Young adulthood is one of life’s great opportunities to slow down and figure out who you are.
True success is something each person must define for themselves. Yet without pausing to slow down and reflect, many young men move through these formative years without ever truly checking in with themselves — chasing external expectations rather than asking who they actually are and what they truly want. My coaching creates that opportunity.
A Message For Parents
It has never been more difficult to raise children than over the past two decades. Smartphones, social media, and constant digital stimulation replaced much of the face-to-face interaction that used to define childhood. COVID made it worse. For many young men, this shows up not as a lack of ability, but as feeling stuck, distracted, or constantly measuring themselves against others. This is affecting the majority of kids today, even those who appear to be doing fine, and schools have not found a meaningful way to respond.
On top of that, AI is beginning to reshape entire industries and career paths in ways that feel impossible to predict. For many young men, the question of what to do with their lives carries a new kind of anxiety — not just the normal uncertainty of growing up, but a genuine fear that the future is moving faster than they can keep up with.
As parents, you’ve likely done far more right than wrong. And yet, as your son moves into adulthood, he’s wired to seek independence. This makes parental guidance genuinely hard to hear, no matter how wise or well-intentioned.
You’ve invested in his future in many ways — tutoring to improve his grades, test prep and college advisors to get him into the right school. These are all worthwhile. Self-knowledge is arguably the most important work of this stage of life, and it’s also the most overlooked. When a young man takes the time to understand what truly drives him, what he values, and who he wants to become, he naturally becomes more focused and motivated — and can begin to live his best life.
A Message for Young Men
If you’re in your late teens or twenties and something feels off—you’re not alone. A lot of guys today are stuck in a strange place: the future feels uncertain, and the path forward less clear than ever. You might feel behind, unmotivated, or unsure what you’re even working toward. And it may feel like the people around you don’t get it.
Working with a coach like me is about gaining clarity, recognizing your strengths, and starting to put one foot in front of the other and build on little wins. As that happens, confidence starts to grow. We focus on how you think, the attitude you bring, and how you begin taking actions that move your life forward. It’s not about being “fixed” or being told what to do.
Having a coach is a real opportunity—and, in many ways, a privilege. It’s not something everyone has access to. The reality is, top performers—from elite athletes to successful CEOs—almost always have coaches. It’s something to take pride in, not something that means there’s anything wrong with you.
It takes courage to step into something like this—especially when you’ve been feeling stuck or unsure where to start. But once you begin, you’ll quickly notice things starting to shift and feel yourself moving forward.
If you’re ready for more clarity, more direction, and to start becoming your best self, coaching is a good place to start.
What I Do
I work with young men of college age, and often continue working with them after they graduate. It is my passion to help them navigate these pivotal years. As a certified life coach, I don’t tell my clients what to do or who to be. I serve as a bridge between adolescence and adulthood — helping clients tap into their unique strengths and intuition, challenge limiting beliefs, develop life skills, set meaningful goals, and build on them.
Coaching is not therapy. I am not diagnosing or treating mental health conditions. Coaching is about self-discovery and moving forward. I provide young men with a safe, confidential space to slow down, reflect on where they are, and articulate where they want to go. I also help them stay accountable to the goals they set for themselves — because there is something quietly powerful about following through on your own commitments. It builds a kind of self-trust and confidence that can only be learned through experience.
Relationships and communication are also popular topics. I often help my clients work through the challenge of having difficult conversations — sometimes advocating for oneself, other times setting boundaries. Learning how to communicate with confidence can profoundly change a young person’s demeanor and approach to life.
I often draw on a range of tools and concepts, including meditation and philosophy, and I use an assessment called the ELI — Energy Leadership Index, which helps clients understand their default attitudes and how those attitudes shape their lives. I frequently suggest books that can open up new ways of thinking and spark meaningful conversations. I believe reading important books is an antidote to the effect of social media.
Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” These early adult years offer a rare opportunity for your son to pause and reflect on who he is, what he truly wants, and how to approach life’s lessons with a spirit of curiosity. I strongly believe that life has a way of presenting us with exactly the lessons we need, in the form of the things that challenge us most.
The Benefits of Working with a Coach
- Deeper self-awareness and uncovering limiting beliefs
- Greater motivation through personal accountability
- Clarity on his “why” and his definition of success
- Confidence in speaking up to advocate and set boundaries
- Greater self-confidence, less anxiety, and more joy
- Healthy attitude on his life journey
About Me
Like many of us, my own childhood had its challenges. I navigated family difficulties, changing schools, and a persistent struggle to feel confident and accepted among my peers. I went to college to study architecture, then switched to finance after one semester.
