Debra Eckerling

Debra Eckerling is on a mission to change goal culture in and out of the workplace. She is the award-winning author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals and founder of the D*E*B METHOD® system of goal-setting simplified. DEB stands for Determine Your Mission, Explore Your Options, Brainstorm Your Path. You can’t get what you want unless you know what you want. Creating a foundation for your personal and professional goals is key, whether you are an entrepreneur, consultant, or part of a team.

A born connector, motivator, and facilitator, Debra has a knack for bringing parts of a project, people, and communities together. Her expertise has illuminated the path for countless individuals globally, assisting them in areas ranging from penning books and launching blogs to strategizing business projects and figuring out work-life balance. She has also served as a consultant and workshop facilitator for businesses and teams, offering event strategy, personal and professional planning, and team-building.

Debra’s journey into the realm of goal-setting started when she established a writers’ support group at Barnes & Noble in Schaumburg, Illinois, in the 1990s. Witnessing firsthand the transformative power of accountability and structured ambition, she continued to evolve her initiative. After relocating to Los Angeles, she re-initiated her goals group at Barnes & Noble in Santa Monica, where it subsequently received the moniker, Write On. The group, over time, has grown to encompass a diverse set of creatives and entrepreneurs, and currently has an active online presence. Since 2015, Write On Online has been listed by The Write Life as one of the best Facebook Groups for Writers.

With a background in communications and project management, Debra has served as director of communication and internal event organizer in the financial space, admissions assistant for a private school, and special project coordinator in the social media arena (creating the Table Talks and Content Concierge programs for Social Media Marketing World), to name a few. Plus, for 15 years (four as an editor for Social Media Examiner), Debra has spoken about, written for, and worked in social media. She also serves as Networking Ambassador for the Women’s National Book Association – San Francisco chapter.

Debra is the host of #GoalChatLive aka GoalChat on the Marketing Podcast Network, as well as a food writer and host of the Taste Buds with Deb podcast. She has spoken on stages for TEDx, Innovation Women, VON, AgoraPulse, TechMunch, California Creative Writers Conference, LA County Bar Association Lawyer Well-Being Project, and more.