Corporate Graduation® (formerly Uncaged Life Design) Opiniões 

Review — Matt and Cecilia Doan, Corporate Graduation

I came into Corporate Graduation in a place most would already consider successful, which is exactly what made it dangerous. Twenty years in data strategy, senior in the Salesforce ecosystem, billing and advising and the whole thing — from the outside everything looked great. From the inside, I was watching my own IP get spread across a seventy-five-thousand-person company and monetized for someone else's paycheck, sitting in all-hands calls that made me out of place. I'd already done a lot of the personal work: lost seventy pounds over three years, gone alcohol-free, walked depression off the table. The body work was done. The career work was not. I didn't need rescuing. I needed a mentor who could see through my shit, open my eyes, and give me honest clarity.

That's what Matt and Cecilia do. They don't soften it. The framework — possibility, decoupling, time, energy, environment, vision, belief, identity — sounds tidy on paper, but it's actually a careful, sequenced disassembly of the story you've been telling yourself about who you are at work. Identity Reinvention put a name on the thing I'd been hiding for two decades: people-pleasing dressed up as performance, external validation dressed up as ambition. Belief Tuning gave me the old-to-new table I now run my week against. You either do the work or you don't, and they can tell.

None of this happens in isolation. The CG community is a weekly call with other senior operators doing the same work on themselves — people who can hear an idea half-formed and either sharpen it or tell you it's bullshit, hold you accountable to commitments you wouldn't keep on your own, and offer mentoring laterally because everybody's figuring it out together. I wouldn't have made any of the moves I've made without them.

The most concrete thing CG gave me was permission to go after something I couldn't have fathomed a year ago. I left the mothership. I applied for and landed the Head of AI & Engineering role at a company I believed in — a move the old version of me would have talked himself out of, because the old version stayed in the seat he knew with the brand he'd borrowed. The self and space portion of this program is what made the application possible. The identity shift came first; the job followed. That's the order it has to be.

The receipts are everywhere now. My corporate calendar got compressed fifty percent before I even left. I train three times a week, hold a weekly check-in with my wife, protect Sunday for family. The IP I was sitting on is finally moving — a subscription-based coaching offering for high-performing tech professionals, a Substack called Strategic Data Signal, an AI Data Readiness offering inside the new role. The bigger plan has a date on it: by December 2026, my wife exits the school district, the debt is erased, and the family business launches. None of that is wishful thinking; it's on a calendar.

The part I didn't see coming: my wife came into the work with me. We make decisions together now with shared vocabulary and a shared cadence. That's a different marriage. That alone changes the next twenty years.

If you're a senior professional who's quietly aware the system is taking more than it gives, and you want someone to look at the whole picture with you — career, self, space, personal growth, marriage, calendar, health — Matt and Cecilia will do that. You have to show up with everything, though. Don't half-ass it. They won’t lock you in a room and force you to do it. It’s on you to do the work!! God - I’m grateful I did.

— Erik Chaffins

The road to graduating corporate and becoming a founder can be a long, bumpy ride. Some of us are living like the Flintstones hoping that our archaic way of doing and thinking will be enough to succeed in the business world in the years ahead. Spoiler alert: it's not. Fly into the future and meet George Jetson and Jane his wife, Matt and Cecilia Doan. I've learned so much from Matt, Cecilia, and the ULD community and have experienced significant personal and professional improvement in my time working with them. I have been both challenged and supported by some of the brightest and kindest people I have ever encountered.

I have never been a part of a group like this before so I honestly wasn't sure what to expect. There was something about ULD and Matt's message that resonated with me via Linkedin....an article that made me feel he was speaking directly to me. After I "liked" the article I was really surprised that Matt messaged me directly. It was then that I really took a hard look at ULD and realized that if I wanted to truly design what my future looked like, I needed to be with like-minded people and put the work in to build it. I never knew where to start and 1 year would roll into the next with little change or progression in my current career path or future. This year is different. Matt, Cecelia and the ULD team define a clear strategy to work on creating space within your current corporate world, then working on yourself and mindset and then finally the business that you want to build... in that order. The people on our team are so supportive and all on the same journey. I am really happy that I took the leap and joined!

