Leverage Accelerator

The Leverage Accelerator is a training and mentoring company that works with exceptional coaches, facilitators and trainers to achieve more income, impact and influence. 

We support our clients to:

✅ Build a pipeline of ideal clients and sell valuable solutions
✅ Transform unique selling points into impactful program
✅ Increase influence and reach to attract more clients
✅ Implement simple systems so they're working marker, not harder

Co-Founder

The Skills Lab

Since founding in 2011 as a Learning & Development consultancy, we've supported people, teams and organisations to thrive in a complex and changing world by helping create cultures for learning, growth and effective working relationships.

We've worked with businesses, governmental bodies, NGOs, charities and schools to design and run bespoke solutions to organisational needs.

Through our partnerships, we've worked on:

• 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 projects in companies like Netflix, Red Bull and SC Johnson
• 𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁-𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 for managers in organisations like Siemens, Accenture
• 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 in government bodies such as the Ministry of Justice, and the Competitions and Marketing Authority
• 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 & 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 for young people from marginalised backgrounds in the UK and across the MENA region for the likes of the British Council
• 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘀 for new starters in the digital sector with boutique digital agencies such as Made by Many, UsTwo and Beyond
• 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗟&𝗗 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 such as Abracademy and PVL to develop their learning products
• 𝗥𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 for 30+ charities during the pandemic to redesign their programme delivery.

Co-Founder and CEO

Abracademy

Abracademy's mission is to bring more magic to the world and it does it through learning and development programs, which powerfully combine magic and facilitation. 

I support Abracademy in designing, developing and delivering experiential learning workshops. I work with clients, magicians and neuroscientists to create, facilitate and train others to facilitate workshops using magic and magical experiences as a canvas for personal and organisational growth.

Brewer of Ceremonies aka Learning Designer and Facilitator

Interim Head of Learning 

MURAL

Sub-contracted by MURAL to support their high-value client's design and facilitate on MURAL

Expert on Demand

Flipside Programme London

Flipside is a 12-week full-time programme that supports young East Londoners to develop the skills and mindsets that prepare them for their first steps into digital careers. Funded by The London Legacy Development Company and co-created and delivered in partnership with a group of digital agencies to offer an alternative route to employment that will meet the needs of local digital agencies.

Responsibilities include:
•  Project management of programme development and delivery, including coordination of project partners
• Facilitating the co-creation process to develop a modular learning experience 
• Production of course content, including the development of a bespoke competency framework
• Production of course handbooks for students and course trainers
• Development of evaluation framework to review outcomes, sustainability and scalability

Programme Director

Ada. National College for Digital Skills

Ada is the First National College for Digital Skills that equip young people with academic, entrepreneurial and technical skills to be tomorrow's future Pioneers through an innovative curriculum.

Responsibilities included:
    ● Setting up and running the Physics department 
    ● Designing and delivering self-leadership programmes and well-being retreats that helped
        to develop the whole student. This also includes staff training.
    ● Involved in creation and maintenance of college culture.

Founding Teacher and Head of Physics Department

Spa Special School

Key responsibilities and experiences
     ● Chaired Education committee and sat on head teacher appraisal committee
     ● Led on improving the effectiveness of the Governor Body
     ● Led on redrafting school vision
     ● Chaired disciplinary hearing. Representing school though appeal hearing and a 
        successful employment tribunal.

Governor

Spark+Mettle

     ● Founding trustee of an 'aspiration agency' which supports marginalised young 
        people flourish through a range of well-being and employability workshops and long-
        term programmes.
     ● Provide support on strategic direction
     ● Support and Challenge CEO
     ● Stepped down as Trustee after a collective decision was made to merge Spark+Mettle into a 
        The Goodall Foundation where its work continues.

Founding Trustee

Teach First

Intrepreneur and Programme Director for various pilot programmes. Learning and Development was a core part of my roles. I designed, and trained others to deliver, leadership development experiences. 

Responsibilities included:
     ● Programme Director for a Governor 'Impact Programme' - a strategic ‘test and learn’
        project with £0.5 million budget. Lead a team to comprehensively design, deliver and
        evaluate the programme. This includes marketing and recruitment for programme.
        Consulted with key audiences to develop a robust and validated model including the
        creation of an Advisory Group made up of the country’s leading experts in school
        governance to inform the shape of the programme.
     ● Oversight of Leadership Development content focusing on the 'being' of leadership -
        using self-awareness to have more personal and professional impact. 
     ● Co-designed and Project Managed Teach First’s inaugural ‘Innovation Weekend’ – a 
        crowdsourced idea hack event
     ● Other Pilot programmes included School Impact Projects which used Service Design
        Thinking and Appreciative Inquiry to support school leaders conceive, plan and deliver
        change management programmes.
     ● Organised international study visits for teachers.

