go back to work, to make a difference beyond just my immediate family. I started my company, Speak Up Communications, in January 2013. At first, I focused on accent modification and public speaking coaching. Still, over the years, my work has evolved to its current iteration, offering voice and communication strategy to individuals and teams. My ideal one-on-one client is a speaker, leader, or minister with a message they believe they are called to share with a wider audience. I help them overcome barriers such as decreased confidence, lack of clarity in their message, and speaking habits that undermine their ability to engage others. One specific group of speakers I coach is TEDx presenters, and I will give my first TEDx talk at TEDx Apex on September 3, 2022.

In 2020 I wrote and published Voice Unleashed: Speaking Up with Faith and Courage. In it, I share more of my story and how I have worked to find my voice in multiple areas in my life. I also included reflection questions at the end of each chapter to guide the reader in finding her voice. This book is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook formats. I narrated the audiobook in 2021. It’s fun to look back and see how the nature of my work has evolved as I have grown over the years. I am grateful for God’s hand in my life and will continue on this path that I believe I am called to follow, both through this business and beyond.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a smooth road?
This has not been a smooth road – there have been challenges in every step. Most of my struggles were related to a lack of self-confidence and, ironically, not having truly found my voice when I started the business. I have dealt with imposter syndrome like many others and needed coaching to figure out how to close a sale and make a profit. Undermining it all was the belief that I wasn’t valuable. The work I’ve done to let go of that wrong belief has been the key to my success and transformation. I still have struggles, but I also have built a network of supportive friends and fellow entrepreneurs that keep me sane and guide me when I’ve gotten off track again. My faith has also been instrumental in overcoming struggles, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without it.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Speak Up Communications?
How one uses their voice is important, and equally important is how one listens to and respects what others say to them. Speak Up Communications provides coaching and training for individuals and teams based on my Speak Up with Heart® philosophy. Services include:

• 1-1 coaching
• Self-paced online training
• Live group training
• Various team training programs

All services are customized to the specific needs and goals of each client. My unique background of experiences, including singer, speech therapist, Distinguished Toastmaster, TEDx coach, international speaker, author, facilitator, teacher, church leader, mother, and business owner, allow me to stand out as a leader in voice and communication coaching. My work is my calling, and I put my heart into empowering others to make a bigger impact with their voice.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those just starting.
If you’ve never taken any courses on how to run a business, start there. There are multiple free sources online and in communities. SCORE (https://www.score.org/) is a great free place to get help and even a mentor.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://helenmoses.com/

Image Credits
Catherine Davis