Speaking Academy

What Speaking Academy does

Speaking Academy is a France-based, privately held professional training and coaching organization headquartered in Nice that delivers communication, public speaking, and leadership development services to professionals, managers, executives, and entrepreneurs. Founded in 2008 by Anne Topenot as Your Personal English Coach (YPEC) and rebranded to Speaking Academy in May 2018, the firm pivoted from English-language coaching to broader leadership communication training, formalized through the FLOW four-dimension methodology (Inner, Relational, Professional, Public) launched in 2022. The core offering is delivered through three formats: small-group interactive training, one-on-one transformation coaching, and customized experiential conferences, available both in-person from Nice and remotely via video conferencing.

The business operates on a professional services revenue model with non-publicly-disclosed pricing determined via direct inquiry; since 2021, Qualiopi certification has enabled client payment through French professional development funding programs (OPCO, CPF, FIF-PL). The core team is small (three named members plus limited internal capacity), and the firm has no proprietary technology platform, no API, no AI/ML capabilities, and no disclosed institutional investment, operating as a founder-led lifestyle services business. Customer acquisition relies on content marketing (blog, newsletter), the annual public-facing "La Soirée de l'Audace" event launched in 2024, and direct outreach, with no disclosed enterprise logos or contract concentration.

Serving primarily the French regional market with remote reach into international clients, Speaking Academy positions itself on its bilingual French-English capability, its FLOW methodology, and the personal brand and credentials of its founder (Toastmasters competitive speaking, TEDx experience). No revenue figures, funding history, or M&A activity have been disclosed in source materials.

Name

Speaking Academy

Legal name

Speaking Academy

Website

https://speakingacademy.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Speaking Academy is a Nice, France-based professional training firm that delivers communication, public speaking, and leadership coaching to professionals, managers, and entrepreneurs via group training, 1:1 coaching, and experiential conferences, centered on its proprietary FLOW four-dimension methodology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Communication Training

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Language Schools (611630)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAMAOAJ

Corporate/Professional Public Speaking Training (Presentation Skills)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Public Speaking & Debate Clubs

SECONDARYEDAAAEAF

Language & Communication Continuing Education

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Continuing Education (Noncredit) & Lifelong Learning Programs

SECONDARYEDAMAOAD

Online Public Speaking & Debate Programs (Live/Recorded)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Public Speaking & Debate Clubs

SECONDARYEDAAACAC

ESL for Work & Workplace English (ESP)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/English as a Second Language (ESL) & Adult Language Learning

Keywords

• Communication training
• Public speaking coaching
• Leadership development
• Professional training services
• Executive coaching

Headquarters

HQ city

Nice

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Training Services: Interactive group training sessions in small groups focused on communication skills, public speaking, pitch techniques, and leadership communication. Delivered both in-person and remotely.
2. Coaching Transformation: One-on-one coaching and accompaniment for leadership development, helping professionals transform their communication habits from current to ideal functioning.
3. Experiential Conferences: Customized interactive conferences that provide deep awareness, concrete action steps, and motivation for adopting new communication skills.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Speaking Academy is a professional training organization that sells communication skills development services to French professionals and businesses. Its core offering is the FLOW Communication Program, a holistic four-dimension curriculum (Inner, Relational, Professional, and Public Communication) delivered through interactive group training sessions, one-on-one transformation coaching, and customized experiential conferences in both in-person and remote formats.

Product overview

Speaking Academy is a professional communication and leadership training organization offering a unified portfolio centered around the FLOW Communication Program. The program encompasses four interconnected dimensions: Inner Communication (self-awareness and stress management), Relational Communication (interpersonal skills and conflict navigation), Professional Communication (pitching, sales, and business communication in French and English), and Public Speaking (presentations and conferences). Training is delivered through three formats: Interactive Formation (small group workshops), Coaching de Transformation (individual coaching), and Conférence Expérientielle (experiential conferences). The company also offers standalone training modules for specific skills like pitch mastery and leadership communication. Founded in 2018 from the evolution of Your Personal English Coach, the organization holds Qualiopi certification enabling access to French professional funding programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Flow (Parcours Flow): Holistic four-stage communication methodology covering inner communication, relational communication, professional communication, and public speaking.
• La Soirée de l'Audace

Products and services

• FLOW Communication Program A holistic four-dimension communication training program covering Inner Communication, Relational Communication, Professional Communication, and Public Communication. Designed to transform leaders' communication skills across personal and professional contexts; intended for managers, executives, and business professionals seeking comprehensive communication development.
• Interactive Formation (Interactive Training) Group-based training sessions conducted in small groups in a secure environment designed to foster learning, change, and team cohesion. Targets professionals and teams seeking skill development in targeted communication domains.
• Coaching de Transformation (Transformation Coaching) One-on-one coaching focused on reflection, questioning, and development to move individuals from current to ideal operating modes. Intended for individual professionals pursuing personalized transformation goals.
• Conférence Expérientielle (Experiential Conference) Interactive and customized conferences designed to move beyond passive learning, creating deep awareness, concrete action steps, and motivation to acquire new capabilities. Targeted at organizations seeking group communication or leadership events.
• Pitch Training Training focused on mastering the elevator pitch - a brief, impactful presentation to capture attention and generate interest. Covers a 6-step structure and three golden rules; targeted at entrepreneurs, business developers, and professionals needing pitch delivery skills.
• Public Speaking Training Training to develop confidence and charisma in public speaking, covering message construction, effective presentation structure, and body and voice mastery. Designed for executives, managers, and professionals who present frequently.
• Leadership Communication Training Training focused on developing leadership impact through communication, covering leadership styles, connection-building, emotional intelligence, and authentic leadership. Intended for managers, team leaders, and executives.

Quantifiable outcome

• General evaluation rating of 10/10 from trained professionals

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ginger Leadership Communications: UK-based public speaking and leadership communication training firm serving professionals and executives, closely mirroring Speaking Academy's coaching and workshop model.
• Speak First: Corporate communication, presentation and influencing skills training provider serving business professionals, a close analog to Speaking Academy's B2B training.
• Own The Room: Communication and presentation-skills training company delivering interactive group and executive coaching, directly comparable to Speaking Academy's public speaking programs.
• Decker Communications: Provides presentation and communication skills training and coaching for executives and teams, matching Speaking Academy's professional public-speaking focus.

Others

• Toastmasters International: Membership organization for developing public speaking and communication skills; adjacent to Speaking Academy (the founder trained there) and a substitute for structured speaking practice.
• The Second City Works: Delivers experiential communication and presence training for corporate clients; thematically related through experiential, confidence-building communication methods.

Broad incumbents

• Dale Carnegie Training: Global provider of communication, public speaking and leadership training for professionals; overlaps directly with Speaking Academy's core offering but at far larger scale and geographic reach.

Regional players

• Comundi: French professional development training organization offering communication and public speaking modules within the same Qualiopi/OPCO-funded ecosystem.
• CEGOS: Major French professional training provider offering communication and soft-skills courses eligible for French funding schemes, competing for the same funded corporate learners.
• Éloquentia: France-based public speaking and eloquence training organization operating in the same domestic market and communication-skills category as Speaking Academy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/speakingacademybyanne

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Speaking Academy