Here is what current + former clients have to say about working with us.

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“When Burton does not have access to golf balls and putters he will use whatever materials are available:

In summary, it was one of the best hours I’ve ever experienced in my life – truly magical and enlightening! During the next 24 hours I was in an “aftershock” – I couldn’t believe that, after such a short session with you, with the help of a bucket and a few tennis balls, I actually did have a glimpse of, or a firm grip on, the mental and physical state of being present. The secret that I’ve been actively and constantly searching for the past 10 years! I’ve read countless books on the topic, from well-known authors, self-help gurus, to philosophers. What frustrated me was that at the time of reading, the principles all made sense, but were very hard to apply in the real-life situations, such as under stress, pressure or being angry. It feels as if I was walking on the sidewalk, while the solutions offered by these books are up on the rooftop – they are parallel but unreachable, you see them, you understand them, but there was no way to reach them – at least no easy way.

After the session, the light bulb just flashed in my head – the pursuit of presence, and therefore a better quality of life can be achieved through your scientific approach! That’s exactly what you have done! You’ve broken down a very complex concept into a simple, doable process in which the code was translated into a set of practical exercises that everyone is capable of doing. The result is a crystal clear focus, and a sense of presence, leading to a new way of thinking – a state which I achieved only occasionally in the past, through long meditation and persistent yoga practices, among other pursuits. The fact that within a matter of minutes I witnessed dramatic change in results was truly amazing!

So if I had to describe your practice in one word, what came to my mind was “bridge” – you offered a tangible link between folks striving for improved quality of life and a large body of philosophical and self-improvement teaching that is great in theory, but nearly impossible to apply in practice.

What I have discovered along the way (a fringe benefit) was while I have always considered myself to be a person with an open mind and one who embraces change, I was quite resistant, judgemental and stubborn without knowing it when changes were presented or my old way of thinking was challenged. I was somewhat upset after waking to this disappointing fact. When you pointed out that only after I have this realization would I be able to become more open, it closed the loop in terms of my experience and learning.

Thank you for this valuable lesson! Like you said, my old pattern was broken and that really caused me to stop and think – I appreciate it.”

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“Nikki and I have been working for just under a year now, and the Kyle I was in January 2016 vs the Kyle I am today is dramatically different. Before I felt as if I were lost, constantly searching for something to latch on to. I knew I was good, but what I didn’t have was the understanding to use it. Throughout our relationship, I have gone from someone who was constantly seeking external happiness, to KNOWING that true happiness lies within. I have learned that this great game of golf is truly played in between the ears.

Golf is fun again and life has become a more enjoyable journey. I have learned that it is who you are in challenging moments that shape who you become. I have now, more so than ever, have become a person who is searching for the lesson in any given experience that I have. Golf or non-golf related. And by doing so I have now allowed myself to start on the journey of building the best version of myself. Not based off of others conceptions of “best” but my own version of “best”. I have learned that I created a lot of restrictions and notions in my own head that reinforce the notion that who I am is “not enough”. Now by being aware of when I am doing this to myself I am able to remove those limiting mental restrictions.

I have discovered that through using intentions and mindful observations that anything is possible. Something I felt as if I had always known, but was never able to apply to my life. Throughout my sessions with Nikki, I have holed 2 balls from over 200 yards.

Throughout play of my own I have made a Hole in one on a 315 yard Par 4, and so many eagles I cannot even keep track, chips go in the hole, putts fall in from across the globe. But what is most interesting in those moments my attention is not related to the result. In those moments I am completely and utterly in the present, knowing that who I am is capable of doing anything I desire. By putting my body, mind, soul, and spirit into each activity, I am able to bring the best version of myself into hitting each shot and having any conversation. In that exact moment of time, I am the absolute best I can be, not only as a golfer but as contributing member of society.

I have learned to always be open to the lesson, humble in victory or defeat it shows through my character or my “being” and that in itself evokes change. I have learned that “learning” never stops, there is always more to be obtained. Everything affects my ability to play this game, not only do the conditions constantly change on a golf course, but they change on each and every given shot. Just as it happens in life, things are continuously changing around me. Nothing is as is seems, nothing turns out as expected, so what can I count on? That’s is the greatest lesson I have learned so far, I can ALWAYS count on myself. My authentic self is the greatest gift given to me, learning how to wield myself into anything that I want. That is the journey I feel I embarked on, I’m learning to leave my arrogance and guardedness behind. I cannot wait to see what else is in store.”

