Welcome video from Liz Pavese, Ph.D.
Liz Pavese, Ph.D.

Liz Pavese, Ph.D.

Startup Advisor & Product Strategist | Work & People Tech Expert | Executive Coach

I specialize in

Founder Advice
Hiring & Team Building
Career Advancement
Hiring
Team Building
Founder Coaching
Leadership Development
Product-market fit

I unlock the "Hidden Code" investors look for (but many don't say).

Background & Highlights

Developing vision and strategy for talent and products. Supporting $8M in pipeline for talent products through demand gen and sales support.

Workday

2023 – Present

Workday

Board Advisor (with a $1B exit).

DX

2021 – 2025

DX

Leadership, team dynamics, building teams, conflict, burnout management

Healthfirst

2014 – 2018

Healthfirst

Framework for from founder) to "visionary" (CEO leader);Leadership, team dynamics, building teams, conflict, burnout management; Strategy and vision alignment

Pavese Insights Lab

2025 – Present

Pavese Insights Lab

Scaled global advisory services and advisory team for EX LOB growing 120% quarter to quarter.

Qualtrics

2018 – 2020

Qualtrics

About me

Most advisors focus on your pitch deck, I identify the "Hidden Code"—what investors actually monitor when betting on your ability to scale. I ensure your leadership skills outpace your company’s complexity so you don't become the bottleneck. I help you solve the secrets of a successful startup: - Close the strategy gap: Defining and aligning product vision and strategy, with flexibility to enable pivots at anytime all while demonstrating focus to your investors. - Eliminate Execution Lag: Realigning your focus from "doing" to "leading" before friction impacts your burn rate. - Audit Relational Debt: Untangling co-founder and leadership team dynamics to prevent strategic drift and attrition. - Close the Scalability Gap: Building the internal stamina you need to handle high-stakes situations without the burnout that investors fear. My 20 years of experience, helps you unlock the Hidden Code: - Leadership Expertise: I am a PhD Organizational Psychologist and Product Strategist for global HR tech giants and startups. - Enterprise & Startup Pedigree: Led strategic talent science and product growth at Workday, CoachHub, Qualtrics, and Limeade, building tools that measure the engagement, shape leadership, and drive learning. - Startup Advisor: Former advisor to DX (acquired for $1B), providing the behavioral science backbone for high-growth WorkTech. - Science-Backed Executive Coach: Certified coach with a PhD in I/O Psychology, specializing in "Founder-Context Fit." How to make most of our time: - 15 min for 1 quick question - 30 min for 1 laser-focused topic - 45 min for deep dive advice or coaching (send materials in advance as applicable)

You'll get advice on

  • Aligning product vision and strategy
  • How to move from "doing" to "leading"
  • Org and team alignment
  • Executive presence and emotional stamina
  • Navigating cofounder relationships / conflict

Real feedback from real sessions

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