Barrel Holdings

What if growth wasn’t about “more” but “better”?

And what if there was a system for “better”?

That’s what we do at Barrel Holdings.

We help agency founders turn strong businesses into scalable, durable companies by installing agency systems that reduce chaos, protect margins, and unlock real value by:

→ partnering with agency founders & leaders
→ shifting founders out of daily sales & delivery
→ installing financial visibility & margin discipline
→ training teams on scoping, pricing & resourcing
→ building frameworks for recurring revenue streams
→ engineering systems for growth without dependency
→ coaching on workload capacity safeguards & burnout

There’s more.

And it is my job to make “more” - and all - of that agency wisdom binge-worthy.

Curious how we acquire, manage, and launch agency businesses?

🔗 Check us out: https://www.barrel-holdings.com/

Marketing Lead

outonomi

There’s no shortage of advice on how to become successful.

The real challenge?

Staying successful.

(In a way that evolves with you.)

My private coaching work is built for executives, entrepreneurs, founders, and thought leaders who’ve built great careers, businesses, and companies - but feel the quiet strain of titles, KPIs, and growth outpacing their vision for life.

Problems I helped my clients solve:

"I’m clear on what I don’t want.”
“This isn’t the life I truly want to lead.”
"This next chapter needs to be intentional."
"For the first time, I don’t have a 5-year plan."
"I’ve outgrown the version of myself. Now what?”
"I’m no longer sure this is my definition of success."
"I just can’t see myself doing this for the next 10 years."
"Success doesn’t mean the same thing it did five years ago."
"I’ve worked so hard to get here, but I don’t want here anymore."
“Ambition isn’t the problem. Figuring out what to do next with it…is.”

Since I’ve lived what you are walking through, I now bring both the personal experience and 7 coaching certifications to help you move through it all clearly, calmly, and efficiently.

My approach blends:

• Designing beliefs that fit your whole life
• Figuring out who you are & what you want
• Expanding your personal capacity for growth
• Building leadership identity grounded in clarity
• Untangling the subconscious patterns you carry

Because success isn’t one definition.
It’s allowed to evolve as you do.

If you’re an executive or founder ready to grow into what’s next, this is where we do that work.

✨ Private coaching application opening soon.

Founder | Private Coach to Executives

Chief

As I infamously said: "Success is just a starting point."

To us, at Chief, success is a place of service.
It is where grace, grit, and intention meet.
It is a place of connection.

It is how we live our lives.

This is why I am incredibly proud to belong to a private membership network that connects and supports the most powerful women executives, sharing playbooks with those who see themselves as both ambitious and empathic, driving change on all levels of their organizations.

Welcome to a place where there is room for all of you - and where we celebrate those who pave the way to bring others with them.

🌿 Here's to building impactful businesses.
✨ Here's to being impactful humans.

Member

IM Digital

Stories power strategies.

I learned that here.

I learned what it means to translate a story into...
→ an impactful initiative;
→ an ROI-driving project;
→ a needle-moving event.

I've learned what it means to champion transformational narratives and had a front-row seat to their power unfolding over multiple cities, continents, clients, partners, projects, and company sizes.

This is all to say...

Our job is not to get the strategy piece first.
Our job is to get the story right. 

If the story is right, the strategy unfolds.

Purposeful storytelling isn't show business; it is simply good business.

Vice President Strategic Initiatives

Innovation is the movement of intellect and imagination in the direction of growth.

It is NOT a result of logical thinking, even though its result should be logical structure.

Its goal is NOT to identify THE thing to say "Yes" to but to identify all the things we will say "No" to. 

In its essence, innovation is about making a bet on a future only few can see and trusting yourself enough to be willing to go on the journey.

👉 Whether through workshops and sprints (over 150 under my belt);
👉 Whether through events big and small (Shoptalk included);
👉 Whether through working with clients (valued at $1,9B)

I have been on journeys that resulted in creating an innovation portfolio, building diversified innovation strategies, and driving top-line growth through innovation.

