Case Studies
Elan Vital supports a rich catalog of executive coaching clients. Each of them seeking to go deeper than systems, organizations, and patterns that were no longer serving them.
These extraordinary individuals have worked hard to shed limiting beliefs and have uncovered their own blueprints for success and fulfillment on their own terms. Don’t take my word for it; check out these case studies of these badass leaders who transformed their companies and their lives!
Kayla G. Founder & CEO
Upaway
I first met Sylvana at a founders’ conference, and had a coaching session with her as part of what was offered at the event. Her energy, her holistic approach, her warmth really resonated with me. I wasn’t actively looking for a coach but after meeting Sylvana, it was clear to me that I wanted to work with her in a consistent capacity. As a new founder of my company Upaway, I was seeking guidance on how to start and grow my business and I realized that with coaching I would also be growing myself as a human.
I continue to work with Sylvana because she has aided me in shifting my company from just me, to a full fledged team of employees ready to enter the market. Sylvana’s experience with evolved companies has helped each of my new hires thrive, as she’s a resource for the whole founding team as well! She’s great at reflecting things back to me, in a way that I may not have seen or thought about, and we get to leverage that for my development. I love that she sees me from a whole-person lens, and then enables me to say: "okay, now what." She's always got multitudes of ideas so I feel like I’ve got a true thought partner in her.
With Sylvana’s coaching in effective communication, our team has thrived through the trials and tribulations of an early-stage startup. Sylvana’s coaching has enabled me to be a more resonant, transparent and courageous leader.
“Sylvana brings this lens of ‘Who are you today, holistically? And who do you want to be tomorrow? And then walks alongside you to get there. She’s always got multitudes of ideas so I feel like I’ve got a true thought partner in her.”
Rod F. Founder and serial entrepreneur
A year after selling the company I co-founded, I felt stagnant working at the company that had acquired us. Something about the experience of being a founder had forever changed how I wanted to approach my career going forward. So, as I considered making a change, I wanted to make sure that whatever I chose to do next would take full advantage of what I do best and would really energize me. I needed help!
What drew me to working with Sylvana was the way she strikes the right balance between asking thoughtful questions and actively listening to my answers. During our sessions, Sylvana has a theme for us to dig into together, and she then lets the conversation evolve organically based on what she hears from me, rather than sticking to a set of predefined questions. I continue to work with her, because she is genuinely curious about me as a human (and uses the word “rad” from time to time). As our sessions continue, I feel more comfortable and safe with her, and continue to have those “aha” moments of clarity.
Sylvana has helped me realize that I can ‘play by a different set of rules’ and intentionally create my own path instead of reactively ‘settling’ for jobs that happen to come my way. In the new role that I recently started, I get to leverage my Zone of Genius and feel fulfilled by the contributions I make every day. And my work aligns with my core values more than ever.
Our work together has shifted my mindset, so I’m just more open-minded and aware of what resonates with me. I’m now a more prolific idea generator and see new opportunities surfacing naturally through my work and connections with others.
“Sylvana’s style is very comforting. You never pick up a hint of judgment. When you say something to her, it is not good or bad, it’s just truthful.”
Naveen G.
Co-Founder and COO
Gramener
When we initially connected with Sylvana, our company was about five years old and growing well. However, both my CEO and I were feeling we needed to create organization which is sustainable and not dependent on founders. We weren’t clear on where we should go next. Sylvana helped us identify our goals and desires for where we wanted to go and why. She then helped us get comfortable delegating and providing clarity on purpose and intent to our team. We also realized that we needed help cultivating accountability within our system, which was lacking. As a founder myself, I needed to decrease our growing company’s dependency on the founders, and develop the next layer of leadership. Sylvana has helped us on all these fronts, and I’ve been able to free myself up to focus on the big picture, while properly equipping my team to move forth with confidence.
What drew us to work with Sylvana was her style of coaching. Her feedback is always extracted from our conversations as opposed to prescribing a particular answer. We continue to work with Sylvana because she has a way of asking the right questions, that help us get to the crux of our challenges or to address delicate situations.
As a company, Sylvana has helped us build the fundamentals of our organization: regarding our decision-making processes, values, and having clarity about what our journey is. These tools from Sylvana have helped us move forward in a more focused way into the market. On a personal level, the biggest benefit me and my co-founder have experienced is a change in how we approach challenging situations. I now have tools that assist me in those instances, especially being receptive to feedback (both internally and externally), so that we can move past difficulties more easefully.
“Sylvana’s process helped us identify our needs and priorities, and get to the core intentions. Since coaching with Sylvana, we’ve become “Great Place to Work” certified and we know that her support helped get us there. She’s been able to make a profound impact on us, and we are so happy with our partnership these past few years.”
Testimonials
Cody M.
CEO at Nolan Ryan Brands
“With her coaching, I've become more comfortable in my own skin, in my own growth, more at ease in difficult conversations. As a leader, I’m more aware and more intentional with the decisions I make and how I allocate my time and energy on a given week.”
As I transitioned from COO to President of the company, Sylvana’s support has been key. She was just very calm and easy to talk to from the start, and that made it easy to open up to her right away. I really like the curiosity that she brings to the calls.
Everything that you say she generally follows up to probe deeper, like saying “What do you mean by that? or “Why do you think that is?” With Sylvana, you can't just get away with giving a surface answer that’s ambiguous; she wants you to get to the deeper root of why things are the way they are.
With her coaching, I've become more comfortable in my own skin, in my own growth, more at ease in difficult conversations. As a leader, I’m more aware and more intentional with the decisions I make and how I allocate my time and energy on a given week.
Taylor W.
Co-Founder at Humble Sea Brewing Co.
“Sylvana's a very compassionate person and a great listener, who at the same time will challenge you in ways that you never thought you'd be challenged.”
Sometimes I enter our coaching sessions feeling stressed about everything that’s going on, but I leave the sessions feeling relieved and clear. She helps to provide clarity, encouragement and actionable guidance.
Sylvana's a very compassionate person and a great listener, who at the same time will challenge you in ways that you never thought you'd be challenged. And I think that's been super important and healthy for our growth as company leaders and as humans. I’m so grateful to have her in our corner as our business continues to grow.
Ganes K.
Co-Founder at Gramener
“One of the most powerful things about working with Sylvana is that she’s able to pick up on the things that are unsaid and then asks you deep probing questions to discover what lies beneath the surface.”
Sylvana made me reflect and question my own assumptions, especially those that held me back. She guided me on the right path with relevant recommendations. This renewed clarity helped me set short and long term goals to channel my energy, synergize better with my team, and realign my inner compass. She genuinely cares and brings great thoughtfulness to her work.
One of the most powerful things about working with Sylvana is that she’s able to pick up on the things that are unsaid and then asks you deep probing questions to discover what lies beneath the surface.
Ariana E.
Co-Founder and CTO at Pickle Robot
“She doesn’t let you just sit back, she encourages your growth and is right there to support you in that continual journey of growth.”
Sylvana has helped me gain the tools to manage uncertainty without becoming overwhelmed. I can walk into a charged situation and feel equipped to defuse it, as opposed to escalating into more tension. I’ve also learned to better deal with mismatched expectations, and address situations quickly to get the team back on the same page.
My favorite part about working with Sylvana is that there is a growth mindset to her approach. Once we’ve handled a challenge, or integrated a new concept, she pushes me to the next level, to think of what’s next. She doesn’t let you just sit back, she encourages your growth and is right there to support you in that continual journey of growth.
