Eleni Aslani: Where Process Meets Purpose

Eleni Aslani is on a mission to redefine what it means to lead and manage people. After years in Corporate Banking and Fintech, she left the corporate world—not to walk away, but to transform it. 

As the founder of Growth People Pro, Eleni helps individuals and organizations cut through the noise, awaken their potential, and return to their most powerful place: their true selves. With a human-centered approach to employee experience, she guides leaders and teams toward purposeful, authentic, and lasting success.

What inspired you to leave the corporate world and start Growth People Pro?

I’m genuinely grateful for every company I worked with — they all shaped me, tested me, and gave me lessons I couldn’t buy anywhere else.

But after years in corporate environment, I started to notice a pattern: even when people mattered, the system didn’t always leave room for change. Business results came first, and “people issues” came last unless they became costly problems. It wasn’t anyone’s fault — just a reflection of how organizations are wired under pressure.

And honestly? That didn’t frustrate me — it woke me up.

I realized my energy was wasted fighting for change in places where there was no room for it. So instead, I chose to partner with those ready for growth, leaders who see human experience not as a buzzword, but as the heartbeat of sustainable success.

That’s why I built Growth People Pro. Because transformation doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you make the choice — to evolve, to rise, and to do it together.

Can you describe a moment when you realized the traditional HR model needed to be changed?

Oh, absolutely. From day one in HR journey, I felt something was… missing. I studied hard, ticked all the boxes, followed the “best practices” — but it felt like I was managing systems, not people.

The big shift came in 2019 when I trained as a Holistic Employee Experience Practitioner with Ben Whitter. His approach to building alignment and long-term success around an organization’s Truth hit me like a revelation. It felt like I had finally found the missing piece of the puzzle. I finally understood why HR often felt hollow: ironically, the “human” had been buried under compliance forms and performance reviews.

Even Dave Ulrich, the father of modern HR, admitted the model was never meant to solve it all and must evolve. Yet too many organizations still cling to it like a corporate comfort blanket.

Meanwhile, the world has moved on. Talent today doesn’t just want jobs— they look for alignment. With their values, with their purpose, and the life they’re building. If companies don’t catch up, they’re not just behind. They’re irrelevant. 

That’s when I decided: no more old answers to new questions. It was time to rewrite the playbook.

What does “human-centered people management” really mean to you?

For me, it’s simple: remembering that every business is built by people — and for people.

It starts with organizations knowing their Truth — their authentic mission, vision, and values — not just as a poster on a wall, but as a compass for every decision they make. When companies live that Truth, they attract people who genuinely vibe with it.

Human-centered leadership means treating people as partners in success, not just changing headcount. Valuing not only what they do, but who they are. It means co-creating environments where they can grow, contribute, challenge, and belong.

And let’s be clear — it’s not about being soft, it’s about being smart. Because when people feel seen, heard, and respected, they don’t just show up — they rise up.

That’s the shift: from people as a cost, to people as the core.

How do you help people reconnect with their true selves through your work?

Most of us don’t even realize how disconnected we’ve become — from ourselves, not others. We run, chase, deliver, and confuse movement with progress. We follow “shoulds” until one day we wake up miserable.

At Growth People Pro, we help people pause long enough to hear that inner whisper again — the one we silenced to keep the system happy. We peel back layers of fear, pressure, and self-doubt so people can return to who they were before life told them who to be.

We are born whole, curious, fearless, unfiltered. Kids don’t question their worth. But as we grow, society teaches us what’s “acceptable,” what’s “professional,” what’s “normal.” And bit by bit, we trade our truth for approval.

At Growth People Pro, we help people undo that trade. Because real success doesn’t come from fitting in. It comes from finally showing up as your true self. Not the version that ticks the boxes, but the one that feels alive.

What do you believe is the biggest barrier to transformation in today’s workplaces?

Resistance to change — usually dressed up as nostalgia.

Many leaders are still clinging to models designed for a workforce that no longer exists. My parents each worked more than 50 years in one organization. Today, Gen Z changes jobs every 18 months — not because they’re flaky, but because they’re agile. To the old guard, it looks like instability. To the new guard, it’s freedom.

