From Caterpillar to Butterfly: A Boot Camp to Activate Your Leadership Presence

3 weeks

·

Cohort-based Course

Transform your leadership presence. An exec coaching boot camp, to rebuild you from the core, to activate your leadership presence

Current and Previous Stints

Google
PwC
Cisco
Yahoo

Course overview

The Unwritten Playbook of Leadership Presence: An Internal Transformation

CONSIDER THE BELOW SCENARIO:



You’ve checked all the boxes. You’ve mastered the technical skills, collected the certifications, and you consistently deliver results. You’re the one who stays late to rescue a failing project, the one whose opinion is sought when a complex problem arises. Your work is, by all objective measures, excellent. Yet, the big promotion or the next big project or initiative, keeps going to someone else.


When you ask why, you’re met with a warm smile and vague, frustrating feedback like, “You’re just not ready for leadership,” or "You need more executive presence." You press for specifics, for a roadmap, for something tangible to work on, but the conversation ends with a pat on the back and a suggestion to "keep doing what you're doing." You're left stuck in an invisible loop, excelling in your role but barred from the next level. You can’t fix a problem you can’t see, and no one is showing you where to look.


SOUND FAMILIAR?


You see others navigate the political landscape of the office with an ease that feels like a foreign language to you. They seem to have a playbook you were never given.


The truth is, your success has been built on a foundation of tangible skills and hard work. But the next level isn't about working harder. It’s about a different set of rules, an unwritten code of influence, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence that no one ever teaches in a certification course. Your biggest strengths have now created your biggest blind spots. You’ve become so good at the "what" of your job that you’ve missed the "how" of leadership.


HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS...


This isn't a dead end; it's a turning point. It's a sign that the very things that made you successful are now the things holding you back. And the key to breaking through isn't about adding another technical certification to your resume. It's about a profound, internal shift, on how you show up! It's about uncovering the blind spots that are invisible to you but obvious to others, and finally learning the playbook that will take you from mediocre to extraordinary.


This course is designed to arm you with that playbook, a true metamorphosis, in a very intensive, immersive boot camp format, in just 28 days.



WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS COURSE


The From Caterpillar To Butterfly course is modeled as an executive coaching program/course, meticulously designed to uncover and dismantle your blind spots and rebuild you from the core as a new leader. We will use targeted assessments to clearly pin point your blind spots and discuss personalized strategies for overcoming them and catapulting your growth, in a small group setting.


I have pressure-tested the course inside Google for 9 months (100+ students) with a rating of 4.8/5. And now you get to reap the benefits of it. I have fine-tuned every aspect of the course for you to get the maximum benefit in a short span of 4 weeks. It will be an intense experience, but it will also be a lot of fun. You don't have to take my word for it. Here's what a Googler said after the program:


"Participating in Coach Vijay's From Caterpillar To Butterfly was an incredibly insightful and transformative experience. Before the bootcamp, I had a general sense of my capabilities and limitations, but going through the assessments helped me unlock a much deeper and more nuanced understanding of myself. The practical application was invaluable, providing a clear roadmap for personal and professional growth. I wholeheartedly recommend Coach Vijay's From Caterpillar To Butterfly course to anyone serious about gaining profound self-awareness and unlocking their full potential. It's an investment in yourself that yields tangible and lasting results."


- Rabia Bux




THE PROGRAM OFFERS:


1. Exclusive Access to Executive Tools:

Gain insights from proven executive coaching tools and secrets to enhance your leadership effectiveness.


2. Personalized Coaching in a Small Group Setting:

Benefit from dynamic group coaching in an intimate small group setting, with specific, personalized coaching tips based on your score and situation!


3. Personalized Scorecard and Action Plan for Rapid Growth

Create a concrete and individualized road map for development, that you can start to implement immediately.



WHY LEARN FROM COACH VIJAY:

I've had the fortune of working in leadership positions at Fortune 100 companies like Cisco, Yahoo, PwC and now currently at Google. I have done it all - engineering, product management, product marketing, consulting, customer success, and working in startups.


After hearing consistently from people that I'll make a good coach, I started my journey in 2017. That journey was not easy. I had a lot of blind spots and self sabotaging behaviors that I needed to overcome. The assessments that I use in this course really helped me see what I was doing wrong. It took a lot of work, but I'm glad I did it. It has helped me break into Google and see growth, run 2 half marathons and have the courage to launch this course. I feel bullet proof now!


I have poured a ton of time and $$$ into building and honing my coaching skills, so that you can have the fastest breakthroughs in your careers. I have several coaching certifications and have 2000+ coaching hours under my belt! I have worked with 100s of clients from all parts of the world with different backgrounds.


