Founder Coaching
Coaching for founders navigating pressure, seeking clarity, or ready to build more sustainably.
THIS WORK IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. IS IT FOR YOU?
Some founders arrive here already under pressure. The stress has become the baseline. The decisions are coming faster than the clarity. The mission that started everything is still there, but it is harder to find than it used to be.
Others arrive before that point. They are building well, but they can feel the pace is not sustainable. They want to find a better way to work before they hit a wall, not after.
Both are the right reasons to be here. Founder coaching at the biological level is about understanding what is actually driving the pressure and building the foundation to work differently from the inside out.
Together, we will focus on:
A weekly space to slow down, think out loud, and work through what is actually happening Understanding what your nervous system is responding to and why Regulation practices that fit into your real life, not an idealised version of it Getting to the source of the stress, not just the surface of it Decisions made from clarity rather than urgency or reaction Reconnection to your mission, your values, and what actually matters Finding what can come off your plate and how
This work is not for founders looking for accountability coaching, business strategy, or a quick performance fix. It is for founders willing to work with their biology, not just their mindset, and who believe that how they build matters as much as what they build.
If that is you, keep reading.
THIS WORK IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. IS IT FOR YOU?
Some founders arrive here already under pressure: the stress has become the baseline, and the mission is harder to find than it used to be. Others arrive before that point, building well but sensing the pace is not sustainable. Both are the right reasons to be here.
Founder coaching at the biological level is about understanding what is actually driving the pressure and building the foundation to work differently from the inside out.
Together, we will focus on:
A space to slow down, think out loud, and work through what is happening Understanding what your nervous system is responding to and why Regulation practices that fit into your real life Getting to the source of the stress, not just the surface Decisions made from clarity rather than urgency Reconnection to your mission and what actually matters Finding what can come off your plate
This work is not for founders looking for accountability coaching, business strategy, or a quick performance fix. It is for founders willing to work with their biology, not just their mindset, and who believe that how they build matters as much as what they build.
If that is you, keep reading.
Where we begin
Three founder coaching options
1:1 Coaching
For founders who want to keep building without burnout and accomplish their mission without losing themselves in the process.
Co-founder Coaching
For co-founders navigating misalignment, communication breakdown, or the relational pressure of building together.
Founder Intensive
A fully customised immersive experience for founders who need to shift something significant in a condensed timeframe.
1:1 COACHING
When you are ready to build differently, whether you are already straining under the pressure or want to prevent it
We work at the biological level first. Nervous system regulation is the foundation of clarity, discernment, and the capacity to build under sustained pressure. Once you are more regulated, we work on what is actually driving the stress: any sources of stress, relationships creating strain, or where you might be disconnecting in your work or life.
This work is about helping you operate more effectively within your current circumstances, on a mental, emotional, and biological level.
This is for you if any of these are true:
You are functioning, but the pace is taking a toll on your mind & body More of your decisions are driven by urgency rather than clarity You are losing the thread to your mission & vision The overdrive that used to feel like passion now feels like pressure You want to protect your mental health before the cost becomes a crisis You want more balance, but without losing your momentum You want a dedicated weekly space to slow down and think clearly
What’s included:
– Weekly 60-minute sessions
– Curated private podcast with micro-practices between sessions
– WhatsApp support on weekdays for brief check-ins and reframes
– Two months minimum, with the option to move to fortnightly after that
Investment: $2,000 AUD per month
co-founder coaching
When the relationship that built the company is under strain
The work addresses what is happening at the biological level underneath the conflict: what each nervous system is responding to, and why the communication that used to be easy has stopped working. This is a six-week engagement for co-founders who are still committed to what they are building together and want to find their way back to each other.
This is for you if:
You and your co-founder are misaligned on vision, direction, or how you work together Conversations that used to be easy have become tense or circular You are reacting to each other rather than actually hearing each other You believe the relationship is worth investing in You both genuinely want to find a way through and are willing to look honestly at your own part in it
What’s included:
– Individual sessions with each founder to understand their experience separately
– Joint sessions to work through what emerged together
– WhatsApp support on weekdays for brief check-ins between sessions
– A structured six-week process with a clear beginning, middle, and close
– Option to continue individually or together after the six weeks
Investment: $4,750 AUD for the six-week engagement.
Founder Intensive
When you need to shift something significant, and you need to do it now
This is a fully customised two-to-three-day immersive experience for founders and co-founders who are facing something specific: a decision that keeps stalling, a relationship at a crossroads, or a level of stress that has reached a tipping point. You don’t need months. You need to get out of the noise, go deep, and come out the other side with something transformed.
