From burnout to Start-Up Coaching success

When burnout became a turning point

The pivotal point for me was experiencing burnout in a high-demanding position. For 15+ years I worked in the third sector leading global and national high influence events in the climate sector and although I loved my role and the impact I was able to make, it had become unsustainable. 

I hadn’t had coaching before I discovered The Coaching Academy, and I wish I’d had a coach much sooner, once I experienced how valuable it was while going through my two coaching diplomas.

For example, I wish I had a coach to help me uncover what I really wanted at the point of change, or when I was struggling on the edge of burnout and a coach could have helped me navigate the curve. Or when I was negotiating my own ‘ground’ in a difficult situation, having a coach as an extra partner would have helped. 

Following my recovery from burnout, I was searching for a new way to use my strengths, personality, and passion to find work that felt more effortless and made a meaningful impact. I didn’t have a definite idea as such, but I was very clear on the values and outcomes I wanted to create through my work, and to do it in a way that felt good.

I was fortunate to have discovered coaching at a good time in my life to support me through entrepreneurship and navigate the transition. I have worked with several coaches post my training and I understood the big difference of going alone or partnering with the right coach. 

It has been eight years since I started in 2017. The days I coach - whether 1-to-1 with female business owners and leaders or within organisational settings - are no less filled with enthusiasm than they were 8 years ago. The difference is that I feel much more grounded now.

Discovering training with The Coaching Academy

I attended The Coaching Academy's Introduction to Life Coaching event and I got hooked.   I chose the Personal Performance (Life) Coaching Diploma that gave me all the coaching skills, and I chose the Corporate & Executive Coaching Diploma as a niche I had a vision to support CEOs and business owners.

One of my breakthroughs was definitely a module about Beliefs & Values. I found fascinating how beliefs directly impact our thoughts and actions. I went to learn more about how to work with beliefs after The Coaching Academy and it has helped me as an additional tool through my journey at the start of setting up a business or when growing to a new level, when many beliefs get challenged! 

Building a coaching practice & supporting entrepreneurs

The coaching training was very robust and comprehensive it's an experience that is deeply rewarding and absolutely worth doing.

In January 2025, I was placed among the top three and received a prestigious Global Start-Up Coach Award for coaching a female-led start-up. There are not many awards like this that recognise coaching skills, so I highly value this recognition and being acknowledged for the quality of the coaching and the results I achieved, among a very high standard of coaches.

Winning the global coaching award has enabled me to access more opportunities for putting my coaching skills towards helping entrepreneurs succeed in their ventures making a positive impact, which has been an outcome that I hoped for. 

I coach female-led businesses and solo founders, alongside partnering with a business Accelerator as a coach in EdTech. A combination of my 20 years of experience in building platforms convening high profile decision makers, managing leadership programmes in education space and my own personal development and coaching journey have equipped me with a combination of high performance and soft skills to support female entrepreneurs and leaders.  

At the start I read many books, listened to many webinars to learn how to start a business – often in the early mornings before going to work. I built up the courage to start attending networking events and write posts and blogs for social media and website. 

One key issue entrepreneurs face, and this goes for newer as well as more established entrepreneurs, is procrastinating on their bigger moves, and also focusing on what matters and will move you and your business forward. They really go hand in hand. 

Another issue is delegation, when scaling. This is actually a big issue for many entrepreneurs to get right. There is a lot involved with trust, passing responsibility, also creating processes and structure so that the business can scale and run when expanded, without putting several times more work on the founder/business owner.

I remember during The Coaching Academy's training one of the questions in the module when looking ahead to starting your business was: “Who is your support circle?”  and this is very important when building your business. I had a coach and I also started my own business support group and helped other female entrepreneurs progress.

Looking ahead and shaping the future of coaching

My vision is for coaching to be seen as a strategic part of any growth journey, personal or business, so that people or businesses no longer feel they have to ‘battle on their own’.

Not an optional extra or something you look for when things aren’t working, but a core pillar of support from the start with the mindset: “I’ve got this critical growth ahead, who’s the coach I need to support me?”

My second vision is more female entrepreneurs stepping up into confidence and courage to lead bigger businesses and women being recognised as natural leaders shaping industries, setting ambitious goals and doing that in their own way.

There are many brilliant female founders at the early stages of business but far fewer leading bigger businesses. I want to help change that. I’d love for it to become completely normal – not exceptional or pioneering – to see women leading impactful, successful business.

Thank you Veronika for sharing your journey from burnout into coaching and the impact you are creating through your work.