Media Kit
Short Version Biography
Amy Elizabeth Casson, President, Polished Image
Amy Elizabeth Casson’s pursuit of a “polished image” began six years ago when she experienced first hand while working at a Fortune 500 company how an incongruent image can stall one’s climb up the corporate ladder.
Today, Ms. Casson is dedicated to polishing the presence of leaders (and those aspiring to be leaders) across North America so they can present their best selves every day at the office, differentiate themselves from their co-workers and competitors and quickly climb the corporate ladder.
As an image consultant, communications and etiquette advisor, Ms. Casson teaches professionals to present their best selves every day of their lives. The end result are professionals who create impact visually, communicate with confidence and competence and navigate business and social situations with ease.
Her workshops and seminars captivate audiences. Her e-books, e-booklets, e-zine and assessment tools take professionals on a journey of self-discovery and self-improvement.
Longer Version Biography
Amy Elizabeth Casson, President, Polished Image
Amy Elizabeth Casson’s pursuit of a “polished image” began four years ago when she experienced first hand how an incongruent image can stall one’s climb up the corporate ladder.
Ms. Casson was working at a Fortune 500 company in a job she enjoyed. She thought she would work there the rest of her life. But after six years, she was noticing a trend that was making her contemplate her performance. Co-workers younger, less educated and less experienced than her were making the “big leap” up the corporate ladder – a leap she desperately wanted to make.
So, when she was eight months pregnant with her second child, she gathered the courage to ask her boss how she could make the same leap as others were making when she returned from maternity leave. Much to her surprise, her boss gave her three pieces of advice: stop swearing, clean up her desk because it was a mess and people were noticing and lastly, log onto her computer at night – even for five minutes – just to leave the impression that she was working after hours.
Ms. Casson realized that her supervisors perceived her as a foul-mouthed, messy marketer and that’s not how she perceived herself at all. She started to investigate the power of image – studying under Angele Desgagne and Karen Brunger – two of Canada’s best image consultants.
She went back to her job as a marketer briefly after her maternity leave, only to discover her innate desire to teach others how to differentiate themselves through image.
She is passionate about image and the power it wields in the corporate world. “Image is one of the key factors to success, especially once you’ve entered management. At this level, everyone has the same experience and education. The one and only way to differentiate yourself is through your appearance, behaviour and communication skills,” says Casson.
Ms. Casson went on to study Personal Branding through Reach – the world’s leader in personal branding as well as DiSC personality analysis.
Since establishing Polished Image in 2004, Ms. Casson has helped thousands of professionals polish their professional presence through her workshops, seminars, individual coaching, virtual programs and most recently, her Professional Presence University Program.
Her formal education and experience created a great foundation of knowledge on which to build. She has an honors history degree from the University of Western Ontario – focusing primarily on the history of women and how women have been perceived over time.
She has a public relations certificate from Humber College where she learned how to promote companies internally and externally. She applies her pr knowledge to her clients, helping them promote themselves to relevant audiences.
She holds a business management degree from the Canadian Institute of Management. Her business knowledge helps her successfully manage her company.
She worked as a marketer for a Fortune 500 company where she discovered first hand the necessary skills one needs to possess in order to make it into a leadership position.
And in January 2008, she became a professor of marketing at the Lawrence Kinlin School of Business where she teaches the fundamentals of business marketing to young adults. Through her experience as a professor, Ms. Casson has developed a greater sense of understanding of Generation Y and the challenges they face as they enter adulthood.
“Your image is in your control. Discover your authentic self and exude it through your appearance, behaviour and communication skills everyday of your lives. Success will follow you – I guarantee it.”
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