What was going on in your business & life when you began to work with Megan?

My climate tech startup was in an exponential growth phase - we were scaling from 3 to potentially 30 team members, had a manufacturing facility in development, and I was deep in intensive hiring cycles with back-to-back interviews. The workload was intense and everything felt critical, which meant I was defaulting to old patterns of taking on too much and letting my schedule control me, rather than the other way around.

I was struggling to create the work-life integration that’s so important to me. I was experiencing early burnout signals: getting headaches, not sleeping well, and having nightmares about work. I'd catch myself procrastinating at the end of long days; trying to "steal moments" for myself; or working through weekends while feeling guilty about not spending quality time with my husband.

The challenge wasn't that I didn't know what I should be doing – I knew I needed better boundaries, more nature time, regular date nights with my husband. But I was stuck in cycles where I'd recognize these patterns and then feel frustrated with myself for not being able to implement changes that seemed obvious. I was also navigating complex team dynamics in a high-pressure environment while trying to establish my leadership style.

Fundamentally, I was at a crossroads where I could see the leader and person I wanted to become, but I needed a strategic framework to bridge the gap between my current reality and that vision, especially as I prepared for the next chapter in my life and career.

What hesitation or concerns did you have about working with Megan?

I hesitated because I wanted to, and thought, I should figure it all out on my own. I was also concerned about not getting enough impact from just the VIP Day work, but I’d worked with Megan in several workshops and free small group sessions, and had a good hunch that we would be a good fit. Money was also a factor but the lower cost of commitment for the VIP day made working with her more accessible. Having said that, after the VIP Day I decided to continue coaching with Megan as I’d found it so valuable - and I’ve found that it’s provided a very strong foundation for our ongoing work.

What specific results have you achieved?

I achieved incredible clarity on multiple levels that I didn't have before. The biggest breakthrough was creating a comprehensive vision for three years’ time that felt both ambitious and achievable – and that I am still revisiting and using as a guide months later. I am reaching some of those goals ahead of when we planned them!

I developed a practical alignment meter system with green, yellow, and red flags for both my work life relationship and my home life, along with a response menu of specific actions I can take when things feel off. This was transformational because it helped me pinpoint the little things I can be doing despite everything else going on around me.

I gained crucial perspectives on more challenging elements of my work, learning to hold them in a neutral place rather than letting them consume my emotional energy. I was better able to detach from seeking validation from others and focus on what I can control.

I created a concrete 12-month roadmap with specific milestones, plus immediate actions to take to make sure I was living and leading in alignment with my values. I also developed a yes/no cheat sheet based on my ‘highest point of climate contribution’ as an enabler who creates spaces where people can use their science and engineering skills for climate impact.

Most importantly, I experienced a profound shift around accepting support. I connected with my purpose of creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, and empowered - and realized I need to model that by accepting support myself.

What did you like most about working with Megan?

I appreciated how quickly she created a safe space for sharing. She was a gentle guide that helped me tap into wisdom I already had, which made the vision and plans really look like me. I really appreciated the daily support we had between the VIP day and follow up call. I found Megan to be a grounding presence, reminding me of what I had control over when things got overwhelming.

What was the biggest thing that you took away from working with Megan?

One hour and 12 minutes in, my mind was already blown. We’d just completed articulating my vision for success in three years’ time, and it was unbelievably powerful. Connecting with my ultimate purpose shifted something fundamental about how I see myself as a leader. Instead of the labels like "high achiever" and "juggler," I stepped into being a "supporter," "leader," and "creator”.

The VIP Day also resolved my internal conflict about needing support. I had this critical voice saying "shouldn't you be able to do this yourself? Why do you need support to do this?" But I came to fully accept that I do need support on this. I do need someone outside of my own brain and my own emotions to check me on whether I’m creating space for myself, and taking care of myself.

This connected to my vision of being a warm and compassionate leader who's doing things differently, who is not expecting their team to push through and not take breaks and not express how they're feeling. I realized that by getting therapy, coaching, and building my support ecosystem, I'm not being weak - I'm doing leadership. I'm role modelling the leadership that I think the world needs.

The whole day created less fear and a healthy detachment where a lot of the pressure to have things turn out a certain way was lifted. And that actually makes it easier to accomplish our goals as a company. I left feeling grounded in my purpose and identity rather than dependent on external validation or outcomes.

What do you think would have happened if you hadn’t worked with Megan?

I think I would have continued in those cycles of recognizing problems but struggling to implement sustainable solutions. I was already aware that I needed better boundaries and more balance, but without the framework and tools we developed, I would have kept defaulting to my old patterns whenever things got intense - which, in a scaling startup, is most of the time.

The biggest risk was that I would have reached a point where I'd have to choose between my vision of integrated leadership and my goal of a balanced life. Without learning how to create sustainable work structures now, I could have found myself burned out right when I wanted to pursue personal things, or I might have delayed important life goals indefinitely because work always felt too critical to step back from.

I also think my leadership development would have been much slower and more reactive. Instead of proactively designing the kind of leader I want to be, I would have been constantly responding to immediate pressures and probably picked up some of the more traditional, unsustainable leadership habits that are common in the climate sector. Challenging personal dynamics could have continued to drain my energy and confidence over time.

Most importantly, I don't think I would have realized how much control I actually have over creating the life and leadership style I want. I was operating from a place of "I should be able to figure this out myself" rather than understanding that building strong support systems and getting strategic guidance is actually what effective leaders do. Without that shift, I would have kept trying to power through on my own, which wasn't sustainable for where I'm headed.

Without intervention, I probably would have looked up in three years and realized I'd sacrificed my well-being, and missed out on making memories and taking care of myself during this crucial time in my life and career. The overwhelm and inability to say no would have continued, keeping me stuck in reactive mode rather than being strategic about my leadership and life choices.

Who would you recommend to work with Megan?

I highly recommend working with Megan if you are looking to do leadership differently than others around you, especially if your role models lack boundaries and show that hustling and overworking is the only way to lead. If you want to be a leader who balances their ambition, health, and personal life, Megan will help guide you. I also recommend Megan’s work for women especially, partly because of Megan’s familiarity with supporting women leaders in male-dominated environments, and partly because she understands first hand how women leaders juggle many roles and responsibilities.