I succeeded my way to a life that wasn’t me.
Fifteen years of doing what I was supposed to do. PhD. Corporate R&D. MBA. Startup co-founder. Every box checked, every metric hit. All of it things I could do. None of it actually what I should be doing. Now, I help leaders address the same questions to build a career that belongs to them.
If that speaks to you, click Get Started and I’d love to chat! Or, check out my writing and videos to learn more about me and my process.
You’re successful on paper.
Why do you feel hollow inside?
You followed your defaults. Lived the expected path. Good grades led to good schools led to good jobs led to… this. A life that looks impressive from the outside and feels like you’re piloting someone else’s body from the inside. You don’t consult yourself anymore. You optimize. You execute. You perform. And somewhere along the way, you stopped asking if any of this is actually yours.
Don’t Take My Word for It—Hear from the People I Didn’t Even Pay.
How do we find our should?
Energy
What do you actually like doing? Where does the time disappear (in a good way), leaving you feeling more energized than before?
Purpose
Who is the complete you? What do you value, now, and in the future? And what aspect of you do you seek to fulfill professionally?
Strengths
What are you crazy good at? What skills, experience, or talents offer value? (Especially if it’s something you enjoy that other people avoid)
Who is Jared?
- Ph.D. Chemistry (Duke University)
- MBA (University of Texas, Dallas)
- Former CEO – Ouroloop Inc. (Advanced Recycling)
- Former R&D, Innovation Manager – The Clorox Company
- Former Chemistry Professor – Elon University
- Founding Board Member – The Idealized Science Institute
Translation: I did things. Now let me tell you who I actually am.
- MBTI: INTJ (The Architect- Stratgic, Independent, Annoying at Parties)
- StrengthsFinder
- Strategic – I see patterns others miss
- Consistency – fairness and clear rules matter (A LOT!)
- Relator – deep relationships > shallowness
- Achiever – If it wasn’t clear above…I like quantitative progress
- Competition – mostly against a past version of myself
- Dungeons & Dragons Alignment – Neutral Good (Do right by people, break stupid rules. Design systems to work for humans, not the other way around)
No, who are you really?
- Avid Duke Basketball fan (calendar reflects unavailability)
- Duolingo Streak – 2800+ days (Spanish, Portuguese) @jjheymann
- Avid ERG Rower – Over 15 million meters rowed!
- Amateur Cocktail Maestro (hence, why I need to row more)
- Pet parent to Omar, Stringer, and Clay (aka The Boys)
My Philosophy
The most valuable thing any of us can do is dedicate time to truly know ourselves.
Not the LinkedIn version. Not the version your parents wanted.
Not the version that looks good on paper.
The actual version – what lights you up, what you’re building toward, what you’re stupidly good at that others struggle with.
