Helping Product and Marketing teams 10x the value of their research—with the tools and team they already have | Used by Twitter, Indeed, Twilio, Aflac + more

Ignoring evidence is costly.

Early in my career—as a metropolitan police officer—I ignored evidence that was right in front of me. That decision almost cost me my life. I learned, firsthand, what happens when people don’t recognize signals, don’t integrate information, or don’t act on what they know.

Organizations face this same risk every day.

Not because they lack data or insight—but because they lack systems that help people learn, interpret, and act on evidence during change.

That insight has shaped my career.

Today, I design learning, enablement, and change systems that help organizations adopt new behaviors, tools, and operating models—without relying on heroics or one‑off efforts.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜 𝗙𝗢𝗖𝗨𝗦 𝗢𝗡:

My work sits at the intersection of:

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, & 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴

• Designing learning architectures that support adoption, not just awareness
• Building role‑based capability systems for frontline, leadership, and specialist roles
• Supporting organizational change during growth, transformation, and integration
• Translating strategy into practical learning pathways, standards, and performance support

𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗨𝗫 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵, & 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵

• Applying qualitative and quantitative research to reduce decision risk
• Building insight systems that scale beyond centralized teams
• Helping organizations move from “research outputs” to embedded decision support

𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗜 𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗔𝗖𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞:

I believe insight only creates value when it changes behavior.

That’s why I focus on:

• Making complex information usable
• Creating repeatable frameworks instead of one‑off deliverables
• Designing learning that is applied, reinforced, and embedded into daily work
• Treating change as a learning problem—not a communication problem

I often describe my approach as helping organizations think like investigators—not because everyone should be a detective, but because evidence must be collected, interrogated, communicated, and acted on systematically.

𝗪𝗛𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞𝗦:

🎓 I hold a doctorate in cognitive psychology, focused on how people learn and perform under difficult conditions.

🌎 I’ve built and led enterprise insight and enablement functions at organizations like Twilio, Twitter, Panasonic, Indeed, and others.

🚓 My early career as a police officer and detective shaped how I approach evidence, risk, and real‑world decision‑making.

Dr. Ari Zelmanow

Just because someone puts on a good face, doesn't mean they aren't going through sh*t.

I got laid off 9 months ago. 

And to be perfectly transparent, I've been so angry I can barely sleep. Like, genuinely consumed by it. 

I'm angry at all the people I helped—and who are now absent when I needed a hand.

I'm angry at how unfair the system is, including my layoff—and how I'm expected to just smile and take it.

I'm angry that I have to pretend I'm fine—and that admitting I'm struggling makes me look weak in everyone's eyes.

But mostly, I'm just exhausted. 

And I just realized—I'm making the ONE mistake nobody warns you about.

Here's what happened: I let my anger stop being a 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 and started letting it become my 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘺.

And look—your anger is valid. Mine is too. When life screws you over, you should allow yourself the grace to feel that rage. 

You should let yourself be pissed off. Don't let anyone shame you for that. But here's the trap I fell into:

I stopped 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 angry and started 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 anger.

Every decision I made came from that place. Every thought was filtered through it. I wasn't a person experiencing anger anymore—I 𝘸𝘢𝘴 the anger. And that's when it stops serving you. 

That's when it starts destroying you.

So yeah. I'm still mad. 

I'm probably gonna be mad for a while. But I'm learning to let it move 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 me instead of letting it 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 me.

You can honor your anger without letting it own your future.

I'm still figuring that out. But I think that's the difference between feeling something and letting it consume you.

Like country singer Terri Clark says, "I just wanna be mad for awhile."

Wanna help a Laid Off Dad out?

Buy a bag (or three) of my corn. 50% discount for National Popcorn Day. Link in the comments below.

---

👋 Hey, I’m Ari from Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn.

I got laid off and decided to build my kettle corn business in public—one bag at a time.

From my family to yours.

🌽 Made by hand, small batches 
📦 Custom and special orders
🛒 Limited online drops

🍿 Bags sold for the 2026 challenge: 254 / 100,000

CX, UX & Market Research Leadership | Learning & Change Systems Design | Change Management, Org Development & Training | EdD, Cognitive Psychology

A year ago, I didn’t plan on starting a popcorn business.
 
Like a lot of people, I got laid off.  

❌ No warning
❌ No roadmap 
❓ Just a lot of questions
 
What I 𝘥𝘪𝘥 have was a family, a community, and a kettle that could turn simple ingredients into something joyful.
 
So I started making small-batch kettle corn.
 
Not because popcorn fixes everything—but because in uncertain times, small good things matter. 

