About Rob

1997

I started working for a boutique public relations agency publicizing small to mid-size tech companies:

• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
• Mobile systems management
• Data communications (VoIP, modems, etc.)
• Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
• File transfer software

I learned how to explain complex technologies in easy to understand language.

I identified company stories and pitched them to reporters to generate publicity.

And I prepared CEOs for high stakes interviews with reporters:

• crafting key messages
• delivering messages with most impact in the least amount of time
• staying on message
• managing difficult questions

I participated in new business meetings, presenting our capabilities to potential clients.

2001

I joined a small creative boutique public relations agency.

A colleague performed in a sketch show at The Second City, Chicago’s premier sketch comedy institution.

As I sat in the audience, I felt everything around me fade to black and a single thought shot through my brain - “I need to do that!”

I signed up for improv classes and completed Second City’s beginning improv program.

I took an acting class to get into Second City’s Conservatory program.

I graduated from the Second City Conservatory and completed iO and the Annoyance’s improv training programs.

l started performing in black box theaters.

Acting and improv:

• Taught me how to deliver messages so audiences had an experience and felt things.
• Supercharged my creativity and increased my comfort in performing without a script.
• Boosted my confidence performing in front of audiences.

But I kept my public relations and acting careers separate.

2006

I worked for Ketchum, another public relations agency, managing the Canadian Club account.

Absolut commissioned Zach Galifinakis to develop three commercials and posted them on YouTube. They went viral and Canadian Club wanted to try something similar.

I brought in iO and ComedySportz to pitch creative video ideas.

As I sat in those meetings, an idea crossed my brain.

What if I combined my public relations background with my acting and improv background to coach managers and future leaders on what to say (the message) and how to say it (the delivery) to engage, persuade, and inspire their audiences to take action.

2011

I joined Pinnacle Performance Company and traveled across the US and India coaching business professionals on how to communicate more effectively using applied acting techniques.

But something was still missing.

2019
I saw a tweet that completely changed how I viewed communication.

“Great leaders don’t manage people. They manage energy of people is the ability to change energy of belief from ‘Why we can’t’ to ‘Why we can’.”
-Cy Wakeman

Now I view communication as an energy exchange vs. an information exchange.

Electric Presence is the ability to change the energy of the room, change the energy of your team, and change the energy of belief from “No we can’t“ to “Yes we can!” by what you say and how you say it.