Become a more effective Leader with clarity in your vision, confidence in your actions, and calmness in your mind.
My name is Manuel Koelman [kuːlman]. I am a serial entrepreneur and leadership whisperer. Entrepreneurs can become part of my "Inner Circle" and I will help them grow their business and themselves.
I am not selling fish.
I started my first company in 2003. Most of the challenges that an entrepreneur faces, I can deeply relate to. The tough conversations, the hard decisions, the setbacks, the personal sacrifices, the feelings of isolation, the mental exhaustion, the anxiety.
The reality is that entrepreneurship can be a lonely and - at times - overwhelming journey. Are we working on the right things? How can we find customers consistently? How to motivate the team? Etc.
Being the leader of a company means that every persistent problem eventually ends up in your lab. And as an entrepreneur, those problems are everywhere. When mud hits the fan, guess who everyone is looking at for answers?
The issues often seem to have obvious solutions in isolation, but become far murkier when put in the context of your specific business, team, and stakeholder environment. And they usually come with decisions. Real decisions are hard because \"something's gotta give\".
That stream of constant problems and decisions can be exhausting. Eventually, it will reveal personal questions that were nagging below the surface. Questions closely related to our hopes, desires, fears, needs, or beliefs.
Why am I doing this and what for? The initial passion has faded, and by now it feels like a constant rat race to hit milestones that no longer excite you. How do I grow, transform and build a life of meaning?
On that lonely journey, it becomes increasingly hard to find somebody outside your company to trust and to speak with openly. And yet there is hardly anything more effective than taking moments of reflection, structuring the challenges, and prioritizing well.
For the business, but also the personal journey.
My job is to help you see clearly, navigate the ups and downs, and find the best way forward. I am your sparring partner, not a consultant. So rather than selling fish, I will teach you to catch fish - and become the fisherman you're meant to be.
Better humans make better leaders.
Strategy, tactics and tools are essential. But that's not enough to become a great leader. They tell you what to do, not who you need to become. Working with me means to be radically honest with yourself.
By learning to better understand yourself, you will get closer to your truest self - and make decisions that align with who you actually are, not who you think you should be. When you can lead yourself better, you will become a better leader for others. Consequently, you will find more fulfillment in your work and your relationships.
One way of connecting with your truest self is to pause for a moment. It's scary - as when we stand still, we run the risk of remembering who we really are. That would mean we'd stop pretending that we've got it all figured out and may be confronted with our deepest fears. Our insecurities.
The running prevents us from being ourselves. From being in balance.
At this moment of stillness, ask yourself: How are you complicit in creating the things you want to avoid in your life?
Inner Circle
Entrepreneurs get direct access to me, my know-how and experience of 20+ years building, running and investing in companies.
What others say about working with me.
"Manuel is able to give a clear and unbiased external view on existing challenges. His aptitude to listen, discern and propose both conventional and unconcential ideas has been of great value to us."
Karim Hesham Tarraf
Co-Founder & CEO, Hawa Dawa
"Working with Manuel has been a game-changer. His blend of strategic and operational thinking has elevated our team's performance."
Founder
GreenTech Startup
"The air is thin when it's about leadership and then it's good to have a sparring partner that can handle all facets of a business. No matter if it's product, distribution or people. His well-structured approach combined with his no bullshit attitude makes him my go-to guy for tough decisions."
Sebastian Deutsch
Co-Founder & Managing Director, 9 Elements
"I value Manuel's perspective highly; he brings a blend of creativity and practicality that is rare and incredibly beneficial."
CEO
E-Commerce Startup
"Working with Manuel - or rather, him keeping up with me - has been one of the most expressive and transformative experiences for me. Through our conversations, I’ve not only gained clarity in my work but also learned so much about myself. He brings wisdom, perspective, and a genuine enthusiasm for learning and contributing to everything you do."
Vendita Kedia
Founder & CEO, Mauji
"He possesses a rare combination of big-picture vision and attention to detail, making him an indispensable part of our planning process."
Co-Founder
Finance Startup
"Manuel's approach to problem-solving is refreshingly direct and effective. He cuts through the noise and gets to the heart of the matter quickly."
Founder
SaaS Startup
"Thanks to his experience with startups and corporates Manuel was always a great sounding board to me. He helped me to master and structure challenges with fresh perspectives and his clear line of thought."
Oliver Thylmann
Co-Founder & MD, Giant Swarm
"His talent for questioning assumptions and encouraging out-of-the-box thinking has led to some of our most successful initiatives."
Founder
German Scale-up
"Manuel is one of my most important sparring partners for new ideas and strategies. His calm, structured but also creative and fast nature helps me tremendously to develop my businesses on and on."
