LARISSA ZHOU COACHING

What does your coaching service include?
My personalized coaching program is designed for clients who want to work directly with me on a daily basis, on a monthly coaching subscription of $500/month that includes:
• 2 x 1:1, 60-min video calls
• unlimited asynchronous support via WhatsApp
I prefer that we commit to working together for 3 months before switching to a monthly model.

What are some topics you've helped clients address?
• "I have persistent conflicts with co-founder/manager/employees that seem to come up again and again." I help clients understand what they're really arguing about, clarify their points of view in the face of tremendous noise and pressure, and advocate for and influence decision-making in alignment with their own values.
• "I don't like my current job but can't seem to make the jump to another job." I help clients clarify what's holding them back, get comfortable with fear and uncertainty, and craft a next step (whether it's evolving at the current job or moving onto a different job) feeling empowered.
• "Negotiating offers." I help clients into their latent strength and leverage, so they ask clearly and powerfully for what they want. No more mind-games.
• "When I first started this job, I loved the core essence of my work, but thanks to a combination of factors, I'm now burnt out." I help clients examine and adjust their relationship to work and productivity, as well as their neglected cousins - rest and recovery, in order to create a sustainable way to be in life and work.
• "Being a woman or other under-represented minority in STEM." ('nuff said)
• "I think I want a career in food. But I'm not sure what kinds of jobs are out there and what would be a good fit for me..."
• "I've started my own research group, start-up, small business, (fill in with whatever entrepreneurial venture you're undertaking). I know I chose this, but the anxiety is persistent and overwhelming." I help clients tap into ease at work and cultivate a vibrant personal life.

I've never worked with a coach before. How do I know if I need coaching?
I didn't use to believe in coaching at all. And then I reached a point where trying to change things on my own was either too slow or literally got me nowhere. So I hired a coach and saw how quickly they helped me move through obstacles and achieve bigger goals. And now in the areas that I take seriously, as a daughter, a partner, a mother, a business person, a leader and as a community member, I get help as early as possible. It's not always with a dedicated coach. Trust me, I love free tutorials as much as the next first-generation immigrant (hehe). But sometimes I want a coach dedicated to supporting me 24/7 to turbocharge progress like nothing else. You get to decide if that's something you're ready for. If you're unsure and intrigued, just sign up for a free consultation with me and I can help you think things through.

But how can you coach me if you haven’t lived my career?
Here’s the thing: I don’t need to have had your exact job to help you navigate it. And more importantly, no one has lived your exact career.

The kind of people I coach aren’t following a pre-determined script. You’re forging your own path—whether that means jumping between disciplines, building something unconventional, or making decisions most people wouldn’t even think to consider.

And that? That’s the life I’ve built for myself, too.

My background isn’t a neat, linear story. I’ve taken big leaps, crossed boundaries, and bet on things that didn’t have a clear roadmap. The industries may be different, but the underlying skills—the ability to trust yourself, to navigate uncertainty, to build something that shouldn’t work but somehow does—are universal.

"If more information was the answer, we’d all be billionaires with perfect abs." – Derek Sivers

You don’t need more advice. You don’t need more books, more certifications, more voices telling you what’s right. (Maybe you do need some of these, but we figure out which ones you really need versus chasing credentials blindly to fill an unfillable gaping hole of insecurity.)

What you need is a way to cut through the noise, trust yourself, and take action—even when the next step isn’t obvious. That’s what I help with.

So, if you’re looking for a step-by-step formula, I don’t have one. But what I do have are the skills to help you navigate uncertainty, make bold choices, and build something that actually fits you—because there is no pre-written roadmap for the life you’re creating. I coach based on skills that help me deeply understand your situation, no matter how different our careers have been.

And yes, sometimes I have been in a similar situation. When that’s the case, and when it’s actually useful, I’ll offer advice. But most of the time, my role isn’t to give you my answers—it’s to help you find yours.

Because the best decisions—the ones that actually stick—aren’t the ones someone else hands you. They’re the ones you discover for yourself, with the right guidance.

What are your coaching credentials?
I have 10+ years of mentoring early career folks in the food industry. At Harvard, I was a leader of SEAS InTouch, a peer advising group supporting engineering graduate students. I'm a graduate of the Harvard Peer Coaching Initiative and have hosted webinars on graduate research in collaboration with the Harvard Academic Resource Center. I have learned immensely from coaches including Judy Hu, Kara Loewentheil, Michelle Kevill, Kasia Urbaniak, and Shirzad Chamine. I hold a BA in physics and PhD in mechanical engineering & materials science from Harvard University.

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