TESTIMONIALS

"Cate came into my life when I needed her most. Recommended by another Google executive who had taken her Board Leadership course at the University of Washington, she helped me pause, reflect, and realign my career direction during a major transition.

Her style is warm, insightful, and direct - she listens deeply, asks thoughtful questions, and helps you uncover clarity and confidence. Cate blends empathy with candor and draws on a wide network of senior women leaders, so working with her feels like accessing the collective wisdom of many through one trusted coach and mentor.

Now, as I enter a new chapter and explore expanding into a second-stage career, Cate continues to be an invaluable partner helping me navigate purpose, leadership, and growth.

If you’re looking to reassess your career or navigate complex leadership situations, Cate is truly the best."

General Manager, Fintech Industry

"Cate came to the rescue when I needed her the most. I was in a career lull, and while I had corporate board seat, had been out of the professional scene for a while. I knew I wanted to get back out to find another corporate board opportunity, but was feeling stuck and lost. While I had the credentials, I didn’t know how to package myself for what boards were currently looking for, and my confidence was a bit rusty. Cate worked with me to emphasize and highlight the skills and experiences that were “of value” to board room decision-makers (I can still hear her saying to me “altitude, altitude”) — as in, less operations, more governance and executive focus. She gently, but firmly, coached me to get clear on what I was looking for, and how I sold myself, and was very helpful in brainstorming board targets and strategies for reaching board referral sources. I am definitely a lot more focused and confident as I get back out in the game. I have Cate to thank for this."

Board Director and CEO

"Cate has fundamentally changed the way I am viewing the next chapter in my career. As I transition out of a corporate senior executive role, she has opened my eyes (and brain!) to ways to expand my “portfolio of influence” in ways that I never imagined. More importantly, she has, through various tools, experience and objective data, given me the confidence and skills to believe these next adventures are possible for me. Thank you, Cate…"

Global Labor Relations Leader, Fortune 50 Company

"I've had the opportunity to work with Cate at several critical transition points throughout my career. In each of those transitions, Cate served as an objective sounding board, helping me to ground my deliberations in my values and strategic objectives. Cate's approach to our conversations was warm, honest, and direct. I am confident her coaching and guidance enabled me to arrive confidently at my next chapter."

CEO & Founder, Investor, CFO, Alternative Energy

"Cate coached me as I navigated a significant transition from global organization leadership to launching my own executive coaching and leadership advisory practice. Cate's expert support helped me rediscover and fully stand in my power. She helped me gain deeper insight into who I am and what makes me tick, and to embrace my "parts" in all their glorious imperfection. The work we did together was one of the most important investments I made in myself in order to begin what is now a successful next life chapter as an independent practitioner."

Founder and Former Chief Human Resources Officer

"Working with Cate came at exactly the right moment in my career, as I was navigating a major transition and needed trusted counsel. She quickly became both a sounding board and a strategic thought partner, helping me see challenges from new angles and ask the right questions of myself. Her perspective was invaluable in clarifying what I loved doing most and where I could add the greatest value, while her concrete exercises gave me focus and direction during a time that felt uncertain. Cate created a safe and energizing space that helped me move through self-doubt with more confidence and clarity. Over time, I noticed not just greater ease in decision-making, but also a stronger presence and sense of impact in how I showed up as a leader. She has a rare ability to balance empathy with insight, making every conversation both supportive and actionable. I’m deeply grateful for her guidance and highly recommend her to anyone seeking to elevate their leadership or navigate a pivotal next chapter."

Marketing and Communications VP, Tech Industry

"Cate is a true amplifier of success. Over the eight years I have worked with her as my executive coach, she has been my essential strategic partner in navigating complex and highly political transitions. As a senior tech executive leading large-scale digital transformations, the challenges are immense. Cate’s superpower is her ability to cut through the noise and provide absolute clarity, helping me forge a concrete plan for success every single time.

She has pushed me to truly understand and command my value, which has been transformative both professionally and personally. Cate understands the unique pressures of being a working mother in a demanding field and knows exactly how to drive and motivate me. More than just a coach, she is a community builder who has opened my world to a network of exceptional, accomplished women.

Just as the world’s best athletes rely on coaches to stay at the top of their game, I believe accomplished executives need a coach like Cate. She is my differentiator and my secret sauce."

Tech Transformation Leader, Healthcare

"As I was preparing what to write, I went back to my "Coaching" tab in OneNote to see our past discussions. The very first page on that tab was from 2014 when I first started working with a coach. It was a tough read and my heart wept for the younger me striving to be seen, heard, and valued. She was operating from a place of fear and scarcity. Coach #2 helped me unpack ten years of baggage and launch my own business. When I met you, Cate, I was so fearful of making the same mistakes or slipping into a rigid mindset. You put wind in my sails empowering me into this next phase of my life/work/entrepreneurship. The simple mantras you taught me have become part of my practice: Make your world bigger. There is abundance and it will come. Seriously trust your gut. I deserve all the good that comes.

Now, when that uncertainty and anxiety creep in, I have the tools to survive and thrive."

Founder and CEO, Management Consulting for Tech

"Cate Goethals was just the executive coach that I needed because she met me where I was. When I first met Cate, I was navigating challenges on many fronts--work, kids, marriage, parents, health, and Cate helped me stay centered. Her somatic centering exercise was incredibly effective! She created a safe space for me. She listened without judgment and with compassion. She pushed me when needed. She offered different perspectives and tools. She's someone I go to whenever I need an honest, objective perspective. More importantly, she's become a trusted friend."

Operations Leader, Technology & Gaming

"During a period of career transition, I sought the guidance of Cate as a strategic thought partner and sounding board. Her assistance was invaluable in providing clarity and focus, enabling me to establish a new foundation for my professional growth.

I highly recommend working with Cate if you are embarking on a career transition or simply in need of a career coach. She is exceptional."

Managing Partner, Life Sciences Consulting

"I’ve been through multiple career pivots in the past few years. Cate has been instrumental in empowering me throughout each step and coaching towards success. I’ve not only managed through these transitions but succeeded in growing my responsibilities. Most importantly, she has helped me discover what I truly enjoy and where I find energy in my work."

Sales Leader, Tech Consulting

Thank you for equipping me with new strategies for managing my stress and reclaiming my personal life. Thank you for helping me to think through options and skills that I have. And thank you for being a calm and thoughtful sounding board during one of the most stressful times in my life. I am so grateful for the time we spent together.

Director, State Agency

"When I was navigating a major transition, the hardest part wasn’t deciding what came next; it was allowing myself to pause, grieve, and realize that the pause itself was progress. Cate brought extraordinary calm into that chaos. She helped me untangle self-doubt with compassion, reframe uncertainty as growth, and offered small, powerful tools that quietly changed how I felt about myself and my path. Working with her has been both cathartic and catalytic. My heart feels lighter, my direction clearer, and that calm confidence will stay with me well beyond this chapter."

Senior Director of Strategy & Operations,
Technology Industry