Young adulthood is one of life’s great opportunities to slow down and figure out who you are.
True success is something each person must define for themselves. Yet without the space to slow down and reflect, many young men move through these formative years chasing external expectations — meeting others’ definitions of a good life rather than their own. This is the opportunity my coaching creates: a chance for your son to look inward, clarify what matters to him, and build a life rooted in his own values.

Parenting Today
Raising a child over the past two decades has been fundamentally different from parenting in any previous generation. The rise of smartphones, social media, and constant digital stimulation — combined with far less face-to-face interaction — has reshaped childhood and, according to some, has even altered the brain development of this generation.
In his widely-read book The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt describes what he calls the “great rewiring of childhood” — a shift from a play-based childhood to a phone-based one that has left many young people socially deprived, attention-fragmented, and increasingly disconnected from themselves and others. The effects show up even among otherwise capable and motivated young men — not as a personal failing, but as a reflection of the world they grew up in.
No child has been untouched by this shift — even those who appear to be thriving. And schools, for all their efforts, have not found a way to meaningfully address the new reality Haidt describes.
Add COVID to the equation, and our kids’ struggles are no surprise. Some feel depressed or unmotivated. Others face challenges with confidence and social skills. The uncertainty of AI’s effect on careers is causing deep anxiety. Bottom line: it has never been harder to be a young adult.
Parents have done the very best they could. These challenges are not a reflection of parental failure, but of how profoundly and rapidly the world has changed. While parents want to provide loving guidance, starting in the teenage years, young men are biologically wired to establish independence — making parental guidance genuinely hard to hear, no matter how wise or well-intentioned.
You’ve invested in his future in countless ways — tutoring, test prep, college advisors. Perhaps he even got into the college of his dreams. But this is where the even more important work begins. Taking the time to know oneself, to understand one’s “why,” and to define success on one’s own terms — that’s what leads to a truly happy and fulfilling life. Unfortunately, colleges and parents can’t do this for him. It must come from within.
What I Do
I work with young men of college age, and often continue working with them after they graduate. It is my passion to help them navigate these pivotal years. As a certified life coach, I don’t tell my clients what to do or who to be. I serve as a bridge between adolescence and adulthood — helping clients tap into their unique strengths and intuition, challenge limiting beliefs, develop life skills, set meaningful goals, and build on them.
Coaching is not therapy. I am not diagnosing or treating mental health conditions. Coaching is about self-discovery and moving forward. I provide young men with a safe, confidential space to slow down, reflect on where they are, and articulate where they want to go. I also help them stay accountable to the goals they set for themselves — because there is something quietly powerful about following through on your own commitments. It builds a kind of self-trust and confidence that can only be learned through experience.
Relationships and communication are also popular topics. I often help my clients work through the challenge of having difficult conversations — sometimes advocating for oneself, other times setting boundaries. Learning how to communicate with confidence can profoundly change a young person’s demeanor and approach to life.
I often draw on a range of tools and concepts, including meditation and philosophy, and I use an assessment called the ELI — Energy Leadership Index, which helps clients understand their default attitudes and how those attitudes shape their lives. I frequently suggest books that can open up new ways of thinking and spark meaningful conversations. I believe reading important books is an antidote to the effect of social media.
Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” These early adult years offer a rare opportunity for your son to pause and reflect on who he is, what he truly wants, and how to approach life’s lessons with a spirit of curiosity. I strongly believe that life has a way of presenting us with exactly the lessons we need, in the form of the things that challenge us most.
The Benefits of Working with a Coach
- Deeper self-awareness and uncovering limiting beliefs
- Greater motivation through personal accountability
- Clarity on his “why” and his definition of success
- Confidence in speaking up to advocate and set boundaries
- Greater self-confidence, less anxiety, and more joy
- Healthy attitude on his life journey
About Me
Like many of us, my own childhood had its challenges. I navigated family difficulties, changing schools, and a persistent struggle to feel confident and accepted among my peers. I went to college to study architecture, then switched to finance after one semester.
My first job was at Goldman Sachs — not the right fit. I left for an MBA at Columbia, then joined J.Crew corporate, then left to start businesses of my own. I became a commercial real estate broker along the way. All in, I must have tried five or six things before a partnership with my brother-in-law didn’t work out after just one year. At 29, newly engaged, with no visibility on my career I felt I had hit rock bottom — scared, depressed, and frustrated.
That was probably one of the most important and meaningful times in my life. I needed to dig deep and work my way through it myself. I wouldn’t change a thing about that journey. It was where I first learned to appreciate my own unique path — and discovered an enduring lesson: that eventually things work out, and every scary challenge in life is really the universe delivering exactly what you need to grow.
When I reflect, I think I was living so much for the expectations of others — trying to impress, trying to fit in — that I never stopped to check in with myself. I frequently felt alone, disconnected, and dissatisfied, sensing deeply that I wasn’t living in alignment with who I truly was. And yet I kept searching for that next job, that next thing, that would finally make everything okay.
It wasn’t until I worked with a coach that things began to shift. I was asked to slow down, look inward, and check in on my values, how I was showing up and what was truly important. That experience was transformative — and it inspired me to do this work for others. I believe deeply that when young men take the time to truly know themselves — not who the world tells them to be, but who they actually are — everything changes.
I bring to this work something most coaches can’t offer: a well-rounded combination of personal experience, a parent’s perspective, and hard-won business and leadership expertise — alongside a calm, grounded presence shaped by years of yoga and meditation practice.
▶ Business & Leadership
After roles at Goldman Sachs and J.Crew Group, I founded ePromos Promotional Products and grew it over 21 years to high eight-figure annual sales with 175 employees before selling it. I hold a B.S. in Finance from Syracuse University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
▶ Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO)
I have been an active member of YPO for nearly two decades — a global network of chief executives committed to becoming better leaders. I have also attended the Harvard Business School Presidents’ Program in Leadership — an intensive executive education experience exclusive to YPO members.
▶ Certifications & Practice
In 2021 I earned my life coaching certification through iPEC — one of the most respected professional coaching organizations in the field. Since then I have worked with businesses and business leaders, and have recently made the deliberate shift to focus exclusively on young men — the work I find most meaningful and impactful. I am also a 200-hour RYT certified yoga instructor.
▶ Life & Wellness
I am a father of two young women in their twenties. My wife and I recently co-founded HapBE Valley Equine & Wellness Farm in Asheville, NC, where I facilitate Equine Facilitated Experiential Learning and lead meditation and yoga practices. For six years I have led a meditation group that meets five days a week. Outside of work I enjoy strength training, pickleball, golf, building and fixing things on the farm, and keeping up with AI and the business world.
Testimonials
“I recommend Jason Robbins to coach your young adult. While I enjoy a close relationship with my college student, there are just some things he can best open up about with a confidential and trusted third party. Jason’s background as a business leader and executive coach gives him the credibility to earn the respect of our young adults. He asks the right questions, peeling back what’s really important and what my son is truly striving for. My kid has a stronger sense of himself now. Jason helps keep him grounded and far less influenced by the significant social pressures surrounding him.”
— G.B.S., Palm Beach, FL
Let’s Talk
If the idea of giving your son the space to examine his life and build a foundation for happiness rooted in his own wisdom resonates with you — this conversation is worth having.
Complimentary 30-Minute Discovery Call
No pressure. Just a conversation to explore whether I might be the right fit to work with your son.
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson