AILKEMY

"Think Further. Build Smarter. Lead Human."

After an intensive skunkworks and R&D phase, we launched AILKEMY for select client engagements. AILKEMY is a strategic intelligence consultancy that transforms information chaos into measurable alpha generation for investment professionals and leaders navigating AI transformation.

We help fund managers and executives generate measurable alpha by turning information chaos into decision-ready insights. We deliver private, board-ready intelligence that turns noise into decisive action. Confidential by default. It is either useful or it's not. We guarantee.

My Role as Co-Founder:
Product Management: Collaborated on the "Insight Engine", synthesis features, and verification methods across end-user needs.

Client Delivery: Lead MVP Insight Report pilots and the activation session that turns findings into actionable intelligence for our clients.

Go-to-Market: Built branding, sales, messaging, and narrative for executives, hedge funds, PE, VC, and large private investors.

Growth: Structured performance-aligned economics with zero long-term lock-in. Planned and launched campaigns to scale AILKEMY.

Why Clients Choose AILKEMY:
Hedge funds and multi-strategy platforms. Private equity and venture firms. Corporate strategy leaders and product teams. Large private investors and family offices.

✔️ Synthesis over summary: We reveal connections that change the decision.
✔️ Speed to signal: Time kills good ideas. We deliver while timing still pays.
✔️ Tailored intelligence: Built from first principles for your exact context.
✔️ Trusted foresight: Evidence-based and scenario-aware.
✔️ Founder accountability: You work directly with the founding team.

Signal mapping. Competitive and narrative intelligence. Scenario planning. Orthogonal validation. Regime awareness. Decision framing. Board-ready storytelling. Founder-led discovery and activation. The goal is simple: reduce decision latency and increase the quality of action.

Co-Founder, AILKEMY

Kaperider.com

About Kaperider Publishing, LLC

At Kaperider Publishing, we specialize in creating impactful books that inspire, educate, and empower readers across diverse topics, including technology, artificial intelligence, marketing, mental health, fitness, and more. Our mission is to bridge the gap between ambitious ideas and actionable outcomes, helping authors craft content that resonates with audiences and drives meaningful change.

Founded by Daniel Stouffer, a seasoned leader with over 20 years of experience in strategy, innovation, and digital transformation, Kaperider Publishing offers a unique blend of expertise, creativity, and results-oriented execution. From initial research and topic development to book outlining, authoring, and strategic marketing campaigns, we guide authors through every step of the publishing process to ensure their ideas reach the right audience.

At Kaperider, we believe that great books start with great strategies. That’s why we focus on:

🌟 Comprehensive Support: From concept to launch, we provide the tools, resources, and expertise to help authors succeed.

🌟 Actionable Insights: We simplify complex topics, transforming them into accessible, engaging content for real-world impact.

🌟 Strategic Marketing: Our tailored campaigns connect authors with readers, ensuring their work makes an impact in a competitive market.

What sets us apart is our commitment to excellence and community. Inspired by his role as a professional firefighter in Minneapolis, MN, Daniel Stouffer brings a team-first, mission-driven ethos to Kaperider Publishing. This unique perspective informs our collaborative approach, emphasizing trust, resilience, and the power of clear communication.

Whether you’re an experienced thought leader or a first-time author, Kaperider Publishing is here to help you bring your vision to life. Together, we’ll create books that inform, inspire, and leave a lasting legacy.

Author w/ Book & Newsletter Publishing

Winnebago

I'm in the middle of helping to steer a significant digital transformation initiative at Winnebago Outdoors. We're upgrading the ERP system to a new platform consisting of Microsoft D365, Salesforce, and the Teamcenter systems.

The Release Train Engineer (RTE) role is collaborative, involving deep engagement with the Agile Release Train (ART), a composite of agile teams working in concert to achieve a shared objective. Here's a closer look at what an RTE does day to day:

✔️ Navigating Complexity: An RTE acts as the captain of the ship in turbulent digital waters, guiding the ART through planning, execution, and delivery. This involves facilitating Program Increment (PI) planning sessions, a critical event where the roadmap for the next phase is charted, risks are assessed, and strategies are devised.

