Alex Life Coach 

Did you know I was conceived in a threesome? 

But not in the way that you might think.... 

I was conceived in a threesome of cultures. 

I’m half English, half Danish, born and raised in France. 

Growing up I was always fairly street smart, good in social situations and solving real life problems.

But as a result of being bottom of the class in an elitist French system and getting bad grades throughout most of my teenage years, I developed insecurities around my intellectual capabilities.

I began to believe I was intellectually inferior to others. 

That I was not enough. Sound familiar? 

As a result, when I started my career:

I would identify with the companies that I worked for. 

Every company became a huge part of my identity and gave me a sense of being good enough.

Because I was surrounded by so many top performers, on the inside I often felt like an imposter...

I suffered from self-doubt, stress, anxiety...

But as long as I was working for a big corporate company, on the outside I thought people would think more highly of me. 

Well turns out that was a terrible strategy…

And it was one of the things that led to me burning out.

Since then though, I’ve completely changed the relationship I have with myself.

I no longer believe I’m not good enough or intellectually inferior to others.

I’m no longer crippled by stress, anxiety and self-doubt. 

And I’d love to help you to do the same. 

I'd love for you to finally find some inner peace and fulfilment in what you do. 

Are you ready to make that change? 

👉Send me a DM with the word "Thriving" to find out more about my Coaching program
👉 Or watch the video: www.alexlifecoach.com for more info. 

Wishing you a lovely day and if you've read this far, I appreciate you for spending time on my profile. 

Much love, 
Alex

Life Coach

Striving 2 Thriving

Community of likeminded Sensitive High-Achiever looking to live a more fulfilling life and keep growing... but without burning out.

Founder

Eat Pray Love

What do I have in common with Julia Roberts? 

I took an “Eat, Pray Love” year off and went travelling around Asia with the ultimate goal of “Finding myself” (not sure I could be any more Julia Roberts even if I tried) 💅.

It turns out, however, that travelling is not as relaxing as you might think. Always on the move, always looking for the next place to stay.

I was also hoping to come back as some kind of zen buddhist monk but as Corona hit and I had to fly back, I realised that I hadn't meditated a single time during the trip 😓.

Refusing to give up on my goal, I spent the next 5 months by myself on the Isle of Wight. My very own silent retreat, where I immersed myself in Personal Development books, courses and challenges. 

And then, like pretty much anyone having an existential crisis at that time: 

I had the epiphany that I wanted to be a “Life Coach". 

With my newly found life purpose, I went all in. 

Now that I finally had a meaningful career, I thought all my problems would disappear and that life would all be smooth sailing.

But I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Within months I started realising how many others had had the same “epiphany” as me, I started to compare myself, feeling overwhelmed and getting anxiety attacks.

All the things I had been running away from came back to hit me and they hit me hard. 

The fear of rejection, the fear of failure, the fear of other people’s judgement. The constant feeling of never being good enough and being an imposter. 

Which led to me burning out… again. 

But this time I was working with a coach so I had the support system to work through it. 

I discovered tools, learnt about new concepts and had genuine insights that completely changed how I saw life. 

Since then, I’ve successfully grown my coaching business, reached new heights I never believed were possible and feel excited about the future.

Life still isn’t smooth sailing, it never will be, but now I know how to navigate the waters.

Sabbatical 

eBay

Was I getting rich by selling used tights and pokemon cards? 


Unfortunately not 😢

This was the first job I took after Burning out at Uber. 

It was a freelance position and therefore a breath of fresh air because I didn’t have to deal with:

-Office politics
-Promotions 
-Long working hours 

It was the first time that I began to detach myself from the corporate world ☝ 

It opened up so much time for me to take on new hobbies like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Yoga and Reading 🥋  🧘‍♂️  📚.  

I started to experience growth outside of work, feeling the benefits of living a healthier lifestyle and connecting with my body 🌱

I became less consumed by corporate gossip and politics, which led to me drastically improving relationships with my family but also my friends outside of work 💙

It’s like I finally left this bubble and realised that there were so many growth opportunities out there. 

