Meet Helena Bowen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Helena Bowen.

Hi Helena, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I became a speaker coach & speechwriter entirely on accident. In 2014, I was working in Hollywood as a 2nd Assistant Director on film, tv, and commercial sets. I loved the job but hated the hours & the lifestyle; 12-hour minimum days just isn’t sustainable long-term. I loved TED & TEDx Talks and started looking into how I could possibly volunteer. Six months later, I found myself in Vancouver, Canada, going to TED’s training for TEDx Organizers. I met a ton of incredible people there, and less than a year later, I was producing, coaching, and writing TEDx Talks. For three years, I did this as a side hustle. Then, in 2018, I left my job at HBO to start my own business!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Entrepreneurship is never a smooth road, but I am so glad to be my own boss.

The pandemic was particularly tough. In 2020, 100% of my income was tied to live events — TED Talks, TEDx Talks, industry conferences, and corporate events. All of that came to a screeching halt, so I had to pivot to launching my own online course, the Speakeasy Program. In hindsight, it was a great opportunity to create an additional revenue stream. But at the time, it was terrifying!

Another huge struggle for me has been keeping up with social media. If I didn’t have a business, I wouldn’t be on social media, especially not Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. At times, it’s felt tedious, pointless, overwhelming, and exhausting! But I’m so glad I found TikTok in 2020 because I actually enjoy creating & consuming content there.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Over the last ten years, I’ve worked with 300+ TED & TEDx Speakers, I’ve produced 20+ TEDx events, and reviewed over 10,000 speaker applications. I know how event organizers think, and I can slip into the shoes of any audience member.

My clients aren’t professional speakers – they’re CEOs, Fortune 50 executives, entrepreneurs, academics, and activists who are speaking at events to advance their work & careers.

Too often, there’s a huge gap between the incredible work these leaders do – and their ability to communicate its value on stage. That’s where I come in:

I’m like an investigative journalist. But instead of interviewing you for an article about your work, I interviewed you and helped you write a TED Talk! Or a keynote, all-hands, town hall, or testimony at the United Nations.

I believe that storytelling is the best way to lead, inspire, and persuade. And I believe that most keynote speeches, business pitches, corporate presentations, and talks are boring. We can & must do better.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Luck has played a tremendous part in my career! In December 2014, when I was thinking about going to TED in Vancouver to get trained as a TEDx Organizer, I was at home in Colorado one day & I decided to go work at the local library. So, I made a travel mug of coffee & drove into town. I got there, and realized I didn’t have my coffee, so I went to a local coffee shop, ran into an old friend, told him about my interest in TED, and he was interested too! Three months later, we went to Vancouver for the training. I know I would’ve made the leap by myself eventually, but having his buy-in made me so much more eager to go. So you could say my entire career hinged on the fact that I forget a travel mug of coffee at home.

Pricing:

• The Speakeasy Program – Starting at $850 / Month
• Private Coaching – Starting at $2500

Contact Info:

• Website: helenabowen.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helenaspeaking/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenaspeaking/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@helenaspeaking

Image Credits
Paige Ray for all the images of me.