The world shifted. Markets, people, technology — everything moves faster. But too many leaders are still holding the map upside down, insisting the old roads will get them somewhere new. Spoiler: they won’t.

Take AI, for example. Just a few years ago, developers were the hottest ticket in town. Today, parts of their job are being replaced by automation. That’s not a threat — unless you’re standing still. If you’re open and evolving, it’s an opportunity.

Transformation requires letting go of the illusion of control and embracing the truth: change isn’t the enemy. It’s the invitation. The only question is: will you RSVP?

How does your background in corporate banking and fintech influence the way you lead today?

I lived in two completely different universes. Banking: rule-bound, predictable, steady. Fintech: chaotic, disruptive, adrenaline-fueled. At first glance, they looked worlds apart. But both had one thing in common: people.

That contrast gave me a superpower — the ability to speak both “languages.” Stability and disruption. Order and innovation. Long-term vision and real-time agility.

Now, I use that lens with clients. I see the big picture, but I also spot the cracks before they split wide open. In short: I use both to bring harmony where others just hear noise.

What shifts have you observed in organisations that adopt a people-powered approach?

The difference is night and day. First you see the smiles, then you see the profits.

Gallup says high engagement = 21% higher profitability and 17% more productivity. McKinsey says strong employee experience = up to 40% lower turnover. But the real magic? You can feel it in the room.

People stop just “showing up” and start taking ownership. Ideas flow. Collaboration replaces silos. One client told me: “I used to expect resistance in every meeting. Now my team walks in with solutions before I even ask.”

Because when people feel valued, seen, and heard — they give you their best. And they do it not because the system demands it, but because they believe in the mission and they share it.

That’s the magic. You stop managing tasks — and start unleashing people.

What’s one powerful transformation story from someone you’ve worked with that stayed with you? 

There are so many — each one personal, unique, and powerful in its own way. But the truth is, transformation doesn’t always look like fireworks. Sometimes, it’s someone finally breathing deeply for the first time in years. Sometimes, it’s just a silent moment of clarity when they realize: “I don’t have to live like this anymore.”

One client comes to mind — a business owner running on high-achiever autopilot, just like I once was. He gave, produced, controlled, until there was nothing left of him in his own life. He was burning out fast.

Through our work, he realized the truth: pushing harder wasn’t strength. Stopping, breathing, and remembering who he was — that was strength. He didn’t just become a better leader. He became a better human.

That one stays with me — because I’ve been there. Watching someone’s light come back on? That’s true success.

How do you personally stay aligned with your purpose and authenticity in your work?

Thankfully, I’ve reached a point in my life where I have the freedom to choose how I want to succeed. And I choose carefully.

I don’t chase shiny projects or force myself into boardrooms that feel like bad dates. I pick work that matters, with people who care, on missions that move something real.

I don’t waste time convincing people or organizations to grow. I work with people who are ready — and skip the ones who need dragging. If you’re serious about growth, I’m your person. If not, no hard feelings. And yes, if you need a loving kick in the ass, I’ll give it. (Plenty of people thanked me later!) 

My purpose isn’t to fix people. It’s to remind them they’re powerful. To guide them back to themselves. And when they succeed?  Oh, I’ll be there, front row, cheering louder than anyone. Because their wins feel like mine.

That’s how I stay aligned: I choose real over impressive. Because authenticity isn’t a strategy. It’s one of my core values. 

If someone feels stuck or disconnected in their career, what’s one first step you’d recommend they take?

First step? Pause. Not quit, not panic. Just pause and breathe. 

Most people try to fix it by doing more — switching jobs, pushing harder, changing partners, starting over. But without clarity, they just end up stuck somewhere else.
Create space to ask yourself:
What’s draining me?

What’s lighting me up (even a little)?

What’s been asking for my attention that I keep ignoring?

Feeling stuck isn’t failure — it’s a signal. It’s your inner compass saying: this path isn’t mine anymore.

And if the fog feels too thick? Don’t do it alone. Find someone outside the storm who can see clearly. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is ask for help.

That’s exactly what we do at Growth People Pro: help people and organizations realign with their truth, reclaim their power, and choose to succeed — on their own terms.