At Upgrade, we believe that being fully human is more essential than ever to your success.
In a world where disruption and uncertainty are at the forefront, we lean on authenticity, connection and collaboration to rise. Grounded in the belief that intentional individual growth fuels collective success, our tailored coaching services and programs help forward-thinking organizations and ambitious professionals navigate pivotal career and leadership moments with greater alignment, awareness and ease.
We help overwhelmed leaders build clarity and capacity, emerging leaders grow into influence with confidence, and career questioners navigate transitions with purpose. We bring strong business & leadership experience, modern science-backed coaching tools & frameworks, and a unique whole-person & whole-life approach to achieve meaningful measurable results.
Our Founder
Dana Rahat, BA Psychology, MBA, CPCC, ACC
I founded Upgrade with the belief that when people are supported as whole humans, they become stronger leaders — and organizations grow stronger too.
With over 15 years working alongside senior leaders and teams, I understand the real pressures people carry at work and how leadership shows up in everyday moments. My perspective has been shaped by experiences across startup, mid-sized, and enterprise environments — always centred on the people side of business. Early in my career, I lived and worked at a startup abroad. I later worked with leadership teams to shape people development in established mid-sized organizations, and spent a decade at Bank of Montreal leading initiatives across HR, communications, and strategy — helping leaders advance culture, navigate change, and drive performance.
My academic foundation includes a BA (Honours) in Psychology, where my thesis focused on Industrial-Organizational Psychology — deepening my understanding of workplace behaviour, leadership dynamics, and performance. Earning my MBA further strengthened my systems-level lens on talent, culture, and organizational performance.
Drawn to support people more directly through growth and transition, I pursued formal coach training and earned my CPCC designation and ACC accreditation. Becoming a mother while continuing to grow my career deepened my commitment to leadership development that reflects the realities people are actually navigating — ultimately leading me to build my work around professional coaching.
Today, I coach leaders, emerging leaders, and ambitious professionals navigating pivotal career and leadership moments — stepping into bigger or different roles, navigating transitions, and expanding their impact in aligned and sustainable ways. Clients know me as a steady, insightful partner: calm and non-judgmental, while offering thoughtful challenge and accountability that drives meaningful progress. My approach blends real organizational experience with coaching expertise, designed to make development both human and results-oriented.
I live in Toronto with my husband, our two children, and our beloved dog — a daily reminder that leadership and life are always connected. I enjoy good coffee, staying active, and going on adventures (big and small) with the people I love — and I’m committed to practicing what I support my clients in: growth that’s intentional and integrated.
Our Mission:
Guiding the Next Generation of Leaders to Grow on Purpose
Upgrade’s mission is to guide and empower the current and next generation of leaders through every stage of their career journey—From aspiration to transition to leadership with greater alignment, awareness, and ease, while supporting organizations to retain and elevate the talent that shapes their future.
We coach leaders and emerging leaders as they navigate change, growth, and responsibility.
We support organizations to develop and retain their talent, and help their people thrive.
Our work is rooted in the belief that we are all a work in progress — and success comes from evolving with intention.
Our Values
Whole-Person Growth
We consider the professional, personal, and emotional dimensions of growth, because we believe that meaningful and sustainable performance are rooted in whole-person wellbeing.
Individuality as a Strength
We honour diverse strengths, perspectives, and experiences, helping individuals build self-trust and helping organizations create environments where those differences can thrive.
Thoughtful Exploration
We create space for reflection and new perspectives, enabling intentional growth for individuals and more conscious, people-centered leadership within organizations.
Courage with Accountability
We encourage bold action and responsibility, supporting people and organizations to follow through on the growth they commit to.
Tailored Partnership
Our work is deeply collaborative and customized, combining lived experience with science-backed methodologies to drive meaningful and practical results.
Purposeful Progress
We focus on measurable impact while honoring the present, celebrating progress and viewing development as an ongoing journey.
Integrity & Confidentiality
We uphold the highest professional and ethical standards, and create spaces that are honest, respectful, confidential, and free of judgment.