✔️ Fostering Synergy: One of the greatest strengths of an RTE lies in its ability to foster collaboration among diverse teams and stakeholders. This role ensures alignment across various functions, encouraging transparency and communication. The RTE serves as a bridge between strategic goals and tactical execution, ensuring everyone moves in unison towards common objectives.

✔️ Driving Value Delivery: At the heart of SAFe is the relentless focus on delivering value to customers. An RTE ensures that every element of the ART contributes to this goal, optimizing flows, removing impediments, and managing risks. This consistent drive towards efficiency and effectiveness culminates in accelerated time-to-market and enhanced product quality.

The presence of an RTE within a transformation initiative brings several advantages. These include improved coordination across teams, enhanced clarity and focus on business objectives, streamlined processes, and a significant uplift in the morale and productivity of agile teams. Essentially, an RTE turns chaos into clarity, complexity into simplicity, and plans into action.

Digital Transformation Manager

Fyndr Group

Get Your New Talent Found Faster with Fyndr.org
--------------------------------------------------------
Fyndr.org's mission is to create a more efficient, scalable, zero-cost process for hiring managers and candidates "to fynd each other", by leveraging AI technology to job search at scale.

At Fyndr.org, we help renewable energy, recycling, energy storage, and Green or Clean Tech companies find the perfect job candidate for their open positions; not just in terms of skills and qualifications, but also in personality, culture, and world outlook.

Our AI driven solutions support hiring managers and job seekers every step of the way — by connecting those hiring directly with those looking for opportunities. Job seekers are recommended by someone that knows them personally. 

Because finding your “next fyndr” isn’t just about credentials, it’s about creating opportunities for everyone involved to thrive with the resources, introductions, and opportunities to grow an awesome team.

Note: Fyndr.org is a concept, product, website, and marketing campaign created by Daniel Stouffer, as a case study to demonstrate his talents AND to help with his job search.

https://fyndr.org/about

Program & Product Manager, Owner

reThink-Solar

In 2007, a spark ignited my love for solar, fueling a drive toward a renewable future, one community at a time. Born from a desire to make solar energy accessible and affordable to all, we embarked on a quest to redefine the solar engagement. 

Starting with solar leasing in 2007, then residential sales, to commercial contracts, and now to Community Solar for all.

It's been an exhilarating ride, flavored with challenges, triumphs, and countless learning moments. Today, reThink Solar stands as a beacon for change, guiding individuals and businesses toward a brighter, more sustainable tomorrow. One that can be totally without costs or expense when you have the key ingredients.

reThink Solar's Mission

At the core of reThink Solar pulses a steadfast mission - to weave the benefits of solar energy into the fabric of everyday life. We dream of a world where everyone, regardless of whether they own or rent their home, can tap into the power of the sun.

Our mission is simple yet bold: connect our customers to local community solar farms, ensuring a minimum of 5% savings on their electric bills annually for up to two decades. Now, with our services extending across numerous states in the USA, that dream is becoming a reality. 

At reThink Solar, we believe that everyone should have access to clean and affordable energy, regardless of whether they own their home or business. That's why our community solar model is designed to connect with renters, homeowners, and small businesses alike.

The power of the sun is for everyone — because reThink Solar believes that change, like sunlight and all renewable energy, should be universal and unbound. There's no simpler path to saving on your electric bill while championing renewable energy.

https://rethink-solar.com

Renewable Energy Advisor, reThink Solar

SunPower Corporation

Coordinated prioritization, roadmap planning, product backlog management, and product team execution for $36M portfolio of related programs. Managed 9 product delivery teams, total of 50 members, engaging internal and external stakeholders and cross-functional teams to create energy storage solutions and renewable energy digital platform capabilities.

* Added 25K more customers to mobile app by developing and launching complex digital features.

* Managed 5 concurrent projects, from defining scope and allocating resources to mitigating risks, consistently delivering project plans, resource allocations, and prioritized backlogs.

* Reduced time-to-market for new SKUs from 6 months to 3 weeks by implementing new and improved new product introduction process (NPI).

