"I felt more confident taking on the responsibilities that I wanted within my work. I've been able to grow as a leader and find more confidence in myself."
“The way Sarah makes sure that people feel safe to share, are able to open up, and confident in each other is an amazing skill. “
Sanne Terpstra, Cloud Specialist @ Sogeti
Unlock Your Leadership Power & Drive Your Business Forward
"Let me start by stating that my journey has been one of internal conflicts and struggles throughout my life. My personality, in combination with my life experiences, made me into who I am today, for which I am grateful. However, to every upside, there is a downside and vice versa. I've known highs, lows, and the calm in between. All of them had their own lessons hidden inside, trying to guide and teach me how to take care of myself. I have gained a lot of insights and knowledge about myself, to the point where I am grateful for who I am, and I trust myself in finding my way. As you might notice, the crux in the above message is: me refusing to share my struggles, dealing with them on my own, and only trusting myself with my inner workings. This survival instinct, my strength, and me only trusting myself is my weakness. I've come to realize through conversations and opening up (just a tiny bit) that I needed help. That I deserved help in breaking down this internalized pattern and my modus operandi. Then Sarah crossed my path thanks to the recommendation of a shared connection. He told me to reach out to her and just connect. What followed was an amazing conversation, and Sarah offered me her time, and attention and invited me into her Avagasso "draike" community. She is currently guiding me on my journey to find what is at my core and how to draw it out into the open. Which I can tell you is a confusing, mind-bending, struggling, and challenging road... But priceless. I have never shared so much of myself in a group setting as during the online sessions. I've had multiple epiphany's every single session. The way Sarah makes sure that people feel safe to share, are able to open up, and confidet in each other is an amazing skill. The entire community is there to support each other on their own path, all willing to have open conversations and practice active listening to those talking/rambling in the process of structuring thoughts while talking. I'm not there yet, but I am already transforming and shedding some old skin. People I have known for years and who know me well also see me changing and are very supportive in letting me explore myself by granting me the time and space I need. I cannot express in words how grateful I am to Sarah for taking me under her dragon wing and guiding me through this phase of exploration and growth. Why do I call it guiding instead of coaching...?! Well, in my experience, coaches (ambition/goal-oriented) are there to tell you what to do, which tools to use, how to do it, and what the result needs to be. What Sarah does is not coaching but guiding. She will let you explore yourself where your attention needs to go to, not tell you how to feel, act, or what your goal should be. You will have to do the work, and she will only guide you toward the path of self-exploration. If you are looking for quick solutions or answers, that is not what you will get... You will leave a conversation with more questions than answers that you will have to dig into and do the work. Which will make the result, whatever it may be that you find ... A priceless treasure hunt with high reward. For every person out there who is struggling in either private or professional life, take it from me: Diving into thyself is the most precious gift you can give yourself. If you are a business struggling to find a way to assist employees in their hidden struggles and helping them thrive by tapping into their passions and needs; invite avagasso coaching in to assist your company and employees in transforming people, teams and the company in itself by creating a thriving company culture. If you personally feel the need to explore your inner workings and feel safe and supported while doing so; let Avagasso coaching and Sarah's guidance in on your journey!"
Marcela Ferro, Medical Doctor @ Freelance
Unlock Your Leadership Power & Drive Your Business Forward
"Participating in Sarah's coaching session was very inspiring, and I recommend her to everyone who is looking for clarity and self-knowledge. I had admired Sarah for a while, but attending group sessions doesn't come naturally to me, so I must confess that I started out a bit afraid of how much I would actually enjoy it. But I'm very happy to have overcome that fear! She has a way of facilitating that creates a really safe space, where discussions actually have meaning, as her skills have made us connect as a group that want to share different views, because there is always something positive coming from it and not just because "we have to". It's impressive how she can handle different personality types without making anyone feel out of place or wrong. It is remarkable how she manages to make us "get there" with reflections, and not with impositions or rules. We are half way through the course and I can't express how much I have learned. Not only about myself, but about teamwork, honesty with myself and responsibility with my journey. I don't think I will be the same person after the course is over, because there are things we cannot just "unsee". And I am sincerely grateful to Sarah for that. I have been using many tools I learned in the sessions and I can't wait for the final conclusion - although now I understand that there is no "final line" but a constantly evolving process. For anyone interested in self-awareness without trying to fit into a specific mold, dive in headfirst. Believe in the process, be true to yourself and allow yourself to seek your best version. If you are willing, she will teach you the necessary skills. And, Sarah, I can only thank you. For being inspiring and for caring so much. You deserve all the success!."