Senior Officer

Various Schools

Supply Teacher

Program Design Coach | Geeking out blending learning design with entrepreneurship to scale impact

I work with self-employed consultant coaches, trainers and facilitators to create more sales opportunities and scale their impact. We match expertise with market needs to create premium offers that are easier to market, sell and deliver.

My clients already get results for their clients but might still:

❌ Find it hard to stand out despite being better than their competitors
❌ Overwhelmed packaging their expertise into proposals
❌ Frustrated by reinventing the wheel every time 
❌ Annoyed they're not paid what they're worth
❌ Experience imposter syndrome
❌ Feel stretched over-delivering

And they want to:

✅ Feel confident charging more for premium service
✅ Build a more sustainable six-figure business
✅ Have more impact doing work they love

I've gone through frustrations myself.

Since 2011, I've run my own Learning & Development consultancy. And for years, I struggled to package, market and sell the value of what I did.

This is despite being an expert. I had:

• Invested tens of thousands in my professional development. 
• A track record of getting client results on leadership development, team development, organisation change, and service design projects in the tech, finance, public, charity, and education sectors. 
• Designed & delivered thousands of learning experiences, workshops and training as a volunteer, educator, employee, and freelancer since 2001

Turns out: I was expert in my craft but not an expert in meeting market needs

No one had shown me how to 'commercialise' my learning design expertise. And when I did sell my services, I either subcontracted at lower rates than I knew I was worth; or I wasted time reinventing my process, making my services less profitable. So there were times I had no work OR burned out because I was saying "yes" to everything that came my way. 

I wanted to put myself 'out there' but I felt stuck 😵‍💫

The turning point was when I started consulting with other L&D companies. I overhauled their learning production processes using my streamlined methods. And during the pandemic, I adapted the process to support 30+ charities through the digital transformation of their learning programmes.

More focus allowed me to market, sell, and deliver my services more easily 📈

Since April 2022, I've been working with self-employed trainers and facilitators to avoid my mistakes.

Book a Clarity Call to see how our approach can help: https://www.leverageaccelerator.co/

Pedram Parasmand

I built a workflow that lets me design curriculum in hours instead of days. And I want to show it to you so you can copy it.

In this video, I share my process and show you exactly how I use Mural, Notion, and a dedicated ChatGPT project to speed up curriculum design without losing any of the craft that's taken me 25 years to develop.

But most exciting of all:

I share the exact set-up of my ChatGPT project and my “mega prompt” that turns a brainstorm into a polished script that’s 80% done.

Video was too long for LinkedIn :( So linking in the comments

Program Design Coach & Facilitator | Geeking out blending learning design with entrepreneurship to have more impact | Sharing lessons on my path to go from 6-figure freelancer to 7-figure business owner

I’m in a season of widening my view. 
And I’m curious who’s shaping the conversations I haven’t heard yet.

I’ve been posting here for 3 years now.

I’ve shared stories from 25 years of facilitating and 14 years of running a training and development business. LinkedIn even handed me a Top Voice badge, though I still feel like a small potato in the grand scheme of things.

I’ve met brilliant thinkers during that time.

A few have become trusted friends and peers. But now and then, I notice my feed narrowing a little. And I’m ready to invite in perspectives I haven’t heard yet.

Fresh thinking doesn’t happen in familiar places.

💬 𝗪𝗵𝗼’𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 (𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱/𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀) 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘄?

Could even be someone in an adjacent space whose thinking influences or inspires you.

--

Would love to take your thoughts on this: Nathy Ravez, Mehdi En-Naizi, Said Saddouk, Alexandre Eisenchteter, Jan Keck, Kirsty Lewis, Myriam Hadnes,  Julia Slay, Perle Laouenan-Catchpole, Anamaria Dorgo

JSESSIONID

li_at

Talks about #facilitation, #learningdesign, #businessdevelopment, #learninganddevelopment, and #traininganddevelopment

Consultant | OD & Leadership development | Facilitator Mentor | Certified Experience Designer & facilitator | Podcast Host: "There's a workshop for That |

On a mission to help teams work better together !