What truly sets me apart is my tenacious passion, drive, and motivation. I don't back down when things get tough, even when it seems like everything is on fire. I learned this fearless attitude from my experience in the fire service. When faced with challenges, I don't run away – I run towards them. I bring this mindset to everything I do.

If you're looking for a Technical Program Manager who can navigate the complexities of your projects with confidence, deliver exceptional results, and bring a fiery passion to the table, then look no further. I'm a servant leader when it comes to agile product delivery processes, lean UX, and implementing business agility. I am ready to take on the challenge.

Technical Program Manager (storage solutions)

Elevance Health

Orchestrated product delivery timelines to achieve budget and delivery goals. Managed backlog for 25 user experience designers. Leader behind the scenes organizing and prioritizing projects with stakeholders across 7 different strategic objectives aligned to quarterly product plans. Crafted sprint plans outlining goals, tactics, schedules, risks, and resource allocation for 300+ digital products group.

* Wrote project charter and obtained team resources across 6 business units, built recurring 4-week cycles of “Plan, Do, & Measure” iterative planning cycles, resulting in formation of new business intelligence (BI) analytics team.

* Improved team throughput 11%, providing program support and direction for 5 to 7 scrum teams, clearing obstacles to ensure initiatives were delivered, meeting stakeholder requirements.

* Collaborated with procurement to improve supply chain operations for internal and vendor-maintained products, reducing onboarding of new technology into IT organizations from more than 4 months to less than 6 weeks.

But beyond all the technicalities, I am a firm believer in agile product delivery, lean UX, and embracing business agility at scale. In this fast-paced digital age, it's crucial to be able to adapt quickly to market changes and seize emerging opportunities with innovative, digitally-enabled solutions. 

That's why I leveraged lean and agile product development practices to continuously deliver top-notch products that truly impressed.

Strong advocate of agile product delivery, lean UX, and implementing business agility at scale. Support the ability to compete and thrive in the digital age by quickly responding to market changes and emerging opportunities with innovative, digitally-enabled business solutions. Leveraged lean and agile product development practices to continually deliver innovative, high-quality products (https://www.scaledagile.com).

Digital Program Manager (portfolio strategy)

Ideation, Product Management, and Strategic Thinking -- I have a proven record of managing process driven teams, as well as complex software products and web application development projects, both standard and extremely agile. 

I’ve been a contributor and leader of physical and virtual teams across many projects. I represent the user experience across the organization by breaking down the user needs, strategic vision, and delivery into achievable outcomes that drive user value.

I know exactly what it takes to drive the business, rally the engagement of diverse teams, and effectively manage programs. I’m really a Swiss Army knife relating to program management.

I help manage the user experience resources within the agile product and development processes within Anthem Healthcare. This role requires a cross-discipline approach to understanding process, workflow, and communications. I live "working in the grey" to help development, product, and user experience teams deliver valued product to the Anthem members.

Product Teams Manager (user experience)

Geostella

Executed product strategy, planned and managed road map for Solar SaaS engineering teams. Uncovered customer pain points and industry trends. Led cross-functional teams across 55-person start-up to create solar energy platform. Managed bi-weekly feature releases to drive growth and keeping ahead of the competition.

* Delivered innovative products, expanding market user adoption in first 6 months, by developing and executing revised product roadmap, aligned to company goals and customer needs, increasing leads generated 23% and PV system installations 1.1K.

* Developed and executed product roadmap, aligning with company goals and customer needs, reducing the 500+ backlog items to 75 actionable features

* Implemented agile product development methods, resulting in a 4 capability teams focused on core product lines which created 2 week release windows

* Collaborated with sales & marketing, product engineering, and field operations teams to develop effective roll-out strategies that minimized inventory costs

Geostellar pioneered big-data geomatics to make solar energy accessible, affordable and plentiful. The company is the recipient of numerous awards, including selection as an IHS Energy Innovation Pioneer, the Global Cleantech100, the Global Cleantech Cluster Association's Best of Solar, and the Always On Going Green Global 2000.

Director Product Management (field operations)

Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.

