Mark MacLeod

Limitless.ceo

Limitless is an exclusive community of VC and PE-backed CEOs who want
to scale themselves and their companies without limits.

Founder

I coach startup CEOs to grow themselves and their business all the way to a massive exit

SurePath Capital Partners

SurePath Capital Partners is the premier strategic financial advisor to the global SMB Software market. With offices in Toronto and San Francisco, we aim to be the #1 advisor in this space globally and the one call CEOs and board make when they need to make a deal happen.

FreshBooks

I led finance and corporate development at FreshBooks - the #1 cloud accounting specialist for small business owners. Since 2004, over 5 million people have used FreshBooks to track time, organize expenses and invoice clients online and in the cloud.

Accomplishments:
- Closed $30M institutional funding round + other unpublished transactions
- Led the process to find a partner to backstop a new product line
- Sourced and closed other key revenue-generating partnerships

CFO + Chief Corporate Development Officer

Real Ventures

Venture Partner

Parter at Real Ventures where I focus on SaaS, freemium, e-commerce and digital media seed investments

Director, Fabric Technologies
Director, Context.io (sold to Return Path)
Director, Frank and Oak
Observer, Rewardli Inc.
Investor, Thinknear.com (sold to Telenav)
Investor, Localmind.com (sold to Airbnb)
Investor, Massive Damage Inc.
Director, Sweet IQ (sold to Reachlocal)
Observer, Unbounce.com
Investor, Engagio (sold to Influitive)
Investor, Origin.al Internet Company

General Partner

Tungle Corporation

CFO for Tungle - a great solution for meeting coordination.

Raised a $5M "A" round. Served as CFO through the successful sale of the company to RIM.

SaaS, E-commerce, Marketplace companies

Interim CFO, Shopify
Advisor, Well.ca
Advisor, Cakemail 
Advisor, Dok Dok Inc 
Advisor, Raymark
Advisor, Sitezoogle 
Interim CFO, Status.net Inc.

Advisor & CFO

Mobivox

Led finance, operations, legal, HR, strategic planning functions for this mobile communications startup. Raised an $10M B round led by Flybridge. Raised an additional $1M in China. Made major improvements to execution, ops, key metrics, etc.

Terrascale Technologies Inc.

Led finance, operations, customer support, IT and manufacturing for this venture-backed networked storage vendor. Negotiated the sale of Terrascale to Rackable Systems (NASDAQ: RACK) in a deal returning 10x on invested capital.

VP, Finance

Hexago

Prepared this 15 person IP networking startup for commercialization & ‘B’ round funding. Responsibilities included financing, all back office operations, investor + board relations and negotiation of all  agreements. Towards the end of my term, I was given increasing responsibility for OEM sales and strategic relationships.

I help startup CEOs go from $5M in revenue to a massive exit

Since 1999, I have sat at the right-hand side of the leaders of high growth technology companies as either a CFO, VC or deal maker. I served as CFO for software companies including Shopify (NYSE: SHOP) and Freshbooks. 

I was a General Partner in Real Ventures, one of Canada's largest and most active seed stage funds. My investments there include the fund's largest cash on cash and highest IRR returns to date. 

Most recently, I founded SurePath Capital Partners the leading investment bank for SMB SaaS companies where we did hundreds of millions in financing and exit transactions.

The thing I loved most about these roles was the one on one coaching and advisory conversations I had with CEOs. 

Since 2020 I have been coaching, investing in and advising CEOs + helping them execute game-changing deals.

I am a semi-active angel investor with a portfolio of 22 investments, 2 highly positive exits and counting.

In my spare time, I am a passionate CrossFit athlete and electronic music producer/ DJ. I also run Deep Down Music, a record label.

I coach, advise and invest in the CEOs of high growth technology companies & help them execute game-changing deals.

The Tokyo Test.

Before I hire anyone or partner with a VC, I ask myself one question:

Would I be excited to sit beside this person on a 14-hour flight to Tokyo?

If the answer is no, I pass.

Life is too short to work with people you don't actually like.

Skills matter. Chemistry matters more.

Use the Tokyo Test.

Helping VC-backed CEOs scale themselves and their companies without limits. | Host of The Startup CEO Show podcast

The most senior person in the room uses the fewest words.