✨ Facilitate Like Magic | Helping You Wow Your Audience Online | Virtual Engagement Wizard | Miro Hall of Famer | Geek-in-Chief

I💖Cards | Deck Builder for Trainers & Consultants

Spark engagement & deep connections - without making them cringe ✨ Facilitation Trainer | Workshop Facilitator | Experience Designer | TEDx Speaker | Upcoming Author of “Ice Melters” | Enthusiastic Camper 🏕️🇩🇪🇨🇦

Founder of School of Facilitation. Teaching workshop design, fantastic facilitation & training trainers make my 💜 sing. Podcaster|Host of Gatherings & the community pod|Flourishing Facilitator.

Facilitation Evangelist || Podcaster || Writer || PhD in Behavioural Economics ✨ Building collaborative cultures, one workshop at a time

🚀 Facilitator and trainer - Facilitation 101 ✨ Research and strategy consultant 🌱 Coach for individuals and teams

Founder | Designing and facilitating online experiences that connect remote teams. No matter the size 🌱 Follow for insights on helping remote employees feel connected, valued, and engaged at scale.

I turn groups of people into communities that learn 🌱 Building Handle with Brain and L&D Shakers 🌱 Hosting Mapping Ties 🌱 Writing IRrEGULAR LEtTER

Sometimes, the biggest wins come when you experience your own medicine.

Over the past few weeks, this client had been deep in refining their offer. Like many experienced coaches, he was chasing the perfect version, trying to think their way to clarity.

Sometimes, what you need isn’t another journaling session.

During our mentoring work, something shifted. He realised that “perfect” was actually the problem. The real progress came when they stopped polishing and started testing.

The very same thing he tells his clients

His reflection says it all:

"𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦... 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳... 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵… 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐’𝘮 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘶𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘵.”

That’s why even the best coaches need mentors.
Not for answers, but for perspective and experience

The broader you try to be, the less people understand what you do.
Specificity isn’t limiting. It’s liberating.

One of my clients used to introduce herself like this:
“𝘐 𝘥𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴.”

Which basically translates to:
“𝘐 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵. 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳… 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨?”

Then she switched to:
“𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴.”

Suddenly, everyone got it.
She filled her pilot program.
And even people outside her niche recommended her

When you talk to everyone, no one listens.
When you talk to someone, everyone gets it.

♻️ Share this with the coach who still says they “help people unlock potential.”

🚫 Who’s brave enough to admit they’ve been guilty of vague positioning before?

P.S. I would actually say ‘I help people, teams and organisation”

Most coaches & consultants chase clients.
Me: I chased systems (and finally got my life back.)

Because the truth is: no amount of referrals or marketing fixes a broken backend.

With 14 years in business having delivered everything from 6-figure B2B contracts to £50/h B2C coaching, this carousel shows how I stopped winging it. And how I started building a real business around my expertise.

If you're tired of feeling like a glorified employee in your own company, this might help.

Freedom isn’t about doing everything yourself.
It’s about designing a business that works when you don’t.

~~
What’s one system or process you wish you’d set up sooner?

Ultimate guide to turning your expertise into a business

I only reached the viewpoint because a stranger removed all my options.

Most coaches and facilitators don’t notice how much momentum they lose carrying the weight of too many options.

You’re not stuck because you lack ideas.
You’re stuck because you have too many paths you could take.

~~

💭 What’s one decision you made quickly that moved your business further than overthinking ever did?

I used to spend months “getting ready.”
But it wasn’t preparation, it was hesitation disguised as progress.

We convince ourselves we’re being productive when we’re actually just avoiding visibility.

If you’re stuck in “getting ready” mode, here’s what it looked like for me and what do to do instead.

1. Another certification
2. Overplanning every move
3. Branding and website tweaks
4. Building systems before clients
5. Rewriting your service options (again)

Because:

- Credentials don’t close clients
• Planning is fear in a fancy outfit
• No one hires you for your fancy logo
• If you can’t fill a calendar manually, a funnel won’t save you.
• You’re unclear on your offer because you’ve avoided what matters

Progress comes from speaking to your ideal clients DAILY!

We’ve now worked with 100+ coaches, consultants, and facilitators.

The ones who embrace this truth start booking calls within weeks — and making sales soon after.

Stop preparing.
Start talking.

That’s where confidence (and clients) come from.

~~

♻️ Share this with the coach friend still “working on their website.”

💬 What’s the most seductive “productive” task that’s really held you back?

Custom proposals feel like the “professional” thing to do.

They look flexible. 
They feel personalised. 
They even seem premium.

So why do they secretly burn you out, drag out sales, and make it harder to win yeses?”

👉 I broke it down in this carousel: why custom proposals burn you out, and how defined programs win more yeses (with less effort).

