Mike‘s Search For Meaning

Melissa Ford is a Master Business and Life Coach who helps people grow their leadership, impact, income, and joy. Her clients range from highly committed coaches and entrepreneurs to executives and career changers.

Her approach spans both the practical and the spiritual. Melissa invites clients to slow down and question the stories that feel real—to get honest about what’s actually true, where they are (or aren’t) taking full responsibility for their experience, and what unconscious patterns are creating their reality and driving their behavior. This is where real change begins.

With more than 20 years of coaching experience, her way of working has been shaped not only by her clients, but also by years of being deeply coached herself. She knows firsthand the power of this work and the unexpected and extraordinary results it makes possible.

Currently, Melissa co-leads with Coach Levina Li, The Service & Leadership Game, which is a program for coaches who are ready to strengthen their leadership and client enrollment to create thriving businesses.

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Interested in joining the Search For Meaning Community? Secure your membership here: https://www.patreon.com/c/mikessearchformeaning/membership

The Search for Meaning Community is a community that is devoted to thriving.

It's a community that is committed to teaching the most important human skills: making a strong living, having a clear sense of purpose, creating deep and powerful relationships, and creating a life that overall just feels really good and fulfilling.

It's a community that is committed to going beyond ourselves to focus on the greater good, that addresses our biggest collective challenges: climate change, poverty and homelessness, and polarization, just to name a few.

And most importantly: it's a community that takes a stand for kindness, growth, care, belonging, and contributing to the goodness of the world. It creates space for all of you and sparks your highest self to show up.

In this community, we get together from time to time to learn about and build these foundational human skills, get support when we face inevitable challenges on the path, and also receive support and resources in between our scheduled times together.

The Rebels for Peace's mission is to uncover the next generation of leaders and bring relatable, sustainable, and transformational mental health programs to youth in underserved communities.

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Tricia works with leaders and organizations who are changing the world. She advises senior leaders in governments, social impact organizations, and Fortune 500 companies on strategy, innovation, and impact. She is a consultant and coach at Crux Consulting Consortium and serves as Faculty at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, where she partners with governments and health systems on health equity, building trust, and transformative change through the Science of Improvement and innovation. She has been a TEDx speaker, an Acumen Fellow and has served on the Board of Directors of several non-profits in the health and education fields. A Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC), she is currently a member of the Forbes Coaches Council. She is passionate about living a purpose-driven life and has spoken on this topic at Yale, MIT and Columbia Universities. Her current focus is on trust and belonging, authentic leadership, and transformative change. A native New Yorker and proud Filipina-American, she now lives in Luxembourg with her husband and two children.

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Interested in joining the Search For Meaning Community? Secure your membership here: https://www.patreon.com/c/mikessearchformeaning/membership

The Search for Meaning Community is a community that is devoted to thriving.

It's a community that is committed to teaching the most important human skills: making a strong living, having a clear sense of purpose, creating deep and powerful relationships, and creating a life that overall just feels really good and fulfilling.

It's a community that is committed to going beyond ourselves to focus on the greater good, that addresses our biggest collective challenges: climate change, poverty and homelessness, and polarization, just to name a few.

And most importantly: it's a community that takes a stand for kindness, growth, care, belonging, and contributing to the goodness of the world. It creates space for all of you and sparks your highest self to show up.

In this community, we get together from time to time to learn about and build these foundational human skills, get support when we face inevitable challenges on the path, and also receive support and resources in between our scheduled times together.

Down Syndrome Achieves envisions a future where people living with Down syndrome are free of health complications. Please join me in supporting this mission.

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Dr. Matthew Jones is a licensed psychologist and cofounder coach who helps startup teams turn conflict into clarity. He’s the author of The Cofounder Effect, a groundbreaking guide to navigating the hidden dynamics that make or break startup partnerships. Through his company, Cofounder Clarity, Matt has worked with teams backed by Y Combinator, Sequoia, a16z, and Google Ventures. His work has been featured in Inc., TIME, Business Insider, and Psychology Today.

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Interested in joining the Search For Meaning Community? Secure your membership here: https://www.patreon.com/c/mikessearchformeaning/membership

The Search for Meaning Community is a community that is devoted to thriving.

