Dr. Katie Keller Wood grew up surrounded by educators, and she’s never strayed far from that world. Today, she works with Montessori teachers across the globe, teaches at multiple universities, and speaks to audiences about a topic that affects all of us: the relationship between our work and our lives.

Her first book, Alignment: A Montessori Approach to Reimagining Work-Life Balance, offers a fresh take on a familiar struggle. Katie doesn’t believe in chasing the ever-elusive idea of balance. Instead, she teaches the power of alignment—finding a way to live where all the different pieces of our lives fit together in a way that feels right for who we are and who we’re becoming.

A Shift from Balance to Alignment

Katie speaks openly about her own struggle with what people often call “work-life balance.” She remembers the moments—more than once—when her husband would gently point out that work had taken over again. Like many of us, she tried to fix it. She made plans, set boundaries, and aimed for better balance. But the cycle always repeated.

Everything changed when she stopped aiming for balance and started seeking alignment. “Alignment is where all the pieces of my unique and precious life mosaic are in the correct and appropriate relative position for who I am and what I am meant to do at this moment,” she explains. That idea became the foundation of her book, and it continues to shape her work with adults and adolescents alike.

Bringing Montessori to the Adult World

Katie didn’t attend a Montessori school as a student, but discovering the approach as an adult was life-changing. Becoming a Montessori teacher transformed how she viewed work—and life. Montessori education doesn’t separate work and play. Instead, it treats meaningful effort as joyful and purposeful. That shift in mindset had a powerful effect on Katie.

One of her favorite stories comes from her TEDx talk, where she shares the story of a three-year-old named Max. He showed her that work doesn’t have to be something we push through just to earn rest. In a Montessori environment, even young children find challenge and joy in their work. That philosophy has stayed with her ever since.

Katie believes that adults, too, can benefit from this approach. “Our workplaces can be incredible containers for adult growth and development,” she says. She’s now on a mission to bring a Montessori perspective of work to everyone—not just educators, but nurses, nonprofit leaders, entrepreneurs, and mission-driven professionals who are seeking purpose and sustainability in their careers.

Purpose Work vs. Paycheck Work

A key idea in Katie’s work is the difference between what she calls paycheck work and purpose work. Paycheck work is what we do to earn a living. Purpose work is the deeper calling—the work we feel meant to do at this moment in our lives.

For Katie, those two have a lot of overlap. But she’s quick to point out that they don’t have to. Her goal is to help people stay in their professions without losing themselves to burnout. “We need great teachers for every child, great nurses for every patient, and mission-driven leaders in all areas of work,” she says. That means creating systems—and mindsets—that support thriving, not just surviving.

Teaching, Leading, and Learning

Katie’s work spans multiple roles. She runs CMStep, a global training program for middle and high school Montessori teachers, and is recognized as a leader in adolescent and adult Montessori education. She teaches undergraduates at the University of Virginia (where she earned both her bachelor’s and doctorate), as well as master’s and doctoral students at Xavier University and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

She’s also a frequent speaker at conferences and workshops, and her TEDx talk has inspired countless people to rethink their approach to work. Through all of it, her mission stays the same: to help people grow into the fullest expression of themselves and to support others in doing the same.

Life as a Mosaic

Katie doesn’t believe in perfect answers, especially when it comes to work and life. Instead of trying to strike a perfect balance, she encourages people to think of their lives as a mosaic. We each get to choose the pieces and arrange them in a way that works for us. Sometimes we need to shift things around, and that’s okay.

“There’s no bliss point like in food science—no perfect formula of salt, fat, and crunch that makes life magically work,” she says. “Your life is not a potato chip.” Instead, alignment is an ongoing process—one that allows us to make changes when something’s not working and return to what matters most

Connect with Dr. Katie Keller Wood

• Website: https://www.katiekellerwood.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-keller-wood
• TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LM1yS3TzTk
• Email: hello@katiekellerwood.com

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