Sandra Visser
On the personal side…
As an executive coach, guiding people through transformational chapters in their professional and personal lives, I am no stranger to the call of expansion and re-invention in my own life.
Born and raised in the Netherlands, my first experience of ‘expansion’ came at age 15, when my family moved to Germany and I had the opportunity to complete my high school education at the Frankfurt International School as part of a highly diverse international student body. I loved the international flair and for my undergraduate studies I chose to move to vibrant, multi-cultural London to study European Business Administration and spent a semester studying in Paris as part of that.
After graduating, I started my career in account management in the advertising industry. Those were exciting and at times intense years, being part of and later leading multi-discipline teams in a highly creative, strategic, fast-paced and high-pressure world.
By the end of my twenties I had achieved a good measure of outer success in my career, but not the internal fulfillment I had anticipated it would bring along. I felt confused and in turmoil… Where was I going wrong? Inner turmoil turned into ‘burn out’ and though I didn’t realize it at the time, truth is, I was being called to discover my Authentic Path.
In a big leap of faith, I quit the security of my job (and my life) and backpacked in the Far East for over 6 months. The beauty of nature opened my heart, the kindness of people touched my soul and along the way I became aware of the awe-inspiring power of synchronicity guiding me toward inspiration and connections that had heart and meaning for me. It was a profoundly expansive and transformational experience that challenged me to re-evaluate assumptions about myself, my work and my life.
Returning from Asia and now in my thirties, I took my work life in a new direction. I enrolled in a 5 year Masters program in Psychosynthesis Psychology and simultaneously trained to become an Executive Coach in the then newly emerging profession of coaching. It was a phenomenal time of personal growth, spiritual exploration and professional re-invention. With all this growth and change, my marriage ended and a decade of exploring my independence and authenticity opened up.
I had the great fortune to partner with several brilliant professional women who had simultaneously made the leap into coaching. We became each other’s associates, champions and collaborative partners in designing coaching and leadership development programs, which we delivered in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
As I approached my 40s the question of ‘what’s next’ emerged for me, again. Having learned to pay attention to the whispers of my Authentic Self, I sensed I was being called to go and explore Boulder, Colorado as a place to live and work. For many years I had been inspired by the promise of Boulder’s conscious community, hiking in the mountains and snow in the winter, but I had told myself it would be ‘impossible’ to get a visa. Challenging my limiting assumptions and finding my courage to embrace change and growth, I began to take actions to turn my vision into reality. I learned once again that ‘The moment one definitely commits oneself, Providence moves too’ (William H. Murray, Scottish Himalayan Expedition). Providence guided me to incredible people, an initial business visa and aligned opportunities that helped me make Boulder my home in 2008.
Over the past 15 years I met and married my soul partner, created a vibrant new community of friends, built our dream home in the foothills of Boulder, while simultaneously re-building my coaching and leadership development practice in a new country. Along the way there have been ups, downs and turnarounds, but ultimately living and leading from greater authenticity has brought, and continues to bring, deep meaning and fulfilment to my life and work.
…and the professional
I hold degrees in Business Administration (BA) from the European Business School in London and Psycho-Spiritual Psychology (MA) from Middlesex University/the Institute of Psychosynthesis in London.
I am an AEC Certified Executive Coach (London), a Certified Team Coach (by Team International (TCI) as well as a graduate of CTI Coaching, CTI Leadership and ORSC (Organizational and Relationship Coaching).
I am currently completing my a certification for Women Centered Coaching through Evolving Wisdom. I am also a (lapsed) ICF accredited Professional Certified Coach (PCC).
I love working with the Leadership Circle Profile, for whom I am a certified practitioner. I’m also a certified Alignment Coach using Patty Beach’s/Leadership Smarts’ Alignment Facilitation Process.
My Leadership Development toolbox includes many additional tools gained through trainings in NLP, Myers Briggs, Heartmath, Polarity Training, Positive Intelligence, The Empowerment Dynamic and Feminine Power.
Over my 20+ years as a coach I have developed and led leadership development trainings in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, the UK, and the US.
I have coached individual leaders and senior leadership teams in a variety of organizations—including for-profit and not-for-profit organizations—such as Prudential, the BBC, Daily Mail, Leo Burnett Advertising, Sanofi-Aventis, Red Cross, Publicis Seattle, Passageworks, Clinica Community Healthcare, Stride Community Health, Financial Planning Association, Colorado Association for Family Practitioners.
I have also had the great pleasure to co-design and co-facilitate a 3-day experiential training for other executive coaches, teaching the award-winning methodology of the Positive Vision Day, a Coaching Intensive Program created by my dear friend and colleague Fiona Parashar of Leadership Coaching in the UK.
My coaching and teaching style is perceptive, intuitive, supportive and focused on the practical. I am an enthusiastic champion of optimizing individual fulfillment and leadership performance as well as collective team achievement.
I have a special passion for partnering with socially conscious organizations whose mission is to be a force for good.
Allison Litchfield, Business Owner and Author of Roots and Wings