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“When I turned 22 I felt like my game was missing something. My swing felt great and looked great, but there was something wrong because I knew I wasn’t performing my best and it was very frustrating causing me to stop playing competitive golf altogether earlier in the year.

Our initial work guided me to see how consumed with results I had been. Nikki helped me to shift my focus to being more intentional with my process. He taught me some key principles that became translated into practices both on the golf course and in all other areas of my life. As a result I am more honest with my self and others. I have found more joy in the process of practicing and playing golf and bring a much better spirit to my girl friend, sister, and parents. Quite frankly I have grown to be a more caring and loving human being.

Through our work together I finished 12th in a field of over 300 professional golfers., finished first in a one day professional tournament, and finished tied for 36th in the Asian tour qualifying tournament. In that tournament what is particularly noteworthy was my ability to capture an insight after reviewing my pattern in the first couple of rounds. Through my work with Nikki I am able to examine my process more objectively rather than blaming the greens or slow play or those things outside of my control. In so doing I discovered something about my mindset that I had previously not been aware of. I immediately put it into play and shot 8 under par for the next two rounds.

With Nikki I honestly feel like I am gaining more than any coach in the game can teach you about your swing mechanics. He guided me to trust in my gifts and talents. He has helped me to translate mistakes into gifts that further my growth. I have learned the value of being present on the golf course and inside of each of my relationships with others. If you truly believe you can do it, then Nikki can help you achieve it because anything is possible with his guidance. It’s funny because amongst my peers, who range in age from 20 to 50 we say we don’t need to work as hard when having him as your coach. He has helped all of us to enjoy the journey.”

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“Thank you today (and everyday to be honest) for your feedback I appreciate your supernatural ability to see situations clearly and then communicate them effectively! You are truly amazing and a blessing to me – thank you!
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“There are times in all of our lives when someone speaks such simple but profound truths to us that we are never the same again. …Nikki is one of those people! Thank you Nikki for sharing your God-given gift with me and with thousands of others. We are lives that are changed.
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“I have been in leadership positions for the past 30 years and attended graduate programs at Harvard and Stanford universities. The Startquest leadership model will transform the possibilities for leadership.”

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“Burton & Nikki, I am so grateful for the way you opened my mind & for your exceptional empathy & goodness.”

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“It’s easy to give Nikki Nemerouf a resoundingly “over the top” testimonial as his work is transformational. The difficult part is putting it into words that convey the amazing life changing effect Nikki’s coaching has had on my life. In a sentence, Nikki’s coaching and life principles connected all of the personal growth spurts in my life and catapult my EQ to “how did I do that” level! For me the number one change is joy and that is the result of smarter leadership, intentional personal interactions, focused outcomes and being present. Nikki’s approach to coaching is a magical blend of principles and language to describe behavior combined with a coaching style is transparent and safe. This magic allows you to open up in a way to breakthrough old barriers to new personal heights.

Learning is the easy part, taking notes, thinking yeah…that makes sense. It’s the practice in the moment that feels somewhere between hard and impossible. Nikki Nemerouf weekly coaching is a game changer to the person I was met to be. For me, that change has moved passed self-improvement, greater productivity and smarter leadership to a sense of completeness, greater capacity for the present and a well spring of joy. Nikki’s wisdom and ability to hear beyond my words and shares with me his insightful feedback that rushes over like a wave of truth. Those Ah-Ha moments often leave me shaking my head thinking so simple and so true. The game changing continues as Nikki walks with you to leave behind the old story while you embrace your new truths. There are up and downs to this process and Nikki’s coaching style is open, honest, non-judgmental, safe. If you are in for your journey, Nikki is in for the ride!”

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“I have been doing personal development work for 25 years and have been blessed to work with incredible therapists, healers and coaches during the times of my life when I needed them most. Nikki is no exception, we have been working together for the past 3 years and the results have been life changing. Of all the inner work I have done over the years, my coaching relationship with Nikki has lead to the most meaningful and lasting changes that I have ever experienced.

