Hi, I’m Alla Kesser Gross!

It happened during my final graduation concert at the music academy — the morning I was supposed to perform my hour-long program before a full audience and receive my Bachelor’s diploma with honors.

I had practiced for months, eight hours a day, preparing every note, every phrase, every breath. But as the day approached, anxiety built like a storm. I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat, couldn’t calm my mind.

So, in desperation, I took a beta blocker — something I had heard other performers use to quiet their stage nerves.

What happened next was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life.

When I walked on stage and sat at the piano, I looked down at the keyboard… and felt absolutely nothing.

My mind went blank. Completely blank.

I couldn’t even remember the name of the composer I was supposed to play.

I stared at the keys as if I had never seen a piano before — me, who had practiced since the age of four, who lived at that instrument for eight hours a day.

The concert hall was silent. Hundreds of eyes were on me, waiting. My heart raced, but my mind was empty.

And in that moment of complete paralysis, I did the only thing I could think of — I stood up and walked off the stage.

My professor was stunned.

So was I.

That night, I was supposed to receive my diploma with honors. Instead, I felt like the biggest disappointment — to myself, to my teachers, to everyone who believed in me.

Hours later, after all the other students had finished performing, they gave me another chance to go back on stage. But the damage was done. The fear had taken root.

I quit music and stage performance after that — for three years.

For someone who had lived and breathed performance since childhood, it felt like losing a part of myself.

I argued with my family and my husband, who wanted me to return to performing. But I had no energy left — only fear, shame, and exhaustion.

It was painful.

Yet deep down, a quiet voice kept whispering: The problem isn’t you. It’s the way you’re managing your anxiety.

That whisper became the spark that changed everything.

I decided to study this fear — to understand it deeply. I returned to school, earned my Master’s degree in Behavioral Science, and immersed myself in the study of human behavior, communication, and emotional regulation.

For years, I explored neuroscience, psychology, and performance behavior — reading everything I could find, earning certifications in Body Language and Behavioral Analysis, and applying my knowledge in therapy and coaching.

Eventually, my studies and experience led me to a profound realization: managing anxiety isn’t about suppressing it — it’s about transforming it.

This understanding not only helped me heal as a performer, but it reshaped my entire career.

I began integrating this behavioral expertise into my next passion — etiquette, communication, and professional presence. Through my work at LLUXXALL School of Communication and Professional Etiquette, I started teaching others how confidence, grace, and calm can be cultivated — whether on stage, in a boardroom, or at a dinner table.

After testing countless methods, something remarkable happened — my anxious mind began to quiet down. My focus sharpened. My delivery became smoother.

Almost instantly, I felt calm, confident, and articulate again — like myself.

For the first time in years, I could get on stage with ease and actually enjoy sharing my ideas.

And soon, others began to notice. Friends, colleagues, and clients wanted to know what I had done — and when I shared my approach, it worked for them, too.

Word spread quickly.

Before long, I was teaching communication strategies to anxious professionals, presenting to global audiences, and consulting for organizations that wanted their teams to speak with confidence and composure.

That’s how “The Public Speaking Solution” was born.

Over the years, I’ve helped more than 13,000 individuals transform their fear into confidence — refining my process into what I now call The CALM Method.

It’s a blend of anxiety neuroscience, cognitive behavioral therapy, and proven behavioral management techniques, all structured to deliver lasting results.

Best of all, it’s completely customizable — adaptable to your unique speaking style, emotional triggers, and comfort level.

And it all began with that one moment — when I lost my music but eventually found my mission:
to help others reclaim their calm, confidence, and voice under pressure.