ULD is a great program and one I would recommend to anyone looking for a path to being a coach or in need some accountability in their life like I did. Matt and Cecilia do a great job of engaging and steering you through this journey with real world experience and the broader ULD team are a great group to collaborate with. If you are willing to put in the work necessary to better yourself, then you will love ULD.

Step change in quality of life

Working with ULD has transformed my life so dramatically that I couldn't even have imagined it. The core shift has been a 10x mindset. ULD helped me think about impossible goals, then build the mindset to believe in them, and the tactical structure, accountability and resources to actually achieve them.

I've changed my entire relationship with work. It serves me, not the other way around. I've been able to reclaim upto 4hrs / day from my demanding corporate job, run several experiments to identify what I do and don't want to do to in life, and receive a job offer from a highly competitive firm.

I look forward to bringing my new mindset and the ULD tribe with me in the next chapter of my life, as I look to level up once again!

I've spent decades in a demanding corporate environment, and I was constantly buried in "noise." Signing up for ULD was one of the most powerful decisions I've made for myself, my family, and my future.

This program is a true game-changer. It's not about simple "hacks"; it's a fundamental system for redesigning how you operate. It gave me the practical tools (and confidence) to set and hold clear boundaries, which was the key to removing the non-stop noise.

The process helped me compress my work schedule and, most importantly, learn to fiercely protect my energy. This alone has given me back a level of time freedom and focus I thought was impossible.

But the most profound part was the deep work on ‘self’. This process guided me to a place of genuine clarity and a deep-seated calmness that I honestly haven't felt in years, if ever.

On top of it all, ULD connects you to a tribe. It's a community of high-caliber people that I didn't realize how desperately I needed.

It's no exaggeration to say this program has given me a completely new lease and outlook on life. I can't recommend it highly enough.

If you’re burned out, anxious, or just over the corporate life, do this for yourself. Uncaged Life Design isn’t just a course — it’s a reset button for your mind and emotions. I’m showing up differently in my relationships, my work, and even my mornings. I only wish I’d found it sooner.
For the first time in years, I feel like myself again. The tools in ULD helped me calm my nervous system, reframe my thoughts, and actually enjoy my life instead of just managing it. Matt and Cecilia's approach is one of a kind and creates a mindset shift along with compassion no matter where you are in your career.

I have been an entrepreneur for 20+ years and wish I would have found Matt and Cecilia sooner. The level of detail that they bring to the process of coaching is phenomenal. Between Matt's encouragement to dig a little deeper on every business exercise and Cecelia's encouragement to lean into the positive, mentally, there is something that I am convinced everyone can use. The combination of systems thinking, understanding your energy and learning how to channel it is a life-changer! Thanks, you two.

I joined the Uncaged Life Design (ULD) program in Feb 2025. This program taught me how to identify my strengths within and hone in on them to build a marketable and sellable, succinctly-explained service. Matt, Cecilia, and the community do a great job of listening, coaching and providing helpful feedback. As a result of this program, you'll re-frame your perspective on what really matters in your corporate role, and prioritize that while still being impactful and effective, to reclaim your time and redirect that energy toward your solo offering. If you're a corporate professional looking for clarity on what's next, I highly recommend that you consider ULD.

Joining ULD has been one of the most transformative experiences of my professional life. I didn’t expect to find such a high-level, supportive community — people who truly understand where I’m at and push me toward who I want to become. With Matt’s leadership, I’ve gained clarity, built entrepreneurial momentum, and taken real action — not just spinning in activity. I’ve launched a business I’m deeply passionate about, built a pipeline, and I’m preparing to serve my first cohort — something I’ve tried and failed to do for years. I’ve also grown professionally, earning a promotion and finally shedding the need to constantly seek approval. For the first time, I see a clear, exciting path forward — one that’s aligned with my values and legacy. ULD didn’t just give me tools. It gave me belief, direction, and a community that’s walking this journey with me.

I had plateaued at my job. Senior vice president, great salary, bonuses, 401k match, stock options – all the reasons to be happy. And in many ways I was. I had 'made it' after a decade with a great manager and team. But I found myself asking: 'What now? I can't possibly do the same thing for another decade. How do I get unstuck?'