Swipe through to see the flipside of proposals. And the smarter way to package your expertise.

⚡ What’s been the biggest drain on your energy: proposals, sales calls, or delivery?

Hidden reasons why custom proposals do more harm than good

I thought saying yes to everyone was smart business. It was actually emotional insurance. 

Fear of missing out disguised as strategy.

A few years ago, I was saying yes to everything.

At one point, I was doing all of these at once:
• Designing social justice retreats for social workers
• Running a service design project for a consortium of major UK employers
• Delivering a communication skills program for managers in a tech scale-up
• Leading an employability bootcamp for marginalised young people
• Managing a monitoring and evaluation project for a charity

All different clients.
Different goals.
Different setups.
And it was draining.

Every yes felt like an opportunity.

But each one chipped away at my time, focus, and authority.  I told myself I was building momentum.

Really, I was running on fear.

Fear that if I said no, there’d be no work.

Because I never had a marketing plan. I had been lucky that work came to me. But I had no control over it. The wake-up call came when those projects all ended.

And I faced my fear. No new business,

I realised I didn’t have a business.
I had a string of gigs.

So I decided to figure out how to market.

I was told I needed to niche. But as a proud generalist, I was reluctant. Then the pandemic hit, and I accidentally niched. Digital transformation for charities.

And that’s when everything changed.

When people knew what I did and for whom, new opportunities started compounding. I was busy again, but it wasn't so draining.

Work became easier to win,
Easier to deliver,
And far more fulfilling.

I've since niched more intentionally

Turns out, saying no isn’t closing doors. It’s choosing which rooms you actually want to walk into.

You stop being replaceable the moment you stop being available to everyone.

♻️ Share this if you’ve learned the power of saying no.
🧠 What’s one “no” that made your business stronger?

What if “engaging the room” is the worst thing you can chase?
Most facilitators never notice the fallout.

Here’s a better foundation you can start building your business on today.

I used to think...

If people are leaning in, laughing, nodding, I’ve done my job. Maybe that's a hang-up from when I was a teacher, craving engagement from the pupils.

But when the follow-up fizzled?

The change never stuck, I realised I wasn’t designed for what happens after the room, which is WHY I do what I do!

The problem isn’t energy.

It’s that most sessions are built to be memorable, not meaningful. All vibes, no scaffolding.

And that’s why clients don’t come back.

Not because you weren’t good. Because nothing good lasted. Unless it's intentionally designed for.

Going back to theory

The unseen architecture that makes outcomes inevitable is the Kolb learning cycle

1. CONCRETE EXPERIMENTATION

Learning begins when you give your participants with a genuine experience.

2. REFLECTIVE OBSERVATION

Help your participants step out of the moment to spot the patterns, surprises, or “uh-oh” moments.

3. ABSTRACT CONCEPTUALISATION

Help them connect the dots, name the insight, and shape the takeaway.

4. ACTIVE EXPERIMENTATION

Give space for your participants to plan how to apply their insights into action beyond the session

So the session feels great, yes.
But more importantly, it works.

That’s when people start saying your name in Slack threads, recommending facilitators that make an impact. Not “the one who took us on a fun day out.”

~~

♻️ Share this with someone who’s ready to build more than a feel-good moment.

Have you used the Kolb learning cycle of plan for impact? 👇

One of our clients was a true generalist. 

But once she narrowed her focus to the people she helped most and enjoyed working with most. Everything shifted.

Clarity made her memorable. And once people knew exactly who she served, the referrals started flowing on their own.

I used to think sales happened on the call.
Until I realised, by then, it’s already too late.

And now sharing this with 100+ coaches and consultants, I’ve seen this small shift unlock more yeses with no sleazy tactics.

When I stopped replying on associate work

I thought selling meant getting someone on a call and convincing them to buy. But honestly, I didn’t even know how to get them on the call.

I pitched my services in posts (& cold DMs for a time)

Sure, I got some responses. But it was a lot of push, with very little payoff. And soul destroying. And still didn't get me where I wanted to be.

Now?

When someone jumps on a call, we’ve already built trust. The stakes are lower, the conversation flows. And while not everyone becomes a client, I’m having more of the right conversations.

More conversations = More opportunities.

So what changed?

I focus on simple, no-pressure touchpoints that open doors naturally:

✔️ Inviting people to market research calls when I’m shaping a new offer
✔️ Engaging thoughtfully on posts
✔️ Writing posts that spark conversations
✔️ Moving public comments into private chats
✔️ Offering resources that might be useful

And when the fit is right:

✅ inviting them a structured conversation to share a strategy and see if that's something they want help implementing.

see if that's something they want help implementing

Sales doesn’t start with the pitch.
It starts with the person.

