Top 10 Entrepreneurship & Startup Coaches (2025-2026)
Discover the top 10 Entrepreneurship and Startup Coaches in 2025-2026. Expert coaches with proven success helping clients start their own businesses.
Posted December 27, 2025
Join a free event
Learn from top coaches and industry experts in live, interactive sessions you can join for free.
Table of Contents
Building a company is hard; doing it fast, smart, and sustainably is even harder. The startup coaches below have helped founders find the right idea for their businesses, raise early-stage capital, hit growth milestones most founders will never meet, and navigate pivotal moments across industries and stages. From YC-backed operators and Techstars Founders working in San Francisco to leaders of venture capital firms, this curated list offers a spectrum of expertise so you can find the right fit for your company’s goals, background, and timeline. Get targeted guidance, skip the guesswork, and accelerate your path from idea to impact. See all the Startup Coaches here.
Nick V.
Experience: YC-backed founder and co-founder of Relay Health. Growth operator who’s helped companies move from 0 to high revenue traction and mentored multiple teams into Y Combinator.
Specialties:
- YC applications and interview prep
- 0–1 growth and early GTM
- Founder-led sales and revenue ramp
- Non-traditional founder positioning
- Consulting-to-startup transitions
If you’re aiming for YC or need a path forward, Nick is an entrepreneur coach who brings a rare blend of operator grit and recruiting-level rigor to coaching sessions. He has a proven track record of helping founders from non-traditional backgrounds break into the startup ecosystem, and he builds successful roadmaps with tactical advice and actionable plans. Expect hands-on guidance, sharp structuring, and network-aware advice to deliver transformative results for your startup.
"Nick has been the most impactful mentor in my career. While preparing for MBB interviews, he helped me build skills in structuring/framing, quickly responding to graphs, and growing my network. Nick then came with timely advice and hard truths when I pivoted my career to start a company. Don’t know many people who care enough to be brutally honest. If you’re looking for confidence in your career, I’d start with Nick!"
- Brice D., Coached by Nick and landed roles at Lucid Software and Pattern.
→ Book a free intro call with Nick
Haitham S.
Experience: Multi-disciplinary startup founder with training from top colleges like Imperial, Harvard, MIT, and McGill. Raised $500K+ and actively contributes to building international organizations and startup accelerators.
Specialties:
- Healthtech venture design and validation
- Fundraising readiness and lead generation
- Regulated markets and policy navigation
- Academic-to-startup commercialization
- Incubator/accelerator applications
Founders tackling complex and regulated arenas will benefit from Haitham’s rare combination of clinical, policy, and device design experience. From extensive personal experience, He knows what it takes to translate research into revenue and to secure seed funding for startups. If you’re first-generation, international, or low-income, his constant feedback and resources will make the journey more accessible and actionable.
"Haitham Shoman was a great help to explain my strengths and weaknesses in a very clear way. He was an excellent actor for the scenario situations. I now feel confident to progress in the right direction with his guidance. Thank you again!"
- Naomi, Coached by Haitham
→ Book a free intro call with Haitham
Angela C.
Experience: Stanford Entrepreneurship Instructor and founder of Stanford’s Education Entrepreneurship Hub. Former Deloitte recruiting lead who bootstrapped a future-of-work SaaS to users in 80+ countries. By building core leadership skills and maintaining regular check-ins, she has helped hundreds of past clients land in elite programs and firms.
Specialties:
- First-time founder coaching
- Customer discovery and market validation
- MVP design and sustainable business models
- Fundraising strategy and pitch narrative
In her business coaching, Angela blends elite institutional insight with operator credibility, making her a standout partner for student and early-career founders. She’s exceptional at providing feedback that drives business development, sharpening strategic thinking under pressure, and elevating business goals into investor-ready pitches. If you want a coach who will provide clarity, confidence, and next-generation thinking, her process delivers.
"Working with Angela has been nothing short of life-changing. She has this amazing ability to see beyond my fears and self-doubt, reminding me that my voice is powerful, even though English isn’t my first language. Back home, I felt self-assured, but here, imposter syndrome made me question if I belonged at all. Angela met me with genuine warmth and endless belief in my potential, helping me rediscover the confidence I’d lost. Because of her patience, empathy, and guidance, I now feel empowered to chase dreams I once thought were out of reach."
- Coached by Angela
→ Book a free intro call with Angela
Mattijs B.
Experience: Former D2C startup founder and Bain & Company alum. Advisor to multiple EU D2C brands who has coached 250+ professionals at MBB and been recognized as a Top 50 Leland coach.
