Refactor Labs

Refactor Labs is a modern leadership advisory firm helping outliers and organizations lead through hard pivots. We specialize in resilience and reinvention, delivering remarkable experiences that thrill participants and build their courage + capacity for change.

Services:

🧢 Executive Coaching: 1:1 + small group sessions that unlock transformational growth through extended partnership.

🛠️ Participatory Workshops: Interactive seminars designed to learn and practice crucial skills for navigating complex transitions—storytelling, emotional intelligence, experimentation and more.

🎤 Keynote Talks: High energy presentations that challenges audiences to dream bigger and act bolder in the pursuit of excellence.

Clients:

Meta
Nielsen
Pinterest
Grubhub
Contenda
Coeus Ventures
Proctor & Gamble
Harmonic Message
Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

Executive Coach

Lunar Accel

Board Member

Merit

Angel Investor, Mentor

Contenda

Angel Investor

13 Fund

Angel Philanthropist

Jason Shen

Write about business, technology, and culture for publications with numerous bylines in TechCrunch, Fast Company, and Vox. My posts on Medium have a combined 800k+ views.

Speak and teach at conferences and events on topics like gaming & esports, product management, entrepreneurship, talent development, and leadership. Since 2012, I've spoken on four separate continents (North Am, Europe, Asia, Australia) at places like Google, Pinterest, General Assembly, and Empower. My TED talk on the future of hiring has 4M views.

Support ambitious startup founders as an executive coach.

Resilience Expert

Facebook

Led product for public groups which connect 400M+ people everyday to the interests, people, and  communities they care most about, without barriers. Incubated a new product experience in FB Groups to millions of people.

Product Manager

Presidential Innovation Fellows Foundation

The Presidential Innovation Fellows (PIF) program was established by the White House in 2012 to attract top innovators into government, capable of tackling issues at the convergence of technology, policy, and process.

The PIF Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization established to support and advance the PIF program, drive innovation in the US government, and connect our 100+ alumni. Board members are elected by members to 2-year terms.

The Asian American Man Study

The Asian American Man Study a national survey of the experiences and beliefs of American men of East, Southeast, and South Asian descent. Our findings have appeared in The Atlantic, NBC Asian America, Vox, and Quartz, and has reached over 100,000 people on Medium. Over 1000 Asian men have been surveyed since our founding in 2015.

Jason has shared his research and personal experience as a first-generation Asian American at Amazon, Pinterest, Proctor & Gamble, and Nielsen.

Founder

Helping unconventional founders & execs lead through hard pivots · Author: THE PATH TO PIVOT · Uncle Iroh with a side of Genie · 3x venture-backed startup founder · 1st gen immigrant · ADHD · Meta + Etsy alum

Hi, I'm Jason. I'm an executive coach to outliers & organizations facing hard pivots.

But let's talk about you for a sec. I'm guessing you've landed your fair share of funding, promotions, and industry recognition.

But somewhere along that grind, you noticed you saw the world differently than your peers and those ahead of you. You discovered that achieving inside someone else's definition of success isn't a sweet as winning on your own terms.

But at the same time, you've realized that building a company, career, and creative life that's out of the ordinary can be daunting.

I get it.

As an executive coach and the founder of a leadership advisory firm Refactor Labs, I help outliers like you lead through hard pivots in business and life. 

Having built teams, products, and companies in consumer, B2B, and marketplaces from inception to post-IPO—I've probably seen the problems you're facing.

As a three time startup founder with two exits and one very humbling failure under my belt—I know the pressure of having to manage your psychology and lead your team in pressure-cooker moments.

And as an ADHD kid transplanted from Suzhou to Silicon Valley, I've felt the sting of rejection and the struggle to find community when you don't fit in.

That's why I do what I do.

My clients are VC-backed founders, agency owners, and senior executives. Outliers who want to express their unique talents in spite of a system that tells them to just fit in. Leaders who want to transform their organizations to navigate a new reality.

I work with you to power through those hard pivots to land that next big thing.

That's what I did for Kevin.

Kevin had a growing family and a successful career as a marketing leader, but was tired of feeling tired and burned out.

Together we charted a path for him to leave his pre-IPO startup and launch a successful agency that's quickly becoming the go-to messaging agency for B2B SaaS companies while supporting his family and his health.

And for Edmar.