“I recommend Sarah to everyone who is looking for clarity and self-knowledge.”
“Sarah’s dedication to empowering others is truly inspiring. “
Savithri K, Engineer II @ OpenTable
Unlock Your Leadership Power & Drive Your Business Forward + Creating a Thriving Environment Through Courageous Conversations
"Sarah is an incredible coach, showcasing exemplary leadership skills. Her ability to create a psychologically safe and nurturing environment enables individuals to flourish, fostering independence and developing strong leadership abilities.
She possesses an outstanding set of tools and is exceptionally adept at guiding people toward becoming the best version of themselves.
Sarah's approach involves encouraging self-reflection, allowing others to recognize their strengths and weaknesses, and equipping them with the necessary tools to address and overcome any shortcomings.
Her dedication to empowering others is truly inspiring, making her an invaluable asset to those she mentors."
Michelle Adea, Data Science For All/Women Cohort 4.0 @ Correlation One(Honors)
Cultivating Your Personal Growth: Learning from the Past, Embracing the Future +
Explore IKIGAI and How it Gives a Reason for Being
"Sarah crafted beautiful interactive workshops on ikigai and personal growth that I had the opportunity to participate in. She challenged and reframed my perspective on what it means to be intentional and authentic.
Sarah is knowledgable, empathetic, and authentic. She would make a good coach for anyone seeking to discover more about themselves, to grow holistically, and to present their authentic selves.
I am inspired by Sarah's journey and her mission to guide you to your next level of high performance. I look forward to working with her again in the future."
“Sarah challenged and reframed my perspective on what it means to be intentional and authentic.”
“A remarkable journey of self-exploration and reshaping my personal goals.”
Sherif Abdelkhalik, Senior Software Engineer @ ING
Unlock Your Leadership Power & Drive Your Business Forward
"A couple of months ago, I had the pleasure to start attending a program "Unlock Your Leadership Power & Drive Your Business Forward" So far, it has been a remarkable journey of self-exploration and reshaping my personal goals. I am usually self-reflecting mostly by trials and errors but I used to lack some principles and missed the practical tools of doing it right. I am profoundly inspired by the depth and breadth of the content, the practical tools, and the insights for self-discovery this course provided to me. The instructor is expertly guiding us through a series of thought-provoking exercises. The program helps to foster a deeper understanding of your core values, passions, and aspirations in a team setup and safe environment. I recommend the course for you and your team if you would like to unlock your true potential, live a fulfilling life, and move with truly worthy goals, Life is short to find your purpose and live the life you want?"
Hugo van de Brug, Scrum Master @ InnSpire
Embracing Holacracy in Agile Teams: Challenges, Best Practices, and Real-World Applications
"I wholeheartedly recommend Sarah's workshop on Holacracy. Our team recently had the pleasure of attending this workshop, and it was truly an enlightening experience. Sarah's expertise in Holacracy is unparalleled, and her ability to effectively convey the principles and practices of this organizational framework is commendable. She engaged our team with a captivating presentation, providing us with a comprehensive understanding of Holacracy and its potential benefits. What set Sarah's workshop apart were her practical examples and case studies, which effectively illustrated the concepts, making them relatable and easy to grasp. Sarah's depth of knowledge in Holacracy was evident throughout the workshop. She expertly addressed our queries and concerns, offering insightful explanations and guidance. Her passion for Holacracy was contagious and left a lasting impact on our team. Without hesitation, I highly recommend Sarah as a facilitator and speaker on Holacracy. Her expertise, engaging teaching style, and passion for the subject make her an exceptional choice for any organization seeking to learn and implement Holacracy effectively."
