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Ignoring evidence is costly.

Early in my career—as a metropolitan police officer—I ignored evidence that was right in front of me. That decision almost cost me my life. I learned, firsthand, what happens when people don’t recognize signals, don’t integrate information, or don’t act on what they know.

Organizations face this same risk every day.

Not because they lack data or insight—but because they lack systems that help people learn, interpret, and act on evidence during change.

That insight has shaped my career.

Today, I design learning, enablement, and change systems that help organizations adopt new behaviors, tools, and operating models—without relying on heroics or one‑off efforts.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜 𝗙𝗢𝗖𝗨𝗦 𝗢𝗡:

My work sits at the intersection of:

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, & 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴

• Designing learning architectures that support adoption, not just awareness
• Building role‑based capability systems for frontline, leadership, and specialist roles
• Supporting organizational change during growth, transformation, and integration
• Translating strategy into practical learning pathways, standards, and performance support

𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗨𝗫 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵, & 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵

• Applying qualitative and quantitative research to reduce decision risk
• Building insight systems that scale beyond centralized teams
• Helping organizations move from “research outputs” to embedded decision support

𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗜 𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗔𝗖𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞:

I believe insight only creates value when it changes behavior.

That’s why I focus on:

• Making complex information usable
• Creating repeatable frameworks instead of one‑off deliverables
• Designing learning that is applied, reinforced, and embedded into daily work
• Treating change as a learning problem—not a communication problem

I often describe my approach as helping organizations think like investigators—not because everyone should be a detective, but because evidence must be collected, interrogated, communicated, and acted on systematically.

𝗪𝗛𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞𝗦:

🎓 I hold a doctorate in cognitive psychology, focused on how people learn and perform under difficult conditions.

🌎 I’ve built and led enterprise insight and enablement functions at organizations like Twilio, Twitter, Panasonic, Indeed, and others.

🚓 My early career as a police officer and detective shaped how I approach evidence, risk, and real‑world decision‑making.

Dr. Ari Zelmanow

Just because someone puts on a good face, doesn't mean they aren't going through sh*t.

I got laid off 9 months ago. 

And to be perfectly transparent, I've been so angry I can barely sleep. Like, genuinely consumed by it. 

I'm angry at all the people I helped—and who are now absent when I needed a hand.

I'm angry at how unfair the system is, including my layoff—and how I'm expected to just smile and take it.

I'm angry that I have to pretend I'm fine—and that admitting I'm struggling makes me look weak in everyone's eyes.

But mostly, I'm just exhausted. 

And I just realized—I'm making the ONE mistake nobody warns you about.

Here's what happened: I let my anger stop being a 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 and started letting it become my 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘺.

And look—your anger is valid. Mine is too. When life screws you over, you should allow yourself the grace to feel that rage. 

You should let yourself be pissed off. Don't let anyone shame you for that. But here's the trap I fell into:

I stopped 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 angry and started 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 anger.

Every decision I made came from that place. Every thought was filtered through it. I wasn't a person experiencing anger anymore—I 𝘸𝘢𝘴 the anger. And that's when it stops serving you. 

That's when it starts destroying you.

So yeah. I'm still mad. 

I'm probably gonna be mad for a while. But I'm learning to let it move 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 me instead of letting it 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 me.

You can honor your anger without letting it own your future.

I'm still figuring that out. But I think that's the difference between feeling something and letting it consume you.

Like country singer Terri Clark says, "I just wanna be mad for awhile."

Wanna help a Laid Off Dad out?

Buy a bag (or three) of my corn. 50% discount for National Popcorn Day. Link in the comments below.

---

👋 Hey, I’m Ari from Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn.

I got laid off and decided to build my kettle corn business in public—one bag at a time.

From my family to yours.

🌽 Made by hand, small batches 
📦 Custom and special orders
🛒 Limited online drops

🍿 Bags sold for the 2026 challenge: 254 / 100,000

CX, UX & Market Research Leadership | Learning & Change Systems Design | Change Management, Org Development & Training | EdD, Cognitive Psychology

A year ago, I didn’t plan on starting a popcorn business.
 
Like a lot of people, I got laid off.  

❌ No warning
❌ No roadmap 
❓ Just a lot of questions
 
What I 𝘥𝘪𝘥 have was a family, a community, and a kettle that could turn simple ingredients into something joyful.
 
So I started making small-batch kettle corn.
 
Not because popcorn fixes everything—but because in uncertain times, small good things matter. 

A warm bag shared at a game. Kids laughing. Neighbors talking. A moment that feels normal again.
 
Laid‑Off Dad Kettle Corn isn’t about hustle culture or “reinventing yourself.”  It’s about doing something honest, with your hands, and sharing it with the people around you.
 
If you’re navigating uncertainty right now—whether it’s a layoff, a transition, or just a season that feels heavy—you’re not alone.
 
Sometimes progress looks like taking the next small step.  Sometimes it smells like fresh popcorn.
 
Thanks to everyone who’s supported a small family business and reminded us that community still shows up.
 
