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Strive4Success, LLC
Achieve your potential
Strive4Success, LLC builds upon the experiences of its founders, Donato Gradone and Ivan Balan. In his 28 years as a Human Resources professional, Donato grew to lead an HR team, design personnel development and reward & recognition programs, and implement diversity initiatives in various organizations for which he worked. As a psychologist, Ivan is an expert in helping people change. His additional training in Organizational Development and Executive Coaching has allowed him to apply that expertise to leadership and organizational change. Donato and Ivan have experience working with diverse individuals in the HealthCare, Mental Health, Business and Insurance fields.
Donato Gradone, CPC, ELI-MP
Donato is a Human Resources Professional with over 28 years of experience working in both Fortune 500 and small business environments, with roles ranging from HR Manager to Director and, most recently, VP of Human Resources. Throughout his career, he has worked with business professionals at all organizational levels to help them facilitate change in their professional lives in order to function more effectively at work and achieve their professional goals. Building upon this experience, Donato received his Professional Coach Certification (CPC) with iPEC (Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching) and is also an Energy Leadership™ Index - Master Practitioner (ELI-MP).
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In his work, Donato has seen the impact that the coaching process has on helping individuals unleash their true potential and achieve their personal and professional goals. He enjoys coaching staff through executive levels, guiding his clients through a process of identifying their goals and creating a personalized plan to attain those goals. He has worked with individuals newly promoted to management positions as well as with established leaders who are assimilating to new work environments and teams.
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During his career, Donato has also worked extensively with intact, cross functional, and project work teams to help them gain a better understanding of their team dynamics by using team building exercises to identify and enhance their communication skills to achieve a more productive working environment.
Ivan Balan, Ph.D
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As a licensed psychologist, I have been helping people change for over 20 years, whether that change related to adapting to life crises, overcoming negative thinking, changing unproductive behaviors, and leading more fulfilling lives. But if the word psychologist just brings to mind someone sitting in an office treating clients….think again.
About 15 years ago, I became very interested in how my knowledge and skills as a psychologist and facilitator of change could apply outside my clinical office. I completed a Post-Masters Certificate in Organizational Development at the Milano School of Management and Social Policy at the New School University, where I then became part of the adjunct faculty for almost 10 years. This combined psychological and organizational knowledge was key in helping me successfully lead multiple domestic, international, and multinational teams as part of my work at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York City and now at the Florida State University College of Medicine. These experiences highlighted for me the multiple skills and mindsets that an effective leader must possess to motivate and engage employees to function effectively and achieve their goals—as well as the need to understand the cultural context in which one is working.
The same interests that drove me to psychology have led me to professional coaching: a desire to help people be happier and more effective in their professional lives. To this end, my training at the College of Executive Coaching has been invaluable in capitalizing on my knowledge and skills in psychology and organizational development to help leaders change and become more fulfilled, effective, and successful.
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