~~

♻️ Share if you’ve ever felt stuck trying to “sell on the call”

What’s helped you shift from cold pitching to warm, natural conversations? ✍️

I’ve talked myself out of sales.
Thinking I needed to explain my expertise.

Here’s why the less you talk, the more expert you sound, especially as a coach or facilitator.

For years, I did what most do.

I filled the silence with explanations, frameworks and stories. Believing credibility came from clarity.

And to be fair… it worked.
I still got clients.

But every call felt heavy, like I was dragging the conversation uphill.

Then, in 2021, after 10 years in business, I decided to get some sales training that completely reframed it.

The best sellers weren’t performing.

They weren’t pitching.
They were listening.

They asked short, clean questions.

Then stopped talking. And somehow, that silence did the selling. Because in that space

The client starts thinking.
They reveal what they really need.
They begin to convince themselves.

That’s when I realised:

It's basically the same skills we use in coaching and facilitating. And the sale doesn’t happen through persuasion. It happens through gravity.

The coaches & facilitators who get the most sales are like black holes.
They don’t chase.
They pull.

~~

♻️ Share this if you’re learning that silence can sell.
🎯 What’s one question you ask in discovery calls that always pulls people in?

Many coaches and consultants new to marketing are stuck thinking more content = more clients.

It’s not true.

The truth? You’ll get traction 10x faster by simply **having real conversations**.

Whether you’re starting out or years in, relationship-based marketing will outperform content every single time.

We’ve seen it again and again, 
especially with service-based businesses.

Facilitators, trainers, consultants… we’re already human-centric.

So why try to automate connection when it’s our biggest advantage?

When you lean into genuine relationships, not just algorithms, the results speak for themselves.

Connection first. 
Content second. 
Always.

👇 Do you think relationships or content matter more in growing your business?

When you’re versatile, it’s easy to believe that staying broad means more opportunity.

But the real trap is thinking that narrowing your focus makes you lose. When in reality, it’s the only way people can truly see you.

If your message isn’t clear, your market can’t connect with what you do, who you help, or why it matters. Clarity isn’t a limitation. It’s what unlocks momentum.

.

.

.

Watch the full conversation on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/ehnd4_Tv

You don’t need more ads to get traction. 

If your ads aren’t working, it’s not because you need a bigger budget, it’s because you need more real conversations.

Authentic Outreach builds clarity, momentum, and trust long before paid traffic ever can. And when you do choose to run ads later, every dollar goes further because the groundwork is already in place..

Ask Deep Questions

I lead comprehensive training programs designed to elevate facilitation skills across both in-person and virtual settings. I help leaders transform meetings, workshops, and trainings into dynamic, engaging environments that prioritize inclusivity and ensure every voice is heard, regardless of the setting.

💻 Facilitation Skills Trainer

If you’re looking for an engaging speaker and storyteller about human connection, facilitation, or team building, let's chat! My talks are highly interactive and keep audiences coming back.

🎤 TEDx and Interactive Keynote Speaker

I design group learning experiences that create deep connections and belonging. By facilitating meaningful experiences for events, conferences and teams I turn small talk into deep connections.

✨ Workshop Facilitator and Experience Designer

I help workshop instructors, presenters and facilitators take the overwhelm out of the tech, so they can focus on what they do best.

🎧 Zoom Host, Producer & Consultant

ASK DEEP QUESTIONS is more than just a deck of cards with thoughtful questions that go below the surface to create meaningful connections. 

I am working on creating more tools to empower people who feel disconnected to start a conversation that matters and I'm also supporting community builders (workshop facilitators, program leaders, conference organizers, retreat facilitators, managers, ...) to facilitate deep connections for their members, teams and attendees - online and offline.

🔥 Founder and CEO

Viewchanger

Teaching improv skills for personal development

Improv Teacher

Big3 Video Agency

Self-guided online Course teaching entrepreneurs and aspiring thought leaders how to create videos that sell.

🖥️ The Powerful Video Formula Online Course

🎥 Cinematographer

Helping businesses and entrepreneurs deeply connect with their best clients online with powerful videos.

We have helped our clients create videos that sell with our combined experience of over 20 years, worked on award-winning feature documentaries and created 200+ promotional business videos. Yes, we even helped one of our clients gather over 1.2 million views, 3,200 likes and 400+ comments for just one of their videos, turned our clients into YouTube celebrities and got invited to give “Being Charismatic on Video” workshops at various conferences across Canada.