Specialties:
- D2C scaling and unit economics
- Paid digital and performance marketing
- Funding strategy for consumer brands
- European market entry and expansion
Consumer founders looking to dial in growth levers and raise money will find Mattijs both pragmatic and ROI-obsessed. He brings Bain-grade rigor to real-world scaling, with a focus on digital channels that create successful businesses. If you want clear metrics, sharper funnels, and investor-ready narratives from a former founder, he’s a strong operator-analyst hybrid.
"Mattijs was a huge help in my preparation for MBB interviews. His feedback is always detailed and extremely valuable. Mattijs is also very responsive, promptly addressing any questions I had throughout the preparation process. I believe sessions with him will be beneficial not only for the recruitment process but also for my overall professional growth."
- Adrian G., Coached by Mattijs and landed a position at BCG
→ Book a free intro call with Mattijs
Zen L.
Experience: Technology leader and investor with roles across Amazon, AWS Industry Products, and Microsoft Azure (including blockchain initiatives). Ph.D. in HCI and MBA in global business, and a seasoned lecturer.
Specialties:
- Product strategy and HCI-informed UX
- ML/AI and cloud-enabled solutions
- Supply chain and manufacturing tech
- Enterprise sales narratives and modernization
- Executive coaching and decision making
Zen is a trusted coach for technical founders building in AI, cloud, or industrial tech who need to align product, customers, and scale. Her coaching experience spans from helping enterprises transform to sharpening business value propositions. Expect candid and strategic feedback on how to market complex products and operate in life-cycle markets.
"Zen is an outstanding advisor for SwapNet. She consistently provides invaluable guidance and support, demonstrating exceptional expertise and dedication. Her deep knowledge and insightful advice have been instrumental in advancing our business growth. Zen’s ability to understand complex situations and offer practical solutions is unparalleled. She is approachable, an excellent communicator, and always dives into important details. She is an exceptional listener who asks challenging questions that inspire me to rethink our decisions and make adjustments. I have greatly benefited from her mentorship and believe she would be a tremendous asset to anyone or any early stage businesses seeking an advisor."
- Xingxing L., Coached by Zen
→ Book a free intro call with Zen
John L.
Experience: Brand strategist who’s given advice that’s helped teams raise, sell, and close millions. Previously helped run a startup incubator, worked in VC, and led a brand agency.
Specialties:
- Investor and sales deck creation
- Brand narrative and positioning
- Customer research and competitive analysis
- 0–1 innovation and presentation structure
When your story must convert, John helps those in the startup ecosystem develop narratives that persuade and help close deals with VCs. He brings clarity and visual precision to every team he works with, turning complex ideas into compelling pitches. If you’re prepping for a key enterprise sale, John is the right coach to give you the focused advice that’ll help you succeed.
"John has been one of my greatest mentors for years. He is so well read which makes him wise beyond years. As a result, he listens. He sees through superfluity and exchanges it for insight and simplicity. When I was building my social venture, he encouraged me all along the way, stepping in just at the perfect time between growing and feeling stuck. I highly recommend him to anyone thinking about coaching."
- Coached by John and landed a role at Anglepoint
→ Book a free intro call with John
Louis S.
Experience: Co-founder and Director of Marketing at Windfall Bio, which has raised $37M and earned a Time Best Inventions 2024 nod. Forbes 30 Under 30 and a serial builder with ventures from a sustainable clothing brand to music and events.
Specialties:
- Climate/biotech brand strategy and storytelling
- Feedback for investor outreach
- Early GTM and business development
- Team building and Executive Coaching
Louis’ coaching expertise lies in helping founders translate companies into human stories that attract capital and customers. He’s lived the zero-to-funded climb in a complex category and knows how to connect mission with market. If you’re crafting a category narrative or preparing for fundraising, Louis is a coach with a proven track record who will help you reach ambitious goals.
"Louis stands out as an amazing mentor who truly helps people grow. He's the kind of person who genuinely cares about others and connects with them in a real, meaningful way. His curiosity and intelligence make him someone who can guide people through tough decisions and help them see new possibilities. "
- John S., Coached by Louis and landed a position at Databricks
→ Book a free intro call with Louis
Salima K.
Experience: Startup Coach and experienced leader who has coached several founders. Previously worked across global tech organizations, including Microsoft, Twitter, and Okta.
Specialties:
- Key Sounding Board for founders
- Go-to-market in the enterprise and product market fit
- Operator-to-investor perspective on scaling
- Global partnerships and stakeholder management
Salima brings a cross-functional focus from big tech and venture, making her a steady guide for founders navigating complexity at scale. If you’re building enterprise-ready products or aligning teams to grow your business, she is the right startup coach to help your team.
