THE MINDSHIFT STORY
“Experienced, open-minded, full of heart…”
Hello leader!
We’re so glad you’re here!
We’re Ayla and Yashar, sister and brother, and the co-founders of MINDSHIFT LEADERSHIP.
This is the story of why we came together to create MINDSHIFT LEADERSHIP.
We had two seemingly opposite careers: Ayla with her Masters in Human Rights worked in social justice, while Yashar was a Naturopathic Doctor, with a focus on integrative cancer care.
But we were witnessing one overarching challenge: disconnect. A disconnect between people and themselves, their families, who they worked with, for, and the work itself.
We thought: there has to be a better way.
Ayla says
“I was looking for a different way to lead and empower teams. A way that was sustainable and impactful. Whether I was working in prisons or running board meetings, I knew the focus had to shift to capacity building. I wanted people to tap into their own wealth of knowledge, trust themselves more and align their actions with their values.”


Yashar says
“My fascination with the mind-body connection fueled my studies and my practice. I had the privilege of working with patients requiring end-of-life support. They reflected on what they would have done differently, choices they were proud of, and at the end what really mattered to them. I gained priceless insights. I am committed to proactive-care, and want to leverage this wisdom to help people optimize how they lead themselves and their teams.”
There was a natural synergy between our approaches to medicine and management. We shared the same curiosity, purpose, and values.
We started a conversation about these important questions, and that conversation continues today.
That conversation turned into many courses, new qualifications, certifications, test-driving strategies, rethinking methodologies and now, into the business we know today as: MINDSHIFT LEADERSHIP.
change starts with you…
Our personal and professional experiences have taught us that sustainable growth and true empowerment — of any kind — can only happen from within.
The shift happens in life when you realize that self-awareness and personal accountability are the keys to unlocking your wisdom and your potential growth.
MINDSHIFT LEADERSHIP was born out of this understanding.
let’s lead together…
We work with leaders, who are looking to lead themselves, their teams, and their communities, with integrity. Our heart-based, evidence-based, mindset-powered methodology facilitates transformation from the inside-out!
Are you ready to be the leader you are meant to be?
Discover the MINDSHIFT difference and our leadership services.
Let’s MINDSHIFT!
Questions?

what leaders say
“I was looking to move past the “stuck” feeling I had at my job, I went into my coaching sessions with Ayla hoping for just a little more clarity. I should’ve been more ambitious with my hopes because being coached by Ayla has been an incredibly enlightening experience. By asking the right questions at the right time, Ayla guided me to my own realizations and helped me set manageable goals for myself. Small actions snowballed until I looked back and realized that I had made big changes. Ayla is a natural coach and an indispensable resource.”
— Susheela Willis, Coachee
“We all have specific goals and dreams that we want to accomplish with our lives, but many of us–myself included–struggle with transforming those things into reality. By receiving coaching from Yashar, I was guided to understand my true self, my potential, and my ability to achieve what I would have otherwise thought to be impossible. For me, this has meant real, practical, beneficial change, and I am eternally grateful for the help of Yashar.”
— Yusuf Z. Zakir, Director Diversity and Inclusion, Holland & Knight