I help founders become resilient, high EQ leaders.

Become the leader your team needs,
and build the business and life you actually want.

Michael Terrell

Want help with these skills?

Subscribe to my Founder EQ newsletter to learn concepts from Stanford’s iconic Interpersonal Dynamics course + the best tools I give my clients.

Start here.

I’ve helped founders & execs from:

Michael Terrell

Hi, I’m Michael.

I’m an Executive Coach

[ A letter to founders everywhere ]

The moment your company gains traction, everything changes.

Your job goes from building the product to building the company. Your most important work becomes the team, and your biggest challenges become people challenges. Often, your job shifts from mostly joy to mostly anxiety.

Without the interpersonal skills to manage your team and inner skills to manage yourself, things can spiral quickly. It's easy to forget you're leading your business and start feeling at its mercy — reacting, running from fire to fire, and battling a near-constant sense of overwhelm.

Here's what I know:

There's no stress-free founder path, but there is a better one.

  • One where you learn to ride the waves with resilience — and even joy.
  • One where you communicate clearly, connect deeply, and lead effectively.
  • One where you stop reacting and start steering — reclaiming authorship over the business and life you want to build.

I help successful founders like you develop the inner and interpersonal skills that are rarely taught — but everyone needs.

I’d love to show you how.

Three ways
I can help you.

1

1:1 Coaching

Work with me 1:1 to grow as a leader and as a person. Accountability, support, partnership – I'm in your corner.
Learn More

2

Founder EQ Newsletter

Once a month, I send practical advice on the skills needed to stay sane, lead better, and build the business and life you actually want.

3

Founder EQ Retreat

Once or twice a year, I offer an intensive group retreat to help you transform your EQ skills in just 3 days.
Learn more

According to My Clients

"Michael has been the perfect partner in my journey to become a better leader and a better human."

Vlad Magdalin

Vlad Magdalin

Co-Founder & CEO, Webflow

"Michael helped me set actionable goals and held me accountable to them instead of just talking ad hoc about my thoughts and concerns, like so many coaches do."

Caterina Rizzi

Caterina Rizzi

Co-Founder, Breather

"Michael's biggest impact has been helping me build systems to make a strong transition from founder to CEO."

Ben Congleton

Ben Congleton

Co-Founder & CEO, Olark

"Michael keeps me accountable, and helps me actually achieve the growth I most want as a leader. He challenges me directly, but makes it so much fun."

Yunha Kim

Yunha Kim

Founder & CEO, Sleep Reset

"In the right hands, Michael's coaching is easily worth 100x if not 1,000x his fee. If you have a chance to work with him, I highly recommend it."

Chas Ballew

Chas Ballew

Founder & CEO, Conveyor

"Michael has been the best investment I've ever made into my personal and professional life. He has changed my life in profound ways."

Gabe Greenberg

Gabe Greenberg

Founder & CEO, G2i

My Latest YouTube Videos

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Beautiful sunset over the mountains. Nature never fails to amaze us!
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Beautiful sunset over the mountains. Nature never fails to amaze us!
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Beautiful sunset over the mountains. Nature never fails to amaze us!

Learn to
manage overwhelm & stay grounded.

Learn to
lead & manage your team.

Learn to
build the business & life you actually want.

Subscribe to begin.

Subscribe to my Founder EQ newsletter to learn concepts from Stanford’s iconic Interpersonal Dynamics course + the best tools I give my clients.