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About DEBBIE 

Debbie Goodman, CEO of Jack Hammer Global, is a global executive search and board advisor, high-impact leadership coach, bestselling author and podcast host. Firm in the knowledge that companies depend on great leaders to accelerate growth and create thriving cultures, she has dedicated more than two decades to helping boards and CEOs with their most strategic people, leadership, and talent decisions.

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AS FEATURED IN

NR 1 BESTSELLER: The Living Room Leader

LEADERSHIP LESSONS FOR A HYBRID FUTURE

Around mid-March 2020 or thereabouts, many of us became Living Room Leaders (or Bedroom/Kitchen/Garage Leaders). With no road map and no ‘how-to-lead-remote-teams-RIGHT-NOW’ training manual, we’re all experimenting with new ways to manage, motivate, hire and engage our teams.

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WHAT DEBBIE'S CLIENTS SAY

“Thank you so much for yesterday’s insightful session—I truly enjoyed the way you framed and led the conversation. The discussion was both practical and actionable, with clear takeaways we can implement immediately and in the near future. Your contribution has added immense value to our programme and school.” – Camille Meyer, Programme Director: EMBA, Graduate School of Business (UCT)
“Debbie brings a wealth of experience to the table, and is wonderful to work with. Her expertise in leadership, and strategic hiring benefited our founders, and their teams. She is able to collaborate and advise on solutions that can actually be implemented and have the desired impact in fast moving, startup environments.” – Kelsey McGuire, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer
“Thank you for supporting dermalogica on our AI journey. You triggered loads of internal discussions and explorations in the world of Chat and AI. The best outcome we could have wished for.” – Joanna Wilson, CEO Dermalogica
“Debbie helped me navigate an extremely difficult phase in my journey as a Founder of my start-up. Given that it was a difficult time for me personally, she was very empathetic and helped with my overall confidence and mental well-being. She is extremely strategic and business oriented. She helped me cut through the noise and see problems as they really were and helped me come up with solutions as well as tactics to navigate the situation.” – Co-Founder, Fintech startup
“I just want to express my sincere thanks for a really thought-provoking and insightful webinar. I am reflecting on the discussion, and this is one webinar that I am unlikely to forget about. It was incredibly valuable and is sincerely appreciated! We need to have these types of conversations more often. Thank you for starting the conversation….in my mind, it is still ongoing.” – Kesagee Nayager, Bombela Concession Company
“I’ve just finished my book for the week - The Living Room Leader by Debbie Goodman. I have known Debbie for a long time & enjoyed the wisdom she shared in this book. Especially the chapter on ‘Leading with Empathy: The Ultimate Game Changer’. ” – Amelia Beattie, Chief Executive: Liberty Two Degrees
“Debbie has changed the game for us in terms of a recruiting partner. I haven't really seen anything close to Jack Hammer’s ability to dial-in actual business needs and deliver talent. More importantly, Debbie is an awesome person/founder/leader whose trust and advice is in rare company.” – Michael Hemlepp, CEO: Honorlock (USA)
“Rebel Girls owes much of its success to Debbie – She is an incredible asset for me and for the company, and I can’t imagine functioning without her. She is very smart, very strategic, and very experienced with execs and startups.” – CEO, Rebel Girls
“Debbie is creative and thinks out of the box in terms of finding solutions for intractable problems. Above all - her integrity is without question and she can be trusted to tell it like it is.” – Margaret Jenks, Strategy Consultant & Former Chief Executive

LATEST INSIGHTS

The Myth of the ‘First 100 Days’

The Myth of the ‘First 100 Days’

Almost everything written about CEO appointments assumes you’re working for a large (listed) corporation, have the luxury of a structured onboarding programme, and are guided by a patient, measured board. If that’s not your reality – and for most newly appointed CEOs,...

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C-Level Interviews in 2026: What’s Actually Changed

C-Level Interviews in 2026: What’s Actually Changed

If you happened to be the proverbial fly-on-the-wall in rooms leaders are being interviewed, you’d be forgiven for assuming it’s business as usual in 2026.  You’d be sitting there, all fly-like, thinking ‘This is so last year. Nothing new to be seen here’. But...

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