I have loved every single moment, especially the ones where I served as a "professional needle mover" operating on the intersection of strategy, creativity, and psychology.

💌 In the words of the people I was able to serve: "It's like you borrow us the energy to see change as an opportunity. And then we get to translate the opportunity into clarity, and from there... well, it's easy to grow."

Vice President of Innovation

The role that became a platform for expression.

Our clients.
Our own.
Mine.

Taking over the creative efforts at an agency that was deeply rooted in complex integrations and known for its technological savviness was... a lot.

But I was curious, I loved a challenge, and I saw a gap between the ask and the value we could deliver. It asked for slight restructuring, rebranding, and navigation of 9 - but we made it happen.

🙌 It resulted in a top-performing revenue channel.
🙌 It resulted in the launching of Design Sprints.
🙌 It resulted in a profit increase.

More importantly, it resulted in us re-positioning ourselves as a full-service agency, a place where creativity and commerce meet, with competence and contribution at its core.

Over this period, we launched mid-COVID-19 materials, which led to 3 deals worth over $600k signed in a week, collaborating and partnering with the likes of PayPal, Adobe, and Salesforce, and personally heading tailor-made workshops with target key accounts.

🎯 As I fondly like to remember, that was the moment when we started pushing our brands in new directions, fueling their growth through visual, visionary storytelling.

Head of Creative

From nothing... to - my oh my - quite something.

I was always a storyteller.
I loved stacks of books.
I enjoyed the words.

(I adored their power. 🤤)

This role was the first place where my words found a home.

They got me from a small-town adventurer and aspiring dreamer into the role of blog writer who got her work published on the Adobe website, driving the Mobile Optimization Initiative and spearheading the Magento Imagine efforts.

The words spoke through me, and they were loud, and they were clear. They got us leads (over 130 per venture), they got us on the Imagine Excellence awards shortlist, and they got us into rooms where the impact was made.

It was there and then that I realized...

→ I want to keep talking.
→ I want to keep sharing.
→ I want to keep evolving.

And I want to take as many people as possible with me.

Marketing Director

Inchoo

Marketing and Communications Coordinator

Sales and Marketing Intern

AIESEC

Vice President for Business to Customers

Talent Development Manager

External Relations Team Member

Organizing Commitee of Local Training Seminar

Task Force for Brand Audit

I was always the “behind-the-scenes” girl:

• Servicing $1.9B clients;
• Leading growth and strategy;
• Pushing Inc. 500 agencies forward;
• Starting & scaling 7-figure departments;
• Collecting big brand platform partnerships;
• Evolving agencies from 12 to +100 employees;
• Running PayPal initiatives & Shoptalk workshops…

Eventually, I noticed a pattern, one I’ve seen in boardrooms, exec teams, and inside myself:

Scaling a business isn’t the hard part.
Scaling your leadership, your identity, and your capacity for success happening 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 you, instead of 𝘵𝘰 you—that’s where it starts to ache.

That realization cracked open a question:

What if the goal isn’t just growth, but 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁?

So I made space for a new kind of success. One that is sustainable. One that included my full self. 

Since then:

→ Got 7x coaching certifications
→ Became a VP & a Board Member
→ Grew from 1k to ~15k social followers
→ Organized events with the US Embassy
→ Spoke at events, panels, and workshops
→ Personally coached 50+ female executives
→ Became a top 3% LinkedIn Creator (Favikon)
→ Became a member of CHIEF (hi, female execs!)
→ Launched my own newsletter for high-performers
→ Confidently moved from the agency world to holdcos
→ Founded OUTONOMI, the platform for sustainable success

None of this happened by accident.

It happened the moment I redefined success on my terms, and built everything else to match it.

That’s the work I now do every week: helping high-achievers recalibrate what they lead, how they live, and who they get to be inside OUTONOMI.

And I’m so grateful you’re here.

———

👋 Follow for weekly insights on leadership, growth, strategy & sustainable success.