It's a community that is committed to teaching the most important human skills: making a strong living, having a clear sense of purpose, creating deep and powerful relationships, and creating a life that overall just feels really good and fulfilling.

It's a community that is committed to going beyond ourselves to focus on the greater good, that addresses our biggest collective challenges: climate change, poverty and homelessness, and polarization, just to name a few.

And most importantly: it's a community that takes a stand for kindness, growth, care, belonging, and contributing to the goodness of the world. It creates space for all of you and sparks your highest self to show up.

In this community, we get together from time to time to learn about and build these foundational human skills, get support when we face inevitable challenges on the path, and also receive support and resources in between our scheduled times together.

RAICES is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free and low-cost legal services and education to underserved immigrant communities, focusing on asylum seekers, families, and children.

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Lindsay is a registered nurse turned relationship coach who helps couples create happier, more connected, secure relationships.

In SO many relationships, only one person is ready and willing to do the work and Lindsay is so grateful to support these individuals on their journeys too. She works with men who want to feel respected and desired and women who want to feel appreciated and supported.. without endless conversations or forcing their partner into therapy. One person can be the change they wish to see!

Her approach is deeply compassionate, practical and pulls from tools from the lead relationship researchers in the world.

Her passion comes from her own relationship journey; She moved from intense conflict and breaking up to getting back together and creating the relationship she never thought was possible. It is her greatest joy to help others do the same!

Community Medicine's mission is to close the gaps in mental-health care for young people on Vancouver Island and across Bristish Columbia, ensuring every young person receives the support they need and deserve.

They accept donations to provide therapy for youth who are at risk, struggling with addiction or experiencing significant trauma. They also provide free anonymous chat for these kids so they aren’t alone. I see most things through the relationship lens and our childhood wounds are playing out in our adult relationships… if we can start tending to those hurts and wounds MUCH earlier, we’ll be so much better equipped to create the kind of relationships we long for.

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Ariane de Bonvoisin is a best-selling author, international speaker, entrepreneur, and change optimist whose work deeply resonates with high-achieving leaders and CEOs navigating the pressures of success and personal growth. She is a former venture capitalist and had a varied career in media and consulting after obtaining an MBA from Stanford.

Ariane is a renowned expert in leadership, change, and personal transformation. She has spoken and coached at global companies such as Google, Twitter, Morgan Stanley, Amazon, Nestlé, Red Bull, KPMG, L’Oreal, and the World Bank, bringing practical tools for resilience, energy management, and leading through transition.

Her message has reached audiences worldwide. She’s been a keynote speaker at Oprah's Conference, Maria Shriver’s Women’s Conference, the Multimillion Dollar Roundtable (MDRT), and numerous international events. She’s also been featured on NBC’s Today Show, CNN, CBS Early Show, and ABC News.

She lives between New York and Switzerland with her husband, son, and golden retriever.

Kgololo Academy is a combined low-fee independent school. Kgololo Academy’s mission is to provide scholars from the Alexandra Township in South Africa with access to a world-class education, within their community, at an accessible cost.  

Kgololo Academy is composed of a team of inspirational teachers, parents, and community members who believe in the unlimited potential of the children of the Alexandra Township.

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Lissy Alden is CEO + Founder of MYNDY, a pioneering Organizational + Mental Fitness company built to beat employee burnout. Recognizing stress as a multifaceted challenge, she's engineered two proven frameworks addressing psychological, physiological, and organizational factors that simultaneously empower organizations to achieve ambitious goals while maintaining employee wellbeing. She went to Cornell and has her graduate degree from MIT, where she began the foundational research for MYNDY.

StreetWise is a community that honors the dignity of each individual. They assist with basic needs by distributing emergency and seasonal clothing, hygiene kits, PPE, pre-packaged meals and pantry items, and shine a light on the issues that matter most in our city—homelessness, poverty, injustice, inequality, and everyday life in Chicago—while serving as a platform for people with lived experience to share their stories and their views as writers and more

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Mike Trugman (yours truly) is a Professional Life & Career coach who is determined to illuminate the truth of the human experience and inspire open-hearted leadership. He works with driven, heart-centered professionals who’ve done everything “right”—the degrees, the job, the grind—but still feel a quiet ache inside, a call to something deeper.