User Experience Design with Mentoring of Agile Teams

Led user and client meetings, collected and analyze product data to determine product feasibility. Created personas, task scenarios, and navigation & solution hierarchies. Helped wireframe and prototype product with various levels of field study and usability testing to ensure ease of use.

* Launched 3 internationalized websites by placing end user in focus during entire design process.

* Co-developed new hybrid approach for agile project delivery across 8 scrum teams, reducing backlogged features 35% and team churn, and delivering more user-friendly solution.

* Decreased slack time between feature start by developers 3 days due to better requirements definition

* Wireframed and prototype the product with various levels of field study or usability testing to ensure ease of use and feasibility.

* Worked with design teams and developers to successfully launch a new partner website.

* Invented user-centered design processes and methodologies that worked within the corporate environment.

User Experience Manager with focus on wireframes, user experience, and mentoring agile teams. Examples of websites where I was the UX Lead include https://www.ameriprise.com/ and https://www.columbiathreadneedleus.com/.

Manager User Experience (product delivery)

Verisae | an Accruent company

Drove platform capabilities guided by roadmap aligned with company goals and customer needs. Conducted market research, identifying gaps in market and helped UX / UI designers better understand how research, feature value, and engineering effort connected.

* Increased market share 20% by conducting thorough market research and competitor analysis to identify opportunities for product innovation.

* Collaborated with key stakeholders, customers, and cross-functional product teams to iterate product and establish tracking metrics, improving user satisfaction ratings 30%.

* Developed and executed public relations plan with industry experts at Gartner, Forrester, and others resulting in several magazine publications and placement of Verisae in the top quadrant of energy and sustainability SaaS platforms.

As an Information Architect then promoted to Digital Product Manager, IOT Energy Management, I help design how to make the right content and features available to the right people at the right time. 

My role involved the development of content systems and product features that help users find and manage asset, energy, and environmental data and access insights through business intelligence more successfully across the Accruent IoT SaaS platform.

Verisae is a provider of technology (...purchased by Accruent) and services for big retailers, manufacturers and other complex organizations. They do one thing better than anyone else. They  help our clients manage energy, maintenance, GHG emissions, and environmental performance through a single set of closely related technologies, connected devices, and IoT innovation.

Lead Digital Product Manager (energy IoT & SaaS)

The Ground Beneath Leadership Is Shifting

If you’ve ever felt the pressure to lead through uncertainty without a map, welcome. This is where we draw the new ones. AI isn’t knocking politely at the door. It’s rewiring how teams operate, how decisions get made, and how value is created.

Old playbooks don’t bend. They break. And the burden of clarity? It’s falling squarely on you.

If you’re the one responsible for making sense of chaos for integrating new tech, managing team emotions, aligning systems, and staying strategic without burning out, then AILKEMY was built with you in mind.

You’re not a passive observer of change. You’re the one others look to when everything changes. 

AILKEMY exists to help you build that kind of organization. We don’t hype tools. We train humans to lead through disruption.

Why Read AILKEMY? 

AI won’t replace you. But teams who master human–AI collaboration will. This isn’t about man versus machine. It’s about hybrid orchestration, the art of blending automation with empathy, speed with systems thinking, and clarity with courage.

Who Reads AILKEMY? 

AILKEMY is written for the most accountable people in the room—those who don’t have the luxury of waiting for certainty. Whether you lead others, build products, run a team, or want to stay relevant, it helps you lead with clarity, not chaos.

Why I Publish AILKEMY?

I’m Daniel Stouffer. I’m an author of dozens of nonfiction books, a systems thinker, a firefighter, and a futurist. I’ve helped leaders navigate disruption for two decades, not from a theory lab, but from the front lines of change: in startups, classrooms, fire stations, and boardrooms.

I write AILKEMY because I’ve lived the pressure of needing answers when the playbook no longer works. I know what it feels like to be the one people look to in moments of uncertainty. 

This newsletter, and the “Insights-as-a-Service (AIS) we’re launching, is my way of offering a lifeline of clarity, one issue at a time.

https://news.ailkemy.com

Daniel Stouffer

Feedback encouraged.
I'm testing different ways to 'present me'. Have a look. Let me know if any of this resonates or needs a tweak. - Thanks!

