"My clients are a true gift to me. As we mutually empower and support each other, while we share our respective areas of expertise, it is a win-win every single time."
New York University for Theater Arts, UCLA School of Psychology and the Sorbonne University Paris III were the determinant schools which encouraged Eric Stone to begin his career as a stage and television actor in New York City. It led him to roles on Broadway, in television as well as in animation and films for more than three decades.
He became a TV celebrity early on when he was hired to become the on-air host of TeleFrance USA, in New York City for several years. The show had over 10 million viewers, which at the time was considerable. See some of his credits here. While in New York, he studied with Herbert Berghof, Uta Hagen, Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler, and William Hickey at the Actor's Studio and HB Studio. Eric is well versed and thoroughly trained in most major acting and performance techniques, processes, and ideas of the 20th Century, including the Meisner Technique and Michael Chekhov’s breakthrough work on creativity and imagination.
"Michael Chekhov's breakthrough work in freeing performers has greatly influenced me and still continues to amaze me."
In 1989, after moving to Los Angeles, Eric founded the Hollywood Actors Studiowhere he began to develop professional actors, as well as began a second career as a director. He owes his expertise and particular sensitivity to speakers' concerns to a variety of training, experiences, and encounters with countless individuals and group dynamics.
“We are a key player in cultivating the confident performer dimension in business.”
Teaching and directing actors was the first step in beginning a long parallel career as a public speaking and communication skills trainer. His sheer passion for self-expression and his relentless pursuit of building confidence in people of all walks of life led to the creation of Speakers & Artists International, Inc. in 2003. The success and undeniable results it produced for business professionals greatly encouraged Eric to continue his journey as a talent developer.
"Our goal is to help our clients leverage the potential energies within themselves and their organization. Leaders understand the need to use their skills to guide others, achieve stretched goals and demonstrate accountability. We train individuals to become competent, credible speakers and communicators. The immediate by-products are increased self-awareness, personal growth and credibility."
"We are very much target oriented public speaking coaches working on key issues and problem areas related to public performance. Issues of self-confidence & effectiveness, clear communication & authentic self-expression have become the cornerstone distinctions which, over time, have empowered individuals. By focusing on the public persona rather than the private person, it becomes overwhelmingly clear what aspects of public speaking and performance need improvement."
Public speaking relies on very simple yet wonderfully telling dynamics between the speaker and his or her audience. This is the true competitive edge of this style of coaching which targets organic and authentic body language not outdated frozen gestures or postures.
"Speaking as a committed empowerment coach and talent developer, helping and encouraging individuals to get in touch with their true potential has become a passion and an essential part of my life. It has led me onto transformational paths and journeys unimaginable had I not stayed focused in that direction.
There's an actor and an artist of life in each and every human being; hence every person can “design” and “create” who they aspire to be no matter what the current environment allows. By focusing primarily on design and creative issues, we can literally generate for ourselves a new freedom to be and gracefully reclaim both our power and vision.
We offer a step by step tangible and thorough approach which helps develop not only gifted and creative professionals but happier and freer individuals." ~ Eric and Amy Stone<