"Salima is a great listener, a considerate and thoughtful person who exhibits a positive partnership approach as a coach. Her extensive experience in technology and ventures gives her a unique perspective from within the industry benefiting leaders and entrepreneurs to unlock their growth potential."
- Coached by Salima, landed a position at Advantage Capital
→ Book a free intro call with Salima
Dr. Steven C.
Experience: Serial entrepreneur, best-selling author, and USMC veteran. Has built multiple businesses and delivered $3.8B+ in benefits to veterans through advocacy and program leadership.
Specialties:
- Founder mindset and resilience
- Personal growth and Professional development
- Financial independence and business strategy
- Veteran founder transitions and growth
For founders who need to break through barriers to grow their businesses, Dr. Steven offers coaching sessions that offer both career advice and personal development to help ensure your sustained success. His focused approach blends discipline with pragmatic tools, helping your team execute consistently and scale with confidence. Veteran entrepreneurs and career-transitioning leaders will find a next-generation coach who truly gets the journey and will quickly improve their team.
"Steven is an incredible mentor! He's a compassionate and empathetic listener, and during our call, he shared actionable recommendations that I'm going to be able to implement right away. After speaking with him today, I feel much more confident about how I'm going to make some important decisions that I'm going to be facing in the upcoming weeks and months. Thanks again for your leadership Steven, and for inspiring me to commit to a deeper level of introspection. I'll look forward to keeping in touch moving forward!"
- Jeri Lynn, Coached by Steven
→ Book a free intro call with Dr. Steven
Rosie M.
Experience: Founder of Perkies, grown from a Brown class project to national retail distribution (Nordstrom, Target.com, REVOLVE, GoPuff). UCLA Venture Accelerator alum, active business mentor, and startup consultant.
Specialties:
- Consumer product development and launch
- Retail readiness and channel expansion
- Personal Development in a stressful environment
- DTC-to-retail scaling and partnerships
Rosie is a startup expert who provides a key support system for consumer founders, helping them build core skills through focused, constructive feedback. She knows how to validate product-market fit, build the brand and customer on the same page, and earn shelf space that translates into more money and customers. If you’re moving from prototype to purchase order, her coaching program shortens the learning curve and amplifies traction to your business model.
"Rosie has mentored me and my company since pre-launch, giving me insightful advice and actionable steps to make the launch a success. Since then she has helped with networking, DTC strategy and most recently with my wholesale strategy, going so far as to connect me with buyers. I would, and have, recommend her to other founders for guidance."
- Clara D., Coached by Rosie
→ Book a free intro call with Rosie
Find the Best Coach for Your Entrepreneurship / Startup Journey
Tailored, focused coaching can compress years of trial-and-error into weeks of decisive progress. Explore the profiles above and book a free 15-minute intro call to see who fits your stage, goals, and working style, or browse all startup coaches here.
Not sure where to start? Schedule a free strategy and coach-matching call with the Leland team, we’ll help you find a good coach to help scale your venture. Find the right coach and address your startups’ immediate challenges today.
Read more:
- The Key Factors Founders Fund Considers for E-Commerce Startups
- Pitching Yourself: Key Tips for Acing VC Interviews
- Venture Capital 101: Understanding the VC Industry Landscape
- Why an MBA is the Best Time to Start a Business
Top Entrepreneur and Executive Coaching – FAQs
What can a startup coach help me with that I can't learn from books or accelerators?
- While books, podcasts, and San Francisco accelerators can help you gain insights about startup success, a vetted coach offers a personalized form of career guidance. The right startup coach can help you validate your pre-seed idea, be a sounding board for your go-to-market strategy, give you the tools to prepare for investor pitches, and help provide focused feedback on how to navigate leadership challenges you'll face.
When is the right time to start working with a coach?
- There's no single "right" time; a good coach helps founders across the journey. At the idea stage, a coach can help you test assumptions and teach you the basics about surviving in the startup world with minimal resources. Pre-seed founders often lean on their coaching relationship to establish early customer traction and set up meetings with venture capital firms and angel investors. Later-stage founders benefit from a coaching program that focuses on ongoing support for scaling operations, hiring, and sustaining growth.
How do I choose the best startup coach for my goals and background?
- When choosing a good startup coach, it's crucial to align their expertise with your pressing challenges. Do you lack startup experience, need help gaining traction, or are you struggling to find potential customers? Some coaches will focus on helping you grow with customers, while other coaches might be more tailored for helping you get into top incubators. Look for a coach who is an industry expert in the specific area you want to improve, as this will ensure you find someone who provides the advice and feedback your business needs during scheduled sessions.
Browse hundreds of expert coaches
Leland coaches have helped thousands of people achieve their goals. A dedicated mentor can make all the difference.