“Sarah’s expertise, engaging teaching style, and passion make her an exceptional choice for any organization.”
“It’s EXCEPTIONALLY rare to find a facilitator who is as welcoming, inclusive and engaging as Sarah.”
“As a business owner and leader, I have been to countless business courses and workshops – so I know it’s EXCEPTIONALLY rare to find a facilitator who is as welcoming, inclusive and engaging as Sarah.
She delivered a workshop for our business community on the principles of holacracy and what makes it such an inclusive organisational structure, and we all learnt SO much. Even though I was somewhat familiar with holacracy as a concept, Sarah’s insight into how to put it into action was invaluable.
Not only does Sarah expertly hold space for people, making them feel safe and valued, but she is full of so much insight and wisdom about leadership skills, holacracy, inclusivity and diversity.”
Vasiliki Rousopoulou, Ir. Geophysicist and Consultant @ PwC
Unlock Your Leadership Power & Drive Your Business Forward + Personal Development Coaching
"Having already completed the 'Finding your core and setting worthy goals' course, I feel that something has totally changed for me. It was a very structured and well-organised course that helps you to find your core and your values. It enables you to explore yourself and learn new things that you have never thought of. Also, every week you have artistic assignments that motivate you to create content and think about it or even discuss it with your colleagues and close friends. Regarding Sarah, she is an amazing, open-minded, and fully inspiring coach. For the first time, I've met a person that really understands me and she gives input in any circumstance. She creates a safe environment to express yourself among the group members (since it's a group course), feel freedom, and become emotional as well. She will not indicate to you what's correct or not but she will help you to navigate through your goals and values. All in all, this course helped me not only to go deeper into myself but also to get connected with the group members while sharing our own experiences in a safe environment. I can only recommend this course and would not be like that if Sarah wasn't leading it. Looking forward to attending the next challenging courses (I hope that more will come)."
“Sarah is an amazing, open-minded, and fully inspiring coach.”
“I have never met a coach or manager who has as much wisdom as Sarah.”
Colette Biervliet-Schranz, Software Engineer @ bol.com
Agility: Why, What, and How
Liberating Structures Immersion +
Unlock Your Leadership Power & Drive Your Business Forward + Personal Development Coaching
"I have participated in every training that Sarah offers: Agile training, Liberating Structures Immersion, Finding your Core, and Setting Worthy Goals, and I've consulted with Sarah 1-1 for guidance on Scrum Mastering.
I have never met a coach or manager (or any person, really!) who has as much wisdom as Sarah and as strong of a vision and passion as Sarah.
I am almost done with the Worthy Goals course, and I can't believe how my sense of purpose in my job and life has changed, even though my role and life circumstances haven't changed.
As we wrap up the course, I'm confident that I will find goals that will breathe excitement and purpose into the new year, as well as actions to realize changes toward my own vision."
Umut Cetin, Software Engineer @Microsoft
Unlock Your Leadership Power & Drive Your Business Forward + Creating a Thriving Environment Through Courageous Conversations + Cultivating Your Personal Growth: Learning from the Past, Embracing the Future + Explore IKIGAI and How it Gives a Reason for Being
"I am pleased to recommend Sarah as an exceptional leader and facilitator in the realm of personal and professional development.
Sarah introduced me to Liberating Structures, a powerful approach that has enhanced my ability to collaborate and communicate effectively.
Her warm and elaborate approach to training creates an inviting environment for participants, fostering a positive and empowering experience.
Sarah's leadership skills are outstanding, and she inspires others to do their best."
"Sarah's leadership skills are outstanding, and she inspires others to do their best."
“The immersion course with Sarah was an amazing experience!
"As a relative newcomer to Liberating Structures, my opportunity to join an immersion course with Sarah Gruneisen was an amazing experience! Sarah taught us many LS activities which I'm looking forward to interspersing in my own facilitation work. Using prepared Trello boards to help us move through each process was a brilliant use of tech -- we had clear visuals and instructions, keeping us on-track for each step, and fun illustrations to add to our understanding. Sarah clearly put in many hours of prepwork to ensure we had everything we needed, and in being so well-prepared, she could focus on making us feel quite welcome in the space, too. For me in the U.S., the time conversion was challenging, but happily the course happened when I'd scheduled time off work and I could join, somewhat sleepily, but enthusiastic about the work. Thanks again, Sarah, for welcoming me into such a wonderful community of LS practitioners!"
