Description:
Julius Caesar said “Experience is the teacher of all things,” but what he didn’t mention is that learning from experience takes alchemy. Consider: we’re all barraged by distractions that overwhelm our ability effectively communicate. Eli Shostak's presentation will focus on how we can harness our experience to improve clarity and focus on both personal and organizational levels.
Think NewCo has developed the Framework for Focus™, an experiential-based method that teaches participants how to take their attention back and reclaim their ability to work on, not just in, their business. Eli Shostak will deliver a curriculum that combines current neurological science, traditional methods, and experience that will help participants to craft personal and organizational action plans to "get clear," to stay focused, and to make real changes.
Eli Shostak is a firm believer in the idea that experience is our finest teacher, and that the best classrooms have no walls. He has been facilitating educational experiences for over 20 years. He has an MA in Experiential Education, and has used his background to provide leadership and technical skills trainings for audiences ranging from executives to college students. No matter the group, Eli’s approach combines humor, knowledge, and strategies for delivering excellent content in the form of meaningful experiences. Eli currently works with Think NewCo’ as their Operations Director.
What will we learn?
Identify how and when distractions derail our attention. Stop that.
- Learn that multitasking makes you dumb and slow.
- Rework routines to support clarity and focus. Practice these skills.
- How this looks in real time. Taking the workshop home with an actionable plan.
- Establish a network of accountability partners to support individual and group success
Presenter: Eli Shostak
Operations Director at Think NewCo

The Official Story: A long time guide and instructor, the list of people with whom Eli has worked includes some of the top expedition and adventure education companies in North America. Besides numerous professional certifications and guide licenses, Eli has a B. A. in Anthropology from the University of California at Santa Cruz as well as a Masters Degree in Experiential Education from Minnesota State University at Mankato. Eli worked as a Leader for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) where he accumulated over 120 weeks leading courses. When he wasn’t on a NOLS expedition, he was leading adventures in places ranging from Canada’s Baffin Island to Baja California’s Sea of Cortez. Eli eventually left the field to become the Staff and Program Manager for Deer Hill Expeditions, a role that allowed Eli to share and expand his knowledge of what it takes to run excellent programs. Throughout the years, Eli’s goal has been to facilitate experiences in which people look inward, expanding their sense of what’s possible in their lives, while at the same time looking outward and developing deep connections to wild places and their fellow travelers.
The Backstory: Eli has been the proud owner of a “mobile device” for just over a year, but spending most of the past 20 years in places with “zero bars” doesn’t mean that Eli has been out of touch. He is a published author, accomplished ultra runner and frequent contributor and consultant to adventure programs in his home of Southwest Colorado where he lives with his soul mate Erin, daughter Delia, and “what-kind-of-dog-is-that-anyway?” pup Itza.