Edmar was the founder and former CEO one of Brazil's most successful tech companies, but when we met, he was stuck in first gear without much momentum in any direction.

Together we helped him find joy in coding again, develop genuine relationships and a community of Bay Area technologists, and shaped his vision to launch an AI venture studio.

So that's what I do. Here are some ways I can help you:

1. The Outlier Advantage Email Course (free)
2. The Path to Pivot book ($)
3. 1:1 or Group Executive Coaching ($$)
4. Keynote presentation ($$$)

Shoot me a DM to learn more and explore further.

🌱 Jason Shen

You built the thing.

You wrote the first lines of code, made the first sale, hired the first employee. You were the company.

But now you're scaling. You have a team of 5, 25, 50.

The skills that got you here, the relentless doing, the hands-on control... they are becoming the bottleneck. You feel you "should" be more strategic, but you're uneasy letting go.

You look at your title:

CEO
CTO
COO

And you wonder if you're still the right person for the job.

Your challenge isn't to become a different person. It's to find your new point of leverage.

It's to graduate from being the best "doer" to being the most effective "enabler."

What's one task you're still holding onto that you know you need to hand off to scale your impact?

Jason 🧠 Shen

The Outlier Coach · Helping venture-backed founders build conviction and win *their* game. Author of 'The Path to Pivot' & 'Weirdly Brilliant' · Retired NCAA 🏆 gymnast

Board Member | AI & Tech Speaker | Author | Entrepreneur | Enterprise Architect | Top AI Voice

AI Advisor & Technology Speaker | Top AI Voice | Board Member | Author | Enterprise Architect
Guiding Europe’s AI Innovation | 102K+ Followers | 50K+ AI Daily Nutshell Readers | Based in Brussels, EU

I am an AI Advisor, Technology Speaker, Board Member, Author, and Enterprise Architect based in Brussels, EU, helping professionals and organizations across Europe understand and adopt AI with clarity, confidence, and responsibility.

With a community of 102,000+ followers on LinkedIn and 50,000+ readers of my AI Daily Nutshell newsletter, I simplify complex AI topics and translate them into practical insights that leaders, teams, and individuals can act on immediately.

For over 20 years, I have worked across enterprise architecture, cloud, data centres, automation, and digital transformation. Today, my focus is on guiding Europe through the fast-evolving AI landscape — from emerging tools and responsible AI practices to policy, strategy, and the impact of the EU AI Act.

My mission is simple:
Make AI understandable for everyone, and empower Europe to innovate with purpose.

I speak at global tech summits, advise organizations on AI strategy, mentor startups, and engage daily with a global community eager to learn, grow, and stay ahead of change.

If you’re interested in:
• Simplifying AI in practical language
• Understanding AI trends shaping Europe
• Enterprise architecture and transformation
• The EU AI Act and responsible AI
• Emerging tools, future skills, and digital leadership
— you will find daily, value-driven content here.

📍 Based in Brussels, EU
🌍 Collaborating with organizations and communities across Europe and beyond
💬 Open to speaking engagements, advisory roles, and meaningful discussions on the future of AI

#AIEurope #EuropeTech #DigitalEurope #EuropeanInnovation
#Entrepreneurship #ITAdvisory #BoardMember #AIInnovation #BlockchainStrategist #TechVisionary

ChandraKumar R Pillai

Your environment can make you doubt yourself. It can make you feel smaller, weaker, or “not enough.”

But here’s the truth: your power hasn’t gone anywhere. It’s still inside you, waiting for the moment you remember who you are. 

Sometimes you’re not broken, you’re just in the wrong environment. The right space, the right people, the right mindset… that’s when your roar comes alive.

Reminder: Protect your energy. Surround yourself with environments that lift you, not limit you. Your true potential is waiting.

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#success #ai

li_at

JSESSIONID

Talks about #ai, #innovation, #leadership, #motivation, and #technology

Worth

They said “no.”
But visionaries don’t wait for permission.

Toyota fired a mechanic, he built Honda.
Ferrari mocked a tractor maker, he built Lamborghini.
HP ignored an employee’s idea, he built Apple.

The pattern?
Rejection doesn’t stop visionaries. It fuels them.

Every “no” is just proof that your idea is too early not too wrong.