----------
“AI is commoditizing most copywriting. 

I don’t sell words. I sell outcomes and risk control. I build the message framework, brand voice controls, and proof validations that make your Generative AI output sound unmistakably like you and perform as it should. 

If you want faster cycles, fewer revisions, and copy you can defend to leadership… and your customers, that’s what I do.

Do you have a voice system, or just a style guide nobody can enforce due to your tsunami of AI Slop Copy?”

Explore...👇
https://lnkd.in/eBxJH3aJ

JSESSIONID

li_at

Helping growth teams replace AI slop with copy that earns trust, converts, and scales. Think Further. Build Smarter. Lead Human.

“Your AI-generated slop content is now your stranded asset.”

Most teams think content decays slowly. That used to be true. Now it can collapse overnight. Not because your ideas got worse, but because the Internet got louder. 

AI made publishing easy. It also made trust harder. If your website, sales pages, and nurture emails sound like everyone else's, prospects do not argue. 

They simply drift away. 

The fix is not “write more.” The fix is to rebuild your content into a system that carries voice, proof, and intent. 

If your content used to convert, but now it just exists, this is for you.

Dig Deeper 👇
https://lnkd.in/gbVqYPy6

Senior Engineering Leader for Final Mile Services and E&T Development Program

I built a successful career in engineering and leadership.

On paper, it checked every box. Strong income. Respect. Stability.

Stability can become a cage when the money is good, but the question of purpose won’t go away.

That’s why I help engineering leaders make a purpose-led next move in their careers.

I bring 30 years of experience leading teams, navigating complexity, and making high-stakes decisions. Now I apply that same clarity and structure to the decision you can’t ignore forever, what you want your next season of impact to be.

My 3-Step Process

1) Purpose Clarity - We translate what matters most into plain language, so you can stop spinning and start choosing.

2) Next Move Focus - We narrow your options to the few paths that actually fit you, your strengths, values, and desired impact.

3) Execution Plan - We build a practical plan you can run while still employed, so your next move is intentional, not impulsive.

If you're a leader who knows you're made for more impact, I’ll help you get clear on your purpose in 90 days or less.

DM me “PURPOSE” and I’ll send you the first step.

Tarek Taha

My wife and I got married at 22.

We lived in a 1 bedroom apartment with worn out furniture and brown shag carpet near campus.

We didn't have much because we were both in grad school.

But we were committed to building a great life together.

And sacrificing to make things work.

34 years later, we are living a life we never could have imagined.

Who you choose to marry is the single most important decision you will ever make.

It's more important than your:

- Job title
- Car you drive
- Vacations you take
- How you compare to your neighbors

Or really anything else when building your life or career.

You want someone who believes in you and who you believe in.

Someone willing to go through the highs and the lows.

And who you can enjoy life and dream with.

Choose your spouse wisely.
--
I created this tool to help high achievers realign their life/career with who they actually are: https://lnkd.in/ghmvDS_b

Engineering Leader-turned-Leadership Coach | I help Engineering leaders lead on purpose WITHOUT burning out | DM me “PURPOSE” to join my mastermind

18 years ago, my boss called me into his office.

He was the best boss I ever had.

I told him I'd received an offer from another company and was considering taking it.

He said, "How much are they paying you?"

I told him it was 40% more than my current compensation.

Instead of getting mad, he said he would support whatever decision I made.

I shared how this job would allow me to achieve my financial goals more quickly.

Even though he would be sad to lose me, he knew I needed to do what was best for my family.

It's your job to advocate for yourself and do what's right for you.

Sometimes you have to take emotions out of it.

By the way, I decided to stay and am so glad I did.

My boss and I are still friends today!

Do what's best for you and your family.

Don't settle.
--
I write about authentic leadership every Sunday: https://lnkd.in/g-rc8hvd

Engineering Leader-turned-Leadership Coach | I help Engineering Leaders lead high-performing teams WITHOUT killing culture | DM me “PURPOSE” to join my mastermind

My friend's entire department was eliminated while she was on maternity leave with her first child.

