Snappy VP of Sales “My time with Andrea allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of who I am, why I sometimes do what I do, and how to thoughtfully approach adjusting that behavior to create a fuller life.”
What brought you to coaching?
What were you struggling with or ready to change?
I started coaching at a major inflection point, feeling a sense of 'organizational whiplash' and struggling with a leadership identity that had been in survival mode for far too long. I needed a sounding board—a professional and emotional sherpa—to help me navigate a chaotic C-suite environment while I was personally trying to show up for my husband and daughter. The three goals I identified were:
Leadership: Transitioning from "managing" to truly "leading."
Empowerment: Shifting from a reactive mindset to a proactive, confident one.
Presence: Creating a hard boundary so work doesn't bleed into your most important relationships.
How did understanding your Enneagram type shift your self-awareness?
Understanding my Enneagram type was less about "learning something new" and more about finally having a map for the intensity I’ve always carried. As a Type 8, my default was to lean into power and control to avoid feeling vulnerable or "fraudulent." Coaching helped me realize that my intensity—which I often used to push through chaos—was sometimes leaving my team feeling "unsafe" or overlooked.
The shift happened when I stopped viewing tenderness as a weakness. I realized that being a "strong" leader didn't mean having all the answers or over-functioning to the point of exhaustion; it meant holding space for ambiguity and letting others lead.
Unconscious Patterns & Motivations
Overcompensating: I discovered an unconscious pattern of taking on every problem to avoid appearing incompetent. I was overcompensating because I feared being seen as a "fraud" in my VP role.
Story vs. Signal: I realized I was often reacting to a "Story" rather than the "Signal" (the actual facts). This kept me in a state of defensive "survival mode."
Going to Anger: I recognized that my frustration wasn't just about work quality—it was a defense mechanism. By "getting organized instead of getting mad," I learned to trade reactive rage for intellectual conviction.
What was your pivotal insight or "aha moment"?
My pivotal "aha moment" came during a couples session with Andrea. Sitting with my husband and hearing his perspective as a Type 9 was a massive wake-up call. Seeing the relationship through his eyes made me realize just how detached and disconnected I had become; I was physically there, but mentally miles away.
I finally had to face the truth: when my father died, I went into a survival-mode fog and stayed there for two years. I hadn't actually grieved, and I certainly hadn't admitted to anyone—including myself—that "I'm actually not okay." Admitting that vulnerability in front of my husband was transformational. It broke the "Type 8" armor I’d been wearing, allowing me to stop overcompensating at work and start showing up authentically at home.
How did you begin showing up differently?
I shifted from being a "reactive fixer" to an empowered owner. As a leader, I stopped waiting for my boss’s approval and started making clear, bold decisions. I traded my "Type 8" intensity for organization, empowering my team to solve problems rather than just feeling the weight of them.
As a partner and mom, I stopped being a "detached observer." By admitting I wasn't okay and finally grieving my father, I was able to drop the armor. I’m showing up for my husband with more vulnerability and for my daughter with a clear boundary—no phones, just presence. I’m finally prioritizing my own "battery" through morning walks and grounding routines so I can lead from a place of strength instead of survival.
What impact did these shifts have?
The most immediate change was within my team. By embodying the mantra "Don't get mad, get organized," we shifted away from the emotional whiplash of company chaos and moved into a high level of operational, outcome-driven problem solving. I stopped micromanaging out of fear and started empowering them to own their work. Even my relationship with my boss completely transformed—once I stopped blaming him and started making bold, decisive moves, he actually leaned in and supported my autonomy.
What aspects of Andrea's coaching were most valuable to you?
What I valued most about working with Andrea was her ability to be my "emotional and professional sherpa." She didn't just give me leadership tactics; she helped me navigate the messy intersection of my C-suite career and my personal life.
The most valuable aspects were:
The "Signal vs. Story" Framework: This was a total game-changer. It gave me a tool to pause and distinguish between the "story" my anxiety was writing about my boss or my company and the actual "signals" in front of me. It’s what allowed me to stop reacting and start leading.
The Enneagram Integration: The Enneagram was a grounding framework that helped me look in the mirror and it became the lens in which Andrea and I spoke about different aspects of growth. Bringing my husband into that process for the couples session was the catalyst for my biggest breakthrough—helping me see that my "armored up" survival mode was actually causing the disconnection at home.
Unbiased Accountability: She was a safe, outside perspective who challenged my "over-responsibility" loop. She called me out on my lack of boundaries and helped me realize that "change can happen with small, intentional tweaks."
In one sentence, what would you tell a friend or colleague about coaching with Andrea?
Coaching is an investment in your whole self. It's an opportunity to pause, to understand, and reflect on the aspects that make us uniquely human.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
My time with Andrea allowed me to see how my characteristics and traits were playing out and impacting my relationships both inside and outside of work. Most importantly, it was a window into my relationship with myself. It allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of who I am, why I sometimes do what I do, and how to thoughtfully approach adjusting that behavior to create a fuller life.