From Ooh to Ooh La La
Ooh, Ooh La, Ooh La La. Starting off, getting through, landing it.
Get clear on what's next. Get your team aligned. Or figure out how to lead a transformation you haven't led before. Wherever you are in it, you leave knowing what's actually happening, and what to do about it.
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I'm Raphael Poirot, French-American, based near Chicago. Twenty-five years leading, coaching, and speaking about change.
Where "Ooh La La" Came From:
It started with my employees. When something got done really well, someone would say it, ooh la la. Over time it turned into a shorthand for how things were going: ooh for meh, ooh la for not bad, ooh la la for outstanding.
When I moved into business coaching, I started using those three words to mark where someone actually was in their transformation. Then in change management consulting, I saw the same three words tracked how whole teams and businesses moved through change, awareness, readiness, adoption. What my team invented informally turned out to describe something real.
Then clients started saying it back to me. When we landed a change well, they'd say it: ooh la la. So when I sat down to write a book, there was no other title.
The Framework: Ooh → Ooh La → Ooh La La
1
Starting off. Awareness.
Something's shifting. You feel it before you can name it. The old story isn't working, or the old way of leading isn't landing. Ooh is where honest conversation starts, what's actually changing here, and what does it mean for the people in it?
2
Getting through. Readiness.
The middle part. Plans meet reality, people push back or check out, and the temptation is to force it. This is where authentic leadership matters most, building trust, telling the truth about where you actually are, finding the champions who'll move with you. Most change stalls here.
3
Landing it. Adoption.
Real change, in behavior, in the business, in how people show up. The moment your team, your business, or your own life actually starts feeling different. And the moment someone says it back: ooh la la.
Ways to Work Together
Twenty-five years working alongside owners, executives, and the frontline leaders carrying it out —
brought into three ways of working.
Facilitated Sessions
For leadership teams working through a real transition together.
You're looking to get out of the room actually aligned — on what's changing, what matters, and what happens next. Sessions run half-day to two days, shaped around what your team is working through. Every one ends the same way: the tough calls made, clear priorities and owners, and a 60–90 day plan the team owns.
Useful for leadership offsites, team resets, growth planning, and change kickoffs.
1:1 Coaching
For business owners and leaders who feel the pull toward a new chapter.
One shape it takes: an owner running her business as a technician, second-guessing every call, holding everything herself, working in the business instead of leading it. We worked through what it would mean for her to be the CEO of her own company: how she showed up, what she said no to, how she built a team she could trust. The business grew into something she couldn't have pictured when we started.
Different owners, different situations, same three words.
Speaking and Book Talks
For associations, conferences, and events where change is on the table.
A keynote that gets the real conversation started. People leave with a way to see the change they're already in, the push to have the honest conversation they've been circling, and something they can actually do on Monday.
Signature topics: the human side of change, authentic leadership when things get hard, and the Ooh → Ooh La → Ooh La La approach.
Why This Matters Now
Change has become the default, not the exception. Restructures land on top of restructures, and the people carrying it are worn down.
The hardest part is the ooh — the moment you know something has to change but can't quite name it yet. Most people sit with it longer than they should.
Getting through it is where the work happens. A team that moves together. A business that runs without running you. Decisions made with confidence, and the clarity to make the next one. Performance that shows up in the numbers and holds.
That's the ooh la la — the version of your team, your business, or your leadership you build on purpose.
What People are Saying
Reflections on the clarity and direction Be Ooh La La provides
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![Personal reinvention]()
Finding Clarity
“I walked away with more clarity, confidence, and a real sense of direction. It helped me organize what mattered most and make meaningful decisions.”
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![Eddie P.]()
Structure That Actually Helps
“This isn’t just inspiration — it’s a clear framework you can actually use. The ideas feel grounded, practical, and realistic to apply.”
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![Investing in yourself]()
Moving Without Overthinking
“It helped me stop overthinking and start moving. Big ideas were broken down into manageable steps without feeling forced or overwhelming.”
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![Overcoming self-doubt and fear]()
Feeling Understood
“I didn’t feel lectured. I felt understood. The tone is sincere, human, and focused on helping you move forward in your own way.”
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![Lift off into action]()
No Hype, Just Direction
“What stood out was how refreshing it felt: no hype, no ‘overnight success’ promises. Just clear thinking and direction that respects where you are.”
Let's Talk
If you're leading your team, running a business, or working through your own next chapter, and want a partner in landing it, start with a conversation.
If it's a fit, we'll find the shape of it. If not, you'll leave with a sharper read on what you're actually working with.
