Most founders spend their days on work they don’t love because they believe they have no choice. It works, for a while! Then their motivation fades and they’re done. I know because I lived it, as an a16z-backed founder and early product leader at Slack.

When I faced stress, I believed I had no choice but to push through it.

When I faced conflict, I believed I had no choice but to push for my way—or silence myself to keep the peace.

When I faced failure, I believed I had no choice too: that my career was over if I couldn’t prove my value next time around.

It took being fired from two of the best jobs I ever had to realize none of these beliefs were true.

I coach founders at scaling startups to master their craft and enjoy their life by cultivating their love for the work.

The truth was I always had a choice. I could have directly addressed the sources of my stress to make my work more lovable. It was just a matter of a few hard conversations. But it didn’t seem possible: I told myself avoiding those conversations was the responsible choice.

The truth was I was leading with fear. I was so afraid of failing I had forgotten why I loved the work in the first place! So I started leading with love instead. What work did I truly love doing? What kind of relationships did I want with my team? What impact did I hope to make?

The truth was I wasn’t sure yet. So instead of waiting to be sure, I started experimenting and proving how I could make an impact. I interviewed for prestigious startup exec and VC roles, but struggled to find passion for the work. Coaching was barely on my radar at the time.

Then I watched my first client see possibility where there had been none before, and I couldn’t deny what I felt. I’m coming up on 10 years of coaching this year, and my love for the work is still as strong as ever.

Curious how it all works? Check out my coaching services or get in touch below.

Are you a startup founder or executive interested in working with me 1:1? Let’s talk.