Unleash the Power of Unified Flight
Welcome to Starling Training, where we believe in the transformative power of unity and collaboration. Inspired by the synchronized movements of starlings in flight, we have crafted a unique approach to leadership development that propels companies toward growth and success. Our mission is to help organizations cultivate empathetic leaders, foster inclusive cultures, and build strong relationships that drive meaningful impact.
About Starling Training
The Story Behind Starling Training
Born from the shared vision of Co-Founders Claudia and Heather, two passionate leaders committed to helping individuals thrive at work, Starling Training emerged as a result of their collaborative expertise. With her profound knowledge of optimizing systems and processes, Claudia teamed up with Heather, who specialized in 1:1 coaching. In 2021, the pair introduced the Mindful Manager Training Program. Since then, they’ve helped dozens of business owners build inclusive and supportive cultures optimized for sustainable growth through empowering effective managers.
Our Beliefs
At Starling Training, we celebrate and nurture humanity as the cornerstone of a thriving business. We firmly believe that transparent and empathetic leaders, along with inspired and encouraged employees, create the bedrock for success. By fostering a culture of inclusion and connection, we lay the foundation for strong companies to flourish.
Why Choose Starling Training?
In today's technologically advanced world, one thing remains clear: relationships cannot be automated. They require effort, dedication, and skillful cultivation. Starling Training is here to empower you with the tools to develop healthy, robust relationships that make your work enjoyable, effective, and efficient. Our programs unlock the secrets to building successful connections, enabling you to maximize your potential and create a harmonious work environment.
Claudia’s Story
Claudia Richman, Co-Founder
I started my career in the cutthroat worlds of finance and advertising where I learned first hand how a great manager can uplift their employees. I benefited from a manager who recognized my skills and interests early in my career and guided me to a path that has been endlessly challenging and rewarding.
I went on to become a manager myself, then a member of senior leadership and eventually COO in organizations in the advertising and technology industries. Doing right by the people I lead has always been very important to me. I’m most proud of the reputation of being a great manager and the testimonials from a sampling of the folks I’ve helped to thrive in their careers.
In 2020, I started We Grow Forward, an organizational design and change management consultancy that specializes in helping entrepreneurial and creative companies plan for and navigate growth. That’s a very buttoned-up way of saying we’re a network of seasoned professionals specializing in all aspects of corporate evolution—what you do, how you do it, who helps you do it, and how to communicate what you do to the world. We bring together the right experts to address your specific needs and move your company forward.
“I'm grateful to have Claudia as an advisor, both in leading TXI and for myself as a professional. She is unflappable, unfailingly direct and clear, and truly cares about the people she advises and mentors. She has been influential as I rolled out significant org design changes, most notably transforming a 20-year-old "flat" organization into a manager-supported one. It was a daunting change, but ultimately one embraced by our people thanks to her guidance. She and her partner Heather Corallo also trained our new managers, and that training was fundamental to the success of the overall effort. If you have a knotty organizational problem, you want Claudia by your side as you untangle it.”
Claire Podulka, Chief of Staff, TXI
Heather’s Story
Heather Corallo, Co-Founder
I utilize the power of relationships, positive influence, and a keen understanding of organizational psychology to help individuals, teams, and organizations discover their best path towards cultural excellence.
I started my career as a touring stage and film actor, which led me to deeply understand team dynamics and the human condition. In 2006 I took these experiences and began my corporate career focusing on building high performing culture and teams.
Over the last 16 years I’ve held roles in Human Resources, Recruiting, Talent Development, Engineering Management, Product, and Executive Strategy within several highly successful, rapid-growth organizations. While at Groupon from 2012-2016, I led educational programming and technical culture strategy for our global product and engineering team members. I also collaborated on the development of their first diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy that impacts 12,000+ employees. Today I lead both The Canoe Project, a consulting firm dedicated to improving the lives of leaders, and Red Squirrel Technologies, a software consultancy focused on software engineering, Web3, and technical education. I am passionate about unleashing human potential and inspiring leaders to do the same for their employees.
“It's difficult for people and organizations to decide they want to change. It's orders of magnitude more difficult to actually change. That's why you need someone like Heather. Heather has the passion, personality, approach, tools, perspective, and empathy required to help navigate that change.”
Trey Springer, Vice President, Product Brilliant