Silvia is a certified executive coach and leadership development expert. Her work is grounded in I/O psychology and organizational behavioral science. She guides CEOs and founders through common leadership challenges across different growth stages. When working with you her, you will be able to address common pain points like hiring and scaling, managing board dynamics, co-founder relationships, deepening cohesion in the leadership team, evaluating communication barriers at play as well as building a healthy and generative feedback culture.
Over the past 14+ years, she has worked closely with CEOs and start-up founders backed by leading VCs, like Andreessen Horowitz, Thrive Cap, Sequoia, Menlo Ventures, and Y Combinator as well as C-Suite executives at hedge funds. Past and present clients include DTC brands like Toms Shoes, and Smalls, media companies like Genius, SAAS models, biotech firms like Mammoth, as well as Google, Youtube, and BMW, among many others.
As a former tech executive, Silvia intimately understands the demands and constant changes Founders face when growing from Series A+ to IPO. She combines her knowledge of stress management, effective communication, and processes for productivity with her passion for neuroscience and behavioral psychology. Her work is focused on leadership development, Founder mediation, and building stakeholder alignments while learning how to effectively lead at different growth stages.
Silvia was born in Germany and raised across Europe. She holds a BA in Communication and is currently finishing her Masters at Harvard in Organizational Psychology and Behavioral Science. She is a PCC-certified coach through CTI. She is also certified in NLP coaching, mindfulness coaching, yogic psychology as well as OKR coaching. Silvia has worked with tech start-ups and companies in more than seven international markets. She’s cultivated a high level of cross-cultural competence, is bilingual and often works with international teams.
Her mission is to maximize global impact by creating the future leaders of this world. She works with people who dare to care, challenge dated systems, and transform the status quo. Her clients are visionaries and change-makers, driven to create the change they want to see in this world, building innovative, successful businesses while changing the landscape of what it means to lead today. The goal is to give leaders the opportunity to bring out the best in them and adjust their leadership style to any situation.
My Origin Story
(In full length)
I have learned everything I know from a balance of experience, missteps, and good judgment. By constantly expanding my horizons, cultivating a global perspective, and relentlessly sharing my passion over the years, I have created my own path in life. My infectious enthusiasm for life and unending drive to create change have led to my unique position in the global economy.
Before starting my boutique practice in 2011, I was focused on building startups. I’ve had the privilege to learn from very successful serial entrepreneurs – true visionaries; evaders of convention; people who believe that a great idea can be born out of frustration, a need in the marketplace, and a true desire to create change through innovation.
Building startups quickly taught me how to wear many hats. I became extremely resourceful and fast on my feet, with a keen ability to explore alternatives and options while simultaneously evaluating long-term goals. One could say: I’ve been building companies and growing teams my entire professional career.
I mostly worked in the tech startup ecosystem of innovation, with a preferred focus on the media, D2C brands, biotech, social impact, and real estate verticals; I specialized in launching businesses, developing the teams across different growth stages, pivoting product-market fit, and transforming teams during periods of rapid growth.
2010 marked a big turning point in my life. After years of burning the candle at both ends, I made the terrifying decision to put my core values first. I needed to reevaluate what was important in life, the role I wanted to play as a leader in this world, and how I wanted to feel.
The foundation of this change was a fundamental lifestyle shift in 2004, during which I discovered the yogic path and a more mindful way of living. It laid the groundwork that changed my perspective on life fundamentally and, with it, my priorities.
I acted fearlessly on my desire to immerse myself in studying different spiritual modalities and metaphysical principles. To do so, I had to lighten my load and rid myself of worldly responsibilities and possessions. I gave up my apartment and everything I owned so I could study with teachers all around the world freely and without interruption.
It was simultaneously the most enriching and challenging time in my life. I explored radical new ways of thinking—the fact is, you can retrain your brain to see things differently simply. I went off the grid to sit with sages int he jungle, sat in ashrams, and I visited many holy sites. I learned ‘the art of living” from eccentric beings, enlightened Gurus, and very controversial teachers leading unconventional lives whom I met along my path.
I traveled across India and Sri Lanka on a motorcycle, letting the wind take me from one adventure to the next and allowing my need for personal freedom to drive my ambitions. It was a very necessary process to break the shackles of convention and join my visionaries on the road to an unconventional life that’s fully aligned with my values.
During this time, I became certified in Jivamukti Yoga, Thai Vedic Bodywork, Kundalini Tantra, Ayurvedic Nutrition, and Vedic meditation. I embraced the Kundalini Yoga practice as my teaching specialty, while Ashtanga Yoga became my personal practice. These practices and my curiosity to learn about ancient cultures have continued on to this day. It’s now my foundation and what’s giving me strength in the background.
My work today is based on the connection between the body, mental habits, diet, lifestyle choices, and energy levels. I find cathartic practices instrumental to overcoming trauma and the deeply-rooted limiting beliefs that keep us from moving forward.
I took courses in EFT, NLP, CTM, Enneagram, Human Design, and the Art of Sacred Ceremony and Rituals, to name a few, along with more traditional coaching CTI, became an IFC MCP, returned to grad school for my I/O psychology degree and certifications in behavioral science. With this wealth of knowledge and experience, my executive coaching practice journey and continues to this day.
A nomad at heart, I have lived and worked in more than seven countries and taught in both German and English. I’m based in New York but essentially live everywhere and nowhere, working with people and companies across the US, Europe, and Mexico.
Today, I’m happy to say that my life and work today are aligned with who I’ve always been. I am a hustler by nature, a yogi, and a meditator. On every level, I am truly living my purpose. Ultimately, I want people to discover their greatness, and I have had the honor to help catalyze extraordinary leaders since 2011. I am privileged to sit across from greatness daily, working with extraordinary people. I transform lives and businesses, and with that, I aim to change the world.