Designed around your specific situation and how you work best. Nature-based where possible. Built around my understanding of how human beings actually transform, not a generic retreat format, but a custom experience designed for where you are right now.
This is for you if:
You are facing a specific decision, challenge, or crossroads that needs resolution You want to go deep fast rather than spread the work across months You need to step outside your day-to-day environment to see clearly You are ready to invest two to three focused days in yourself and what you are building
What’s included:
– Full custom design based on your situation, needs, and constraints
– Two to three days of immersive facilitated work
– Nature-based or off-site setting, where possible
– Follow-up integration session within two weeks
– Travel and accommodation expenses are additional where applicable
Investment: Priced per engagement based on duration and design. Discussed in the Introductory Call.
1:1 COACHING
When you are ready to build differently, whether you are already straining under the pressure or want to prevent it
We work at the biological level first. Nervous system regulation is the foundation of clarity, discernment, and the capacity to build under sustained pressure. Once you are more regulated, we work on what is actually driving the stress: any sources of stress, relationships creating strain, or where you might be disconnecting in your work or life.
This work is about helping you operate more effectively within your current circumstances, on a mental, emotional, and biological level.
This is for you if any of these are true:
You are functioning, but the pace is taking a toll on your mind & body More of your decisions are driven by urgency rather than clarity The overdrive that used to feel like passion now feels like pressure You want to protect your mental health before the cost becomes a crisis You want more balance without losing your momentum
What’s included:
– Weekly 60-minute sessions
– Curated private podcast with micro-practices between sessions
– WhatsApp support on weekdays for brief check-ins and reframes
– Two month minimum with the option to move to fortnightly after that
Investment: $2,000 AUD per month
CO-founder coaching
When the relationship that built the company is under strain
The work addresses what is happening at the biological level underneath the conflict: what each nervous system is responding to, and why the communication that used to be easy has stopped working. This is a six-week engagement for co-founders who are still committed to what they are building together and want to find their way back to each other.
This is for you if:
You and your co-founder are misaligned on vision, direction, or how you work together Conversations that used to be easy have become tense or circular You are reacting to each other rather than actually hearing each other You both want to find a way through and are willing to look honestly at your own part in it
What’s included:
– Individual and joint sessions across six weeks
– WhatsApp support on weekdays for brief check-ins
– Option to continue individually or together after the six weeks
Investment: $4,750 AUD for the six-week engagement
Founder intensive
When you need to shift something significant, and you need to do it now
A fully customised two-to-three-day immersive experience for founders facing something specific: a decision that keeps stalling, a relationship at a crossroads, or a level of stress that has reached a tipping point. You don’t need months. You need to get out of the noise, go deep, and come out the other side with something transformed.
Designed around your specific situation. Nature-based where possible. Custom, not generic.
This is for you if:
You are facing a specific decision, challenge, or crossroads that needs resolution You want to go deep fast rather than spread the work across months You are ready to invest two to three focused days in yourself and what you are building
What is included:
– Two to three days of immersive facilitated work
– Nature-based or off-site setting where possible
– Follow-up integration session within two weeks
– Travel and accommodation expenses additional
Investment: Priced per engagement. Discussed in the Introductory Call.
What makes my founder coaching different?
Regulation First
Everything starts with the nervous system, because you cannot lead, decide, or build sustainably without it.
Private Toolbox
Access regulation tools and micro-practices any time, day or night, through your own private podcast.
Purpose & Performance
This work reconnects you to why you started in the first place and builds the capacity to sustain it.
Built for Founders
I have been a founder and have coached other founders for two decades. This work is designed for your world.
“Before I worked with Sonya, I was burning out, stressed, working all hours and weekends. I was harsh with my family and totally living out of integrity with myself. Even after the first call with Sonya, it was a huge relief to talk through where I was at and that what I was doing was not sustainable. I left the call with more space in my mind than I had in two years.”
~ K.S., Founder
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about coaching with me
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Is this therapy or coaching?
—> This is not therapy. I do not diagnose, treat, or process trauma. I work at the biological level, helping you understand what your nervous system is responding to, building regulation practices, and creating the conditions for clearer thinking, better decisions, and more grounded leadership.
This applies whether you are working individually, as co-founders, or through an intensive. I am, however, trauma-informed, which helps me understand what someone is navigating and discern what is needed. If deeper therapeutic work is the best option, I will say so and refer you accordingly.