I felt deeply misaligned – what I was doing wasn't how I wanted to spend my time. With family deaths and global events, I felt this urgent sense that tomorrow isn't promised. This misalignment caused me to toss and turn at night, show up groggy and irritable. At dinner with my wife and daughters, I wasn't fully present because I was thinking about what I really wanted to be doing. I wasn't showing up as the husband and father I wanted to be.

Taking control meant learning to do my corporate job efficiently without going above and beyond. This opened up capacity to consider what else I could be doing. Through Uncaged Life Design, I began to form my business and post on LinkedIn, taking messy action versus no action. When I eventually faced a reduction in force, I was mentally prepared.

The turning point came when my friend Chad passed away at just 33. He had completely transformed his life to help others and follow his purpose. That's how I wanted to live – fully authentic, no longer pretending.

Today, it's night and day. Before, I felt trapped in a box, pretending to be someone I wasn't. Now I wake up being 100% authentically me. Nobody's telling me what to do or say. I'm not operating from a place of chasing status, title, or higher paychecks. I'm operating from a place of service, asking: 'What lights me up? What gives me purpose? If money didn't matter, what would I be doing?'

Now I'm inspiring people both online and on stages as a paid professional speaker for high schools, colleges, and corporations. I'm a paid coach where grown men and women invest in me to help them level up. And my book is ready to launch. I'm in pursuit of purpose and impact, trying to get as close to 100% authentically Lance as I can be – and that feels transformative.

If you've maxed out on the corporate path and know you're meant for something much bigger both professionally and personally, Uncaged Life Design is your gym, community, and framework that will help you break free and build a life on your own authentic terms

ULD is an enlightening and transformational experience. After decades of corporate life gave me tunnel vision, ULD has enabled me to transform my mindset and opened a world of possibilities. The program combines mindset and business coaching, both internal and external motivational resources (books, social media, movies, etc.) and -- something I didn't realize would be so valuable -- the support and encouragement of my fellow ULD tribe members. It has been a great investment for me!

I signed up expecting a course to help me start my business, but instead, I struck gold. This program has completely re-designed my life—helping me live better, do meaningful work, and truly thrive. It feels like someone pumped oxygen back into my life. Before this, I was stuck on another hamster wheel, just going through the motions.

One of the most profound changes has been the quality of my relationships. My husband and I now share a deeper connection, and I didn’t realize how much that would impact his bond with our daughter. We were all living in fight-or-flight mode, but now we’re more present and connected, living each day with intention and joy.

Personally, I’ve found peace—mentally and emotionally. I feel less anxious, even while juggling more with my side business. Professionally, I’ve been able to disconnect in a healthy way. I no longer cling to my job title as the sole measure of my success.

Through this program, I discovered a business idea that truly inspires me. I now have clear, tactical steps to build it, and every day, I wake up energized and excited to work on it.

For the first time, I feel like I own my time and have the freedom to pursue work that aligns with my purpose. The idea I’ve created is meaningful—it helps people and gives my life a deeper sense of satisfaction.

Entrepreneurship no longer feels like a distant, scary dream. It feels real, achievable, and within my grasp. And I know—I will do this!

Uncaged Life Design: A Transformational Journey to Freedom and Fulfillment

When I first encountered Uncaged Life Design, I was entrenched in the corporate mindset—structured, safe, but undeniably stifling. Like so many professionals, I had aspirations that extended far beyond the confines of my daily grind, but I lacked the clarity, tools, and courage to transform those dreams into a tangible reality. Enter Matt Doan and his revolutionary coaching program.

Matt doesn’t merely teach; he ignites. With an uncanny ability to deconstruct limiting beliefs and reframe old narratives, he guided me to unearth the entrepreneurial spirit I thought had been dulled by years in the corporate trenches. His approach is as methodical as it is intuitive, blending strategic frameworks with deeply personal insights that feel both enlightening and empowering.

The program promises to help you shift from a corporate mindset to an entrepreneurial one, and it delivers beyond expectation. Under Matt’s guidance, I didn’t just dip my toes into the entrepreneurial waters—I dove in headfirst. Together, we mapped out a vision, defined a category, and crafted a business model so aligned with my values and passions that it feels less like work and more like purpose in action.