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Entrepreneur | Innovative IT Professional & Enterprise Architect | IT Advisor | Interested in Board & Advisory Roles

With over two decades of dynamic experience in the rapidly evolving IT landscape, I am a seasoned entrepreneur and IT advisor committed to driving technological innovation and strategic leadership. Holding a Master's in Computer Science and an MBA, I have developed a keen ability to merge business objectives with cutting-edge technological solutions.

Key Strengths:

Entrepreneurial Leadership: I've founded and scaled tech startups, using strategic decision-making to drive success.
IT Advisory Excellence: As a trusted advisor, I guide significant digital transformations, delivering sustainable strategies and actionable insights.
Technical Visionary: Leading IT strategies, I translate complex concepts into strategic advantages, redefining industry standards.
AI & Blockchain Expertise: An advocate for transformative technologies, I shape the future of AI and blockchain with strategic insights.

Board & Advisory Roles:
Actively seeking opportunities to serve on boards and advisory panels where I can bring my robust blend of entrepreneurial flair and IT acumen to foster innovation and guide technological strategy.

Thought Leader & Motivational Writer:
As an influential writer and speaker, I discuss artificial intelligence, technological trends, entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership. My goal is to inspire and equip a community of forward-thinkers and innovators to push the boundaries of what's possible.

AI Daily Nutshell:
Curator of a LinkedIn newsletter providing the latest in AI and innovation. Subscribe here: AI Daily Nutshell https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7133147007694589952/.

Consulting and Advisory Services:
I offer strategic consulting services, focusing on leveraging technology to achieve business goals. My approach involves a comprehensive understanding of both market demands and technological advancements to drive organizational success.

Let's Connect:
I am keen to engage in collaborations and board roles that leverage technology to create significant business value. Let’s connect and explore potential opportunities to drive digital transformation together.

#Entrepreneurship #ITAdvisory #BoardMember #AIInnovation #BlockchainStrategist #TechVisionary

Rejection

Growth isn’t instant.
 You don’t see it today. That’s fine.
Every step counts.
Even the ones you don’t notice.

Stop comparing.
Your path isn’t theirs.

Life isn’t a race.
It’s a grind. One step at a time.

Keep going.
Your progress is real, even if it’s invisible.

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DON'T QUIT NOW. YOUR STORY ISN'T OVER

“What God gave us.
What we did with it.”

Some pages remind you of a simple truth,
blessings are the starting point, not the finish line.

Talent is given.
Growth is built.
Purpose is chosen.
Impact is created.

Every day, we decide whether we use what we have… or waste it.

Gratitude is a gift.
Execution is worship.

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#success

Growth

The Power of Consistency!

It’s not the big leaps that change your life.
It’s the tiny steps you repeat, daily.

When you show up again and again, even on the days you don’t feel like it…

That’s when the real transformation begins.

Swipe through to see how consistency builds confidence, momentum, and long-term success.

Because progress isn’t loud
It’s consistent.

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#consistency #growth #mindset

Most people fear being alone.
That’s why they never grow.

They hide in noise, stay busy, stay distracted — anything to avoid being with their own thoughts.

But here’s the twist:

Solitude isn’t loneliness.
It’s the training ground for clarity, discipline, and real confidence.

When you can sit with yourself — no phone, no validation, no escape —
you stop depending on the world and start depending on you.

Alone is where strong people are built.

Swipe to learn the art of being alone.
Master it, and everything else becomes easier.

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THE ART OF BEING ALONE

We keep waiting for big changes…
But life only shifts through tiny, consistent actions.

20 minutes.
1 page.
A few quiet moments.

That’s all it takes to build a different version of you.
Slow steps > big leaps.
Always.

If you’re trying to grow in 2026, start with something you can do today.

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Daily Habits

𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂.
𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀.

You can read every self-help book, watch every motivational video, and still feel stuck
because willpower dies where distraction lives.

If your desk is chaos, your phone’s a trap, and your space screams “scroll” 
no mindset shift will save you.

But build an environment that rewards focus, structure, and health and discipline becomes automatic.

You don’t rise to the level of your goals.
You fall to the level of your environment.

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#success #motivation

Goals

Most people binge movies for fun.
Billionaires binge them for mindset.

Because one great film can do what a hundred “motivational posts” can’t
shift your thinking, upgrade your patterns, and quietly rewire how you operate.

I just shared 10 movies that will build you the mindset of a billionaire
no fluff, no clichés… just pure perspective-shifting energy.

If you’re serious about leveling up, this list is your new weekend plan.

