Who Is
Ben Stein?
I was making over 175K a year as VP of Product at a .com.
I was overseeing strategy and project management for four different online products that dominated the online fine art space. I was in NYC, working in the famous Woolworth Building. My commute was just two blocks.
My first kid had just been born and I was returning from paternity leave.
Sounds perfect right?
I had what everyone else has told me what was success, but I didn’t feel fulfilled or aligned with the work I was doing. I was just doing enough to get by.
And that’s when I got the email from the CEO to come into his office.
One meeting can change everything.
My department had a restructure a couple months earlier, and I thought I had made it out unscathed. I didn’t see the writing on the wall.
And here I was an unemployed new dad who was going to lose his insurance soon.
As I left the building lobby with my belongings in a box, I got a call from a number I didn’t recognize, but something told me to answer it.
“Congratulations you’ve been accepted! Are you in?”
It was from a coach who’s program I had applied to, to help me build my coaching business, which had been a side hustle up until that point.
The timing was unreal.
“I’m in.” I said.
That’s when I realized: Life is too short to do work that you’re not aligned with.
It was time to go all in on my dream to coach.
This bold decision making was a far cry from where I had been 10 years earlier….
I remember breaking down crying in my office chair of the animation studio, where I was working as an Executive Producer in 2008.
I was a hot mess…drinking too much, overweight, dating women I knew weren’t right for me, and seeking external validation.
I was plateauing at work, and didn’t have confidence or clarity in myself to take the next steps.
I realized in that moment it was time to seek help.
I first tried Psychiatry, but after getting ready to bare my soul, the doctor asked, “What do you want a prescription for?” Gut punch.
Then I tried therapy, and that was good for a few months until I found myself asking the question, “What’s wrong this week?”
I ultimately found coaching after an ex gave me a free session as a gift. (Thank You!)
That hour turned into a weekend, into 6 month intensive, and into a two year coach training program.
In a short time I
- Got a great new job at at a PR agency
- Went over a year without alcohol
- Dropped 40 lbs
- Learned how to feel and express my emotions
- Started my coaching training
- Embarked on an eight month backpacking trip around the world (including summiting Kilimanjaro and Everest Base Camp)
What I realized is that we can make quantum leaps when we invest in mentorship and coaching to get to the next level. (Which is why I continue to get coached to this day.)
CERTIFICATIONS & TRAINING
META-NLP Certified Practitioner
Certification In Neuro-Linguisitic Programming (NLP)
Certified R.I.M. Facilitator
Certification In Reprogramming Images In Memory Taught By Dr. Deb Sandella
Certified Enhanced Practitioner
Certification In Executive Coaching From ACE Coaching Accelerator
Professional Bio
Ben Stein, plateau breakthrough coach at Purpose Up, author, podcast host and world traveler is more than just a former Product Management executive. He launched the Purpose Up Podcast and Purpose Up Coaching to help guide and inspire professionals to land their dreams jobs, lead teams that love them, and help them find true purpose and fulfillment.
Ben has helped thousands of executives land their dreams jobs, level up their leadership and live with more purpose.
He is also staff Executive Coach at Guided.co. He has worked with or helped clients get roles at companies like Visa, Amazon, Microsoft, Vayner Media, KPGM, United Health, Compass Group, Data Robot and many others.
