Hi, I'm Monika
I support brilliant, capable, but often utterly stuck humans on the edge of their next professional leap — whether that's a promotion, a pivot, a business launch, or the thing they haven't said out loud yet.
I've lived a lot of lives. That's what makes me good at this.
A bit of my story
I was a graphic design and theater nerd in college, spent a decade in philanthropy and fundraising in Boston and Brooklyn, then moved into marketing, sold wine in Boulder, and eventually landed in food tech in Silicon Valley.
None of it was planned. I just kept following the work that felt right, even when the people around me thought I should stay put.
My own career has had a lot of twists and turns
Good money, an impressive title.... along with leadership I didn't respect and burnout that started showing up at home. My husband finally said, "If you hate this job as much as I know you do, please leave." So I did.
My last corporate job looked perfect on paper
I thought I wanted to open a high-end bottle shop, and hired a coach to help me figure out how. What I discovered instead was that coaching itself was meant for me all along.
I hired a coach, and it changed everything
This work goes deep
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I discovered my true calling
Through working with my coach, it became clear to me that helping people untangle where they are and figure out where they actually want to go was the work I'd been doing informally for years. It just hadn't been my official job yet.
Losing my dad and brother reminded me time is too precious to squander
I lost my beloved father and brother in the same year, and those losses reshaped how I think about time, about risk, and about what makes a life worth living.
I don't believe in spending your years miserable in work that looks impressive but feels empty. The legacy I care about is building a beautiful life, day to day. That's what I coach toward, and it's what I'm building for myself, too.
I know uncertainty better than any other moment
I've lived the career pivot, the burnout, the identity crisis, the leap without a safety net. I know what it feels like to stand at the edge of something and not be sure. That's the moment I know better than any other.
How I coach
Every client and every session is different, but a few things are always true about how I show up.
I've lived enough lives to see patterns fast.
I listen for what's underneath: the pattern, the fear, the thing you're not admitting yet.
I don't coach from a pedestal.
I coach from the room.
I show up real, imperfect, and fully present so you don't have to pretend you've got it all figured out. We're in the muck together.
One size fits none.
No fluff, formulas, or "one-right-path" thinking. Every session is built around exactly what you need in this very moment.
We're not just going from point A to point B.
This work isn't linear. We're figuring out why you keep ending up at the wrong point B.
The lightbulb moment is the goal. The happy dance is the bonus.
I'm not here to tell you who to be. I reflect what I'm hearing and ask the incisive questions. Then, together, we connect the dots.
My clients' transformations speak for themselves
Max
I started working with Monika after being laid off, and our conversations gave me clarity around the kind of work and industry I'd like to pursue moving forward. She's been a consistent sounding board and gut check during my job hunt.
Kerry
Monika is a wonderful balance of kind and direct. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to how she works with her clients.
Leilani
We dug into my personal and professional values. Reconnecting with those core principles has been super helpful while navigating career and life changes.
Erika
Monika's coaching helped me focus on my strengths and guided me toward new goals. She goes above and beyondto ensure I receive the best guidance and support possible.
When I'm not coaching, I'm probably on a very long walk, having a super intense conversation with my 8-year-old about curiosity and why kindness is cool, or debating with my husband about where we should live next. And, I'm thinking about how lucky I am to do work daily that truly lights me up!