Brave Speak™ 2025

Brave Speak 2025!
Be Brave in 2025: Transform your career—and your life—by learning to:

• Speak confidently and build meaningful connections
• Gain recognition for your expertise with engaging communication
• Earn the promotions and opportunities you deserve Communication isn’t a soft skill—it’s hard.
  
  Hard to learn, hard to master, and yet, essential for career success and a fulfilling life. Confident speakers are precise and concise. They say what they mean, clearly. And that earns respect. Great communicators are not born, they are made.
  
  What I consistently hear from working professionals is this: “My speaking ability is holding me back.” They worry about speaking inaccurately, sounding impolite, or unclear—or, worse, being perceived as hesitant or lacking opinions and overlooked. Many stay silent in meetings, especially with leadership, only to regret it later when someone else voices the same idea they hesitated to share, fearful of making a mistake or being judged.
  
  If this resonates, Brave Speak is for you. As your essential guide to mastering team and interpersonal communication, Brave Speak lays the foundation for developing a new mindset that blends East-West workplace perspectives. Gain practical skills, learn the native language playbook, and master the communication nuances needed to fit in, stand out, and thrive. Ensure your voice is heard, your expertise shines, and your career breaks through to the next level.
  
  The course is divided into four key skills, each featuring topical lectures, activities, native language playbook tools, and mindset development.
  
  Four Skill Mastery:

• Concise Communication: Say what you mean with clarity and impact, ensuring your ideas resonate.
• Assertiveness: Speak confidently and professionally, balancing directness with respect to foster dialogue, not defensiveness, while navigating tough conversations with poise.
• Persuasion: Win support for your ideas through compelling messaging, storytelling, and strategic influence.
• Spontaneous Agility: Think on your feet, adapt to the unexpected, and respond intelligently under pressure while eJortlessly building authentic connections through small talk. The Brave Speak DiNerence:

• Coaching: Coach Joe will encourage you, be your champion, and guide. Benefit from two 1:1 coaching sessions, live in-class feedback, and WeChat support for workplace challenges you face throughout the year.

• Practice, Practice, Practice: You’re not alone. Join like-minded professionals to build your skills in a safe, supportive environment, gaining confidence through hands- on practice and shared experience.
• Mindset and Skills: Compare Chinese and Western communication styles. Develop a flexible mindset and master Western techniques to elevate your professional impact. Sundays 3-5:30 PM PST

1. Sunday, February 2, 2025
2. Sunday, March 2, 2025
3. Sunday, April 6, 2025
4. Sunday, May 4, 2025
5. Sunday, June 1, 2025
6. Sunday, July 6, 2025
7. Sunday, August 3, 2025
8. Sunday, September 7, 2025
9. Sunday, October 5, 2025

FEE: $2000.00 (Nine 2.5 hr. meetings with live coaching + 2 one on one coaching sessions + WeChat support)

Instructor:

Since his time living in China in the 80’s, Dr. Rios has helped Chinese and other global professionals worldwide, develop the communication skills and mindset needed to bravely advance their careers and gain the visibility and professional recognition they deserve. He holds a Stanford University PhD in the field of Language, Communication, and Culture and has trained and coached in fortune 500 companies for over 25 years including for Google as Communication coach, and with Google Brain as AI and Human Language Learning Consultant/Researcher.

Endorsement 1:

I’m proud of being a student in Brave Speak class. Over the past years, I have taken many English communication trainings. This class is the most useful one.

Like many Chinese, I am living in an Asian bubble. Coach Joe Gerard has deep understanding of our challenges since he had extensive experience teaching Chinese students. He collects real world scenarios from us and provides practical solutions to our challenges.

He is good at teaching us the nuances of American English, which is not what can be easily learned from books. With the practice, I started to get used to pause, be simple and clear, which could already solve 70% of my communication issues.

I am looking forward to the year-round class which could bring me to the next level.

Endorsement 2:

I took Joe’s Brave Speak class early this year. One of the most helpful things for me from the class has been shifting the mindset from “afraid to make mistake mode” to a more a more brave and self-acceptive mode on speaking.

Joe is a master coach, especially with a deep understanding of Asian culture and psychology. Joe encourages everyone in the class to share one act of braveness during the past week in every class, so this gives everyone ample practice to speak comfortably in a safe space.

Joe’s warm and supportive teaching style has no doubt been the most instrumental in creating such a safe and comfortable space for all students to share and contribute in class. This allows everyone to participate, receive feedbacks and then practice again right in front of the classmates to help each other improve through multiple rounds of role play, reflection, ice-breaker games, and learning the example phrases to use and watching carefully selected education clips.

Every week, we will have homework, and Joe’s feedback to each homework is always very detailed and helpful. He not only comments on what we did well and what needs improvement, but he also demonstrates how he would do it and encourages us to try again and often gives multiple rounds of feedbacks on homework each week.

I highly recommend Joe to anyone who wants to improve his/her communication in both casual and work setting.

Endorsement 3:

Joining Joe’s Brave Speak course has been a game-changer for me. As a professional striving to enhance my communication skills, I found this course particularly beneficial, especially for those of us from non-English speaking backgrounds.

Joe’s profound understanding of the unique challenges faced by Asian learners is unparalleled. He skillfully incorporates real-life scenarios into our sessions, making the lessons both practical and directly applicable. For instance, he uses role-playing exercises like navigating complex project planning with stakeholders or delicately managing upward with balancing the relationships among many executives. These scenarios are not only illustrative but also come with actionable strategies and insights on articulating problems and devising solutions effectively.