Carlo Matic
Founder & MD, Interactive Pioneers
"Manuel's direct yet respectful communication style has made difficult conversations productive and transformative."
Founder
Early-Stage Education Startup
"Manuel is my favorite devil's advocate. He is constantly challenging the status quo, thinks outside of the box with a very strategic but also hands-on approach. Working with him is a real pleasure."
Jessica Wegner
MD, Douglas Retail Media
"Manuel has a gift for making complex concepts understandable and actionable, which has been a key factor in our growth."
Founder
GreenTech
"When leading a business it's easy to get lost in the daily grind and fall in love with your own ideas. Thus, it is essential to have neutral people in your life who challenge your opinions. Manuel has done exactly that in his unmistakably direct yet respectful way for me."
Johannes Naumann
Head of DHL Startup Lab
"Manuel has a remarkable talent for identifying underlying issues and addressing them in innovative ways."
Founder
Logistics Startup
"Manuel's perspectives are always insightful, challenging me to think differently and more effectively."
Managing Director
Digital Agency
"Manuel has been my sparring partner for multiple years now. It gives me confidence to have him in my corner. With his sharp analyses and fresh perspectives he always helps me to find a way out of any deadlock."
Jan-Dieter Schaap
SVP Retail, Fraport
"Manuel has the unique ability to challenge conventional wisdom while providing constructive and actionable feedback."
Innovation Lead
E-Commerce Venture
"Having Manuel around is great. He listens and then comes up with smart but easy-to-understand ideas that really work."
Start-up Founder
Scale-Up from Berlin
"Manuel is an excellent sparring partner, always challenging the status quo and pushing to think outside of norms. He is thought provoking and has the rare ability to think big while being able to address operational questions."
Dr. Shabnam Mirsaeedi-Farahani
Category Lead, Amazon
"It's always good to have Manuel around as a sparring partner when making big decisions. He understands different parts of a business really well and his advice is always spot-on."
CEO
German Scale-Up
"Manuel's presence is a confidence booster. With his keen insights and innovative outlook, he consistently guides me through complex challenges, enhancing my leadership."
Corporate Innovation Manager
Retail Corporate
Results count, process matters.
I am an entrepreneur at heart, and that is deeply reflected in how I work with you. My primary focus is on results and outcomes. That requires that we find out what is feasible and effective. Usually, that means to reduce complexity, prioritize and focus.
Working together is going to be a no-BS relationship.
No BS because it will only work if we are radically honest with each other and ourselves. Relationship, because this shouldn't be a one-time transaction, but something meaningful that grows over time.
I will make it a priority to help you get to wherever you want to go.
The only thing I expect of you is that you are sincere. Sincere about being radically honest. Sincere about putting in the work between our sessions. Sincere about genuinely wanting to grow into your best self.
We will agree on one or two fixed time slots every month. This is our regular heartbeat. It keeps us on track and moving forward. You will decide on the topics. It's your journey, after all.
My role? I'm your sparring partner, devil's advocate, mirror, sounding board, mentor, listener, and when needed, the friend who tells you what you need to hear. I will help you gain clarity in your vision, confidence in your actions, and calmness in your mind.
What I have to say will be hands-on and straightforward, but always from the heart and with your interest in mind. Whatever happens, you can count on me. I am relentlessly in your corner.
When there is anything you need to discuss between the regular meetings, you get priority links to book time in my calendar. We'll find a slot that works, typically within a few days. That way, we can address unexpected or urgent matters.
If I can help with my PIRATE network, I will gladly do so.
| The Default Path | The Sparring Path |
|---|---|
| Solving for SymptomsExtinguishing tactical fires while the underlying heat remains. | Solving for Root CausesFinding the personal "why" behind the business "what". |
| Filtered FeedbackBeing surrounded by teams who unintentionally tell you what you want to hear. | Radical HonestyA devil's advocate who cares only about your clarity, not your ego. |
| Decision IsolationCarrying the weight of the "lonely journey" until it becomes a burden. | Clarity through ContrastStress-testing your logic against 20+ years of entrepreneurial experience. |
| Performance TheaterStaying in "CEO mode" 24/7, sacrificing balance to hit milestones. | Leading with PresenceCalming the mind so you can lead as your truest, most effective self. |
Making business more human.
My personal newsletter. Insights for leading others and yourself from a multi-business entrepreneur.
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Start the conversation.
Sparring only works when there is trust. Let's get to know each other first in a free initial sparring session - no pitch, just value.
Please bring the main topic or current challenge you want to talk about, so we can dive right in and you walk away with at least one actionable insight.