Junior: 10 slides to explain the problem
Mid-level: 5 slides with bullet points
Senior: "We have a cash flow issue. Here are three options."

Brevity isn't about being short. It's about being clear.

It means you've done the hard work of:
- Cutting through the noise
- Identifying what actually matters
- Removing your own confusion first

If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it yet.

Watch how the best CEOs communicate:
- They get to the point
- They don't hedge with qualifiers
- They don't need jargon to sound smart

The CEO who says "Revenue is down, we need to cut 15% of headcount by Friday" is more senior than the one who sends a 2000-word memo about "organizational optimization initiatives."

You earn seniority when you stop needing extra words to feel credible.

Complexity is easy. Clarity is hard.

If you want to level up, start cutting.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get a 22 page presentation on the secrets of Limitless CEOs https://lnkd.in/gWqQBd-n

Bryn Jones grew PartnerStack for 4 straight years at 100% growth.

Most founders dream of that problem.

He told me it nearly broke him.

His insight: "Growth solves everything. Except it solves everything by letting you ignore problems.

You can only pave over so many cracks before the whole thing collapses.

The wildest part? Fixing those problems after Tech Winter hit was the most fulfilling work of his career. More than the hypergrowth years.

If you missed my podcast with Bryn, here is the interview. We cover:
Also in this conversation:
✅  How being on Canada's national swim team prepared him for 10 years as a CEO
✅  Why most partnerships fail despite their potential
✅  The one question that determines if a partnership will work
✅  Why he ignored his instinct and what happened next

Read it here:

Open article: PartnerStack's CEO Bryn Jones on 10 Years of Building B2B Partnership Networks and Why Growth Nearly Broke Him - Mark MacLeod by markmacleod.me

PartnerStack's CEO Bryn Jones on 10 Years of Building B2B Partnership Networks and Why Growth Nearly Broke Him - Mark MacLeod

Work hard. Play hard. Sleep hard.

This is my mantra.

Work hard: Anything worth doing is never easy. You need to push.

Play hard: Play makes life worth living. Most CEOs think this is a post-exit luxury. I disagree. For me, "play" is music and yoga. Non-negotiables.

Sleep hard: Another thing many CEOs skip. To show up as your best self and crush without burning out, you need to sleep like it's your job.

You are a mental athlete. Athletes sleep like it's their job.

Nobody is thinking about you.

Seriously.

Your competitor? Too busy with their own problems.

Your team? Thinking about their own issues.

Your board? Looking at the numbers, not judging you as a person.

The brutal truth: You're not the main character in anyone's story but your own.

So why are you making decisions based on what "they" might think?

❌ Holding back on that bold strategy
❌ Overthinking that honest conversation
❌  Not sharing your real challenges

Your anxiety about perception is burning energy that you need for  building.

The CEOs who scale fastest realize that only results matter. Not optics. Not opinions. 

Make the call. Say the thing. Take the risk.

They're all too busy worrying about what YOU think of them.

If your direct reports drain you, you have the wrong people.

Or you're doing their job for them.

I see this constantly with the CEOs.

❌  They finish a day of back-to-back 1-on-1s and they're exhausted.

❌  They spend more time fixing their team's work than doing their own.

❌  They dread certain meetings because they know it'll be them solving problems again. Or a certain team member just saps them of energy.

Here's what should happen instead:

✅  Your direct reports should energize you.

✅  You should leave your 1-on-1s thinking "damn, I'm glad they're on this team."

✅  You should feel excited about what they're building, not anxious about cleaning up their mess.

✅ You should get ideas from them, not just give them.

If that's not happening, there are only two reasons:

1. You hired wrong
2. You're not letting go

Hiring wrong is fixable. Make the change.

Not letting go is also fixable, but it requires you to change.

Stop jumping in to save the day. Stop being the one with all the answers.

Build systems. Train properly. Then trust.

Sometimes you need to watch things break to learn where the system needs fixing.

You can't scale a company where everything runs through you.

And you definitely can't sustain it.

Your team should multiply your energy, not divide it.

If they're not doing that, something needs to change. 

P.S.
This was my all star team at SurePath Capital. Each and every team member gave me enery and leverage.

This is the story of how a tax law professor built a $30M ARR company while still teaching classes.
 
Benjamin Alarie is the CEO of Blue J Legal AND a professor at U of Toronto law school.
 
