Jeff Skipper has spent over 25 years helping organizations design disruption and lead change from the inside out. His clients have included household names like IBM, Suncor, Goldman Sachs, and The Salvation Army, but his work is far from corporate buzzwords and boardroom jargon. At his core, Jeff is someone who believes in the power of transformation—both for organizations and the individuals within them—by helping them master the art of change.

With a Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology and certification as a Change Management Professional, Jeff has built his career by asking one question over and over: how do you get people to embrace change?

Reinvention, Three Times Over

Jeff didn’t begin his career with all the answers. In fact, he remembers his very first consulting gig back in 1994 so vividly—because he was so nervous, he couldn’t remember the conversation afterward. That feeling of impostor syndrome followed him until he landed a role at IBM in 1996, where he learned how to consult with confidence.

Years later, the work caught up to him. “In 2008, I left IBM as a burned-out husk,” Jeff says. Starting his own business wasn’t just a career move—it was survival. With no business background, he studied how successful companies managed their cash flow and slowly began applying those lessons. He shifted from worker bee to leader, from unsure to unstoppable.

By 2014, Jeff found himself facing another barrier. The demand for his services was growing, but he couldn’t clone himself. That’s when he made another bold move: switching to value-based fees. Clients weren’t just looking for deliverables—they wanted results. That shift changed everything, and his business surged once again.

Sharing What Works

Today, Jeff runs his own consulting firm and continues to support organizations through strategic transformation. But he’s also focused on something deeper: helping the next generation of consultants and entrepreneurs learn the ropes.

He’s launching a new course for coaches and consultants, distilling decades of trial and success into practical advice. His two books, Dancing with Disruption (2023) and High Impact Workshops for Leading Change (2024), are packed with the same insight he shares with clients and peers.

“I love seeing people excel,” Jeff says. “When their eyes light up with understanding or triumph, it’s the greatest sensation to know you enabled that to happen.”

The Value of Outside Perspective

One of Jeff’s strengths is bringing an outsider’s eye to complex problems. He’s a voracious news consumer and constantly watches global and industry trends to understand where the future is headed. That insight helps him identify patterns and blind spots that internal teams may miss.

“It’s too easy when you’re on the inside to get locked into perspectives shared by everyone else,” he explains. Jeff helps organizations challenge assumptions, spot real opportunities, and avoid costly mistakes.

Paying It Forward

Early in his career, Jeff benefited from the generosity of experienced professionals who offered their time and advice. “They would often say, ‘When I was in your position, I needed someone to help me,’” he recalls. That spirit stuck with him.

Now, he gives back in multiple ways. His website offers free downloadable resources, including The Executive Interview Guide—a practical tool for preparing leaders to ask better questions and lead more focused conversations.

He also volunteers with the Association of Change Management Professionals and leads webinars to share consulting techniques and lessons learned.

It’s all part of a larger belief: we rise by lifting others.

Growth through Adversity

Like many professionals, Jeff has had moments that left a mark. One, in particular, happened early on at IBM when he gave feedback to a manager. The manager took it as a personal criticism and publicly berated him. That moment shook Jeff’s confidence for years.

“I don’t mind admitting that I needed professional help to overcome it,” he says. But once he did, it unlocked new levels of confidence and impact in his work. It’s a reminder that even difficult moments can lead to powerful growth—if we choose to work through them.

Advice for Those Just Starting

Jeff has reinvented himself three times over. Each pivot led to growth, and each step required an investment in new skills. His advice to those starting out is simple: don’t hesitate to invest in yourself.

“People become so focused on the tasks at hand that they fail to look ahead and recognize the skills that will propel them,” he says. “It takes money to make money. Spend the money to improve your skills or to get the help you need. Two heads are better than one.”

Leading with Purpose

At the center of Jeff’s career is a set of personal values. As a Christian, he believes in putting others first. He recalls helping set up a mic for a speaker at a conference, even though it wasn’t “his job.” In that moment, he realized that titles and roles mattered less than making sure the event succeeded for everyone.

That perspective—serving others and helping them grow—is woven into every project he takes on.

Connect with Jeff Skipper

•  Website: https://www.jeffskipperconsulting.com/
•  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jskipper/
•  Masterclass: https://mailchi.mp/jeffskipperconsulting/masterclass
•  Email: jeff@jeffskipperconsulting.co

When you read Ujwal Arkalgud’s story, one thing becomes clear: he’s not here to play by the rules. He’s here to reveal the ones nobody talks about. Ujwal, a cultural anthropologist turned entrepreneur, built and sold his tech company, MotivBase, without outside funding. No VC money. No elite network. Just a breakthrough idea, grit, and a deep understanding of people.

His journey didn’t just defy the odds—it brought them into focus.