Coaching is my calling. I love to coach & mentor people and have been doing it ever since!



WHERE ELSE CAN I LEARN THIS STUFF:

There is no single place for you to learn what I cover and most definitely, not in a short span of 4 weeks! Even if you invest time and $$$ with a coach for several months, you may still not get all the things I cover in this course! Why? Because this is custom content that I have built from the ground up, using "first principles thinking", based on my own struggles and overcoming them and then applying that learning with several clients inside and outside of Google. I have taken all that learning and created this course to help you get the same results that I and several of my clients have already experienced.




WHO HAS TAKEN THIS COURSE:

I have been offering this course inside Google for over 9 months now and I have completed over 8 cohorts with a course rating of 4.8/5. I have included testimonials from some of the Google students, in the "What People Are Saying" section below.




SHOULD I JOIN THIS COURSE:

That depends! If you're doing exceptionally well and do not have any blind spots and are able to express yourself exactly how you want at all times, maybe this course is not for you? However, if you know that your best is yet to come, but you're not able to put a finger on what's holding you back, and what you need to fix, then absolutely! Also, if you've never worked with an expert coach, and haven't really experienced the power of coaching, that's another reason to join this course.


WHO SHOULD NOT TAKE THIS COURSE:

Even highly self aware people who took the course, learned a thing or two from it and appreciated it. So, no exclusions here!




Enroll today and start living the life you were meant to live!

Who is this course for?

01

Ambitious, career-minded professionals and emerging leaders who are driven to accelerate their professional growth

02

You feel overwhelmed, stuck, or burnt out despite your drive, and are looking for clarity and a renewed sense of direction.

03

Anyone seeking clarity, particularly those deciding on a career path or striving to find greater meaning in their work and personal life.

What you’ll get out of this course

One Transformation Assessment Every Week

Every week we will explore one topic of self awareness in depth by taking a assessment and reviewing your results

Concept Video every week

Every week, I'll share a concept video for the topic of that week, as pre-work. Watching that video will give you additional insights about the topic, which we will discuss in the live session

Live group coaching with personalized insights

Based on your assessment results and the current challenges your facing in your work/life, we will discuss personalized strategies for facing those challenges and come up with action plans

Transformation Scorecard

At the end of the 4 weeks, we'll summarize all your results and insights in a scorecard, that we will review together

Personalized Action Plan for Continued Growth

We will put together an action plan with strategies that you can implement immediately in the short term that will drive tangible results

Additional Bonus Resources

I'll share additional bonus resources during the program that will help you with deeper insight and also come up with practices for improvement

Create a concrete and individualized roadmap for development, that you can start to implement immediately.

What’s included

Vijay Kannan (Coach Vijay)

Live sessions

Learn directly from Vijay Kannan (Coach Vijay) in a real-time, interactive format.

Lifetime access

Go back to course content and recordings whenever you need to.

Community of peers

Stay accountable and share insights with like-minded professionals.

Certificate of completion

Share your new skills with your employer or on LinkedIn.

Maven Guarantee

This course is backed by the Maven Guarantee. Students are eligible for a full refund up until the halfway point of the course.

Course syllabus

8 live sessions • 4 lessons • 4 projects

Week 1

Oct 11—Oct 12

    Week 1 : Foundational Awareness

    • Oct

      11

      Week 1 Live Session

      Sat 10/116:00 PM—8:30 PM (UTC)
    • Oct

      11

      Optional: AMA with Coach Vijay

      Sat 10/118:30 PM—9:00 PM (UTC)
      Optional
    2 more items

Week 2

Oct 13—Oct 19

    Week 2: Self Sabotage Awareness

    • Oct

      18

      Week 2 Live session

      Sat 10/186:00 PM—8:30 PM (UTC)
    • Oct

      18

      Optional: AMA with Coach Vijay

      Sat 10/188:30 PM—9:00 PM (UTC)
      Optional
    2 more items

Week 3

Oct 20—Oct 26

    Week 3: Emotional Awareness

    • Oct

      25

      Week 3 Live Session

      Sat 10/256:00 PM—8:30 PM (UTC)
    • Oct

      25

      Optional: AMA with Coach Vijay

      Sat 10/258:30 PM—9:00 PM (UTC)
      Optional
    2 more items

Week 4

Oct 27—Nov 1

    Week 4: Self Awareness Scorecard & Action Plan

    • Nov

      1

      Week 4 Live Session

      Sat 11/16:00 PM—8:30 PM (UTC)
    • Nov

      1

      Optional: AMA with Coach Vijay

      Sat 11/18:30 PM—9:00 PM (UTC)
      Optional
    2 more items

What people are saying

        Participating in Coach Vijay's From Caterpillar To Butterfly was an incredibly insightful and transformative experience. Before the bootcamp, I had a general sense of my capabilities and limitations, but going through the assessments helped me unlock a much deeper and more nuanced understanding of myself. The practical application was invaluable!
Rabia Bux