What experience do you have with founders specifically?
—> I spent two decades as a founder, building coworking spaces, programs, and businesses across multiple industries. I have worked with hundreds of founders and startup teams across Australia and the US.
I understand the terrain from experience: the investor pressure, the co-founder dynamics, the isolation of leadership, and the particular way that mission-driven people lose themselves in the thing they are building.
How much time does coaching require?
—> For Founder Coaching, weekly 60-minute sessions across a minimum of two months. These sessions are designed to offer relief from the pressure of your week. With the private podcast, you will receive micro-practices (10-minute or shorter exercises) and short, practical education you can listen to anytime, anywhere. The structure is designed for people who are busy.
For Co-founder Coaching, there is one 60-minute session for each co-founder, a 60-minute and 90-minute joint session, plus check-in calls through WhatsApp. I might request all founders to do a few minutes of homework or micro-practices between sessions, but these are designed to fit into your busy life and circumstances. The package is designed to be focused and contained, with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
For the Intensive, two to three full days away from work and the day-to-day. This is the most time-intensive format and the most condensed, designed for founders who need to shift something significant and want to do it in a focused block rather than across months.
Which offer is right for me?
—> If you are an individual founder, whether you are already under pressure or want to get ahead of it, Founder Coaching is the starting point. It works for both the founder navigating burnout and stress, and the founder who wants to build more sustainably before it becomes a crisis.
If you are a co-founder pair navigating misalignment, communication breakdown, or the relational pressure of building together, Co-founder Coaching is designed for that specific dynamic.
If you are facing something specific and urgent and want to go deep fast, the Founder Intensive is built for you.
If you are unsure, book an Introductory Call, and we will work it out together. Before any engagement begins, we have a conversation to make sure the fit is right on both sides.
What happens after the initial commitment or package?
—> For Founder Coaching, after the initial two-month commitment, you have three options. You can continue with weekly sessions at the same rate. You can move to fortnightly sessions, which suit founders who have established a solid foundation and want ongoing support at a lighter touch. Or you can close the engagement with a clear sense of what to take forward independently. There is no lock-in beyond the two-month minimum. The continuation pathway is always your choice and always discussed before the initial engagement closes.
For Co-founder coaching, we can continue joint coaching, or either founder can engage in founder coaching for more in-depth work on their own.
After the intensive package, which includes a follow-up session, some clients opt in for monthly coaching, while others feel complete when the intensive is over. Some clients have intensives once or twice a year as a way to reset and set a solid foundation for the next six months.
Are sessions online or can we meet in person?
—> Regular coaching sessions are conducted online as a default, which means we can work together regardless of where you are based. In-person sessions can be considered in Adelaide and other areas, but may require travel expenses. If you are interested in in-person coaching, bring that up in our introductory call.
For Co-founder Coaching, an in-person option for the joint sessions is available and worth considering for the relational dynamic: being in the same room changes something. Options for these sessions can be explored based on the location of each co-founder.
Intensives are always in person, and arrangements can be made for intensives in Adelaide, South Australia or anywhere in the world.
Do I need to be based in Australia?
—> No. I work with founders across Australia and internationally. Founder Coaching and Co-founder Coaching are generally conducted online. The Founder Intensive can be delivered anywhere in the world with travel expenses agreed in advance.
Hello! I am Sonya
I have been a founder for most of my adult life. I know what it feels like to build something that matters under pressure: the isolation of leadership, the way the mission gets buried under execution, and the cost that never shows up on a spreadsheet.
Over two decades, I have accumulated more than ten thousand hours of direct coaching with founders and business owners across Australia and the United States. I am trauma-informed and have spent years studying how human beings actually function under sustained pressure, not as a theory but as a practice I apply every day in this work.
The startup world will tell you the cost you experience as a founder is worth it. I am not convinced. Founders who regulate, who protect their mental health, and who stay connected to why they started, build better. That is what this work is for.
“The amount of change I have experienced is hard to put into words. Sonya is direct, honest, and capable of uncovering uncomfortable truths while creating space to move through them. If I get off track again, she would be the first person I would contact.”
~ A.S., Founder
Ready to begin?
The Introductory Call is a 30-minute conversation to explore whether this work is the right fit for where you are right now. There is no obligation and nothing to prepare, just an honest conversation about what you are navigating and whether I can genuinely help.
“Sonya cuts through the noise, and you start to really see yourself. I came out of our work thinking it was the best investment I have ever made.”
~ K.T., Founder