What sets Matt apart is his genuine investment in his clients. He doesn’t offer cookie-cutter solutions; instead, he tailors his approach to ensure your success is as unique as your aspirations. Every session left me feeling not only more prepared but also profoundly seen and supported.

Today, I’m on the cusp of launching a business that feels like an extension of my soul. It’s bold, creative, and wholly mine—something I could never have envisioned without the guidance of Uncaged Life Design.

If you’re feeling stuck, stifled, or unsure of how to take the leap into entrepreneurship, let this be your sign. Matt Doan and his program don’t just change careers; they change lives.

Five stars aren’t enough—this is the kind of coaching that inspires a lifetime of gratitude.

Matt, Cecilia, and Uncaged Life Design has given me a completely new outlook on life. Feeling caged in a position where I was unable to see anything but stagnation and defeat, Uncaged Life Design made me realize that there is more, and gave me the tools to keep that vision through out my life.

The method takes in to account your whole life, not just the executive, and transforms you to a position of power, hope, excitement, and joy. And it doesn't just affect you, but your family as well.

I am in the process of putting together my plan to break free from the cage, but even if you just take the course to better yourself and allow you to see that there is more, it is well worth the cost.

If I had to do it again, I would 100% jump in.

This title was the cover of my book. I had lost my way. Everything that I "thought" I should be doing had let me to complete unraveling. I was losing grip, as a dad, as a friend, as a partner. I was completely sucked into the corporate vacuum. Pushing myself to the limits, do more, involve more, lead more, fix more, sleep less, increased effort.... grind. I kept telling myself, this is what it takes. All for an entity that wasn't mine, didn't care, and ultimately pushed me aside. All the effort, and focus on the wrong things. I myself thought I was too far gone, the light had certainly lost it's flame. I came across Matt on social media, his messages stabbed my soul. He was talking to me literally (maybe the phone has ears). I engaged hesitantly, thinking this has to be a scam. Until, I experienced my first call with the group at ULD. A platform that provided a safe space for all of it's members. A forum of communication and support. A program that walked me through step by step how to create space, take back my time, recalibrate my focus, and get into a camp of truly extra ordinary people that were just like me. I wasn't alone, and received support beyond anything I had ever imagined. The ULD family, led by Matt literally saved me. In more ways that I could ever express.

Fearless & Free with a W-2! Even though I work in W-2 land again. I’ve had such a beneficial transformation, so I want to share it.

When I think of my gains, here's what comes to mind:
1. Feeling uncaged at work;
2. Reestablished health and family life;
3. Launched a unique coaching business;
4. Portfolio career with me in control.

If those things sound good to you, talk to Matt!
I am uncaged and happy!

Uncaged Life Design Has Changed My Life! I feel like I have grown more personally and professionally in the last 6 months than I have in the last 5 years. Matt and Cecelia made me feel heard and understood for the first time, in a long time. I thought I was the only one dealing with ageism, but with a combination of the ULD community and their guidance, I was able to be nicer to myself and prioritize my needs. Mental clarity was the biggest thing I have gained in the last several months and it makes me feel agency in my life that I haven't had in a long time.

It is worth every penny for their guidance. I would recommend it to everyone!

Matt and Cecelia have created a life changing environment for working professionals. It goes beyond those seeking entrepreneurship, I think anyone in corporate would benefit from their coaching and guidance. It sounds simple, “wake up and go to the office” but there is a better way to live your life while discovering happiness with work. These strategies and methods are not distilled in an employee handbook. You are either extremely lucky enough to figure it out on your own, or find a coach who can illuminate a path. If you are not one of the extreme lucky few, please know that you do not have to go at it alone, there is a better way. I’m happy that I discovered ULD!

ULD has changed the way I approach life. It has enabled me to go from a stressed out corporate leader to a high achieving corporate leader with a budding side hustle.

Most importantly, it’s provided me a roadmap to start living life on my terms rather than letting life happen to me. I entered the ULD program thinking I had it all figured and that I just needed a little boost to get my business ideas off the ground. I quickly learned the reality that turning ideas into action is a lot harder than you think. ULD provides a comprehensive framework for doing just that! I would highly recommend ULD to anyone that is looking to start living a purpose driven life!