He saw AI coming for the legal profession in 2011. Had a choice: watch it happen or build the future himself.
 
The kicker? He's not a software engineer. His co-founder moved from Australia because of a childhood friendship.
 
They started in 2015. Spent 7 years building with supervised machine learning. Then LLMs hit. They pivoted hard in 2023.
 
Now: 300%+ YoY growth. 10 new logos daily. Approaching $30M ARR.
 
The lesson isn't about AI or tax law.
 
It's about recognizing when your deep domain expertise intersects with massive technological shifts.
 
Ben knew tax research was painful because he'd lived it for thousands of hours. He could see exactly what needed to exist.
 
Most professors would write another paper. He built a company.
 
We talked about:
✅ Managing investors while maintaining an academic career
✅ Enterprise sales when your TAM is basically the Big 4
✅ Why LLMs changed everything
✅ The $500B tax compliance market nobody thinks about
 
Link in comments.

The new CEO flex: Your sleep score.

Remember when pulling all-nighters was a badge of honour?

That doesn't scale. It just makes it harder for you to build your company.

Elite performers know: sleep is performance.

8 hours. 90% sleep score. REM cycles optimized.

That's the real flex.

You're a mental athlete running a company worth millions.

Sleep like your business depends on it.

Because it does.

No small plans.

It takes the same effort to hit "achievable" targets as it does for "crazy" targets.

Same meetings. Same strategic planning. Same team-building.

The only difference? Your ambition.

Most CEOs set targets they know they can hit. Safe. Predictable. Boring. They do this so they can tell their investors they are "on plan".

As you get ready for 2026, consider setting seemingly impossible targets.

Google was famous for this with it's moonshot thinking.

Hitting 60% of a moonshot target may be much better than hitting 100% of an achievable target.

Early stage VC: "We make 30 bets a year. Let's take a shot."

Growth stage VC: "We make 3 bets a year. Prove everything."

This is the shift founders don't see coming.

Seed investors are building a portfolio. If 1 in 10 works, they win. They can afford leaps of faith.

Growth investors are making concentrated bets. If 1 in 3 fails, their fund is cooked. They can't afford to be wrong.

So they need:
✅  Three years of consistent revenue growth
✅  Proof of unit economics
✅  Evidence of repeatability
✅  Clear path to exit

They're not being difficult. They're being rational.

Your Series A took 20 conversations.
Your Series C will take 200.

The math is simple:
- Early stage: high volume, high failure tolerance
- Late stage: low volume, low failure tolerance

Build your pipeline accordingly.

If you're raising growth stage capital with a seed stage pipeline strategy, you're going to run out of runway before you find your lead. Growth investors want to track you for a long time before they invest. No FOMO decisions.

Don't get bitter. Get realistic. 

Subscribe to my newsletter and get a 22 page presentation on the secrets of Limitless CEOs https://lnkd.in/gWqQBd-n

P.S.
here's a random photo of me at the Calgary Stampede back when I was a VC. Cowboy hats are underrated

You can't see the system when you're inside it.

Your best thinking happens when you step out of the environment that created your current thinking.

Today I am joining Adrian Salamunovic to kick off the first Limitless Unconference in Tulum.

A group of ambitious humans are arriving. All builders. All on the go.

The goal is to reset. Take a breath. Take stock of what’s working and not. In our companies and our lives.

To engage in healing breath work and movement. To gain clarity and set our commitments and dreams for 2026.

I use retreats as a way to recharge, reset and recommit every year. My goal is to have one big retreat per year and 3 small ones.

This gives me perspective and direction. I slow down to speed up.

CEOs who build for the long term don't just work hard. They build in time to step back. Quarterly. Monthly. However often you need it.

Because perspective isn't found in the grind.

It's found when you finally stop grinding.

When you lose your health, you realize nothing else matters.

So many CEOs that come to me for coaching are killing themselves and can't keep up.

In this video Robbie Bent co-founder and CEO of Othership gets real about his journey. See comments for the full conversation.

P.S.
If you want to build a market-leading company without sacrificing your health, come join us at Limitless (see my featured post for the link)

Open video: ✂️ The CEO role will kill you on youtube.com

Want to 10x your company? Start by 10x'ing your capacity.

You can't scale what you haven't built in yourself first.

I see CEOs obsessing over growth hacks, fundraising strategies, and hiring plans.

