Lisanne van de Berg

Why this persona fits the audience

Runs a solo executive coaching practice in Amsterdam and uses LinkedIn as her main credibility channel. She posts thought pieces monthly, checks her profile before workshops, and keeps a lightweight list of prospects and referrals in Notion.

• Age: 52
• Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Occupation: Executive Coach
• Income: €88k
• Education: MA Organizational Psychology
• Company size: Sole proprietorship (1 person)
• Years in role: 14

“True leadership isn't about having all the answers; it's about creating a space where the right questions can finally be asked.”

Lisanne van de Berg is a seasoned executive coach operating out of Amsterdam, specializing in helping mid-to-senior level leaders navigate organizational transitions and develop authentic leadership styles. With an MA in Organizational Psychology and over fourteen years of experience, she transitioned from corporate HR roles to independent consulting in her late thirties, driven by a desire to offer deeper, more personalized support than the typical corporate structure allowed. Today, she runs a thriving solo practice, serving a diverse clientele ranging from tech founders to non-profit directors across Europe. Her reputation is built on a foundation of intellectual honesty and a meticulous approach to client development. Unlike many of her contemporaries who chase viral trends, Lisanne maintains a disciplined, low-volume, high-impact strategy. She dedicates significant time to crafting thoughtful, monthly thought pieces on LinkedIn, which serve as both a marketing tool and a reflection of her ongoing learning. Despite her success, she grapples with the inherent isolation of solo entrepreneurship and the relentless demand to be both a therapist and a business owner simultaneously. Her workflow is managed through a lean stack of tools, primarily relying on Notion for client tracking and spreadsheets for financial planning, as she resists adopting overly complex software ecosystems that threaten to consume her limited creative energy. Recently, she has been considering how to streamline her content creation process without diluting the authenticity that defines her brand, a tension that sits at the heart of her current professional evolution.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Lisanne wakes at 6:15 AM, making coffee and feeding her cats before cycling to her home office. By 7:30 AM, she is already writing a draft for her monthly LinkedIn article, focusing on a recent insight from a client session. At 9:00 AM, she begins her first virtual coaching call, which lasts an hour, followed by a short break for stretching and tea. The morning continues with another session until noon, when she steps away for a light lunch and a walk around the neighborhood to clear her head. Afternoon hours are dedicated to administrative tasks, including updating her Notion CRM and replying to emails. Around 3:30 PM, she might attend a virtual peer supervision group or review case studies. By 5:30 PM, she closes her laptop, changes into casual clothes, and either meets a friend for dinner or reads a physical book. Evenings are strictly screen-free, allowing her to decompress fully before bed.

Lifestyle

Lisanne resides in a spacious, sunlit apartment near the Oud-West district of Amsterdam, where she lives alone with her two rescue cats, Kip and Saffron. Her routine is deeply structured; she cycles to work daily regardless of weather, viewing it as non-negotiable mental maintenance. Mornings are reserved for deep writing or reading, while afternoons are blocked for client sessions. She maintains a frugal but high-quality lifestyle, prioritizing spending on health, education, and cultural experiences over luxury goods. Socially, she prefers intimate dinners with close friends over large gatherings, often meeting peers at local coffee shops or art galleries rather than loud bars. Her financial habits are conservative; she saves aggressively for retirement and avoids debt, believing that financial autonomy grants her the freedom to choose clients who align with her values.

Work life

As a sole practitioner, Lisanne manages every aspect of her business, from marketing to session delivery and invoicing. Her workspace is a quiet home office filled with organizational psychology texts and framed certificates. She spends her days alternating between conducting one-on-one coaching sessions via video calls or in-person meetings, preparing custom materials for upcoming workshops, and engaging in administrative tasks. The primary pressure comes from the constant need to maintain a visible professional presence without burning out. She relies heavily on Notion to track prospects and referrals, ensuring no lead slips through the cracks, though this manual process consumes time she would rather spend on actual coaching or personal rejuvenation. Her colleagues are essentially her network; she rarely has immediate coworkers to bounce ideas off of during the day.

Relationships

Lisanne is close to her sister in Utrecht, whom she visits bi-monthly, and they share a deep bond rooted in their shared history. Her closest friends are a mix of former university classmates and fellow professionals she met through industry associations; these relationships are nurtured through regular, intentional catch-ups. She has a small circle of trusted mentors she consults on complex ethical dilemmas. While she values her community, she is protective of her private life and rarely overshadows personal details online, preferring to keep her professional and personal worlds distinct yet harmoniously integrated.

How they decide

Lisanne is a cautious, research-heavy decider who relies on peer validation and intellectual rigor before committing to any new strategy or tool. She dislikes impulse purchases and prefers to evaluate options based on long-term utility and alignment with her core values. When faced with a choice, she will typically read reviews, seek recommendations from trusted colleagues, and run a small-scale test before full adoption. She values transparency and evidence over hype, often taking weeks to make decisions that others might reach in days.

How they sound

Her speech is measured, articulate, and precise, reflecting her academic background and professional discipline. She avoids slang and hyperbolic language, preferring terms like 'evidence-based,' 'systemic,' and 'holistic.' When speaking, she pauses frequently to gather her thoughts, ensuring her words carry weight. She tends to use metaphors drawn from psychology or nature to explain complex concepts. She is polite and diplomatic, often framing disagreements as questions for further exploration rather than direct contradictions. In professional settings, she speaks with authority but remains humble, never assuming the floor. She avoids jargon that sounds manipulative, favoring clarity and authenticity above all else.