What does it take to advise Heads of State, broker back-channel diplomatic deals, and operate inside the world's most complex political environments, all while building a global firm from scratch?
In this episode, Julian sits down with Vlada Galan, geopolitical strategist, crisis management expert, and founder of Oracle Advisory Group. Vlada advises Heads of State across five continents, has worked on elections and conflicts in over a dozen countries, and was awarded a medal by the Ukrainian government in 2023 for her work on behalf of her home country.
But the bio only tells part of the story. Vlada arrived in America at six years old with her mother, a cardboard sign, and two words of English. Everything she's built—a Harvard master's degree, a multimillion-dollar advisory firm, a career at the highest levels of global power—came entirely from scratch.
This is a conversation about what power actually looks like from the inside, what separates the people who own the table from everyone else trying to get a seat at it, and what a Ukrainian immigrant who once knew two words of English learned about success that most people never figure out.
— Episode Chapter Big Ideas (timing may not be exact) —
0:00 — Intro
1:35 — Finland trip: disconnecting in the Arctic Circle
7:50 — What do the people who own the table actually have?
11:51 — "Everything you need is within yourself”—did she believe it on Day 1?
15:06 — Standing outside the private city club: the three A's of overcoming imposter syndrome
18:16 — How she found her way into geopolitical consulting
22:03 — Why she prefers the harder, less glamorous engagements
25:53 — What the first 48 hours of a crisis actually look like
28:09 — Track 2 diplomacy: the back-channel work that never makes the news
32:20 — Managing personal identity and professional neutrality as a Ukrainian consultant
36:30 — The bank governor story: aggression as an asset
40:45 — How to be the honest advisor in a room full of yes people
43:41 — The most enjoyable part of running her own firm
45:05 — How she takes care of herself: weight training, cooking, and real disconnection
48:18 — How she determines what's a good fit as a client
50:20 — The biggest misconception about her field
54:05 — The hardest part of building something from nothing
55:23 — Book recommendations
57:44 — What would that six-year-old girl on the plane say?
— Key Quotes from Vlada Galan —
“If you want to hang on for the long term and develop a reputation for actually bringing change and bringing results, be the no person because that is the person in the room that is the most courageous to say what they actually think, no matter what the consequences might be.”
"People will test your boundaries. The more you allow them to cross those boundaries and steamroll you, the more they're going to take advantage of that.”
"You learn a lot more from losing than you do from winning. That acquiring of knowledge that you actually get from failing is exactly how you become successful."
— Connect With Vlada Galan —
Website: https://oracleadvisorygroup.com/
Book website: https://success-mentality.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vladagalan/
— Connect with Julian and Executive Health —
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianhayesii/
X — https://x.com/thejulianhayes
Don’t let your biology become the bottleneck to the enterprise you’re building. Book a private call —https://www.executivehealth.io/contact
Website — https://www.executivehealth.io/
***DISCLAIMER: The information shared is not meant to treat or diagnose any condition. This is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes. The content here is not intended to replace your relationship with your doctor and/or medical practitioner. Consult your provider before making any decisions.