Before coaching and podcast hosting, Mike's background was in public accounting. He has over 11 years of public accounting experience, with a focus on financial services (hedge fund and private equity) clients, and made the choice to leave accounting in February of 2025.

Coaching has transformed my life and continues to activate my heart and soul. It has supported me in becoming a more loving and open-hearted father & husband, and has emboldened me to trust myself and take courageous action, such as leaving my six-figure accounting job to coach.

Do any of these resonate with you...

-Have you achieved lots of external “success” but still feel that something is missing?

-Are you a spiritual or “woo woo” person who feels trapped and wants to break free from corporate? 

-Are you worried about failing or what other people will think of you?

-Do you want to learn how to have important, crucial conversations with people?

-Do you want to overcome the fear of putting yourself out there more?

-Is there another area you’d like to get handled?

I get it. I’ve been there.

That’s why I created my coaching practice and that’s why I am doing the 100 Powerful Coaching Conversations Challenge.

The details:

Mike currently lives in the greater New York City area with his wife and son. He loves reading, learning, cooking, spending lots of time outdoors, watching his beloved but usually struggling Knicks and Jets, and connecting with his friends and family.

To connect with me:

Resources/People Mentioned:

Mike Trugman (yours truly) is a Professional Life & Career coach who is determined to illuminate the truth of the human experience and inspire open-hearted leadership. He hosts THIS top 3% podcast, Mike's Search for Meaning, dedicated to mastering what it means to be human. 

Before coaching and podcast hosting, Mike's background was in public accounting. He has over 11 years of public accounting experience, with a focus on financial services (hedge fund and private equity) clients, and made the choice to leave accounting in February.

Coaching has transformed my life and continues to activate my heart and soul. It has supported me in becoming a more loving and open-hearted father & husband, and has emboldened me to trust myself and take courageous action, such as leaving my six-figure accounting job to coach.

Do any of these resonate with you...

-Have you achieved lots of external “success” but still feel that something is missing?

-Are you a spiritual or “woo woo” person who feels trapped and wants to break free from corporate? 

-Are you worried about failing or what other people will think of you?

-Do you want to learn how to have important, crucial conversations with people?

-Do you want to overcome the fear of putting yourself out there more?

-Is there another area you’d like to get handled?

I get it. I’ve been there.

That’s why I created my coaching practice and that’s why I am doing the 100 Powerful Coaching Conversations Challenge.

The details:

Mike currently lives in the greater New York City area with his wife and son. He loves reading, learning, cooking, spending lots of time outdoors, watching his beloved but usually struggling Knicks and Jets, and connecting with his friends and family.

To connect with me:

To connect with Erin:

Resources/People Mentioned:

Mike Trugman (yours truly) is a Professional Life and Public Speaking Coach who is determined to illuminate the truth of the human experience and inspire open-hearted leadership. He hosts THIS top 3% podcast, Mike's Search for Meaning, dedicated to mastering what it means to be human. 

Before coaching and podcast hosting, Mike's background was in public accounting. He has over 10 years of public accounting experience, with a focus on financial services (hedge fund and private equity) clients.

Mike currently lives in the greater New York City area with his wife and son. He loves reading, learning, cooking, spending lots of time outdoors, watching his beloved but usually struggling Knicks and Jets, and connecting with his friends and family.

To connect with me:

• Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here. https://calendly.com/mike-trugman/15min
  

• Website - https://miketrugmancoaching.com/
  

Resources/People Mentioned:

• Elizabeth Gilbert

Mike Trugman (yours truly) is a Professional Life and Public Speaking Coach who is determined to illuminate the truth of the human experience and inspire open-hearted leadership. He hosts THIS top 3% podcast, Mike's Search for Meaning, dedicated to mastering what it means to be human. 

Before coaching and podcast hosting, Mike's background was in public accounting. He has over 10 years of public accounting experience, with a focus on financial services (hedge fund and private equity) clients.

Mike currently lives in the greater New York City area with his wife and son. He loves reading, learning, cooking, spending lots of time outdoors, watching his beloved but usually struggling Knicks and Jets, and connecting with his friends and family.

To connect with me:

• Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here. https://calendly.com/mike-trugman/15min
  

• Website - https://miketrugmancoaching.com/
  

Resources/People Mentioned:

• The Omega Institute