Onward. 🍿

---

👋 I’m Ari — the laid‑off dad behind Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn.
 
I’m building this business in public, one small batch at a time.  Grateful for the support, the conversations, and the community.
 
From my family to yours. 🍿
 
🌽 Hand‑made • Small batches  🍿 2026 goal: 266 / 100,000 bags

You know what's worse than making zero sales? 

Making enough to know your idea works, but not enough to sleep at night.

So yesterday I made a couple hundred dollars. Today (so far)? Zero.

And nobody talks about THIS part of being an entrepreneur.

Everyone's either posting their "I made six figures in a month" screenshots, or they're like "I can't get a single sale, help me." 

But what about us in the middle?

I run a popcorn company. Some days are incredible. Some days are crickets. And I'm out here trying to hit a thousand dollars a day consistently—and I'm just... not there yet.

It's this weird limbo where you're making REAL money, like, enough to know this thing works... but not enough to feel secure. Not enough to stop checking your phone every twenty minutes to see if another order came through.

And the thing is? I think MOST of us are here. In this gap. Making it work but not "making it" yet.

But we don't talk about it because it doesn't fit the narrative. It's not inspiring enough. It's not desperate enough.

It's just... real.

---

👋 Hey, I’m Ari from Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn.

I got laid off and decided to build my kettle corn business in public—one bag at a time.

From my family to yours.

🌽 Made by hand, small batches 
📦 Custom and special orders
🛒 Limited online drops

🍿 Bags sold for the 2026 challenge: 174 / 100,000

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁?
 
Kettle corn.
 
A brilliant account executive reached out today and asked if I could send kettle corn to a prospect.
 
My answer was simple: 𝘆𝗲𝘀.
 
We picked the flavors.  Wrote a custom note.  Shipped it the same day.
 
Now put yourself on the receiving end of that.
 
You’re opening a real box.  From a real person.  Not another automated touchpoint.
 
I’ll say it plainly—𝗜’𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹.
 
No AI.
No automation.
No crazy tech stack.
 
Just thoughtful outreach that actually stands out.
 
𝗖𝗧𝗔:  👉 If you want prospects to remember you and take the meeting, 𝗗𝗠 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆.

---

👋 My name is Ari.

I run Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn—small‑batch kettle corn wholesale partners, custom orders, and DTC.

🌽 Made by hand, small batches 
📦 Event & brand programs 
🛒 Limited online drops

🍿 Bags sold for the 2026 challenge: 150 / 100,000

If you want to guarantee failure, I’ll tell you how.
 
Don’t try.
 
That’s it.
 
It’s not the wrong strategy. 
It’s not lack of experience. 
It’s not bad timing.  
 
The only sure way to fail is to never start.
 
There will 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 be what‑ifs.  

What if I fail? (you will)
What if it doesn’t work? (it wont)
What if I look stupid? (who cares)
 
But here’s the truth:  If you don’t try, you already decided the outcome.
 
Trying doesn’t guarantee success—but not trying guarantees you never had a chance.

So if you have something you have been putting on the back burner...

Do it.

---

👋 Hey, I’m Ari from Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn.

I got laid off and decided to build my kettle corn business in public—one bag at a time.

From my family to yours.

🌽 Made by hand, small batches 
📦 Custom and special orders
🛒 Limited online drops

🍿 Bags sold for the 2026 challenge: 266 / 100,000

Researcher | Published Author | Ex-Tenured Professor | I help Indian international students and professionals take charge of their American immigration journey

👋 Hi there! I'm Aditi Paul - Former tenured professor with over a decade of experience doing research on social media, online dating, and technology's impact on human lives.

Throughout my professional career, there was one thing that was a constant bother.

Dealing with immigration.

I've gone through the arduous F1  ▶️ H1B  ▶️ EB2  ▶️ EB1 route and finally earned my green card.

I know firsthand how challenging immigration can be. 

⭐️ This is why my goal is to help the next generation of immigrants navigate their journey with confidence and ease.

This is how I can help

✅ Follow me on Linkedin and Substack - I share insights about the EB1 process 5 times a week

✅ Join my exclusive Slack community of EB1 green card aspirants (There are over 5,300 people in there) 

✅ 1:1 call to jumpstart your EB1 prep (link : Topmate.io/draditipaul)

✅ Get a copy of The EB1 Starter Pack (link : Topmate.io/draditipaul)

or if you'd like to get down to business and work 1:1 with me

DM "GO" and I'll send you the details.


Disclaimer: Please note that all content I create on immigration matters is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. It is important to consult with a licensed attorney who specializes in immigration law. 