🔥 Try my newsletter OUTONOMI—1,500+ women executives subscribe for private insights on sustainable success every week.

🚀 Want to grow your leadership, inside and out? Apply for my private coaching. Next slot available in July.

Ivona Namjesnik

Top Leader Lab

- Coach leaders and entrepreneurs to master effective corporate communication through 1:1 coaching and presentation workshop series.

- Design and deliver workshops focused on clarity, confidence, and executive presence.

- Host a podcast featuring entrepreneurs and leaders, exploring what helped them grow and advance in their careers.

- Share actionable insights from real-world stories to inspire professionals on their communication journey.

Podcaster and Coach

- Supported the onboarding of 300+ students in a single day, ensuring a smooth and engaging experience.

- Organized social events such as bowling nights and bingo games to foster community and connection.

- Managed and tracked inventory for new student joiners.

- Liaised with university representatives and coordinated events at University of Toronto, Toronto Metropolitan University, and University of Waterloo.

Campus Coordinator

- Collaborated with HR teams to generate monthly reports on employee engagement, retention, and attrition trends.

- Organized monthly HR townhalls, managing the invite list, meeting agenda, and recognition segments to enhance team connection.

- Supported HR Business Partners in preparing onboarding and offboarding letters and related documentation.

Human Resources Specialist

- Leveraged LinkedIn Recruiter and other sourcing tools to identify and engage top candidates.

- Managed the full recruitment cycle, including salary negotiations, offer rollouts, and post-offer follow-ups.

Recruiter

Partnered with client groups to design and implement communication and training schedules for change initiatives.

Conducted “Train the Trainer” sessions to equip internal teams with the skills to lead and sustain change effectively.

Consultant

upGrad Enterprise

- Onboarded 50+ contractual employees within two months, ensuring smooth documentation and orientation processes.

- Gained hands-on experience in the fundamentals of recruitment, staffing, and candidate management.

Intern

Your best ideas are useless if they aren't heard and understood. For years, I’ve seen brilliant leaders with incredible vision fail to get the buy-in they deserve, not because of their ideas, but because of how they communicated them.

As a Communication Coach, my mission is to ensure your voice is the most compelling and influential one in the room.

My perspective is unique. Having worked inside major tech and consulting firms like AMD, CGI, and PwC in HR and Talent Acquisition, I have a deep understanding of the corporate landscape. 

I know the unwritten rules of communication that determine who gets a *seat at the table* and *who gets left behind*.

I help my clients bridge that gap. We partner in two ways:

1) For Individual Leaders (1:1 Coaching):

We work together to sharpen your communication skills so you can lead with more authority and impact. The focus is on building tangible skills in message structuring, confident delivery, and organizational influence.

2) For Teams (Workshop Series):

I provide frameworks that help your team structure and deliver engaging presentations. The goal is to equip them with the skills to capture and hold the attention of any audience.

If you're ready to step up to the next level of your leadership, I invite you to DM me.

Clerisa Varghese🌿

Bit of personal post, but here goes nothing.

Last year in October 2024, I made BIG giant leap. 

I quit my job and launched my business Top Leader Lab.

I did this because, I knew I had it in me to really make difference in the way people communicate at work.

But that's not what this post is about.

This post is about entreprenuership.

One of the biggest challenges of business I thought was:

- Getting clients
- Staying organized
- Flux in monthly income

While those are daunting, but the biggest challenge is support.

Support from people you love.

One of the toughest week was when I told my Appa (dad) that I am pursuing my business (after doing this for almost a year)

I wanted to protect him from worrying about my financial situation (and secondly I was too worried that if I didn't have his support, it would crush me)

When finally told him he was upset. 

Not because he thought I couldn't build it.

But because I had not shared it with him.

The point of the post is:

Some people will question your sanity for giving up a safe paycheque and going after something you know will make a difference.

That's part of the process. 

Will there be days when you will question yourself. 

HELL YEAH.

But at least, you will come out at the other end knowing you are giving everything you have in yourself to build something you are proud of.

