Conversations with Peacock Voices

Have you ever sat through an amazing presentation, pitch, or meeting and thought, "I need to be able to do that"? Strong public speaking isn't a gift some people are born with and others aren't. It's a business communication skill. And like any skill, it can be developed. In this episode, voice expert and coach Margaret Izard Oskoui breaks down the exact 4-step framework she uses with clients to s...

Early in her career, Jennifer Staretorp had an intern who quietly believed Jennifer hated her. Not because of anything she’d said, but because of how she’d said it: short, efficient messages, no emojis, no warmth. Jennifer didn’t find out until much later. When she did, it landed like a cold bucket of water dumped on her. She’d learned in college, and again in business school, that professional co...

Angela Zentefis has spent over 15 years leading HR through some of the hardest conversations an organization can have, from pandemic era layoffs to policy negotiations at Northwestern University. In this episode, she tells Margaret about the moment a senior leader called out her voice for giving away her power mid-sentence, and how that changed the way she reads a room and leads with empathy and a...

Conversation with Lieve Hendren: Joy Is A Prerequisite What does a Mozart violin concerto have to do with surviving a hostile board meeting? More than you'd think. In this episode, Margaret sits down with Workflow Coach Lieve Hendren to explore the surprising overlap between vocal performance and high-stakes leadership communication. Lieve shares how years of panic attacks before presentations — d...

Direct Without Being Abrasive: Tools for Collaborative Workplace Communication   Voice expert and coach Margaret Izard Oskoui addresses common feedback like “too intense,” “too abrasive,” or “not collaborative,” arguing the issue is often not directness itself but how it’s delivered. She explains that direct communication is efficient and reduces misunderstanding, but different vocal deliveries ca...

Fundraising, Flexibility, and Vocal Health: A Conversation with Justin Berkowitz   In this episode of Conversations with Peacock Voices, host Margaret speaks with Justin Berkowitz, executive director of the William Ferris Chorale and director of operations for Art Song Chicago, about his path from voice performance to arts administration through ticketing and development work at Lyric Opera and ev...

Breath, Listening, and Raising Confident Communicators: A Conversation with Leigh Folta Host Margaret interviews Leigh Folta, a former professional choral and opera singer with vocal performance degrees. Leigh now works in arts administration running a discount ticketing program in greater Boston. Leigh traces her path from teaching lessons in Los Angeles to ticketing at Lyric Opera of Chicago, a...

Accents, Authenticity, and Depolarization: A Conversation with Francisco Hernández-Cáceres In this episode of Conversations with Peacock Voices, host Margaret welcomes three-time Emmy-winning producer and former television host Francisco Hernández-Cáceres.  Francisco shares how his 15–20 year career in television evolved from being on-camera to running a production company focused on translating u...

Mastering Your Pitch: Voice Techniques for Entrepreneurs In this episode of Conversations with Peacock Voices, host Margaret Izard Oskoui, a voice expert and coach, provides insights on how early-stage entrepreneurs can use their voices effectively in pitch competitions and investor meetings. Margaret explains the significance of vocal characteristics and offers a four-step process: learning your...

Embracing Introversion: An In-Depth Conversation with Jeri Bingham In this episode of Conversations with Peacock Voices, host Margaret welcomes Jeri Bingham, founder of the 'Hush Loudly' podcast and an expert on introversion. They discuss what it means to be an introvert in an extroverted world, how introversion affects workplace dynamics, and strategies introverts can use to thrive professionally...

Join Margaret Izard Oskoui, co-founder and CEO of Peacock Voices, as she guides professionals in mastering their voice for effective communication. With a background in opera singing and voice coaching, Margaret delves into the emotional connection and intention conveyed through our voices. This podcast features interviews with diverse professionals discussing their communication strategies at wor...