Leadership is an Inside Game.

I grew up in a family where emotions weren’t something we talked about. We loved each other deeply, but feelings weren’t openly named or explored. Sports and school were emphasized, and they became my lens through which I valued my worthiness. Early on, I developed a worldview that was very black-and-white (win vs. lose, success vs. failure, good vs bad). 

I spent the first decade-plus of my career launching and growing companies in the late 90s/early aughts tech ecosystem. It was a world that emphasized intellectual smarts and one’s capacity to hustle 24/7. There was no discussion of EQ or vulnerability or well-being, and that suited me just fine. Being a fast-paced, hard-charging executive became my entire identity and life.

It wasn’t until I transitioned from company-building to venture capital that I began to shift my perspective on what makes an exceptional leader. It turned out to be quite different from what the technology ecosystem had long advertised.

Around that same time, I started working with my first coach—and it changed everything, both professionally and personally. I began exploring emotional and somatic intelligence, work/life harmony, flexible thinking, equanimity, and more. The impact was so profound that in 2017, I completed coach training and launched FounderForward, a boutique leadership development and coaching firm for entrepreneurs, executives, and teams at high-growth companies.

Since then, I’ve had the privilege of helping thousands of leaders across industries scale their businesses—and do the inner work required along the way: confronting ego, redefining identity, navigating hard conversations, and staying grounded through uncertainty and change. This work is my calling, and I find nothing more meaningful or rewarding.