Helping Leaders Excel™

"Dr. Soder was my strategist, marketeer, and psychologist -- helping me lay the difficult groundwork for gaining a board seat.   She helped me develop a succinct but impactful board bio and a strategy for outreach and held my hand throughout the process which ultimately resulted in a board seat!"

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Tensie Whelan, Director of NYU Center for Sustainable Business

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"Dee is an excellent advisor, superb coach and well connected top level mentor.  Those words are not superlative enough to describe her abilities. She is  extremely effective at helping to move along corporate leaders to outstanding excellence and the pinnacle of success. In my case, she helped me transition from a long time executive to an amazingly successful CEO who in quick order took a long time progressively modest-growth company to explosive growth and in a few years helped me to quadruple the size of the company and become the world’s leader in its field.  Dee is there for top leaders who think they are doing well but have no idea how much better they could be doing."

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Barry Myers, CEO DrugSafe Healthcare and former CEO, AccuWeather

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"Dee Soder and Dick Clarke helped my transition from a senior executive at General Mills to founding LFE Capital, a growth equity firm with a 21 year track record building successful businesses. The CEO Assessment and counsel they provided gave me insights and skills that helped me launch LFE, which has been very rewarding – professionally and personally.  They’ve also been a resource for portfolio management teams.  Highly recommend!!"

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Leslie Frecon, Founder & Managing Partner, LFE Capital

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"While I think assessing management is one of our core competencies, Dee is really the expert. Her ability to dig (gently) into areas that might have risked future friction in our relationship with a portfolio CEO was truly valuable. Her deeper insights contributed to a smoother, more successful entry into the investment and greater confidence on everyone's part."

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Justin Wender, Managing Partner of Stella Point Capital

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"When I became a partner, Dee helped me hypercharge my legal practice. Working with her changed my perspective on engaging with clients, colleagues and associates. Not only a wonderful and insightful person, she helps you broaden your lens and is a wonderful and helpful resource pushing you to the next level." 

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Adam Brenner, Partner, DLA Piper

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“Much of the success navigating challenging situations throughout my career can be credited to working with Dr. Dee Soder.  From a rising manager to CEO, Dee’s assessments and advice set the stage for me to succeed in constant change and increasing demands.  Her clairvoyant insights and ability to provide exceptional psychological expertise and business background to top executives, are often recognized as a strategic advantage.  Dee’s advice, which is not judgmental, but direct and practical, has lasted the test of time and market conditions.  Strongly recommended.”

 

Bruce W. Dahlgren, CEO of Anthology, Board Member, and Global Technology Executive

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"I just wanted to let you know that you solved the problem I had with one of my managers. She was making my work life very difficult. You diagnosed the problem and offered a solution in less than a minute. I did what you said: overwhelmed her with memos, made sure that she knew every step I was taking, every thought I had, and suddenly the atmosphere was completely different. Now she is very easy to work with, trusts me, and thus you are responsible for seriously improving my work life."

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Rick, Former Top CIA Operative

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"I was going back through personal files yesterday and came across your original assessment notes for me-- I really owe a great deal to your advice and counsel, which I appreciate even more looking back on it 15 years to see how perceptive and practical it turned out to be: pointed me in the right direction both personally and professionally, spared me more than a few mistakes, and continues to serve me very well. The assessment and advice last for years-still helpful in 2023! A really big “thanks again”!"

 

Terry Connelly, Retired Corporate Lawyer, Investment Banking Executive, & Business School Dean

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"I have worked with Dr. Soder through several important phases of my career. I was referred to Dee as a 'high potential.' Our executive team asked her to work with me on establishing 'leadership presence' that was required for executive roles in our company... evolving how I was perceived by others. Wise v. Smart. Next, she was instrumental in guiding me through the politics of joining a new company, and unanticipated dynamics that were critical in successfully transitioning in a highly visible role. Most recently, I decided to take some risk and assess what I really wanted to do in my next chapter. Dee helped me secure multiple offers, establish a new 'personal brand,' and ultimately transition to an exciting start-up. It’s important to embrace change, and to grow personally and professionally through the course of your career. I have been a more effective leader because of our relationship."

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Kris Robinson, VP Oracle, formerly ThetaRay & HP Exec

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"Dee has a great network of people at top of their game - who are happy to help others in the circle. She is a great resource whether you are looking to hire someone or need advice. She has always responded quickly and never hesitates to help people excel. It is a pleasure to work with her."

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Sophia Yen, MD, MPH, CEO & Co-Founder, PandiaHealth.com

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"Dr. Dee Soder’s knowledge, expertise, and extensive experience with issues affecting the advancement of women into executive roles were pivotal to the successful development and implementation of the federal government’s Glass Ceiling Initiative.  While today’s invisible barriers to advancement are more subtle and mostly driven by unhealthy organizational cultures, they still exist.  Dr. Soder’s skilled counsel and advice continue to be much needed today if we are to shatter those last vestiges of glass ceilings."

 

The Honorable Cari M. Dominguez, Former Chair, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Architect of the Glass Ceiling Initiative, U.S. Department of Labor. 

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"Dee is peerless as consigliere to top executives and boards of directors eager to grow or dealing with sensitive situations. The term 'coach' does not do justice to her uncanny ability to cut to the chase, identifying key issues rapidly, and then to develop effective approaches for navigating through them with grace. Dee and her firm provide a winning combination of psychological insight, pragmatic business judgement, and personal attention, whether operating behind the scenes or on center stage.”

