I help founders and executives grow their self-awareness and emotional intelligence so that they can lead from a place of authenticity, curiosity, and JOY.

Let's talk data for a sec

the average person
will spend at work
over a lifetime
As a leader, how do you want to BE to make that time nourishing, connective, and where you’re showing up fully and authentically?
Coaching will give you tools and strategies and a mindset to live and work with vision. So you feel more connected to yourself, your yearnings, your feelings, and your purpose.

of our
decision making is
unconscious
We are constantly reacting to people and situations through our unique lenses through which we view the world. The most effective leaders are self-aware, understanding what those lenses are and how they impact those they lead.
Feedback from others is a huge part of increasing self-awareness, yet the more senior the leader, the less colleagues and team members give you direct feedback.
I give you in-the-moment reactions to you that the people around you often won’t so that you can work on how you show up, shift long-held patterns, and expand your authenticity.

of leaders’
job performance
is attributed to EQ
Yes, emotional intelligence. Knowing what you’re feeling and using that as data is a HUGE part of that. As is self-awareness.
We will work together to expand your emotional facility, using a wide array of strategies based in psychology and neuroscience, social and emotional intelligence research, self-compassion, mindfulness, visualization, somatic practices and more.
There is a 96% likelihood that nothing will change in your organization or on your team — until you do.
These clients did — and
here’s what they got out of it
"Working with Krissie was one of the best decisions I've made for my career. As a CEO of a startup, there are a lot of ups and downs to manage, and having Krissie by my side as copilot, guide, empathetic mentor and champion was invaluable. She helped me challenge long held beliefs that were holding me back from realizing my full potential, and helped me build a deeper sense of self-awareness. I would highly recommend Krissie to anyone who is looking to unlock their potential and build their confidence as a leader and professional!"
"Without question, partnering with Krissie has been the single most valuable decision I've made for my well-being. Krissie is the rare breed of strategist and real-world executor/coach. She has a wealth of knowledge, tactics, and playbooks to help me overcome obstacles both personally and professionally, but also has the soft skills to drive meaningful personal improvement as a human, husband, friend, and company executive."
The leaders I’ve coached have been recognized in many ways
Winner of the 1871
Momentum Awards
Backed by Brookfield
Asset Management
Funded by Google Ventures, Warburg Pincus, DFJ Growth, Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers.
No. 1 in Chicago Crain's Fast 50 fastest growing companies in Chicago
79th fasted-growing company in America
TEDx speaker
More About Me
I am on a mission to spark aliveness. To make this world a more
compassionate and conscious place by challenging people to ask HUH?
to get curious about themselves, each other, and the world. To grow in
authenticity. I bring a kaleidoscope of experiences, skills, education, and
most of all…ENERGY to my clients.


My energy, my gift
My whole life people have asked me where I get my energy from. I get it from people. I am finally doing exactly what I want to be doing: using my energy to create spaces for people to be their most authentic selves, for us to get curious together, to play, to question our beliefs, and to do something about changing them.
Global lens
I have worked with entrepreneurs from more than 150 countries, had beliefs about different cultures and religions shattered, spoken on stages all over the world in person and virtually–from Albania to Serbia, Qatar, Lisbon and Morocco. I attended delegations to China and Hungary as a teenager. Both my parents grew up outside of the United States. I took my first flight to Finland, my second homeland, at six months. I speak Finnish, French, and Spanish. I took a year sabbatical to travel the world, and it changed my life.
I understand how embedded our cultural, religious, and ethnic belief systems are. I create belonging wherever I go, and I bring this unique perspective and an anti-racism lens to all the work I do.

Know what really matters
Language matters
I have a degree in English, Creative Writing from Barnard College, Columbia University.
Emotional intelligence matters
I have a second masters in transformational leadership and coaching, which looks at EQ, human potential, and how we transform as humans through six core disciplines: developmental, Adlerian, and humanistic psychology; educational methodologies; neuroscience; and Existentialism. I bring all of this to my clients.
Anti-racism work matters
I launched the DEI committee at the early stage startup after having conversations with more than 20 DEI practitioners all over Chicago. I am in an anti-racism book/ discussion group that meets every other week, and I regularly attend Black facilitator-led DEI, anti-racism, and social justice workshops. I believe it is critical for white people to be doing this work.
Mindset matters
I am always working on myself. I truly believe that a coach can be the biggest block to their clients’ growth if we are not evolving ourselves. I am open about the work I’m doing because I believe vulnerability leads to deeper human connection.

Business matters
My MBA is from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern.
Experience matters
(from startups to Fortune 500 and everything in between). I’ve watched a public company hiccup, contort, and find its way back to its core values after the passing of its founder. I was employee number nine at an early stage startup, joined the leadership team while we raised our Series A, and contributed to 10X revenue growth and cultural shifts as we fit 45 people in the same space that once fit 15. I know what it takes to lead and influence without authority in gigantic corporations, and how embedded norms are.
Mind-body connection matters
I am always researching new modalities to deepen this connection. Alexander technique, myofascial release, breathwork, yoga, energy work are some of the many modalities I have tried.
Questions you may have
I’ve been boots-on-the-ground at a startup, and I’ve worked with many founders with similar challenges and opportunities.
I’ve been on my own journey of breaking out of imposter syndrome, over-working, and being more truthful in my goals and relationships.
I have the tools to share with you as a founder and human!
In addition to my MBA from Kellogg, my master’s in transformational leadership and coaching provided me with a deep toolkit of resources that lives in my back pocket at all times — resources to build new habits and neural pathways, to become more emotionally intelligent and self-aware, to self-soothe instead of self-beatup, and to evaluate and shift team dynamics.
Startup founders who are conscious of their own mental health and wellness and want to create great teams, culture, and dynamics — as well as senior-level folks who are wary of burning out and looking for more fulfillment in their day to day.
I also specialize in managing co-founder and team dynamics.
Momentum is a a powerful thing and weekly sessions allow for more accountability, celebrating wins, looking at what worked and what didn’t, and adjusting as we go.
I practice emergence coaching, which means our work together is not just about work in the C-suite sense ˆ—it’s about showing up as a whole human in all of your contexts and emerging into the next authentic version of yourself. What sets my coaching apart is a focus on self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and the practice and neuroscience of changing our brains and behaviors.
This whole process is co-creative, which means that I will facilitate a strong process for you by holding space, asking questions, seeing and pointing out patterns and limiting thoughts, making observations (with your permission), and providing support resources.
My role as coach is to support you, in all of the above ways, in making the changes you want to see.
Your role is to come to sessions as you are with any emotions, thoughts, judgments you may have — or exploration you want to do — with the goal of gaining insights and making changes based on those insights. It’s on you to do the heavy lifting of making the changes you want to see.
At the end of every session, we co-create an assignment or goal or plan to do between sessions, which might look like one or two small changes, intentions, or if/thens for you to practice over the week.
I am always working on myself. I’m open about the work I’m doing because I believe that vulnerability opens the door for others to be vulnerable, too. I’m also committed to giving back in the spirit of self-development being tied to community and world-development: I give a percentage of proceeds from our work together per year to a nonprofit of your choosing.
Continuity
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