Dive in. Upgrade the way you think.
Your future self will thank you

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#success

Movie

Most people don’t realize this…
A water bottle is 1$ at the supermarket,
6$ at the airport,
12$ at a hotel.

Same product.
Same quality.
Different value — depending on WHERE it’s placed.

People are the same.
Put yourself in the wrong rooms… you’ll feel “cheap.”
Put yourself in the right rooms… you’ll be respected, paid, and valued differently.

Your environment is a multiplier.
Choose it with intention.

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#success #motivation

Value

We didn’t ruin the world… We just started using things against their purpose. 

School → became a race. 
Internet → became a distraction. 
Love → became a battlefield. 

The truth is simple: 
When purpose is lost, everything feels heavy. 
When purpose is restored, everything works again. 

Let’s get back to alignment. One choice at a time.

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Purpose

Every day, you face two doors.
One is fear, it keeps you safe, comfortable, stuck.
The other is growth, it’s uncomfortable, uncertain, but it changes everything.

You don’t need more time.
You need to choose courage over comfort.

Because in the end the choice is yours.

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Choice

Your past isn’t something to bury, it’s something to own.

Every mistake, every failure, every tough moment… It’s all part of your blueprint.

Stop blaming, stop hiding, stop pretending it didn’t happen.

Own your actions. Learn from them. Use them.

Because the only way to build a future worth having is to face your past, take responsibility, and move forward with purpose.

Your past isn’t a weight, it’s your launchpad.

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Learn from Past

We underestimate the power of small habits…
until they completely change who we become.

30 push-ups a day.
Sleeping 30 minutes earlier.
10,000 steps.

Individually? Simple.
Collectively? Life-changing.

It’s not the big moves that transform us
it’s the quiet consistency no one sees.

Show up today.
Your future self will thank you.

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#success #motivation

Habits

Your life won’t change just because you ‘want’ it to.
It changes when you start tracking it.
Because the moment you measure something, you expose the truth—
your habits, your patterns, your excuses.
And once you see the truth, you can’t unsee it.

Identity comes first.
Start acting like the person who tracks their day, their effort, their progress.
That version of you?
They grow faster. They improve faster. They win faster.

If you want a different life, start tracking the one you already have.
Start today.

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AI Advisor & Enterprise Architect | Guiding Europe’s AI Innovation & Compliance | Board Member, Author, Speaker | Based in Brussels, EU

Identity

Two people. Same object. Different mindset.

One sees a dream. The other sees depreciation.

Perspective decides what’s outdated, your model or your mindset

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Perspective

99% of people don’t own their phones,
their phones own them.

They wake up → scroll.
They sleep → scroll.
Their attention, discipline, and drive? All gone.

But the 1%?

They treat their phone like a weapon, not a weakness.

They use it to learn, build, connect, and grow.

Here’s how they stay in control:

1️⃣ Silence notifications
2️⃣ No phone before bed / after waking
3️⃣ One full detox day a week
4️⃣ Replace scrolling with creation
5️⃣ Master your device, or it will master you

The difference between distraction and domination
is just one habit away.

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Kill Addiction

Your value isn’t in the raw material, it’s in the work you put into yourself.

We all start the same.
But we don’t end the same.

Because what truly sets you apart is:

➡️ The effort no one sees
➡️ The discipline you build daily
➡️ The skills you sharpen when others slow down
➡️ The refinement that only consistency brings

Your growth is your greatest investment.

Keep building. Keep evolving.
The return is always worth it. 💛

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#success #motivation

Your life changes the moment you stop buying your own excuses. 

Discipline isn’t a mood, it’s a decision. 
You talk less, you listen more. 

You cut the distractions that keep you average. Most people want results without the routine. 

Winners build the routine that creates the results.

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Discipline

Stop wishing. Start doing.

Most people die waiting for the “right time.”
They plan. They dream. They visualize.
But they never execute.

You don’t need another goal.
You need to move.

The people who win aren’t smarter.
They just do what others keep postponing.

Action isn’t the last step — it’s the only step that matters.

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taplio

The Battle

🌱 Jason Shen

ChandraKumar R Pillai

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score🌱 Jason Shen's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreChandraKumar R Pillai's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

🌱 Jason Shen

ChandraKumar R Pillai

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);}🌱 Jason Shen's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreChandraKumar R Pillai's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance Score🌱 Jason Shen's LinkedIn Performance