Since we have been working together I have experienced a tremendous amount of transition and change, yet during these times I have been able to be present and grounded. And the in the instances that I have found myself triggered, I have been able to recognize the opportunity to work through previously unhealed pain by implementing the tools that he has provided. Nikki has the ability to create an environment that allows breakthroughs to happen with clarity. His skill at seeing through my old stories and lovingly calling me on my BS is unmatched. In our work, I have benefited from his precision, compassion, courage, and intuition as he has guided me to look inward when faced with challenging people, circumstances, and events in my life. In doing so, I have experienced empowerment, peace, and clarity rather than stress, despair, and indecision.

In addition to coaching me through my personal growth, Nikki has been instrumental in my professional development as well. He has helped me tailor my communication style so that collaboration with all kinds of personalities is possible, we have addressed the way that I relate to overwhelm and stress so that my productivity is at its highest level and worked on facilitating the most difficult of conversations with intention and compassion, which has produced ideal results. Nikki has also advised me in the process of identifying my true gifts. Through our work, I have become clear on my foundational values and can now see how and where my gifts are best used. In the next year I will be experiencing a career change and because of the work that I am doing with Nikki, I am approaching this transition with intention and enthusiasm and am very excited for the opportunity that waits ahead.

Nikki, when I think of the work we have done together and the work that still has yet to be done, my heart is filled with the deepest joy, excitement, and gratitude. Thank you for sharing your gifts, the world is a better place because of you and your heart to serve others.”

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“It has been several years since the staff from Starquest worked intensively with our entire company. I am thrilled to report that their work has legs beyond the initial infusion. We have found that the team building process does not dilute, it stays relevant & works at higher impact levels as time goes on.”

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“ Each weekly Dialogs on Leadership session is relevant for what we are facing as a team. It is not theoretical. It is real stuff, real time & applies to all areas of life. ”

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“I told my business coach at the beginning of the year that until I could master my emotional reactive state all of the leadership tools, post graduate classes, and business strategies would be rendered somewhat useless. 

At one point during our seminar with Starquest, I looked around the room at my fellow CEOs. The usual snickering and side bars were non existent. We were each captivated by what we were to agree upon later, was a life altering experience. 



When I got home there was a letter in the mail from my ex wife which immediately sent me into what I had learned was a “triggered state”. Prior to the seminar my anger and resentment would have lasted well into the night, adversely affected my relationship with my current wife, and would have left me somewhat “hung over” the next few days at work. 

I went into the study and closed the door. I took out the card Nikki and Burton gave me from the workshop and diligently went through each of the steps. By the time I was done with the process I had successfully transformed my mental and emotional state.



I was amazed by the simplicity and how well what they shared fit together. They helped integrate all of the diverse concepts and tools I had read about into a easy to comprehend and utilize format.”

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“Nikki has had a profoundly positive impact on my life both personally and professionally. His keen intuition and ability to quickly read the landscape of our leadership team and culture has been priceless.
He empowered us with tools and actionable insights that enabled our leadership team to fully live the values we espoused.

Nikki helped me realize that in order to effectively lead a high performing organization I needed to insure I was living and modeling an inner sense of well being and joy. We focused a huge portion of our coaching relationship on building practices that enabled me to strengthen my mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual growth.

Through our work together I have emerged as a better father, husband, and a leader who can effectively guide a rapidly changing company.

For those who are committed to continuous improvement, unlocking the potential within yourselves and the teams you lead, and having a healthy balance between work and home life I highly encourage you to build into your schedule a weekly call with this man that I am blessed to have as my coach.”

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“Experiencing Burton as a group, has helped us each feel like better people and business leaders. By focusing our moral compass and unlocking a new methodology of mindfulness at home and at work, he has given us a box of tools to help us navigate life. Even on crazy days, we look forward to talking to Burton because we always come out restored and refreshed from the session with nuggets of useful information that we can immediately put into practice. Working as a group has helped us support each other in a focused and constructive manner that had made us a stronger team. We feel so lucky to have Burton in our lives.”