About Me

I know exactly what it feels like to be newly promoted and feel out of your depth. To procrastinate on difficult conversations because you simply don’t know how to handle them. To doubt whether you are good enough, while everyone is looking to you for answers.

I led teams in the legal sector for years—ranging from 2 to a department of 75 people. I’ve faced every single one of those struggles. And because I walked that path myself, I know exactly how to help you navigate it faster.

From Micromanager to Mentor

As a young manager, I was obsessed with control. Micromanaging was my default setting. I did everything myself because I believed “no one else could do it as well.” Difficult conversations? I preferred to save those for later.

After 10 years of diving into personal development, my approach is completely different. I now find my strength in developing others. I dare to let go without losing my grip. I tackle difficult conversations head-on instead of postponing them.

I help you make that transformation—from controlling to coaching—much faster than I did. Without the years of trial and error.

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek”

— Joseph Campbell

That difficult conversation you keep putting off? That feedback you don’t dare to give? That conflict you are ignoring? That is your cave.

And inside that cave lies exactly what you are looking for: the respect of your team, clarity in your role, and self-confidence as a leader.

I used to be shy and introverted. Now, I facilitate leadership programs for groups of managers. That happened by stepping out of my comfort zone, one small step at a time. By repeatedly entering the cave I feared.

In my coaching and training, I help you do the same, in safe setting. To enter that cave. To have that conversation. To give that feedback. Because that is where your breakthrough lies.

Why You Get Stuck (And How We Fix It)

Most new managers get stuck on issues that run deeper than just “leadership skills.” I draw inspiration from philosophy, psychology, mindfulness, and neuroscience to work at that source:

• You are not the voice in your head. When you think “I’m not good enough,” “This is going wrong,” or “They’re going to find out”—that is impostor syndrome. That is your inner critic. I teach you to recognize that voice for what it is: just thoughts, not the truth. This creates space to act differently.

• Stop running, go through it. Why do you delay that talk? Because it feels uncomfortable. Why do you avoid giving feedback? To avoid the emotion. Through Vipassana meditation, I learned that by embracing uncomfortable emotions—really feeling what is there—they diminish. I help you move through the discomfort instead of running away from it. Then, the fear dissolves.

• Your own insights lead to real transformation. Of course, I share techniques and perspectives. But my primary focus is helping you discover what works. Why? Because your brain only truly changes with your own “aha!” moment. You can get raw knowledge from ChatGPT. Real transformation happens when you make the connection. That is why I ask more questions than I give advice.

• Develop your own leadership style. Nietzsche wrote that one’s character is a work of art you craft over a lifetime. I don’t help you follow a template of “what a good leader should look like.” We discover who you are, what your values are, and how you want to make an impact. An authentic style you can be proud of.

• You don’t have to be one-dimensional. Assertive in meetings but full of doubt at home? Confident on the outside but insecure on the inside? That is normal. We consist of multiple layers and identities. Understanding this helps you be milder towards yourself—and allows you to choose which version of yourself to bring forward.

Why I Want to Work With You

I focus specifically on new managers with 0-4 years of experience. Not because other managers matter less, but because you are in that crucial phase where everything is being formed. It is the phase where a small difference in approach has a massive impact on your career.

You influence the lives of dozens of people. When you learn to lead with empathy, clarity, and vision, your team feels it. They perform better. They feel seen. And you finally start to enjoy your work.

That impact—on you and your team—is what makes this work valuable and fun for me.

How I Work

Clients often describe me as a combination of empathetic and analytical. I listen to what you say, but I also quickly see what lies beneath. We work at the source: your mindset, your patterns, your way of thinking and feeling.

Because effective leadership stands or falls with who you are as a person.

I have lived in Amsterdam for 20 years. That city’s grounded nature—direct, honest, no beating around the bush—characterizes how I coach. Sharp where necessary, but always with the goal of helping you move forward.

• International Coaching Federation (ICF): Member and Associate Certified Coach (ACC)

• Co-Active Training Institute: Co-Active Fundamentals & Intermediate

• Brainbakery: ‘No More Boring Learning’ Train the Trainer Year Program

• DISC: Certified Practitioner