Her company gave their reasons for why this was necessary.

She lost sleep and was stressed out while trying to learn how to be a mom.

Thankfully she found a new job just as her leave was ending.

People think they have to be loyal to companies.

You don't.

Your company is not your family.

They will go on without you the moment you leave.

Make sure your family comes first.

Most hiring managers don't know how to hire great talent.


The worst one I witnessed would force rank resumes based on GPA.

Then he would ask for proof of their ACT score to break ties.

There was no assessment of the candidate's ability to:

- Collaborate with the existing team
- Solve real business problems
- Think on their feet

This resulted in hires that were intelligent on paper but couldn't translate it into real company value.

The best test takers may be your worst employees.

Some of the best I hired had lower GPA's but worked 3 jobs to pay for their degrees.

Hire for potential not for a score on a scoreboard.

Engineering Leader turned Leadership Coach | I help engineering leaders live on purpose, not on autopilot | DM me “PURPOSE” to join my mastermind

My boss told me it could take 10 years to make Director.

That was the moment I decided I wasn’t waiting around for someone else to validate my potential.

The very next day, I made it my job to find a role that challenged me, stretched my skills, and actually leveraged my talents.

Here’s the truth: we only get one life. Why waste years hoping the system will reward your loyalty?

Companies exist to serve investors. That’s not wrong, but it means you have to serve yourself too.

The great news? I landed a great role at a company that I stayed at for 21 years. 

I had the joy of leading a rotational program that helped 130 engineers launch their careers.

There are no bonus points for staying where you’ve stopped growing.

You have permission to move on.

♻️ Repost if you know someone who needs to hear this message.
🔔 Follow Tarek Taha for more.
—
Here is a free tool I built to determine how authentically you are living your life: https://lnkd.in/ghmvDS_b

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TAP plug

https://open.substack.com/pub/tareksblog/p/when-life-strips-away-your-control?r=2kw56y&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Helping multi six-figure earners make a purpose-led next move without quitting first | Sr Engineering Leader | DM me “NEXT” to setup a call

I went to Kuwait against my will my junior year of highschool.

My dad was a professor and decided he would take a sabbatical there.

I was resentful and missed my friends.

The first few weeks of school were very hard.

But I slowly began to connect with people from all over the world.

Sweden. Jordan. Syria. The Netherlands. France.

We got to travel all over Europe.

We visited our family in Egypt and even did a cruise on the Nile river.

That year helped shape who I am today.

I think of the countries we visited.

I think of the wonderful people I met who taught me so much.

There were so many moments when I wanted desperately to return home.

But I'm glad I didn't stay home.

What childhood difficulty helped shape who you are today?
—
Realign your life with who you really are: https://lnkd.in/ghmvDS_b

I had coffee with my daughter every Saturday for 10 years.


We'd sit at the same table.

She would order the vanilla latte.

I would have black coffee.

The time you spend with your kids matters more than your:

- Job title
- The respect of your peers
- Business model
- Growth strategy

Or pretty much anything else you build in your life.

There is no shortcut to impacting your children's lives.

I never regret one moment I spent with her.

Spend the early years with your kids intentionally.

The days are long, but the years are short.

Make them count.

--
Join a mastermind with leaders who want to live on purpose: https://lnkd.in/gYz5MgeY

High performers stay stuck longer than everyone else.

Not because they lack courage.
But because they overthink their options.

I saw this clearly the day I was asked to build yet another presentation for a senior leader.

It was my job.
It was the “right” thing to do.
And I knew it would have zero measurable impact.

That’s when it hit me.

I wasn’t being strategic.
I was avoiding a move I already knew I needed to make.

High performers don’t get stuck from lack of information.
They get stuck waiting for certainty while putting their purpose on the shelf.

Security feels responsible.
Comfort feels earned.
Logic feels safe.

Clarity doesn’t come from more thinking.

It comes from taking the next right action that’s aligned with who you are.
And that doesn’t always mean quitting your job.

Sometimes it just means getting honest about the decisions you’re avoiding.