Moreover, Joe tailors the course content to meet the diverse needs of participants. Beyond just sharing best practices for common communication situations, he provides personalized feedback and suggestions for improvement tailored to our individual performances during assignments. This tailored approach has significantly enhanced my understanding of core concepts and helped me internalize knowledge intuitively.

The structured practice coupled with consistent, constructive feedback has greatly boosted both my confidence and proficiency in communication.

As I look forward to continuing with the year-round program, I am enthusiastic about the potential for even more profound skill development and mastery of effective communication techniques. I highly recommend Joe’s Brave Speak course to anyone determined to make substantial improvements in their communication skills.

Endorsement 4:

Before attending the Brave Speak class, my communication style at work was more reserved and passive. However, after the course, I became more confident and assertive in expressing my ideas and opinions. One technique I learned was active listening, which helped me better understand my colleagues’ perspectives and communicate more effectively. For example, instead of interrupting during meetings, I started actively listening to others and then contributing my thoughts, which led to more productive discussions.

What was unique and particularly useful was how I learned and practiced the course material, which was a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical exercises. The course provided comprehensive insights into communication strategies, along with opportunities to apply them in real-life scenarios through role-plays and simulations. This hands-on approach helped me internalize the concepts and apply them confidently in my workplace.

Coach Joe’s performance as an instructor was exemplary. He possesses a unique blend of expertise, empathy, and enthusiasm that made the Brave Speak learning experience truly exceptional. His ability to create a supportive and engaging learning environment fostered open communication and encouraged active participation. Coach Joe’s patience and personalized feedback helped me overcome my communication barriers and grow professionally. In summary, Coach Joe is knowledgeable, empathetic, and inspiring.

Endorsement 5:

I am very happy about my transformation in my communication after taking Joe’s course! I especially like the spontaneous talk practice work during class and Joe’s homework feedback. I have improved a lot in rhythm and intonation in my daily conversation. I am more confident to speak in formal or casual settings, for example, in group meetings and in small talk situations.
Joe is a great coach! His class is interactive, fun and very practical. I have gained a lot in this class and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to elevate in their workplace communication.

Endorsement 6:

I am immensely grateful to Joe for the remarkable improvement in my workplace communication since undertaking this course. His coaching style is characterized by clear guidance and practical insights.
One of the most valuable aspects was learning expressions that native speakers commonly use in various situations, particularly in high-stakes or challenging scenarios. This includes effectively handling disagreements, giving and receiving feedback, thinking on our feet to manage Q&A sessions and pushbacks, and communicating unpopular change announcements.
I now regularly apply these learned techniques in my professional interactions, and they have proven to be invaluable.
Joe’s teaching has significantly enriched my communication toolbox, providing me with a diverse set of skills that I can employ with confidence. The course not only taught me what to say but also how to convey messages with the right tone, intonation, pitch, and flow.
Through consistent practice during class sessions and multiple rounds of homework critique, I have honed these skills.
Undoubtedly, this course has elevated my communication abilities and bolstered my confidence in the workplace. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone seeking concrete improvement in their communication.


Endorsement 7:

Joe is an exceptionally knowledgeable, patient, authentic, and caring coach. What sets Joe apart is his profound understanding of the challenges faced by Chinese professionals in America due to cultural differences between the East and the West. Even before classes commence, Joe takes the time to grasp the individual needs of each student and devises a customized training plan tailored to meet those needs. One of the primary reasons I enrolled in Joe’s communication coaching is to improve my ability to speak more concisely. Throughout the course, Joe consistently emphasizes the importance of brevity during class discussions and critiques of homework assignments. Additionally, Joe provides structured guidance for our speeches and conversations, which has helped me develop a habit of always considering the most concise way to deliver my message. I wholeheartedly recommend Joe’s communication class to anyone seeking to advance their career through effective communication skills.

Endorsement 8:

I have been taking Joe’s Superpower Communication course for about a year. I am delighted with the positive shift in my workplace communication since participating in this course. Joe’s wealth of teaching experience, his responsiveness to individual needs, and the weekly practice assignments with his insightful feedback have been immensely valuable and have significantly influenced my communication skills. Particularly valuable was the structured spontaneous response, a practice I now incorporate into my daily professional interactions. Undoubtedly, this course has enhanced my communication proficiency, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to those looking for tangible improvements in workplace communication.

Endorsement 9:

I highly recommend Joe’s class, which helped me not only learn the essential techniques of effective communication but also deepened my understanding of Western culture as it pertains to communication.

I used to overthink before opening my mouth, but this course made me realize that speaking up in the moment is a big win itself. Instead of having a monologue when giving a presentation, now I frequently ask clarifying questions to engage with the audience and ensure everyone is on the same page.

The phrases, structures, and thought processes Joe taught us are practical, succinct, and memorable – they have become my day to day go-to-assets at work and in life. We improved ourselves through iterative practice using real-life cases relevant to our daily work.

Also, we had numerous opportunities in class to bounce ideas off each other by role playing, peer commenting, and brainstorming, which allowed us to learn and grow as a group collectively.

Joe is an instructive, encouraging, and empowering coach. He went above and beyond standard expectations for a coach tailoring class contents to our specific needs and pain points. He offered targeted coaching to our personal style and to where each of us was on our learning curve.

I very much appreciated the time and effort Joe invested in us and the wisdom he shared to help us grow.

I am grateful I made the right choice of taking this course and investing in myself!