Let’s get you unstuck, crystal clear, and moving in the right direction.
I can’t wait to get started.
An inflection point, and you want to level up your performance
A decision point, and you want to get clear on what’s next
A transition point, and you want to navigate the journey to your next role or venture
Keep reading to see exactly how I help.
Inflection points
An inflection point is when the operating model that has gotten you this far cannot take you where you want to go.
As Marshall Goldsmith said, “What got you here won't get you there.”
Whether you are aiming for, or stepping into, a new level of leadership…
Dealing with new circumstances at work that demand a new way of operating…
Balancing parenting with your career without sacrificing either…
Or doing all three at once…
The bottom line is that your operating model needs an update to work effectively in your current situation.
Click "Learn More" to see exactly how I help you do that.
How I help with…
The Process
Let’s go into detail
We'll identify, question, and pressure-test your default ways of operating – pinpointing what works and what needs adjustment
Map your current operating model
1
We'll draw both from your expertise and creativity as well as my pattern recognition from working with so many high achievers in similar situations
Brainstorm new approaches
2
We'll test new approaches in the real world and iterate fast – failing quickly and safely until your new operating model is built, automated, and locked in
Test quickly and safely
3
Decision points
There are only three reasons that making a decision is difficult.
You have not given yourself the space to “walk the thought maze” and think through every branch and interdependency of the decision tree.
You lack critical information to make the final call.
Your nervous system keeps going into fight-or-flight, preventing clear thinking and causing spin.
Give yourself space, data, and a calm nervous system – and the decision will become clear.
Click "Learn More" to see exactly how I help you do that.
How I help with…
The Process
Let’s go into detail
So you can “walk the thought maze” – with an expert thought partner by your side to pull you out of rabbitholes, point you in the right direction, and keep you on track
Create protected space
1
We will pinpoint the exact information you need to make your final decision and figure out how you can get it quickly and effectively
Spot & fill Data gaps
2
We'll disarm the internal fears and alarms that keep sending your system into fight-or-flight and create a foundation of inner security from which clarity naturally arises
Calm your nervous system
3
Transition points
Knowing where you want to go is only half the battle… The other half is actually getting there.
Whether you are recruiting for a new role, launching a new venture, or building a portfolio career…
Transition points are when your clear-eyed dreams and ambitions run headfirst into the real world.
Like a startup founder looking for product-market fit…
You need to put yourself in front of others as often as possible (not hide away, perfecting your pitch).
Glean the learnings from every interaction and adjust as you go (without taking it personally).
Have the rigor to try more times than feels comfortable – and the discernment to know when it’s time to pivot.
Run this process calmly and objectively, and you will end up where you want to be.
Click "Learn More" to see exactly how I help you do that.
How I help with…
The Process
Let’s go into detail
We'll create plans, structure, and accountability for making consistent progress – no matter how busy things get
Stay on track
1
We'll prep for interviews, pitches, coffee chats, networking, and all the other myriad interactions required in a transition
Plan and prepare
2
We'll objectively review every interaction afterward – helping you gain critical learnings without the self-criticism
After action reviews
3
We'll either land you firmly in the place you want to go – or gather enough data that an alternate path becomes clear
You win or you learn
4
Create the life you actually want
We can coach extensively on all the topics above…AND we can talk about anything else. Because it turns out that coaching tools apply to everything. Dating, relationships, fitness goals, bad habits, whether or not you should get a dog – it’s all fair game :)
How I help you…
Concepts We’ll Use
The best way to break bad habits and resolve internal conflicts. Identify what you really want or need, and find an even better way to get it.
Same goal, different path
Point your brain at the right question. Ask: “How can I get everything I want with no Should’s?”
NOT: “How can I be okay with not getting what I want?”
Want vs. Should
Don’t pursue your goals as if you’re below baseline and scrambling to get from 0 to 1. Pursue them as if you’re above baseline and having fun going from 100 to 110.
Surplus mindset vs. deficit mindset
That thing you’re afraid to do? Find a way to do it small and low-stakes. Get 10 mini-reps. Grow your capacity to do scary things in bite-size chunks without shocking your system.
