About Us

provokebetter is a leadership and management consultancy that helps steady growth companies align leadership, strategy, and culture.

Clear Priorities + Confident Leadership

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Achieve measurable gains in team performance, profitability, and satisfaction.

We understand the unique needs of teams growing from a dozen to 50 employees.

Our clients have already achieved a solid foundation of success. These CEOs, COOs, CMOs, and operational managers of established companies are ready to optimize for clear, confident growth.

As companies grow from all fitting around the lunchroom table to 20, 30 or more employees, what used to work no longer does.

Everything from leadership and management to systems and communications feels extra pressure. Cracks begin to show, getting bigger with each additional person, not smaller.

We specialize in guiding businesses at this fragile growth stage through the noise. With clear priorities and confident leadership, they learn how to grow the business while outgrowing busyness.

Why work with Leadership and Management Consultants?

Sustainable growth comes when you professionalize cash flow controls, operations, offerings, talent development, sales, and marketing. 

Everyone knows this. What they don’t know is which one to focus on first, how to do it, what to measure, and when to move on.

That’s the benefit of working with us. Our experience, tools, and frameworks ensure you always have clear priorities and confident leadership.

We have meaningful expertise serving tech, advanced manufacturing, and creative services firms.

provokebetter has meaningful expertise serving tech, advanced manufacturing, and creative services firms as they improve efficiency and unlock the full potential of their existing team and business.

Our clients include founders, senior leaders, and mid-management managers at  technology integrator companies, IT firms, change management leaders, marketing agencies, video production companies, and more. 

Our Leadership Team

Whitney Hahn, MSML

Leadership Coach and Management Consultant

Whitney Hahn

Whitney Hahn is on a mission to help leaders grow their business while OUTgrowing their busyness.

As the founder and CEO of provokebetter, she and her team have powered breakthroughs and growth seasons for clients in tech, manufacturing, creative services, economic development, national associations, and nonprofits.

Their programs target the critical challenges facing today’s leaders—managing workforce issues, streamlining workflows, and achieving strategic growth—while helping them move from daily firefighting to true operational mastery.  

Whitney’s insights make her an in-demand advisor, trainer, and contributor to numerous books and podcasts. She is also a frequent speaker and facilitator at business events and workshops.

She produced an award-winning series of manufacturing recruitment videos in partnership with the Frederick County Office of Economic Development, and an award winning video for tech recruitment for Frederick City Economic Development.

With a Master of Science degree in Business Management and Leadership (MSML), Whitney is a proud member of Key City Rotary, serves or has served on the advisory boards of Leadership Frederick County, techfrederick, and the Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc. (FITCI).

Austin Shifflett, MBA

Head of Operations

Austin Shifflett

Austin Shifflett is a pivotal member of our team, where he tirelessly pursues new ways to help businesses work smarter and grow stronger.

Austin’s strategic foresight and operational acumen ensures that our leadership and management consulting services fit exactly what each client needs.

Austin dives deep into research, suggests better ways to do things, leads brainstorming sessions for new strategies, and writes up detailed plans. This preparation means that every meeting is effective and helps our clients move confidently toward their goals.

His wide-ranging experience, from managing startup communications to guiding client strategies, makes him a trusted advisor who really helps shape our clients’ success.

At provokebetter, his most important work often happens behind the scenes. His ability to synthesize information and anticipate future challenges makes him an indispensable resource, guiding clients through complex decisions and toward sustainable growth.

Austin holds a B.A. in English from Harvard University and completed his MBA degree in 2024.

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NAICS Code 541611 – Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services