Meet Leslie Fiorenzo of Business Speaking Solutions

Today we’d like to introduce you to Leslie Fiorenzo.

Leslie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My paternal grandmother was born in the late 1800’s and would often say she lived in a great time in history because of all the modern inventions she witnessed. Things that are commonplace now: automobiles, radio, television, airplanes to name a few. I feel the same way, especially as an entrepreneur. Technology is readily available to help start and grow a business that wasn’t available even as few as five years ago. Online coaching is the 2nd fastest growing industry in the world. However, the biggest struggle most coaches have is self-promotion. Your course or service is worthless unless people know about it. The fastest, easiest, and least expensive way to grow your business is with a powerful presentation, using a simple webcam. And that requires public speaking, the biggest fear most people have.

I founded Business Speaking Solutions to help people overcome that fear and help professionals who need to be heard refine their message, strengthen their confidence and engage their audience with impact. Whether leading meetings, connecting with clients, or delivering high-stakes presentations, the ability to present your ideas in a clear and compelling way is a career-defining skill. I believe that public speaking isn’t just for stages. It’s for boardrooms, networking events, and every business interaction where your voice needs to be heard.

This is my third attempt at creating a sustainable business. I began this one in 2023 alongside a full-time job knowing I was going to “retire” and wanted a way to make a difference. I now realize my coach is correct. Most business don’t fail in their first five years; the owner gets frustrated and quits and it is recorded as failure. In each of my other attempts, that is exactly what happened. Each time I took a full-time job because it offered stability; pay and benefits. It didn’t offer freedom and flexibility I sought being my own boss. I made the tradeoff anyway.

I’ve reached the point in my life where, while creating income is important, the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of my clients is what gets me out of bed every day.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Is anyone’s road smooth? No, it has not. Do I wish I knew what I know now 30 years ago, of course! Yet every set back is an opportunity to learn and grow. There are 3 key ideas I share with everyone interested in starting out on their own: 1) focus on your expertise in your offering and avoid trying to be everything to everyone. 2) hire a coach who has accomplished what you are trying to accomplish interview several and find one who has actually built a business like you want to build and follow their advice 3) consistency is the secret sauce to growing a business, show up for yourself every day, even when you don’t feel like it and do the hard things first.
There are two analogies I often use. First growing a business is a lot like gardening. You are planting seeds when you tell people about your business. The more seeds you plant, the bigger the potential harvest. We don’t know if they will take root and sprout, plant them anyway. The second is it’s a lot like going to the gym. You are not going to get fit with one visit. You need to do the basic actions to get results and do them repeatedly.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The coaching Business Speaking Solutions provides isn’t about generic speaking tips or polished performances—it’s about real-world confidence, practical adaptability, and mindset-driven transformation for professionals who need to be heard. The following are three differentiators make me the go-to expert for my ideal clients—people who know their stuff but struggle to communicate it with clarity and impact.

1. Taking 1-on-1 Confidence to Bigger Stages – But NOT just HUGE Stages
(Communicate with Impact in Real-World Situations)

I help professionals take the confidence they already have in 1:1 conversations and translate it to larger audiences. Many of my clients are already great at speaking in small settings but struggle when the stakes feel higher. I teach them how to scale their communication skills so they can introduce themselves at networking events, present to leadership, a group of clients, or engage an entire room with the same ease they bring to one-on-one discussions.

Because they KNOW their stuff. They just get stuck sometimes.

2. Master Your Mindset; Master Your Message (Internal Work)

Public speaking isn’t just about technique—it’s about how you think about yourself as a communicator. My coaching goes beyond mechanics and into mindset transformation. I help clients reframe their fears, eliminate negative self-talk, and build confidence from the inside out. This isn’t about faking confidence—it’s about actually developing it.

3. Fear-Proof Your Process (Master the Unexpected)
I don’t just teach you how to speak—I teach you how to take control of the space, the tools, and the moment. My approach is about mastering the surroundings and eliminating external distractions before they can shake your confidence. From knowing how to handle a microphone to preparing for audience Q&A, I ensure my clients walk into speaking situations ready for anything.

I am the creator of the 5 S.T.E.P.S. to Speaking Success™ framework, a practical system that equips professionals—especially those in technical and leadership roles—to communicate with confidence, clarity, and presence. I’ve spoken to hundreds of professionals nationwide and is recognized for my engaging, actionable content that helps individuals elevate their impact in meetings, presentations, and high-stakes conversations. I combine certified coaching expertise with real-world business acumen to deliver measurable results for teams and organizations.

What are your plans for the future?
Embracing the beauty of every day, living fully in each moment and growing my business by combining work and pleasure. My husband and I love a good road trip, and my goal is to find opportunities for speaking events around the USA.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lesliefiorenzo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesliefiorenzo/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leslie.fiorenzo
• LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/lesliefiorenzo
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@findyourvoiceccc

Image Credits
Heather Mahoney Photography & Gherling Media