Engineering Leader-turned-Entrepreneur + Leadership Coach | DM me “NEXT” to discover your purpose

My friend just put in his 2-week notice.

His manager:

- Publicly called him out in meetings in front of his peers.
- Regularly sent late night texts with random to do's in the middle of the night.
- Demoted him recently while saying "You're doing a great job" for months

He had been losing sleep for months because of his job.

But specifically because of his boss.

Even though he doesn't have a job lined up, he decided his mental health was worth protecting.

People quit jobs for all kinds of reasons.

But the most common reason people pick if they're being honest is because of bad bosses.

Engineering Leader-turned-Entrepreneur + Leadership Coach | DM me “PURPOSE” to join my mastermind

I sent my first newsletter to 5 friends.

That was back in 2023.

I had ideas to share, but I was afraid of what others would think.

I had shared my ideas with my peers at work, but never with the world.

I began adding readers and gaining confidence as positive comments would come in.

I now have 836 people reading my newsletter.

That number would get my attention if I were speaking to them in person.

Last week, I got a note from a reader who told me she started writing because of my posts.

What a gift to know that I helped someone else begin their journey.

I believe everyone reading this was born on purpose and for a great purpose.

The best advice I can give you is just to start.

Only then will the way forward reveal itself to you.

I wrote more in today's newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gMYJSpCC

Me before life-saving surgery:


I will do everything I can to climb the corporate ladder.

Me after surgery:

I will do everything I can to live out my purpose.

We can always get more money

But we can't get more time

Prioritize what matters.

👉 Authentic purpose mastermind starts soon. DM me "PURPOSE" for more

Most people let others set their own ceiling.

I did too.

Then I stopped waiting for permission.

Started reading books by people like John Maxwell and Mel Robbins. 
Mentors decades ahead I'd never meet.

Specifically:
• Blocked 90 minutes every morning for reading
• Took notes in a simple Google Doc
• Applied one idea per week to my actual work

Six months in, others asked where the new ideas were coming from.

I wasn't smarter. I just had different inputs than everyone else in the room.

Here's what actually works:
1. Pick one skill gap holding you back right now
2. Find the best book or course on it
3. Study 30-60 minutes daily before your inbox owns you
4. Test one thing from it this week

That's it.

No one can limit you when you refuse to stop learning.

Control your inputs, control your ceiling.

♻️ Repost if you know someone who needs to hear this message.
🔔 Follow Tarek Taha for more.

Engineering Leader-turned-Entrepreneur + Leadership Coach + Substack writer | DM me “NEXT” to discover your purpose

The only people who matter are the ones who will carry your coffin.


Yet people sacrifice SO much for status that means absolutely nothing.

Your teammates you're too scared to leave?
They'll forget your name in a month.

That toxic friend you keep texting?
They won't even come to your funeral.

Your company that "feels like family"?
You are only a line on a P&L.

Meanwhile...

Your parents are waiting for a call.
Your real friends don't know if you're alive or dead.
You worked late (again) instead of connecting with your kids.

We overfocus on relationships that don't matter.

And underfocus on the ones that do.

Stop pretending.

Call your mom and dad.
Talk to your real friends.
Leave the job that's sucking the life from you.

The people who will carry your coffin deserve your best.

Everyone else can wait.

Your clock IS ticking

Every Sunday, I share practical lessons on how to live on purpose. 

👉  https://www.tareks.blog

Thanks Noah Little for the inspiration.

Most college graduates: It's not fair that a company won't give me a job after I paid 1000's of dollars for my college degree.

Smart college graduates: I have a side hustle to diversify my income, learn valuable business skills, and support myself while I look for a job.

You have more control than you think.

You just have to think differently.

Accountability for your future is your responsibility alone.

I was the last one to realize the promotion I had waited two years for was never coming.

I used to think hard work spoke for itself.

Nope.

Progress didn’t come from being patient.
It didn't come from staying silent.
It didn’t come from hoping someone noticed.

It came from realizing one thing.

My manager was not thinking about my career.
They were thinking about their own challenges.

That’s when things started to change.

Your career won't move forward on effort alone.

It moves forward when you finally take ownership.

