Why I Started Upshift Project: A Modern Executive Coaching Practice for Career and Business Transitions

Brian McHugh
May 23
2 min read

The crossroads of clarity and change—where leadership decisions take shape and the next chapter begins.

After 20+ years in leadership—building global solution engineering teams, coaching high-performing talent, and driving go-to-market strategy at companies like Salesforce, Disney, mParticle, and Krux—I decided to launch something new:

Upshift Project — an executive coaching and advisory practice built for people navigating career transitions, leadership growth, and business inflection points.

This isn’t just about landing your next role or scaling your startup. It’s about finding clarity, building momentum, and leading with confidence when the stakes are high and the next move isn’t obvious.

Why I Launched a Coaching & Advisory Practice

Throughout my career, I kept seeing a familiar pattern:

Smart, ambitious professionals at a crossroads, looking for support—but unsure where to turn.

Some were navigating career pivots or preparing for leadership roles they hadn’t held before.

Others were founders scaling their businesses, seeking a sounding board beyond their inner circle. Many were executives in high-stakes interviews or complex negotiations, asking:

What’s next—and how do I get there?

These weren’t people lacking drive or capability.

They were simply in moments of change—moments that demanded reflection, strategy, and a clear sense of direction.

I launched Upshift Project to serve exactly that need.

Who I Work With

My coaching and advisory services are designed for:

✔ Professionals in career transition — changing industries, functions, or levels

✔ Executives preparing for interviews or negotiations — from VP to C-suite

✔ Founders and startup leaders — navigating growth, strategy, and scale

✔ Rising leaders — ready to uplevel but unsure how to own their next step

If you’re ambitious, goal-driven, and ready for what’s next—but not sure how to get there—you’re in the right place.

The Upshift Philosophy

I named this practice Upshift because that’s what these moments call for.

Not a total reinvention. Not hustle for hustle’s sake.

But a conscious shift into a new, more powerful gear.

That shift might look like:

Building a personal leadership philosophy
Clarifying your values and goals
Crafting a compelling executive narrative
Designing a job search that reflects who you actually are
Making strategic decisions about your business and team

Whatever it is, Upshift is built to support you at the pivot point—when you need insight, accountability, and the space to lead forward with intention.