------------------------------------------------------------------

A snapshot of my professional profile:

► Conceptualized and executed seven research projects resulting in 

◊ 98+ quotes in popular media outlets including NBC News, Newsweek, Business Insider, The Washington Post, CNET, Bustle, and Psychology Today
◊ 25 speaking engagements at conferences, universities, and corporate events at IBM and TEDxBushwick
◊ 22+ media interviews
◊ $19,463 research funds acquisition
◊ 9 publications (research papers, reports, book chapters, and sole-authored book)
◊ 3 fellowships with Wikipedia, Association of National Advertisers, and New York University
◊ 3 research awards 

►  For more information, visit: http://www.draditipaul.com/

Aditi Paul, PhD 🟢

You can't make this sh*t up even if you tried

According to recent reports, a large percentage of "extraordinary ability" visas reserved for artists (O1-B) are now being given to OnlyFans influenzas

Hate all you want

But, I see this as a positive thing

For 2 reasons:

1. Immigrants filling voids in every sector of the economy, including sugar babies

#representationmatters 

2. This shows that USCIS understands that "extraordinary" can be demonstrated in different ways

Not just through those 800 BC archaic measures like

- patents
- papers
- citations

I am excited for the future ya'll

Particularly waiting for the EB1 profile building service bros cashing in on this

Can't wait for them to guarantee you

Backdated citations
UK and US based patents
Titan and Ubtan awards

and now guaranteed 100,000 sugar daddy subscriptions on your onlyfans

Launch it right now, guys

Times are tickin'


------------------------

PS: If you want to craft a compelling EB1 profile that actually stands out

📌  Start here : https://lnkd.in/euk2dEJm

I've distilled it down to 3 steps

Aditi Paul,PhD

Get EB1-ready with a proven game plan • make real progress in 4–6 hrs of focused work / week, so you can live in the US with freedom & ease • 138+ clients 3900+ customers served • DM “GO” to work with me 1:1

I got to know about EB1 in 2015

For 4 years I didn't do jacksh*t

But, when I finally decided to pursue it in 2019 I wanted the results overnight

This lack of patience caused me more pain, made me lose my peace of mind, than actually doing the work to get EB1

In reality, it only took me 3 years of focused effort get EB1 done

But this unrealistic timeline I had for myself

Made those 3 years feel like a lifetime

That is why, if I had to re-do EB1 all over again

The first change  I would make is mentally prepare myself to accept the fact that this will take time

That it is not going to be done in 6 months

- I would have saved myself a lot of agony
- I would have been a better partner to my lawyer
- I would have done EB1 with a lot more peace of mind

Like Justin Welsh said recently:

Everyone is looking for a hack

The hack is patience


------------------------

PS: If you do want to fast-track EB1

Start with a good strategy

I've simplified it into 3 steps

https://lnkd.in/euk2dEJm

Biggest hack in EB1 - 
Knowing which criteria to focus on (and which to ignore)

Its not the same for everyone

You can break it down into 2 camps - Industry vs. Academia

For industry professionals

(engineers, product, pharma, oil and gas, and so on)

Your top 3 criteria are:

- Critical role
- Original contributions
- Authorship / Talks

Critical role is where you show how important you are for your employer

And no….
Making billions of dollars is not automatically “critical”

Original contributions is where you show the work you have done inside the company, the impact of that has been felt outside the company 

In a way that its changed how things are done in your industry

Authorship is how you show your expertise is coveted not only inside your company, but outside of it as well. 

I hate the term "thought leader" but that is what you essentially need to show 

PS: some may say salary, but then thats a whole minefield in and of itself

For academics

(researchers, professors, post docs, R&D leaning work)

Your top 3 criteria are similar to industry except one

You dont focus on critical role, you focus on judging

Thats peer reviewing for you

But be careful

For better or for worse, USCIS is more familiar with academic work than industry work

They do throw accusations like:

"Well every academic publishes papers and peer-reviews. 
what makes YOU so special?"

At this point it becomes crucial for you to show the true impact and utility of your work

Do not just rely on shallow citation metrics

I share how I did it in this video


------------------

Need help focusing on the right criteria?

📌 Grab the EB1 Playbook : https://lnkd.in/e-95xgey

Its got insights from 46 approved (and legit) EB1 cases

I skirted around the main problem for a long time

Until 2019

Thats when I had to get real with myself and sort the ONE problem out that solved every other problem in my life

My immigration status

I loved being a professor of communication studies

When I started this job in New York City in 2015, I had no plans of leaving it. I was straight out of grad school

- Got my H1B
- Got a steady paycheck
- Had 3 months off in summers

It felt like I hit jackpot

However, in 2019 - thats when the growing pains hit

I started feeling stuck, losing excitement about things I used to feel excited about, getting sick of predatory practices I saw in academia

I tried to renew my enthusiasm for the job by pursing professional growth opportunities

But nothing could shake off the feeling that I had outgrown the job 

It was time for me to move on

The only problem? I was on H1B

The only realistic way I could move on with my life and pursue opportunities that would help me grow professionally is by removing this H1B restriction once and forever

The only way to do that?  A green card

A green card was never just a green card for me 

A green card was my ticket to permanent professional sovereignty

-----------------------

EB1 was the only way I could get that green card

Want to take your first step toward EB1?

📌 Grab the playbook in the comments

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Aditi Paul, PhD 🟢

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The Battle

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Aditi Paul, PhD 🟢

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