But they ignore the most important variable: themselves.

Your energy. Your focus. Your ability to handle stress. Your decision-making under pressure.

Most founders hit a ceiling not because their market is too small or their product is wrong.

They hit a ceiling because they've maxed out their personal operating system.

The tree grows tall because its roots go deep.

Your company will only rise as high as your foundation is solid.

This means: sleep, exercise, mental health, relationships, nervous system regulation.

The boring stuff that everyone skips.

The biggest outcomes are founder-led. Always have been.

Zuck. Bezos. Jobs. Musk.

They didn't just build companies. They built themselves into people capable of leading those companies.

Stay grounded while you build.

Invest in your foundation as aggressively as you invest in your business.

That's how you become limitless.

Here's why meditation feels scary (at first)

The moment you sit down, the noise starts. Not around you—inside you.

You suddenly notice how busy your mind is. Thoughts. Loops. Worries. Stories.
It’s a lot.

But here’s the truth: that chaos was already there. You’ve just been working so hard to think clearly through it. This is why you're so exhausted. Why you can't think clearly.

Imagine how much energy you’d reclaim if your mind was actually clear.

Meditation shows you the mess then helps you clean it up.

Yes, it’s uncomfortable at first.

But on the other side? Clarity. Presence. Power.

Sit anyway.

The peace you’re seeking is already within you.
✨

Weatherproof Business Launchpad

8-Week Online Accelerator & Mastermind for Women in Tech.
Launch your business in 8 weeks, with a validated idea, an irresistible MVP, and a waitlist of beta users, without quitting your corporate job or burning out.
Next intake is starting on September 29, 2025 and enrolling soon. DM for details.

Founder / Business Coach

Digital Consulting Lab

1. One-on-One Coaching for Women in Tech

Personalized 1:1 coaching for executive women in tech who are ready to transition from corporate careers to building scalable, profitable SaaS businesses—without financial risk or overwhelm.

Through a structured, high-impact coaching process, I help my clients:
✔️ Gain clarity on their business vision and roadmap
✔️ Validate their business idea through real customer insights
✔️ Build and test a minimum viable product (MVP) with no code
✔️ Develop a scalable business model and land their first paying customers
✔️ Confidently replace their corporate income and transition into entrepreneurship

DM to schedule a call and explore if we are a fit.

2. Group Coaching & Mastermind: Weatherproof Business™ Launchpad

For women who want structured guidance and a high-impact peer network, I run the Weatherproof Business™ Launchpad—a 10-week group coaching and mastermind program designed exclusively for women in tech who want to launch their SaaS business while maintaining their executive careers.

✔️ Live group coaching sessions for real-time guidance and Q&A
✔️ A step-by-step roadmap to go from idea to MVP and first customers
✔️ Mastermind accountability groups for peer support and collaboration
✔️ Exclusive community of like-minded women in tech building businesses together

Next cohort starts in June 2025. DM me for details.

3. Online Educator & Speaker: Free Masterclasses & Expert Talks

I'm passionate about demystifying entrepreneurship for women in tech and regularly share actionable strategies through:

✔️ Free live masterclasses on a tech business while in a corporate job
✔️ Guest expert talks & workshops for women in tech communities and non-profits
✔️ Podcast interviews & speaking engagements on tech entrepreneurship & startups.

If you run a community for women in tech, host a podcast, or are looking for speakers for your event, let’s connect! I’d love to contribute.

Business Coach for Executive Women in Tech |  Online Educator | Speaker

Founder / CEO

INSEAD Executive Education

1. Facilitated over 1000 projects focusing on innovation and digital strategy across key executive education programs, both online and on INSEAD’s Fontainebleau campus. 

Programs include "Strategy in the Age of Digital Disruption", "Innovation in the Age of Disruption", "Business Strategy and Financial Performance", "Design Thinking and Creativity for Business", and "Driving Digital Marketing Strategy".

2. Advanced leadership skills in emerging professionals through the "Developing Emerging Leaders" program, aligning with the evolving demands of the future of work.

3. Conducted Design-Thinking workshops to enhance creative problem-solving and innovation.
Active contributor to INSEAD's Online Education innovation think-tank, developing cutting-edge digital education solutions.

