07/25/2026
"So you speak with a heavy accent, can I fit in?"
An entrepreneur asked me this before a big client meeting. She was worried her accent would cost her the deal before she said a word.
I grew up in Jamaica. My accent showed up in every boardroom I've sat in, from leadership meetings at Marriott to consulting sessions and workshops with government, corporate and healthcare clients today. It never cost me a contract. What almost cost me contracts early on was doubting myself before the client even had a chance to.
Here's what I'd tell any entrepreneur consulting with clients or pitching new business.
Clients aren't hiring your accent. They're hiring your judgment.
Three things to remember before your next client or sales meeting:
1. Clients pay for results, not pronunciation. Nobody signs a contract or bought your product because you sound a certain way. They sign because you understood their problem faster and better than the last person they talked to.
2. Your accent signals range, not risk. If you've operated across cultures, markets, or countries, that's a business asset. Say it plainly when it's relevant. Clients remember consultants who bring a perspective they don't already have in the room.
3. Confidence reads louder than accent. Clients mirror your certainty. If you hesitate because you're monitoring how you sound, they'll hesitate about hiring you. Speak like you already know your solution works, because you do.
If you're building a consulting practice, selling a product or pitching clients as an entrepreneur, stop editing your voice and start sharpening your offer. Clients don't remember accents. They remember whether you solved the problem.
Fix the offer. Keep the voice. Let me know if this resonates with you. Chris