I also realised how little I actually hear about these companies in the news, compared to when I worked there and it felt like they were the centre of the world 🌎.

But after about a year, despite all of this, I still felt unhappy. 

I still had this nagging feeling that I wasn’t where I should/could be. 

I had all the things I could possibly want, but still something was missing. 

And the only thing that I knew to blame was: my job. 

If only I could find a meaningful career, then I would finally be happy. 

So I decided to quit everything and go travelling.

I embraced my inner Julia Roberts and took an “Eat, Pray, Love” year off.

Recruitment (Freelance)

Uber

Did I have a 5 star rating as an Uber driver? 


Unfortunately I never got to drive for Uber but was lucky enough to join the company at its early stages. 

Not early enough for me to be mega rich and I also missed the Las Vegas Beyonce party by a couple of weeks… but I still got to experience Travis and all his eccentricity.

Working for a big name like Uber also temporarily covered up my belief of not being good enough. 

This felt great for a while but after some time I started to feel like I was drinking the Koolaid and that deep down I was just another cog in the machine.

I knew there was more to life than dedicating yourself to a company that says she loves you and that you are the one, but deep down you know that she could replace you in a heartbeat 💔.

Instead of listening to my intuition and afraid of showing weakness in a high performing environment, I started working harder, going after promotions faster, which was the perfect opportunity for them to squeeze as much out of me as possible.  

I took on way too many projects and continued to play the corporate political game. Although everyone around me was happy with my work, I knew I wasn’t doing my best as I was stretched too thin 😓. Even worse, this made me feel like an imposter because everyone around me was producing high quality work with seemingly no effort. 

I ended up pushing myself so hard that one day I couldn’t look at my screen anymore 😵.  

I had so much anxiety from trying to keep the boat afloat and not showing signs of struggle. If I did, it would compromise my chances of getting promoted and confirm that I wasn’t good enough. I could feel how unhealthy this was for my body so I went to the doctor and she told me I was having a burnout💥. 
 
I was really embarrassed because it was a term that I thought made me look weak and non resilient. I cared more about what other people would think of me than the fact that my body was telling me to stop 😳

Recruitment

Google

What happened when I broke my arm at Google?


I got a Chrome Cast.

Terrible Dad joke...

But when I was at Google, my whole self-worth and identity was tied to me working there.

My family even got Google swag for christmas. 

As long as I was working for Google, then on the outside I thought people would think more highly of me. 

It also made me feel safer because other companies would always want to poach me.

As a result, moving to a smaller unknown company was completely out of the question.

I called this Big Company Tunnel Vision. 

My only options were: climb the corporate ladder or go to another Big Tech company.

And these limiting options made me feel stuck and added a lot of unnecessary pressure.

Eventually when I started working on myself and gradually detaching from my corporate identity, I realised the infinite amount of options that were actually available to me (inside and outside of corporate).

It’s like a whole new world opened up.

And that world is available to anyone who is willing to invest in themselves and create it.

Have you ever had Big Company Tunnel Vision?

Novo Nordisk A/S

When I got my first internship at Novo Nordisk, I was so proud that I’d always make sure my work badge was visible while travelling on the train 😎. 

I had business cards made (as an intern with absolutely no need for them 🤦) and relished any opportunity to tell people where I was working. 

Even deep down I still didn't feel good enough, it definitely made me feel better about myself and how I thought other people saw me. 

This was the first time that I started to identify myself with the company that I worked for. I continued to do this throughout my career, every company became a huge part of my identity and gave me a sense of being good enough 😅.

Intern

Corporate Cog Energiser & Self-confidence Coach ⚙️🔋 I help you go from feeling lost, overwhelmed and never good enough → to energised, empowered and excited for more 🙏 Take Action NOW - Get your Custom Thriving Plan ⬇️

I’ve spoken to 589+ successful high achievers.

