Hi, I’m AJ.
I believe that the future will be shaped by the courageous.
I help leaders build the courage they need to make their next bold move — when they don’t yet feel ready, but are done waiting.
Most leaders don't need more skills. They need their courage to match the potential they already have.
I've spent 15+ years navigating uncertainty — as a political staffer during the Great Recession, as an entrepreneur building organizations from scratch, and as the founder who grew Palette Skills from a lunch conversation into a $250M national operation serving workers from coast to coast.
None of that was a straight line. Every chapter required me to make decisions before I felt ready, take risks I couldn't fully calculate, and become a different version of myself than the one who started.
That experience is the foundation of my coaching.
I work with ambitious professionals and leaders who are standing at an inflection point — people who are capable of more, but find themselves hesitating. Maybe you know what your next move is, but you can't seem to make it. Maybe you've outgrown your current role, your organization, or even your identity — but the path forward isn't clear. Maybe you're being asked to lead in ways that feel uncomfortable, visible, or uncertain.
What holds most people back isn't a knowledge gap. It's a courage gap.
My coaching helps you close it.
Drawing on my background in entrepreneurship, systems thinking, future-of-work strategy, and policy, I bring a rare combination of strategic depth and human insight to every engagement. I don't just help you feel better about where you are — I help you build the clarity, confidence, and courage to move decisively toward what's next.
Clients I work with:
Senior professionals navigating a career pivot or identity shift
Founders and operators stepping into larger leadership roles
High-potential leaders who know they're capable of more — and are tired of playing it safe
Mission-driven professionals who want their work to reflect who they're becoming, not just who they've been
What we work on together:
Making the bold decision you've been avoiding
Leading with more authenticity and less self-protection
Building resilience and adaptability in the face of rapid change
Developing the courage to be more visible, more decisive, and more yourself
Courageous leadership IS moving forward with conviction when the path is unclear - and trusting yourself to create the path as you go.
coach
Talented people don't get stuck because they lack ability.
They get stuck because fear, self-doubt, and uncertainty make bold action feel impossible — even when they know exactly what they should do next. I help ambitious professionals and leaders close that gap: between where they are today and the leader they're capable of becoming.
You're here because you’re accomplished. Capable. High potential. But somewhere along the way, the gap between where you are and what you know you're capable of started feeling uncomfortable.
I know this because I’ve been there myself.
It's not a skill problem. It's a courage problem — and it's exactly what I’m here to help you solve.
1:1 coaching
For leaders ready to close the gap between where they are and what they're capable of. Private, ongoing coaching for ambitious professionals navigating transition, pressure, or their next bold move.
group coaching
For ambitious professionals ready to build clarity, confidence, and courageous leadership — together. A workshop for those who want the depth of 1:1 work and the energy of learning alongside others.
coaching packages start at $249.
invest in yourself. Book a free 30 minute consulting call today to get started.
Advisor
Most founders and nonprofit leaders are navigating complexity without a roadmap — and doing it alone.
Building something — whether it's a startup or a mission-driven organization — is one of the hardest things a person can do. The strategic challenges are real. So is the pressure to figure it out faster than feels possible.
I've lived that experience firsthand and advisory work is how I bring those hard-won lessons directly to your organization.
Engagements are tailored to the work. Some clients need a thought partner on retainer for ongoing strategic support. Others bring me in for a focused sprint on a specific challenge. We'll design the right engagement for where you and your team are and what you need.
If you're building something that matters and need a trusted advisor in your corner, let's talk.
advisory services
I work with a small number of founders and nonprofit leaders at a time on the challenges that matter most:
Strategy — Clarifying your direction, prioritizing what matters most, and building a plan you can actually execute
Growth — Scaling thoughtfully without losing what makes your organization work - or your mind - in the process
Team building — Hiring, structuring, and developing the right people for where you're going and inspiring them to get there
Culture — Creating a mission-driven atmosphere that makes your organization feel like a well-oiled machine
Leadership development — Helping you and your leadership team meet their personal and organizational potential
I’m regularly invited to speak at conferences, on podcasts or to the media on a range of topics. Here are some places you might have seen me.
Media
Talking about the future of Canada’s innovation economy on BNN.
conferences
Encouraging the next generation of leaders to dream big at the Bold Canada Summit.
Podcasts
Exploring how to embrace ambition and a risk-taking mindset on the Startwell Pod.