Mini-reps to grow courage
Make a simple, doable plan. If it doesn’t get done OR it feels bad to do it, examine your thoughts. Change your thoughts, or change the plan. Repeat until the goal is achieved.
Plan-based problem-solving
It’s easy to get frustrated with your “inconvenient” automatic brain. But your relationship with your brain is your relationship with yourself. And we’re going to make it the best relationship in your life.
Be a friend to your automatic brain
I think the biggest transformation is not hating my brain. Now, I work with it and am like, “Oh, right, it's doing this to protect me. Thanks, brain!” I love that I have this relationship with my brain that's like a partnership.
Client
CEO, PE-backed company
I have more confidence. I advocate for myself a lot more at work. I second guess myself a lot less. I have healthier relationships with my family. The benefits didn't just impact me – they impacted my teams at work and my family at home. And that's pretty much all you can ask for.
Client
Head of Business Development at MedTech Company
I'm a much better partner to my co-CEO. And I feel more present when I'm with my son because I'm able to solve the challenges instead of bringing them into a new space.
Client
Founder & Co-CEO, Startup
I’ve gained the ability to notice when I'm in the more negative thought patterns and to recognize that no amount of bullying myself is going to result in the change I want. I’ve been able to build a more positive, affirming, confidence-building narrative about myself.
Client
Early-Stage Tech Startup Director turned Design Consultant
People have commented on it – they’ve said “Something's different about you.” My friends have been able to see me blossom and be more positive.
Client
VP at Major Financial Institution
It's honestly fun. You're working on the most important thing in your life – your goals and your aspirations. And you're doing it in a manner that is not harsh or strict. In fact, it's quite fun.
Client
Solutions Engineer at Fintech Company
The power of a coach
Why hire someone?
You can do it on your own – you are 100% capable of it.
It’s just that it takes more time. And time is your #1 most precious resource. You can always get more money – but you can’t get more time.
With a coach…
You have dedicated time and space set aside to make steady progress toward your goals.
You have structure and accountability to ensure that you’re always moving forward and troubleshooting whatever isn’t working.
You can lean on a professional’s expertise and experience. You can just get the answer rather than spending months or years figuring it out yourself.
You shorten your failure cycles and get unstuck within days, not months.
You start accruing the compound interest of living a life of aligned ambition today, not later.
Meet Pooja
When I sat down for my Harvard Business School interview, the admissions officer simply pointed at my resume and said, “Explain this.”
I get where she was coming from, because my path can appear meandering.
But, as I explained to her that day, there are two common themes that connect everything I’ve done.
Theme 1: I’m here to do big things.
I don’t strive just because someone else is telling me to.
I strive because there is something inside me that has to come out:
An ambition. A mission. A purpose larger than me.
Theme 2: I’ve got to do it my way.
How do I fulfill my ambitions and unlock my fullest potential – without sacrificing my sanity, my relationships, my authenticity, or my paycheck?
That’s what every step on my career path has been aimed at finding out.
From screenwriting to management consulting to academic research to being a chief of staff – and finally to coaching, where I now help my clients do exactly what I’ve done:
Create a life that feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside.
Get to know your coach
"I move through the world with greater confidence
in what I have and who I am, which has allowed me to be less susceptible to criticism from others, or perceived criticism usually.
I'm able to operate from a more self-assured state of mind, where the negative or self-critical thoughts still come up, but I have an easier time seeing the big picture that I am a capable, successful person. Which has made the hard times easier to manage."
"Even in our first consultation, Pooja will hear me go on and on about various topics
and then she’ll be able to, in one sentence, say something that gets me unstuck or feels like it is the crux of the whole cobweb of stuff that's in my head. I think that's very rare and very special.
"I've noticed a big impact in my life.
Other people have noticed it too. I feel better physically, mentally, and I feel like I'm on a better track in my career. So I'm so grateful to have worked with Pooja, and I could not recommend her more highly to anyone else.
"I realized that you can always create a space of abundance,
even when there's scarcity. This process has allowed me to go so deep into myself and realize: Just be more yourself. You don’t have to change. And that abundance helps me to make better, less fear-based decisions.
