Evidence-Based Coaching · Est. 2021
Certified Pessimism Coaching
We validate your concerns, identify risks you haven't considered, and document everything that could go wrong.
Most coaching operates on the premise that the client's fears are disproportionate to reality. We operate on a different premise: that the client's fears are insufficient.
We do not offer silver linings. We do not reframe. We do not tell you it will all work out. We tell you what we found.
What Clients Say
"I came in worried about three things. I left worried about eleven. I made better decisions."
— VP of Product, Series B SaaS company
"My board kept telling me to be more optimistic. Helen helped me understand that optimism was the reason we were about to launch a product nobody wanted. We didn't launch it. The board was furious. The board was wrong."
— CEO, consumer hardware startup (since acquired)
"I used to end every meeting by saying 'we've got this.' Now I end every meeting by saying 'here's what we don't have.' My team hated it for about a month. Then they started finishing projects on time."
— SVP of Engineering, enterprise software
"James told me my business model had four fatal flaws. I told him he was being dramatic. Three of them materialized within 18 months. The fourth is pending. I should have listened sooner."
— Founder, direct-to-consumer brand (now pivoted)
"Margaret ran an Unsaid Session with our leadership team. It lasted four hours. Three people cried. One person quit. We restructured the entire division based on what came out of that room. Revenue is up 22%. I do not recommend this experience. I recommend Margaret."
— COO, mid-market financial services
A note on our approach
We are not nihilists. We are not trying to make you feel bad. We are trying to make you accurate. An accurate assessment of your situation — including everything that could go wrong — is the foundation of every good decision you will make. We provide the assessment. You make the decisions. This division of labor is, we have found, extremely effective.
Client concerns validated in 2025: 847. See the Annual Report for sector-level analysis.