Ownership looks like:
Not waiting for a tap on the shoulder.
Asking for what you want.
Asking what needs to change to get it.
Walking away if it’s not on the table.

Your career isn’t your manager’s responsibility.
It’s yours.

If you’re feeling stuck right now…
Stop waiting.
Get in motion.

That’s when things finally shifted for me.

♻️ Repost if you know someone who needs to hear this message.
🔔 Follow Tarek Taha  for more.

I failed the Professional Engineering exam. Twice.


I spent hours preparing.

Relearning concepts I hadn't thought about in years.

Passing this test would have opened new doors for me.

Instead, I failed and I pivoted.

I took a job with a logistics company.

I built a successful 30-year career.

My employers didn't give a rip about P.E. certification.

If you're dealing with rejection right now:
↳ A test you didn't pass
↳ A job you didn't get
↳ A promotion that went to someone else
↳ A career path that didn't work out

It might feel like the end.

But that rejection is just redirection.

It's never too late to become who you were always meant to be.

♻️ Repost to remind someone who needs this
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THIS is why I write transparent LinkedIn posts.


It can be a bit scary to put yourself out there.

- I don't write perfectly
- I don't always get everything right
- I don't know all the answers

But I share my ideas in my own way so others might be inspired to do the same.

My advice for anyone doubting why they should post about themselves and their career journey:

You don't have to change the entire world to have a lasting impact.

If you change the world for one person

It is worth it.

Your legacy matters.

Thanks Matt Barker for the inspiration.

I spent three years preparing for a move I could’ve made sooner.

Those years weren’t wasted.

They were filled with personal growth, conferences, books, podcasts, and long walks where I tried to think my way into clarity.

That’s the responsible thing to do, right?

In reality, it was familiar.
Planning was the method I used my entire career.

Corporate life rewards certainty, data, and proof.

Purpose doesn’t work that way.
You find it by getting in motion.

At some point, I realized:
• I wasn’t uncommitted
 • I wasn’t unqualified
 • I wasn’t lacking information

I was applying the corporate rulebook to a major life decision.

Nothing external changed.

The only difference was deciding to stop waiting for certainty that will never arrive.

Corporate rewards following the rules.
Purpose responds to action.

👉 If you’re in that “not ready” loop, DM me NEXT and I’ll help you take the first step, without quitting first.

I used to think leadership started once you had the glass office.

Titles.
Offices.
Recognition.

It isn’t.

Leadership is choosing to serve.

True leaders don’t stand on a mountaintop waiting to be recognized.
They reach back to pull others up with them.

Here’s what leading through service actually looks like:
1. Put people before position
 ↳ Your role is to elevate others
 ↳ Influence is earned, not granted

2. See the unseen
 ↳ Notice the quiet contributors
 ↳ Treat every voice as valuable

3. Lead with empathy
 ↳ Assume unseen battles
 ↳ Respond with patience, not judgment

4. Model sacrifice
 ↳ Own mistakes when things break
 ↳ Give credit when things work

5. Teach by example
 ↳ Show the standard
 ↳ Let actions lead

6. Build trust through humility
 ↳ Admit mistakes
 ↳ Invite feedback

7. Serve first
 ↳ Put the team before ego
 ↳ Lead beside people, not above them

Serving others isn’t a strategy.

It’s your responsibility.

I don’t know how to rest.

A few days into my first week without a corporate job, my wife pointed this out.

After leaving a 30-year corporate career, my calendar was empty, but my mind wasn’t.

Coffee done. Workout done. Journaling done.

Then I caught myself building a to-do list that didn’t exist.

Because when I’m not checking boxes, I feel less valuable.

Maybe you can relate.

There will never be enough boxes to check.

So I’m asking a new question.

What if I optimized for peace instead of productivity?

Get the free Authentic Life Audit when you join my newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gipJQXPP

Helping multi six-figure earners make a purpose-led next move without quitting first | Sr Engineering Leader | Former JB Hunt | DM me “NEXT” to setup a call

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taplio

The Battle

Daniel Stouffer

Tarek Taha

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Daniel Stouffer's LinkedIn Performance

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