Curt Sassak

Curt Sassak's Coaching

So, you’ve got a life and career that looks great on paper, but no longer feels like a win.

If you’ve hit a point where the pressure’s high and the payoff is low, you’re not alone.
 You’ve outgrown the life you built.

That’s exactly who I work with.

If you're thinking you can just grind your way through it—good luck.
 I tried that.
 So did most of my clients.
 We all ended up at the same place: stuck, frustrated, spinning our wheels. 

Enter: The Recipe
 A high-performance framework built for high-achievers who want clarity, and momentum, fast.

It’s inspired by my 27-year chef career—because chefs don’t wing it.
 We follow structure.
 We refine.
 We execute with precision.

That’s what this is.

This isn’t a journal prompt and a pep talk.

 It’s a system—tested by fire—designed to help you:

 → Get clear on what’s next
 → Identify and eliminate the internal drag holding you back
 → Build momentum through customized strategy

This isn’t personal development.
 It’s personal execution.

We extract your core drivers, map them to your next chapter, and build a plan that makes sense for your ambition, standards, and lifestyle.

And I don’t take on everyone.

This is for people who have a track record of making sh*t happen,
 And are ready to channel that same energy into building the next version of themselves.

It requires honesty. Focus. Execution.

 You bring that—I’ll bring the clarity, speed, and accountability.

DM me “RECIPE” when you’re ready to move.

 And just know—I don’t work with spectators. Only builders.

Life and Career Strategist

Winetasters Choice: An Adult Beverage Promotional Agency

Key accomplishments:

👉Spearheaded the strategic growth of a B2B beverage promotion agency, elevating annual revenue from $300,000 to $1.4 million. 

👉Drove the company's revenue-generation engine as the principal revenue officer, by additional $221,000 in revenue within a five-month span in 2023 

👉Expanded operational footprint from 12 employees across four cities in Texas to a team of 250 employees spanning three states

👉Authored and enforced comprehensive standards, processes, and protocols, laying the foundation for scalable growth and operational excellence. 

👉Pioneered a remote work model, adeptly managing a dispersed team, fostering a culture of accountability and high performance. 

👉Spearheaded the development and execution of comprehensive social media campaigns, from conceptualization to content creation and audience engagement. 

👉Achieved a 4.6/5 star rating on Glassdoor, reflecting exceptional leadership and a positive organizational culture. Garnered a 90% approval rating from employees, underscoring effective management and employee satisfaction. 

👉Demonstrated deep understanding of market trends, and consumer behavior, enabling the development of targeted promotional campaigns. 

👉Regulatory Compliance: Ensured all promotional activities complied with industry regulations and standards, maintaining the agency's reputation and operational integrity. 

👉Achieved significant growth with a small team by  implementing new systems, automation and enhancing software utilization.

👉Problem-Solver: Excel at navigating ambiguous situations and making informed decisions with limited information. 

👉Founded and grew a successful YouTube channel, overseeing all aspects of content creation, video production, and editing. Utilized the platform to effectively drive new business opportunities

Company closed by the owner on 3/2/2024.

Testimonials:
https://winetasterschoice.com/testimonials-2/

President and Chief Revenue Officer

Executive Chef

Focused experience working in internationally renowned 5-star establishments.

USA, India, Dubai, Egypt, Australia and the Maldives

Previously employed at: Four Seasons Domestic, Four Seasons International, Hyatt Domestic, Hyatt International, One & Only, Marriott, independent restaurants


Key accomplishments:

👉 Distinguished by two guest chef appearances at the world-renowned James Beard House, a testament to culinary artistry and innovation.

👉 Engaged audiences with charismatic presence through 10 live TV appearances, enhancing brand visibility and personal brand as a culinary expert.

👉 Garnered 24 Best Restaurant/Hotel awards, affirming excellence in culinary delivery and guest satisfaction.

👉 Secured the prestigious Best New Restaurant Award from the iconic Washingtonian Magazine 

👉 Celebrated for exceptional culinary creations and service, reflected in numerous positive critiques and write-ups across esteemed culinary publications.

👉 Spearheaded the pre-opening phases of hotels and restaurants, demonstrating strategic foresight and operational excellence in establishing culinary ventures.

👉 Commanded teams of up to 200, fostering a culture of excellence, creativity, and teamwork in high-pressure environments.

👉 Managed multi-million dollar food and beverage operations, showcasing adept financial acumen and operational management to drive profitability and culinary excellence.

👉 Lowered food cost by $70,000 and increased the guest satisfaction rating for food quality by 1.4 points from 2 to 3.4 on a scale of 1-5 in my first year as Executive Chef

Teaching Mid-Career Leaders how to navigate life & career transitions using my Proven Recipe / Improve the quality of your life / Create your next chapter by design, not default / Former Chef

𝙎𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙃𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝘾𝙧𝙪𝙚𝙡 𝙎𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙤𝙧.

