You're successful.
You're also quietly exhausted.
Let's change how you do both.
Groundwork is 3 months of private coaching for ambitious women who are done overriding themselves and ready to make the decisions they've been circling.
Vanessa Arends | Coaching for ambitious women leaders who are quietly exhausted.
Coaching 100+ women online across Europe and beyond.
Does this sound like your week?
You spend 45 minutes on an email that needs three lines.
You say yes before you've checked whether you want to.
You finish something big and are already thinking about the next thing.
Someone praises you and you feel okay, for about six hours.
You get a free afternoon and fill it with tasks.
You look at your calendar and realize every hour is already accounted for.
You've probably decided the problem is discipline, or time, or a better system.
It usually isn't.
The Pressure Loop
Here's what I see over and over in capable women:
Pressure → overthinking → delay → quick relief → self-criticism → a new plan → more pressure.
Nobody taught you to do this on purpose.
It's a pattern that worked for years and it got you where you are.
It also costs you more every year.
A new system only helps you run the loop harder.
Groundwork changes the loop itself.
You don't need to want less
You've probably been told to slow down, lower your expectations and be grateful.
I'm not going to say that. You like achieving and you should.
Whether you lead in a corporate role or run your own business, you don't want less.
You want the career, the business, the money, the freedom and the adventure without paying for them with your energy, your relationships and your peace of mind.
What changes when you work with me
- You make decisions without negotiating with yourself for three days.
- You say no without a week of guilt.
- You stop replaying conversations and second-guessing choices you've already made.
- You act on what you already know instead of waiting to feel certain.
- You enjoy what you've built, instead of being on to the next thing.
- You trust yourself to handle it, even when it doesn't go to plan.
Meet Groundwork
A 3-month private coaching experience
Built around what's actually happening in your life right now: the decision in front of you, the conversation you're avoiding, the pattern that keeps showing up.
We work with your mind and your body, because you can't think your way out of a pattern your body still believes in.
Groundwork is where we work on the things beneath the goal:
SELF-LEADERSHIP
Know what you want. Make decisions. Trust yourself.
BOUNDARIES
Protect your time, energy and priorities without being ruled by guilt.
RESILIENCE
Stay with yourself when life gets uncomfortable, uncertain or difficult.
CAPACITY
Learn to hold more responsibility, visibility, change and success without constantly pushing yourself past your limits.
AMBITION
Get honest about what you actually want — and have the courage to go after it.
What clients are saying:
Karen T
"Vanessa is so easy to talk to. She is compassionate, caring and knows how to challenge you to look at your circumstances differently and take back control. She continues to support my journey with positivity, honest guidance and encouragement to trust myself and move forward. " United Kingdom
Pallavi K
"Vanessa helped me understand my thoughts, see things differently and reorganize the way I was approaching my life. Through the coaching, I learned to be more aware of what I needed and to treat myself with more kindness. It created a really positive change in the way I live and show up for myself." Denmark
Yasmin H
"Vanessa has given me the clarity and direction I needed to clear my mind, make decisions and take action. She helped me organize my thoughts and see the steps forward much more clearly. And her positive energy is an added bonus! I highly recommend her 100%. " Spain
Laura S
"Vanessa is a great listener and knows how to ask the right — and sometimes challenging — questions. She challenged the way I saw myself and my own abilities, helping me build a stronger sense of who I am and what I'm capable of. She gave my self-confidence more room to grow and shine through." Denmark
Sandra S
"Working with Vanessa helped me slow down, understand the patterns that were keeping me stuck, and reconnect with what I really wanted… start trusting myself to make decisions and take action." Norway
Mille N
"Vanessa can make you smile even on rainy days! She challenges you to think differently, uncover the limiting beliefs that may be holding you back, and find your own path forward. She gives you the tools, clarity and support to stay focused and keep moving towards what you want." Denmark
Hi, I'm Vanessa Arends
I spent 18 years in corporate in the fashion industry, being the person everyone counted on.
I looked successful on paper. Inside, I was working all the time and overriding myself to keep it going.
In 2014, shortly after my dad died unexpectedly of cancer, my body burned out. I couldn't function.
Now I'm a coach for women leaders and I help you change before your body makes the decision for you. I work one-to-one and online, in Europe and beyond, in English and Spanish.