We discovered that the most important thing for business owners who need to be on video to promote their business is to be happy with the way their videos look and the way they look on camera. If they are embarrassed about the way they come across on video, they will never use it to promote their business. 

So we created THE POWERFUL VIDEO FORMULA - a self-guided online course that teaches entrepreneurs and aspiring thought leaders how to create high quality video content.

🎬 Co-Founder | VP

Red Gecko Productions

Cinematic, documentary storytelling for organizations, foundations and businesses.
From videography services to editing promo videos.

🎬 Video Producer

I have produced, directed, filmed and edited several award-winning documentary short films about topics ranging from urban farming to intentional travel.

🎥 Documentary Filmmaker

Ghosts Media

As the Assistant Editor to the feature length, award-winning animal rights documentary "The Ghosts in the Machine" by Liz Marshall, I honed my skills in the art of visual storytelling and editing narratives that engage and resonate.

Assistant Video Editor

Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival

During North America's largest documentary film festival I ensured all media and technical aspects ran smoothly in the industry lounge, leading to an improved experience for delegates.

IT Support Technician

M.U.C.K. Film Festival

Organization, promotion and marketing for monthly film festival screenings as well as
ordering, screening and programming potential documentaries.

Festival Coordinator/ Co-Programmer

Landeszentrale für poltische Bildung Baden-Württemberg

Organize a booth at games conventions with educational games for kids teaching them about politics.

Event Manager

Stuart Samuels Productions

Conducting audiovisual research for different documentary films (e.g. NightFlight: Reborn which premiered at the Los Angeles Filmfestival 2008), assessing and designing presentation materials and creating narratives in close collaboration with the production team. Additionally administrative tasks in the production office.

Documentary Researcher, Production Assistant

Bechtle

Summer job setting up meetings, preparing and maintaining audiovisual equipment. Organizing and facilitating team building events for the organization.

Event Management Assistant

Are you tired of the same old, unproductive meetings and workshops? Do you feel like you're not getting the engagement or results you need from your team?

🗣️ Let me tell you a secret: it's not your fault. The truth is, engaging people in a way that builds trust and connection is an art form. And as a recovering shy guy and people-loving introvert, I'm passionate about creating experiences that foster deep connections.

🤝 As a trainer, facilitator, and experience designer, I help empathetic leaders and teams create meaningful, inclusive experiences that build trust, empower vulnerability, and foster deeper connections. My mission is to ensure everyone feels seen and heard, especially the introverted, quiet and shy people.

If you're struggling with low engagement, difficult team dynamics, or participants who don't trust each other, I've got you covered. My workshops and programs are designed to tackle these challenges head-on, helping you and your team work better together.

💡 Together, we'll turn crickets into conversations, and side conversations into productive collaboration. No more wasting time on small talk or cringey icebreakers. Instead, we'll work together to create experiences that make your team feel seen, heard, and valued.

🤔 Don't believe in icebreakers? I get it. But trust me, my approach is different. By creating brave spaces and using ice MELTERS, my connection activities actually make people feel comfortable and engaged, not uncomfortable and anxious.

🌍 Over the past few years, I've trained thousands of people to create highly inclusive, engaging, and meaningful experiences when we can't be in the same room together. And now, I am writing my first book at icemeltersbook.com

🌟 At the end of the day, my goal is simple: to help people feel less alone and more connected. So if you're ready to take your team to the next level, let's talk.

📩 Send me a message and let's create magical human moments together - online and beyond.

Jan Keck

The facilitator held up a stack of cards with pictures of animals on them and said, “To find your group, make the sound of your animal. Don’t show the card. Just make the sound. Go!” 

The room erupted.

Half the group laughed and jumped right in. Someone let out a confident lion roar. Another flapped their arms like a chicken. A few people committed so hard it felt like a theatre warm-up.

But across the circle, I saw the other half.
The people who froze.
The ones who scanned the room, silently begging for a different option.
The ones who held their cards against their chest, hoping someone else would moo first so they wouldn’t have to.

One woman pressed her lips together, exhaling through her nose like she could shrink herself out of the activity completely. Another stared at her card long enough that I wondered whether she’d bolt for the door.

Nothing dramatic happened. Nobody cried. Nobody complained. But the moment was clear: This activity wasn’t designed to offer a safe way in for everyone. It lit up the confident few and left the rest to manage their discomfort alone.

