You have checked all the boxes and followed the script.
Career. Success. Stability. Your life looks great on paper.
But something inside you is stirring. A quiet voice that says:
There is MORE - more freedom, intensity, purpose.
At Unleashed Unicorns, we do not follow the script.
We build careers, businesses, and lives that are unapologetically ours. For people who are curious about the road less traveled – and bold enough to take it.
True success begins the moment we stop following everyone else and start creating a life that truly feels like ours.
– Marleen, Founder of Unleashed Unicorns.
Coach. Mentor. A Unicorn herself.
A fulfilling career. A life that feels like you. Sounds amazing - but feels hard to get. I know!
The idea of more freedom, intensity, and purpose in life is beautiful. But let's be honest: it can feel huge and overwhelming. Impossible even. That's why you feel stuck and hesitate to move forward.
Maybe you are familiar with these thoughts:
Lack of clarity: I know something needs to change - but I have no idea what I really want. Or how to get there.
Lack of confidence & trust: What I truly want seems unrealsitic ... it feels a little ridiculous actually. And I don't think I can pull it off.
Scared of risk: To do what I really want to do is risky. What if I fail and it all ends catastrophic?
Leaving the comfort zone:
Starting over feels hard to do. I would have to sacrifice a lot of comfort. Is it really worth it?
Scared of disappointment: Following my own path would affect the people I care about. What if I let them down?
Loneliness: No one around me gets it. I feel completely alone with my thoughts. And the advice I get is not at all helpful.
You are not alone. I feel you. 100%!
You are not alone. I feel you. 100%!
Because I have been there myself.
Until I have decided to chose following my very own path.
From the outside, everything looked great: Success. Stability. Recognition. But inside, a quiet voice kept whispering: There has to be more than this.
We’ve been taught to make smart choices. To play it safe. To think and act logically. We have learned to make the “right” choices – to follow reason, not intuition. To choose the easy way over the honest one.
But let’s be real: That’s not what makes us come alive.
True alignment begins when you let your desires speak – and finally start listening. It’s not about being reckless – it’s about being brave enough to take the path that’s truly yours. Even if no one around you has dared to walk it before.
Yes, it can feel confusing. Lonely. Even scary. The moment you start questioning the script, you often find yourself alone with your thoughts.
Books are helpful. Online courses offer insights. Advice from friends and family can be well-intentioned. But when you only navigate life through the lens of others, you are not creating your own path – you are just following theirs.
There’s a different way.
With an experienced coach and mentor by your side, you get a space that’s just for you. No judgment. No noise. Just clarity, courage, and truth. In our sessions, we dig deep. We uncover what you truly want. We navigate the blocks, the fears, the tangled thoughts – together. And we turn them into steps. Into movement. Into your next chapter.
Before the coaching, I felt that my life was lacking meaning and that I wanted to get more out of it. Even though I had already been reflecting on these topics on my own, I was missing the bigger picture. I wanted to do something that truly fulfilled me. Through coaching, I discovered what really matters to me in life—not just professionally, but in general. I’m now able to articulate my goals and values more clearly and make better decisions. Marleen helped me identify my fears and build courage, trust, and inner strength. Thanks to her methods and her own personal story, I realized: it’s worth taking a new path. I quit my job and am now in the process of building my own business. Even though I don’t know all the details of the next 40 years, I now know how to navigate whatever comes my way. Marleen created space for my topics while always staying structured and offering the right tools when I felt stuck. What I found especially valuable was how she showed empathy for my situation with both warmth and personality. She always kept sight of what really mattered, supported me even outside our sessions, and often helped untangle the knots in my head. Thanks to the coaching, I can now walk my path with more ease, confidence, and determination.
Hannah
When I contacted Marleen, I was facing the biggest decision of my life: emigrating, becoming self-employed, and living as a digital nomad. I had great fears about this radical step and was looking for a neutral conversation partner who wouldn't influence me with their own concerns. Marleen was the perfect choice. Through her own emigration experience to the USA, she could authentically understand what I was going through. With her, I was allowed to speak openly about my dreams without being considered crazy. Her affirming words "Yes, it's normal how you feel. Keep pushing through anyway" gave me the security I needed. Through our collaboration, I gained clarity about what I really wanted. Marleen helped me recognize that I was unconsciously looking for the easier path, a path that would have been easier for family and friends as well. Thanks to her support, I found the courage to decide on my own path. Today I live in Mauritius and am convinced I made the right decision. I can wholeheartedly recommend Marleen. She is the right person to contact for anyone who wants to break out of people pleasing and explore new paths. Her questions don't block but reveal possibilities. She doesn't talk you into anything but lets you become the creator yourself. At the same time, she lovingly guides you back on track when you drift back into old securities. Marleen was the pathmaker for my new life. I am infinitely grateful to her for that.
Silvia
Coaching with Marleen helped me recognize and dissolve my inner doubts. Before our session, it felt like I was driving with the handbrake on — I wanted to move forward, but something was holding me back. Everything felt like an overwhelming mountain of impossible tasks. After just one session, I had real clarity about my next steps and immediately got into action. Marleen is pure inspiration through her own story. With her empathetic nature, she creates a space of trust that makes it easy to open up. If you're looking for clarity, courage, and renewed energy — she's the one. I wholeheartedly recommend working with Marleen. Thank you so much, Marleen!
