What are clients saying?
Client Testimonials
“Coaching with Jen Todd at Breakthrough Partners has been one of the best professional experiences that I’ve had. I started professional coaching at a time in my life where I was allowing my work (both the volume and nature of it) to have potentially negative impacts on my well-being. Jen helped me to get to a place where I am able to articulate what’s most important to me every day and live my life, both personally and professionally, in a way that allows me to achieve those priorities. These results are directly connected to Jen’s approach. She makes it incredibly easy to open up to her. You understand almost immediately that she is in your corner, not only rooting for you to become your best self, but actively pursuing that with you. She’s also not afraid to ask tough questions, to help you see your thoughts in a new light, and to hold you accountable to real transformation. Because of my work with Jen, I’m more productive and effective in my job and I’m also a happier, more fulfilled human being.”
– Anne Latarte
Teach for America
“Enlightening … That is how I can best describe my coaching with Jen Todd. She helped me reach a level of personal understanding and awareness that has made me a better manager, a better leader, and even a better spouse! Initially I was skeptical of what I would learn or how I could grow as a result of coaching. This experience was unlike all my previous management, leadership training and development programs. Jen created a safe environment for growth, showed me what that really looked like and how to create an positive environment for others to grow as well. I strongly endorse Jen and cannot thank her enough.”
– Eric Levin
Senior Leader, PEAK6 Investments
“Breakthrough partners were instrumental in the transformation of the 6,000 person Technology and Operations organization. They provided the organization development expertise, knowledge and facilitation to ensure that the transformation to a customer-focused organization was ignited and sustained at every level of the organization. In addition to bringing their deep expertise they consistently role modeled the change and walked the talk. It is a rarity to come across consultant who walks the walk as effectively as Jen Todd does. She truly defines “self as instrument” of change.”
“Jen Todd is an outstanding facilitator of sustainable personal and group transformations. She has an acute sense of interpersonal/group dynamics and is able to intervene just the right moment to ensure that the right conversations are addressed and the organization, team or individuals live up to their highest potential. Jen is truly a “Breakthrough Partner” in every sense of the word- she not only helped our team and organization breakthrough, she helped me personally reach extraordinary results.”
– Liz
Director of Organization Effectiveness
“Simply put, Jen has the unique ability to motivate significant professional growth through the right combination of insightful questions, just-in-time resources, and honest feedback. He supportive-yet-accountable approach ensured that, even during the toughest weeks, I still carved out the necessary time and focus on my own professional growth. I highly endorse Jen for anyone seeking a coaching catalyst for improvement.”
– Jack Elsey
Chief Innovation and Incubation Officer, Chicago Public Schools
“Breakthrough partners not only immersed me in what transformation is but also taught me how to be an internal consultant to really make change stick in our company. Their coaching enhanced my leadership, helped me to bring my full self to my job every day and challenge my organization. I would love to work with Jen Todd in the future (in fact, I’d jump in…sight unseen” to work with her in any capacity again!)”
– Kris
Senior Manager
“My experience working on a whole system transformation with breakthrough partners was not only critical to our organization’s future success, but it was personally one of the only times in my career where I felt fully energized, engaged and able to bring my whole self to work. It was a life-changing experience.”
– Stephen
Senior Manager – Technology and Operations
“Breakthrough partners led a transformation in our company that created a groundswell of energy and action – people were described as “on fire”, “unleashed” and fully engaged in ways we hadn’t seen before. They have a proven, repeatable process that facilitates organizational change and mindset shifts at a rate I have never seen before. Their methods tapped into the wisdom of our people by engaging their voices to breakthrough barriers. New structures and processes were changed within months and they were shaped and implemented by the people of our organization.”
“I experienced a significant personal transformation. I was someone that felt almost invisible in my organization, which I had worked in for just short of a decade. Breakthrough partners helped me find the inner strength to own and make my voice heard so that I could make a positive impact. I shifted my focus from others to what I could do to personally to make change happen. This paradigm shift changed my whole reality. I now contribute and take action in ways I would have never imagined possible a year ago. This has made me a much more effective change leader. Thank you breakthrough partners, for the positive impacts you brought to life in our organization, and in my own life.”
