Leadership And Living That Doesn't Cost You Your Humanity

You've built something meaningful. You're ready for a new challenge. Your potential is waiting to be untapped.Build the leadership and life skills to sustain it without burning out, losing yourself, or sacrificing what matters.I work with high achieving founders, executives, and professionals navigating the messy intersection of leadership, company building, career growth and life transformation.

Who I Work With

Founders & ExecutivesYou're leading teams, raising capital, making high-stakes decisions, and carrying the weight of other people's livelihoods. The pressure is real. The isolation is real. And somewhere along the way, you started wondering if you can do this sustainably, or if something has to give.Career Changers & SeekersYou're standing at a crossroads. Maybe you're ready to quit the job that looks perfect on paper. Maybe you want to move abroad and start over. Maybe you want to start your own company. Maybe you're fresh out of university, staring at a world of possibilities with no clear map.

For Founders & Executives:

You might be experiencing:

  • Decisions being heavy and feeling lonely… Emotional load leaks to the team… Constant urgency.

  • Overwhelm from employees and board pressure.

  • Co‑founder conflict, bad senior hires, unspoken cultural tension.

  • No safe place to discuss doubts about fundraising, org structure, or people issues.

  • Fear of being judged or fired if vulnerable with board/investors; fear of losing team confidence.

  • Low confidence about background and skills.

  • Personal life, relationships and health falling apart or being neglected.

For Career Changers & Seekers:

You might be experiencing:

  • Waking up every day and hating the thought of going to a place where you feel unwelcome and worthless.

  • Thinking it would be "imprudent" to walk away from this compensation.

  • Feeling like you're not doing anything of value.

  • Wondering what if you can't make it anywhere else?

  • Getting stuck because you're trying to figure this out alone.

  • Knowing there is something better out there for you.

For Founders & Executives:

I help you:

  • Lead with clarity and intention, not just reaction and survival.

  • Make difficult decisions without second-guessing yourself into paralysis.

  • Build leadership presence that inspires trust (not fear or burnout).

  • Navigate the loneliness of leadership without losing your values.

  • Manage the emotional load of company and team building with your personal life.

  • Learn to stay grounded with yourself, your team, and your family.

For Career Changers & Seekers:

I help you:

  • Cut through the noise and get clear on what you actually want

  • Design unconventional career paths that fit your life, not someone else's template

  • Navigate major transitions with confidence instead of constant doubt

  • Take bold moves without waiting for permission or the "perfect" moment

Rob Spiro
CPO & Co-Founder
Outgoing/Imagination Machine

"Julian has the rare ability to combine insightful professional guidance, executive coaching, operations experience, and life awareness.It means you basically get a fellow Executive and mentor, on demand, just when you need it. And aside from that, he's just a truly good person. With a deep and authentic heart. The kind of good person you just want around you."

Jordana Reim
CEO & Co-Founder/Coach
Peace Inside Live

"Working with Julian over the past 3+ years has been an absolute pleasure. Julian is a rare talent, a professional who can go deep in the weeds with me, or rise above with vision and mission articulation.He helps me be a better human, not just founder, through his vast life experience and ability to listen. I'm grateful to have Julian's business support and personal friendship."

Alex Abelin
CEO & Co-Founder
Plant Baby/Kiki Milk

"Working with Julian over the past 3+ years has been an absolute pleasure. Julian is a rare talent, a professional who can go deep in the weeds with me, or rise above with vision and mission articulation.He helps me be a better human, not just founder, through his vast life experience and ability to listen. I'm grateful to have Julian's business support and personal friendship."

Why Work With Me?

I'm not your typical coach. I didn't study coaching in a classroom. I learned leadership in the arena.

  • Founded one of San Francisco's, and the world's, first coworking spaces.

  • Founded one of the first TEDx events.

  • Executive at multiple venture-backed Silicon Valley startups.

  • Entrepreneur in Residence at one of France's top startup studios.

  • Managed teams between 1 and 70+ people.

  • Angel investor with portfolio companies that have IPO'd, been acquired, and yes, gone to zero.

  • Advisor to founders across four continents: North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.

  • Helped founders raise over $30M.

  • Applied to exactly one job in my entire career (my first one out of college).

  • Well versed in mindfulness through Yoga, Qi Gong, Vipassana, Water Flow Therapy, and other modalities.

  • Lived on three continents: born in Washington DC, raised in Costa Rica, 14 years in California, time in France, and now seven years in Thailand.

I've made unconventional decisions. I've built things from scratch. I've failed spectacularly and succeeded beyond expectation. I've advised brilliant people through their hardest moments and watched them come out the other side stronger.This isn't theory. It's pattern recognition from the field.

This is for people who are serious about change. Not people who want to complain about their situation. People who are ready to do something about it.

Sean Kelly
CEO & Co-Founder
BookRetreats

"Julian has the rare ability to combine insightful professional guidance, executive coaching, operations experience, and life awareness.It means you basically get a fellow Executive and mentor, on demand, just when you need it. And aside from that, he's just a truly good person. With a deep and authentic heart. The kind of good person you just want around you."

Valli Challa
CEO & Co-Founder
Guardian Growth IP

"Working with Julian over the past 3+ years has been an absolute pleasure. Julian is a rare talent, a professional who can go deep in the weeds with me, or rise above with vision and mission articulation.He helps me be a better human, not just founder, through his vast life experience and ability to listen. I'm grateful to have Julian's business support and personal friendship."

Tom Peeters
CEO & Co-Founder
Crisp

"Working with Julian over the past 3+ years has been an absolute pleasure. Julian is a rare talent, a professional who can go deep in the weeds with me, or rise above with vision and mission articulation.He helps me be a better human, not just founder, through his vast life experience and ability to listen. I'm grateful to have Julian's business support and personal friendship."

How Does It Work?

Discovery Call (Free)
We start with a 30-minute conversation to see if we're a good fit. No pressure, no sales pitch. Just an honest conversation about where you are and where you want to go.I work with people for 10 sessions minimum. This isn't about quick fixes or surface-level advice. Real transformation takes time, trust, and consistent work.During our time together, you'll gain:

  • Clarity on your biggest challenges and blind spots.

  • Frameworks to make better decisions under pressure.

  • Accountability to follow through on what matters.

  • A thinking partner who's been in the arena and knows the territory.

Other Questions? Contact Me

Julian Nachtigal
Leadership & Career Coach
Working with clients worldwide
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