From Frustration to Breakthrough

Ujwal’s pivot from founder to advisor started with a feeling many entrepreneurs know well: frustration. On paper, his company was doing everything right—solid product, happy clients, growing revenue. But the startup world kept sending the same message: “You’re not fundable. You’re not scalable. You’re not a real business.”

It wasn’t about performance. It was about perception.

“I kept running into invisible barriers,” he says. “It was like there were rules to the game that no one had written down, but everyone else seemed to know.”

That experience didn’t just shape him. It lit a fire. After selling MotivBase on his own terms, Ujwal began meeting other founders who were facing the same silent walls. That’s when his mission shifted. He set out to help others see the unspoken norms and hidden expectations that control who gets taken seriously and who doesn’t.

Turning Anthropology into Action

Ujwal’s background in anthropology gave him a unique edge. He didn’t just build tech—he built it around what people value and believe, not just what they say or click. But early on, that approach met resistance.

“The industry wasn’t ready,” he explains. “It wanted pie charts, not anthropology.” His tech was innovative, but buyers didn’t know how to trust it.

So he studied what the market did trust—familiar visuals, language, and formats. Then he adapted. “We packaged our insights in ways that felt instantly usable,” Ujwal shares. It worked. And that’s exactly the kind of tactical strategy he now helps other founders build—without sacrificing what makes their ideas unique.

The Invisible Rulebook

Today, Ujwal invests in and coaches growth-stage founders who are tired of being overlooked. He helps them shift from playing defense to playing smart. His focus? The “invisible rules” that shape credibility in any industry:

• What kind of language earns trust?
• What do buyers expect to see before they say yes?
• Who gets taken seriously—and why?

These hidden dynamics are the foundation of his upcoming book, Mastering the Invisible Rulebook, which aims to change how founders think about success.

Because success, as Ujwal puts it, isn’t just about the exit.

Defining Success on Your Terms

“Success, to me, is about building something real—something that solves meaningful problems and creates opportunities for others,” he says.

He’s had a big exit. But what stuck with him more were the in-between moments: earning client trust, proving skeptics wrong, building a team around a different vision.

Now, success also means helping others redefine what it means to “make it.” Not every business needs to chase hypergrowth or play the VC game. And not every founder needs to fit the mold.

“There’s more than one path,” Ujwal says. “Sustainable, profitable businesses are often more powerful than the ones that make headlines.”

The Human Side of Growth

One of the biggest lessons Ujwal teaches is that growth is about more than product-market fit—it’s about understanding the human element behind every decision.

“Most people focus on the logical stuff,” he explains. “But buyers are human. They respond to trust signals, not just features.”

He works closely with founders to uncover those hidden levers—misaligned messaging, misunderstood buyer behavior, and subtle credibility gaps. The result? Clearer paths to traction, without wasting time chasing what doesn’t move the needle.

A Hard-Earned Perspective

Not everything went smoothly. Ujwal still remembers when a $25M acquisition deal fell apart after months of negotiations.

“It felt like our one shot,” he admits. “When it disappeared, so did our momentum.”

That moment taught him a hard truth: tying your identity to one outcome can break you. Instead, he learned to focus on the process—how he navigated setbacks, how he led, how he kept showing up.

“That shift changed how I lead, how I invest, and how I help founders today,” he says. “Because the people who thrive are the ones who learn how to keep steering through the fog.”

What It All Comes Down To

Ujwal Arkalgud isn’t trying to game the system. He’s teaching founders how to see it clearly, challenge it with intention, and build meaningful success on their own terms. His work is a reminder that success isn’t always about changing your product. More often, it’s about understanding the invisible rules that surround it.

Because once you see those rules, you can stop playing small and start building smarter.

For a deeper dive into this mindset, Ujwal created a free guide that expands on these ideas:

The Invisible Playbook: 5 Hidden Rules for Startup Growth No One Tells You

Connect with Ujwal Arkalgud

• Website: https://www.investmentark.net
• Newsletter: https://www.decisionlab.news
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ujwalarkalgud
• Email: ujwal@investmentark.net

For years, Nadja Hagen thrived in the high-pressure world of corporate leadership. She was a high achiever, always reliable, always willing to go the extra mile. But beneath the surface, she was exhausted. She struggled to set boundaries, overextended herself, and felt trapped in a cycle of people-pleasing.

“I saw so many successful women around me going through the same thing,” Nadja shares. “On the outside, they had it all together, but inside, they were drained from constantly putting others first.”

Her own journey of breaking free from people-pleasing led her to become a Self Love Coach. Today, Nadja helps high-achieving women set healthy boundaries, prioritize their needs, and create fulfilling lives aligned with their core values.

