Dave Leong crowned Best Individual Speaker as Entrepreneur Speaker Bureau proves the power of rapid transformation through coaching
Kuala Lumpur, 7 August 2025 – The Entrepreneur Speaker Bureau (ESB) made a bold impression at the inaugural Lead With The Voice: Entrepreneurs Public Speaking Challenge, a spirited 3v3 contest against the ITC Bintang Toastmasters Club. Hosted at VSing Mi Bar, Sri Petaling—the venue sponsor—the event gathered business leaders and communication enthusiasts for an evening of storytelling, quick thinking, and stagecraft.
While the ITC Bintang Toastmasters took home the Team Champion title, ESB’s Dave Leong emerged as the Best Individual Speaker, showcasing that with focused training, even entrepreneurs with no prior public speaking experience can rise to the occasion against seasoned professionals.
The ESB team—Dave Leong, Jane Chew, and ESB CEO Lynda Lee—underwent an intensive coaching programme led by Colin Lai Chee Seng, Managing Partner of Communications Leadership Academy, and MJ Ong, transformation coach and founder of Wealthlife Trinity. Over a few short weeks, training sessions blended mindset work, voice projection, storytelling, and stage presence—often practised in unconventional spaces like cafés and jogging parks to build confidence under real-world distractions.
“Dave’s win shows that speaking with authority is a learnable skill,” said Colin Lai, ESB’s resident speaking coach. “It’s not about memorising lines, but about commanding attention, connecting with your audience, and inspiring action—skills every entrepreneur needs.”
For ESB, the event was more than a competition. It was a testament to their mission—equipping business owners to articulate their value, inspire trust, and position themselves as credible thought leaders.
“You can have the best product or service, but if you can’t communicate it with clarity and confidence, you limit your impact,” said Lynda Lee, CEO of ESB. “This experience proved that in just weeks, with the right coaching, our members can match the level of trained, experienced speakers.”
The outcome reaffirmed ESB’s blended approach of professional coaching paired with live speaking opportunities as a proven formula for building leadership presence in SMEs. With more events planned, ESB is committed to helping its members step up, speak up, and stand out—on stage and in business.