You work your ass off, climb the ladder, got everything you want on paper, but feel empty. 

You ask yourself, "Is this it? What's next?"

You tell yourself it’s just a phase. That the feeling will pass.

It won’t.

At first, it’s a nagging thought. Then it’s an ache. 

You're wondering how you went from feeling like a confident badass knocking out your goals to just tolerating your life and career. 

Now, you dread waking up and you're just going through the motions daydreaming about the way things used to be. 

You know you want a change. You have something more to offer the world. 

But fear is holding you back. 

I know this feeling. It cost me 4 years of my life. I was depressed, and it cost me my confidence, my drive, and over $250,000.

Until I decided to take back control.

𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐈 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐏 & 𝐇𝐎𝐖

I work with career-driven, successful professionals 40 and up who feel stuck and want more out of life.

You’re not lost. You’re not broken. You’re just at a crossroads.

Your problem isn’t knowing you need a change. 

Your problem is knowing HOW to do it—without wasting years stuck in limbo like I did.

Your clarity is just like a five-star dish—if you’re missing key ingredients or following the wrong process, it won’t turn out right.

That’s where I come in.

I help high-performers get the exact recipe they need to figure out what’s next.

Here’s the recipe:

𝙄𝙣𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨:

🔥 Sharpen Your Mindset: REGAIN your CONFIDENCE and break free from self-doubt and second-guessing.
🔥 Regain Balance: Stop just surviving—start actually living.
🔥 Get Crystal Clear Clarity: Know exactly where you're headed and how to get there.
🔥 Remove Mental Roadblocks: Identify and eliminate what’s keeping you stuck.
🔥 Design Your Next Chapter: Not by accident. Not by default. But with intention.
 
𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙙𝙪𝙧𝙚:

Follow a proven and tested real-world process built on precise ingredients that puts you back in control.

𝘾𝙇𝙄𝙀𝙉𝙏 𝙍𝙀𝙎𝙐𝙇𝙏𝙎

The real success stories? My clients.

"Curt didn’t just help my career—he helped me take back my life. His approach forced me to get real about what I wanted. The clarity I gained was priceless."
— Matt Lunny

𝙉𝙀𝙓𝙏 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙋𝙎

If you're done settling and want to wake up excited about your life again, let’s talk.

Message me: "I want the Recipe" to learn more. 

That’s it. No fluff. No B.S. Just results.

— Curt

Founder

So, you’re career driven, have had success, and now you feel like there are no more mountains to climb.

You got to the top of the “mountain,” and achieving your goals only to find you don’t feel fulfilled or happy. It’s like, WTF?

Your life/career no longer serves you. All you know is that you feel stuck and see no way out. You need to make a change. But doing what?

Then fear creeps in. You have questions.  “What do I do now?”  “I don’t know what else to do” 

“If I change careers how will I make enough to pay my bills?” and so on

These are the same questions (and more) I asked myself when I did a career change after 27 years as a chef and started over at 41 from zero.

Did you know a New York Times study found that 75% of Americans don’t have a clear sense of purpose?

And, there are serious health risks associated with a lack of purpose

A lack of purpose affects your self-worth, self-confidence, and self-esteem.
Which, in turn, can lead to depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and other health issues.
I experienced all of those.

The good news is this: You’re only 5 steps away from finding the purpose, fulfillment, and new career you so desperately want.

They are the same 5 steps I used to go from feeling lost/stuck and finding a purpose and fulfillment

All it requires from you is self-honesty and a commitment to change

I coach people through one-to-one sessions

You think asking for help is equivalent to failure? Yep, I used to think the same, but that’s your ego talking

Consider: If you’ve been stuck, and the steps you’ve taken have not yielded results, what makes you think anything will change by repeating what you’ve done?

What got you here will not get you THERE.

Just like a car needs realignment from time to time, our personal and professional vision needs realignment from time to time

So, you can remain stuck and lost, or you can send me a DM

Brian Rella

EverNext

You're talented, driven, and ambitious. You've worked hard to climb the ladder, and you’re grateful for what you have. But lately, it feels like you're stuck on a career dreadmill.

Whether you’re an aspiring executive feeling undervalued and unclear about your next steps or in the C-suite navigating high-pressure demands and critical career moves, your path forward doesn't have to feel overwhelming or uncertain.

Here's How I Can Help:

▶︎ Off the Dreadmill
My foundational program, "Off the Dreadmill," is designed specifically for aspiring executives committed to long-term career success. You'll gain access to a proven playbook—complete with actionable strategies, frameworks, and community support—that lays out a clear, intentional path toward meaningful career growth.

