Cydnee DeToy’s Journey from Burnout to Purpose

Cydnee DeToy never planned to become a coach—but the seed was planted back in 2018, when she found herself in the middle of a career crossroads. A few years out of business school and well into a demanding consulting role, she was grappling with a full-blown existential crisis. Despite checking off all the right boxes, Cydnee felt more drained and directionless than ever.

Desperate for clarity, she turned to a career coach—and walked out of every session thinking, I can’t believe she gets to talk about people’s values and strengths for a living. I want that! On a whim, Cydnee enrolled in coach training. She didn’t expect it to become her calling—but the more she coached, the more it clicked. In 2019, she launched Cydnee DeToy Coaching as a side hustle. By 2023, it had become her full-time pursuit.

We sat down with Cydnee to talk about the leap from corporate to coaching, the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, and what drives her to support high-achieving millennial women in designing careers—and lives—that actually fit.

What are some of the most meaningful impacts your business has had so far? 

As a career coach, I’ve helped more than 100 millennial women discover what they’re uniquely meant to do and how to better align their work with what matters most to them. Most of my clients have very tangible goals, like landing a new job or starting a new venture. I’m all for those big goals. Let’s go for it! But the true impact of my work is in helping women become the most confident and empowered versions of themselves. 

Looking for a new job or starting a new business is one of the most difficult life experiences anyone willingly opts into. Ultimately, it’s about deciding to go after a career (and life!) that feels so much better on the other side.

But doing this takes deep introspection, grit, and fully owning (and proudly talking about) one’s value. In making this change and working with me, my clients get to know themselves at a deeper level than they ever have before. They also tap into reserves they didn’t know they had. The woman who emerges on the other side of the process is stronger, more self-trusting, and fully expressed. 

“The woman who emerges on the other side of the process is stronger, more self-trusting, and fully expressed.”

In what ways has your upbringing or past experiences contributed to how you operate as an entrepreneur?

As I rose from a manager into an executive leader, I worked for a fantastic boss and mentor for over five years. Our company faced its fair share of challenges: refining our business model, staying afloat in the early days of the pandemic, and becoming a leader in anti-racism strategies.

My boss did three things extremely well: 1.) She was willing to make tough strategic decisions that she believed in and stood behind with conviction and patience until they paid off. 2.) She was a people-first leader and champion of making space for our team, partners, and clients to bring their full selves into the workplace. 3.) She had an enormous amount of resilience and faith in our ability to persevere and succeed. 

I think of her example weekly—if not daily—and try to emulate the same as I’m scaling my company by staying convicted in my strategic choices and being supportive of my team and clients’ very human needs. Most importantly, she inspired me to draw on more resilience and trust than I ever thought possible. 

What’s been the hardest and most rewarding part of your professional journey? 

The hardest but most exciting challenge in my business has been getting my business model right! I am trying to do two very important things that are often in conflict: create deep transformation for the women I serve while also reaching and positively influencing as many women as possible. 

The work that we do—helping women become the most aligned and fullest expressed versions of themselves—is too important to limit to the small number of women who I can coach one-on-one. But it also needs a level of individualization and depth that can’t be achieved in an hour-long session with hundreds of women in attendance. I’m constantly experimenting to strike the balance between depth and breadth. It’s an age-old challenge for entrepreneurs.

How do you celebrate successes along the way?

I love this question, because success is so easy to miss! During busy stretches, I often fail to stop and acknowledge what is working and how these efforts are improving my clients' work and personal lives. I have to remind myself to stop and take a breath to do so before moving onto the next thing.

Inspired by a few of my recent clients, I’ve started creating monthly “done lists.” I keep a running log of not just wins, but also “glimmers of momentum.” I also celebrate the big actions I’ve taken. Even if they haven’t resulted in a tangible result yet, I am still proud of myself for making them happen.

“Done lists” have been transformative for me. Like so many other driven women, I often fall into the trap of only appreciating the massive wins. Regularly acknowledging my progress and steps taken helps me appreciate all of the momentum building and keep trusting that it will turn into big and small successes.

How have you grown as a leader since starting your career? What experiences have contributed to this growth?

I was an executive leader before I started scaling my coaching business. I helped lead my company through the early days of Covid before doubling our revenue and team size in two years. I thought I knew leadership! 

But being the CEO is different. In my old role, I was responsible for executing a piece of the plan. Now, I’m responsible for creating the plan. I have to take in all the inputs, synthesize them, and determine the highest and best use of our time and resources.

I also lead much more with my intuition now. I used to lean heavily on analysis—but I’ve realized the best strategy often lives between the facts and the feelings.

What would you tell your younger self if you were to start your professional journey all over again?

I would tell my younger self that entrepreneurship is the biggest chapter of personal growth you’ll ever experience, and to fully, fully embrace it. Launch yourself out of your comfort zone in every single area possible. I’ve gotten more and more comfortable stepping outside of my comfort zone over the past few years, but I’ve realized that success requires operating two or three levels outside of my comfort zone … consistently. 

What’s next for you and your company/career?

More community connection, more speaking, and more writing. I’m having fun experimenting with the right channels to share the strategies and tools we’ve created in a way that meaningfully impacts women. Look for me on stage and as I continuously build new connections!