The People-Pleasing Trap

Looking back on her corporate career, Nadja recalls the intense pressure to prove herself. “Like many high-achieving women, I was praised for being hardworking, dependable, and always available,” she says. “But that came at a cost. I struggled to say no, second-guessed myself, and feared being seen as difficult.”

The cycle of overwork and self-doubt wasn’t just an internal struggle—it was a pattern she saw in women across leadership roles. “I noticed how often women took on the emotional load in teams, worked twice as hard, and still hesitated to take up space in meetings,” she explains.

Breaking free wasn’t easy. It required deep self-reflection, healing emotional wounds, and redefining success on her own terms. “I had to get clear on my core values and learn to set boundaries—whether that meant pushing back on unrealistic deadlines, negotiating my worth, or choosing work that truly aligned with me.”

This transformation not only changed Nadja’s career but shaped her mission. “I realized that success shouldn’t come at the cost of well-being. Now, I help other women create careers that don’t drain them but empower them.”

Helping Women Reclaim Their Power

Through her coaching, Nadja teaches women how to break free from burnout, self-doubt, and over-giving. “Too many women believe that saying yes to everything is the only way to get ahead,” she says. “But that path leads to frustration, exhaustion, and a career that feels like a burden rather than an achievement.”

Her work focuses on helping women:

• Set Boundaries with Confidence – Learning to say no without guilt and protect their time and energy.
• Own Their Worth – Releasing the need for external validation and trusting their own decisions.
• Make Aligned Career Choices – Choosing opportunities based on their values, not fear or obligation.

“The corporate world needs more women in leadership, but that won’t happen if we’re depleted from overextending ourselves,” Nadja explains. “I want women to walk into meetings with confidence, negotiate what they deserve, and lead without sacrificing themselves.”

Expanding Her Reach

Nadja’s mission is growing, and she’s determined to reach even more women. “I’m expanding my online courses and group coaching programs so that women at any stage in their career can access the tools they need,” she shares.

She’s also speaking at corporate events and career summits to bring these conversations into workplaces. “There’s an unspoken expectation in corporate culture that success means sacrificing your well-being. I want to change that narrative,” she says.

Beyond coaching, Nadja is developing new resources, including workbooks and guided self-reflection exercises, to help women shift from overwhelmed to empowered. “My goal is to make these tools practical and accessible so that women can start making changes right away.”

Balancing Work and Self-Care

For Nadja, balance isn’t about perfection—it’s about intention. “Early in my career, I thought success meant saying yes to everything, working late, and always being available,” she says. “But that wasn’t sustainable.”

Now, she prioritizes what truly matters by:

• Setting Clear Boundaries – Protecting her time and energy, without guilt.
• Scheduling Self-Care – Treating rest and personal time as non-negotiable.
• Letting Go of Perfectionism – Choosing what’s effective over what’s ‘perfect.’

“Balance isn’t about doing it all—it’s about knowing what to let go of,” she explains. “That’s what I help women do: create success in a way that feels good, not draining.”

Redefining Success

Nadja no longer measures success by external achievements. “I used to think success meant working harder, proving myself, and meeting expectations,” she admits. “But no matter how much I achieved, I still felt disconnected from myself.”

Now, success means:

• Trusting Her Own Voice – Making decisions based on self-trust, not fear.
• Creating a Career on Her Terms – Choosing work that aligns with her values.
• Helping Other Women Thrive – Watching her clients step into confidence and clarity.

“Success isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what truly matters,” she says. “And that’s what I want for every woman I work with.”

The Most Rewarding Part of Her Work

Seeing women step into their power is what fuels Nadja’s passion. “So many of my clients come to me feeling drained, overwhelmed, and stuck in people-pleasing patterns,” she shares. “They’ve checked all the success boxes—great jobs, leadership roles—but inside, they’re exhausted.”

The moment a client finally sets a boundary, speaks up without hesitation, or prioritizes herself without guilt is transformational. “These aren’t just small wins. They’re life-changing shifts that allow women to build careers that feel as good on the inside as they look on the outside.”

Leading with Authenticity

Nadja defines her leadership style as empowering and values-driven. “Great leadership starts with clarity, confidence, and the ability to set healthy boundaries,” she says.

She challenges the belief that success requires self-sacrifice and helps women redefine success on their own terms. “I don’t just teach boundaries—I live them. I want women to see that protecting their time, energy, and values isn’t just possible; it’s essential.”

For Nadja, true leadership is about helping women stop proving their worth and start owning it. “When women lead from a place of self-trust, confidence, and alignment, they don’t just succeed—they redefine what leadership looks and feels like.”

Connect with Nadja Hagen

Want to connect with Nadja? Visit her website at www.nadjahagen.com or follow her on Instagram at @nadja_hagen.

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