Author · Speaker · Thought Leader
Mohamad Merilan
Author · Speaker · Thought Leader

Mohamad
Merilan

Getting Your PhD in Life

Mohamad Merilan isn't teaching you theory. He's handing you a system.

After nearly a decade on Wall Street and a lifetime of continuous self-improvement, Mohamad distilled one powerful truth: transformation isn't a moment — it's a method. Kaizen: Getting Your PhD in Life is the blueprint for anyone ready to stop waiting and start becoming. Purpose. Growth. Mastery. One deliberate step at a time.

Mohamad Merilan
What I Stand For

I believe your greatest degree is the one life awards you — through failure, discipline, and the relentless pursuit of growth.

◈

Kaizen Philosophy

Continuous, compounding improvement — applied to wealth, health, relationships, and purpose. Small daily wins create extraordinary lives.

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Community Impact

Board member of OMYGA, co-founder of The Village, and active builder of accountable communities in Jacksonville and beyond.

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Wall Street Lens

A decade in institutional finance taught me how systems work — and how to apply those insights to help everyday people build lasting advantage.

What I Create

My Work

A book grounded in philosophy and lived experience, speaking engagements, and community platforms designed to equip people with tools for real growth.

Forthcoming

Kaizen

Getting Your PhD in Life
Book Release Coming 2027
Speaking & Engagements

Talks that challenge audiences to take ownership of their growth.

The Kaizen Model

How 1% daily improvement compounds into extraordinary outcomes — in career, relationships, health, and finances.

Wall Street to Main Street

Translating institutional finance principles into tools that everyday workers can use to build lasting wealth and agency.

Building Social Capital

Why the relationships and reputation you cultivate are worth more than any financial asset — and how to invest in them deliberately.

Accountable Communities

How to create environments where people hold each other to higher standards — and why mentorship is the highest form of leadership.

Tools & Frameworks

Resources

Practical materials for people committed to continuous growth — frameworks, reading guides, and community platforms.

01

The Kaizen Reading Architect

A structured approach to reading that maximizes retention, application, and compounding knowledge. Includes reading cadence templates and reflection prompts.

Coming Soon
02

The Village Platform

A community platform (forthevillage.co) built for families growing in wealth, health, and emotional intelligence — reclaiming structure after formal education ends.

Visit The Village
03

Purpose as a Journey Framework

A step-by-step guide to discovering and refining your personal purpose — not as a destination, but as a living practice that evolves as you grow.

Coming Soon
04

OMYGA & Youth Golf

The Orlando Minority Youth Golf Association — a program that changed my life, and one I now serve as a board member and fundraiser through Enlightenment Inc.

Learn More
05

Alignment Filter

A personal decision-making framework for evaluating opportunities, relationships, and commitments against your core values and long-term vision.

Coming Soon
A Curated Shelf

Favorite Books

The titles that shaped how I think, lead, and live — across business, philosophy, psychology, and leadership.

"The person you become in the next five years will be largely determined by the books you read and the people you spend time with."
Atomic Habits
James Clear

Atomic Habits

The definitive guide to building systems that create identity-level change — required reading for anyone serious about Kaizen.

Self-Mastery
Outwitting the Devil
Napoleon Hill

Outwitting the Devil

Hill's long-suppressed masterwork on identifying and defeating the mental forces — fear, procrastination, drift — that keep most people from their potential.

Mindset
The Alchemist
Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist

A timeless parable about pursuing your Personal Legend and learning to read the signs the universe leaves for those who pay attention.

Purpose
How to Win Friends & Influence People
Dale Carnegie

How to Win Friends & Influence People

The original manual for social capital — still unmatched for understanding how relationships create opportunity.

Relationships
The Psychology of Money
Morgan Housel

The Psychology of Money

Why financial decisions are driven more by behavior than intelligence — essential reading for anyone on a wealth-building journey.

Finance
Man's Search for Meaning
Viktor Frankl

Man's Search for Meaning

Frankl's testament to the human capacity to find purpose under any circumstances. One of the most important books ever written.

Philosophy
Good to Great
Jim Collins

Good to Great

The research-backed blueprint for building organizations — and lives — that don't just succeed but endure at the highest level.

Leadership
The Compound Effect
Darren Hardy

The Compound Effect

The science and practice of how small, consistent actions snowball into transformative outcomes — the closest thing to a Kaizen manual.

Self-Mastery
Think Again
Adam Grant

Think Again

A compelling case for the power of intellectual humility — learning to question your own assumptions is the highest form of growth.

Self-Mastery
Atlas of the Heart
Brené Brown

Atlas of the Heart

A map of 87 human emotions and experiences — essential vocabulary for anyone committed to deeper self-awareness and authentic connection.

Emotional Intelligence
Crucial Conversations
Patterson, Grenny et al.

Crucial Conversations

The definitive guide to navigating high-stakes dialogue — transforming the most difficult conversations into catalysts for change and trust.

Relationships
Sapiens
Yuval Noah Harari

Sapiens

A sweeping history of humankind that reframes how we understand culture, power, and progress — and what it truly means to be human.

Philosophy
The 5 Levels of Leadership
John C. Maxwell

The 5 Levels of Leadership

Maxwell's proven framework for understanding how influence is earned — and how true leaders develop people who develop other people.

Leadership
Four Thousand Weeks
Oliver Burkeman

Four Thousand Weeks

A radical rethinking of time management — stop trying to do it all, and start doing what actually matters in the finite life you have.

Purpose
Unreasonable Hospitality
Will Guidara

Unreasonable Hospitality

How going beyond expectations — in business and in life — creates experiences people never forget and loyalty that can't be bought.

Excellence
Sacred Marriage
Gary Thomas

Sacred Marriage

A transformative perspective on marriage as a tool for spiritual growth — what if your relationship was designed to make you holy more than happy?

Relationships
The Infinite Game
Simon Sinek

The Infinite Game

Sinek's framework for shifting from short-term wins to long-term vision — leaders who play the infinite game outlast, outbuild, and outlive the competition.

Leadership
Never Split the Difference
Chris Voss

Never Split the Difference

FBI negotiation tactics applied to everyday life — a masterclass in empathy, communication, and getting what you need without compromising what matters.

Relationships
In The Media

Featured Press

Interviews, features, and recognitions highlighting Mohamad's work in leadership, community, and continuous growth.

PBS · Knight Talks

Get Through The Test to Have The Testimony

A 27-minute feature on PBS exploring Mohamad's journey — from growing up as the only English speaker in his household in Orlando, to working on Wall Street, and the role the University of Florida's College of Journalism and Communications played in shaping his path.

September 10, 2022
Watch on PBS
University of Florida Alumni

2024 Inclusive Leadership Award Honoree

Recognized by the University of Florida Alumni Association as a 2024 Inclusive Leadership Award honoree — an honor celebrating alumni who demonstrate outstanding commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in their professional and community leadership.

2024
View Honoree Profile
Daily News Network · Industry Champions

Industry Champions with Mohamad Merilan of The Village

Host Chris Budihas sits down with Mohamad to discuss The Village — a community-driven initiative helping individuals and families grow in wealth, health, and emotional intelligence through education, financial literacy, and the philosophy of continuous improvement.

March 28, 2025
Read Feature
Let's Connect

Contact Me

Whether you're interested in speaking engagements, book updates, partnerships, or simply want to connect — I'd love to hear from you.

Reach Out

Let's build
something
meaningful.

I'm available for speaking engagements, media appearances, community partnerships, and conversations about Kaizen, finance, and intentional living.

Email
[email protected]
Location
Jacksonville, Florida
The Village
forthevillage.co

Send a Message