Our History
1994 – The Starting Point
September 7, 1994
Sally launched the firm as a one-woman band with a curiosity about the impact of communication in business and the desire to help people influence outcomes effectively. Think attic office and some small helping hands!
2000 – The Big Deals
November 20, 2000
The first clients were enterprise sales teams who had a lot at stake and invested in coaching to build a winning presentation. It worked!
2004 – SW&A gets a door
September 1, 2004
By 2004, a team was in place and we opened our first brick and mortar office to host workshops and coaching engagements.
2010- The Coaching Bench Expands
November 20, 2010
A reputation takes hold, and success attracts success. SW&A’s team continues to grow as we develop a coaching curriculum and launch open-enrollment programs.
2014- Leading Executive Conversations
May 25, 2014
Book #2 is released along with our methodology for bridging the communication gap between managers and senior leaders. Fun fact, even after all this time, it’s still our best-selling book!
2015- West Coast Bound
February 25, 2015
More than fifteen years of relationships had been seeded, and as clients move from one company to another, we love to stay in touch. Sometimes, we even follow them. And that’s what we did in 2015 with the debut of our programs in Silicon Valley and the opening of our first satellite office.
2016 – It’s a Family Business
August 18, 2016
He might argue he was there in the attic office, but in 2016, Hurst made it official when he joined the team. We didn’t set out to build a family business, but we’ve been intentional about growing the business as a family.
2017 – SW&A Goes Global
September 26, 2017
Growing and Going! We’ve always worked with clients from across the globe, but this year we covered the globe by going to clients in EMEA, LATAM and APAC.
2018 – Storylines & Storytellers
February 13, 2018
Our third book ignited a passion for storytelling. From experience stories to data stories, helping people get involved and invested in their illustrations is one of the most energizing things we do.
2020 – Launch of SWAU
January 15, 2020
And when the world turned upside down, we turned internally and leveraged the time to launch a self-guided coaching platform. SWAU is like having a coach right in your home with over 200 learning modules.
2021- Disrupted! How to Reset Your Brand & Your Career
May 25, 2021
Book #4 launched as a special collaboration between Sally & Hurst. Guiding someone to take ownership for their brand and career narrative, the book is the foundation for our Stewarding Your Career program.
Today – We’re Here When You Need Us
September 19, 2022
SW&A’s mission remains the same, but the skills we teach have greatly expanded, solving client problems today and anticipating communication needs in new settings. No matter the situation, we’re here when you need us!