Business Coach

Le VPN

As a Co-Founder of Le VPN, I've spearheaded the development of a premier personal VPN service, driving innovation and strategically integrating AI to empower our teams to do more with less and enhance our customers' security and user experience. Our products, available in software and app form in five languages, have established a strong presence in over 100 countries, making us market leaders in France and the UK.

The 2019 acquisition of our competitor, My Private Network, has showcased our dynamic growth strategy and adaptability within the cybersecurity sphere. My leadership has been crucial in pioneering work-from-anywhere policies, encapsulating the 'future of work' ethos. These policies have not only boosted operational efficiency but also advanced diversity and equality by engaging a global and diverse talent pool.

In my multifaceted role, I've combined entrepreneurial spirit with actionable strategy, contributing to startup development, strategizing for business growth, fostering entrepreneurship, managing marketing efforts, and driving business development, all of which have been instrumental in scaling Le VPN to its current esteemed stature.

Co-Founder / Board Member

Bali Luxury Villas

General Manager

Director of Marketing & Business Development

INSEAD

Organizer of INSEAD Women’s Leadership Conference in France (300 attendees).
Organizer of 2 INSEAD Cabaret events: in Singapore & in France (200 performers & 300 attendees). 
Section’s Academic Representative (74 students). 
Winner of INSEAD Alumni Fund Women's Scholarship.

MBA candidate

Riskdata

Finance & Administrative Officer for Paris, London, Moscow and New York offices

Decathlon

Analyzed the recruitment strategies for new business launches, developed and supervised a process of recruitment and training of the managerial team for the first Decathlon store in Budapest.

International Human Ressources

I help women in tech start SaaS businesses, thrive outside of corporate & reclaim their freedom | INSEAD Business Coach & MBA | PCC ICF | Serial Tech Entrepreneur

I built my first profitable SaaS business (Le VPN) 14 years ago, and now I'm supporting other women in tech who are DONE waiting for someday to build something of their own.

Since then, I’ve guided 1,100+ executives to turn after-hours “what-if” ideas into profitable, freedom-based businesses they can run alongside their careers, without gambling their salary, sanity, or status.

Drawing on 3,000+ hours of coaching at INSEAD and privately, my Weatherproof Business™ method distills the launch journey into four decisive steps (Why → Who → What → How) that cut guesswork and protect your reputation.

If midnight Slack pings have you whispering “I can’t do this for another year,” take my 4-minute Next Step Scorecard assessment, and it will reveal your smartest first move, so you can build your exit plan and let your next ping celebrate your wins, not extinguish fires.

Ksenia Votinova-Arnaud

My first startup, Le VPN, turns 15 years old today 🎂

If I had to start this journey all over again,
and rebuild our multi-million business,

Here's my step-by-step blueprint:

(Consider it my birthday gift 🎁)

𝟭. 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲

I’d focus on building on a validated idea.

Why? 
To maximize loyalty from first customers & minimize risk.

I’d dedicate the initial 6 months to:

→ Engaging with early adopters 
→ Conducting customer interviews
→ Validating my offer & iterating based on feedback

All tailored to test assumptions and adjust quickly.

𝟮. 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵

Most of my energy would go into this phase.

I'd build an outreach strategy, including on LinkedIn.
I would:

→ Start with my "warm" immediate network 
→ Engage with leads in relevant groups
→ Outreach to leads and partners
→ Leverage my personal brand
→ Build a content strategy

Plus,

→ Share valuable content based on customer insights
→ Build in public as I refine the product
→ Create real-time feedback loops

𝟯. 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲

Focus on scaling what’s working.
Quickly iterate on what's not.

Plus, double down on your wins. 🎉

And remember, your customers are your best advisors! 

Only they can help you nail your offer & make you $$$.
Everything else is just noise.

STOP viewing startups as fundraising machines.

START seeing it as a partnership with your customers.

REPOST ♻️ If this was helpful, 
or wish us a Happy Birthday 😊

Build a validated, customer-backed tech business alongside your full-time role | Weatherproof Business™ Launchpad for Senior Women in Tech | INSEAD Business Coach & MBA · Le VPN Co-Founder

Two of my MBA classmates spoke at Slush last week. 

One of my clients even asked me, 
"Were you on stage there too?”

Honestly… I probably should have been. 
But I didn’t even go.

And I’m actually glad I didn’t.