Nynke van Houten, Planner @ Van Hall Larenstein
Unlock Your Leadership Power & Drive Your Business Forward
"What a great journey it was, following the course Unlock Your Leadership Power & Drive Your Business Forward!
Thanks to Sarah we, as a group, created a safe environment to dig deep into ourselves.
It was emotional, interesting and we all felt we dug up some fantastic gemstones within ourselves, we where not aware of.
Sarah was a fantastic guide, open and emotionally involved, giving us space and was stirring us when needed.
I will miss the regular meetings with Sarah and the group but I also feel stronger and ready for the next part of my journey. Thank you all so much for being part of this great course!!"
“Sarah was a fantastic guide, open and emotionally involved, giving us space and was stirring us when needed.”
"She helped me capitalize on my strengths instead of improving my weaknesses."
Steven Glasius, Scrum Master @ 123ink.nl
Agility: Why, What, and How + Agility: Writing Healthy User Stories + Personal Development Coaching
"I might be that I was one of her first, if not her first coach "projects." I got to know Sarah as an amazing woman, and I will forever be grateful for what she taught me. I am Steven. Currently I am working as a Scrum Master and Wedding Photographer/ Videographer. When I met Sarah, I was just starting out as a developer at a company in Zeist. She helped me with capitalizing my strengths instead of focusing loads of energy into improving my weaknesses. Usually when working somewhere. You get a performance review. Usually, it states everything you might be doing wrong and on what you can improve. Normally you try to improve your weaknesses as that is a good thing to do to improve. She showed me, by learning my strengths and using them actively and pursuing opportunities that match with your strengths. It is possible to gain more and make more progress in your pursuit of success, than focusing on your weaknesses. This helped me greatly on both setting a path for myself and taking control over my career. She used Liberating structures, methods like the Ecocycle planning, one I still use for myself and my team members. She not only helped me to learn how to take care of myself and my path, but also how I can help others to do the same (still a work in progress on the last part). She has shown to me and others, she is a master of Liberating Structures, coaching and mentoring. And this was 6? Years ago. I can only imagine how much more capable she is now than she was back then. If you struggle with setting a path for yourself and others. Sarah can help you. Thanks Sarah, everyone that knows you loves you and so do I!"
Jim Curlis, Scrum Master @ CFC Underwriting Limited
Unlock Your Leadership & Drive Your Business Forward + Leadership Coaching
"I had the pleasure of being line managed by Sarah as well as participating in some of her workshops.
She’s an empathetic leader, and has excellent coaching and facilitation skills.
We established a rapport really quickly and I enjoyed her guidance and support. I would recommend taking her course on finding your core purpose if you are keen to explore the deeper relationships between life and work.
She put a lot of time and effort into getting to know me and I hope we work together again someday. 😀🏆"
"She’s an empathetic leader, and has excellent coaching and facilitation skills."
"Sarah is a virtuoso conductor who harmonises each team player to their talents and strengths and masterfully holds the balance."
Tapas Perti, Creative Editor Freelancer
Unlock Your Leadership Power & Drive Your Business Forward
"Sarah's vision of 'Holacracy' and her core values of enabling cross-cultural and multidisciplinary communication reflect in her standout ability as a leadership coach.
Her unique personality and patiently guiding and supporting her mentees help you understand and reflect that as individuals, we are all more than the 'sum of our parts.'
Sarah is a virtuoso conductor who harmonises each team player to their talents and strengths and masterfully holds the balance."
"It was truly inspiring, with many teaching moments that emerged from your agenda as well as from the honest and open participants.
I peeked at your website just now and I loved it - just as your Trello board is, so full of color and art and joy.
Thank you for this workshop. I am so lucky to have come across the information that led me to join your workshop. All the very best, Thank you! Lea"
"It was truly inspiring, with many teaching moments from your agenda and open participants."
