Kerri Garbis is the Founder, President, and CEO of Ovation, a communication skills training firm. Kerri has trained hundreds of executives internationally on presentation skills, storytelling for business, etiquette, and emotional intelligence. At the helm of Ovation, a 30-person global training firm, Kerri ensures that every Ovation engagement delivers the highest level of client-focused professional training. Dedication to this standard sets Ovation apart from the competition and ensures multiple repeat engagements and many long-term clients.
A professional actress since childhood, Kerri has starred in productions such as Evita, Singin’ In The Rain, and The Lady With All The Answers. You may also have seen her catching a pass from a New England Patriot, singing a Christmas carol, or complaining of bloating in a television commercial. She is also a member of the Actor’s Equity Association. Kerri is a business etiquette expert certified by The Emily Post Institute and an emotional intelligence expert certified by The Hay Group. She is also the Founder of Be Ready, a nonprofit initiative offering Ovation’s professional presence training to the black youth of America.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- Kerri Garbis’ background in sales, what drove her to start her own B2B company, and why she decided to hire fellow actors in her business
- How Kerri’s acting has supported her work at Ovation and how the company uses acting skills to help professionals become better speakers
- What differentiates Kerri from other speaking coaches?
- What has led to Kerri’s success with Ovation?
- Kerri talks about her new nonprofit, Be Ready, and how the effects of the pandemic sparked the idea for Studio G
- The most interesting role Kerri has played in her life and the most rewarding role she is currently playing
- The most impactful piece of advice Kerri has received from a mentor and her advice for women looking to try something new
- Kerri’s superpower and how to get in touch with her
In this episode…
To be a successful leader, you need to understand how you show up and influence your audience — whether that is your employees, fellow business leaders, or speaking at an event. You need to think about how you communicate with your voice and body language.
According to Kerri Garbis, leaders should start by becoming more self-aware in order to become strong communicators. With good training, you can learn to alter your messages and method of delivery for different situations. Kerri also advises leaders to recognize their strengths, surround themselves with people who are smarter than they are, and find the right resources to get where they want to be.
Kerri Garbis, the Founder and CEO of Ovation, is Andrea Heuston’s guest in this episode of the Lead Like A Woman Show where she talks about using her professional acting skills to build a communications firm made up of actors as facilitators. She also talks about her company’s continuous learning platform, Studio G, and her new nonprofit, Be Ready, which offers training to the black youth of America.
Resources Mentioned in this episode
- Artitudes Design
- Ovation
- Be Ready by Ovation
- Studio G – Ovation’s Continuous Learning Platform
- Ovation on Facebook
- Ovation on LinkedIn
- Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO)
- Kerri Garbis on LinkedIn
- Kerri Garbis on Facebook
- Paychex
- The Price Is Right
- Family Feud
Sponsor for this episode…
This episode is brought to you by Artitudes Design by Andrea Heuston. Artitudes Design is an award-winning creative agency that has been creating visual communication for Fortune 500 companies for over 25 years. They have worked with notable companies such as Microsoft, Starbucks, Expedia, and have also served startups and nonprofit organizations.
They specialize in connecting speakers with audiences by creating visual value with presentations and through the creation of motion graphics, video, and content.
To learn more about Artitudes Design, visit their website today. Checkout their portfolio to see their previous projects, and contact them today to find out how they can help you bring your business a cut above the rest.