We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dr. Gabe Soumakian. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gabe below.

Alright, Dr. Gabe thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

From Superintendent to Entrepreneur: My Journey

I dedicated more than 40 years to education, ultimately retiring as a Superintendent of Schools. Even before retirement, I knew I wanted to remain connected to education by consulting, but like many who make big transitions, I faced uncertainty—how could I support educators, and who would actually seek my guidance?

Shortly after, I was approached by a financial broker whose focus was on helping teachers plan for retirement. At first, I wasn’t interested. But as I reflected on my own journey, I realized my own retirement could have been planned better. That sparked something in me. I began networking, earned my Life and Annuity License, and started helping educators prepare for the financial side of retirement.

Then came COVID. Suddenly, many educators and Superintendents were thinking about retiring early, but few had a real plan. After presenting at the Superintendent Conference on how to retire early, my work shifted toward what I now call the “Psychology of Retirement.” I discovered that the challenge wasn’t just financial—it was emotional, social, and deeply tied to one’s sense of identity and purpose.

Around the same time, I had my own realization: I had worked my entire life, yet had never traveled abroad for an extended period. In 2019, I explored host travel agencies and began a new journey as a Travel Advisor. Since then, I’ve organized group trips and helped friends and colleagues create meaningful travel experiences.

Through these ventures—Leadership Coaching, Financial Coaching, and Travel Advising—I came to see my true path: entrepreneurship. Starting from scratch, I built businesses, created systems, and learned firsthand what it takes to grow and sustain a vision. More importantly, I recognized how valuable entrepreneurial skills are for young people. I believe entrepreneurship belongs in every high school curriculum, equipping students with tools for financial literacy, leadership, and resilience.

Today, I’m writing this from a travel conference in Cancún, where I continue to expand my skills, particularly in corporate and group travel. I see incredible opportunities for schools to engage alumni through travel—building relationships, strengthening networks, and even supporting fundraising.

My story is still unfolding, but if there’s one lesson I carry with me, it’s this: retirement isn’t an end. It’s a reinvention. And for me, it has been the beginning of an entrepreneurial journey I never expected, but truly value. I love what I do and look forward to supporting educators as they discover their own journey through Executive Leadership Coaching. Along the way, I would like to support them through the Psychology of Retirement and have them travel with me for a memorable life experience.

Gabe, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

What ties all of this together—leadership coaching, financial coaching, and travel advising—is a passion for helping people navigate transitions. Whether it’s moving into a leadership role, stepping into retirement, or embarking on a transformative travel experience, as a Gallup Certified Executive Leadership Coach, I specialize in guiding people through change with confidence, clarity, and purpose.

What sets me apart is my unique blend of experience: decades of leadership at the highest levels in education, combined with the entrepreneurial grit of building businesses from the ground up. I’ve lived through the very challenges I now help others navigate—uncertainty, reinvention, and growth. My clients know that when they work with me, they’re not just getting strategies; they’re getting lived experience, empathy, and a partner who genuinely understands the journey.

What I’m most proud of is seeing the ripple effect of this work. Whether it’s an educator who retires with peace of mind, a leader who grows into their potential, or a group of travelers who return with life-changing memories, I see my role as helping people create meaningful new chapters in their lives.

If there’s one thing I’d want potential clients, followers, or partners to know about me and my work, it’s this: retirement, leadership, and travel aren’t endpoints—they’re opportunities for transformation. My mission is to help people embrace those opportunities, build stronger futures, and enjoy the journey along the way.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

As a Superintendent of Schools, the role is very much like that of a CEO—responsible for vision, strategy, and outcomes. However, working in the public sector with a Board of Education is uniquely different from becoming an Entrepreneur. In entrepreneurship, you’re no longer “the boss” with a large team to carry out your directives. Instead, you must shift into the role of a Coach—guiding, influencing, and doing much of the hands-on work yourself.

Most startup entrepreneurs begin as a one-person operation. They wear many hats—executive, assistant, marketer, strategist—and as the business grows, the challenge becomes hiring or partnering with the right people who share the same passion and vision. The reality is, many entrepreneurs don’t have prior CEO-level leadership experience, and that can quickly become a pitfall.

That’s where I come in. I help Superintendents and aspiring entrepreneurs navigate this transition—leveraging my own experience as both a Superintendent and an Entrepreneur. I provide the guidance, systems, and leadership mindset needed to grow a business with purpose, while avoiding the common mistakes that stall success.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Entering into entrepreneurship is both exciting and intimidating. Today, we have unprecedented access to information and learning resources—YouTube, podcasts, webinars, online courses—but that abundance can quickly become overwhelming. Too much information often leaves aspiring entrepreneurs bogged down, unsure of where to start or how to stay focused.

Learning independently requires discipline, and developing a solid business plan is even more difficult without a clear roadmap. Researching what you need, filtering through what’s useful, and avoiding the endless rabbit holes of the internet can eat up valuable time and energy.

This is where a Leadership Coach becomes invaluable. I guide Superintendents and Entrepreneurs through this process—helping them stay focused, take their ideas to market, problem-solve effectively, and adapt when things don’t go as planned. One of the frameworks I often lean on is the Stanford Design Thinking and Problem-Solving Model, which provides a practical, creative approach to building a business plan while staying agile in the face of challenges.

Entrepreneurship is a journey, and while information is everywhere, having the right guide can make all the difference between feeling stuck and moving forward with clarity and confidence.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://AdventuesDuJour.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adventuresdujour/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/adventuresdujour
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabesoumakian/
• Twitter: https://www.instagram.com/adventuresdujour/

Image Credits

All images taken by Gabe Soumakian