97% of them felt unfulfilled because of this:

They’ve lived their entire life conforming to other people’s expectations.

- Their parents’ expectations.
- Teachers’ expectations.
- Society’s expectations.

Because that’s how they learned to earn approval, avoid disappointment and stay connected:

By meeting expectations.
By being “the good one.”
By suppressing what they really wanted.

It worked.

They became reliable, successful and confident (on the outside).
 
But also?

Disconnected.
Close to burnt out.
And full of self-doubt (on the inside).

That’s where I come in.

I help sensitive high-achievers break free from survival mode and start living with calm clarity, powerful boundaries and deep self-trust.

I work with Millennials who are:

- Externally successful but internally overwhelmed
- Emotionally intelligent, but stuck in loops of guilt, overthinking and people-pleasing
- Tired of holding it all together while quietly falling apart

If that’s you…. you’re not broken.

You’re just disconnected from yourself after years of performing, proving and trying to be everything for everyone.

Through my Freedom Accelerator Method, I’ll guide you to:

✅ Go from overthinking to inner peace
✅ Trade self-doubt for unshakable self-trust
✅ Set boundaries without guilt or fear
✅ Reconnect with what you want…not what others expect
✅ Finally create a life that feels like yours

This isn’t mindset hacks or toxic positivity.

It’s deep, practical work that helps you stop performing and start becoming.

If you’re tired of the overthinking, the pressure, the second-guessing…
If you want to pursue success, but without sacrificing your peace, self-trust or wellbeing…

Send me a DM with the word “Thriving” and let’s explore how we can work together.

You don’t need to figure this out alone.
You just need the right space to come back to yourself.

Much love,
Alex

PS: Check out my clients Testimonials below!

Alex Østergaard

Nike

Lead DTC Merchandiser / Buyer for Men's Footwear in Nike Sportswear

Covering a business-critical role in the Women's Lifestyle Apparel Product Merchandising team while continuing to support those taking over my role in Men's Training Apparel.

Lead Product Merchandiser for Women's Apparel in Nike Sportswear

Leading change in the performance apparel business reset, driving efficiency and product excellence, leveraging my experience and motivation to coach peers beyond my direct team

→ Bringing to life the future of Training Apparel through strategic vision, engaging storytelling and cross-functional collaboration
→ Combining sales data, consumer behavior and trend analysis into breakthrough insights that fuel our competitive advantage
→ Influencing partners at an international level, building rewarding relationships with key stakeholders, keeping leadership informed
→ Balancing responsibilities and objectives in the hybrid working model to continue delivering results as a team and individually
→ Coaching and developing others, both within my role and beyond
→ Contributing to cross-functional projects in order to extend my expertise and strengthen my organizational understanding

Senior Product Merchandiser for Men's Apparel in Training & Yoga

6-month assignment in the Jordan Digital Direct-to-Consumer function while still covering the essentials of my full-time role in Fitness & Yoga Apparel Merchandising (June - December 2023)

→ Collaborating with Jordan Buying Team across Footwear and Apparel, Lifestyle and Performance, Men's/Women's/Kids on Membership plans and seasonal moment executions on Digital (Nike.com & Nike App)
→ Serving as the connector between functions, leveraging extensive Merchandising experience and enabling cross-functional collaboration and alignment
→ Looking for opportunities and sharing insights to improve product flow, assortment and presentation in Jordan Destination (a new Jordan-only environment in the Nike App) where consumers can experience the best of the Jordan Brand
→ Balancing pre-season work on Consumer calendar and Membership offer with in-season trade actions needed to drive the business day-to-day while taking learnings to inform the future

Lead Nike Direct Digital Merchandiser / Buyer for Footwear & Apparel in Jordan Brand

Led the Nike Accessories business across Consumers from scratch, combining product excellence with a holistic strategy, turning the business around to a sustained +20% growth each season. Elevated the visibility among key stakeholders and leadership, ultimately reviving the business and growing the team. Got promoted to Senior Merchant after being rewarded with an EMEA award and a bonus for outstanding performance. Covered the role of my direct-to-consumer counterpart during the final three months of the role, while also onboarding into my next role simultaneously.