“Working with Jen and her team was a different experience than working with other consultants in the past. Breakthrough partners is a well suited name, because they truly work as equals, as partners, to create the change our organization aspired for. They were partners in building our internal capabilities so that the change would be supported and sustained after their piece of work ended.”
– Maria
OE Consultant & Inclusion Leader
“There is a distinct difference in my leaders that were trained and developed by breakthrough partners. The team has increased confidence and skills in coaching, influencing executives, and designing and facilitating impactful change with all levels in the organization. Their increase in effectiveness as change leaders has been an advantage and key success factor in achieving our organizational goals.”
– Micheal
Assistant Vice President
“My experience working with Jen Todd and Amber Mayes was thrilling, exhilarating and challenging. I have never seen such significant impacts in people and shifts in a culture before. Their consulting and coaching produced innovative and transformational change for my organization and for me personally. We challenged the status quo, brought new ideas to life and created individual and collective transformation.”
“I experienced tremendous personal growth in my self-awareness and confidence working with breakthrough partners. My skills in design, facilitation, coaching and consulting were notably enhanced. I always felt supported, appreciated and recognized for who I was and in my role. Jen and Amber were not only with us to ‘get the job done,’ but also built our capabilities and knowledge from start to finish.”
– Elizabeth
Organization Effectiveness Consultant
“I truly credit Jen Todd with assisting me in bringing my business and my ability to operate at my best to a new level. Jen was remarkably skillful in identifying issues and obstacles that were holding me back, while at the same time, helping me to recognize and address these issues and devise a strategy to overcome them. The mind shifts and breakthroughs I experienced from working with Jen are the type that will remain with me and become ingrained in my every day experience. I was lucky to have the opportunity to work with Jen to better myself and my firm. I know I will call upon her again in the future.”
– Nicole Auerbach
Founding Member, Law Firm
“I had a really positive experience working with Jen Todd and would strongly recommend her to anyone looking for coaching to help take his/her career to the next level. She did a great job of providing ‘provocative’ feedback and pushing me outside of my comfort zone to truly assess all available options before making an important decision. After working with Jen, I feel I’m a more confident leader and more willing to take calculated risks to achieve true growth in my career and life.”
– Brian Lindholm
Manager, Professional Development, District U-46
“Whole System Transformation fosters deep change. It requires personal change. It requires courage to take an organization through this type of change. The impacts are tremendous as well as the capability for change in the organization. The employee engagement that results is an unbelievable thing to see. It is worth it! It is hard work! It’s emotional! It’s draining! And yes very rewarding!!”
“Before we even got home from the sessions, there were e-mails flying around, blog sites, and inspiring quotes being shared. People went back to their offices and put up poster boards and held their own focus groups. People of all levels went out to speak and talk about what was done. It had an impact on the way that we did our work. Instantly we started to see change in the attitudes of our employee group and how that affected our customers. The results told us we were “unleashing the magic!”
– John Parker
Executive Sponsor at Fortune 100 Financial Services Company
“In looking for real results and a great experience, I recommend breakthrough partners! I had the honor to be part of an employee group that worked directly with Jen Todd and Amber Mayes. Every day they brought their expertise, patience, knowledge, passion, leadership, positive attitude, inclusion, diversity, personal transformations, and enthusiasm. Through this I realized that inclusion and transformation are essential for a company to survive and be successful in these days. Jen and Amber showed the ability and talent to transform the ideas in a way that was easy to understand for everyone (people of all ages, different experiences and generations). Thousands of people within our Technology and Operations organization understood the importance of this too, through engagement in the process and very clear messaging. They all grew and identified the value of transformation and inclusion to them. I only have great things to say about breakthrough partners!”
– Mary Ann
Manager of Security Services
“What I expected from Jen Todd in my executive coaching program and what I received, was far greater. I would say that it was life changing.
