8020 Excellerate is a 360-degree leadership experience for individuals and organizations
It's easy to forget an idea. It's hard to forget an experience.
How is this different from other leadership development programs?
Yes, our program is leadership development, but it's so much more. It's the only program that looks at every part of who you are and seeks to create a lasting shift in how you lead and live. Our holistic, hands-on approach includes applying what you learn in real-time, getting feedback, and seeing immediate impact.
The 8020 Excellerate program coaches you through a step-by-step process to develop the habits, behaviors, and perspectives that will make you more successful in your current position and better equipped to handle complex leadership roles. Along the way, you will learn from peers by sharing challenges and insights in the MyQuest™ program portal and through weekly virtual group coaching sessions.
Why should I invest in 8020 Excellerate?
First, we want to make sure your investment is worth it.
If your organization invests in our program, you don't want the participants to work through the program and learn new habits, only to revert back to doing things the same old way once the program is over. That's a waste of your money and a waste of everyone's time.
If you're an individual investing in the program for yourself, you're looking for long-term change, not new ideas you're unable to sustain.
8020 Excellerate participants experience transformative growth and lasting impact.
Feeling stuck?
Are you feeling stuck in your career, unsure of how to break through to the next level? You're not alone. Many talented professionals like you find themselves in similar situations.
At 8020 Excellerate, we understand how frustrating it can be to feel undervalued and overlooked. Our mission is to help you become the influential leader you're meant to be.
You've got hidden potential
Our goal is simple: to expand your leadership skills beyond just the top performers. We believe that every individual has hidden potential waiting to be discovered.
Through personalized coaching and targeted training, we help you uncover and develop your strengths, leading to higher engagement and career satisfaction.
Hi, I’m Ardi, the founder and CEO of 8020 Excellerate
When I created this program, I wanted to solve the biggest challenges leaders face, and I knew it needed to go beyond traditional leadership training.
8020 Excellerate isn’t just another leadership course; it’s a whole new category. Most of our participants are already established leaders who’ve done plenty of training, but they know that real, lasting change doesn’t come from a one-time workshop.
What makes 8020 Excellerate different? We’re the only leadership program that looks at every part of who you are—your physical well-being, mental habits, emotional intelligence, decision-making, negotiation skills, and more. We don’t just teach skills; we create a lasting shift in how you lead and live. With our transformative, hands-on approach, you’re not just learning theory—you’re practicing real-time, getting feedback, and seeing immediate impact.
Our goal is to make sure your investment sticks. You’re not going back to old habits because, with 8020 Excellerate, you’re building a new way of BEING in business and in life.
We understand the frustration of watching one opportunity after another pass you by
We know how challenging it can be to face career stagnation. Your potential may have been overlooked, and your contributions undervalued.
That's where we come in. Our experienced coaches are committed to helping you break free from these limitations and achieve the leadership success you deserve.
Take the First Step
Don't let career stagnation hold you back any longer. Take the first step toward becoming an influential leader. Schedule a call with us today and start your journey to realizing your full potential.
At 8020 Excellerate, we're here to support you every step of the way.
Meet Your Team
Ardi Ghorashy
Founder, Excellerate Coach
Ardi has an extensive background working with executives, managers, teams, and organizations to pinpoint sources of drag, smooth rough edges, optimize performance, and accelerate progress toward ambitious goals. His work has positively impacted thousands of managers and executives in Fortune Global 500 companies, spanning technology, telecommunications, manufacturing, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, food, power, oil and gas, finance, banking, insurance, and more. Ardi earned a Master’s Degree in Engineering from Manchester UK and holds PMP, PgMP, CSM, SAFe 4.0 Agilist, Six Sigma Green Belt, Prosci and APMG designations. He is also a Change Management practitioner and International Coaching Federation (ICF) Coach — and is certified in MBTI, EQi-2.0, Leadership Challenge and GlobeSmart assessments. Ardi, founder of 80/20 Consulting Inc., created the 8020 Excellerate program because he has seen how insightful feedback and mentoring can transform people, careers, and companies. 8020 Excellerate aims to close the leadership development gap by shining light on the hidden “leadership gems” within an organization. Main Office: Canada
Jane Morgan
Cofounder, Excellerate Coach
Jane is founder and CEO of the UK-based Plan.Coach.Succeed Ltd. serving clients all over the world since 2003. With 25+ years in project management, Jane brings a powerful combination of LOGIC and INTUITION to her unique Plan.Coach.Succeed (PCS) coaching approach, enabling established and aspiring leaders to achieve stellar results. A certified Co-Active & ICF Accredited PCC® Coach, Jane has over 3,000 one-to-one coaching hours and 15 years of experience designing, developing, and delivering high-impact leadership development programs that positively change behavior. She is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP®) and provides consulting and training in this discipline to major corporations globally. Jane brings a wealth of experience and a record of exceptional client results to her role as an 8020 Excellerate Coach. Main Office: UK
Teresa Veenstra
Cofounder, Excellerate Coach