→ Landed a strategic vision and plan fitting into the wider Nike company direction and leveraging the matrix organisation
→ Guaranteed product excellence, trend and consumer relevance and a focus on innovation in collaboration with Global Product: drove insights on design, was involved in mapping out features and benefits as well as material and color strategies
→ Prioritized productivity, efficiency, strong margins, distribution plans and a healthy marketplace both Globally and at EMEA level
→ Grew visibility of and attention to the Accessories business with internal/external partners and senior leadership through 1-1, on-stage, virtual and recorded presentations of product and strategy

Senior Product Merchandiser for Performance & Lifestyle Accessories

Served the EMEA consumer with a comprehensive line of products. Started out as intern and got promoted into Merchant after 11 months based on performance.

→ Quickly gained deep consumer, sport and business understanding to influence the future of Product Development
→ Translated insights in actionable product requests that drove authentic consumer connection and resulted in 100% sell through rates
→ Partnered successfully with marketplace stakeholders to execute a commercial product assortment for Men's, Women's and Kids Footwear, Apparel and Accessories
→ Brought in external perspective and scientific knowledge rooted in (Behavioural) Economics

Product Merchandiser for Men's/Women's/Kids Footwear & Apparel in Tennis

The Global Merch Forum

Co-Founder

Tutored high-school students (ages 13-17) in Mathematics, Economics and Financial Arithmetrics (Management and Organization)

Tutor in Mathematics / Economics / Management

Lead Merchandiser @ Nike ▪ $500M+ Business Excellence ▪ Clarity & Growth ▪ Trusted Cross-Functional Partner ▪ Team & People Development // Co-Founder @ The Global Merch Forum ▪ Coaching ▪ Networking ▪ Career Planning

I was born in Poland, I grew up in the Netherlands and married Laura from Italy.

You can imagine the mix of cultural values:

→ Hard work as the default approach
→ Direct communication is the way
→ Passion into everything you do

As an introvert, I've learned to combine these values with my thoughtful, patient and kind approach.

It has shaped how I show up: naturally inclined to help others, assuming good intent by default, and with a strong instinct for building consensus.

(That last one can be hard work when passionate people communicate directly with each other!)



VALUES

I am driven in my work by:

prioritizing a culture of personal development,
collaborating to make a tangible impact,
building operational excellence,
and leading with kindness.



EXPERIENCE

I am an aspiring Merchandising enterprise leader with 10+ years of experience with the Consumer, Product and Marketplace in the sports & fashion retail industry. 

I've managed athletic gear businesses at Nike including Training, Tennis, Sportswear and Jordan Brand, across genders, covering all divisions (Footwear, Apparel and Accessories/Equipment). 

My expertise is enriched by my academic background in Behavioral Economics.

✅ I lead and grow $500M+ business units with global reach, driving product strategy and organizational excellence.

✅ I build stakeholders networks that enable long-term success in complex corporate environments.

✅ I nurture the development of others to maximize the potential and impact of the team.



ASPIRATIONS

I'm looking for opportunities that will enable me to build product and consumer strategies at an enterprise level, in which I can lead, inspire, and develop others to broaden my impact.

I also write about my experiences in merchandising and about personal development here on LinkedIn, and on my personal blog: uniqueprofessional.substack.com.

I get immense satisfaction from helping others to build their (merchandising) career with confidence through my co-owned initiative The Global Merch Network.



Curious to learn more? Reach out to me ✍️

I'd love to work with you, collaborate on an article, share my insights and advice, learn from you or hear about opportunities.

You can message me here on LinkedIn, or reach me via email: tomekdabro@gmail.com






Finally, the views expressed here and on my profile are my own and do not reflect those of my employer.

taplio

The Battle

Alex Østergaard

Tomek Dabrowski

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