A warm bag shared at a game. Kids laughing. Neighbors talking. A moment that feels normal again.
 
Laid‑Off Dad Kettle Corn isn’t about hustle culture or “reinventing yourself.”  It’s about doing something honest, with your hands, and sharing it with the people around you.
 
If you’re navigating uncertainty right now—whether it’s a layoff, a transition, or just a season that feels heavy—you’re not alone.
 
Sometimes progress looks like taking the next small step.  Sometimes it smells like fresh popcorn.
 
Thanks to everyone who’s supported a small family business and reminded us that community still shows up.
 
Onward. 🍿

---

👋 I’m Ari — the laid‑off dad behind Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn.
 
I’m building this business in public, one small batch at a time.  Grateful for the support, the conversations, and the community.
 
From my family to yours. 🍿
 
🌽 Hand‑made • Small batches  🍿 2026 goal: 266 / 100,000 bags

You know what's worse than making zero sales? 

Making enough to know your idea works, but not enough to sleep at night.

So yesterday I made a couple hundred dollars. Today (so far)? Zero.

And nobody talks about THIS part of being an entrepreneur.

Everyone's either posting their "I made six figures in a month" screenshots, or they're like "I can't get a single sale, help me." 

But what about us in the middle?

I run a popcorn company. Some days are incredible. Some days are crickets. And I'm out here trying to hit a thousand dollars a day consistently—and I'm just... not there yet.

It's this weird limbo where you're making REAL money, like, enough to know this thing works... but not enough to feel secure. Not enough to stop checking your phone every twenty minutes to see if another order came through.

And the thing is? I think MOST of us are here. In this gap. Making it work but not "making it" yet.

But we don't talk about it because it doesn't fit the narrative. It's not inspiring enough. It's not desperate enough.

It's just... real.

---

👋 Hey, I’m Ari from Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn.

I got laid off and decided to build my kettle corn business in public—one bag at a time.

From my family to yours.

🌽 Made by hand, small batches 
📦 Custom and special orders
🛒 Limited online drops

🍿 Bags sold for the 2026 challenge: 174 / 100,000

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁?
 
Kettle corn.
 
A brilliant account executive reached out today and asked if I could send kettle corn to a prospect.
 
My answer was simple: 𝘆𝗲𝘀.
 
We picked the flavors.  Wrote a custom note.  Shipped it the same day.
 
Now put yourself on the receiving end of that.
 
You’re opening a real box.  From a real person.  Not another automated touchpoint.
 
I’ll say it plainly—𝗜’𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹.
 
No AI.
No automation.
No crazy tech stack.
 
Just thoughtful outreach that actually stands out.
 
𝗖𝗧𝗔:  👉 If you want prospects to remember you and take the meeting, 𝗗𝗠 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆.

---

👋 My name is Ari.

I run Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn—small‑batch kettle corn wholesale partners, custom orders, and DTC.

🌽 Made by hand, small batches 
📦 Event & brand programs 
🛒 Limited online drops

🍿 Bags sold for the 2026 challenge: 150 / 100,000

If you want to guarantee failure, I’ll tell you how.
 
Don’t try.
 
That’s it.
 
It’s not the wrong strategy. 
It’s not lack of experience. 
It’s not bad timing.  
 
The only sure way to fail is to never start.
 
There will 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 be what‑ifs.  

What if I fail? (you will)
What if it doesn’t work? (it wont)
What if I look stupid? (who cares)
 
But here’s the truth:  If you don’t try, you already decided the outcome.
 
Trying doesn’t guarantee success—but not trying guarantees you never had a chance.

So if you have something you have been putting on the back burner...

Do it.

---

👋 Hey, I’m Ari from Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn.

I got laid off and decided to build my kettle corn business in public—one bag at a time.

From my family to yours.

🌽 Made by hand, small batches 
📦 Custom and special orders
🛒 Limited online drops

🍿 Bags sold for the 2026 challenge: 266 / 100,000

Raiffeisen Bank Romania

Working across departments to address main and relevant customer and operational pain points of end-to-end experiences, in order to ‘design/redesign’ financial services. I use human-centred design to drive business impact, innovate and serve unmet customer needs.