"Sarah showed herself to be an amazing coach, guiding us through personal challenges and emotions."
Davy Gloudemans, Junior Project Manager Engineering @ Damen Shipyards Group
Unlock Your Leadership Power & Drive Your Business Forward + Leadership Coaching +
Personal Development Coaching
"I have followed Sarah her finding your core and setting worthy goals training, and it was an amazing journey. Sarah showed herself to be an amazing coach, guiding us through personal challenges and emotions. truly helping you find your core and goals that really drive you. the course itself is very well structured and balanced and the information and help given is of a very high quality. but what really sets this training apart from others I have had before is sarah herself. even though this is a training that is held with a group, she gives you the feeling she is there for you, giving you the feeling that all her attention is there to help you and make you reach your goals. She sets an environment where you feel seen and safe, which is a requirement for a training where you need to open yourself. All I can say is that if I will find myself wanting another training, and there would be several of the same trainings I would choose Sarah her training due to the personal touch and attention she gives which just makes her trainings a bit more special."
"I had the pleasure of taking part in Sarah's Liberating Structure online training and I couldn't have been more impressed.
Sarah's unorthodox style and methods were incredibly effective, adding a fresh and unique dimension to the learning process.
The training was incredibly engaging, encouraging us to think outside of the box and explore new ideas.
The materials were well-structured and easy to follow and Sarah was an excellent facilitator, creating a safe and inviting environment for us to explore and ask questions.
I highly recommend Sarah's training to anyone looking to challenge their ideas and take their knowledge to the next level."
“Sarah's unorthodox style and methods were incredibly effective.”
"Sarah quickly created a space where we felt safe to be vulnerable and showed empathetic leadership."
"I have just completed the 'Finding your core and setting worthy goals' course with Sarah. It was a challenging and satisfying course to complete. This course is one of the most well structured courses I have attended. Each week built logically on previous classes and everything flowed together beautifully. I personally had never explored my core and this new exciting information has made some longstanding goals more attainable and made me more excited to set new goals. Sarah was able to skillfully lead our mixed group with empathy and quickly created a space where we felt safe to be vulnerable. It was a pleasure to watch her work as I learnt a lot from her leadership as well. The insight and skills that I have gained will serve me past reaching the goals set in the course. The feeling of empowerment was much needed and makes me positive about changes and impact I can make in the future."
"Sarah gave an awesome internal (remote) bol.com workshop about Liberating Structures. I never heard of it and was curious. Over the course of two days Sarah introduced our group in a very interactive way to all the basics of Liberating Structures and their purpose, emphasis on practicing instead of only explaining. I was impressed by how she prepared it, the amount of care she put into it, making the whole experience even more worthwhile. She also used various tooling in such creative ways that, even though we were all attending via Teams, I never felt any 'screen fatigue' and constantly felt engaged. Can highly recommend both Sarah as a a facilitator and her workshop for teaching you the ropes."
"She used various tooling in such creative ways that, even though we were all attending via Teams, I never felt any 'screen fatigue' and constantly felt engaged."
"Above all, Sarah is truly an inspiration of new leadership and following your own path."
Phylicia den Houden, Product Analyst @ JEX
Agility: Why, What, and How + Unlock Your Leadership Power & Drive Your Business Forward + Personal Development Coaching
"Now 2022 is at a close, it is a good opportunity to reflect on my growth this past year, to which Sarah has contributed and supported me in so many ways. From her practical teachings on agility and liberating structures (that truly felt like a liberation), to one-on-one coaching sessions and her deep dive course into my own core and the creation of worthy goals. Every interaction has brought me a step forward. Formulating my own core values has already helped me a lot navigating and deciding in the past months. Sarah’s authenticity and open mind always gave me the freedom and space to fully explore the different topics and perspectives, both one-on-one but also in the workshop groups. There is always room to share; to not share; to agree; to disagree. Above all Sarah is truly and inspiration of new leadership and following your own path in live. I am very excited to follow her future initiatives!"
