Welcome!
My name is Daren Lauda, and I am the CEO & Founder of Second Step. I began coaching college students, recent graduates, and executives over 15 years ago and fell in love with the process. When you engage Second Step, you engage with me directly -- and I can't wait to work with you!
About Daren
Daren Lauda began his career as a U.S. Army Infantry Team Leader, where he honed his leadership and teamwork skills. These experiences provided a solid foundation for an impressive corporate journey that includes senior leadership positions at Fortune 500 companies such as Fortive, PTC, and Salesforce. He also held leadership roles at innovative startups like Arbortext, Mavenlink, DispatchTrack, and Outset.
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Daren's go-to-market experience includes growing businesses $0 to $20M, $20M to $50M, and $50M+. He has managed a full $100M P&L and led teams of over 300 people.
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​Throughout his career, Daren has been involved in recruiting and hiring over 1,000 individuals. His experience underscores the critical need for expert support in job searches, interview prep, and professional branding—especially for those just starting their careers. Additionally, he leverages his extensive work background in executive coaching and fractional leadership.
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Daren holds a B.S. in Management from Pepperdine University and an M.B.A. from California State University, Long Beach. He is committed to lifelong learning and has taken courses at the University of California, Irvine, and Harvard Business School Online.
Daren is married and has two children. He makes his home in Aliso Viejo, CA.
Contact
I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect!
+1 949.242.9185