While the world’s top founders were in Helsinki, 
I was home in Paris with:

→ a baby who had a fever, 
→ a house that looked like a small tornado hit it, 
→ a calendar that was bursting with end-of-year work,

Helping my clients build meaningful tech businesses.

I couldn’t take two days off. 

→ Not this time. 
→ Not in this season of life.
→ And that’s absolutely okay with me.

Because we talk a lot about ambition, stage presence, building authority and visibility...

But sometimes the most important work happens quietly...

→ off-stage, 
→ in messy homes, 
→ with sick kids on our laps, 
→ client calls in between fever checks.

Slush, WebSummit, and VivaTech will be there next year. 
And the year after that.

My two kids under 3 won’t always need me like this.

So I’m adding “Speak at Slush” to my 2026 bucket list. 
And I’ll start preparing for it now.
Slowly, intentionally, sustainably.

And who knows… 
Maybe next year, you’ll see my name on that list. 😉

I spoke on 3 podcasts this month. 
For me, this is a quiet milestone.

I used to panic at the idea of unscripted speaking. 
Visibility felt unsafe. 
My fear felt louder than my voice.

What changed is simple. 
My mission became stronger than my fear.

If I want to reach 10,000 women in tech, I must go first. 
If I want them to see real options, I must be visible. 
If I want to share my method, I must speak.

These conversations made me reflect deeply. 
The hosts asked questions no one asked me before. 
Their questions connected dots I had missed.

I saw my parents lose and rebuild their businesses.
Years later, I created the Weatherproof Business™.
Now I see how it all makes sense.

Yesterday I spoke with an ex-Googler in transition. 
He asked how I figured out my path. 
My answer was honest.

You test. 
You pivot. 
You learn by doing. 

The dots always connect backwards.

One recording last week was in a Paris studio. 

Warm lights. 
Quiet room. 
One person in front of me.

In that moment, I forgot the camera. 
I forgot the fear. 
I focused on her.

The woman who will hear the episode on her commute. 
The woman who feels successful but stuck. 
The woman who knows she is meant for more.

If she feels less alone, it is worth it. 

And if more conversations help reach more women, 
No fear will stop me now.

Is there a podcast you think I should appear on? 

Especially one for women in tech or women founders. 
I would love your suggestions. 🙏

True wealth is not measured in your bank account. 
It is measured in your freedom.

For me, it means designing a life on my own terms.

Here is what I no longer accept as a mother and founder:

→ Waiting for PTO approval 
→ Negotiating time for family 
→ Asking permission for time off 
→ Missing the moments that matter 
→ Relying on daycare as the only option

Here is what I choose instead:

→ Using tech and automation to create time freedom 
→ Building systems that work even when I do not 
→ Owning my calendar with intention 
→ Creating resilient revenue streams 
→ Designing life on my terms

My philosophy is simple. 

Build the life first. 
Then build the business that protects it.

It started with one profitable business. 
From that success, the next ones became possible.

Freedom is never an accident. 
It is created by design.

What is the one freedom you want to create in 2026?

Entrepreneurship is not a gamble. 
But many people treat it like one.

They build first. 
And ask questions later.

That’s how time, money, and energy get wasted.

If you’re starting a business, do this instead:

→ Talk to your customers. 
→ Listen to what they actually need. 
→ Test your idea before you invest months building it. 

→ Keep adapting based on real feedback, not guesses.

It sounds simple. 

But most people skip this step and pay for it later.

Entrepreneurship isn’t about luck. 
It’s about learning fast and creating real value.

It took me years to master this. 

Now it’s how I help my clients build profitable, scalable businesses that last in any market conditions.

So before you bet on your next idea.
Go talk to 5 potential customers first.

It’s the smartest gamble you’ll ever make.

I didn’t know motherhood came with superpowers. 
But it does. 

And they’re nothing like what I expected.

→ The superpower of taking a 6-minute shower 
(2 shampoos + conditioner included)

→ The superpower of doing full makeup in 40 seconds

→ The superpower of sleeping 2 hours, skipping 3, sleeping 2 more, and still showing up the next day

→ The superpower of running 3 businesses in 30 hours a week (on the rare weeks when no one is sick)

→ The superpower of coaching two parallel cohorts of 20 executives each, and giving everyone what they need

And the superpower of leveraging AI to turn your voice notes while on a daycare run or picking up toys, into:

→ Clear and structured client recommendations,
→ Content for LinkedIn, my blog, and my community,
→ Newsletters that get replies that move me to tears.

