ABOUT ARIEL

Hello,

My name is Ariel Kulkin, and I founded Elion in 2018, after nearly 20 years of working with IBM and 4 years with a major healthcare management company in New York.   I had my hand at roles in sales, consulting, and program management, and the bulk of my work has been alongside the most senior Business Unit and Product Sales leaders at these companies, developing and running their sales operations function to advance business.

In these roles, I had a chance to observe companies at their very best and also when they were lacking.  I learned from inspiring leaders who brought out the best in others, and from participating in and leading teams that brought forth exciting and innovative work.  On the other hand, I also saw how teams are impacted by different leadership styles, how often only partial information is shared up the management chain, to the detriment of the organization, and how a lack of authenticity can get in the way of organizational and personal growth and success.   It pained me to see, not infrequently, cynicism and a real disconnect between direct reports and their management (at various reporting levels), as well as self-interest guide larger organizational decisions.

I became disappointed by what I saw,

but also energized by the opportunity I recognized to do things better.

Because I wanted to have a positive impact on the lives of people and organizations, I decided to develop a new set of solutions to increase not just employees’ performance, but also their engagement and satisfaction.

These solutions reflect a principle I hold very deeply: that each individual, working alone or as part of an organization, truly matters -- not as a company resource, but as an individual in their own right. It’s the recognition of each employee as an individual that creates a shift in the way people are engaged, developed, and brought together, and that in turn leads to better organizational results. It’s a basic tenet, but unfortunately one that is often lost in management’s constant push for higher productivity and better quarterly results. 

I received my B.S. in Engineering with honors from Boston University, hold an MBA degree from the University of Southern California, and I’m a certified Hogan, CliftonStrengths and Coactive coach, and a Toastmasters Competent Communicator.  I am a multicultural, fluent Spanish and English speaker, and the solutions I create and run pull from all my skills and experiences.

My secret sauce, however, is not in my skills or my experience,

though those are good building blocks.  

My secret sauce is that, after being in business for over 25 years, I recognize things for what they are and have the courage to be candid about them, and that I care deeply about helping people and organizations be the absolute best they can be.

I look forward to serving you and your organization and invite you to connect with Elion and see how you can take this same organization you have today much farther.

Sincerely,

Ariel Kulkin