From the outside, it’s just a playful moment. On the inside, someone’s body is sounding an alarm.
​
Researchers from Harvard, UCLA, and Purdue have found that when people feel excluded or unsafe in a group, the same areas of the brain activate as when they experience physical pain.

🚨 Exclusion doesn’t just feel uncomfortable. It hurts.

This explains why even “simple” icebreaker activities can feel like a punch to the gut when the design doesn’t support you.

They assume everyone feels equally comfortable, equally ready, equally visible. And that has never been true.

Quiet people, reflective people, new people, marginalized people, people who need a moment before speaking, ... they often get left behind before the session even begins. They think, process, and participate in different ways.

When you design with these differences in mind, you don’t just make space for the quiet ones. You improve the experience for everyone and unlock engagement that would have never surfaced otherwise.

👉 Learn more at https://lnkd.in/e4W_iqgR

As I walked into the conference, I felt myself shrink a little. Everyone seemed to know someone. Everyone looked like they belonged. I wasn’t sure if I did.
I could already predict how the evening would go. A dozen versions of the same small talk questions:

“What do you do?”
“Where are you from?”
“How’s your week?”

I could play along, keep it light, stay at the surface. But something in me felt tired of performing. I craved genuine human connection that evening, but I wasn’t sure if this was the kind of room where I could be myself without it feeling awkward.

So I took a tiny risk. I changed the script. And instead of “What do you do?” I tried, “Imagine we were meeting a year from today with a bottle of champagne — what are we celebrating?” (a powerful question I learned from Jayson Gaignard).

A few people blinked. One laughed politely and escaped toward the coffee. For a moment, I thought, “Maybe I misjudged this. Maybe this was a mistake.”
But then I met Jonas.

Something in him relaxed the moment he heard the question, as if he’d been waiting for permission to have a real conversation. We ended up sitting together for the rest of the event.

Before leaving, I joked that we should actually schedule that champagne meeting for a year later. Surprisingly, he agreed.

Twelve months later, I arrived early at the restaurant, half convinced he wouldn’t show up. But he walked through the door, sat down, and without any warm-up, we picked up right where we left off — talking about our wins, our doubts, our year.

That single moment of courage in a buffet line created a connection that lasted an entire year without a single message between us.

And it taught me something I now see in every room I facilitate:

👉 Nothing meaningful happens until someone takes a small risk.

Walking into a group space can feel like stepping into cold water. You test the temperature. You look around to see if anyone else is brave enough to go first.

Every participant arrives with the same quiet question:
“Is this a place where iI feel safe enough to take a small risk?”

Not a dramatic leap. Not a reveal-everything moment. Just a tiny step beyond what feels comfortable. And that step matters. In a group setting, that stretch might look like:

🔹 Trying a new activity that feels unfamiliar
🔹 Speaking after being silent
🔹 Sharing a personal insight
🔹 Disagreeing respectfully
🔹 Asking for help

These moments seem small from the outside, but inside someone’s body, they are full of shaky adrenaline. They are the building blocks of confidence, courage, and genuine connection.

As the facilitator, your job is not to push your participants, but to engineer conditions where a small risk feels doable.

* * * * *
Follow me, as I am writing my book "Ice Melters" in public. I love to share ideas, strategies and activities to create engagement, trust and connection in groups - without making people cringe.

One of my pet peeves in virtual sessions: A Q&A slide that is taking up the whole screen and stays up for the whole 20-30 minutes!!!

Can we stop doing this and just stop screensharing, so we can see the speaker or even better: each other?!

Thank you 🙏

On Saturday I went to get inspired by the amazing speakers at TEDxHeilbronn and picked up a couple of ideas for my upcoming TEDx performance at TEDxFreiburg in March 2026!

What makes a memorable TED Talk for you

390 ... 

That is the number of followers I hope to attract by 31.12.2025 so I can cross off a box on my Vision Board Bingo card that I have been carrying over each quarter wind the start of the year:

"Attract 10,000 followers on LinkedIn."

Ok, that might sound a bit cryptic for anyone who didn't see my Bingo Card yet, where I track the progress and momentum to achieve my goals. In business, personal, family, health, lifestyle and wealth.

After 2 years with this process I am excited to teach more people about it. Should I host a workshop on this topic? Share my canva template? Record a video walkthrough?

Let me know in the comments.

And if you're not a follower yet, and want to learn how to create more human experiences, invite even the quiet people into contribution and create a sense of belonging, then you know what to do 🙂

No alternative text description for this image

Skipping Black Friday. Celebrating 8 years instead! 🎉

This Friday my company, Ask Deep Questions, turns 8 years old this week and before we celebrate, I want to ask you something that might shift what's coming next...