I’m a beginner mom.
Less than 3 years of experience raising 2 tiny humans.

Still learning every day. 
Still making many mistakes. 
And tired down to my bones.

But I also know this: 
I’ve never functioned at this superhuman level before.

And then a client says, 
“Working with you feels like an injection of vitamin C.”

Two days later, she launches the podcast we dreamed up on a call, and it blows me away with pride.

Moments like this remind me why I do what I do.
And it all suddenly makes sense.

Mom-superpowers exist for a reason.

Because when you are:
→ Building businesses, 
→ Raising incredible tiny humans, 
→ Serving clients you care deeply about, 

You have to be superhuman. 
There’s no other way.

If I can do it with a 2–3–2 sleep schedule, 3 businesses, and 2 kids under 3, you can too.

As my American mom from West Virginia would say:
"You've got no excuse. I'm sorry." 💛

Ambitious women in tech aren’t just climbing corporate ladders.

We’re building our own tech companies.

Success used to mean:

🅧 Taking late-night meetings in other time zones. 
🅧 Skipping gym or yoga for work deadlines. 
🅧 Sacrificing time with friends and family. 
🅧 Not investing time in our growth.

We’re rewriting those outdated rules.

Here are our New Rules of Success:

→ Explore your passions.
→ Turn them into a business idea.
→ Talk to ideal customers to validate it.
→ Build a business model in the evenings.
→ Market, learn, and run new tests until it works.
→ Network with other women in tech who get you. 
→ Keep your corporate job until the business takes off. 

Forget the idea that success = titles + promotions.

In 2025 and beyond, success = life on YOUR terms.

Invest your most valuable asset (TIME) →
 into building your own DREAM life and business.

It's time to start living life on your OWN terms. 💛

What would you add to our New Rules of Success?

The moment I knew I was ready to start my own business?

It wasn’t loud. 
It wasn’t dramatic. 
But it hit me like a wave.

I missed another Bali sunset as I stayed working late,

→ Chasing fires in my new fancy job,
→ Leading a 20-person team of Indonesians,
→ And earning 6 figures as a General Manager.

Nobody pushed me to as I got carried away:

Building a digital strategy. 
Setting processes and solving  problems. 
Scaling operations and driving business growth.

But none of it was mine.

That was the moment ↓

I realized the businesses I was running for others…
Could have been mine.

→ I had the drive.
→ I had the skills. 
→ I had the experience. 

What I didn’t have? Ownership.

So I walked away from the “perfect job.” 

Great title. 
Real stability.
Dream location. 

And I started over.

No fancy investors. 
No guarantees. 

→ Just a laptop.
→ And a belief I’d figure it out.

That was the beginning of Le VPN. 

A SaaS business I co-founded that’s been profitable for 15 years and counting.

Looking back?

That "missed sunset" moment was the first time I had that realization.

The realization that I was ready.
Ready to build something of my own.

And maybe… that’s the moment you’re waiting for, too.

If you've ever felt torn between "I should start my business" and "Maybe it's not the right time yet," you're not alone.

Most women I coach reach that exact crossroads.

They're successful in their careers but deep down want to build something of their own.

And one of the simplest tools I use to help them figure out if now is the right time....

Comes from an old tool you probably forgot existed: 
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

Think of building a business like building a house.

You can't hang the chandelier before you have a roof.

Maslow's pyramid has five layers:

1. Physiological needs 
(food, sleep, housing, money to survive)

2. Safety needs 
(feeling stable, secure, financially okay)

3. Love and belonging 
(family, relationships, community)

4. Esteem 
(feeling accomplished, respected, confident)

5. Self-actualization 
(doing what lights you up, living your purpose)

Building a business, especially one with purpose and impact, happens in the top half of the pyramid.

But you can't get there if your lower layers are shaking.

If you just lost your job, 
Are about to buy a house, 
Or going through a breakup, 

Your energy is going into survival.

And that's totally okay. 💛

It's just not the best time to pile building a business on top of that.

This is why I tell my clients: 
Don't quit your corporate job just yet.

Unless you have a couple of years of savings, 
Your job gives you something incredibly valuable: Safety.