My first job was at Goldman Sachs — not the right fit. I left for an MBA at Columbia, then joined J.Crew corporate, then left to start businesses of my own. I became a commercial real estate broker along the way. All in, I must have tried five or six things before a partnership with my brother-in-law didn’t work out after just one year. At 29, newly engaged, with no visibility on my career I felt I had hit rock bottom — scared, depressed, and frustrated.
That was probably one of the most important and meaningful times in my life. I needed to dig deep and work my way through it myself. I wouldn’t change a thing about that journey. It was where I first learned to appreciate my own unique path — and discovered an enduring lesson: that eventually things work out, and every scary challenge in life is really the universe delivering exactly what you need to grow.
When I reflect, I think I was living so much for the expectations of others — trying to impress, trying to fit in — that I never stopped to check in with myself. I frequently felt alone, disconnected, and dissatisfied, sensing deeply that I wasn’t living in alignment with who I truly was. And yet I kept searching for that next job, that next thing, that would finally make everything okay.
It wasn’t until I worked with a coach that things began to shift. I was asked to slow down, look inward, and check in on my values, how I was showing up and what was truly important. That experience was transformative — and it inspired me to do this work for others. I believe deeply that when young men take the time to truly know themselves — not who the world tells them to be, but who they actually are — everything changes.
I bring to this work something most coaches can’t offer: a well-rounded combination of personal experience, a parent’s perspective, and hard-won business and leadership expertise — alongside a calm, grounded presence shaped by years of yoga and meditation practice.
▶ Business & Leadership
After roles at Goldman Sachs and J.Crew Group, I founded ePromos Promotional Products and grew it over 21 years to high eight-figure annual sales with 175 employees before selling it. I hold a B.S. in Finance from Syracuse University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
▶ Certifications & Practice
In 2021 I earned my life coaching certification through iPEC — one of the most respected professional coaching organizations in the field. Since then I have worked with businesses and business leaders, and have recently made the deliberate shift to focus exclusively on young men — the work I find most meaningful and impactful. I am also a 200-hour RYT certified yoga instructor.
▶ Life & Wellness
I am a father of two young women in their twenties. My wife and I recently co-founded HapBE Valley Equine & Wellness Farm in Asheville, NC, where I facilitate Equine Facilitated Experiential Learning and lead meditation and yoga practices. For six years I have led a meditation group that meets five days a week. Outside of work I enjoy strength training, pickleball, golf, building and fixing things on the farm, and keeping up with AI and the business world.
▶ Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO)
I’ve been an active member of YPO for nearly two decades—a global network of chief executives committed to becoming better leaders. The organization has played a meaningful role in my growth, both professionally and personally. Through YPO, I had the opportunity to study in the Harvard Business School Presidents’ Program in Leadership, an intensive executive education experience available exclusively to members. Some of my clients are children of YPO members.
Testimonials
“I recommend Jason Robbins to coach your young adult. While I enjoy a close relationship with my college student, there are just some things he can best open up about with a confidential and trusted third party. Jason’s background as a business leader and executive coach gives him the credibility to earn the respect of our young adults. He asks the right questions, peeling back what’s really important and what my son is truly striving for. My kid has a stronger sense of himself now. Jason helps keep him grounded and far less influenced by the significant social pressures surrounding him.”
— G.B.S., Palm Beach, FL
“Having a Jason as a coach, has opened my eyes to underlying problems I hadn’t been facing. He helped me opens up solutions and see different perspectives and makes me think harder about my own values and desires. He is helping me find my path and appreciate the journey. I think everyone should have a coach like Jason!”
— S.L., University of Chicago
“I’m a young CEO and tasked with turning around a distressed eight figure consumer products business, and started working with Jason as a coach. Through Jason’s guidance I am able to up level my management skill set. I learned how to interview properly, hold people accountable, get the right people in the right seats, use 90-day planning cycles with trackable goals, build a scorecard, stop micromanaging and utilize my leadership team. In less than a year we’ve turned the company profitable. I would highly recommend Jason to entrepreneurs and executives of all experience levels that take their personal development as a leader seriously.
— B.B., Boca Raton, FL
Let’s Talk
If the idea of giving your son the space to examine his life and build a foundation for happiness rooted in his own wisdom resonates with you — this conversation is worth having.
Complimentary 30-Minute Discovery Call
No pressure. Just a conversation to explore whether I might be the right fit to work with your son.
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson