With over 20 years of experience as an executive coach and workshop creator, Joanne has helped businesses and their teams navigate critical conversations, deliver compelling presentations, coach effectively and build relationships through effective and authentic storytelling. She has created over 20 training programs for clients, and has personally coached over 800 clients. Joanne's background as a screenwriter, and storyteller has given her a deep understanding of the importance of language, as well as the humour, insight, and empathy needed to facilitate constructive and engaging workshops.
Workshops & Keynotes
Participants will leave this keynote with real, practical tools to manage fear, reduce defensiveness, and shift their mindset from judgment to curiosity - allowing them to approach difficult conversations from a calmer, more neutral place, leading to greater clarity, -stronger relationships, and better outcomes.
PRICING:
30 minute and one hour versions available
CONTACT JOANNE FOR MORE DETAILS.
Navigating Difficult Conversations: The Power of Mindset - Keynote
Participants will leave this keynote with greater knowledge of how storytelling works scientifically and emotionally - as well as story ideas and practical tools for structuring stories they can use right away.
PRICING:
30 minute and one hour versions available
CONTACT JOANNE FOR MORE DETAILS.
Intentional Storytelling for Leaders - Keynote
Combining standup instincts with deep expertise in adult learning, Joanne delivers sessions that entertain, stick, and send audiences away with tools they can use immediately.
30–60 minute talks plus lunch and learns available. Every talk tailored to your audience.
Keynotes & Speaking
And yes, it makes your job easier too
Through hands-on practice and practical tools, participants will learn how to:
- Structure a coaching session for maximum clarity and impact
- Prepare effectively so every conversation counts
- Distinguishing between personal assumptions and coachable behaviours
- Create an open, neutral environment where people feel safe to learn and change
- Ask better genuinely curious questions to uncover insight and ownership
- Find the root cause behind performance challenges
- Give feedback that’s balanced, specific, and actionable
PRICING:
HALF DAY AND FULL DAY WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE
Cost based on participant numbers..
CONTACT JOANNE FOR MORE DETAILS.
- Build trust and strengthen relationships across teams and departments.
- Ensure accountability and clarity in both office and site environments.
- Resolve conflicts before they escalate into bigger issues.
- Model professionalism and respect at every level of the organization.
This practice - based training provides practical tools and increase confidence for handling conversations with employees, peers, and senior leaders.
Participants will learn:
- How to prepare before a difficult conversation
- Clear frameworks and tools for structuring difficult conversations.
- Stronger listening skills and the ability to stay neutral under pressure.
- And understanding and appreciation of some underlying reasons why difficult conversations happen and how to stop them from escalating.
- Greater confidence in handling conversations with employees, peers, and leaders.
PRICING:
HALF DAY AND FULL DAY WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE
Cost based on participant numbers.
CONTACT JOANNE FOR MORE DETAILS.
Navigating difficult conversations - The workshop
Storytelling is one of those skills that quietly sits underneath almost every other communication skill.
Influence, trust, persuasion, presence - they all get better when you learn to tell a story well. Yet in business, it's consistently underused. This workshop changes that.
Participants learn a practical, memorable methodology for finding their best real stories and telling them with confidence.
Participants leave knowing how to:
- Find the best true stories from their own lives and work
- Use storytelling to inspire action, build trust, and drive change
- Deliver a story that lands - and sticks
- Use humour and recognition to deepen human connection
Who it's for: Leaders, managers, and teams who want to communicate with more authenticity, influence, and impact — whether in the boardroom, the pitch room, or the staff meeting.
Fully customizable to your organization
30 minutes to full day formats available. Delivered in-person or virtually.
PRICING:
Lunch & Learn, TWO-HOUR, HALF DAY AND FULL DAY WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE.
CONTACT JOANNE FOR MORE DETAILS.
Intentional Storytelling for Leaders - The Signature workshop
HAVE YOU EVER:
Struggled to get buy-in on idea?
Given a presentation that informed but didn't inspire?
Noticed your team doesn't feel a sense of purpose or shared mission?
Given a pitch that didn't land?
Onboarded new hires where the learning didn't stick?
Effective Coaching and Team Building for Leaders
Corporate Workshops
Joanne will come to your home or office and bring a Storytelling soiree with her! Part workshop, part cocktail party, this is Joanne's foundational storytelling workshop but it leans into the fun!
This event brings together your friends and work colleagues to network, forge valuable connections, and learn the power of storytelling. While having a GREAT time getting to know each other better. Perfect for a holiday gathering. In your home or office!
A dynamic and interactive experience, these foundational storytelling skills will be covered:
• Mining for your best personal stories (and connecting them to business messaging where appropriate)
• Effective story structure
• Standing and delivering
• Harnessing the power of comedy in storytelling
$95 + HST per guest includes:
- Appetizers
- Wine and bubbly water
- Full 3 hour storytelling workshop and workbook to take home
Teambuilding - Want to host a storytelling Soirée?
A fun, interactive and immersive 3-hour storytelling workshop for youth!
Young people have an innate love of stories, and this workshop builds on that connection and empowers them to share and connect through the art of storytelling. Through engaging exercises and personalized guidance, they will learn:
• How to mine their lives for their best personal stories
• The difference between a story and an anecdote
• Foundational story structure that can be transferred into any kind of fictional or non-fictional storytelling.
• A simple technique for using stories to reinforce messaging when giving school presentations
• How to inject humour into storytelling
• Gain confidence in public speaking
Along with the educational benefits of mastering storytelling, the opportunity to hear stories from their peers has many social benefits. This immersive experience has been shown to:
• Encourage empathy as youth hear the challenges and perspectives of their peers.
• Promotes a sense of belonging as commonalties are discovered.
• Provide examples of how others have overcome difficulties, fostering problem-solving skills and resilience.
• Offer inspiration by showcasing the successes of peers, motivating youth to pursue their own goals.
• Foster an appreciation for different cultures, traditions, and backgrounds
This work shop can be customized to accommodate grades:
3-6, 7-8 or High School
Photo by Mindy Gough
Storytelling in Education
- Creating a keynote?
- Have a presentation you want to hit out of the ball park?
- A client you want to impress?
- A team you need to inspire?
- A story you need to tell?
With over 18 years of experience as an executive coach, Joanne has helped businesses and their teams navigate critical conversations, deliver compelling presentations, and build relationships through effective and authentic storytelling. She has created over 20 training programs for clients, including sales, storytelling, and executive-level coaching techniques, and has personally coached over 800 clients.
Private One-on-One Coaching
This workshop is for:
Anyone: Capture key moments from your life and learn how to share them through the art of storytelling.
Creatives: Kickstart your solo show or join the amazing Toronto storytelling circuit.
Entrepreneurs: Craft the foundational story for your brand.
Business Leaders: Learn how to tell stories that inspire action and foster change.
Over the 2 days you will learn how to:
- Mine for and develop your best personal stories
- Create a strong narrative structure (that’s transferable to any creative medium)
- Understand and use stakes, suspense, and resolution
- Incorporate comedy into your storytelling
- Use visual details to add texture and bring your stories to life
- Include others in your story respectfully
- Build confidence so you can stand and deliver your story
Foundational Storytelling Workshop
Private and Individual