It keeps the bottom of the pyramid solid
While you build the top part.

You don't need perfection.
But you do need stability.

Get to a 7/10 on each bottom level before you start.

And once you get there, DM me for next steps. 😊

Ambitious women in tech often feel trapped by success.

The more you deliver, the more is expected.

And the idea of breaking free to start your own business:
Feels overwhelming.

Like you need to sacrifice security, time, or even sanity.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.

I call it building "Life on Your Terms":

1. Prioritize your values and goals.
2. Create time to work on your business.
3. Start building your business on the side.
4. Design a business model to replace your income.
5. Transition out of corporate and thrive with confidence. 

It’s not about rushing to quit your job.

It’s about creating options and building the life you want. 

P.S. What would you add to this list?

Is your corporate job suffocating your passion project?

You’re not alone.

A client I coached a few years back was aiming for promotion in an e-commerce giant.

We worked on her leadership skills to get that raise.

And also, in 3 months together:

⤷ We leveled up her positioning and mindset 
⤷ Mapped out her key professional aspirations 
⤷ Dove deep into her passion, values, and life goals

At the end, she not only got promoted,
But also got confidence, clarity, and a new plan.

Still, it wasn’t her biggest breakthrough…

She discovered that what she TRULY wanted was to finish the novel she’d abandoned years ago.

And now she had a clear plan for how to make it happen 
(despite being a new mom and starting a new role).

Laura's novel was published last year. 
She quit her job in tech and is now writing her 2nd book.

Was I surprised by this outcome? No.

My biggest surprise? On the dedication page. 💛

Laura's breakthrough became my own.
This is when I knew:

I will no longer coach on executive career goals. 
I'll only coach on passion projects that build a dream life.

P.S. If you also have big dreams but not sure where to start, I have a gift for you in the comments 😉

Parkinson's Law:

Work expands to fill the time you give it.

No matter how much you eliminate, simplify, delegate...
There’s always:

→ More emails.
→ More meetings.
→ More deadlines.

And it’s easy to let work consume everything.

But here’s the truth:
You’ll never finish it all.

So stop trying.

Instead, focus on what really matters:

✔️ Building a life that feels balanced and fulfilling.
✔️ The 20% of tasks that move your business forward.
✔️ And stop wasting your sacred time on everything else.

Instead, live your life: 

→ Take a walk.
→ Do your yoga.
→ Spend time with family.
→ Read a book that makes you grow.

Work to live.
Don’t live to work.

Because life on your terms starts with balance. 💛

Every December, we all get that burst of motivation to “make next year different.”

But for high-achieving women in tech who are also building a business on the side, setting goals is the easy part.  

The hard part is creating goals you can 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 follow through on while working full-time, managing home life, and trying not to burn out.
 
That’s why I’m hosting a new end-of-year Goal-Setting Workshop.
 
This is a hands-on, 60-minute session where we’ll set real goals for your new business. 

Not vague resolutions or wishful thinking.
 
We’ll work through everything together, live in Zoom:

→ Your top 3 business goals for 2026 
→ The quarterly milestones that matter 
→ Monthly priorities aligned with your goals 
→ Weekly actions you can fit into your schedule 
→ And we’ll lock everything directly into your calendar!
 
I’ll be doing this right alongside you, guiding you step-by-step while we build your 2026 plan together (and I build mine!)
 
I’m going to teach you the exact system I’ve been using myself for years.

The one I first learned from Tony Robbins. 
It genuinely changed my life and the way I work. 
 
This is the system that allows me to run 3 businesses in under 30 hours a week, raise two kids under 3, appear on podcasts, and still make time for pro bono projects that align with my mission. 
 
It’s simple, practical, and it works, 
especially when time is limited.
 
Expect a cozy, low-pressure, productive hour.  

I’ll have my favorite Christmas playlist on in the background, and you’re invited to bring a cup of hot chocolate, tea, or whatever feels festive to you. ☕️
 
If you want clarity, focus, and a practical plan to move your business idea forward in 2026, without quitting your job, you're the one I created this for. 💛

View event: 2026 Goal-Setting Workshop: Build Business Goals That Fit Your Life

2026 Goal-Setting Workshop: Build Business Goals That Fit Your Life

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The Battle

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Mark MacLeod's LinkedIn Performance

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