Teresa is an executive coach, consultant and facilitator who partners with individuals and teams, offering the tools and inspiration that empower people to realize and step into their full potential and capacity for advancement. Her approach combines leading-edge best practices in the areas of executive coaching and leadership development to boost performance, effectiveness, and growth. Teresa has delivered C-suite and senior leadership development and team development programs for organizations of all sizes, from small companies to multi-national organizations. Teresa is an International Coach Federation’s Associate Certified Coach (ACC), holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree and Adult Education certification. She is also a certified practitioner for several personality and behavioural assessments and a CanFit Pro Fitness Instructor. Teresa’s coaching and leadership development approach is a perfect fit with the 8020 Excellerate mission. Her success in helping clients achieve their career goals is a tremendous asset to the program. Main Office: Canada
Anil Gupta
Cofounder, Excellerate Coach
Anil has been helping individuals and organizations improve performance for over 20 years. He works with executive teams to build the strategic plan and cultural orientation for their organization, and helps mid-level leaders translate those strategic plans into execution plans. He leads cross-functional transformational process improvement and enables organizations through Lean and Six Sigma training. Anil’s consulting practice has taken him to five continents, and spans a wide range of industries including aerospace, software, healthcare, government, not-for-profit, retail, manufacturing, finance, construction, airlines, and service, among others. He also teaches Lean Six Sigma at the University of Toronto and McMaster University in Hamilton, ON. Listen to his Tedx Talk here. Anil has an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business, Ontario; M.Sc. in Business Research from University of Reading; Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt Certification from the Six Sigma Academy, and is a certified administrator of the Myers Briggs Personality Type Indicators. He is currently a research scholar at the Rotman School, University of Toronto. Main Office: Canada
Jillian McLaughlin
Excellerate Coach
As a passionate and certified EQ-based leadership coach, trainer and speaker, Jillian is on a mission to help business leaders unlock their full potential by harnessing the power of Emotional Intelligence to create lasting joy, clarity, confidence and well-being in their lives. She has worked extensively with both proven and emerging leaders to harness the skills of Emotional Intelligence to create engaging work environments, establish authentic relationships, build socially invested teams and deliver business results Gifted in building and inspiring teams, Jillian founded McLaughlin Mentoring following an award-winning almost 20-year management career at Unilever and Sun Products/Henkel, steering marketing and business strategy for iconic brands like Dove, Sunsilk, and Sunlight.
Sherry Pedersen-Ajmani
Excellerate Coach
A versatile executive coach and HR leader known for creativity, integrity, pragmatism and humour, Sherry is the go-to person when companies and individuals are seeking coaching for development. An Adler-trained Coach, she works comfortably with C-Suite executives, middle management, as well as with high-potential staff in the early stages of their careers. Over the course of her 20-year career, she has worked in both generalist and specialist HR roles at Tier 1 Canadian companies, particularly in the field of Leadership Development and Talent Management with Maple Leaf Foods, Walmart Canada and most recently in executive coaching and assessment with LHH Knightsbridge. Main Office: Canada
Cynthia Jamieson
Excellerate Coach
Through Cynthia’s 30+ years of experience supporting leaders at all levels (from the shop floor to the boardroom) within multiple industries, work environments and business contexts I have expertise in all areas of Human Resources. As an Executive Coach she helps new, emerging and high potential leaders leverage core values and strengths to take it to the next level by dialing down self-sabotage and dialling up mental fitness to: Develop an authentic leadership brand and style Tame the inner critic and increase self-confidence Navigate leadership, life and career transitions Explore how thoughts impact results Cynthia provides a compassionate connection and an authentic approach by bringing people to spaces and places they would not have traveled to otherwise. Main Office: Canada
Vivian Acquah
DEI & Workplace Wellness Consultant
As an inclusive Workplace Wellness Advocate, Vivian is passionate about advising managers on how to keep their team members engaged, energized, and safe in a sustainable manner, ultimately increasing revenue for your company. Working with Vivian means working towards sustainable employability in a holistic way: all elements of wellness and wellbeing are interconnected, including physical, mental, career, social, community, and financial wellness. I also purposefully incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Dr. Clif Lewis
Industrial Organizational Psychologist
Business life in a post-COVID world presents complexity, doubt and uncertainty. I work with clients to avoid doubt and uncertainty becoming debilitating, and instead empower my clients to channel it into opportunities for growth. For over a decade, I have helped individuals and teams in disrupted industries find stability. They achieve this through a better understanding of themselves, their organization and others; learning new ways of interacting, responding and constructing healthy relationships. Ultimately, my expertise lies in the multifaceted fields of leadership. I specialize in guiding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives and assisting to mitigate the complexities, doubt and uncertainty in the ‘Future of Work’. I hold a PhD from the School of Business and Management at Queen Mary University of London, registration as I/O Psychologist in South Africa and the United Kingdom, as well as accreditation as Chartered HR Professional. Main Office: South Africa