"I followed the training 'Agility and Scrum: the why, the how and the whay' given by Sarah.
I'm very positive about the training and the way Sarah gave the training.
I took a lot of learnings out of the training and even presented them to my team. Keep up the good work!"
"I took a lot of learnings out of the training and even presented them to my team."
"I highly recommend her course, it will help a lot to know themselves."
Tazin Tanima, Brand Designer @ Creative IT Institute
Explore IKIGAI and How it Gives a Reason for Being
"Thanks a lot to Sarah for the excellent webinars.
I came to a completely new term IKIGAI and these webinars help to think in different ways about how to deal with personal thoughts and goals.
I highly recommend her course, it will help a lot to know themselves."
"I had the privilege of attending Sarah's Liberating Structures workshop and couldn't have been more pleased with the results!
During our time together, Sarah led the group through actionable frameworks and methodologies for tackling some of the biggest problems that can derail the productivity of teams.
I learned so much in such a little time and highly recommend anyone considering the session to jump at the chance!"
"I learned so much in such a little time and highly recommend anyone considering the session."
"I now better understand scrum and have insights on collaborating as a project lead with scrum teams."
"Sarah organized the 'Scrum & Agility: why, what and how' course at bol.com and it really fulfilled all my needs.
I now much better understand the key concepts and background of scrum and it gives me better tools and insights in how to work together as a project lead with scrum teams.
With her background and personal touch the course is a great way to share best practice.
I recommend this training for all new on-boarders and tech people that want to improve their agile skills."
"I had the pleasure of attending an immersive workshop organized by Sarah regarding the Liberating Structures.
I must say that her attitude, empathy, kindness, extreme clarity and organization impressed me.
I consider her a natural servant leader and highly recommend any event she will organize.
She will take care of you!"
"She created a safe space where everyone had a voice and felt heard."
Viktoria Jancurova, Personal Brand Manager @ Viktoria Jancurova Personal Branding
Explore IKIGAI and How it Gives a Reason for Being
"I recently attended one of Sarah's webinars and it was like no other. She created a safe space where everyone had a voice and felt heard.
She guided us through self-reflection and provided us with much advice on where we could start, adding collaborative time with fellow attendees and more 🔥
Sarah and her dragon-empowered work is truly awesome and I can't recommend her webinars enough. She truly pours her heart into what she does 🐉❤️🔥"
Christiaan van Walree, Software Engineer Consultant @ NAVARA
Agility: Why, What, and How + Agility: Writing Healthy User Stories + Leadership Coaching + Personal Development Coaching
"As Scrum Master, I facilitated a workshop using Liberating Structures for a refinement session about a new epic we're starting at my client. Two development teams (devs, testers and PO), and several stakeholders and business analysts were included in this session. I started off with a short introduction and explained what we were going to do for the next 2 hours. As a warm-up I explained Impromptu Networking and we did a few rounds. Next, the PO described the context of the new epic in a 5-10min presentation. I started interviewing her with a couple pre-defined questions and asked the crowd to think of additional questions and write them down on sticky-notes. I continued the interview using these questions (LS: celebrity-interview). After the interview, I asked everyone to create a list of everything they can think of (features/user stories, other ideas) to fulfill the epic, then to discuss and refine their ideas in pairs, and then - the same - with 4 people. Every group of 4 came with a total set of everyone's ideas included and shared them with the whole group. (LS: 1-2-4-all in combination with min-specs. However, for the sake of time we only did the "max-specs" part) Eventually, most groups presented a short solution idea in their own way. This was very valuable for our PO (and everyone else) because now we have a better understanding of what is possible and what user stories we should start working on. The feedback I received afterwards was really great! Attendees thought they would be listening to a 2 hour presentation and were pleasantly surprised with the interaction and working together in small groups. Thanks to you Sarah! I would not have been able to facilitate such impactful sessions without your coaching. I feel much more comfortable using LS than presenting a PowerPoint. Also, I prefer including the crowd to do the work rather than only myself (i.e. include and unleash everyone)! ;D"
"Thanks to you Sarah! I would not have been able to facilitate such impactful sessions without your coaching."