Julia
Cracking tough nuts was never easier than through coaching with Marleen I recently had to make a tough decision regarding the future setup of my professional life and consulted her for a coaching session to guide me through my thought process. Specifically, I chose Marleen as I highly value her unique combination of empathy, rational thinking and to-the-point clarity. In our session she helped me separate facts from emotions, take different perspectives and establish courage to move forward. What had been keeping me up weighing off pros and cons suddenly became clear and the right thing to do. I implemented that decision the next day. If you are also struggling with a decision to make I highly recommend consulting Marleen to help you crack that nut.
Malte
Marleen is incredible! Without her, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Even in situations that felt overwhelming and hopeless, she brought clarity fast. Her approachable nature and the depth of her own life experience are incredibly inspiring and motivating — suddenly, everything feels possible. Thank you, Marleen!
Linda
Having had the pleasure of working alongside Marleen for several years, I have come to know her not only as a remarkably intelligent and empathetic leader but also as a friend and trusted personal coach. Marleen possesses a unique ability to provide guidance that is both insightful and invaluable, often helping me navigate through complex situations. Her knack for posing the right questions at precisely the right moments has prompted me to reflect deeply on what truly matters, fostering both my professional and personal growth. Marleen’s influence has been a cornerstone of my journey, and I am very grateful for the wisdom and support she has shared.
Christian
Working with Marleen was my first coaching experience, and I’m really glad I took this step. Being new to coaching, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but Marleen’s guidance through professional challenges was extremely helpful. Her ability to ask the right questions and listen attentively helped me gain clarity and make thoughtful decisions. What I appreciated most was the safe and supportive environment she created. Marleen didn’t just help me with the immediate challenges I was dealing with, she also helped me develop a new way of thinking that I’m confident will benefit me in the long run. I highly recommend working with Marleen. Her support has played a significant role in my development, both professionally and personally.
Joshua
Eye-opening coaching with expertise and empathy! Going through some personal change I was curious for new challenges in my professional life without having a clear path. Having Marleen as a sparring partner boosted my confidence and gave me the courage to try something new. She has also supported me in finding solutions, when struggling or going through a conflict. Marleen has a special ability to listen, to show new perspectives and to guide you to finding the best path for yourself. Her skills in helping you identify your own personal wishes and goals is impressive. Although my coaching sessions for now have ended, I feel they have continued through her podcast, where I get new inspiration, input and motivation every week. Marleen gets my warmest recommendation – she is a true asset for everyone longing for small or big change in professional or personal life. Thank you!
Gitte
Before I started the coaching with Marleen, I worked on tackling the next step in my career but felt held back by inner mental blocks and uncertainties. From the very beginning, Marleen created a trustworthy environment in our conversations, allowing for self-reflection and thereby bringing me a lot of clarity. Her empathetic manner, coupled with her focus on me as an individual, made it very easy to reflect on difficult topics and get to the bottom of fundamental thought patterns together. Thanks to the coaching, I have not only overcome my inner blocks but also developed a clear vision for my professional future and taken concrete steps to realize it. After that, I was not just able to take the next step and feel confident in my new role, but I also gained fundamental insights about myself, my strengths and weaknesses, which will help me in the long term. I can highly recommend Marleen for everyone who wants to take the next step and advance in their professional career!
Nico
Unique people. Unique paths. Let’s design yours.
Unique people. Unique paths. Let’s design yours.
We (probably) only live once – so let’s make it count. To live a life that feels like yours, you have to follow more than logic. You need to follow curiosity and desire.
For me, that means living with freedom, intensity, and purpose. That’s my philosophy. And it’s exactly how I’ve built my own life.
Hi, I’m Marleen – coach, mentor, strategist, Unicorn by nature. It’s my mission to help people create careers and lives that are truly theirs – not just impressive on the outside but aligned on the inside. I combine deep coaching expertise with years of personal experience in building a life that defies the norm. I’ve made bold moves – in business, and far beyond.
I was the first in my family to attend university, earned a PhD, joined McKinsey, and made it all the way to the top of corporate marketing. And then I did the boldest thing of all: I walked away – at the peak of my career. No plan B. Just a deep inner knowing: There’s more for me out there.
And so I have:
Taken a solo sabbatical travelling across Africa & climbing Mount Kilimanjaro; a dream I have had ever since I was 16 years old
Walked from Munich to Venice, crossing the Alps with a backpack and walking sticks
Become a mother (soon to be of two!) and married the love of my life
Moved to the US with my family, first Miami (Florida), now Cincinnati (Ohio); the US has always felt like home to me
Started and reinvented my own coaching business, a presence on LinkedIn as well as a podcast
And spent a month in Italy learning to make real gelato (because yes, I dream of opening my own gelato shop someday)
I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all lives. I believe in bold, beautiful, messy, meaningful ones – designed by you.