Eric Williamson

Motivational speaker and life coach Eric L. Williamson was born and raised in the inner city of New Haven, CT in 1980.  He grew up in a full house that included his older sister, four cousins, parents, and pets.

Thanks to his supportive family, he graduated from James Hillhouse High School before attending Connecticut College in New London, CT.  During his college years, he experienced something so incredible, that it changed his perspective on life and the world, as he knew it.  This experience has opened many doors and opportunities that were not attainable before.

This event occurred during his third year in college when he studied abroad in Costa Rica.  Although thrilled with this opportunity to study in another country, he was met with an immediate challenge---he could not speak Spanish!  Unlike the rest of the American students, he was required to arrive in Costa Rica two months earlier to attend basic Spanish classes.  This allowed him to learn the basic Spanish language, and prepare him to take college classes at the Universidad de Nacional in Heredia, Costa Rica during the fall of 2000. However, it also allowed him to become acclimated to the Costa Rican culture and get to know his host family. He spent several months in Costa Rica attending college classes, traveling, and meeting friends but not without adversity.

During his first two months, he struggled to learn the Spanish language, which kept him from meeting new people.  This damaged his confidence and he doubted that he would learn it in time to be able to take college courses in the upcoming semester.  He even got lost in the city on a few occasions.  However, through determination, he learned the Spanish language well enough to communicate with others and successfully take college courses.

When he returned to the United States and back to college, he had a newfound appreciation and respect for the Spanish language and the Costa Rican culture. But the most valuable thing he learned from his Costa Rican experience is that he became fluent in Spanish and a pretty good salsa dancer, and he has never forgotten the relationships he made there.

He completed his final year and a half at Connecticut College, earning a bachelor's degree in English with a concentration in Spanish studies and graduated in May 2002.  He is a proud scholar of Connecticut College's well-respected Program In Community Action (PICA), which concentrated on improving human rights in the United States and abroad; educational equity and enhanced resources for public schools; and many other pressing contemporary issues concerning the local and broader communities through leadership and mentorship.

When he graduated, he became a public servant and put his Spanish studies to good use.  In June 2002, he began working for the Social Security Administration as a bilingual Claims Representative in New London, CT.  There, he helped provide benefits to people in need.  These benefits helped put food on their table, provide a roof over their head, and medical insurance for their disabling conditions.  He quickly rose in the ranks of his field. He was promoted to several leadership and management positions, including Operations Supervisor, District Manager, and Team Leader. These leadership positions inspired him to work at SSA headquarters so that he can apply his leadership skills to SSA Operations and better serve the public. To that end, since arriving at SSA Headquarters in Baltimore, MD, in December 2010, he has mentored, coached, and lead various employees to improve and strengthen communications between internal and external stakeholders. His SSA experience helped him recognize that much of the problems within SSA could be solved through soft skills training, such as improvements in emotional intelligence, effective communication, and employee satisfaction. Under his leadership, he has helped promote effective leaders, improved business performance, and retained talented employees who considered leaving the agency.

During his time at SSA, he suffered a major career setback.  Ever since he was a kid, he planned to be a lawyer.  When he applied for law school, to his chagrin[AW1] , he was rejected not once, not twice, but 19 times!  This humbled him and forced him to rethink his goals and find his passion.  Because being a lawyer was not his passion.  The first step in this process was to continue his education by earning an MBA from the University of New Haven in May 2008.  This gave him valuable insight and set the groundwork for the passion he was about to pursue.

In January 2014, Eric leveraged his 15 years of leadership and management experience in the private and public sectors to create Tailored Training Solutions (TTS). Eric's desire to see others improve, survive, and thrive in the workplace led him and his business partner and wife, Aleah Williamson, to establish Tailored Training Solutions (TTS) in January 2014. TTS is a business that provides professional leadership, motivational speaking, and other soft skills training to high school students, college students, and employees. Soft skills are also known as "training that creates solutions." Eric's educational background and his distinct knowledge and experience in the private and public industry are applied to each skill training session. He guarantees results that can be measured through his soft skills training curriculum focused to improve business productivity, employee communication, employee morale, and employee satisfaction.

TTS provides world-class leadership in soft skills training, workshops, and seminars. TTS tailors training to meet the needs of the ever-changing business environment. TTS teaches, coaches, and motivates employees and business leaders to improve their performance, improve employee satisfaction, and retain employees. TTS prepares students entering the workforce by equipping them with proper training techniques keeping them poised to succeed in any business environment. TTS' soft skill training helps job performance and career prospects. 

TTS tailors training to meet the needs of the ever-evolving business environment and culture. TTS' extensive supervisory and management experience in the public and private sectors gives them guaranteed credibility when consulting with you. Their bilingual proficiency allows them to communicate training in English and Spanish, allowing them to work with Spanish-speaking businesses in the U.S. and in foreign locations.

Throughout his extensive experience, Eric has demonstrated effective communication, leadership, and empathy towards his colleagues and staff, which has allowed him to successfully work with colleagues, supervise teams, manage offices, and achieve maximum productivity in adverse situations. 

He recognizes that soft skills training has an economic value on businesses, and a positive impact on employees and customers. These qualities drive him to help companies improve its productivity and bottom line while enhancing working relationships, communication, and morale between internal and external stakeholders.

In July 2014, Eric received national attention in NBC, ABC, FOX, and NBC news for his expertise in Leadership Development stating, "Emotional Intelligence is the key component of being a successful leader; and is the most important skill that will help you thrive in today's ever-changing business environment. During the same month, he received recognition from TopRecommendedProfessional.com, a website that accepts nominees for top professionals as a top performer, worldwide, in Leadership Development.  

In September 2014, he became a certified trainer through Fred Pryor Seminars.  He works with them to provide workshop training on various subjects including Emotional Intelligence. In November 2014, he was recognized in The Avenue News for helping young entrepreneurs achieve public speaking skills so they can participate in a "Shark Tank" style competition. 

In May 2015, he was featured in Suzy Carr's "Writer's Insights, Tips for Ultimate Success". In this critically acclaimed book, he provides insight into staying focused on achieving goals and leveraging Emotional Intelligence for professional and personal success. 

He is a member of Toastmasters International, a public speaking and leadership organization.  In June 2015, he was elected President of his local Toastmasters club.  He has aligned his personal mission with Toastmasters to help people speak with confidence and find their voice.

Eric is currently working on a book to help millenials succeed in today's work environment. In the book, he provides effective leadership tools individuals should employ in the work environment and how to leverage these tools.