But first, a short story.

Back in 2017, I organized a small camping trip north of Toronto, Canada.
To help everyone connect on the long drive, I printed a handful of questions on little slips of paper.

That was it. No decks. No brand. Just a simple way to spark better conversations.

I remember floating in a canoe in the middle of a lake with the stars above us as we shared vulnerable stories with each other. It was magical.

After the trip, something unexpected happened: Everyone wanted to keep the questions. People started using them at family gatherings, staff meetings, and even on dates.

So I kept iterating.
Refining questions. Testing them with groups.
Watching what opened people up and what didn’t.

Eventually, I put the very first Ask Deep Questions deck out into the world on November 28, 2017.

Within the first few year:

🎉 80+ people showed up to the first release
🎉 333 backers supported the Kickstarter
🎉 The decks were shipped to more than 20 countries
🎉 And (this still blows my mind), by now, over 300,000 deep conversations have been sparked because of it.

Eight years later, I’m still following that same spark:

Helping people warm up groups, build trust, and create connection without the cringe. If by the end we feel less alone, my mission is complete.
​
And today, I’d love your help shaping what I build next with a quick 3-minute check-in. I built a short guided check-in to better understand where you’re at and what would actually help you next year.

👉 Take the check-in here​: https://lnkd.in/ev5Xzptg
​
+ + + + +  + + + + +  + + + + +

A small anniversary thank-you (early access) 🎉

Because it’s the 8-year anniversary, I’ve also put together a small thank-you: Up to 50% limited-time discounts on my cards, self-guided courses and digital tools.

Everyone who completes the check-in will get immediate access. For everyone else, I will send the details for the Ask Deep Questions Anniversary this Friday on my email list: https://lnkd.in/e6_SZmCr

❌ This isn’t a Black Friday sale, and part of me always cringes when this time of the year comes around. But I want you to help me with my mission, and if that means more people will see it, I am okay with that! 
​
Thanks for being a part of this journey ❤️

8 years ago I printed some cards...

I am preparing for a Christmas themed Murder Mystery Dinner this weekend and am having way too much fun customizing the characters based on the guest's favourite holiday movies 😍

Plus, the murder scene will have a soundtrack and smoke 😳

Now, I just need to find a small team that will hire me to create a custom experience for them ...

Seriously, this would be a dream project!!

Most facilitators know what it feels like when a session slips away from them.

😮‍💨 The energy drops.
📣 The loudest people dominate.
🤐 Quiet voices stay silent.

You’re adapting in real time, but it feels like guesswork instead of skill.

And it’s frustrating because you know the session could have been meaningful, engaging, and inclusive.

That’s the problem: traditional facilitation trainings don’t teach you how to handle the real moments. They give you models and tools, but not the ability to read the room, intervene skilfully, or create psychological safety when it matters most.

Most facilitators are left to learn by trial and error in front of a group.

I designed "The EPIC Facilitator" to fix that.

This advanced facilitation skills training helps you master the four pillars of unforgettable experiences:

🔹 Engagement: micro-engagements, temperature-checking, and adapting your facilitation like a thermostat.

🔹 Purpose: designing sessions people remember, building buy-in, and keeping discussions on track.

🔹 Inclusion: co-creating practices that make every voice heard and accessible by design.

🔹 Collaboration: turning groups into teams and managing “difficult” behaviours with confidence.

And unlike other programs, we don’t stop at theory. You practise real scenarios in the High-Stakes Practice Lab, where you can safely test your skills before applying them in front of stakeholders or clients.

If you want to level up your facilitation in a way that actually shows up in the room, this is the container for it.
​
📆 Early-bird pricing ends December 31, 2025, and we start in February 2026.
👉 Save your spot before the price increases: https://lnkd.in/eFj8xphw

If you’ve been considering joining, now’s the right moment.

* * * * *

PS: What I love the most about this training are the diverse voices and experiences in the room. In the current cohort, we had people from Canada, Ireland, Germany, the USA, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom and Colombia, who all brought unique perspectives and approaches to common group challenges.

I truly believe that my job as the trainer/facilitator of this program is to mine the wisdom that already exists in the group, which is why you won't get long PowerPoint slides to watch; instead, you'll get to learn through experience and from each other.

taplio

The Battle

Pedram Parasmand

Jan Keck

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taplio

The Battle

Pedram Parasmand

Jan Keck

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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);}Pedram Parasmand's LinkedIn Performance

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