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Deborah Midanek Bailey, Board Director & President of Solon Group

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"The years since Dr. Soder did my evaluation for a prominent LBO firm have been terrific years for me. She helped me during a critical transition point adapt to a group of guys that came from a completely different perspective than I did. The years as CEO for the LBO firm were stellar ones for me, my management group, and our company. All of my management team would count those years as the most enjoyable, challenging, and rewarding years of our lives. Plus, we turned out to be the highest return investment in the firm’s portfolio. Just as importantly, the years since we exited (from the LBO firm) benefited greatly from what I learned from her. We were purchased by Varco International; which was purchased by National Oilwell to become National Oilwell Varco, Inc. In both cases, I reported to the CEO, and two more different styles could not be found. In both cases, I established outstanding working relationships with the CEOs. Even though the LBO firm had received a price 3x our revenues when they sold to Varco, we became the highest return on investment of any acquisition made by Varco or National Oilwell Varco out of more than 100 acquisitions they made building the company that exists today. Her assessment and advice were extremely valuable to this Harvard-educated, Texas oil man."

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David Daniel, Retired Division President, National Oilwell Varco

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“I was fortunate to work for Dr. Dee Soder early in my career. She was an exceptional boss. It was educational and inspiring to see her confidentially, rapidly solve major problems of prominent CEOs. The lessons I gained working for her were invaluable and continue to serve me and my teams as I work nationally and internationally as a director of theater and opera. If you want to excel in your profession, Dr. Dee Soder will help you grow and achieve your goals.” 

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Diana Wyenn, Artist and Co-Founder of Plain Wood Productions

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"Dee has a keen ability to get to the key issues and priorities. She provides thoughtful, constructive and useful suggestions and input. Her consultations are a wise investment and provide valuable insight and action items. Highly recommend."

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Chris Chiames, Chief Communications Officer, Carnival Cruise Lines

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"Dee is an outstanding resource (and human being!) with a welcome understanding and perspective on top executive performance. She brings a multitude of capabilities to any interaction. She is particularly strong in terms of executive coaching, measuring performance, and reframing messaging. Her work with CEOs is remarkable and has directly led to better business outcomes."

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Adam Schneider, FinTech, Investor/Advisor, Digital Assets, Banking and Wealth

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"Dee's work is respected throughout the business world at the highest levels. Many CEOs attribute a large portion of their success and savvy to her acumen and coaching. I've known Dee for ten plus years and had the pleasure and honor of working with Dee. Her insights and advice are always spot-on, helpful and practical. Dee provided critical advice during my career transition from law to top executive roles. To this day I rely on her judgment. She brings a high level of integrity and intelligence to her engagements. with advice that helps her clients get results and grow, both in their professional and personal spheres."

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Suzanne Israel Tufts, Attorney, CEO & Consultant

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"Dee provides an excellent perspective and insight on directly actionable advise on leadership. Her insights and input led directly to strengthening both internal and external leadership. Highly recommend her for helping develop company leadership team."

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Eric Keshin, President/CMO/Principal at Great Harvest Bread Co.

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"I am already a Board director, but Dee helped me better present my expertise and value to other Boards. A former sceptic, the results have been great. She is a consummate professional, exceptionally talented at illustrating the depth of your skill sets, and value to any prospective Board. She has intuitive knowledge of human interaction, and knows many past, and present CEOs of major Fortune 1000 companies as well as their board members. I highly recommend her to anyone looking to present their talents to a Board of Directors."

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Kathleen Camilli, Public and Private BOD member, Strategic Thinker, Investor, ESG Chairperson.

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"Dee is simply one of the best executive career coaches in the world of business. Her advice and counsel is always wise, heartfelt, actionable and relevant. She has counseled many top executives, especially C-suite executives and boards. I am very grateful to have her on my team, as will you if you need her services. I highly recommend Dee. She is the best."

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Mike Paul, CEO, Corporate Board Director, Global Crisis Management Expert

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"I have been fortunate in being able to have had counsel with Dee Soder which improved my outlook and made a lasting impression. A NYC Detective, as is many individuals in law enforcement, have a tough exterior which is hard to penetrate. Dee Soder is an accomplished professional, and her advice sticks with you, even after many years. It is her interest in the person and the encouragement that she gives which makes the impact needed."

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Gregory Walsh, Former NYPD Detective

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"The CEO of my company hired Dee to work with me shortly after I took on my first big role, as GM of a struggling division. Her professional assessment quickly determined that my strong drive, strategic, analytic and business development skills were being held back by some challenges in leading my team and working with key peers.. Through her intensive but supportive coaching, I was quickly able to improve my skills in these areas and develop into a mature business leader, which helped me to achieve success in that role and move up rapidly. When I moved to Sydney, Australia in 2006 to take on a CEO role covering 650 people across seven countries, I again called on Dee to help me with new challenges of scope and culture. Her quick insights and positive coaching has been instrumental in my career, and I can't recommend Dee highly enough. In fact, a former staffer of mine called me yesterday from Kuala Lumpur for advice on a people issue, and I found myself helping him to work through it using the skills and knowledge I had learned from Dee over the years. Thank you, Dee!"

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Dave Lampert, CEO, Food Rescue US

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"I was hesitant to hire a career coach but knew my career needed freshening. Dee has surpassed all of my expectations. She brings a deft combination of advanced psychological study/understanding, deep experience with executive search and keen marketing sense to her coaching. She helped me first focus on who I am, what I'm good at and what excites me and then how best to market myself for those roles I want rather than the job I have. I know Dee is under high demand and selective of new clients. If you are able to work with Dee you will not be disappointed with the results."

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Jason Bernstein, Chief Operating Officer - Investment Banking