Keep at it, my entreprenuerial friends.

KEEP AT IT!

---

👋 Hi, I'm Clerisa. 

I teach communication skills that build your influence. 

Need help? Visit my website ↓
www.TopLeaderLab.com

Clerisa Varghese

Founder of Top Leader Lab | Communication Coach | Corporate Trainer | (part time coffee drinker)

It's 9:58 AM. You're about to present to stakeholders.

Your slides are polished (but your heart is thumping)

You open with: 

"Good morning everyone. Today we'll be reviewing Q3 financials and departmental updates."

But something feels… off.

- You notice someone's camera turns off. 
- Another person opens their laptop. 
- Someone checks their phone. 

The energy in the room feels flat, distracted.

You keep going, but deep down you know the truth.

They're not really listening. (cue the womp womp sound effect)

You've lost them before you even started. 

And now you're fighting an uphill battle for the next 30 minutes, wondering why your perfectly prepared presentation feels like it's falling flat.


If you've ever felt this, this carousel will help. 

---
👋 Hi, I'm Clerisa. 
I teach communication skills that build your influence. 
Need help? Visit my website ↓
www.TopLeaderLab.com

6 Ways to START Your Presentation Like a PRO

Shhh... 

"You're being too loud." 

This year I had the opportunity to attend Elevate Festival 2025 in Toronto. 

One of the things that fascinated me was how efficiently the event venue, Meridian Hall, was utilized. 

Since it brought in thousands of guests each day, 

they had to account for multiple events being held simultaneously 

while allowing people to network (if they wished) or participate in sessions. 

They used a system called Quiet events, 

where you pick up headphones 

and can hear crystal clear what the presenter is saying, 

BUT 

to the outside world it's QUIET. 

(don't worry, they sanitized every headphone, once you returned them)

Our communication in the workplace is like that sometimes too. 

While a lot of what we say makes sense to everyone, 

only a few will tune in (aka wear the headphones) 

and listen to what you have to say. 

BUT you better make sure that when they are tuning in,

 you are saying things that matter and are effective in your communication.

What's something you've seen at a conference or event that surprised you?

---
👋 Hi, I'm Clerisa. 

I teach communication skills that build your influence. 

Need help? Visit my website ↓
www.TopLeaderLab.com

Your phone buzzes. New calendar invite.

"URGENT: Leadership Team Meeting - Tomorrow 2 PM"

That voice in your head immediately starts:

- What if I fumble?
- What if I freeze up?
- What if they ask something I don't know?

You spend the next 3 days over-preparing your slides.

You practice 50 times in the mirror.

But when the moment comes...

You sound like a nervous robot reading a script.

Your carefully crafted presentation falls flat.

The leadership team looks distracted, unengaged.

You walk away thinking: 

"I knew my stuff, so why didn't I sound confident?"

Knowing your content ≠ Sounding confident

Even the most prepared professionals struggle with this.

But there's a strategic way to prepare that changes everything.

In my latest video, I break down the 4 essential elements that transform how you show up in leadership meetings:

- Know your audience 
- Structure for conversation
- Handle interruptions like a pro
- Master your pace and presence

Because when you nail these 4 elements, something magical happens:

You don't just deliver information.

 You command the room.

Watch the full breakdown. Link in comments. 

---
👋 Hi, I'm Clerisa. 
I teach communication skills that build your influence. 
Need help? Visit my website ↓
www.TopLeaderLab.com

Meet Heather 

Heather is the Leadership Coach helping leaders grow their team without burnout.

One problem: She needed help restructuring presentation she delivered at Stanford in California. 

I recorded a session with Heather where I helped her LEVEL up her presentation. 

You can watch the full video on YouTube now
(Link in the comments)

taplio

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Ivona Namjesnik

Clerisa Varghese🌿

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taplio

The Battle

Ivona Namjesnik

Clerisa Varghese🌿

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Clerisa Varghese🌿's LinkedIn Performance

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