Jen is a first class leadership coach giving tactical advice to approaching challenges head on. She is tough, direct, held me accountable, and pushed me out of my comfort zone to facilitate leadership growth and development. She coached me to be a more effective leader, in an extremely challenging environment. But my experience with Jen went far deeper. I pride myself in being a spiritual person and a person with a strong relationship with God. Because of Jen, however, my faith is even stronger today. Jen taught me the value of truly spending quiet time in presence and regularly spending time in gratitude. Her tactical advice has added lovely routines to my life that truly bring me joy and peace. Jen is truly a blessing in my life and a surprising outcome to an executive coaching program. God bless you Jen. You will always be in my heart. “
– Tina Hurst
Allstate Insurance Company
“Jen Todd is an excellent coach and a pleasure to work with. She partnered with me to develop clear, actionable approaches to address the unique challenges I faced. My relationships with co-workers were enhanced, I was more effective with my direct reports and I successfully navigated many really difficult situations. Jen supported me in trusting myself and pushed me to be a stronger leader.”
– Aarti Dhupelia
Director, Chicago Public Schools
“I thank and credit Jen Todd for helping me get to the level of Zen I am in today….figuring out my career/life/health balance has really paid off in the years following our coaching sessions. It really shifted the course of my life.”
– Jenny Friedle
Senior Online Services Manager
“Jen Todd reminds me of Flavia Weedn’s words, “Some people come into our lives and leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never ever the same.’
Thanks to Jen, I more fully engage in my work, create a greater impact and find deeper fulfillment. Jen’s coaching helped me integrate my mind, heart and body, resulting in professional and personal breakthroughs.
With Jen, I redefined by beliefs about conflict and am now capable of getting results in contentious environments. Jen helped me focus on intention, making meetings and interactions more purposeful and productive. I also learned to trust and engage my intuition, enabling me to create powerful outcomes for my clients.”
– Elizabeth Roll
Organization Development Consultant
“Executive coaching with Jen Todd was life and career changing for me. I was able to identify my purpose, a clear connected and meaningful vision, understand who I am, what I am destined to do and how to get there with clarity and focus I have never seen before.”
– Terry Terhark
President, The Right Thing, An ADP Company
“Jen Todd, You ROCK! You bring your whole self and all your experience to the coaching process. I am thrilled with my experience and results and I would recommend you to everyone!
Your coaching really helped me focus, make shifts internally to put myself first and stay accountable to my goals. In the past I tried to do WAY TOO much at the same time in my business and my life and always felt scattered. I shifted habits that don’t serve me any longer, learned to focus and prioritize what’s most important, and connect with myself every day for clarity, creativity and guidance. I am way more productive than ever before and making positive change in my business and life. Most importantly, I finally feel at PEACE…”
– Hannah Cornell-Shroeder
Owner of Soothe Your Soul, Mind-Body-Spirit Center
“Working with Jen was truly a transformational experience for me at a critical point in my career. She exhibited what it means to be a servant leader. She did what was necessary to understand what I wanted and needed in my professional and personal life, and challenged me to grow in ways I never thought possible. She always held me to the highest expectations and my work with Jen has made me a stronger leader and a better person.”
– Pierce Kilduff
Director, Talent Management, Pittsburgh Public Schools
“Working with Jen Todd was such a wonderful experience and I thank her for helping me discover who I really am. I came into the coaching process with low expectations. To my surprise after just a few months of working with Jen my whole outlook of myself and my career changed. She helped me to focus on what is important and make decisions that I had been struggling with for a long time and embrace a new mindset of being..’Called, Confident and Capable!’ Thanks Jen for your leadership.”
– Peg Ohman
Owner of Manistee Vacation Rentals
“Jen is the Best – she really knows how to inspire and is so motivating!! Her coaching is refreshing and useful and had such a positive effect on my life. I’m so glad she is in this line of work, she’s amazing at empowering people. She gave me very important messages that I will utilize throughout my life. Thank you so much Jen!!”
– Debra W.
Executive Contractor, Automotive Company
“Jen Todd’s skills and experience enabled personal and professional growth throughout my executive coaching engagement. More than any other mentoring or developmental experience, her insights into human behavior helped me understand how others might process and respond (or not!) to my leadership style and practices. She encouraged me to stretch my boundaries and facilitated new habits I will employ with the leaders in my organization.”
– Bill
Vice President, Fortune 100 Insurance Company
“We never know how high we are “Till we are called to rise”
– Emily Dickinson