Service Designer

Wall Street English

🔸 improved the UX/CX research practices as part of a new UX department in an international franchising business
🔸 created for the first time a service blueprint mapping the entire customer messaging process, involving four different departments in collaborative workshops
🔸 investigated and resolved user research challenges for the UX, product and marketing teams

Design Researcher | Service Designer

Zurich Insurance Company Ltd

Working within the core CX design team and with cross-disciplinary colleagues to drive customer centricity in the organization. My role involved:
🔹 supporting customer centricity and change initiatives in the organization;
🔹 active co-creation of a global training program aimed at equipping employees with a human-centred design mindset, principles and abilities;
🔹 co-creating and facilitating workshops for internal teams;
🔹 design research in order to uncover unmet needs for internal teams' projects;
🔹 creating the onboarding of internal service/experience designers in the team by experimenting with a minimum viable onboarding process.

Contractor 

🔸 consulted social and digital health startups in product psychology, behavioral design and user experience design techniques
🔸 created wireframes, low to high-fidelity digital prototypes to test ideas
🔸 conducted UX research (interviews, surveys, competitive analysis, empathy maps)
🔸 developed (HTML, CSS, JS) landing pages, widgets

User Experience Designer | Behaviour design | Design research

Hello Unicorn

Our aim with HelloUnicorn was to create a human-centered coworking experience and a safe, open and collaborative space for gatherings and workshops. HelloUnicorn was a vision come true - a small, homey coworking space, and a place to teach and hold workshops and social events for the local community. Designing the functionality of the service, experimenting with design thinking for personal development by creating and facilitating workshops like "Exploring Purpose", or "Designing Confidence", creating a safe learning space, or managing the marketing, I grew and learned a lot with HelloUnicorn.

Co-Founder | Social entrepreneur

Inspira-t

Changing the way young unemployed people in Spain look at searching for work, trainings, professions. Working with an amazing team to empower young people to take control of their lives, to break the boundaries between work and personal life. Using design thinking methodologies and UX practices to develop strategies and technology that connects with their needs, I was building surveys, personas, interview guides to uncover motivations, behaviors and needs of the target audience.

Design Thinking trainee

NurseBuddy

As a digital marketer, I was responsible of managing the whole digital community and online communication around the NurseBuddy brand. With a background in public health, I succeeded to increase the brand visibility and raise awareness related to home care innovations and challenges. Especially skilled in content creation and being a fine observer of our target market pain points, I managed to create appealing content that engages with our audience and also to improve SEO strategies for the website, assist in email marketing and advertising.

I also assisted in recruitment and training of new staff, helping with administrative tasks and searching for new partnerships. As part of the digital marketing department and together with my colleagues on sales, we promoted the company in various healthcare conferences, while finding and engaging with new clients.

Digital (Health) Marketer

Center for Health Policy and Public Health, Institute for Social Research, Babes-Bolyai University

Being a research assistant at a public health research centre has taught me many new skills, not only about research and public health initiatives, but also about project management, team lead, administration. 
My role started as an assistant in different research programs (data collecting, data entry, literature review, research program presentations -eg. ProYouth) but evolved into becoming a team leader for an international program (MAYA) and coordinating and supervising all activities related to the well functioning of the program. One of my achievements was writing, coordinating and winning a pilot study in collaboration with an US University (on the impact of skin diseases), a program that I personally developed and coordinated.

Behavioural Health Research Assistant

Babes-Bolyai University

As a student research assistant in the Health Psychology Department, I was resposible of:
▫️ Writing literature reviews (emotional regulation, stress management, psychosomatics) 
▫️ Collecting research data
▫️ Coordinating and training a group of 12 students for data collection purposes
▫️ Assisting the research team in an emotional well-being program (data collection, analysis, reports)
▫️ Developing healthy lifestyle campaigns (eating behaviours, cardiovascular health, health during pregnancy)
▫️ Assisting in the coordination and implementation of the 24th European Health Psychology Conference and related workshops (Romania, 2010) and presenting research results at different conferences.

Student Research Assistant | Health psychology

I'm passionate about inner transformation, that of individuals and organizations. I'm curios to understand, deliver value and make a difference in people's lives; to go beyond assumptions, prejudice, norms and support people become their best in their lives.

By practising service design, and learning ways to facilitate change and transformation, I want to inspire meaningful and sustainable innovation, co-creation and positive change in the world. Several principles guide my approach to work:

🔸 Be humble. Ask and empathize. Do not assume. Do not judge. Be aware of your own biases.

🔸 Asking people is not enough (I alwasy try to learn from different perspectives to understand human behavior like social psychology, behavioral science, environmental influences, personality studies);

🔸 Context is king - if possible, design for the environment the decision is taken in.

🔸 Design for capability - understand as much as possible people's capability to use the solution (eg. aging, technology adoption, disability)

🔸 Be a perfectionist when it comes to the value you can provide to people - being customers, employees, colleagues - and to the environment/planet.

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