CHICAGO, IL - April 3, 2026 - Speak by Design, a Chicago-based leadership communication coaching firm, has officially opened enrollment for Speak by Design University (SBDU), a 12-month program built to transform how high-performing professionals are seen, heard, and trusted inside their organizations. Founded by Stephanie Bickel, who brings 25 years of experience coaching executives, founders, and senior leaders across industries, the firm developed SBDU as what it calls a “leadership communication operating system” for professionals who want to sound like a CEO before they are one.
The program is rooted in the firm’s proprietary Speak by Design method, a communication framework used across industries to help individuals move audiences to action. SBDU is not a presentation skills course. It is a structured system for helping leaders become the kind of communicator people listen to, trust, and follow.
“This is not about presentation skills alone,” said Bickel. “We help leaders communicate in a way that signals readiness for the next level. When that shift happens, everything changes: how they are perceived, the opportunities they are given, and the roles they step into. When your communication wanders, it limits your professional success. Great leaders are great communicators.”
Rather than offering a weekend workshop or a handful of tips, SBDU gives participants a full year of structured development. Once a person registers they are prompted to share information about their goals and audiences so Speak by Design can create a custom private coaching program design and recommend the best suited coach for their needs.
The program includes two 45-minute private coaching sessions per month and monthly small-group cohort sessions with professionals at the same career level led by Bickel herself. Members also receive a 12-month guided communication portfolio with one deliverable each month, full vault access to the firm’s signature trainings, a 30-minute onboarding coaching call, and a Tools + Transformation Guide. The program is available at a one-time fee of $4,970.
SBDU is organized into three cohort levels so that participants are always learning alongside peers who face similar challenges. Members choose their cohort during onboarding. Emerging Leaders are professionals preparing for their next promotion or stepping into management for the first time. Directors are mid-level leaders managing complex teams and navigating organizational dynamics. Executives are senior leaders and those identified for succession who need to sharpen their presence and influence at the highest levels. Across all three tracks, the curriculum covers visual leadership, vocal presence, personal branding, managing up and across, audience analysis, message structures, influencing skills, poise under pressure, investor relations presentations, and board-level conversations.
The program’s approach is grounded in measurable results. Participants consistently report promotions or expanded scope within a year of completing the program, increased trust and visibility with senior leadership and boards, more effective performance in high-stakes meetings and presentations, and greater external opportunities including speaking and thought leadership. By the end of the program, every member walks away with a polished executive communication portfolio that reflects their growth and can be applied immediately in their professional life.
“We built this for people who are tired of overexplaining,” Bickel added. “We help leaders become clear, concise, and consistently compelling, so their ideas are heard and their audiences are moved to action.”
To learn more about Speak by Design University or to enroll, visit https://speakbydesignuniversity.com/join.
About Speak by Design
Speak by Design is a leadership communication coaching and consulting firm headquartered in Chicago, IL, founded by Stephanie Bickel. With 25 years of experience and a team of certified coaches trained in the proprietary Lead by Design method, the firm helps leaders communicate with clarity, confidence, and influence. Speak by Design serves professionals across private coaching, group training, enterprise solutions, and its flagship SBDU program. The firm has been featured in Manage HR Magazine and offers services across the United States.
Speak by Design also produces the Speak by Design Podcast, available on Apple Podcasts. For more information, visit speakbydesign.com.
Media Contact
Company Name: Speak by Design
Contact Person: Stephanie Bickel
Email:Send Email
Phone: (773) 257-3433
Country: United States
Website: http://speakbydesign.com
