An older woman with short, curly blonde hair and glasses sitting at a desk, using a laptop. She is smiling and appears to be engaged in a video call or conversation. She is wearing a pale pink blazer, jewelry including a cross necklace, and hoop earrings, with a bright, modern office background featuring framed artwork and green plants.

Work With a Professional Career Coach to Transform How You Lead

Are you stepping into a new leadership role - or striving to become the leader you know you can be? Whether you're a grad student, new manager, or early-career executive, the transition into leadership can feel overwhelming, isolating, and uncertain.

Imagine if you could:

  • Lead with confidence and authenticity

  • Navigate challenges with emotional intelligence

  • Tap your full potential with purpose and clarity

  • Build leadership skills that last a lifetime

As your professional career coach, I’ll help you build internal clarity and emotional steadiness so you can lead with greater confidence, resilience, and alignment.

Linda Layne working on a laptop at a desk with two dogs nearby, one sitting on the floor and the other looking up at her. The room has a bookshelf with books and decorative items.

Meet Linda Layne, Professional Career Coach & Founder of TARK Leadership

With over 30 years of corporate experience and advanced training in organizational psychology and executive coaching, I’ve dedicated my career to helping ambitious professionals break through barriers and create meaningful, sustainable growth.

I help graduate students, new managers, directors, and early executives:

  • Gain clarity in complex transitions

  • Lead from their values and strengths

  • Navigate the gap between ambition and confident leadership

If you’re in your 30s, 40s, or 50s and ready to lead from within, I’m here to help you align your purpose, presence, and path forward.

Credentials & Expertise

  • 20+ years of HR leadership at Chanel, Cartier, FILA, Tiffany & Co., the NBA, and Merrill Lynch

  • MA in Organizational Psychology, Columbia University

  • Certified Executive Coach, Georgetown University

  • Board Member, International Coaching Federation, NYC Chapter (on track for Master Coach status)

  • Adjunct Professor - Rutgers Business School, Global School of Management

Linda Layne in her home office holding a black dog

My Coaching Philosophy: Leadership Begins From Within

As a transformational professional career coach, I believe leadership isn’t something you step into - it’s something you grow from the inside out.

We  focus on self-awareness, emotional regulation, and inner alignment to help you:

✓  Clarify what drives you
✓  Navigate change with grounded strength
✓  Remove internal blocks that keep you stuck

Whether you’re a grad student, new VP, or emerging leader in your 30s to 50s, coaching with me is a space where you are seen, valued, and supported.

Transformational Career Coaching: Lead From the Inside Out

Working with me as your professional career coach isn’t just about building skills — it’s an inner journey that leads to powerful growth in your leadership and career.

You’ll gain the tools and perspective to:

  • Become a more effective leader and communicator
    Strengthen how you lead yourself and others with greater intention and impact.

  • Navigate workplace dynamics with emotional intelligence
    Stay grounded and resilient in high-pressure or politically charged situations.

  • Understand and regulate your emotional patterns
    Lead calmly and confidently, even in moments of stress or uncertainty.

  • Resolve interpersonal challenges with clarity
    Handle difficult conversations and navigate team dynamics with assurance.

  • Lead with alignment and authenticity
    Make decisions that reflect who you are, not just what’s expected of you.

  • Build sustainable leadership habits
    Create long-term momentum without compromising your well-being or values.

  • Challenge limiting beliefs
    Move beyond perfectionism and imposter syndrome into empowered action.

  • Feel supported and seen
    This is a true partnership, judgment-free, compassionate, and focused on your growth.

You’ll walk away with lasting tools, powerful insights, and a stronger connection to the leader you're becoming, in work and in life.

Client Transformation

“I highly recommend Linda as an exceptional coach. Linda’s unique empathetic and supportive approach sets her apart. If you're looking to enhance your leadership skills and navigate diverse personalities in the workplace, working with Linda is a fantastic opportunity.”

- Omair Masood

My Story: From Administrative Assistant to Professional Career Coach

I started my career in HR/Organizational Development as an administrative assistant with the college recruiting team in financial services. I was indecisive about my future, but that role exposed me to recruitment, performance management, employee relations, and more.

From that seat, I discovered my passion. I set my sights on a career in HR, ultimately rising to executive roles and earning six figures - while quietly stepping into the role of a leadership coach along the way.

That natural ability to connect with others and help them find meaning led me to pursue coaching as a profession. I formalized my coaching skills through education and certification and now support others through the same kinds of transitions I once faced.


Why I Understand Your Struggles

I’ve been passed over. I’ve been terminated. I’ve been spoken to and treated unprofessionally. I’ve had promotional opportunities blocked by others. And I didn’t have a coach to guide me through it.

I needed someone to talk to, to sort out the issues I was facing and to provide clarity, assurance, and action-based plans.

That’s why I do this work. I’m here to help you sort through it all; to gain clarity, build confidence, and take meaningful action.

A coaching relationship with me provides the objective insight, deep connection, and safe container needed to move forward with power.

Core Values of TARK Leadership

You are whole, creative, and resourceful, with the answers already inside you. Coaching helps you access them quickly and clearly.

We believe in:

  • Creating trust and openness - no judgment and confidentiality is guaranteed.

  • Tapping into head, heart, and positive energy for empowerment and clarity.

What Does “TARK” Mean?

From Proto-Finnic tarkka:
Adjective: Smart, knowledgeable, wise
Noun: A smart person

A logo with an oval border containing the letters T and L in the center.

Ready to Lead From Within?

If you're navigating new responsibilities, stretching into a bigger role, or seeking clarity about who you are as a leader, I’m here to walk with you. 

Let’s explore what’s possible when you lead from the inside out.