Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Kaufmann.
Hi Eric, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I didn’t plan to be an executive coach and guide. My path wasn’t linear, but it’s always been about understanding what makes us human – what drives us, what scares us, and what opens us up to growth and evolution.
I was born in Israel, lived in South Africa, and came to the U.S. to attend SDSU. Those early years taught me a lot about adaptation and resilience – different cultures, people, and traditions. After college I started my career in corporate America, holding leadership roles in large companies like Corning and 3M. On the surface, things looked successful. But I kept asking deeper questions – about meaning, purpose, and what it means to truly lead.
That search, which started in college, led me to psychology, sociology, and Zen practice. I’ve now spent nearly 40 years meditating, including a year in silent retreat in a secluded mountain cabin. I also became a Master Scuba Instructor, and a certified hypnotherapist – all because I wanted to explore the inner landscape as much as the external one.
Eventually, I brought it all together. I started Sagatica to guide and coach CEOs and executives who are ready to grow from the inside out. The work I do now is about helping leaders cultivate wisdom, love, and power – not just to drive results, but to evolve as human beings.
This isn’t just a profession for me. It’s a path. My work combines an unrelenting commitment to results with an unyielding regard for spirit. And I’m grateful to walk it with leaders who are willing to look inward and lead forward.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, not a smooth road. The first struggle was language – I didn’t grow up speaking English. So much of culture and norms are wrapped up in language, and I spent years reducing my accent and getting nuanced about idioms and slang. Now, you’d never know that I”m not a native English speaker. One of the ongoing struggles was trying to laminate my inner drive for meaning and spirit with my creative love for business and leadership. I spent decades split apart, seperating my role from my soul. Figuring out how to stitch these apparently disparate parts of me took a lot of effor.t I struggeled when I left my corporate job to start a consultantcy, and in short order got married. I wanted my coaching and consulting to be grounded in meaning and evolution, and I needed to pay mortgage and feed newborns. The great recession brought a heaping portion of struggle. For most companies, a leaderhsip coach and consultant is a luxury, and most luxuries were trimmed in that time. The final struggle may not seem obvious, but publishing three books represent three struggles, Each book was a deep reflection on leadership and life, and required great dedication and effort. I’m glad to have met these struggles and grown from them.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Sagatica?
At Sagatica, we guide executives and their teams to unlock their full potential through conscious leadership. Our philosophy centers on integrating wisdom, love, and power to foster leaders who are not only effective at accelerating results but also purposeful and self-aware.
Our services include individual executive coaching, and executive team facilitation and training. Each offering is designed to elevate personal voice and professional influence, remove the barriers to team collaboration, and guide leaders to make better decisions, build stronger relationships, and achieve meaningful results.
What sets us apart is our holistic approach. We believe that true leadership transformation requires more than just strategic thinking; it demands a deep exploration of one’s values, motivations, and impact. This commitment to inner and outer growth has been the foundation of our work since 1999.
I’m particularly proud of the lasting relationships we’ve built with our clients randing from Facebook to Dr. Bronner’s and from ASML to Jewish Family Services. Witnessing leaders evolve, embrace their authentic selves, and lead with clarity and compassion, and apply all that to increase both employee engagement and commercial success, is the most rewarding aspect of our work.
For readers seeking to enhance their leadership journey, we offer a partnership that goes beyond conventional coaching. We provide a path to not only achieve professional success but also personal fulfillment and a deeper connection to your purpose.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
If you push me to name one quality that’s been most essential to my success, it’s presence.
Not just being physically present – but showing up fully, listening deeply, and being attuned to what’s happening beneath the surface. We live in a world that rewards speed and certainty, I’ve found that slowing down, being curious, and staying grounded is what truly opens the door to transformation.
Presence allows me to meet leaders where they are – with no agenda other than helping them see more clearly. It creates trust. It creates space. And in that space, real growth becomes possible.
Whether I’m coaching a CEO through a major transition or facilitating a leadership retreat, I’m there to create new possibilities, ones they’ve been struggling to find. So my job is to illuminate. And that starts with being present – mindful, open, curious. And with that I bring structure, an unrelenting commitment to results, and well honed grit to navigate change and growth.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sagatica.com
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/erickaufmann7
