Online Speaking & Storytelling Drills Community

Speaking gets practiced here, not preached.

The community that drills speaking skills.
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Why Speaker Skills Academy

Why Speakers Choose Skills Drillsâ„¢ Over Traditional Practice

People are overlooked, underpaid, and unheard every day, not for lack of talent or smarts. Speaking skills change that. We meet online every week, and several times a year we gather in person around the world. Every Skills Drillsâ„¢ session, we work specific communication muscles together so that when it matters, you're ready.

Is this for me?

Who SSA is built for

We're an online community led by world-class TED, communication, and storytelling coaches Cathey Armillas and Marc Williams, where anyone can come to sharpen their speaking and storytelling skills in a way you've never seen before. Think sharper skills, more confidence, better stories, and a whole lot of fun along the way.

  • You've got great ideas and you're tired of watching worse ideas win the room.
  • You've been told to "work on your speaking" and you don't know where that work actually happens.
  • You've taken the course, read the book, watched the TED talks, and you still freeze when it's your turn.
  • You speak for a living and you're done practicing alone.
  • You want to enjoy speaking, not just survive it.
This community is 100% for you if…
You want to be better at speaking. Period.
Our Founders Take You There

Meet the people who built the SSA Community

Cathey Armillas, Co-Founder of Speaker Skills Academy
Cathey Armillas
Co-Founder
Marc Williams, Co-Founder of Speaker Skills Academy
Marc Williams
Co-Founder
Meet All The Coaches
8
Coaches
48,000
Minutes Drilled
500+
Sessions Hosted
Give it a try for free

Your VIP Guest Open Session Ticket

Once a month, we open our doors to guests and new members. Your free invitation to experience Speaker Skills Academy in a 90-minute live drill session built specifically to welcome you in. You'll meet the community, the coaches, and see for yourself what makes SSA different.

Open Sessions run only one time per month, and the programming is geared toward welcoming guests and new members - so if you've never drilled with us before, this is the room built for you.

If you can't wait until our next Open Session, just send us an email, and we'll send you an invite to one of our upcoming sessions!

  • A real drillThe same format Gold members do every week. No watered-down preview version.
  • Real coachesYou'll meet the people who run our weekly sessions, not a sales rep.
  • The community in actionSee who shows up, hear how they sound, feel the energy of the room.
  • No prep, no pressureBring yourself, that's it. Participation is welcomed, never required.
  • 90 minutes that change how you think about practiceMost people leave wanting to come back.
Our community catchphrase

Word Up!

It's our blog. It's on the t-shirts. It's what we say when something lands.
Come Word Up with us.
Pick your session

Upcoming Open Sessions

Free, monthly, 90 minutes. Same drills, same coaches, same energy as our weekly member sessions. Pick a date and reserve your seat.

May 4 · Sunday
3pm PST / 6pm EST
RSVP
June 1 · Monday
3pm PST / 6pm EST
RSVP
July 6 · Monday
3pm PST / 6pm EST
RSVP
Can't make these dates?
We'll get you on the next one.
Email Us
Do you have questions?

The honest answers

What is Speaker Skills Academy?
Speaker Skills Academy is a global community built on the principle that you get better at speaking by drilling specific skills. Through interactive sessions, expert coaching, and a supportive community, we help anyone become a more confident, compelling communicator.
What's SSA's pricing model?
SSA offers three tiered membership levels: Silver ($95/mo) for Power Drills and replay access, Gold ($295/mo) for live Skills Drills plus everything Silver, and Platinum ($695/mo) for VIP all-access including in-person events and Impact Groups. Visit speakerskillz.com to join.
What are Skills Drills?
Skills Drills are our signature interactive sessions focused on practicing specific speaking and storytelling skills. You show up, do the drills, and build real skills through repetition. They're hosted live, twice a week for Gold and Platinum members.
What is an Open Session?
Open Sessions are a free monthly gift to the community. It's a full Skills Drills session open to the public, so you can test drive Speaker Skills Academy before committing to a membership. Same drills, same experience, open to anyone.
What makes SSA different?
Unlike traditional speaking clubs, SSA is built on active practice. You will not sit and listen. Every session is designed around interactive drills that target specific communication skills. It's practice-first, always.
How do I get started?
The easiest way to get started is to attend a free Open Session. These monthly events are open to the public and give you the full Skills Drills experience. From there, you can explore membership options that fit your goals.
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Ready to try a free session?

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