Rabia Bux

        The course was truly transformative, offering profound insights into my core strengths, and thoughtfully addressed areas for development. For anyone seeking to unlock a deeper understanding of themselves, and gain practical strategies for professional growth, with insightful guidance, this course is an invaluable experience!
Cami Silva

Cami Silva

        The From Caterpillar To Butterfly course was a truly transformative experience! Vijay is exceptionally knowledgeable, and is able to relate individually to each participant, creating a psychologically safe environment to be open and vulnerable. I gained a much deeper understanding of my good qualities and also clearly identifying areas for growth!
Melissa Tan

Melissa Tan

        Working with Vijay has been a truly transformative experience, both personally and professionally. He combines essential coaching skills - deep empathy, active listening, and insightful questioning - with genuine kindness and unwavering integrity. I learned so much more about myself and my behaviour patterns and how to better leverage my strengths
Rita Sachdev

Rita Sachdev

        As someone who was feeling a lot of burnout in my job and the surrounding tech industry, the boot camp helped me to discover things about myself and how I view the world. This program really helped me with understanding how & why I behave or respond the way I do in certain situations. I believe this program and the insights gained are valuable!
Robert Parker

Robert Parker

        The course provided new language for my internal experiences, inspired more exploration, and offered ideas for development. I particularly appreciated Vijay's coaching style; he has a deep knowledge of the tools, and an open and caring demeanor, If you want to understand yourself better in four short weeks with a supportive coach, look no further!
Emma Doody

Emma Doody

Meet your instructor

Vijay Kannan (Coach Vijay)

Vijay Kannan (Coach Vijay)

With an illustrious career of 25+ years in leadership positions at Fortune 100 companies (Cisco, Yahoo, PwC and now Google), and working with exceptional people and teams across all continents, I’ve found my calling in coaching.


I have spent the last 8 years building and honing my coaching skills, so that you can have the fastest breakthroughs in whatever you’re trying to achieve. I have gone through 200+ hours of coach training from multiple coach training organizations and have a wide variety of certifications and credentials.


I have worked with 100s of clients from all parts of the world with different backgrounds and have over 2000 coaching hours under my belt!


Here are a few testimonnials for 1:1 coaching


I was feeling stuck, unfulfilled, and unsure of my next steps. Through Coach Vijay's guidance and practical exercises, I've gained clarity on my strengths, blind spots, and subconscious patterns. I truly have never worked with someone as committed to my success and who understands my personality as well as he does. Within a few months of coaching, he challenged me to take big leaps, propelling my career forward in ways I didn't believe I was capable of.

  • Wendy Dong


Coach Vijay has been a patient and persistent coach for me over the past year and has had a direct impact on my growth here at Google. He has gently helped me to better understand my own character in both its flaws and strengths, while calling to my attention areas for growth. I look forward to our meetings and often find myself thinking more deeply about how to integrate mindfulness into my actions following our conversations. I cannot recommend him enough for his guided sessions and coaching/mentorship

  • Aurora


Coach Vijay is a compassionate and observant coach, and helped me identify some deep underlying patterns about what drives me. His warmth and wisdom made me feel comfortable sharing details with him to get to the bottom of things. He pays attention and works with you to figure out what you need, and to move forward in your growth journey. Overall a wonderful human being, thank you Coach Vijay!

  • Sam Mardanbeigi





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From Caterpillar to Butterfly: A Boot Camp to Activate Your Leadership Presence

Course schedule

1 hour per week

  • August 8 - 29, 2025

    1:00pm - 3:30pm CST

    If your events are recurring and at the same time, it might be easiest to use a single line item to communicate your course schedule to students

  • Weekly projects

    2 hours per week

    Schedule items can also be used to convey commitments outside of specific time slots (like weekly projects or daily office hours).

Learning is better with cohorts

Learning is better with cohorts

Active hands-on learning

This course builds on live workshops and hands-on projects

Interactive and project-based

You’ll be interacting with other learners through breakout rooms and project teams

Learn with a cohort of peers

Join a community of like-minded people who want to learn and grow alongside you

Frequently Asked Questions

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From Caterpillar to Butterfly: A Boot Camp to Activate Your Leadership Presence