I'm

Assegid Habtewold

My name is Dr. Assegid (AZ) Habtewold. Just call me AZ. I’m your advocate for the A to Z of Holistic growth. I’m an author, coach, speaker, and facilitator at Success Pathways, LLC. I’m passionate about sharing my knowledge and experience to empower people like you to grow holistically.

I was born in one of the poorest villages in Ethiopia and was the first in my family to go to college. I first came to the US in 2005 to pursue my master’s in computer science.

When I first got to the US, I didn't know anyone. I experienced culture shock and struggled to adapt to the new culture. My accent was so thick that I was asked again and again to repeat myself.

I’m no stranger to being doubted, put down, and discouraged. Whether it’s from some friends, family members, or strangers, I’ve heard it all. I’ve had more than enough negative experiences to last me a couple of lifetimes.

But, I never let that hold me back from pursuing my passion since the early 90s. While still doubtful, discouraged, and unsure, I kept going. Even if I had so many disappointments, failures, rejections, setbacks, and defeats on the road, I endured and remained committed to pursuing my passion against all odds.

When I’m asked what enabled me to overcome challenges and outlast continual setbacks throughout the years, I attribute the resilience to growing holistically.

Before moving to the US, I was subconsciously laying the groundwork brick by brick for who I have become today. Back home in Ethiopia and still today, I spend a considerable amount of time reading diverse books, befriending people outside of my industry, and volunteering to serve in areas outside my comfort zone. Everything I’ve done in my life pointed to learning, growing all around, improving constantly, and then contributing to the betterment of the world around me.

In 2010, I formed Success Pathways LLC in MD, USA. Since then, I’ve been empowering others using 4 Success Pathways focused on holistic growth. I’ve been sharing the lessons and wisdom I learned from studying world-class leaders and the great ones from diverse cultures. I’ve also been sharing my personal experience as I practiced what I have learned over the years.

Today, I’m here to guide you and your team on the right Success Pathways to recognize your uniqueness, tap into your unlimited potential, become world-class in what you do, and ultimately attain greatness in your own unique ways. I believe that you’re greatness material and greatness is chained within you waiting to be unleashed.

For more than 25 years, I’ve been committed to further bettering myself in order to adequately empower others in the 4 major holistic growth areas — Organizational Development, Leadership Development, Personal Development, and Spiritual Development. I’ve been sharing what I’ve learned over the years through my writing, coaching, consulting, and speaking.

I coached, inspired, equipped, and trained world-class leaders in some government agencies, major corporations, universities, and community organizations in the US and all over the globe! Let me also empower you and your team to grow holistically and serve your clients with world-class excellence.

While I’m deeply grateful for how far I’ve come in my journey and achievements, my work is unfinished — because it continues with you!

Our CEO in Action

Some highlights from a recent Keynote Panel discussion and Presentation Dr. AZ participated on April 26, 2022, at the annual ReConEx event at the Hotel at the University of Maryland

Click the button above and fill out the online Speaker Request Form, and submit.

Books

Some of the latest books from Dr. AZ

Soft Skills That Make or Break Your Success

12 soft skills to master self, get along with, and lead others

The Highest Level of Greatness

Purpose-oriented, vision-centered, and values-driven greatness

Unchain Your Greatness

Exploring, Enacting, Enduring, and Emancipating your greatness

Overcoming 1st Timer Syndrome

11 antidotes to thrive beyond first-time leadership pitfalls

Let me share with you how I came to embrace holistic growth and what I’ve been doing to empower others to grow holistically.

1. Organizational development. 

At the early stage of my journey, I realized that it is impossible to advance, become world-class, and finally attain greatness individually or corporately without having an organization (team) that functions like a well-oiled machine. It occurred to me that one person is too insignificant, insufficient, and too little to have a meaningful impact without working with others, and having organizational development competencies to form, nurture, and empower teams/organizations.

As a result, together with my peers, I helped create a youth association in the early 90s while I was in my hometown. I also formed my own three different organizations in three totally different industries since I came to the US.

I've also consulted and coached some friends, colleagues, and clients to form and successfully launch teams and organizations in diverse industries. I advised them to articulate their mission statement, clarify vision, discover core values, identify their brand, design the organizational structure, create a unique culture, craft the establishing document, recruit and impart the vision to the new Board and/or the founding leadership, and more.

2. Leadership development. 

Likewise, I immediately understood that one must become a leader, first to lead self, and then influence others to achieve common goals.

Accordingly, I volunteered to lead our youth association in the early 90s and became the president of the largest university students' union in Ethiopia (AAU). The opportunity gave me a chance to travel to some African countries such as Ghana, Botswana, and Cote d'Ivoire.

I also volunteered and led many teams throughout the years in diverse industries. Wrote blogs, articles, and books on leadership. I did my doctoral degree in leadership and designed and delivered leadership development programs for emerging, middle, and senior leaders for our clients.

3. Personal development. 

I've been a committed student of personal development since the early 90s. I dedicated countless hours at the early stage of my life while still in Ethiopia reading many personal development books that gave me a glimpse of human potential and how far one can go. Since then, I've never remained the same.

By the way, when people who don't know me well or are aware of the distance I've come, read my books, social media posts, and strike up a conversation with me, they think I'm egotistical. What they don't know is that I wasn't like this. I was shy and reserved only comfortable hanging out with close family members and friends.

But, I couldn't stay in my comfort zone once I came in contact with the glimpse (I've not yet captured the full scope) of human potential, which now dictates how I think, talk, decide, and act. The encounter made me confident, bold, and refuse to settle for average and ordinary.

Don't misunderstand me, I'm still a work in progress, and will continue to grow on a consistent basis.

I spent countless hours reading, reflecting, researching, and engaging in deep conversations about purpose, vision, and values. These led me to discover my purpose in life, conceive a vision, discovered my core values (what matter the most), and continue to write on these concepts. For instance, I recently wrote a book that encourages individuals to lead a purpose-oriented, vision-centered, and values-driven life.

Besides, I've got certifications to help me coach (I'm a certified coach) and help others work on their personal development. Certifications such as Myers Briggs Types Indicator (MBTI), Emotional Intelligence (EQ), and Project Management Professional (PMP).

By the way, I've been coaching 1-on-1 and in groups with or without taking self and multi raters assessments such as 360.

Before becoming an author, speaker, coach, and facilitator in 2007, I had worked as:

I've:

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree,
• Master’s in computer science, and
• Doctorate of Strategic Leadership.

And the following certifications:

• Emotional Intelligence (EQ-i 2.0),
• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Virtual Presenter
• Coaching
• Instructional System Design (ISD)

Below are the 6 books I have published so far:

I have the following 

I live in Maryland, USA. I'm  a member of the following professional associations:

• National Speakers Association (NSA),
• Association for Talent Development (ATD),
• International Leadership Association (ILA),
• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM),
• Meeting Professionals International (MPI),
• Project Management Institute, and
• Toastmasters International (TM).