▶︎ Executive Career Coaching
For established leaders and C-suite executives, I offer highly personalized coaching that goes deeper, addressing strategic career growth, navigating transitions, and optimizing your performance at the highest levels. Using my proven frameworks and signature CASE method (Context, Assess, Strategize, Execute), you'll achieve measurable breakthroughs in your career trajectory and leadership impact.

This Isn’t Just About Your Career—It’s About Your Legacy.

When you perform at your highest level professionally, the benefits ripple through every area of your life. Improved career clarity and performance naturally lead to reduced stress, greater fulfillment, and deeper connections at home. While we lead with career excellence, the personal and family benefits inevitably follow.

What You Can Expect:

▶︎ Clear strategies for impactful career advancement.
▶︎ Personalized guidance for high-stakes transitions.
▶︎ Actionable tools for sustainable growth and peak performance.

Ready to step off the dreadmill and into meaningful, strategic career growth?

Let’s talk.

Book your strategy session here:

https://www.brianrella.me/

Founder / Head Coach

Wells Fargo

CIB Agile Transformation Coach

Partnering with executive leadership across the Wells Fargo Corporate and Investment Bank to transition all lines of business from Program Management to an Agile Operating Model.

Executive Director

Head of Business Execution Services for Electronic Trading. 

Serve as a trusted advisor and change management leader to the COO, Head of FICC, and Head of Equities. Lead planning and execution of strategic transformation initiatives across asset classes.

BGC Partners

Partnered with business and technology executive management to develop and lead strategic programs focused on revenue growth and operational efficiency. Measurables include customer satisfaction, productivity, stakeholder transparency, cost variance, and schedule variance.

•	Led 5 product teams to deliver a new D2C RFQ platform for Fixed Income. Year 1 revenue forecast of $1.2 million.
•	Led 3 product teams to redesign the Fixed Income API offering by consolidating 4 APIs. Collaborated with sales as an SME to establish a multi-quarter pipeline of 13 clients and $1.7 million in revenue.
•	Coached global integration team leads to overhaul onboarding processes resulting in a drastic reduction in client integration time, increased client satisfaction, and greater transparency across the company.

Director

Bloomberg LP

Revitalized the Bloomberg Tradebook offering for Futures, Options, and FI. Launched a new IaaS product.

•	Conceived and launched Tradebook Market Access Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) offering. Generated $450,000+ in recurring annual revenue in the first 7 months of going to market.

Senior Product Manager

HSBC Global Banking and Markets

Led a cross-functional, cross-business team to deliver strategic digital transformation projects.

•	Executed portfolio of algorithmic trading and UX redesign projects for fixed-income trading resulting in improved Fixed Income industry ranking from #18 to #5. 
•	Conceptualized futures and options electronic trading platform strategy. Proposed and delivered a 2-year roadmap resulting in technical debt reduction of 8 trading systems to 3. Shrank run costs $1.7 million (14%) over 2 years.

Vice President

J.P. Morgan

Directed a global team of project managers and business analysts to create and execute global electronic trading programs for Futures and Options. 

•	Increased e-trading revenues by repurposing equities algorithmic trading and analytics engine for futures & options. Increased algorithmic trading volumes by 40% YOY (2011-2012).
•	Improved straight-through processing for Futures trade allocations 200% YOY

Reval

Professional services lead for Reval’s hedge accounting software.

Senior Consultant

UBS Investment Bank

Co-head of Futures and Options Client Solutions Team.

SAC Capital Advisors

Senior Trade Floor Support

CS Technology

Staff Consultant

Get off the DREADMILL and into a Career that inspires you | Executive Career Coaching | Career Development | Job Search Strategies

This isn’t just about your career. It’s about your legacy.

I help high‑achieving leaders excel in their careers and thrive at home through my Dual Impact Leadership system. 

Whether you’re an up‑and‑coming exec feeling undervalued and unsure of your next move or a C‑suite leader under relentless pressure, you don’t have to navigate complexity alone.

We start with pinpointing your highest‑impact actions at work. When your clarity and performance improve, the effects spill over into every area of your life. As you gain momentum professionally, you’ll notice the benefits ripple out, resulting in less stress, deeper fulfillment, and a more present, connected family life.

That’s the power of Dual Impact Leadership. Strategic growth at work that naturally elevates your life at home. 

What You Can Expect Working With Me:

▶︎ Clear strategies for impactful career advancement.
▶︎ Personalized guidance for high-stakes transitions.
▶︎ Actionable tools for sustainable growth and peak performance.

Ready to step off the dreadmill and into meaningful, strategic career growth?

Let’s talk.

Book your strategy session here:

https://www.brianrella.me/

taplio

The Battle

Curt Sassak

Brian Rella

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?