About
Who is Who
Monica Federico is a London-based Leadership and Performance Coach who blends neuroscience, psychology, and real-world leadership experience. With over 30 years in corporate and entrepreneurial environments, she helps founders and executives worldwide strengthen self-leadership, lead with integrity, and create calm, high-performing cultures that drive lasting transformation.
The Courage to Lead Without Permission
There’s a quiet strength that defines Monica Federico — the kind that doesn’t shout for attention, yet commands it through presence, wisdom, and authenticity. Her story begins not with a single defining moment, but with an awakening: the realization that true leadership isn’t about being liked — it’s about being real.
When Monica first encountered coaching in 2010, she was leading operational teams with a directive approach — one modeled by decades of corporate convention. “That’s what I’d seen work,” she recalls. But when her organization introduced coaching to reshape its leadership culture, something shifted deeply within her. For the first time, she saw how developing people’s thinking — instead of simply instructing — could unlock far greater results.
“It opened up a whole new world,” she says. “I realized I could strike a balance between genuine care for people and maintaining strong commercial focus.”
That moment planted a seed that would redefine her professional identity. The directive leader began to evolve into the coach — one conversation, one breakthrough, one act of courage at a time.
Foundation: Lessons from the Front Lines of Leadership
Before she became a coach, Monica spent over three decades in leadership, talent, and operations across some of the UK’s most recognizable brands, including Fitness First.
She led teams through the realities of business — tight margins, shifting targets, human complexity. But beneath every metric, she always found her deeper curiosity: Why do some leaders inspire loyalty while others create burnout?
That curiosity eventually led her to qualify in Human Resource Management and Performance Coaching, adding academic depth to her intuitive understanding of people.
When she turned 50, a quiet question emerged — What’s the legacy I want to leave?
For Monica, the answer wasn’t found in climbing higher on the corporate ladder. It was in building something that mattered — her own practice, Monica Federico Coaching, where neuroscience meets leadership, and compassion meets performance.
Ascent: Redefining Leadership Through Neuroscience and Self-Awareness
Today, Monica coaches founders, executives, and entrepreneurs across the globe — helping them navigate what she calls “the messy middle of leadership.”
Her approach is neuroscience-informed, combining an understanding of how the brain responds to stress with the psychology of change and performance.
“Self-leadership,” she explains, borrowing from Andrew Bryant’s definition, “is the practice of intentionally influencing our thinking, feeling, and behaviors to achieve our objectives.”
But to her, it’s more than theory. It’s about managing your own mental patterns before you try to lead anyone else.
Clients consistently describe her presence as “grounded, calm, and transformative.”
Dr. Kion Ahadi, a C-suite leader and author, shared:
“Monica brings a rare mix of insight, empathy, and grounded strength. She helped me reconnect with a deeper level of clarity, confidence, and calm authority.”
Others echo the same sentiment. Eleanor Lacey, a 3x Founder and Brand Strategist, noted:
“While many talk the talk, Monica genuinely walks the walk. Her presence uplifts and inspires everyone around her.”
This combination of grounded empathy and intellectual rigor is what makes Monica stand out. She doesn’t deliver surface-level coaching. She builds mental resilience and clarity that last far beyond the sessions.
Impact: A Ripple Effect of Calm and Clarity
Monica’s impact can be measured not just in testimonials, but in transformations. Over the years, she has worked with more than 100 leaders — from corporate executives to founders — helping them lead themselves first, then their teams, with composure and authenticity.
Her clients often arrive overwhelmed, wrestling with decisions, team friction, or burnout. Through Monica’s guidance, they leave with renewed focus, self-belief, and the tools to regulate their own nervous systems under pressure.
“I’m very mindful of co-regulation,” Monica explains. “My state affects theirs. So showing up grounded and present isn’t just about me — it’s about creating that foundation of safety where real transformation can happen.”
Behind her calm demeanor is a methodical structure rooted in neuroscience, mindfulness, and performance psychology. She meditates daily, takes mindful pauses before sessions, and treats her coaching space as sacred — a safe zone where leaders can bring their challenges, doubts, and ambitions without judgment.
As Dr. Harpreet Hyare, a Lead Consultant and Honorary Professor at UCL, put it:
“It can be intimidating to expose your vulnerabilities to a stranger, but Monica is highly trained and works with you to understand what holds you back and how to effect change. Working with her has completely transformed my career.”
That sense of safety — the ability to blend empathy with rigor — is perhaps Monica’s greatest gift to the people she serves.
Vision for the Future: Coaching Founders, Shaping Legacies
Looking ahead, Monica is increasingly drawn to working with founders and entrepreneurs — those building not just companies, but cultures. Her unique background in operations, HR, and leadership allows her to see the whole ecosystem: from mindset to management, from personal growth to organizational alignment.
“I can work with a founder at multiple levels,” she says. “Helping them manage their own patterns and stress, navigate team dynamics, and make practical business decisions. That’s where I see the ripple effect — when one leader grows stronger, their entire organization evolves.”
Monica’s work reminds us that leadership isn’t about control — it’s about consciousness. And her story stands as proof that when you stop chasing approval and start honoring integrity, leadership transforms from a role into a responsibility — one that begins within.
Editorial Note
Monica Federico’s journey is one of authenticity, evolution, and quiet power. Her voice challenges conventional leadership wisdom — reminding us that sustainable success starts with self-awareness, not self-sacrifice. As she continues to guide leaders and founders worldwide, her work is shaping not just better leaders, but better humans at the helm of modern business.
